A number of y'all might have seen group collabs making the rounds of the various shipping groups. I've seen 'em in the Twinkie and ApplePie group--among many, many others--and I thought doing it here might be a neat way to increase the amount of SunLight fic in the world.

I am unoriginal, so I am stealing the rules and how-to from Starswirls Beard, who was the one to kick off the collab over in the ApplePie group:

*Someone starts off by posting a 100-500 word mini-fic about Twilight Sparkle and Sunset Shimmer. At the end will be a one word prompt. If you would like to write a 100-500 word SunLight mini-fic relating to that prompt within the next four hours, comment right away to claim that prompt. Post the story when you finish, and add a one word prompt at the end for the next people to claim.
* The mini-fic can be in any style, any tag, AU, ponies and/or humans, etc. It can be a cute scene, a snippet of conversation, or an excerpt from an Equestrian history book. It's not expected to be preread or proofread, and if you've never written before, that's just fine. Just try to keep it rated teen or lower, make sure it's 100-500 words of fiction about Twilight and Sunset, and make sure it relates somehow to the prompt you claimed.
* Claim prompts with a quick post responding to the last post. Just the word "claimed" is fine. When you finish, make a post with the mini-fic and the next prompt.
* Your claim is valid for four hours, to keep someone from accidentally holding things up all day. After four hours, another person can post a claim for the same prompt. If you ran out of time, and no one else has claimed it, and you still want to write it, just go ahead and reclaim it.
* In the event that people become confused, and two fics are posted for the same prompt, the first one posted contains the official next prompt.
* Please include a one word prompt at the end of your fic. There are lots of words, and they can mean lots of things, and it's up to the next writer what they want to do with it.
* Please don't claim your own prompt.
* Lots of the other groups have published their collabs as stories here on Fimfiction, and that's something we can discuss doing too, if we're interested. We don't have to if we don't want to, though!

The first prompt is: Regret.

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*not claiming*

I host the RariJack prompt collab, and I think that publishing it would be a good first move. It brings in more publicity for the group, and allows for wider reading.

Also, I may claim in a bit if no-one else does.

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Yeah, personally, I'm inclined towards publishing too, for just those reasons. I thought it'd be best to let the decision rest with those who actually end up participating, though. Woo, democracy.

1707492 I've got this one.

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Regret was a feeling Twilight Sparkle knew well. She had felt it when she realized how many opportunities she had missed by not valuing friendship as a foal. She had felt it every time she had disappointed someone. Recently, she had felt it 'every thirty moons'.

Sunset Shimmer had came through the portal, thirty days after it had closed. The thirty moons had simply meant thirty nights. She had gone before Celestia, asking to be allowed Equestrian Citizenship once again, which the princess had allowed.

She had settled in Ponyville. She had talked to Twilight everyday. She had became Twilight's best friend--and then she wanted more.

Twilight felt as if her stomach had been ripped from her body every time she thought of that day. She thought of the tears that had streamed down Sunset's cheeks, of the words that had been whispered.

She had let Sunset go, thinking the mare would be back soon. Of course, she hadn't been. She hadn't realized how much Sunset had meant to her, how much she really truly cared about her, until she had gone. That had been eighty-nine moons ago.

Now, she stood in front of the portal, watching the clock count down the seconds until she could step through. Until she could fix the mess she had made.

Until she could say the words she wished beyond anything she had said to Sunset that day.

As the clock struck midnight, the mirror before her shimmered. Smiling, Twilight stepped forward. This time, she knew what she was doing.

"I love you, too. And I'm bringing you home."

Prompt: Nightfall

Claimed.

“Halfway There”

Sunset Shimmer stood on the roof of Canterlot High School, staring up at the moon rising above the horizon into a softly violet dusk sky. She wasn’t really supposed to be up here, especially not after school hours, but what Principal Celestia didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her. Besides, Sunset couldn’t get quite so clear a view of the moon down on the ground. Not with so many buildings and trees standing in the way.

Tonight marked the fifteenth moon, the fifteenth month. The halfway point to when the portal would reopen.

Sunset stepped up to the ledge of the roof as she kept her eyes trained upward. The sky really was a lovely shade of purple. A familiar shade, too. These last fifteen months were all her fault, of course, the fault of that stupid little princess. The stupid little princess who’d given Sunset back her life, who’d given Sunset all the friends she had now, who’s given Sunset something to hope for and strive towards. The stupid little princess who Sunset felt a tiny bit embarrassed to love quite as much as she did.

“Yo, Shimmer!”

The shout came from below and, startled, Sunset glanced down. Rainbow Dash stood there on the school lawn, with crossed arms and an impatiently tapping foot. But there was a grin on her face that betrayed that Rainbow wasn’t really mad.

Sunset grinned back. “What do you want, Dash?”

“The other girls sent me to get you.” Rainbow raised an eyebrow. “You are still going to the fundraising party for the animal shelter, right?”

“Well, of course I am.” Sunset made a scoffing noise and rolled her eyes. “I’m not stupid! I know how important this is to Fluttershy.”

Rainbow Dash nodded as she began walking off. “Hey, just checking. You always get a little weird and go AWOL this time of month. I mean, weirder than usual.”

Sunset glared daggers as Rainbow ran off, cackling. “That better not have been a PMS joke, Dash! Or I swear I will--”

She cut herself off. No, no, no. None of that. She was the new Sunset Shimmer, and the new Sunset Shimmer did not threaten her friends. At least, not more than once a week, she didn’t. Twice a week, tops, and that was only if Applejack was being particularly ornery.

With a quiet sigh, she glanced up again. The sky had melted from purple into black during the time she’d talked with Dash, and she felt a little sad. Dusk was always her favorite time of day. Oh, well. There’d always be next month. And the month after that. And the month after that.

Until finally she’d arrive at the point where she was ready. Where she was the person she wanted to be, the person she knew she could be. The kind of person Twilight Sparkle deserved.

In the interim, she had a party to attend. Smiling, Sunset stepped down off the ledge and headed for the roof stairs.

Next prompt: Lessons.

There's no real reason NOT to publish the thing. Seems to be the thing to do, really.

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Lessons:
"Today, we'll be learning about forgiveness," Twilight said, smiling in the ever-patient, warm way she always did. Sunset Shimmer hated that smile. She hated the way Twilight always said we - We'll be learning, We've got a ways to go yet. As if the two of them were anything alike. As if Twilight weren't some paragon of magical prowess and gentle tolerance. As if Twilight weren't some radiant princess who took pity on the pony who could have been standing in those ornate horseshoes, wings half-spread awkwardly. Sunset scowled and snapped her copy of Starswirl's Compendium shut with a sharp thud.

"Forgiveness isn't just about saying 'sorry'," Twilight continued, pausing her elegant steps a few feet from where Sunset lay sprawled on a floor cushion. "It's about accepting the blame given to you gracefully. It's about understanding why you caused the problem in the first place. It's a promise to never act that way again." Twilight's smile shifted slightly, her deep purple eyes full of ... sorrow? pity? Sunset scowled and tore her eyes away from Twilight's face. She couldn't handle those eyes right now. "It's about forgiving yourself for the things that you've done, too," Twilight murmured, maybe a hoofslength from Sunset's ear. Sunset shuddered and leapt to her feet, doing her best not to snort steam.Twilight stepped back quickly, her head lowered, ears pinned back.

"I'm sorry for invading your space, Sunset," she mumbled. "I promise I won't do it again." Sunset chuckled nervously, unsure whether that last bit was part of the lesson or not. After close to a minute of tense silence, staring at Twilight's stiff half-bow, she swallowed to wet her throat.

"I forgive you, Twilight," Sunset said. Her voice was husky, her throat felt scratchier than it should have. But Twilight's warm, ever-patient smile was back on her face, so that was something. Sunset Shimmer hated that smile. She hated the way it sent warmth pulsing through her chest. She hated the way it made her feel safe, nade her feel trusted. She hated the way it made her feel trustworthy. Sunset felt an off-balance smirk creep onto her face and relaxed her stance.

Twilight cleared her throat and smiled again, although it looked almost forced. "The beauty of forgiveness is how it soothes away guilt and blame. It's a promise, in a way. One pony promises to change for the better, and the other pony promises to hold them to that promise, to trust them to be that better pony." Twilight took two hesitant steps toward Sunset, her whole body an unasked question. "There's somepony who wants to see you again." Twilight's wings trembled, her feathers rustling against one another, her teeth chattering minutely. Twilight took three slow breaths and trapped Sunset in a painfully raw stare. "If you don't want to see her, I'll get her to leave, alright? Just..." Was that a tear? If it was, Twilight blinked it away quickly enough. "Please give her a chance. That's all I'm asking."

Sunset nodded dumbly. Somewhere in her chest the weight of uncertainty sat, heavy and cold as ice. Twilight opened the library door and spoke to a cloaked figure outside. A tall figure, with white hooves poking out from beneath the hem ... Sunset's heart raced as the poorly disguised Princess followed Twilight over the threshold.

And then Twilight was beside her, a wing almost brushing her side in silent support. Sunset leaned into the feathers and let out one shaky breath that became a whimper as Princess Celestia threw back her hood and looked at the two of them. There was so much sadness in her eyes, so much age ...

"Princess, I'm sorry for running off without a word," Sunset blurted out desperately. "I should've said something. Or at least I could have listened to you. You always explained if I asked, but I was just so ... so angry at you when I read about her. About Luna..." Sunset closed her eyes against an onslaught of tears, shaking and pressing herself firmly into Twilight's solid warmth.

"Sunset Shimmer ..." Celestia's voice lacked the regal confidence Sunset remembered growing up. "I am so, so sorry for how I treated you." What? Sunset's eyes shot open, and she could see through a watery blur that Princess Celestia was also crying. "I put so much pressure onto you, Sunset. You were my student, but I treated you like a tool. I suppose that's what you were to me, in the end ... a tool to get my beloved sister back. I taught you everything you would need to succeed, or so I thought. And when you left ... when you left, I was sad at first because I believed I had lost the only chance at Luna's redemption. I had lost a friend, a confidant, a protege ... and I still selfishly thought of myself first. How I acted towards you in that last year is my second greatest regret."

Sunset blinked away the worst of her tears and took a long look at Twilight, at her deep purple eyes so full of hope that it was almost blinding. Sunset stared at her warm and damnably patient smile, memorized the feel of Twilight's warm, soft feathers pressed trembling against her side, and turned back to Princess Celestia, drooping in shame and familiar self-hatred. Sunset Shimmer stepped forward with slow, deliberate strides and nudged Celestia's chin up with a hoof until their eyes met.

"It's alright, Princess," she choked through her own delicate smile. "I forgive you."

Next Prompt: Breakfast

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Breakfast:
Sunset Shimmer opened her eyes. The lavender ceiling of her room was a familiar sight ever since she had come home. She replayed the scene in her mind; the burning hatred of Celestia's new student, Twilight Sparkle, followed by regret, followed by everyone in school shunning her, hating her. Some would even go out of their way to avoid her, as if she would suddenly become a demon again, like on that terrible night. Then she had come back through the portal. After a long, long discussion on whether or not she could continue her studies, they had decided she could; under one condition.

Twilight Sparkle was to be her teacher.

At first she hated the very idea that her worst enemy would be teaching her about the very thing she had promised herself to learn about on her own. But Twilight was a good teacher, and after a few weeks she had warmed up to her. Twilight had come up with the ritual of Sunday breakfasts together, where they would discuss what they were going to learn about that week with Sparkler and Dinky Doo, her two other top-ranking students.

But enough with all that. Today was in fact, a Sunday, and being late for Sunday breakfast was one of the worst crimes punishable at Twilight Sparkle's Friendship Academy. But she wasn't even concerned about that. Tonight was the Dusk Aurora, a beautiful sunset that seemed to collide with dusk, hence the name, and tonight she and Twilight were going to go see it together. Just the two of them. Their first date as marefriends. A warm blush lit up Sunset's face as she got her saddlebags and headed downstairs.

"Good morning, Sunny." Twilight smiled, her eyes twinkling with affection. "Morning, Miss Sparkle." Sunset purposefully added a bit of seriousness to her reply to remind her teacher that they were on business now; her name was Sunset. No pet names allowed during class.

That didn't stop them from sharing a nuzzle once breakfast was over.

Next Prompt: Stargazing

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Stargazing:

Twilight glanced away from her telescope for a moment and scribbled out the latest position/second of the hurtling star before gluing herself back to the eyepiece.

“Hey, nerd.” Twilight’s ear twitched and she clenched her teeth as Sunset’s voice drawled out behind her. Another minute passed, and she recorded another line of data. “Hey, Twilight.” Sunset didn’t raise her voice, didn’t change inflections. Irritation built up along Twilight’s spine, and she snorted, jabbing her quillpoint through the scroll on the decimal point. “Twilight.” Twilight’s wings flared minutely, and her ears pinned themselves tightly against her skull. “Twilight.”

Twilight whirled away from the telescope, furious. “Sunset, I am trying to get the data from two stars colliding. This is unprecedented, and I need to get as much time undisturbed at the telescope so I don’t miss anything!”

Sunset’s aloof smirk didn’t fade. But she gestured wildly with a hoof, her eyes sparkling mysteriously. “You’re missing one hell of a night sky, Twilight,” she said, warmly. “Just thought you should know.”

Twilight looked up and gasped. The stars sparkled and twinkled, clearer than she could ever remember seeing them. A comet streaked by, and she found herself smiling, felt tears pooling in her eyes from the beauty of it.

The scratch of a quill shocked her out of her revery. She looked over to see Sunset running several calculations at once, her eyes dancing over her many equations and Twilight’s data. After another minute or so of frantically scribbled numbers, Sunset peeked into the telescope and nodded, satisfied with something.

“Acceleration’s stopped, more or less,” Sunset declared, stepping away from the telescope and grinning at Twilight. “At least, there’s no change in speed that we can measure with our current equipment.”

Then she sat down, closer than Twilight could ever remember her sitting. They looked up at the stars together, in silence, although Sunset kept moving her mouth silently. Then she smiled and nudged Twilight twice. She gestured wordlessly to the patch of sky where two distant stars would be colliding soon.

“...And showtime,” Sunset murmured, her breath tickling the hairs on Twilight’s ear. A brilliant flash of light and fire washed out the stars across half the sky. Twilight looked away from the spectacle to look at Sunset. A soft, proud smile graced Sunset’s lips, and she looked more open and vulnerable than Twilight could ever remember her. Sunset was beautiful.

“How’d you know when it would happen?” Twilight asked, breaking away from her thoughts.

“I said the speed had evened out, yeah?” Twilight nodded. “I was running that speed over distance between the two stars through my head, and then counting down.” Sunset shrugged, and Twilight’s eyes widened.

“I think I could kiss you,” Twilight said, before she could stop herself. That soft, delicate smile was back on Sunset’s face.

“Really?” she asked, her whole demeanor lifting. “I mean … if you’re sure,” she finished, shyly.

Twilight leaned forward and met Sunset’s lips inexpertly, longingly. She felt Sunset pressing back, gently guiding her down to the sanded floorboards of the balcony. Twilight opened her eyes again and met Sunset’s, so full of care and concern and want that Twilight felt breathless all over again.

The rest of the night was beautiful.

Next prompt: Mirror

Hopefully this isn't completely dead, so let's have some new material!
Claim(ing|ed) Mirror!
Fair warning: this word count cruised way past 500. According to Google Docs, it's 1582. Somewhat related, any feedback would be super appreciated!

Sunset sat alone in the library for what felt like an hour. She stared at her hands and curled and uncurled her fingers. She was still human despite coming back through the portal. Have I lost what made me a pony? Is that why? Is this some sort of cruel punishment for leaving Equestria? I thought I... I thought I put an end to that part of myself. Made amends. Made friends and found love. But... that was a human. Did... did I give up, however unintentionally, being a pony to have that?

Sunset slumped down and covered her face with her hands. She couldn’t even bring herself to cry. This was supposed to be the opportunity of a lifetime, and now... She choked back a sob.

She heard tapping at the door. It was a distantly familiar sound: the clop of hooves on stone. She looked up and wiped her eyes out of habit; they were still dry in spite of her best efforts.

“Sunset? I talked with Princess Celestia. This isn’t what I expected to happen. For now, we’ll wait and see what happens. Princess Celestia and Luna will talk with your parents, let them know you’re here and safe, but you’re not ready to see them just yet,” Twilight said as she crossed the room and sat next to Sunset. While sitting, they were about equal height but Sunset would once again tower over her new love when she stood. Twilight sighed and rested a comforting hoof on Sunset’s shoulder. “We’ll work this out, OK? There’s... there’s a lot to talk about. And...” Twilight looked away but never withdrew her hoof. “I’m sorry I had to leave you when I did. I wish I could’ve stayed, but I needed to talk to Celestia.”

Sunset leaned her head against Twilight’s hoof and said nothing. Her cheek slowly brushed against the furry fetlock that rested on her shoulder. Eventually, she mumbled, “It’s OK, Twilight. You’re here now. It’s just a lot to take in, you know? Neither of us knows why or how this happened. I need...” She took a deep breath. “I need time to think. Just to sit down and relax and take it all in and work through it.”

“How about we head upstairs then? There’s a living room with a large sofa. We could sit or lay down. Or if you’d rather sleep, I can get Spike to help prepare one of the guest rooms?” Twilight offered.

“The sofa sounds fine for now. Lead the way,” Sunset said.

Twilight dropped her hoof from Sunset’s shoulder and waited for her to stand up. Sunset brushed her skirt and stretched her legs before she followed Twilight out of the library and up the spiral stairs. Her boots tapped on the stone; Twilight’s hooves clopped. The sound haunted her, a terrible reminder of her otherness. She sniffled and thanked whatever deity was willing to bless her that the sound was drowned out by the tapping and clopping. She folded her arms across her chest and tried to admire the craftsmanship of the castle around her. No matter how hard she tried, no matter what distristractions she tried to occupy herself with, she just couldn’t shake the feeling that she still had wrongs to right.

In front of her, Twilight held a door open to an expansive room lined with yet more bookshelves, though it was smaller than the library below. Instead, along the wall to the left and further into the castle, sat a fireplace shared with one of the bedrooms. Chairs and cushions were scattered about, some near and some far. A raised floor lead to the floor-to-ceiling windows made of the same intricate crystal as the rest of the castle. On that raised floor and facing the window was the long, plush sofa Twilight mentioned. Sunset turned back to face her darling, and got a smile and nod in return. Sunset tried to return the smile, but much pain pulled the corners of her lips down as she did.

Sunset walked over the sofa and ran her fingers along the soft fabric of the arm and back of the sofa before setting herself in the middle. She stared out the window to the fading oranges, reds, and purples of the waning light of day. “Sunset and Twilight,” she mumbled. Behind her, a pop of magic, roar of flames, and warming orange glow made her turn her head. Twilight trotted up to the raised floor and the fire behind her looked as if it had been burning for an hour. It suffused the room with a pleasant warmth.

Twilight climbed onto the sofa and sat next to Sunset, facing her. At first, Twilight once again rested a hoof on Sunset’s shoulder. But Sunset patted her lap and Twilight moved to rest her forelegs across Sunset’s lap and rested her head on her crossed fetlocks. Sunset pulled her gaze from the setting sun and rising moon to run her fingers through Twilight’s mane. They glided easily through the silky smooth strands.

Sunset then let her hand brush down the rest of Twilight’s back, past her wings and down to her croup. All she could hear was the crackling of the fire behind her and Twilight’s slow, steady breathing. Each stroke from Sunset’s hands down Twilight’s back drew Twilight ever closer to complete relaxation. She turned her head to the side, and were it not for her eyes being closed, Twilight would’ve stared up at Sunset. Between her closed eyes, slowing breathing, and blissful smile, Sunset figured Twilight was pretty pleased with this arrangement. She brought her other hand up and scritched behind Twilight’s ears. Sunset heard a contented coo among the other soft sounds dancing around the cozy room.

She finally smiled, well and truly smiled for the first time since arriving back home. In spite of all her hardships, she still had her princess snuggled in her lap and her most trusted friend to help her through whatever lay ahead. But the day had ended, at least according to silver orb hanging high in the sky.

“Twilight,” Sunset whispered. The mare on her legs just continued with her adorable smile and lack of wakefulness. “Twilight, wake up. It’s late,” she whispered again as she jostled Twilight at her withers.

Twilight nickered and blinked her eyes slowly.

“Twilight,” Sunset whispered. “Please, if you’re going to sleep, it’s only fair that I do, too.”

Twilight blinked a few more times, still trying to register words and tie them to meanings and actions. Suddenly, her eyes went wide and she bolted up to a sitting position, careful not to press her hooves hard into Sunset. “Oh, gosh, Sunset, I’m sorry!”

Sunset pressed a finger to Twilight’s lips and used her other arm to wrap around and hug Twilight to her. “It’s OK. Ssh. You’re cute when you’re asleep.” Sunset pulled back and flashed Twilight a sheepish smile which was quickly returned, along with a fairly rosy blush.

“That was... very relaxing. It felt really good,” Twilight whispered while averting her eyes. “I mean, I liked our kiss. That was exciting and thrilling and different. But this... the brushing and stroking, that’s, uh. Well, you saw. I may have dozed off. And I’m glad you’re smiling again. You’re, um, you’re really pretty when you smile.” Twilight’s voice trailed off, but she turned back to look Sunset in the eyes.

Sunset looked back, seeing herself reflected in those bright violet eyes. Those expressive, earnest, hopeful, breathtaking violet eyes. They got bigger as they got closer before Twilight’s eyelids covered them, and suddenly a pair of lips pressed against Sunset’s cheek and she felt forelegs wrap around her chest. Butterflies invaded her stomach and she swore she was as light as a feather. “Twilight,” she whispered, more softly than before.

Twilight hugged her tighter. “No matter what, I’ll find out what happened. I’ll find out why you’re still human and we’ll figure out what to do,” she whispered just as softly. “But... regardless of what we do there. Sunset Shimmer, I love you. That won’t change. And I’ll make sure that wherever you go, you’ll be welcomed and safe. I want this to be home for you. I’ll do whatever it takes to make that happen. And I’m so, so sorry. I...” Twilight swallowed. “I don’t want you to blame yourself for any of this. I’ll find out... I promise.”

Little tears formed in the corners of both of their eyes. Sunset wrapped both her arms around Twilight and held her just as tightly. “Thank you,” was all she could whisper before she could say no more. She didn’t sob, but she clung tightly to the one pony she felt understood her better than she understood herself.

Minutes passed, marked by the twinkle of stars through the crystal windows and the crackle of the fire behind them. Twilight finally eased her forelegs from Sunset’s chest and returned to her seated position. “You said you were ready for bed?”

Sunset nodded and wiped her eyes. Tears. Actual tears, she thought. She smiled inwardly.

“Uh, it’s too late to get Spike to set up a guest room. That just leaves...” Twilight shuffled her hooves. “I could bring in some blankets and take this room and you could have mine, or... we could, uh. We could share,” Twilight mumbled.

Sunset’s heart fluttered. “We could share.” Her cheeks warmed, but not nearly to the brightness or intensity that Twilight’s did.

Next prompt: Reclaimed

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Claimed!

(Sorry if I'm resurrecting a dead thread, I just love one word prompts like this.)