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The Prodigal Sun Returns1,244 words
First Impressions1,963 words
Bienvenidos a Casa de Twilight2,448 words
The Mistakes Made1,351 words
Elements ex Machina1,335 words
Elements ex Machina II1,357 words
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The Prodigal Sun Returns

"When did you make your decision?"

Sunset Shimmer would have jumped out of her clothes, had she been wearing any. Instead, she gave out a frightened squeal and attempted to run off, but in her haste forgot she was now a quadruped and fell flat on her face. Celestia slowly cantered over to her former student and extended a hoof to help Sunset to her own.

Before taking it, Sunset eyed the alicorn princess suspiciously. If she held any genuine concern for her, she hid it quite well under a mask of indifference practiced over millennia. Reluctantly, the unicorn used said hoof as support. As her bearings returned to her, she answered in a matter-of-fact tone, "I knew I would need to come home right after Twilight Sparkle left; however, I had unfinished business to attend to in the human world." Subconciously, she realized that she was in Celestia's own bedchambers. The princess must have been keeping a closer eye on the mirror since Sunset's last visit. It was an expansive, yet cozy room with a large, four-poster bed, several tall bookshelves, and a fireplace, the sole source of heat for the room. It was efficient in both that purpose and in giving the room a lived-in feeling that put visitors to ease.

Her hoof still clutching the unicorn's, Celestia pulled Sunset into a tight hug. "My little pony, I am so glad that after all this time and everything that has happened, you still feel you can call this your home," She cried, tears of joy running down the sides of her muzzle and falling to the floor below.

To say Sunset felt awkward in the situation she found herself in would be an understatement. She had expected punishment. She had expected banishment to the moon, or to another land...and a dungeon in that land. Not in her wildest dreams had she expected to be welcomed back by Celestia with open hooves, yet here she was, and she felt her own hooves coming up to embrace her once-teacher as well. "I know now you never gave me a real reason to think otherwise," She responded. When she felt herself having to bite back her own tears, she pushed away. "Now enough of this touchy-feely horse apples!"

Celestia raised an amused eyebrow. "Now, Princess Twilight explained that she left you with her friends to learn the importance of friendship," Celestia mentioned with a twinkle in her eye. "Do you need further lessons after all this time?"

She was joking, of course, but Sunset Shimmer answered seriously. "Actually," She started, hanging her head humbly. Her next few words were nigh inaudible as she knelt to the ruler of Equestria. "I have come to beg for your forgiveness and to request tutelage under Sparkle, herself."

Celestia could tell that this level of humility was both excruciating for the unicorn and practiced, for hours, in front of a mirror. When Sunset looked up to her with a pout and big, doe eyes, she couldn't help but crack a smile and let loose a small giggle.

Sunset's brow furrowed and she stood, stomping a hoof with righteous indignation. "Are you laughing at me?" She asked incredulously. "I poured my heart and soul out to you and apologized, and you're laughing at me?! Why you-"

"Sunset Shimmer!" The authority in Celestia's voice quieted hers quite effectively; however, her next words were spoken in the same, soft tone she'd been using before. "I only did so because it is laughable to believe you have not been forgiven already." Sunset seemed speechless, so Celestia continued. "I will gladly send you by chariot to Princess Twilight's castle in Ponyville in the morning. Come with me so we can get you washed up. You're filthy." Celestia chuckled lightly and turned to walk out of her bed chambers, but something she said shook Sunset from her stupor.

"Hold on, did I just hear you say castle? In Ponyville!?" She asked, unable to believe her own ears. From what she remembered of Ponyville from maps, it was a small village, no more than twenty-five homes in its entirety. Surely there couldn't be a castle there of all places.

Celestia looked back at her student with a sly wink. "You will see, in time," she responded cryptically, only to turn and walk away, once more leading Sunset to the bath.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Twilight Sparkle tossed and turned in her new bed, groaning as she attempted to find a position comfortable enough to sleep in. Of course, there was no ranch, as that would be preferred. She missed her old house. The Golden Oaks Library had a homey feel to it, and it smelled of old books and maple. It was where she'd had her first adventure, her first party. It was where she'd taught the Cutie Mark Crusaders valuable skills. It was home. After Tirek decimated the tree, she had no choice but to sleep in her castle, where everything was made of cold, unforgiving stone. Well, she did have two choices. Pinkie Pie had offered to let her stay in Sugar Cube Corner, but there were no extra rooms. Twilight had actually tried one, sleepless night. Her suspicions that Pinkie Pie was never quiet were confirmed. The pink pony went on and on all night long, the subjects of her rambling ever changing, yet the central focus seemed to be yams.

Likewise, Rainbow Dash had offered solace in her cloud house, and while there were plenty of extra rooms, a cold, damp cloud bed sounded just as unappealing to her as the one she currently laid upon. When she explained such to Rainbow, the pegasus merely claimed that Twilight wasn't cool enough for her cloud house anyway. Giving up, Twilight rose out of bed, mane askew from all her tossing and turning. As if he had read her mind, Spike came bursting through the door. He looked sick. For a fleeting second, Twilight as actually worried for her dragon companion before she recognized that expression. He had a delivery. The dragon ran up to her, clutched his stomach in what seemed to be pain, and belched loudly. As his smoky breath wafted from his mouth, it sparkled and a scroll materialized from it.

Twilight caught it in her magic as Spike turned toward the door. With a sigh of relief, he said, "Letter from C'lestia. G'night!" The door slammed behind him. Twilight rolled her eyes, unsure if the dragon was even awake enough to get to his room before collapsing in the hall. Dismissing the thought, Twilight looked down at the letter he'd left. Celestia never sent overnight letters. Whatever information contained within had to be of the utmost importance, so she did what she did with all Celestia's letters. She tore the seal open and read it immediately.

As her eyes scanned the page, they slowly grew to the size of saucers until they landed on those dreaded words, "Sunset Shimmer will be staying with you, in Ponyville."

The shriek those words caused would echo off the Equestria hillside for generations to come.

"WHAAATTT!!!"

Author's Note:

This chapter has been revised.

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dj-pon3fan

dj-pon3fan #1 · May 12th, 2014 · · ·

Great start. I can't wait to read more.

Let the Sun Shine - LightningBass94

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