Making Amends As Well As New Friends
Sunset Shimmer could not have been any happier than she was right now. Princess Celestia not only forgave her for her actions countless moons ago, she had even given Sunset another chance to be her personal student again. To say that Sunset was currently as happy as Pinkie Pie usually is would have been the understatement of the year.
That is until she accidentally bumped into a random stallion in the hall on her way to the gardens causing both of them to stumble and fall onto their flanks.
"I am so sorry!" Sunset began to apologize. "I wasn't paying attention to where I was going when I should have been. Oh, are you alright? I hope I didn't hurt you or anyth-"
And it was only when she offered her own hoof to help the mystery stallion back onto his hooves that she got a good look at him.
This mystery stallion, in Sunset's honest opinion, was quite handsome. He was just about the same age as she was. His mane was brown in color and his coat was as white as snow. His eyes were a beautiful shade of sapphire blue. His cutie mark was a circular targeting reticle with fine crosshairs and a smaller circle in the middle as the focus point, while in the background of all that was a bunch of white stars. But the biggest defining feature about this mystery stallion was that he had both a horn and wings. As soon Sunset saw this, she immediately bowed before him, automatically thinking of him as a prince.
The alicorn stallion immediately formed a puzzled look before having one of realization, and then immediately facehoofed himself.
"This happens every time I meet somepony new. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME." He muttered to himself before speaking to Sunset again. "Please, miss, don't bow to me. I may be an alicorn, but I am not really a prince."
"You're not?" Sunset questioned in a severely confused manner.
"No, I'm not." He replied before chuckling. "It's alright miss. Believe me, you're not the first or the only pony who saw my wings and horn, and then immediately thought I was a prince because of them. I'm Lockon by the way, Lockon Astros. May I ask what your name is?"
"Oh, of course." Sunset responded. "My name is Sunset Shimmer."
"You're Sunset Shimmer?" He replied in astonishment. "Oh yes, I've heard of you. You used to be Princess Celestia's student. I also know about your past with her about 60 moons ago, and eventually the events with Princess Twilight Sparkle 30 moons ago."
"Everypony knows about all of that, don't they?" Sunset frowned. "I'm not proud of the things I've done. There are a lot of times when I wish I had never even looked at that accursed mirror in the first place. Sometimes it makes me wonder if that thing was made by dark magic."
"Actually, you're not too far off from that theory." Lockon responded. "Believe it or not, Princess Celestia did not even know that much about it until I discovered it myself after some research. I then told her about it, but that just left her utterly devastated. My guess is because her lack of that specific knowledge all 60 of those moons ago caused that falling out the two of you had."
"It does not matter anymore." Sunset replied. "We both made mistakes. It's all in the past now and we've forgiven each other. Besides, she's already given me another chance to be her student. And I've already learned so much about friendship, that I am ready to start over here in Equestria."
"Well you can definitely count me as a friend, Sunset." Lockon assured her. "I would like to meet you again sometime, if that's not too much trouble." That last part he added somewhat bashfully.
"I would be happy to take you up on that offer Lockon." Sunset replied. "But, would it be alright with you if we do that on a future day? I still want to make some amends and learn more about the Magic of Friendship."
"Of course, Sunset." Lockon replied. "You take all the time you need and I can wait just as long. You can find me here in the castle or just send me a letter whenever you want to meet again."
"Alright, then." Sunset responded before realizing she was missing something. "Oh no! Where's my locket?!" She panicked before seeing Lockon holding it out to her with his front hoof.
"Did you mean this?" He asked. "I do believe you dropped it when we bumped into each other."
"Oh, thank you!" Sunset exclaimed before hugging him, causing him to blush slightly. "That locket was a gift, and it's very special to me. I don't know what I'd do if I ever lost it."
Then she realized what she was doing before starting to blush herself. She then stopped hugging him and took her locket from his hoof with her magic before putting it back on her neck.
"Sorry about that." She apologized.
Lockon could only smile warmly at her. "It's quite alright." He said. "For some reason I tend to have that effect on a lot of mares, even when I am just trying to be polite and friendly. Well, I better get going. It was nice to meet you Sunset Shimmer. I hope we can see each other again soon."
"Me too, Lockon." Sunset replied. And with that, she started walking towards the gardens again, while Lockon headed in the opposite direction. While heading towards the gardens, Sunset thought to herself, 'Wow, he's so polite and quite handsome too. I have never felt like this around any stallion before. I have not felt like this since back when I dated Flash Sentry in Canterlot High.'
She then shook her head. 'No, Sunset, you are here to learn the Magic of Friendship and make amends. Dating can wait until much later. Besides, he can try to deny it all he wants to, but I am certain that he was lying when he said he was not really a prince. And if he really is one, then I most likely don't stand a chance with him. At least he is willing to be my friend, and that's good enough for me. Although I will admit he is quite handsome.' Unbeknownst to her however, Lockon Astros was having very similar thoughts about her.
By the time Sunset finished her own train of thought, she had already arrived at the castle's sculpture gardens. She took in all the statues that decorated the entire garden. From the sculpture that depicted three smiling ponies above each other which represented friendship, to the statue portraying a pony standing proudly with a flag in her hooves which represented victory.
However, with all of the statues that were currently in the garden, there was one that Sunset remembered seeing back from when she was still Princess Celestia's student 60 moons ago. Only this time she noticed that it was not there.
"I know there used to be a statue right in this exact spot." She said out loud to herself. "But what was that statue? And more importantly, why is it not here anymore?"
"I can answer both your questions, miss." A mysterious voice said in a tone that sounded both mischievous and yet friendly at the same time.
"Who said that?" Sunset gasped. Then she turned around only to find a certain creature with the head of a pony and a body made up of all sorts of things. Upon seeing this mystery creature she yelped and leapt ten feet into the air.
"Who are you?" She asked somewhat fearfully.
"It's alright, Sunset Shimmer." The draconequus replied "I can assure you I mean you no harm whatsoever."
"How do you know my name?!" Sunset replied with even more fear in her voice and so much volume that it could almost be described as yelling. "Who are you?!"
"Oh, of course, how rude of me." He responded. "Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Discord."
"DISCORD?!" Sunset did yell this time. "The spirit of chaos and disharmony that Princesses Celestia and Luna imprisoned in stone over a thousand years ago? The one who ruled Equestria in an eternal state of chaos just for the sake of his own amusement? THAT Discord?!"
"Oh yeah," Discord replied. "Way to bring up past memories and make me feel bad about them, Miss Shimmer. And that brings me to your first question. You see, I knew your name and about your existence from 60 moons ago, back when you were still Celestia's student. Though I was still just a statue at the time, as you so clearly figured out on your own just a few minutes ago, I could still hear everything going on around me. That also included that little outburst of yours and your little falling out with Princess Celestia."
"Oh," Sunset replied in a regretful tone. "I'm sorry about making you feel bad. Though to be honest with you, I really was not expecting you to be out of that statue after everything I had heard about you up to that point."
"Eh, you were gone for five years." Discord responded. "You did not even know. Plus, I do tend to have an unsettling effect on ponies, but honestly I am trying my best to reform."
"Which reminds me," Sunset started. "How did Princess Celestia even manage to reform you anyway?"
"Wait…don't tell me." She said as the realization hit her. "Twilight Sparkle and her friends, right?"
"Right on the button." Discord replied. "Well it was mostly Fluttershy, but still…"
"Well in any case," Sunset responded. "Why would Princess Celestia even want to release you from your stone prison?"
"Oh," Discord replied. "Something about having use for my chaos magic on the side of good in times of crisis, or something along those lines, though honestly I don't see that happening anytime soon."
"Care for a spot of tea?" He asked as he materialized a whole table complete with tea set, while simultaneously making formal attire for himself.
"No thank you." Sunset replied. "I am good."
"Suit yourself." Discord responded before talking to somepony else. "Oh, hey there, Flash. What brings you here?"
Upon hearing this Sunset immediately whipped her head around to find that characteristic smile that could only belong to Flash Sentry.
"Nice to see you too, Discord." Flash replied. "But I am actually here for Sunset Shimmer."
"For me?" Sunset questioned.
"Yes," Flash added. "Princess Celestia sent me with a message. She has asked you to come to the throne room. And she also wants me to tell you that 5 guests are at the castle's front gates."
"Thank you, Flash." Sunset replied "By the way, I also wanted to thank you for taking me to the infirmary in the Crystal Castle. I never did get the chance to thank you then."
"You're quite welcome, Miss Shimmer." Flash answered somewhat modestly. "Although, you didn't really need to thank me. I was just doing my duty as a royal guard."
"Well, anyway, thank you for the message." Sunset replied. "I must not keep the Princess waiting." And with that she broke into a full gallop towards the throne room.
When she arrived at the throne room, Princess Celestia was already waiting for her.
"Glad to see you made it, Sunset." She acknowledged with a warm smile. "Moondancer and her 4 friends should be arriving any minute now."
"Well I just hope they can forgive me for what I said to them all those moons ago." Sunset replied nervously.
"Don't worry, Sunset." The Princess replied. "You are a better pony than you were back then. You obviously feel guilt and remorse for your behavior and your actions. I'm sure they will forgive you."
Then a knock came before a royal guard entered the room. "Your 5 guests have arrived, your highness." He announced while bowing.
"Thank you." Celestia responded. "Please send them in."
"Yes, your highness." He replied before exiting the room.
After he left, 5 unicorn mares walked into the throne room. All of them Sunset recognized from a certain conversation 5 years ago that she herself was feeling insanely guilty about right now.
One was creamy white with a long mane and tail that were both almost rose red in color with a few noticeable streaks of purple that were the same color as her eyes. She wore a blue bow at the base of her tail. Her cutie mark was a small gray crescent moon with three small, black five-pointed stars underneath it.
The second one had a similar coat color, but her mane and tail were so pink that they could remind somepony of cotton candy. Her eyes were an electric blue/turquoise blue-green and her cutie mark was a trio of small bluish gray stars.
The third one had a Maya blue coat. Her mane and tail were half pigment blue and half periwinkle blue; in fact one could almost compare them to a freshly squeezed string of toothpaste. Her eyes were steel blue and her cutie mark was an hourglass.
The fourth had a magic mint green coat as well as a mane and tail that were a lighter shade of the same color with a streak of white thrown in. Her eyes were golden in color and her cutie mark was a lyre.
The fifth and final pony had a body shape that was exactly like the second one's. Even their manes and tails had the same shape. If it weren't for the fact that the two ponies had different colors, one might have thought that they were sisters, maybe even twins. This final pony had a lemon yellow coat, and a cerulean mane and tail with a lighter streak in the tail. Her eyes were a beautiful shade of raspberry red. Her cutie mark was a trio of hearts; one was green in color while the other two matched her mane and tail color.
"Moondancer," Princess Celestia began addressing them as they bowed to her in respect. "Twinkleshine, Minuette, Lyra Heartstrings, Lemon Hearts. Thank you for coming girls. I am glad you could make it."
All five mares bowed before the princess with smiles on their faces.
"It's good to see you again, Princess." Moondancer, the redhead of the group, replied.
"But, with all due respect, Princess," Lyra, the mint green unicorn added. "Why did you call all five of us to the palace?"
When they finally rose from their bows, it was only then that they noticed Sunset Shimmer. And at that moment the smiles had all but vanished from all five of their faces.
"And more importantly," the lemon coated pony chimed in while pointing at Sunset with an almost menacing look on her face. "What is SHE doing here?!"
"Now Lemon Hearts," Celestia explained to all them. "I am fully aware that the last time you all saw Sunset Shimmer, what happened between the six of you was not exactly the best of interactions."
"Understatement of the century." Minuette, the blue pony, replied while Twinkleshine, the pink-maned unicorn, could only nod in agreement with an annoyed frown on her face.
"Regardless of those events," the princess continued. "I can fully assure you that Sunset Shimmer completely regrets her behavior towards all 5 of you 5 years ago. I have given her a second chance. All she wants to do is make amends and start over. And she wishes to start her list of amends with the five of you."
Sunset could only look down at the floor with an ashamed look on her face.
"I don't buy it." Lemon Hearts spoke again. "I am sorry, Princess Celestia. But I honestly am having trouble believing any of what you just said. I don't think I will believe it even if she were to pour out some incredibly sappy apology from what little even remains of her heart, that is, if she even HAS one."
"Lemon Hearts!" Moondancer exclaimed slightly in shock. "That's awfully harsh, don't you think?!"
"No, Moondancer, she's right." Sunset decided to jump in at that moment, while starting to get teary-eyed. "She has every right not to believe me or forgive me. All five of you do. I was real jerk back then. I was nothing but a stuck-up and ambitious little brat who cast aside all thoughts of and the very idea of friendship just for the sake of power. If any of you ever had a chance to become Princess Celestia's personal student, all five of you would've deserved that chance 1000 times more than I ever did. All five of you deserve to be princesses 1000 times more than I ever will. I am not asking you to forgive me; I don't even deserve your forgiveness. I just want you to know how truly sorry I am."
"Anyway, that's all." She added before turning around with tears in her eyes. Only to be stopped by a voice as she started walking towards the throne.
"Wait." Moondancer's voice echoed through the hall, causing Sunset to turn around. She immediately found Moondancer a few hoofsteps in front of her. What happened next surprised everypony in the room. Even Sunset's eyes were wide with surprise.
Moondancer was actually hugging Sunset Shimmer. "I forgive you, Sunset Shimmer." She whispered.
At that moment, Sunset burst into tears and returned Moondancer's hug. "Do you really mean that?" She asked in a teary manner.
"Of course I do." Moondancer replied in a sweet tone. "Lemon Hearts might not see it, but I can tell that you really have changed. All of the emotion that you let out of your heart and put into your apology, that look in those teary eyes of yours. Nopony can fake any of that, not even if they were the greatest actor of all time. Besides, everypony deserves a second chance. Clearly, Princess Celestia has forgiven you, enough to let you be her personal student again from the looks of it. So I forgive you, and you can definitely count me as a friend."
"Oh, thank you Moondancer." Sunset replied with her eyes closed while of joy tears were streaming down her face.
"I still don't buy it." Lemon Hearts acknowledged much to Moondancer's annoyance.
"That's enough Lemon Hearts." Moondancer actually raised her voice towards her, much to the shock of everypony in the room. Even Princess Celestia widened her eyes a little. "Would it kill you to stop being such a sourpuss?"
"You're actually defending her?!" Lemon Hearts replied. "After all those rude things she said to us?! Honestly Moondancer, you can be far too trusting sometimes."
"And just as often, you're just not trusting enough." Moondancer countered. "You always were one to hold a grudge, Lemon Hearts, but I can't believe you can't even let go of something that happened at least 5 years ago. Even Princess Celestia is willing to forgive Sunset Shimmer. So why can't you?"
To say that everypony else in the throne room was astonished at Moondancer's actions right now, would have been a major understatement. Moondancer, the mare who was shy, quiet, and super friendly 5 years ago in Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, was actually standing up for Sunset Shimmer against one of her own friends.
After thinking it over inside her head for a while, Lemon Hearts's face eventually took on an ashamed look while her ears folded back against her head.
"You're right." She told Moondancer before walking towards Sunset. "I'm really sorry, Sunset. I shouldn't have said all that nasty stuff about you. Can you ever forgive me?"
"I already have." Sunset replied while hugging Lemon Hearts. Lemon Hearts could only return the hug.
"If Moondancer and Princess Celestia can find it in their hearts to forgive you," Lemon Hearts said. "Then I can too."
"Same here." Lyra chimed in.
"Me too." Twinkleshine added.
"And I as well." Minuette joined in.
"Thanks, girls." Sunset answered all of them. "You have no idea how much this means to me right now."
"Well, why don't we try to get reacquainted at Donut Joe's?" Moondancer suggested.
"That does sound like a great idea." Sunset replied. "Unfortunately though, I am completely broke."
"Oh, that's OK Sunset," Moondancer acknowledged. "I would be more than happy to cover you this once."
"Are you sure about that, Moondancer?" Sunset asked. "I don't want to impose on you or anything."
"Oh, it's no trouble at all." Moondancer replied. "I have plenty of bits to pay for both of us."
"Alright then. Whenever you girls are ready." Sunset confirmed before turning back to Princess Celestia. "You don't mind, do you Princess?"
"Of course not, Sunset." Celestia replied with a warm smile. "I will let the six of you catch up. Just be sure to come back here as soon as you are done."
"Of course, Princess." Sunset replied before turning back to the other five mares. "Well, I don't know about any of you, but I sure could use a donut and a cup of coffee."
"Well, let's get going then." Lyra agreed.
And with that all Sunset Shimmer accompanied her five newest friends out of the throne room and towards Canterlot's most well-known sweet shop.
As soon as they were out of hearing range, Princess Celestia smiled before saying mostly to herself: "I am so proud of you, Sunset Shimmer. You have finally accepted friendship into your heart and found your way back onto the path towards your true destiny. I can already tell that at the rate you're going, you will soon earn your redemption and much more."
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This started off good enough to keep me reading, but suddenly, inexplicable alicorn author avatar. Sigh. I'm out.
So, previous candidates for the Elements of Harmony? Hmmm.....
4704829 If your talking about Moondancer's group, I am not so sure about all of them. Though I definitely could see Moondancer as a potential spirit of kindness.
4659828
Unfortunately, this is the same problem I encountered. This had the potential to be featured on Equestria Daily, but then the Mary Sue (not mary sue, sorry about that) OC character had to ruin it.
4705200 I don't know HOW you managed to predict Moondancer and all of Twilights previous friends this far in advance, but kudos to you!!!! It makes it all the more crazy that Moondancer is outspoken in this one where she is the grudge holder against Twilight
OC ruined it...sigh,,,,,
This is why I still LOVE Sunset Shimmer so much! no matter if it is either canon material or fan fiction material of her, she can easily deliver great Heartwarming Moments!