Making a Plan, Courage Lost *UPDATED*
“…And after that little incident, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon had to stay after school and pick up all the popped soccer balls!” Sunset giggled to Twilight as she and Spike lead her to her guest room later that night.
Twilight giggled back, “Well, nice to see things at Canterlot High are still going well.” Suddenly, Twilight thought of something. “Hey, have the Dazzlings been causing any trouble since I left?”
Sunset looked surprised, “No actually. After we destroyed those pendants of theirs, no one’s seen them. Not at school, not in the city, it’s like they’ve disappeared.”
Spike smirked, “Or, they’re afraid the dynamic duo of Twilight and Sunset will come back and kick them to the curb again!”
Twilight rolled her eyes at her number 1 assistant’s praises, “Still, I don’t think they’ll be much of a threat without those pendants. Anyways, we’re here!”
They stopped right in front of one of the doors. Using her magic, Twilight opened the door revealing a large guest bedroom; complete with a single guest bed, a nightstand filled with books – compliments of Twilight - and one lone lamp, and a dresser bureau with a mirror. It matched the rest of the castle’s large and intimidating look, but it still felt small enough to be a home for one pony.
“Do you like it?” Twilight asked nervously. “I know it’s a little… big, but it was the smallest room I could find in the whole castle. You don’t want to see my room.”
“No, no, Twilight. It’s perfect,” reassured Sunset. “Once I unpack my stuff, it’ll feel just like home. I just wish you didn’t go through so much trouble for me.”
“Trouble? Pfft, please,” scoffed Twilight. “When have I ever went through so much trouble for somepony?” Sunset and Spike shot her a deadpan look. “Point taken. We really are happy you’re here for the next few months. We have a LOT of stuff to do before you go back through the portal. The girls and I already started making an itinerary!”
“An itinerary?” Sunset was surprised.
“Of course,” Twilight beamed, “We all want to be able to show you the most wonderful time you’ll ever have here in Equestria! Pinkie Pie absolutely, positively wants to throw you a ‘Welcome to Ponyville and Welcome Back to Equestria’ party, Rarity says she has a fabulous idea for a dress she wanted to make for you, Fluttershy said that while you’re here, you should have your very own pet that she could find for you, Rainbow Dash wants to take you to a Wonderbolts’ show, and Applejack wants to show you the proper applebucking techniques on the apple farm!”
“Wow; that all sounds like so much fun!” Sunset exclaimed. “What about you two?”
“I wanted to show you my comic collection from the House of Enchanted Comics,” said Spike.
Twilight only glared, “After what happened last time? Absolutely not!”
“What,” defended Spike, “I wasn’t gonna show her the Power Ponies comics this time… well, I wasn’t gonna read the ending, anyway.”
“Anyways,” continued Twilight, “I wanted to take you to the Star Swirl the Bearded Traveling Museum; it’s coming back to Ponyville next week!”
Sunset’s eyes widened in excitement. “Are you serious? I’ve been dying to go to that since I was a filly! One time, back at the School for Gifted Unicorns, Lemon Hearts and I argued in history class about which of the bells on his cloak was being put on display!”
Twilight smiled innocently, “It’s the one on the far left.”
“Ha! I knew it,” gloated Sunset. All this sounded so exciting for Sunset, but her excitement faded as a thought popped into her head. Once again, she frowned dejectedly.
Twilight had noticed this, “Sunset Shimmer? Is something wrong? Don’t you like the plans we came up with?”
Sunset’s head shot back up, “What? Of course I do, and I can’t wait to do them all! …It’s just, well… There is something super specific I want to do, and I feel like the sooner I do it, the better.”
Twilight was concerned, “Oh? Of course, Sunset, we’ll do whatever you want to do first.”
Taking a deep breath, Sunset confessed, “What I really want to do first… is pay a visit to Princess Celestia.”
Twilight and Spike’s jaws dropped. “Go see Celestia?” they both exclaimed.
Once again, the air felt awkward. “That’s right. It’s what I want to do before I do anything else,” Sunset explained. “I’ve already apologized to everyone back at Canterlot High, my friends, and you two. But the one pony I need to apologize to the most is Celestia; I ignored her lessons, I thought I was good enough to be her equal… No, her superior, and I just ran away and abandoned her when she was just trying to help me.”
“Yeah, you were kinda terrible,” agreed Spike.
Twilight slapped him upside the head with her wing, “Spike!”
“No, Twilight; he’s right. I was the worst,” Sunset cut in. “But no more. If I ever want to feel like I’ve truly changed; if I ever want to show you and our friends how much your teachings mean to me, I need to do this. I need to confront my past one last time!”
“All you had to do was ask.” Twilight smiled warmly. “Of course we’ll take you to Canterlot. I was actually hoping you would want to do this first, but I didn’t want to force you into it. We can go first thing tomorrow.”
Sunset jumped. “Wait, tomorrow?”
“Of course. You said the sooner the better, and tomorrow is one of Celestia’s slow days. No royal duties, no meetings, a completely free schedule. It couldn’t be more perfect,” beamed Twilight. “Besides, we want you to be able to enjoy your visit with a clear conscience; you deserve that chance after everything that’s happened.”
Sunset’s courage slowly leaked out. But Twilight did have points. In fact, she had nothing BUT points. She had to know one last thing. “Well… ok. But Twilight, could the other girls come with us? I’d feel better doing this knowing they’re there too.”
“You didn’t have to ask that,” comforted Twilight, leaning in for a hug. “We all care about you, Sunset Shimmer.” Spike joined into the hug, the two of them showing Sunset that everything will be ok. “Now you just settle in; Spike and I are going to get dinner started. Call us if you need anything.” With that, Twilight and Spike exited the room, leaving Sunset to make herself at home.
Sunset sighed in relief, and started unpacking her saddlebags. “That’s taken care of. See that, Sunset? Everything will work out. Your friends will be there to help you, you apologize to Princess Celestia, and you can finally move on with your life knowing you’re in a better place now.”
“Keep telling yourself that,” mocked a devious voice. “Maybe if you say it enough, you’ll start believing it.”
“Who said that?” Sunset looked around.
“I did,” the voice said from behind her. Sunset hesitantly looked back… and saw her reflection staring at her mockingly. “Hello again, Sunset Shimmer. Did you miss me?”
Sunset jumped into a defensive stance, glaring at her reflection. “No! Not you again! I told you to leave me alone!”
“Don’t be so silly, Sunset; you know you can’t escape your own dirty conscience. I’m a part of you, remember; the part you gave up to make friends!” The reflection spat that word as though it was venom. “You really think they can make things better?”
“I know they can,” Sunset rebutted. “They’ve saved me from the darkness, and I can’t thank them enough for it! And tomorrow, they’re going to help me face my past one last time!”
Her reflection just giggled. “Wow, you seven really ARE besties… You’re all so blindingly sentimental. You honestly think that old sow Celestia is going to just turn the other cheek at what you’ve done?”
“How dare you call Celestia a sow! She’s one of the best teachers I’ve ever had!”
“Oh yes, and I’m sure she’ll just come off her high horse and give you a big old hug for running away!” Before Sunset could retort, her reflection continued, “But what will she think of all the other stuff you’ve done to Canterlot High? I mean, breaking so many friendships, forcing your way to the top, setting dear Twilight up for a fall... Oh, and of course…” The cruel reflection’s horn glowed brightly, and she morphed into a figure that still haunted Sunset to this day: the demon. “…Turning into a raging she-demon! Oh yes, I’m sure things will work out just fine for you, Sunny!”
Sunset backed away from the mirror as the reflection just laughed cruelly at her misfortune. Sunset shook her head fiercely, begging and pleading that this cruel vision would leave her alone. She opened her watering eyes, and sighed in relief to see her reflection was back to normal, reflecting her sad and dejected face. All the courage and assurance Sunset felt from the others was squeezed out of her, leaving her once again lost and alone… Just like back in the other world.
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Don't listen to it, Sunset! You're awesome now!
Damn! Talk about your 'inner demons'......
Be interesting to see how the meeting goes now that Sunset's mind is out of whack thanks to this. While I have a feeling things will end up favorably for Sunset, it's Celestia I'm curious about right now. Will she play the role of stern-disappointed teacher or perhaps the loving-relieved mother? (I know she's not Sunset's mom but her characterizations come off as "motherly" to the ponies).
This story is progressing quite nicely. Kudos to you!
5904673 Dude, you took the words right out of my mouth. I couldn't have said it better myself.
maybe Principal celestia had them sent to a maximum security prison in Germany, sure, it's a little over-the-top, but after practically LETTING her students fight like the did, she'd do ANYTHING to keep her job
I suspect that Sunset's old teacher's younger sister can tell her a lot about confronting one's nightmares and what particular Nightmares you must spend the rest of your life rejecting, should you ever trot a particular path.
Well...the Evil Ash trend continues!
Now what Sunset needs to do is grab a metaphorical gun and blow that conscience away!
5950672 Maybe Luna could help her expunge this bad memory.
I never really liked the personified evil side trope. It always cheapens the redemption of a villain, or the fall of a hero. It's not a question of becoming someone new, it's about the same you that you have always been making new choices. Sure, from the outside someone might call you a whole new person, but the internal struggle isn't that clean and tidy.
And then Aria chimed in from the hallway, "You can't be the worst, Sunset Shimmer. Sonata is."
As the ponies turned in surprise toward the former Siren, a far more chipper voice replied from the hallway, "You are!", which was immediately followed by a frustrated groan.
"Ignore them, they're still idiots."
(Sorry, this popped into my head and I have no excuse.)
8652433
It is perfect 👌,