Something to Prove
Sunny gave a short stretch from the driver's seat of the Scouticus as the vehicle continued steadily south, pulling a trailer full of books back to Maretime Bay. The last rays of the sun were shining through the passenger side window, and the snow was beginning to give way to the arctic tundra. She quickly glanced behind her, seeing all the occupants either asleep or trying to sleep. Her passenger for the next hour before Sprout took over was Sunset. The unicorn sat in the passenger seat, buckled in, and flipping the pages of a leather-bound book she had pulled out of her saddlebags. It had a golden version of her cutie mark engraved on the front cover.
"Hey Sunset? I have a question, and I hope you don't take it the wrong way," Sunny said.
"No worries, Sunny. Ask away," Sunset replied, as she glanced up from her yearbook.
"When you came back through the mirror for the first time, to take Princess Twilight's crown, why did you go back? Why didn't you put it on then and there?" Sunny asked, remembering the story of how Sunset had gone back through the portal to gather followers to bring back through to Equestria.
Sunset thought about it for a moment, taking a quiet breath, as she carefully went back in her mind to her thought processes way back then.
"I suppose, because it wasn't about just having it. That wasn't enough. I had something to prove. I had to show Princess Celestia that it was rightfully mine in the first place; that she had made a mistake in expelling me, in choosing Twilight as a successor. Stealing it wasn't enough, and it would have proved nothing more than me being a capable thief. When Twilight became an alicorn, I had believed that she had usurped a position that had belonged to me. I never believed Celestia when she told me that I wasn't ready for the darker aspects of magic that I so desperately wanted to begin researching, that I had started looking at against her wishes when I was caught and expelled on the night I crossed over the first time."
Sunny listened intently as Sunset paused to gather more of her thoughts.
"I was just... Angry. Back then I honestly believed that everything that I had earned had been stolen. I hadn't realistically thought the whole thing through. If I had made a clean getaway and returned with my teenage army, what then? They weren't going to automatically be able to adapt to their equine forms. I was just laser focused on proving to Celestia that I could command the respect of others. That's all a moot point, of course. When I did put it on, it pulled all of the darkness inside to the surface, and I finally realized why Celestia was keeping it from me. You need a very clear and guarded mind when you deal with things like that."
Sunset flipped back a few pages to her junior year Fall Formal, bringing back the memories a bit more vividly, and her shoulder blades tingled in response.
"So how did it affect you?" Sunny asked.
"The three or four minutes of my dark transformation into a she-demon? I want to say the worst of it was the burns on my shoulder blades that didn't heal for a few weeks, but that was just the physical toll. The emotional toll was... Worse."
Sunset glanced over at Sunny who was renewing her focus on the road. They both looked behind them when they noticed Sprout begin to stir, and quietly sit up in his sleeping bag to avoid disturbing the others.
"Guess that's my cue. I've gotta stretch anyway, been sitting here for over five hours," Sunny said. She let off the throttle, and let the Scouticus come to a slow, smooth stop, before setting the brakes. With that, she hopped out to get some fresh, if chilly air, and Sunset did the same, returning her yearbook to her right saddlebag before walking around the front of the vehicle over to Sunny.
"Sunny? Is there a particular reason for those questions? You sound worried about something," Sunset told her.
The earth mare took a breath.
"If somepony as experienced as you tripped up with unfamiliar magic, what chance to earth ponies have? Our magic is brand new. That means no books to consult, no teachers with prior experience to guide us. It's exciting, and the same time... Pretty scary," Sunny admitted.
Sunset put a hoof around her shoulder.
"I'd honestly say that's an excellent mindset to have; cautious optimism. Taking it slow and steady is a good idea, but eventually earth ponies will have to start pushing themselves to learn their limits, and what they're capable of. Having books to fall back on is nice, but honestly, Sunny? That security doesn't even begin to compare to being magical pioneers; to write the first books yourselves. It's scary, but you have no idea how much I envy you all right now," Sunset told her.
Sunny managed a small smile.
"Thanks, Sunset. Say, do you think I could stay with you awhile in Bridlewood? I'd love to see some of your classes, and it's been a bit since I've seen Izzy," Sunny asked.
"You can absolutely stay as long as you like, Sunny. I wonder how Izzy's vehicle project is coming along too," Sunset replied.
A couple of Sunset's students had gotten out to stretch their legs and take bathroom breaks before they got back in the vehicle for another several hours. By the time everypony was ready to go, Sprout was in the driver's seat with a cup of coffee.
"Ready to go when everypony else is," he announced.
"Alright, back to it, I suppose," Sunny said. Once they were on board, they headed in back to their sleeping bags, while Zipp took the passenger seat to keep Sprout company for the night drive.
"Well, hope I can get to sleep now," Sunny commented.
"Why wouldn't you be able to?" Sunset asked.
"Because now you've got me thinking up titles of the first books about earth pony magic."
'Good thing Rainbow isn't here,' Sunset thought to herself. 'She'd come up with some lewd ones.'
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Only time will tell for what'll eventually come their way.
Time to dig up old past once again and just in time for the 10th anniversary of Equestria Girls
Thanks for the laugh
Excellent work on the latest chapter. That dialogue between Sunny and Sunset was great stuff. The details of Sunset acknowledging how little she thought out her "plan" concerning the teen army as well as admitting to the mind-altering part of donning the Element of Magic by force was as well as the physical pain following her defeat. And, yeah, Sunny and Sunset both brought up good points about taking things slow and steady at first concerning the new Earth pony magic, but the eventual need to push the limits. Plus, yeah, in addition to getting to see Izzy again, Sunny can also learn more about the unicorn part of her "training wheels alicorn" abilities, so there is that too.
REALLY looking forward to more of this.
The best advise if one can articlate on the reason why and the worst if one cannot. This is especially true if the main reasoning is mental immaturity (impulsive, quick to anger, etc) as the listener is not mentally ready to accept that condition.
Dang, that was 10 years ago? It seems like we were hating on Flash only yesterday...
So it looks like they're about to leave and sunny and sunset having a conversation and sunset talks about her past mistakes about stealing the crown and wanting the power and everything to prove and she learned her error way and Sunny wants to stay at bridlewood for a while I wonder what else could happen guess we'll find out next time
Sunny has it tough. Not only new alicorn powers, but the even more unknown earth pony powers throne into the mix.
Yeah! I can just imagine some of the names she would come up with.
Aww, Sunny and Sunset are so precious. Also-pff, yeah, I'm sure Dash certainly would
Making the Bedrock
Oh my!
Rooting Around in Your Plants
At least take me on a date first, sheesh.
I’m Just Pollen Your Fifth Leg
Oh, behave.
How to Correct a Thrust Fault In Three Easy Steps
Oh, Maud actually wrote that one! She’s really into figuring out what makes the earth shake lately!
Disturbing the Peas
...wat?
You Grow Girl
I can’t even...
Twigs and Berries Galore
It’s just a manual for vineyard horticulture, really!
Messing With Sappy Stuff
That doesn’t sound too bad. Wait, it gets where?!
How To Tame Your Tentacle Vines
Why is this filled with yellow feathers as bookmarks? Rainbow? You loaned it to Fluttershy?!
Growing and Showing
That one was kind of low-hanging fruit, Rainbow.
Low-Hanging Fruit
Seriously?
Rocks and Hard Places
Dashie, you aren’t even trying, are you?
From Loin Fruit to Strip Steak: How to Magically and Ethically Grow Produce Suitable For Satisfying Your Meat-Eating Friends
I think she was just thinking weird thoughts about getting eaten by a hungry Gilda when she came up with that last one. 
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Fitting to have this right around the time of Equestria Girls' 10th anniversary.
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Re-watched the first two films with a longtime brony friend and former roommate.
I don’t think, “with all of your experience” is necessary, since you already addressed that Sunset Shimmer is experienced. Also, that should be “do,” not “to.”
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Fixed! Thanks for the spot.
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that last one...took me a hot min to figure it out but at least Rainbow didn't leave anyone out...i bet the last one is about growing eggplant and zucchini
There's more than one way to get a student interested in learning...