Sunset Rekindled

by EldritchNexus

Leaving Las Pegasus

The next day, Sunset Shimmer decided that it was time to go back to Canterlot. She sat down with her friends to discuss how they'd leave.

"So how are we all gonna go back?" asked Nose Nip.

"We could take the cruise ship back." suggested Teddy.

"Oh yeah, I'd love to go on there!" said Frosty.

"No, getting cruise tickets for nearly a dozen ponies will be expensive." said Sunset.

"Well, we have a modified fishing-boat anchored at the docks." said Nose Nip. "That's how me, Frosty, and your mother got here."

"Yeah, but there's two things wrong with that idea:" said Frosty. "One: I ain't goin' on no stinkin' fish boat ever again! Two: even if I did, that boat can't take more than four ponies!"

"Should we just go our separate ways?" asked Nose Nip. "You know, split up and take our own ways back to where we were before we came to this city?"

"Nips, please!" said Sunset. "I know you'd rather go back to Vanhoover as quickly as possible, but I'd really like it if all my friends could come back with me to Canterlot. If only for a day."

"Yeah, guys." agreed Teddy. "I think you'd really like Canterlot."

"Okay, if somepony can think of a way for all of us to go there, I'll do it." said Nose Nip, reluctantly.

"I just got the craziest idea, guys." said Lightning Dust.

"And what would that be?" asked Trixie.

"What if we took Summerset's blimp and flew back to Canterlot!" said Lightning.

"That big thing that tried blasting us to bits?" said Frosty. "No thanks. I'm afraid of heights, anyway."

"But Frosty, we climb mountains for a living!" said Nose Nip. "How's a blimp any different?"

"Hmph!" said Frosty.

"The Summerstar has an on-board lounge!" said Lightning. "And it has all kinds of vintage drinks!"

"I'll do it!" said Frosty, excitedly.

"And I always wanted to fly in a balloon!" said Teddy.

---

Sunset and the others made it to the field where the Summerstar was landed.

"You know, when it's not shooting at us..." said Nose Nip. "You can really admire the way this thing was constructed."

"Nips, do you think you can pilot it?" asked Sunset.

"Me?" said Nose Nip, surprised.

"Yes." said Sunset. "I mean, since you did get my mom all the way to Las Pegasus in a fishing-boat..."

"Yeah, but that's...well, that's just not the same thing!" said Nose Nip.

"Is so!" said Frosty. "Look, since I've saved your sorry overly-muscular butt a whole buncha times during our mountain-climbin' trips, I bet you and I together could fly this hunk-a junk to the ends of Equestria!"

Meanwhile Lightning Dust was speaking with Daring Do.

"Daring, you were just awesome back there." said Lightning. "I mean the way you and I stormed this blimp and arrested Summerset! You should totally be a Shadowbolt!"

"Sorry, Lightning Dust." declined Daring. "But I'm afraid I already have a job of my own, and it usually involves working alone. But you're a pretty good flier yourself. I'm sure we'll meet again, though."

"Thanks." said Lightning. "And I promise that I'll start reading your books as soon as I can. If the stuff you write is even half as hood as what you and I went through this week, they've just gotta be epic! But what are you going to do now?"

Daring Do turned to Nose Nip and Frosty.

"Hey, is it okay with you two guys if I take your fishing-boat to Vanhoover?" she asked them. "I promise I won't let it get scratched."

"Well, what'dya think?" Frosty asked Nose Nip. "Dat thing's gotta get home somehow!"

"Fine." said Nose Nip.

Golden Sun was speaking with Thunder Lee and Maximum Velocity.

"You know, it's a shame that most of the time the three of us spent together was when we were all brainwashed." said Golden Sun. "I think maybe we could all be good friends. Would you like to come with the rest of us?"

"I sure would." said Thunder Lee. "But Mr. Quick Shot has a new movie planned, and he personally chose me to star in the lead role."

"And with Summerset in jail, I think someone oughta manage that casino of his." said Maximum Velocity. "The three of us really wrecked the place, so it's going to need new renovations. And maybe a new name, too. 'The Daystar Casino' has a nice ring to it, wouldn't you think?"

"It sure does." said Golden Sun. "Well, I'll see you two later."

And then Thunder and Maximum went to a parked coach.

Radiant Dawn was talking with Trixie.

"So how'd things go with your dad?" asked Radiant.

"I'll get him yet!" said Trixie, determined. "The Great and Powerful Trixie has many more tricks up her sleeve, even for the Supreme and Mystical Artemis!"

"Well, good luck with that." said Radiant.

Soon enough, everypony made it on board the zeppelin, and it ascended into the air. Soon enough, they were far from Las Pegasus and flying over fields, rivers, forests, and even deserts. While everypony was making themselves comfortable, Sunset Shimmer was filling her father in on as much as she could remember of the time she spent in Canterlot and the human world. Golden Sun was ecstatic when he found out that Sunset had Princess Celestia's star student, but frowned when Sunset told him she ran out on her mentor. He also exhibited an interest in the human world, despite the fact that unicorns couldn't use magic there.

"Sunset, I have to say that alternate world sounds like it has a lot of potential." said Golden Sun. "It would certainly be an interest world to do research on, too. Or it would be if that mirror opened more frequently than just thirty moons. It doesn't really leave a lot of time to look around, unless you're planning on moving there."

"Yeah." said Sunset. "You know, Dad, you're probably the first pony I've talked to in weeks that doesn't see the human world as a 'death-trap for unicorns' like some of my friends, and even Radiant have made it out to be."

"Well, that's why I'm looking at it both sides." said Golden Sun. "It's my job as a professor to do so. The human world can't really be such a terrible place, or there wouldn't be so many people living there, right?"

"That's true." said Sunset. "I actually thought the same thing when I first went there. I even adjusted to life there pretty quickly, too. I even managed to live more than thirty moons there without using any magic at all."

"Intelligent and resourceful." said Golden Sun. "You should be a schoolteacher someday, Sunset. I think you would do quite well."

Sunset sighed, and then continued:

"I can't believe I almost didn't come back from that other world. I had quite a few friends there before I returned to Equestria. I even had two boyfriends in that world. Even now, I kinda wish I spent a little more time making amends with everyone there..."

"Well, it's not really good-bye though, right?" said Golden Sun. "You could always wait for those thirty lunar cycles to pass, and you can visit those friends of yours easily!"

He took a swig of his lemonade.

"Umm...I would..." said Sunset. "But I kinda made a very big mess when I was there. Between turning into a demon and being hunted by the Chrysalis Sy--"

Golden Sun sputtered in surprise.

"Turning into a what?!" he said.

"A demon." said Sunset, slowly. "I turned into...a raging...she-demon."

Golden Sun burst into laughter. Not out of mockery, but to try and lighten the heavy atmosphere of Sunset's sentence. He took a deep breath.

"I'm so sorry, my dear." said Golden Sun. "That was very childish of me."

"No, it's alright." said Sunset. "Me turning into a demon does seem a little silly in hindsight...until I remember I almost committed murder shortly afterwards."

"Oh." said Golden Sun. "Well...that's...not something I would expect to happen."

"I was in a very, very bad phase." said Sunset. "When I put on the Element of Magic, the darkness in my heart corrupted me and turned me into that monster. And then... actually, I think I'll tell you about it another time."

"That's okay, my dear." said Golden Sun. "I understand it's a very stressful thing to remember. But I think you should tell me a little more about that alternate world sometime, too. Have you ever considered writing a book about it?"

"Maybe, but..." Sunset paused, as if an impulse entered her subconscious. "You know, I suddenly felt like I forgot something of mine in the human world, when I left in a haste to Equestria. I can't quite remember what, though."

"Did you bring anything with you from Equestria?" asked Golden Sun.

"Actually, I just remembered what it was: It was this magical bo--" Sunset began, before being interrupted by Lightning Dust barging into the lounge.

"We're less than a hundred miles from Canterlot." she said.

"Thanks!" said Sunset. "See ya in a bit, dad! I'm gonna check on how the others are doing."

"That's fine with me, Sunset." said Golden Sun.

Sunset and Lightning went to the bridge, where Radiant Dawn and Scarlet Blaze were just finishing sparring with each other.

"You're a great fighter, son." said Scarlet, panting.

"You're not too bad yourself, mom." said Radiant.

"To think you're already an officer in the Night Guard." said Scarlet. "You're going to go right to the top any day, son. I just know it."

"Maybe, mom." said Radiant. "Just maybe."

He noticed that Sunset had entered the room.

"Sunny, how's it going?" he said.

"I feel like an elephant's been lifted off my back, Red." said Sunset. "Now that the whole family's back together again, I feel complete. I even feel..."

"Yes, Sunset?"

"Rekindled." said Sunset. "I feel rekindled, like a new spark is burning inside me. I think I'm ready for a new lease on life now. I want to do something unexpected and exciting! Not because I have to, but because I get to. We still have the rest of the week before we go back to Canterlot, so let's just do something fun for a change!"

"What did you have in mind, Sunny?" asked Radiant.

Sunset chuckled in a faux-mischievous manner.

"Well...I think it's as good a time as any to pay a certain somepony a visit."

---

Twilight Sparkle was on the balcony of the Golden Oak Library, reading a new book in the sunlight. She was so occupied by her book that she didn't even noticed the loud humming just overhead. It wasn't until a massive shadow blotted out the sun and covered half the town in darkness that Twilight stopped reading. She looked up and gasped at the massive black shape in the sky. It took her half a minute to realize that it was an airship of some kind.

"What in tarnation's goin' on here?" Applejack, who was passing by, exclaimed. "What in the hoof is that doin' here?"

"Whatever that oversized flying-machine is, it's landing!" said Rarity.

And she was right; the airship was landing on the far side of Ponyville, near Sweet Apple Acres.

Twilight teleported down to Rarity and Applejack.

"Let's go check it out." said Twilight.

"Right behind ya, Twi!" said Applejack.

Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy made it to the landed zeppelin.

"Who do you think is in it?" asked Rarity.

"Well, whoever owns an airship this massive--and luxurious--must be a positively wealthy--"

Then the ramp lowered.

"Hey there, everyone!" Sunset called down to them. "How's it hanging, Twilight?"

Twilight and her friends all exchanged awkward expressions at each other, trying to figure out how to react.

"Nice blimp!" Pinkie Pie finally shouted.

Comments

[Admiral Q Ponyform]

of course pinkie would break the ice first.

[00RaiserGundam]

5025229 That she would, Admiral. That she would.

[EldritchNexus]

5025417 So what did you think of the chapter?

[00RaiserGundam]

5025467 Awesome as always!

[Lord Nopony]

"Well, it's not really good-bye though, right?" said Golden Sun. "You could always wait for those thirty lunar cycles to pass, and you can visit those friends of yours easily!"
He took a swig of his lemonade.
"Umm...I would..." said Sunset. "But I kinda made a very big mess when I was there. Between turning into a demon and being hunted by the Chrysalis Sy--"
Golden Sun sputtered in surprise.
"Turning into a what?!" he said.

LOLZ!!

Awesome chapter! The best two things I liked were the rekindled part in (matches the title to a capital T!) and how Sunset went to go and surprise Twilight! Lol. Next chapter is gonna be a doozy! Right Pinky?

*Pinkie Pie* Yupper dup dup!!

[JimmyHook19]

alright! the mane 6 finally makes an appearance in the sequel! not counting Fluttershy's brief cameo appearance in one of the Las Pegasus Chapters :D