Something's been on Celestia's mind these days. Luna can tell by the way her sister is acting, something isn't right. But is Luna prepared for the truth that her sister has been hiding for years?

Permission to use artwork from BreezyBlueYT on Deviantart, thanks a bunch!
Check out the previous version here!

Celestia tries to stop Sunset from leaving.

Written for the A Thousand Words Contest II Contest in the Drama Category.

Preread by The Sleepless Beholder and TCC56.

Sunset Shimmer is Princess Celestia's most faithful student. The last thing she wants to do is disappoint her, and she's done everything in her power to make the princess proud. After a certain encounter, she finally figures out what she was meant for all along.

***
Featured from 9/22/23 - 9/23/23!

Sunset Shimmer struggles with keeping a regular diary. She seems to have trouble with a lot of things related to life in Canterlot, but that can't be right. Canterlot was supposed to be the fairy tale life and dream come true for the aspiring archmage.

Perfection be damned, as long as Sunset doesn't fall short, that's what matters. She is the Faithful Student and the shining light of the castle. What she is not is a failure.

At least Princess Celestia will always be there for her.

Won’t she?

Cover art by CastASpellLiana on Deviantart. Spiritual companion to Atelophobia, Bathophobia, and Autophobia. Reccommended by TCC56! Contribute to the TVTropes page!

As the eternal regent of Equestria, Princess Celestia's knowledge of magic is without equal. Over her long life, only a few gifted ponies who had a great destiny before them have had the honor of learning at her side. Sunset Shimmer was one such pony: one of Celestia’s best and most promising students. As she learned at Celestia’s hooves, their bond strengthened until they became far more than student and teacher to one another.

Sometimes those closest to us are the ones who can hurt us the most.

[Note: This story does not directly tie into Equestria Girls]

Sunset Shimmer doesn't live in Equestria. She hasn't for a long time. But she's been visiting, more and more, having found herself drawn closer and closer to the alicorn princess who once saved her from herself, and having also found her affections were reciprocated.

Now, Sunset's been invited to spend Hearth's Warming in Ponyville, together with Twilight in her castle. There's no doubt that Sunset's happy to do so, and every moment Twilight's there makes that clear. But as she looks out upon the snow-capped small town decorated in its bright lights, she finds herself still at a perpetual distance from the world she once belonged to, both in spirit and in body.

It's not a sentiment she'd expect Twilight to relate to. But there might be more in common there than she thinks.

Written for AFanaticRabbit for Jinglemas 2023!

Pre-read by Avery Day, Dewdrops on the Grass, and The Sleepless Beholder. Featured on 12/25/23.

Sunset has a crush on Twilight. The problem is, she seems to have a type: people who are incredibly powerful, have some measure of authority and power in their positions, and still have very sweet personalities.

And Twilight is far more powerful and popular than Flash ever was.

But it's okay. It's not like Twilight likes her back, right? Right.

7/7/2016: Now with cover art designed by the very generous Novel-Idea! Thank you so much!

With Sunset's high school graduation looming ever closer, Twilight knows she has to ask her a very important question while they travel together today. The problem is, she's just realized she doesn't know how to ask her question.

Written for Sunset Shipping Contest: Journeys.

Twilight's plan was perfect. Sunset just needed something to make her feel special - and it worked! What happened was wonderful. Magical, even.

... but then why did Sunset look at her like that the next morning?

Special thanks to Zaridan and JWolfSilver for helping with some editing and prereading. Thanks to Wanderer D, Cynewulf, and Skeeter The Lurker for prereading as well. Final thanks to SoloBrony for giving me the idea long ago, even if it took me a while to figure out how to use it.

A sort of spiritual sister story, but in not in any way related continuity wise, to So You've Just Slept With Your Best Friend. If you're curious for more details, check here.

Sunset Shimmer had no idea why everyone was taking to this new girl so quickly. What does she have that she doesn't? Besides friends? And an endearing personality? And a cute butt.