• Published 22nd Mar 2018
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Terms of Forgiveness - Fylifa



With the memory stone crisis behind her, it's time for Sunset to deal with an even bigger challenge: Princess Celestia wanting to visit her...on Earth

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Chapter 3- Indirect Generosity

The mall’s food court was a wonderland of advertisement. Every direction showed lighted and colorful signs for fried, roasted, baked or barbecued animal parts in one form or another.

Aiming to avoid any awkward questions, Sunset sat Twilight and Celestia at the table on the far side while she fetched them a pizza. They were still talking when she approached the table.

“—are not gold colored, but I usually wear golden hoof shoes,” Celestia replied.

“Hoof… shoes? Not Horseshoes?” Twilight asked.

“I do like to take them off at the end of the day. Having them be the nailed on variety would be a bother. Which are you wearing? Humanshoes or foot shoes?”

“Umm,” Twilight said and looked down with uncertainty at her feet.

Sunset came to her rescue by setting down the pizza pie on the table. “Here we go! A Vegetable Supreme! Has all the veggies! Every slice a different vegetable. You can sample every flavor that can possibly be on a pizza with every slice.”

“You said vegetable three times,” Twilight noted, eyeing Sunset’s overly broad smile.

“Well… they’re good for you!” Sunset insisted.

“Dear, that slice looks like it has pineapple. Are pineapples considered vegetables here?” Celestia asked with concern.

“If you think about it, tomatoes are technically fruit too,” Twilight mused.

Sunset ignored them both. She resolutely started on a broccoli pizza slice, trying not to wince.

That earned a little while of blessed silence as the three of them ate, though Sunset’s cheesy reprieve was interrupted by Twilight’s muffled gasp.

“Look, Celestia!” Twilight said after swallowing.

On reflex, Sunset glanced at Celestia who had a slice halfway to her mouth. She looked back at Sunset with widened eyes.

“Where are you looking? She’s over there!” Twilight said, tugging on Sunset’s wrist.

Sure enough, several tables over Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna were sitting down. Ruefully, Sunset thought that the principal’s multicolored hair made her stick out in the crowd just like Rainbow Dash.

“It’s funny seeing them outside the school and at a mall, isn’t it?” Twilight continued.

“Not really. Everything that can go wrong, goes wrong today,” Sunset muttered under her breath.

“Huh?”

“I mean... they’re people too. They probably want to enjoy a good time like the rest of us.”

Twilight nodded as she reached for another slice. “True. I guess I’m still used to a principal being more like Principal Cinch.”

“What? Drinking blood, avoiding garlic and going to bed in a coffin?” Sunset teased.

Twilight giggled. “Yeah.” She took a bite and swallowed another mouthful of pizza. “I don’t think Cinch has any family, either. Applejack told me something interesting the other day. Did you know the Principal and Vice Principal are sisters?”

“Yeah, you didn’t know?”

Twilight shrugged. “They don’t really advertise it with how they act in school. Plus, they look so different.”

“Perhaps they share a mother, but not a father,” Celestia said quietly.

Sunset startled and looked over to Celestia. “Is that tru—umm… you think?” Celestia simply looked back with a smile that Sunset thought was a little sad.

“Oh! I never thought of that. It does make some sense,” Twilight remarked. She lifted a third slice and bit into it. A splotch of pizza sauce suddenly dribbled down her chin and fell on her blouse. “Mmmf! Ugh! Why does this always happen?” Twilight groaned.

“One of life’s greatest mysteries,” Sunset said with a wry chuckle. For all her organizational neatness, Twilight tended to be a very messy eater. Celestia’s own amused look seemed to imply this to be a multiversal Twilight trait.

“I’ll go clean up, sorry! I’ll be back,” Twilight said as she hurried towards the bathrooms.

Sunset glanced over to Celestia. She was back to observing the Principal and Vice Principal.

“I’m sorry it’s ended up this way. I was hoping to avoid this,” Sunset admitted.

“I don’t think I’ve ever met a filly as unlucky as Marephy. Though her theorem is insightful.” Celestia gestured at Twilight’s empty chair. “Case in point.”

Sunset took a minute to process that, then laughed. “Over here we call it Murphy’s Law.”

“So many differences, yet remarkably similar,” Celestia murmured. “Tell me, do you know if those two ever fought?”

Sunset looked over to the Principal and Vice Principal. Both were out of their usual school clothes and talking over a pair of ice cream parfaits. As Sunset watched, Principal Celestia reached and took a spoonful of Luna’s dessert. Luna glared with irritation before she went with her own spoon to steal some of Celestia’s. They both laughed afterwards.

The antics had Sunset smiling, though she felt guilty at having to answer. “Not for as long as I’ve known them. They’re just normal everyday people who run a school together… sorry. I know that’s probably making you feel bad about what happened with Nightmare Moon.”

“Never be sorry for telling truths, no matter how painful. Perspective is a wise teacher.” Celestia paused before she asked, “What of your own twin? Have you met with her?”

Sunset shook her head. “From what I could find out, she doesn’t live here in this city. Which makes sense. In Equestria, I didn’t live in Canterlot until the Gifted Unicorn school. I’m not sure where the Earth me is or what she’s doing.”

“Do you ever wonder about her?”

“Heh, funny that.” Sunset shifted in her chair and placed her hands on the table, drumming her fingers. She looked down at them. “When I first came over, I used to think about her a lot. Like… what is this other me like? What is she without… umm...” Sunset trailed.

“Without me.” Celestia prompted.

Sunset winced and shook her head. “Without your school. Like... is the other me smart? Does she play music? Is she mean? Is she nice? Does she have anyone? Does she have a family? All of that was stuff I used to think about.”

“Hmm... but not anymore?”

Sunset wrung her hands on the table. “Things are… good now. I have friends. I have Twilight. Even going back to Equestria is a shorter trip than going back to my apartment nowadays.”

She let out a humorless laugh and continued. “Like I said before, it’s funny. I don’t want to have this other Sunset show up now… because what if she’s not any different? What if she was just like how I was before? What’s that say about me if every version of me is a rotten apple and I’m just the lucky one?”

Celestia’s hand touched Sunset’s and interrupted the wringing. Sunset looked up and found Celestia offering her a smile. “I wouldn’t call it luck. You’ve grown into your own and deserve the good things that have come to you.”

“Maybe…” Sunset answered, feeling out of sorts and embarrassed at having said so much. Looking to lighten the mood, she raised their held hands. “Careful. Twilight warned about doing this with a unicorn.”

Celestia gently squeezed Sunset’s fingers. “I’ll take my chances.”

Sunset glanced over to where Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna were but found the table empty. They’d left sometime while she was talking.

“Feel like getting some ice cream?” Sunset asked, remembering the fruit parfaits. “Knowing Twilight, she’s gonna be awhile scrubbing.”


Although the line for the ice cream shop was long, it went by at a quick rate. Sunset soon discovered why when a familiar girl roller-skated from one side of the counter to the register. “Hi, Sunset!”

“Pinkie! What are you doing here? Don’t you work that retro diner place?”

Pinkie nodded and pointed up at the kiosk’s sign. “Yep! It’s a chain. I like to cover the mall when they need people in here. I get to see Rainbow and Rarity on my break. Or you! But you’ve been taking time off from your job at the Sush—”

“Uhhh! Let’s, ahh, let’s not get too into work. Boring to talk about,” Sunset interrupted with a nervous side glance to Celestia. “I’m here with my... Mom today.”

“Wow! You never told me your mom was Princess Celestia!” Pinkie exclaimed. This time there was no doubt to which Celestia she was addressing.

Sunset boggled at her, train of thought crashing. Her mouth worked silently.

“Hello, Pinkie,” Celestia said smiling. “Though you really should ask Twilight’s permission before using her mirror.”

“Wha—” Sunset managed. Her mental train wreck becoming a pileup.

“I super, totally did! I asked her ‘Twilight can I use your mirror?’ and she said yes,” Pinkie remarked before putting a finger to her chin. “Ooh, I have just the thing for you!” Pinkie giggled and made a pirouette to the ice cream tubs. She handed Celestia a cone stacked three high. “Cake batter ice cream!”

Celestia closed one eye to study Pinkie with the other. “And did you specify which mirror you meant?”

“Mmmmmmmmmmmm,” Pinkie dawdled before reaching to add another scoop of ice cream to Celestia’s cone.

Sunset facepalmed as Celestia began to happily consume the treat.

Pinkie peered at Sunset next and then snapped her fingers. “Strawberry for you.” She was off again, repeating her skating dance, this time to the soft-serve machine.

Sunset looked in-between her fingers at Celestia. “How can you tell with her?”

“Can’t you?” Celestia replied before she took another bite of her ice cream.

Pinkie spun back and handed Sunset a strawberry cone. Sunset eyed her warily. “I’m guessing you don’t have trouble recognizing her either?”

“It’s a great visual pun: Sunlestia and Sunset. It’s pretty funny, hee!” Pinkie giggled with a bright smile.

With a sigh, Sunset asked, “Can I get one more cone, for Twi—” But of course Pinkie was already holding out a vanilla ice cream cone.

“Okay, how could you possibly know that?” Sunset asked, her head spinning.

“I saw you three at the table,” Pinkie explained matter-of-factually. “I hope you’re enjoying your daaaaate.”

“It’s not a—ugh… how much do I owe you?”

“On the house!” Pinkie said before shooing them with her hands. “Go have fun! I’ll set up the party later when I get off shift.”

Deciding against fighting a losing battle, Sunset opted for a tactical retreat instead. At least the ice cream headache helped dull the actual one she swore was coming.

“How’s your ice cream?” Sunset asked, glancing over at Celestia.

“It’s… gone.” Celestia sighed. “Do you think we could get another?”

“Gone?” Sunset echoed. They hadn’t even made it ten steps from Pinkie’s counter. “We’d have to wait in line again. Besides, calories don’t work any different on this side of the mirror. Can we be sure the royal waistline will keep up?”

“Sunset! You’re being unkind.”

“Hey, the mother-daughter nagging thing goes both ways, you know.”

Sunset giggled at the pouting frown Celestia gave her for that. “Oh, here you go, you big immortal filly.” She let Celestia have the rest of her strawberry ice cream.

Eventually, Twilight caught up with them, and Sunset handed her the last cone.

“Aww! For me? You shoul—NOT AGAIN!” Twilight wailed. Her blouse getting a fresh splat of vanilla.


“Let me guess. You want the same thing you always wear,” Rarity sighed. “At least you’re not wearing that circuit board abomination those awful electronic store folk put you in.”

Twilight winced. “But I designed that outfit…”

The fashionista was in full diva mode, armed with measuring tape, pins, fabric, and lording over the small tailoring shop nestled in the mall’s fashion corner.

Rarity put a hand to her forehead and made a louder, more melodramatic sigh. “Of course you did, darling. Anyway, you can find a blouse just like that one in the racks. Nerd girl is getting to be chic nowadays.” Her eyes wandered over to Sunset. “Do we need to do our usual dance, sweetie?”

Sunset put her hands on her hips in a defiant stance. “I’m still not letting you take my jacket, Rarity.”

Rarity scoffed. “Ever find it telling that when you pony up your dress gets studs and spikes all over?” Her eyes flicked over to Celestia next. “Oh? Who’s this? Hello!”

“This is my Mom, Sunshimmer. She’s visiting from Equestria,” Sunset said. The response was getting to be almost automatic now.

“Oh! Well, a pleasure to meet you, Miss Shimmer!” Rarity said with a warm smile before glancing back to Sunset. “Honestly, just look to your mother. She’s like a stately, better-dressed version of you from the future.”

Sunset rolled her eyes. “Mom, this is Rarity.”

Celestia smiled. “Charmed to meet you like this, Rarity.”

Rarity put a finger to her chin. “I’m glad to have you here. Perhaps now we can make Sunset face the consequences of her actions.”

Sunset frowned. “What are you talking about?”

“Look around!” Rarity gestured grandly. “Miss Hemline is letting me manage her second store, and it was all because of your help in sprucing my display with one of your wonderful murals.”

“That hardly sounds like a problem,” Celestia said with a soft laugh. “Though it’s news to me. Sunset, you’re an artist?”

Sunset crossed her arms and looked away. “Anyone could have painted that mural. Maybe it was Flanksy.”

“You see what I have to deal with, Miss Shimmer? I want to pay her back, but she’s much too humble. She doesn’t want a dress, and I can’t treat her out, not with Twilight staking her claim.”

“Rarity!” Sunset cried.

“Darling, ten minutes with you two is all the hint anyone needs. Your mother looks clever enough to have figured it out.”

Celestia raised her hand and giggled behind it.

“Did someone say my name?” Twilight’s voice came distantly from the changing rooms.

“We are only saying the sweetest things about you!” Rarity called back. She turned towards Celestia again. “Miss Shimmer, might I ask that you take the gift on her behalf? You look like a woman of taste, and I know I can make you something truly stunning.”

“How could I refuse?” Celestia said while smiling at the still blushing Sunset. “It makes for an excellent lesson on indirect generosity.”


“Okay, how’s this?” Twilight asked as she leaned against Sunset and showed her phone.

Sunset peered at the picture of the unicorn Twilight had pulled up: A big ungainly horse with what looked like a photoshopped horn put to it. “Heck no! Bah, I can do a better job with a photocopier.”

They both sat together in the boutique’s waiting area while Rarity worked in the back with Celestia. Another girl by the name of Coco Pommel came back from a break to work the front register, though she wasn’t much a talker compared to Rarity’s larger-than-life attitude.

Sunset reached over to Twilight’s phone screen and began swiping through picture results. She paused on one and pointed. “There. That one’s pretty close.”

Twilight eyed her phone before raising a brow at Sunset. “Sunny… this is a plushie.”

“Hey, you asked,” Sunset said, putting her arms behind her head. “Don’t think I can be soft and cuddly?”

“I was expecting something more majestic. But I guess cute works too.”

Sunset smirked. There was something wonderfully fitting with adorkable Twilight calling anything else cute.

“If I went to Equestria, would that be how I look?”

That question had Sunset sitting a little straighter. “Umm… well, not exactly. Princess Twilight’s an alicorn. You would have horn and wings, in addition to the soft and cuddliness.” She kept her tone light and playful for Twilight’s sake, but inwardly Sunset felt an odd reluctance.

Afraid of mixing your old life with your new one? Or mixing one Twilight with the other?

“If you ever want to learn more about magic, I could teach you if we both went over there.” Sunset continued and after another internal wrestle also added, “Princess Twilight could help, too.”

Twilight flashed Sunset a smile. “I figure the princess is busy with princess stuff. I know if someone made me like the President of a whole country I wouldn’t get any sleep or have time for anything. What about your mom? You mentioned she taught classes, and she sounded pretty knowledgeable. Plus, she could do magic!”

Sunset’s relief at the first half of Twilight’s sentence evaporated by the second half as she frantically thought back to the movie theater. “Oh! Ha… hah… I-I did… didn’t I.” For all of Twilight’s obliviousness, she could be incredibly good with detail. Even when it came to small slips of the tongue.

“As a matter of fact, I taught both Twilight and Sunset,” Celestia remarked. Both present Sunset and Twilight looked up with a start.

Celestia strode out from the back, now outfitted in an elegant white dress. It was a jarring sight for Sunset, who was used to seeing the principal version of Celestia wear ordinary slacks and blouses. With Princess Celestia, the expensive fabric hugged her body, lifting at her bust while accenting the shapely curve of her hip. The dress had a split on the side to show leg all the way down to a gold crisscrossing sandal with a raised heel. Altogether, it gave Sunset the impression of a Greek goddess.

Rarity stepped around from behind and presented her with a flourish of her hands. “Isn’t she just divine? Some of my best work!”

“You did a wonderful job, Rarity!” Twilight exclaimed.

“Yeah, just... wow,” Sunset murmured, thinking how Celestia looked more like a princess than ever.

Rarity tapped her chin. “There is one more thing I think it needs. Just a moment, Miss Shimmer.” She hurried to the back room.

Celestia smiled before turning towards Twilight. “But, yes. If you’re looking for training in magic. I can make time here and there for your education.”

Twilight’s eyes widened behind her glasses. “R-Really? That would be fantastic. Thank you!” She gave Celestia grateful hug, though a musical chime from the phone in her hand cut it short. “Ugh, of course! Sorry this is my Mom calling.”

When Twilight stepped out of earshot, Sunset whispered, “Are you sure about this?”

“Curiosity would make her step through at some point. Might as well have it be on our terms,” Celestia replied. “Besides, I would rather not wait for the next crisis to see you two again.”

Sunset chuckled and shook her head. “Isn’t that the truth? Though I still get the feeling you’ve planned this somehow.”

Celestia shrugged a shoulder. “Not precisely. I’ve been looking for things we could share together, but between music, artwork and riding an iron horse, I think ‘making-a-Twilight-happy’ is a common interest we both have and can indulge in.”

“Now hold still, Miss Shimmer!” Rarity announced as she returned from the back room with a kind of inspired eagerness. Heedless of their conversation, she moved close and looped a gold necklace around Celestia’s neck.

Sunset perked when she saw a familiar sun-shaped pendant. “Huh! That what I think it is?”

Rarity nodded. “Yes, I had an extra one after making your earrings. I hope you don’t mind me poaching your commission?”

Sunset took a long look at her own sun cutie hanging from Celestia’s neck. A smile grew on her. “Actually, I’d like for her to have something of mine.”

Celestia’s hand reached to touch the pendant, her eyes widened before lidding slightly. “Thank you, Sunset.” In a firmer voice, she looked to Rarity. “And thank you too, Rarity. I’ll be sure to visit your shop whenever I can.”

Rarity waved with a hand. “Oh darling, it was a delight. I only ask that you be a dear and make sure everyone knows where you got it.”

Twilight ended her phone call and walked back to them, her brow furrowed in thought. “I’m sorry, but can you take me home?”

“Hmm? Something the matter?” Sunset asked.

“Not...exactly. For some reason, Mom thought I was at the house this whole time. She’s frantic now because we have a guest coming over and I have to hurry back.”


Sunset took the route to Twilight’s home at record speed, feeling far more light and nimble than she could recall in recent memory, and Twilight’s tight grip on some turns only encouraged her to push the tuned-up bike to its limits.

“T-Thanks, Sunny,” Twilight said, dismounting with a small wobble once the bike finally stopped in front of the Sparkle family home.

Sunset was quick to steady her. “Easy! Sorry for rushing. You said you needed to hurry.” She glanced over towards the driveway where a car with a Crystal Prep sticker in the rear windshield was parked. “Who’s your guest?”

“Principal Cadance.”

“The dean? Oh yeah, she’s the Crystal Prep Principal now, isn’t she?”

“She’s been visiting a lot lately,” mused Twilight before putting a finger up as a thought struck her. “Oh! I bet she’s going to offer Shining a job as vice principal.”

“Hmm. I only really knew her from her reputation as a pony. She was always said to be nice.”

Twilight smiled. “Did you know she used to babysit me when I was younger? I think she’ll make a great boss for—”

A genuine, earnest laugh drew their attention to Celestia in the sidecar. It amazed Sunset to see the princess shaking in place, hand over her mouth. The laughing fit doubled at their puzzled expressions before she finally settled and waved her hand. “Oh, Twilight, my dear. I believe you will be pleasantly surprised by what is in store for you.”

Sunset raised a brow at her. “You know something about this?”

“Call it an educated guess,” Celestia replied with a coy smile.

“Well, it sounds like good news, whatever it is,” Twilight said. “Thank you, Miss Shimmer, for telling me about magic. I hope to see you again soon.”

“Most certainly, just be sure to nudge Sunset to write me in her journal.”

Twilight giggled. “Sure will.” She paused then and glanced at Sunset. “See you tomorrow?”

“Yeah,” Sunset said and kissed Twilight’s cheek to see her off.

“Hmm,” Celestia remarked once Twilight had run up the driveway.

“What? I kissed her,” Sunset huffed. “Thought that wasn’t a surprise to you?”

“Oh, it wasn’t. It just reminded me of the kisses I give my sister when I bid her luck on our shift change.”

“What do you exp—”

“SUNSET!” Twilight cried, running down the sidewalk at a sprint towards them.

It was all Sunset could do to brace against the motorcycle and catch Twilight as she threw herself into her arms. “Whoa there! Couldn’t leave without a real one, huh?” Sunset laughed.

“Sunset!” Twilight managed in-between her panting. “I… hah… I need… to—mmmff!” Her eyes went wide when Sunset kissed her full on the mouth.

Sunset slipped her arms around Twilight’s middle and put her in a tango dip, making sure the kiss was as showy and passionate as she could manage. Triumphantly, she peeked out the corner of her eye to see Celestia’s reaction.

Celestia looked on with her usual serene smile. She pointed at her own temple and mimed a fiddling gesture.

Glasses? Sunset thought and turned her gaze forward. Twilight’s eyes were wide with surprise and easy to see.

Because she wasn’t wearing glasses, of course.

Sunset straightened and broke the kiss. “Oh.”

“Umm… hi Sunset,” Princess Twilight said, blushing.

“Wow! That was some kiss!” Spike added, poking his canine head out of Twilight’s backpack.

“So, uhh… what brings you two through the mirror?” Sunset asked sheepishly.

Twilight’s eyes lingered on Sunset’s mouth while she twirled a strand of hair with a finger. “Mmm?”

“You know, the big round thing that connects two worlds. You’ve might have seen it once or twice.”

Twilight stared at Sunset blankly until Spike swatted her shoulder to break her from the daze. “Oh! I’ve been looking all over for you. Spike said he smelled ‘me’ at your apartment, so we waited here. I need to get Celestia. It’s getting late, and we need to lower the sun.”

“Oh? Was Luna being difficult?” Celestia asked.

Twilight blinked and leaned towards Celestia. “Princess! Is that you? Your hair!”

“Yes, Twilight. It’s a disguise,” Celestia replied patiently. “Did you follow the checklist?”

“I did. I took away both her blanket and pillow. It got her out of bed, but she said she couldn’t lower the sun. She said you never taught her how.”

Celestia’s expression broke from its calm state. “What? That’s ridiculous. She moved the sun when Glimmer changed our cuties.”

“That’s what I said, but she pointed out that was with your magic. Not hers.”

Celestia scoffed. “I moved the moon for thousand years without her help or any lessons about it.”

Twilight shared a glance with Spike. “She wasn’t happy to admit that, either.”


The ride back to Canterlot High carried a different mood than the joyride from the mall. For one, they had given Princess Twilight the sidecar. Celestia hugging Sunset the entire way was making her tremble with a feeling she couldn’t quite place.

When the school finally came into view, Sunset wasn’t sure whether she wanted to open the throttle or slow the bike down.

Celestia seemed to feel the same hesitant wistfulness as she squeezed one last time to Sunset’s middle before dismounting.

Twilight watched them both as she went up to the pedestal. She noticed their quiet and proved the difference between her and her human self when she asked, “Do you two… need a minute? I could go through the portal first.”

Sunset answered before Celestia could. “Yeah, Twilight. Could you? Sorry, I want to talk with her a little.”

Celestia inclined her head at Sunset before she nodded. “A little extra daylight never hurt anypony. We’ll be along.”


“Sunset, I am growing concerned. This is the third door you’ve done,” Celestia noted. “...and why do you have those?”

The lock clicked, and the door to the school’s roof swung open after Sunset found the sweet spot. “Don’t worry about it. It’s a human thing,” she said, tucking her small lockpick kit back into her jacket.

Celestia arched her brow. “It’s a ‘human thing’ to carry tools instead of keys?”

“The last time I was up here the door locked behind me, and I was stuck until someone saw me waving.”

“That should have taught you a lesson on trespassing.”

“Now you really are sounding like a mom.”

Celestia’s sternness faded with a small smile, and she briefly touched the shimmer cutie mark necklace around her neck. She shook her head in playful exasperation. “Why are we up here?”

For an answer, Sunset simply gestured forward.

Celestia stepped out onto the school’s roof and glanced about. Canterlot High with its surrounding lawn and athletic’s field made for an unobstructed view over the town. It was a pleasant enough sight, though it wasn’t the vista that ultimately drew her attention.

There was a section of wall next to the glass dome that would be hidden from those on the ground. On the roof, however, the wall was a painted panorama.

“Sunset… you did this?” Celestia asked as her fingers trailed over the colorful depictions on the concrete.

Sunset lingered back as she prodded a doorstop into place. “Yeah... what do you think?”

Celestia observed the mural. Most of the art was abstract, though she spotted the running theme through the impressionist splashes and swirls of color.

“I see six intertwined destinies later meeting a seventh. A torn heart mended. Shadow and darkness beaten back by the brightness of a rainbow.”

Sunset looked sheepish as she joined Celestia by the wall. “I guess it’s not exactly subtle.”

“Oh Sunset, I’ve spent more hours in art galleries than I can care to count. They overrate subtlety. What matters more is the emotion behind it.” Celestia traced a finger around the heart drawn in the center. “This is very genuine. As is this place’s meaning, I assume?”

“This rooftop is where I decided, really decided, that I wouldn’t let myself be that person again who would put power over everything else. My past is not today…” Sunset made a weak smile. “At least, that’s what I like to tell myself.”

Celestia placed a palm on the mural’s heart and looked from it to Sunset. “You sound unsure.”

Sunset took a deep breath and reached up to nervously brush some of her hair behind her ear. “It hasn’t been easy. Just when I think I’m past it, something pops up, and I feel like I’m back to square one. Like when Applejack’s sister spread these rumors about me or with the memory stone.”

Celestia rested a hand on Sunset’s shoulder. “But despite the memories being erased, your friendship endured. You told me that very thing.”

Sunset nodded. “It doesn’t stop it from hurting or giving me the occasional nightmare. If I couldn’t write to Twilight… I don’t know what I could have done. I would have been alone again… just like when I first came here.”

Being reminded of that moment brought a shiver to Sunset. That panic she’d felt when she wrote in the journal, unsure if Princess Twilight would remember her. One emotion nudged the other like falling dominos, and Sunset spoke before she could rein the words back. “And then there’s… you.”

Celestia said nothing and dipped her head, inviting Sunset to continue.

“I-I don’t know what to think,” Sunset admitted. “About any of this. I spent years mad at you, and after Twilight I was still afraid. But it’s all different. You’re here now, coming over and wanting to see me. Wanting to pretend...”

“Is it such an impossibility that I care about you?” Celestia asked softly.

“How can you?!” Sunset cried out and gestured at the wall. “My friends. They forgave me. Princess Twilight she redeemed me and human Twilight… she doesn’t really know how bad I was. None of them really know. You though, you know it all, you know everything.”

Sunset’s voice broke, and now the tears fell. “Y-You know that I’m just some stupid filly who ran away from home. Who was greedy. Who hurt people when she didn’t get her way. You… you were right to pu-punish.” She was sobbing, her eyes shut and voice coming in hitches. “I wasn’t even th-that good of a student. Everything you taught me wasn’t for anything, all I did was di-disappoint. Not like P-Princess Twil—”

The words hadn’t even finished forming before Sunset was being pulled into an embrace. Sunset squirmed, too full of emotion to want to be touched, but Celestia’s grip was surprisingly strong.

Guess an alicorn doesn’t need a horn to be an earth pony. The thought derailed Sunset’s runaway emotions, and she slumped in defeat against Celestia’s front.

For a while, they stood there in silence. Sunset felt numb and thought of nothing as she rested her head. Eventually, Celestia loosened her clutch and ran fingers through Sunset’s hair.

“Sunset,” she murmured.

Sunset didn’t respond, the sound of Celestia’s heartbeat fully occupying her senses.

“Sunset,” Celestia repeated. Reluctantly, Sunset looked upward. Celestia’s expression was full of sadness, but her touch remained gentle. “I am not perfect,” Celestia said, her voice quiet enough to be a whisper.

“The things I do, the things I’ve done. I try to be what ponies expect of me. But I am just a mare. One who’s so old and in her ways that she can be blind to a little filly who looked up to her. Never knowing how much hurt was building in her heart until she ran away.”

Celestia turned and nudged Sunset to look at the mural with her. “When I see that, I don’t see you pretending to be good to make up for your past. I see you striving and blooming. I see you coming to your own. Not because of me, but despite me.”

Inwardly, Sunset found it painfully ironic. When she was an ambitious, competitive pony, she hardly ever got praise. Now that she was an emotionally scrambled human, everyone seemed to heap it on her from Rarity, both Twilights, and now present-day Celestia.

Slowly, Sunset raised her limp arms and hugged Celestia’s middle. After a few long moments like this, Celestia hummed.

Sunset listened to the throaty tones alongside the thrump of heartbeat. She finally found her voice and asked, “What’s that? It’s nice.”

“Mmm? Oh, something that came to mind. An old song that seemed fitting for this moment.”

“Can I hear it?”

Celestia glanced at her, and after a brief hesitation sang out loud:

To see how you might grow.

To see what you might do.

To see what you’ve been through.

And all the ways you’ve made me proud of you

Sunset nearly laughed. Of course, it was a song of praise. Looking up showed Celestia with a faint smile herself, perhaps aware of how it sounded. The emotion in the words was genuine, however, and Sunset helped along, humming a musical counterpoint in place of having any instruments. Celestia swayed and continued:

It’s time now for a new change to come

You’ve grown up and your new life has begun

To go where you will go

To see what you will see

To find what you will be

For it’s time for you to—” Celestia stopped abruptly.

Sunset had her eyes closed, concentrating on humming matching notes. She stumbled at the sudden end and opened her eyes.

“So, this is what it’s like,” Celestia murmured. The transformation had not only given her alicorn wings back but reverted her normal hair and eye color. A breeze blew and ruffled out the lengthened hair in a long rainbow streamer. Rarity’s dress had also taken well to the transformation, getting a gold fringe and stylized sun on the hem.

“Oh! You are—” Sunset began, so awed by the sight that her ears perked and wiggled. Sunset reached up and found herself ponified as well. “—oh… yeah, it happens.” She finished somewhat lamely.

Celestia flexed her wings and made an experimental stretch. “It’s not so bad. It’s nice to see that there’s some good magic in this world too.” She glanced at the sky, and her expression softened. “It’s odd seeing a sunset without being the one to make it so.” Her gaze fell to the pedestal in the Canterlot front yard next, and she grew contemplative.

Sunset made the easy guess at Celestia’s sad tone. “We could sing a duet before you go back?” She offered and reached out a hand.

Celestia straightened and smiled at her. “That is a lovely thought. I’d like to have a song just for us. Perhaps we might—”

Their hands touched, and magic surged between them and their magically charged bodies. Sunset’s eyes widened as realization came, but by then it was too late. Her harmony pendant grew hot on her chest while her vision and thoughts blurred.