Cooling Embers

by Incandesca

Chapter 3: You Are My Sunshine

Wardrums thundered in her skull.

Groaning, Sunset twisted herself from the sheets. She stumbled in place, nearly running into a wall. The room spun, and everything was too bright, hurt too much.

Yup. She had a hangover.

Common sense could've told her that, but experience confirmed it. She tried holding onto the knowledge that these things usually passed her quickly. In the headsplitting throb of the moment, it only helped so much.

Knowing her friends were likely going through far worse gave her the push needed to rise. Pinkie, AJ, and Rainbow drank, but rarely given their age. Fluttershy hit the bottle especially hard, and she'd never touched a drop in her life. Sunset guessed she was the one who woke her up heaving her guts into the toilet last night.

Downstairs, she confirmed her suspicionns, minus Applejack. Girl was tough, apparently. The others in question laid sprawled out wherever - heads in pillows, heads in hands, curled in the fetal position, groaning. The rest swarmed around them, Phoebe assisting where she- it could to make up for lost labor.

"Hey," croaked Sunset. "Anything I can do to help?"

"Ya'll look like trash. Sure yer in a good'nuff place fer that, sugarcube?"

She nodded. "I'm fine. Trust me when I say I've dealt with this before."

"No need to rub it in," Rainbow said. She took up the couch, arm over her head and eyes closed, taking gulps from a water bottle.

Sunset shrugged, then grinned. "Imagine how much worse it would be if Phoebe there didn't take your drink."

"Can it. God, shit my head hurts..."

Sunset snickered. Turning away, she threw herself into cleanup, doing whatever she could.

Fortunately, the mess was rather marginal. Nonexistent, even, compared to some mornings she'd witnessed. Not one shattered glass, line of bleach, or smear of blood. In some places, not having those meant you didn't have a party at all.

When they finished, Sunset's bone-deep migraine dulled to a numb, pulsing headache. The girls said their goodbyes and made for home. Pinkie and Fluttershy left with Twilight, not wanting to be caught by their parents, and intrigued by her offer of an experimental hangover cure in her lab. They were the last to go, and Sunset waved to her as the house went empty.

Why she hadn't left yet, she couldn't say, but she planned to now. She supposed she just... wanted to get a look at the living room, and replay the prior night's memories.

Graduation. Graduation.

She finished graduation.

Tossing a final glance, she closed the door and stepped out, turning the key Pinkie gave her and sliding it under the doormat. That seemed like a really stupid place to put your keys, but whatever. She didn't judge, and the places her friends lived were not the ones she did.

Hopping on her motorcycle, she pulled her own keys from her pocket, slotted them in and revved the engine. It purred under her like a contented cat, and she grinned down, patting its side.

"Good girl," she crooned. "Let's get outta here."

Pulling out of the driveway and onto the road, Sunset raced for what, to her, counted as home.

She didn't need directions to get there. Feeling and ingrained memory told her what roads to take, what turns to make, and what streets to avoid. Without that, she still knew she was close when the potholes appeared.

Before too long her apartment rose into view. It was an old, small, rundown thing built for low income, but the price was cheap and crime not too bad. She hadn't even been mugged once, though that was because both times someone tried, she handed their ass to them on a silver plate. A blackbelt and inner fire did that for you, especially when guys passed her off as some poor, weak, defenseless little girl.

Whenever she won, she always kicked their nuts. Every time. Get outta the gene pool, assholes.

Turning her motorcycle off, she hauled it up and found her door, looking it up and down. There'd been red paint here once, faded after years of disuse to a cracked and peeling rosey pink. She'd considered painting it fresh, but she didn't want to stand out from her neighbors.

Unlocking the door, she slipped her arm inside with small metal tongs, sliding out her three latches, one by one. She pocketed the tongs, kicked open the door with her boot, heaving her baby into the hall before shoving the door shut, redoing the locks.

She tilted her head, thinking. Really oughtta give her motorcycle a name one of these days. She'd had her for years, a sleek black beast of a thing, but never got her any cool paintjob. Or, y'know. Gave her a name.

She'd change that this summer. Maybe if she did one, it would lead to the other.

She went into the kitchen, pulling the half-drunk bottle of rum from her backpack. Before she left she'd looked around for the tequila, then remembered Starlight had taken it. Least it saw some good use.

'Sides. Now that she was home, she just wanted some water.

She filled up a glass, went back to the door and relocked everything, and crashed on her old, ratty, beaten up couch. She kicked her legs onto the splintering wood coffee table, stained with rings and splatter from its previous owner, and grabbed the remote, switching on the TV. It blared to life, and after going through all the basic access channels, she switched it back off.

It was a flatscreen, one of the few luxuries she owned. A slim black box sat beside it, and she went to turn it on, swiping the controller nearby.

The few times she'd been at Twilights to game, she'd used one of her battlestations. PC was better, no doubt about that, but she stuck to consoles. Cheaper for one, generally speaking, and easier to move in a hustle. Had to be prepared to get up and move house, always.

Her mind was not quiet, and she hoped playing would calm her mind. Title after title, she got bored, grew frustrated, gritting her teeth or flaring her nostrils before she eventually quit in a huff.

"Alright..." she sighed. "Maybe I could do some cleanup here too."

She took out her phone, and popped in her earbuds. She didn't really need to clean, or reorganize - not much to clean or reorganize for - but she did it anyway. It helped, but she was done by the hour and didn't want to do it again.

Maybe she'd just take a quick nap, and hope she woke up feeling better. That sounded nice right about now, and her headache hadn't gone away either. Win win.

She entered the third and final room of her dingy little apartment - bathroom didn't count - and despaired slightly.

She'd seen her friends' rooms. Her friends' houses. Shit, she lived in Flash's for a while. She knew what real bedrooms looked like, and this wasn't it.

It reminded her too much of her childhood. From when she was very little, and back in the frigid dorms of Celestia's School.

Empty. Lifeless. Save a pitiful few things. At least she could say she owned this place - nominally, for as much as rent meant ownership.

'Better than concrete,' she told herself. She had to count her blesings, and her current life was a hell of a lot more blessed than it should be.

Her desk sat against the left wall, tucked into the corner away from her window. There, she had a plain black laptop - she liked black, okay? - and that was it other than some fiction books and the cheap office chair in front of it. The right arm skewed right, some shittily manufactured hinge that broke last August she hadn't gotten 'round to fixing yet.

She slept on the opposite side, a mattress with decent pillows and covers, but only a mattress. She bought it used, of course.

Her dirty clothes laid on the floor beside the closet. Inside, she had a decently-ish sized wardrobe - comprising mostly of gifts, most from Rarity. Sniffing her windblown shirt, she scrunched her nose and changed out, tossing them into the growing pile and swapped for a plain teal tank and skinny jeans. And, because she felt like it today, put on her spiked leather collar, complete with a dangling silver chain.

She threw herself into bed, turning on her side and snuggling up with her pillow. She shut her eyes, hearing the cityscape outside, and wished she lived somewhere like AJ. Somewhere with real nature, birds and insects, not the constant thrum of cars, the occasional pigeon, and bi-weekly gunfight.

She tried to sleep. She tossed and turned, hair whipping back and forth, the chain of her collar dangling. She could reach down and check the time on her phone, but didn't. She knew from experience keeping track of how long it was taking her to fall asleep only got her more restless.

Her brain itched. There was something in the back of her mind, something she tried to remember but couldn't. Was it from last night? Did one of her friends mention something?

Two cats began yowling outside, and she gave up. Roaring out a groan, she rolled off to sit on the floor, banging her fist on the window and hoping it scared them off.

It didn't.

No point trying to get back in bed now. It wasn't going to work. Slipping out her phone she read the time, and had a fucking conniption.

One hour. She'd been trying to sleep for one hour.

She tossed the phone aside. What to do now, though? She was twitchy, and if she didn't figure out why quick she'd be taking a trip to poundtown on her punching bag.

In her periphery, she spotted her accoustic guitar laying in the corner. Her eyes lit up, and she scooched over to snag it, shuffling her butt over until she had her back to the window. She rest the instrument in her lap, legs folded, and plucked the first string.

Playing her guitar, electric or otherwise, always calmed her nerves. It was an outlet, a way to express herself without screaming at a wall or strangling a stress toy. More productive too, since she wrote her own music, though she'd only played one or two songs in public, and only then once or twice.

Thrum, thrum, thrum. She leaned back, resting her head against the cool glass pane. Each pluck and reverb seeped into her soul, bringing her clarity.

She played, singing under her breath for Crown knew how long. She got lost in the rhythm, captured by whatever songs went through her head, or melody rose to the surface. Despite that, she felt more down to Earth than she'd ever been.

In times like these, she didn't think about what she wanted to play. She just played it, working the delicate strings, smiling at the beautiful sounds they made. Slowly, as the sun moved across the horizon, dipping low into an amber-lit sky, she found an unexpected direction. Old words from long ago freed themselves from forgotten memories.

Somehow, she didn't realize what she sang, until she finished.

"Equestria, a land I love, a land of harmony,

Our flag does wave from high above, for ponykind to see,

Equestria a land of friends, where ponykind do roam,

They say true friendship never ends, Equestria my home."

Sunset inhaled sharply, choking on the final word.

Twilight was right.

---

A week later, she stood in front of the statue. For nostalgia's sake, she wore her hot pink tanktop, orange skirt, and high heel boots. She had the leather jacket folded up, tucked under her arm.

The sky showed the murky, grayish-blue of early dawn. It caught the celestial bodies in a strange sort of purgatory. Too early for the sun to rise, or the moon to set.

She didn't see any students milling around, and wouldn't for another hour. It was an... odd feeling, knowing that she wasn't one of them. Not anymore.

She wasn't sure she liked it.

How long before no one in that school remembered her? How long until the magic faded, her story got lost? Would the staff know, or would they leave eventually, too?

She knew the answer. On any long enough timescale, they would. They all would. A fable from fillyhood came to mind, something about the great statue of some ancient pony empress, buried in dunes the size of mountains. Ozmodia.

Silly. Stupid, even, to think she ever believed she could put herself in the history books. She wanted it so badly back then, for years, to the point she warped herself into something wicked, unrecognizable.

It wasn't the first time she'd had this line of thought. After all, Canterlot High wasn't the first school she attended.

She touched her palm to the statue's surface. It would no longer serve as a good point of travel. It never really had been, but now?

It had to be moved, that much was clear. How she and Princess Twilight would go about doing that, she hadn't the slightest clue. A concern better left for later.

Before stepping through, she went down the checklist in her head.

Ray was with Fluttershy. Rainbow had her motorcycle. Applejack had her guitars. Twilight had the keys to her apartment, and the girls would pair up on the weekends to check it hadn't been broken into. Rarity suggested she keep her clothes to be safe, and Sunset obliged.

Quitting her job hadn't been as simple. She had to lie to her boss, and say she couldn't make it for at least a month, leaving it as 'an emergency back home' and nothing else.

She hated it. But, she got what she wanted, and her employer promised she'd be welcomed back at any time. Sunset thanked him, shook his hand, and she watched him take her outfit into the back with a tightness in her chest.

She didn't like lying about it, but she had to keep that avenue open. She had a good thing going there, and sushi waitress tips were pretty good, too.

Confident that was everything, she drank in the morning air. A breeze whispered by, shifting her hair and skirt away from the portal.

This was it.

For at least a month, she'd be back in Equestria. Surrounded by other ponies. Finally home, after five long years.

She stepped forward. Something exploded behind her, and whipping around she peered through a billowing cloud of purple smoke. A familiar silver-haired girl walked out, coughing the cloud away.

Sunset crossed her arms. "Trixie," she deadpanned. Her glare must have been pretty intense, if the aspiring magician's cowed look was anything to go by. "What are you doing here?"

To Sunset's surprise, the question didn't faze her. "Trixie should be asking you the same thing."

Sunset rolled her eyes. "I'm not really in the mood for games right now, Trix. Answer the question. Why are you here, and what do you want? Are you trying to stop me or something?"

"Not exactly. You told everyone you were leaving for a while, but you never said why."

"Didn't think I had to."

"No, you're right. It's not fair of me to pry, But..." Trixie chewed her lower lip. "You've had your mind on something these past few months. I'm... concerned, Sunset."

That made her pause. Trixie rarely ever used her first name.

"Was I that obvious?"

Trixie had the humility to blush. Maybe?"

Sunset frowned. "Go on, then. What do you think is my deal?" She gestured, frowned deeper as Trixie winced. It sounded harsher than she intended.

"Well..." Trixie scuffed the ground. One hand in her pocket, the other reached to pull her hoodie over her head, like she was trying to hide from her. Did she really scare people that much? "I know you've been away from your home for a while, Equestria, I mean. Now you're free, and you have the chance to go back. Trixie imagines," she said, donning a voice of confidence. "You feel conflicted."

Sunset narrowed her eyes. "What makes you think that?"

Trixie held up her hands. Defensive gesture. "Nothing! Nothing specific, I mean. It's just the feeling I get. You've been acting weirder the closer we got to graduation and-"

"Weirder?"

"Like, on edge."

Sunset shrugged, tapping her foot. "Maybe I've been worried about some new random magical bullshit fucking my last year of highschool up the ass. I think that's a pretty reasonable fear to have considering, oh I dunno, everything?" She jerked her head at the statue for emphasis.

"See, I thought the same at first." Trixie took a step forward. Sunset took one back. "But it's only gotten worse since graduation day, so I know that's not what this is about."

Trixie frowned, pinching her eyebrows tight. "You may be a good liar, Sunset Shimmer. Better than anyone I know, but need I remind you, you're dealing with me! The Grrrreat and Powerful Trixie!"

She struck a pose.

Waited.

Sunset wasn't amused. "Uh huh, yeah." She tapped her foot harder. "Gonna be real honest with you, Lulamoon. I don't like this therapy analyst game you're playing."

Trixie looked hurt. Sunset felt bad, but she obviously didn't want to have this conversation. What she had going on in her head was of no one's concern but her own.

She half-expected Trixie to push harder. Trixie surprised her instead.

"You're right. I apologize. I'm being pushy."

Sunset didn't know what to say. So, she stayed quiet.

Trixie picked up the slack. "Listen, Sunset. Do you remember that conversation we had last August? during that whole Brain Rock thing?"

"Memory Stone."

Trixie waved a hand. "Yeah yeah, Brain Stone, Memory Rock, same difference. My point is, that meant something to me. We became friends because, even with all my memories erased, I trusted you. I trust you now, and I trust you to know what you should keep to yourself, but I do want to make sure you're okay. Can you promise me you're okay? That's all I want to know."

Sunset breathed in. The cool air came as a shock, making her notice how hot she felt, how tight she was digging her nails.

She sighed. The moment left her, for the most part.

"Okay. I promise."

"Thank y-"

"And I'll tell you what's up, but only you, got it? Keep that pretty mouth of yours shut."

"mmmmhm!" Trixie nodded, making a gesture of zipping her lips closed.

"CHS wasn't the first place I did some bad stuff. Neither was Earth." She turned, rubbing the contours of the statue pedestal with her thumb. She didn't want to look at Trixie. "There's a whole other life I led on that side of the portal. It's one I never talked to anyone about, not entirely at least. I don't think anybody knows about all of it except me, not even Celestia."

"Principal Celestia? What would you have told her about it?"

Sunset shook her head. "Sorry, my bad. Forgot you didn't know. I meant Princess Celestia, the one in Equestria, not here. She used to be my mentor, before I spat in her face and ditched her for a human ghetto, anyway."

Trixie gaped. "Your Celestia was a princess?"

"In name. Technically an actual monarch, though she doesn't have absolute power. Her, Luna, Twilight, and Cadance too."

Trixie smirked. Sunset didn't like the glint in her eye. "You'll have to show Trixie around some time."

"Absolutely not."

"Whatever you say, Shimmer! Trixie will see these pony princesses for herself. You cannot stop her! Like, physically, you can't. Not as long as you're over there and I'm over here." She grinned.

"Moving on. I did wrong by a lot of people here, but I also worked my ass off to show how much I'd changed. I never did that on the other side, and I didn't realize it until recently. That's why I have to go back. I have to make things right. They deserve it as much as anyone. In some cases..." She paused, tensed, swallowed. Her knuckles turned white as the statue, nails bent against the unyielding stone. "In some cases, they deserve more. More than I could ever give them."

Ragged breaths came in, and out. A soft hand squeezed her shoulder. Sunset bunched her muscles, eyeing her back.

There wasn't any mischief in her smile. Just an understanding kindness. Trixie stepped back, and stuffed her hands in her hoodie. "Thank you for telling me, and I'll be quiet, promise. I hope it goes well for you." She paused, grinned. "And, if you ever need me, I'll be here. Or there." She winked.

Despite herself, Sunset laughed. I'll keep that in mind.

Trixie's footsteps faded into the distance. Sunset kept her hand on the statue, eyes locked on the mirror surface. Her heart battered against her ribs, and Sunset pushed the oncoming panic attack deep, deep down below.

Sunset whispered, taking in her last smell of Earth,

"It's now or never"

---

Sunset stepped through to a tall room, surrounded by blue and purple crystal walls. She recognized it well, though had only seen it a hooful of times.

Two voices exclaimed in unison. "Sunset!"

"Hey guys." Twilight and Starlight got up from their seets to greet her. Embarrassed, Sunset scratched the back of her head. "Jeez, did I make you guys wait that long?"

Starlight wavered a hoof in the universal gesture of 'so-so'.

"It wasn't that bad," Twilight said. "We were thinking of going through the portal ourselves before too long though."

She was glad they hadn't.

Starlight rolled her eyes. "Oh come on, Twilight. You were totally freaking out." She grinned at Sunset. "She was like, 'Oh no, what if Sunset got hit by a car on her motorcycle?' or 'Oh Starlight, what if somepony mugged her!'"

"I was not!"

"Totally were."

"Well," Sunset interrupted. "I'm here now. Sorry about any worry I might've caused. Something held me up before I could go into the portal."

"Oh?" Twilight inclined her head.

"Nothing much, just saying goodbye to a friend."

Starlight smirked. "Attended their funeral, I take it?"

"Oh yeah, casket and everything."

Twilight ignored the black humor, pushing on. "Who was it? You told me in the journal you'd already said goodbye to everyone."

"I did, but she wanted to see me in person before I left."

"Which one?"

"Trixie."

"Oh hey." Starlight snickered. What she said next gave Sunset the impression of walking in on a far longer conversation. "Looks like another one of your students made friends with a Trixie. Wonder what that says about you, huh?" She jabbed Twilight in the wing. Twilight - gently - smacked her away.

Sunset frowned. "I'm not anypony's student. Not for a long time."

"Right, right. You're one of her projects then."

"What, like you?" Sunset blew an equine snort, stamping her hoof. Fuck, it felt good to be pony again. "She gave me a second chance, that's it. I handled the rest myself."

"Uh huh, totally. You acting so defensive is doing your argument so many favors."

Her expression soured.

Twilight stepped in, waving her wings. "Hold it, girls. Let's not start things off on the wrong hoof." She turned to Starlight. "Starlight, you're clearly bothering her. Don't press the issue."

Starlight shrugged. "I didn't think I was being that serious.

"Doesn't matter. Mind your boundaries." To Sunset she said, "Don't worry about her. She's a work in progress." She narrowed at Starlight again. "And gets some real bad habits from her version of Trixie, too."

Starlight gestured dismissively.

Sunset, hackles calmed, noticed her horn tingling. She looked up and to the right. "Oh huh. I wasn't sure if that would work."

"If what would work?" they asked, in unison.

Sunset twirled the jacket around, putting it on as she spoke. "So, I've been wondering how the portal handles clothes for a while. Usually, whatever you're wearing when you come through to Equestria disappears - except my Twilight's glasses for some reason. I wanted to take my jacket with me, so I decided to see if holding it separately, instead of wearing it, would bring it through."

Smirking, she puffed out her chest and tugged the lapel. "And voila. It worked."

Starlight smiled. "I think it looks great. In fact-"

Before Sunset or Twilight could ask what she was doing, Starlight hopped through the portal. Staring, blinking at each other in stunned confusion, they watched the portal ripple, then fall still.

"What in Celestia's name is she doing?"

"Beats me. She's your student."

They didn't have to wait long for their answer. Starlight stepped through, holding a shirt, jacket, beanie, and watch in her magic. She glowed at the two, then put it all on piece by piece.

Sunset offered a hoofbump. Starlight accepted with a resounding clop.

"Lookin' fine there, but-" Sunset paused. She had to take her jacket off to pull it through. Starlight came back with her own jacket and a hoodie. Which meant... "Y'know what, never mind," she muttered, blushing.

Twilight's eye twitched. "I hope to Sun this doesn't cause any arcane backlash. Now, if we can move onto the important things-"

"Twilight Twilight Twilight." Starlight clucked her tongue, scolding. "What could possibly be more important than looking your best? Imagine what Rarity would say."

Sunset grinned. "Preach, sister."

Twilight facehoofed. "You two are unbearable." Despite the words, Sunset heard the smile.

"Well, that's bad girls for ya." She nodded more sober at Twilight. "Important matters, though. You were saying?"

"Right! There's so much for you to do while you're here. I'll get to show you around the town, have you meet all my friends - I've told them a lot about you, by the way. Oh oh oh! There's this one amazing hay burger joint just a quick trot from the castle and if we go there for breakfast now you get an egg on the burger for free and-"

"Twilight."

Twilight flushed. "Sorry, I get excited sometimes."

"What she means to say is she Twilights."

Sunset smiled, bowling past Starlight's comment. "You're fine. That's not really the issue, though. As much as I'd love to do all those things, I can't. I wanted to get here early in the morning for a reason. I need to go to Canterlot."

"Canterlot? Why? Is something wrong?"

Sunset frowned. She already shared her secret with one person. If Twilight sniffed out the faintest whiff of a friendship problem, she'd get her feathers all up inside it.

"Not exactly, but it's personal. I don't want to say anything more than that."

Twilight nodded, disappointment clear on her face. Sunset didn't know if that was because her plans had been shot, or she was mourning the loss of a mystery.

"There are two best ways of getting to Canterlot. Which one you prefer depends on what you're looking for. The first and fastest is by pegasus-drawn chariot, but we'd have to wait here while I send the missive, wait for a reply, and then for the chariot to arrive. The train will take more time, but we can get going now, and it's far more comfortable. It's also the more scenic route. The view from the chariot isn't bad either, but that depends on how cloudy the day ends up and I haven't checked the paper for weather scheduling."

Weather scheduling. Sunset forgot all about that. Humans had tried - and in some cases succeeded, not always for the best - to manipulate their climate. 'Geo-engineering,' they called it.

Over here, ponies just called that 'weather'.

"Train sounds good. I'd like to get moving as soon as we can."

"Great! Since you're heading to Canterlot, will you be needing bits for anything?"

"I was hoping Celestia'd have a place in the castle open. Beyond that I didn't intend on spending much, but money would help, yeah."

Twilight nodded, teleporting a string-drawn sack between them. She passed it to Sunset, who took it in her magic. She tried to open it, but no matter how hard she pulled it wouldn't budge.

"It's a bag of holding. It's also specially locked so only certain magical signatures can access it. Here, let me get your matrix encoded..." Twilight concentrated, furrowing her brows and chewing her lip. "There! Try opening it now?"

Sunset did, then closed it again. "How much?"

"Five hundred bits."

Sunset's eyes widened, before she remembered the conversion rate. In Equestria, one bit was equivalent to fifty cents on Earth. Suffice it to say, gold was... a lot more common in Equestria.

Twilight continued. "That should be everything, then. I suggest we get a move on before the train arrives."

Sunset nodded, before Starlight bumped their flanks together. "Mind if I come with?"

"Buck it, why not. Us bad girls gotta stick together, right?"

---

The walk to Canterlot's train station took little time. Accustomed to Canterlot City's urban sprawl, she might as well have gone out for groceries.

This early in the morning, they were just about the only ponies around. They took up one of the many empty benches, and Sunset was content to loaf, curling her forelegs under her barrel. Starlight sat on her haunches, and Twilight paced around, glancing east every half minute.

"I can't get over how small this town is."

"Yeah," Twilight agreed. "When Celestia sent me, I couldn't understand why in Sun's name she'd send me to this little nowhere village. I love it now. It's so nice being able to get up, walk from one end to the other safely, buy all local and know every single face I see, even if I don't know them personally. You'd think I'd be a city mare, but, well." She shrugged.

"I getcha. Wondering what the dimensions are though. How long was that walk, like thirty minutes?"

Starlight tapped her watch. "Twenty. So less than a mile."

Sunset prepared to correct her, letting her know that, in fact, a twenty minute walk was a mile. Then she remembered they had four legs instead of two.

"Yeah, Canterlot City's like... eight by nine. Miles, I mean. It takes me twenty-five minutes just getting to my favorite cafe."

Twilight squeed. "You like coffee?"

"No."

Her wings drooped.

"Sorry to disappoint. I'm a tea mare, myself."

"Is there any coffee you like?"

"Sure, but only if it's got cream and sugar."

"Hot or cold?" asked Starlight. "The tea."

"Cold, definitely cold. But I'll tell you what, a mug of steaming green tea with honey first thing in the morning is... mmmm."

Both nodded in agreement.

The distant roar of a train broke the banter.

Sunset cursed. "I don't have any ID."

Twilight quirked her head. "ID? Why would you need an ID to get on a train?"

"Oh. Heh heh... Maybe I've spent a little too much time on Earth. You need an ID for basically everything there."

As the train pulled in, the conductor's voice rang out. "All boarding for Canterlot, all boarding for Canterlot!"

"Convenient," Sunset noted.

Twilight shook her head. "Not convenient, just scheduled. The Ponyville Express doesn't go to many places besides Canterlot. Now let's get moving."

She gestured with her wing. Sunset followed behind with Starlight, and they quickly found themselves situated in the train, by the window.

Sunset marveled at the cleanliness. No stank of old beer, no screaming babies, no people with distant faces packed in like sardines. She didn't spot a single drifter or suspicious stain on the seats.

She stopped herself getting too attached. Equestria ran by different rules, other standards, had a totally separate history. Ponies were generally less violent for one - though not by much - and this was a tiny town. It would be different where she was headed, at least in the parts she'd grown up.

She fought the urge to fall asleep on the seats. They had no right to be anywhere half as comfortable. Cloud magic, she imagined. Had to be.

Then, there was the train's exterior. She only partly registered the appearance as it pulled in, but reflected on it now. It looked like something from a storybook. The best comparison she could make was a gingerbread house - mid-brown walls, pink roof, swirling white patterns and trim that resembled frosting decorations.

It was... cute. She liked it.

Belatedly, she realized how much she missed this - Equestrian culture. On Earth, other than in her friend group, they had no magic, no fantasy. Those were relegated to the books they read, the art they made. Here, all that and more sprang to life, walking and talking like anyone else.

Earth had its charms, no doubt. A unique perspective for one, dazzling technology for two, that would strike the average pony as something far more magical. You got used to it quick though, or that had been her experience. But maybe her perspective wasn't the best frame of reference, considering her initial circumstances.

She wondered, would things be more similar in other, more serious locations? Cities like Manehattan, Vanhoover, Fillydelphia?

She was surprised she still remembered the names. It had been so long.

Starlight looked past her to where she had her attention. "Didn't think Ponyville was that interesting."

"Huh?"

She glanced away from the window. "Just thinking's all. Weird to think I'm gonna be in Equestria for a whole month." Going silent, she returned her view to the town, with its bright thatch roofs and pastel roads, the vast green hills to the north."

"What's the longest you were here before?"

"Not long." Sunset thought about it. As she did, as Celestia's Sun moved left from the Mountain, she saw something that caught her attention. Something she hadn't seen in years.

A pegasus, flying through the sky. She had a gray coat and blonde mane. She wore a brown cap and brimming saddlebag on her left, stamped with the Royal Delivery seal. Sunset swore she remembered a similar girl from school.

Shaking her head, Sunset answered. "A day, I think. Not even. That was when this girl - good friend of mine now - Wallflower, tried erasing everyone's good memories of me. I came to Equestria because Twilight wasn't affected, and we looked in the Canterlot Archives to figure out what was causing it."

"She erased your memories? And you two are friends now?" Starlight sounded incredulous.

"Yeah. She was... obviously misguided, to say the very least, but I can't blame her. As far as she was concerned I was still the same awful bully I'd been less than a year before. The year I turned into a literal, actual demon and thought I could dominate Equestria with a bunch of brainwashed teens. Tch." She barked half a laugh. "Celestia would have turned me into ash the second I entered."

The train lurched. She swayed as it chugged into gear, the outside view slogging westwards.

Sunset saw Twilight frown in the window's reflection. "I don't think she would have done that," she said. "She cared about you. Cares, I should say. She would probably have found some way to stop you without any harm and freed you like we did with Luna."

"Yeah. Probably right."

Twilight laid a wing on Sunset's back. Her shoulders tensed. "Is everything okay, Sunset?"

"Yeah," Sunset bit. Then, softer. "Just nervous."

Twilight nodded, retracting her wing. She pointed at the window. "At least you've got a good distraction."

The train gained steam, the world outside moving faster. Sunset watched, enchanted. It wasn't exactly the most unique landscape she'd seen. She could find similar verdant hills, wheat and barley fields, distant pine trees and forests just outside her city. Applejack's home and Camp Everfree attested to that.

But this wasn't her city. This was the place she'd been born. The place she'd been raised.

The place she'd left behind.

The larger the mountain ahead, the less green there was. Fields and pastures increasingly gave way to barren, rocky outcroppings, grass grown thinner and sparser. Higher up, some berries and mint-colored bushes clung to life, stones becoming larger, taller, and capped by thin snowdrifts.

She passed the time with conversation.

"And would you believe it, the nerve of this chick? Like, buckin' Tartarus. One spilled drink, and she goes full Equestrian magic demon on the whole soundstage."

"Sounds to me," Twilight drawled. "Like you deal with a lot more threats than you give yourself credit for."

Sunset jerked her shoulders. "I guess. Our threats are more local, though. You fought a giant centaur who ate magic and shot giant lasers. We've never had to face anything like that."

Starlight raised her hoof. "Don't forget me! I technically ended the world like nine or ten times."

"You sound strangely proud of that fact."

"You wouldn't? I'm the first mare in history who ever screwed spacetime that bad."

"Fair."

Twilight rubbed her chin. "I'm not a betting mare, but if I was - and wasn't an alicorn - I think you could make a good argument this cabin is home to the three most powerful unicorns alive."

They laughed.

"Doubt it though," Sunset dismissed. "Haven't done real magic in a while. Teleportation and manipulation is one thing. Invocation's another."

Her mind turned towards the Geodes. Hers was special, arguably the most unique of the seven. It let her see into someone's memories, feel what they felt, experience what they experienced. It allowed her to connect and find solutions no one else could.

She wished she'd gotten different. She didn't like being jealous of her friends, but whenever she saw her Twilight doing magic like her, and in the human world? She couldn't stop herself.

"Just practice," Starlight said. "You might be a little rusty, so what? You were Celestia's student before Twilight, I'm sure you've still got all that in you somewhere."

"She's right. Those instincts never really go away. I bet you'd be back to where you were before by the end of the month."

"Maybe," Sunset replied. Looking at them - Twilight most of all - she kept the envy from her face. "But the last spell I slung was five years ago. You two never stopped learning."

Twilight opened her mouth to speak. Sunset interrupted. "And, for that matter, I'm not sure what the point would even be. I'm planning on being here for a month, that's it. Then I'm going back. This might be my original home, but I have more friends and ties back there." She jerked her head behind her.

Starlight put a hoof on her heart. "Sunset, you wound me."

"I said more friends, not friends period." She stuck out her tongue.

The intercom boomed as they pulled in. "Now arriving, Canterlot South Station. Now arriving, Canterlot South Station. Next stop, the Crystal Empire."

They clambered down from the seats. Stepping out the mountain breeze hit them, and Starlight shivered. Sunset and Twilight beamed, basking in the faint chill.

"Ah," Sunset sighed. "Good old Mount Canter air."

"No kidding!" Twilight laughed. "You're lucky you won't have to go through Ponyville summer like me."

"You'd be surprised how hot it gets in my city."

Starlight's teeth chattered. "You two are nuts. Thank Sun the palace has air conditioning."

Sunset cocked her head. "Air conditioning? You guys have AC now?"

"Yeah, you know - air conditioning spells? To moderate the temperature, hot or cold."

Sunset's ear flicked. "Right. I forgot."

They began to walk. Sunset fell silent, allowing her tagalongs to chat as they went. She preferred to take in the sights, reminisce.

Despite being one of four, Canterlot's 'side' station dwarfed Ponyville's central. Many trains came and went, throngs of colorful bodies flittered around, getting off and on the trains that pulled up. Non-ponies mingled with the rest, a fact that surprised her slightly. Where she'd grown up, ponies had always been more multi-cultural than the rest. Now, that grace seemed to have spread.

Up ahead, the skyline pierced the clouds. Even besides being built on Equestria's second largest mountain range, Canterlot was a unique city.

According to history class, it began as a rich trading settlement. Unicorns and other ponies of power moved their fortunes up into the mountain, where they could protect their hoards from the common masses below. The symbolism of the location was obvious. It provided those of means and influence a throne to look down upon the rest of society, the ones they saw as 'lesser'. Things had changed since then, somewhat.

After the destruction of Equestria's first capital, now claimed by the Everfree Forest, Princess Celestia relocated her ponies to the town. Those already present kicked up quite the fuss at the influx of commoners, but in those days Celestia's rule was absolute. For every noble that left, three more from other cities would take their place, and Celestia ensured as best she could that original ideology didn't creep into the system. The first royal Canterlot castle's construction marked the first year of Unification.

From there, with little space to spread out, the city grew upwards. Generations passed, and Canterlot divided itself into four distinct tiers.

The first and lowest was Old Canterlot, where the original settlement was founded. Where coin-clinking merchants, finely dressed noblemares, and influential bankers once rubbed flanks, the poorest and downtrodden of Equestria gathered. The streets were narrow, everything built from rough, worn stone and bricks. It was also where the thestrals called home, looked down upon or shunned by others. Any in that area who had wealth remained more for reasons of legacy, or because they no longer had any power and influence.

The tier above developed into a place for the middle class. It was the largest of the tiers. Not the most populous - that distinction belonged to Old Canter, but they had more space to roam and build. Most businesses, restaurants, and shops could be found there.

The third had been claimed by the upper crust. Here, many ancestors of the original settlers, or those younger upstarts who found themselves swimming in wealth lived. Whatever space wasn't taken up by massive mansions and vacation homes was occupied by gardens, museums, and galleries. They said the streets were paved with jewels, but in reality, they were simply colorful stones, as Sunset had once seen.

Last and smallest was the Royal tier, exclusively constructed for Princess Celestia and those who surrounded her. It was also the location of the Equestrian military and the Royal Guard's barracks.

Sunset grew up in the first tier. When she was younger, she thought she'd die in the first tier.

Today, of the four tier's, she'd only visit the last. Twilight guided her and Starlight through the city, taking shortcuts and vast white marble staircases winding and curling up higher and higher. Soon, the spiraling towers of ivory, gold, and lavender stones were beneath them, stabbing up like shiny needles.

They stopped at a mote. Twilight nodded at the guards, who uncrossed their spears and let the bridge down. Walking across, the portcullis raised and let them through.

Sunset nudged Twilight's wither. "So, they let you through on sight, huh?"

"They didn't for you?"

"Nope."

"Hm. Well, to be fair." Twilight beat her wings once. "I'm an alicorn Princess now. Kinda hard to miss."

'Don't remind me,' Sunset thought.

Once through, they entered the main palace grounds. Looking at them haunted her. While she'd gone through far darker periods of her life, the years she spent here weren't bright. Dull, drudging, lonely. At least towards the end.

Before she could dwell on it, they entered the castle proper. These settings were familiar too - the plush, stretching carpets, the towering marble walls and floors polished to near-reflection. Stained glass paintings of Twilight's friends and their achievements, less so. She tried not to be bitter.

Twilight led them to a small wooden door. They entered into a room packed from end to end with multi-tiered stands. Day Court, Sunset knew from textbook photos, and from one lesson Celestia had - tried - to teach her in pony.

Their timing was impeccable. Politicians, nobles, and businessponies left through one main entrance. Journalists, press, and interested civilians trickled out the other.

Celestia laid her gavel on the sound block, nodding to a mare beside her with white fur, black glasses, and a chocolate bun. Sunset knew her from fillyhood. She looked older now.

Twilight cleared her throat. "Princess Celestia?"

The alicorn's gentle gaze flicked their way. She and Raven stopped their conversation. She met Twilight's eyes first, then startled, noticing Sunset.

"What a lovely surprise." She smiled fondly, before turning back to Raven. "Be a dear and take those notes to my chamber. I'd like to read them for myself."

"Naturally, Your Grace." Raven bowed, gathered a file from somewhere beneath the podium, and left through the back.

Glowing, Celestia stepped down from her perch. They walked as a group towards her as she approached.

Sunset craned her neck to meet Celestia's gaze. She could never shake the majesty of the Princess, even after all this time. "Hello, my little ponies." She fanned her dove-like wings, and pulled her and Twilight into a short embrace.

"Hey, what about me?"

Celestia released, turned to Starlight, and bowed. "Of course, my apologies, but you must understand. These fine mares are my former students and thus, they have a special place in my heart." Celestia glanced down, holding Sunset's gaze. "Her in particular I so rarely get to see."

Starlight snickered, holding back a greater laugh. "I'm just teasing, Princess, you have nothing to explain."

Celestia nodded, before her attention weighed fully on Sunset. "My dear Sunset Shimmer. How long has it been?"

Sunset rubbed her fetlock, cheeks burning. "Bit under a year, I think?" She gulped down the sudden lump in her throat. "Thank you, Celestia."

"What ever for?"

The lump returned. "For attending my graduation. I... can't tell you how much that meant to me." She nodded her horn at Twilight. "You too." Back to Celestia. "I'm sorry we haven't talked much."

Twilight smiled. Celestia shook her head.

"Do not feel any obligation of gratitude, or apology. It's the least I could do."

Sunset inhaled. "Right. I've decided to return home for a little while, at least until the end of this month. I hope it's not too much to ask, but I was curious if you might have a place I can stay in the meantime."

"You lived here once, and you may do so again. Is there a particular reason that has drawn you home, might I ask? You have never returned for such an extensive length of time."

"There is," She said in the way that also said, "But not one I'm going to share."

Celestia nodded. Her eyes shone with comprehension. She knew. Or Sunset thought she knew.

"If that is what you deem best."

"It is."

Starlight and Twilight exchanged looks.

"Well then." Celestia's chin rose. "It will not be long before my sister raises her Moon, and you three are my guestss. Would you like to accompany me for dinner?"

Besides a light meal prepared on the train, they hadn't eaten a bite. Their stomachs growled in unison.

Celestia laughed. "I see. Follow me, then."

After a five minute walk, they found themselves in a - no, the - dining hall. Celestia had a smaller one further to the West wing, much smaller and better suited to close company. During her days as protege, she and Celestia would often eat together in that room. Sunset brooding, Celestia doing her damndest to peel away the barbed layers.

Here, the walls rose higher than the ones in Court, enough vertical room there could have been three separate floors. The room was dimly lit, bathed in a soft yellow from light crystal chandeliers high above. The walls themselves, usually plain marble, had been painted a rich orange-yellow that made Sunset think of pumpkin soup or curry.

She was hungry. Sue her.

"I hope you don't mind my choosing the banquet hall." Celestia eyed her and Twilight. "Luna attempted cooking fish recently, and the staff are still working to clean out the smell."

Starlight snickered. Sunset waved her off, and Twilight offered a simple, "Not at all, Princess."

They took their seats at the top. Celestia looked between them. "Seeing as you are guests, would you like to place any particular order?"

Twilight licked her chops. "A daisy sandwich sounds nice."

It was a simple dish. Exceedingly simple. Both her and Starlight shot Twilight a raised eyebrow and expression that asked 'Really?' without really asking.

From experience, Sunset knew the palace chefs didn't really do 'simple'. But they would try, if forced.

With no additional orders placed, Celestia called in the chefs. They clamored in like a parade, dressed in white shirts and black buttons. Servers joined them with ice cold, citrus-infused water, cutlery, and napkins, bowing before waiting at the kitchen doorway.

Celestia told the team to make whatever they wished, as well as Twilight's order. Their collective expression said everything about their thoughts on the matter, but orders were orders - literally. They bowed too, and departed. Vaguely, Sunset missed having ponies around she could ask to make whatever she wanted.

While they waited, they conversed. Celestia asked after her in particular - how she was doing, what Earth was like, what plans she had. She explained in basic detail, leaving out the more complicated aspects. Her patience stretched thin at the probing.

At the retelling of their graduation party and drunk shenanigans, Starlight and Twilight leaned in especially close. Unsurprising, given they only witnessed the very tail end of that experience. All three seemed fascinated about Twilight's alternate self, but only Starlight had the balls to ask about her directly.

The chat continued. Sunset described her job as a sushi waitress and some of the stories about her time, such as when one of the sirens popped in for a visit by total accident. Partway through a different retelling, the starters arrived. Celestia nodded, and they chowed down without a second thought.

Dish after dish, plate after plate, bowl after bowl whizzed on by. They ate mushrooms, vegetables, fruit, sauces, legumes, rices. Buttered, battered, roasted, stewed. Spiced and peppered, salted and sweetened. Her head spun, and her belly grew.

It was a feast. Sunset couldn't remember the last time she ate like this. She also remembered a time she used to eat like it every day.

They came in starving. By the time they finished, they were stuffed. Sunset would have let her belt loose if she had one. She felt like royalty, fitting given the circumstance.

Celestia stood, calling the servers to clean the table. Sunset, Twilight, and Starlight pushed up from their chairs.

"I believe it is time you be shown to your room. I hope you find the accommodations satisfactory."

Sunset laughed. "Princess, I've been sleeping on a mattress for years. Pretty sure a palace bedroom is gonna be fine."

Celestia nodded, saying nothing. Her face gained an inexplicable look Sunset couldn't read. A mask, she realized. Concealing... something. She didn't know what.

Nothing wrong with it. She did that often enough herself.

They gathered behind Celestia. Through twisting corridors they followed her steps, lit by the crimson-gold of early evening. If Sunset hadn't familiarized herself with the grounds way back when, she'd have taken weeks to wrap her head around it.

Turning a corner, up a staircase, they entered a part of the castle Sunset had never seen. Marble gave way to wood and plaster, the floor flush with rich forest green carpet, designed with intricate golden patterns. The magic sconces and numbered doors, combined with the lack of windows and presence of paintings reminded her of a luxury hotel.

"What is this place?" she asked, glancing around. "Don't think I've ever been to this part before."

Celestia addressed her without looking back. That is not surprising. These are the rooms built to house my palace staff. I can't imagine you would have been here before."

They took the elevator up multiple flights, passing nine floors up to the tenth. Celestia ducked her head the whole trip to avoid catching her horn. The rest of them pressed to the wall opposite Celestia.

"Bit small, isn't it?" Starlight joked.

Celestia chuckled. "Indeed. This section was built to feel homely and accommodate ponies of normal stature. It is less alienating this way."

The bell rang, and doors slid open. Skylight windows allowed the growing Moonlight to pour through, the warmth of sunset fading to dusk. They took two left turns, and came to the end of a wide hall. A large balcony sat behind a thick glass door, showing the lights of the city as they flicked on, one by one like fireflies.

"Here we are," Celestia said, nodding to the door on their right. Sunset was too busy paying attention to the view.

She loved seeing city lights. But back on Earth, the way they lit their nights polluted the air and obscured the stars. In Equestria they used fire magic or old fashioned oil lanterns, allowing the real beauty of nighttime to reveal itself.

Celestia spoke up. "Sunset?"

"Mh?"

"Is everything alright?"

She mumbled through her nod, turning to the group. "Yeah. It's been a while since I saw the stars."

"I see. My sister does wonderful work, doesn't she?"

Sunset nodded, and tipped her horn towards the tall double doors of her room.

"These shall be your quarters for as long as you wish. Should you require anything or would like another room, Raven Inkwell will be in the chamber across from yours." She chuckled. "Though, she's just as likely to fall asleep in her office." She looked at Sunset. "You remember Raven, do you not?"

Sunset nodded. "How could I forget. She was the one who made me turn in my essays on time. How old is she now?"

The answer she received curdled her guts.

"Thirty-five." Celestia opened the doors, revealing her room. "Please, see if it is up to your standards."

Sunset got one glimpse of the massive chamber and beds, and shook her head violently. "No, I... can't. Too big."

"Understandable." Celestia moved them to the next room down. Only one door this time. Celestia allowed her to look inside.

Paintings, flowers, and spell-powered lanterns hung from the walls. Two double-sized beds rest against the right wall, a wardrobe opposite, and a tall shelf stacked with books beside the closest bed to the window balcony. The bathroom led off to the right, near the other bed.

Between the beds they shared a squat dresser. A double lantern, already switched on, rested atop it. Spotting a bell by the side, she pointed it out to Celestia.

"That is for contacting the nearest available servant. You'll be able to communicate with them through a telephonic link and request whatever you need."

A phone then, essentially.

"I'm not sure what to say. This is so much. Thank you, Princess."

It put in perspective how low she'd fallen. She lived here once - not this specific room, but this whole palace. The most she had to herself now was a crumby apartment with stale must and a dumpster outside her window. Plus the two yowling cats she wanted to strangle.

"Think nothing of it. You were my student once, and you will be treated as such. However-" She yawned. "I have a few last things which demand attending to before I can sleep. Before I leave, do you require anything else?"

Sunset shook her head. "Couldn't think of something if I tried."

Twilight piped up. "I should be going, too. There's a meeting scheduled tomorrow about the reconstruction of Golden Oaks, and I'll be organizing the team."

Sunset smiled. "I wish you luck."

"Starlight?" Twilight asked. "Will you be coming with me?"

Starlight considered. "I dunno..." She turned to Sunset. "Living by yourself for a month sounds pretty lonely. Mind if I stay?"

"Trust me, I've lived on my own for a lot longer, and in far worse conditions. But, sure. Company can't hurt."

Starlight nodded to her, then Twilight. A part of Sunset wanted to say no. She liked Starlight, but their 'spat' earlier that morning put a bitter taste in her mouth, and reminded her of someone she tried hard to forget. So...

Why did she say yes?

Starlight smiled, Twilight nodded, and Celestia seemed unbothered by the development. Too late for Sunset to switch gears. If she tried now there'd be questions, ones she couldn't quite answer herself.

They said their goodbyes. Twilight pulled her into a hug, waved to Starlight, and left with Celestia. The door clicked behind them.

"So," Starlight drawled. "Any fun plans for the night?"

"Nope." Sunset made for the bookshelf, pulling out every title and examining each. She selected a non-fiction book, 'Equestria at War: History of the North March'. "I'm going to read for a bit and go to bed. Looking for something in the morning."

"Looking for what?"

"Something," she said, flipping through the pages.

"Something."

Sunset closed the book. Her neutral expression twitched on the edge. "Yeah. 'Something'. As in, something I'd like to keep private."

"Come oooon, Sunset. We're friends here, you can tell me!"

"I can."

Starlight leaned in.

"That doesn't mean I'm going to."

Sunset weaved around the bed, pulling the covers aside. She checked the grandfather clock next to the wardrobe. It read nine thirty. She could read for about an hour.

"Why not? You're being real evasive here." Starlight grinned, slitting her eyes. "I bet it's juicy."

"It's none of your business!" Sunset exploded. In the throe of it she tossed the book on the floor, flaring jets through her nostrils. "I'm tired of everyone trying to get inside my head lately. It's pissing me off, and if you're going to be like this the whole time I'm here than I'd like you to get out."

Silence.

The distant down sounds of nightlife drifted up from the city. A slow mountain wind moved the curtains. Her heartbeat and the blood in her ears tuned it all out.

"I'm sorry," Sunset said, not fully meaning it. She picked the book off the floor with a mild flush of embarrassment. "But lately, I've been going through some shit, and nobody is letting me be. You didn't know that, though. So I'm sorry."

Pointedly, she didn't look back. Starlight spoke anyway, in a soft voice but not a hurt one. "No, I get it. Everyone's got their limits."

Sunset replied with delay. "...Yeah."

She climbed into bed, pulled up the covers, and cracked her book open. Feeling calmer, and a bit apologetic, she decided she might as well spill a little tea as compensation. "Since you want to know, I'll keep it vague. I'm here to fix some things I've broken. And, tomorrow..."

She breathed in. Was she really going to say it?

Yes. Yes she was.

"I want to start with an old friend."