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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
Life's a Party3,132 words
In Which a Meal is Shared2,443 words

First Impressions

Sunset Shimmer arose with a feline-like stretch and a soft yawn. The sunlight just barely touched the edge of the high, castle window just yet, basking the familiarity of her old bedchambers in an orange glow. Dust could be seen swirling slowly in the air in the beams of sunlight. The quiet serenity of it all caused Sunset to sigh softly in satisfaction. She smiled softly at the books scattered across the room, left over from some late-night study session. Celestia really hadn't touched a thing in her room the entire time she was gone. It was hard to tell if that meant that Sunset had been missed and was expected to come back, or if Celestia just didn't want to remember that she ever existed. It felt like a lifetime ago, that she slept here each night, and it all came rushing to her at once with a feeling of nostalgia and a twinge of regret. She had everything she ever wanted, and yet she demanded more. "How foalish of me," she muttered. "I suppose the grass is always greener on the other side after all."

The gentle knock on the door woke her from her reverie. With her magic, she unlocked the door. Oh, how she had missed that, being able to do so many things without lifting a hoof. "Come in!" she called. The knob turned in a golden aura, and Celestia stepped in adorned in a pink bathrobe and carrying two mugs in her magic. "Morning," Sunset greeted the alicorn. She gently grasped the mug she was offered in her hooves, still unpracticed in their use. It wasn't too hot to hold, but it did teeter in her unsteady grasp. With a brief nudge of support from her magic, she balanced the cup between her hooves. It was like chopsticks all over again.

"And a good morning to you, Sunset Shimmer," Celestia crossed the room and took a seat on the floor next to the bed. She was careful to step over and around the minefield of books in her path. She wasn't the least bit surprised that Sunset hadn't moved them. She smiled at her former student, looking her over briefly. "You look much better," she noted, "I take it you slept well?"

Sunset yawned once more as she nodded her head. "It's been a long time since I slept in my own body and home," she explained, "It's...refreshing." The corners of sunset's lips raised up just slightly in the briefest and smallest of smiles, but it didn't go unnoticed by Celestia.

"Funny," Celestia quipped with a giggle, "My sister said the same thing."

The unicorn's jaw dropped. "Wait," she replied, "Princess Luna, the real Princess Luna from this dimension, is back?" She raised an inquisitive eyebrow at her host. "Why are you so forgiving, Celestia? You've been betrayed so many times, and yet you still forgive so easily..."

Celestia shrugged in response. "Perhaps I have a soft spot for family," she answered. She gave a knowing smile toward her guest, and Sunset turned her head to the side, unable to look her in the eye any longer. Celestia frowned. She hadn't expected, nor had she wanted, a negative reaction to that statement. Her hoof reached up and gently turned Sunset's muzzle to face her once more. The redhead was crying. The tears rolled silently down her cheeks, and she continued to avert Celestia's saddened gaze.

"Sun, look at me," Celestia pleaded. Her voice was gentle and caring, and there was a hint of hesitance in her voice. She didn't want to step on any more eggshells. Slowly, but surely, Sunset's eyes rolled back up to meet hers. Celestia steeled herself and continued, "You are my daughter. You always will be, no matter what you do, understand?" Sunset nodded. "I adopted you for a reason, and that reason wasn't for power or to find an heir; it was a spark. I saw a spark in the eyes of a young filly in an orphanage as she taught herself how to levitate three objects at once. I saw not skill, but drive and passion. These are the traits that make you loveable, Sunset."

Sunset's tears were flowing freely now, and her breath hitched several times in her near inaudible sobs. Celestia went on, undeterred by Sunset's reaction. This was something she needed to say. "I love you, Sunset Shimmer, and others will too. They just have to see you shine."

The mares embraced in a tight hug, Sunset crying deeply into Celestia's pearl fur. Her hooves grasped tightly at the fur of Celestia's back as if she would melt away if Sunset ever let go. "Thank you," she whimpered. "I-I love you too."

Celestia stroked her fiery mane and cooed, "Think nothing of it." She broke the embrace to look Sunset in the eye, holding her at foreleg's length with her hooves still on Sunset's shoulders. They shared a smile with one another, and Celestia spoke first, "Let's get you ready, alright? You have a big day ahead of you. Know you are always welcome here."

Sunset Shimmer nodded and wiped her tears. Knowing that her mother loved her, Sunset's hope had been restored.

Twilight was frantic. She was furious. She was absolutely, unquestionably confused. How could Celestia do this? Twilight thought that once she became a princess of Equestria, she and Celestia were supposed to be peers, equals. This was an affront to everything Twilight had worked so hard to obtain to this point. It was an absolute outrage!

"Spike!" she called out frantically, "Are you done with the sixth floor yet!?" She couldn't help the twinge of frustration that made its way to her voice, no matter how hard she tried. The young princess had been up all night rereading Celestia's letter. She couldn't believe her eyes. She'd even sent one back in response refusing to acknowledge the letter as a legitimate request, but Celestia had insisted. It frustrated Twilight to no end. She and Sunset Shimmer were nothing alike; they didn't get along. What could she possibly teach her? Sure, she was the Princess of Friendship, but she was no miracle worker! She left things of that variety to Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. She still wasn't sure how Fluttershy kept tabs on Discord the way she did.

That being said, she'd received the request from Celestia herself, and as such, she had woken Spike up to clean just before sunrise. She may not have liked it, and she may have fought it, but she still highly respected Celestia. She'd make sure the castle was spotless, even for Sunset Shimmer. It was now noon, and the dreaded guest would be arriving any minute, so of course Twilight was getting desperate to have everything in place. "Are you kidding me?!" Spike asked rhetorically from two stories up. "This place is huge! I can't possibly clean the entire thing to your ungodly high standards in seven hours! Hire a real servant!"

"What?! Oh no, oh no, oh no! She'll be here any minute!" Twilight teleported into the room Spike was currently working feverishly to dust with a loud pop. To be completely honest, Twilight hadn't even seen this room before. It was some sort of dining hall, she guessed. There was a large table and several china cabinets and vanities, fully stocked with items Twilight couldn't recall ever seeing either. She shook her head and addressed Spike. "Though she's unwanted, she's a guest just the same! This castle has to be spotless!" Twilight's horn burst with bright light as she concentrated. Several dozen dusters were conjured and went to work on each and every surface of the level simultaneously.

When the stone shone with the same glisten it did the day it appeared, Twilight finally dropped the spells and sighed deeply in relief. It only took a couple minutes, but that spell had been exhausting all the same. "There," She stated satisfactorily, "That was the last floor!"

"Don't you think this is a bit excessive just for Sunset Shimmer?" Spike asked, stifling a yawn less than masterfully. "I mean, she won't be here long before we're forced to run her back out of Equestria."

"Spike!" Twilight responded, aghast that he would say that.

"What? It's only true!" Spike protested.

"If Princess Celestia believes Sunset Shimmer has truly changed, I'm inclined to believe her!" Twilight huffed.

Spike rolled his eyes and trudged off, mumbling under his breath, "She thought Discord changed, too..."

"What was that!?" Twilight shrieked.

"Nothing!" Spike darted out the room and down the stairs into his own.

There was a moment of silence as Twilight sat alone in an attempt to regain her composure. She was asked to be nice, and be nice she shall. Not to say that doing so wouldn't be a challenge, especially if Spike kept up with his current attitude. She barely got a minute to herself before she heard the telltale sound of two pegasi flapping simultaneously to pull a sky chariot. She teleported and found herself at the entrance to her castle. She felt a twinge of nostalgia. She missed the old, wooden door Rainbow Dash broke down once a week. This new crystal door was just... gaudy.

As she stood on one side of the door, she heard the distinctive voice of Sunset Shimmer on the other, though the edge it had once held seemed to have all but disappeared. "When...why...how did this get here?" Sunset asked no one in particular. Twilight grinned. She was told to be nice, but she couldn't stand to let this golden opportunity pass.

Her grin became a sneer as she swung open the door. She took two steps to clear the distance between herself and the unicorn before her. Sunset gulped loudly as the princess pressed her muzzle inches from her own and placed a single hoof under her chin. After a second of careful scrutiny, Twilight jabbed, "You must be new here," in the best impression of Sunset Shimmer she could muster. Her sneer never left as she turned and retreated back into the castle, hips swaying in her victory. That little bit of revenge would be sufficient.

Sunset stared wide-eyed through the doorway for several seconds, careful not to make any sudden movements. That had thrown her through a loop, but the fact that those had been the first words she ever spoke to Twilight was not lost on her. Still, she was largely unaccustomed to being on the receiving end of such behavior. "Buck my life," She thought. Tentatively, she made her way into the castle, and Twilight closed the door behind her. The throne room in which she now stood shone with an immaculate polish the likes of which she'd never seen, and the alicorn sitting upon one of the thrones was eyeing her suspiciously. She retracted the previous statement she'd formulated in her head, replacing it with, "Buck my life hard!"

Author's Note:

This story has garnered the best reception of all my stories thus far, and what a reception it's been!