“Twilight?!”

The sudden interruption caught me off guard. With my concentration broken, all the complex workings of my most recent spell, deconstructing the intricacies of the mirror portal magic, fizzled away to nothing. Ten spongy fingers fused together bringing back the familiar stockiness of two sturdy hooves. I turned back on four legs to face my assistant.

“What’re you doing?” Spike asked, a hint of fear for my well-being not altogether concealed in his question. My half pony, half human form obviously gave him pause to wonder about my mental state.

“Research,” I replied in a direct but casual tone. I had asked to be left alone. This project required my complete concentration, not to mention the potential for collateral damage. “It’s very dangerous, but I need to understand all I can so that I can help my friend.”

“I don’t like where this is going, Twilight.” Spike gave me one of those looks, a smirk with a raised eyebrow and disapproving glare. “Are you sure she needs our help? I thought we left her in good [b]hands[/b]?”

“Heh,” I blushed and pulled up a forehoof to validate there were no residual spell effects. “Funny you should say that.” As always, Spike had a way of pointing out the obvious flaws in my logic. “That’s actually a big part of the problem. Sunset gave up her tail, hooves, and even her horn—she’s human now, and that’s just not… right. I need to help her. I have to know why she wants to remain human.”

“I know the two of you keep in touch with that journal of hers. Did she say she needed help?” Spike’s disapproving glare softened to a more puzzled expression.

“Not exactly… I’m just having trouble comprehending how she could be happy being something she’s not. After all, she’s a pony, at least on the inside. I thought maybe it would help to try and see things from her point of view—that’s all.” Thinking over the past few months of back and forth conversation mediated by a magical diary, happiness was not the term I should use to describe Sunset Shimmer’s condition. “She has her friends, and she’s making progress on paying back her debt to the school, but I know there’s something else, something she’s not telling me. There’s a reason she refuses to come back to Equestria.”

Spike folded his arms and rolled his eyes. “It probably has something to do with Princess Celestia, and the whole reason she left in the first place, don’t you think?”

“That’s just it, Spike,” I said as I began to pace the floor. “I’ve spoken to the Princess, and she’s totally fine with letting her come back. But when I told Sunset, she immediately tried to change the subject; she kept talking about her hands. Why would she say that? It doesn’t make any sense.”

Spike shook his head. “I think you’re over-thinking it.”

“You don’t understand,” I replied. “Sunset Shimmer spent her whole life studying magic, just like me. Her diary goes into great detail about how much she wanted to impress Princess Celestia. Just before she left Equestria, however, she stopped writing. Something must have happened to drive her away from her destiny, and now she’s making excuses not to talk about it. The human world may be nice and all, but she’s hiding from her past. As her friend, I feel I should help, but It’s been a week since she’s written to me, and I don’t know what else to do.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t do anything,” Spike said. 

I returned a glare.

Spike let out a sigh. “Alright, but I don’t think experimenting like this is going to help. Why don’t you talk to the Princess and see what she has to say?”

“To be honest,” I said, my tail and ears drooping with my mood, “I’ve been avoiding that. Whenever the topic of Sunset comes up, Celestia doesn’t seem too happy about it. Although, when I asked about bringing her back to Equestria, the Princess seemed very happy. I had hoped to avoid the questions about why Sunset left and skip right to the happy reunion of teacher and student.”

With a matching sigh, I turned and headed for my room. “I guess there’s no avoiding it. Better get some sleep tonight and talk to the Princess tomorrow.”

“Couldn’t you just write her a letter, like right now?” Spike asked.

“I have a feeling this is something too important for a letter.” Nearly out the door myself, I stopped and craned my neck around. “Thank you for helping me sort things out, Spike. I really appreciate how you keep me grounded.” 

“No problem, Twilight. I’m always here to help.” Spike’s smile warmed my heart. I don’t know what I would do without him.

Even with her new friends helping her out, I had to wonder if Sunset really felt alone in that other place. Why wouldn’t she want to come home? What drove her away in the first place? Having hands sure felt different, but I certainly wouldn’t give up everything I am just to be human. Short visits were one thing, but a whole new life? Hopefully Celestia could shed some light on the situation. 

[hr]

The morning flight to Canterlot helped to clear my head. Alone, soaring above the clouds, I felt like I was in my own private world. The sense of freedom buoyed me up, but not for long. Clinging tight to my flank, my saddle bag carried Celestia’s half of Sunset’s journal, a small reminder of my mission and the pony I was struggling to help. I imagined being like this forever, alone in a strange world without a friend, never seeing another equine face as long as I live. The thought of leaving my own body behind in the process brought chills to my wings. With the mountain castle swiftly approaching, I focused my thoughts on getting to the root of the issue.

The guard were quick to greet me. I wanted to keep things low key, but my meager protest fell on deaf ears. Before I knew it, I found myself being presented to Celestia with all the fanfare of an official royal visit.

“The Princess, Twilight Sparkle!” one of the them shouted, followed by a blast of trumpets. Anxious and a little afraid to confront the truth, I stepped forward.

I peered across the hall, feeling small and insignificant in the light of such an introduction. The warm glow of Celestia’s smile helped to loosen my legs as I broke into a canter to reach her throne. She watched my approach and took a few steps down from her seat, meeting me at the foot of the dais. We embraced as family might after a prolonged absence.

“Twilight, it’s so wonderful to see you,” she said, her hoof gently wrapping around my mane. “But… why are you trembling? Is something wrong?”

The chills spread further than my wings, it would seem. I fell back from our hug. “It’s… Sunset. We… We need to talk.” 

Celestia’s smile faded to a worried slant. She motioned to the side. “Perhaps we should speak in private.”

I gave a nod and moved toward the small doors on the west side of the hall. A guard rushed ahead and opened the way, giving a salute as we passed. With a thud from the door closing behind, I found myself in a cozy room with a pair of high backed chairs and a small table the perfect size for a tea tray. 

Celestia stepped forward and took up position on the far chair. “Please, have a seat. I hope everything is alright, but I gather that is not the case. Is Sunset in trouble?”

I slid into the opposite chair and tried to raise my head to meet my mentor’s gaze. I knew what I had to say wasn’t the end of the world, but it wouldn’t be cause for celebration either. The last thing I wanted to do was bring up a painful memory. “Sunset Shimmer doesn’t want to come home.” I ventured a peak at her reaction.

“Is that… all?” Celestia asked. Her mane seemed to freeze awaiting my response.

“I don’t know why she wants to stay in the human world,” I replied, my heart pounding in my chest. “I told her she could come home, that all was forgiven, but she won’t even talk to me about it.”

I waited, in silence, staring into the eyes of the Princess. If I looked really hard, I could just make out the smallest of tears forming in the corners of those eyes. I didn’t want to look. I couldn’t turn away. The pain her memories brought shone through her generous attempt at a smile.

I had tried in the past to get an answer, but she would never open up. I gathered up all the courage I could muster, the question rising to the tip of my tongue. It might break her heart, but I had to know. “What happened to make her leave?”

Celestia took a deep breath. “You did.”

Nothing could have prepared me for that.

Crestfallen, Celestia slumped back into her chair. “And I am to blame.”

I sat and let the idea settle in my head. Following what seemed like an eternity of second guessing myself, I continued. 

“I don’t understand,” I said. “I didn’t even know who she was until she stole my crown. How could I have caused her to leave?”

Celestia adjusted her posture, sitting tall once again. “Twilight, I am old, and I have kept many secrets. Forgive me for having kept this from you—it is time you knew the truth. Sunset Shimmer is my daughter.”

My mouth hung ajar. Words tried to escape, but my own shock contained any possible outburst.

“Adopted, of course,” Celestia added, much to my relief and continued surprise. “She came to me as a foal, tightly wrapped in a hoofstitched blanket along with a note carrying her name and a simple request that she be taken care of, deposited on the steps of the castle. I tried for many years to track down her parents, to no avail. I suspect they realized the spark she carried and felt inadequate to fulfill the role of raising such a gifted unicorn.”

“So, she was special? And her parents abandoned her?” I toyed with the notion of my own parents leaving me in a similar fashion. The very idea strained at the foundation of everything I held dear in my relationship with my own mother and father.

“I raised her as my own, in light of the circumstances.” Celestia lifted her head and smiled with her most encouraging smile. “She brought a ray of sunshine into my life that I had not felt since the loss of my sister, Princess Luna. I loved my daughter with all my heart, as a mother should. Many years passed, and she blossomed into a beautiful young filly, the time swiftly approaching where should would gain her cutie mark.” Celestia paused and looked me square in the face. “And that is where you come in.”

“That’s a lot to take in,“ I said, quickly trying to piece together the information being presented. “Sunset and I are about the same age. Wouldn’t that mean she got her cutie mark about the same time I did?”

“That is correct,” Celestia replied. “Although, hers came in a much different light than yours. While it remained a beautiful and fulfilling experience for the both of you, I am sorry to say, Sunset’s marking blossomed as much out of jealousy and rage as it did from a realization of her destiny. My love for her remained as true as it always had, but by taking you on as a student, Sunset saw you as a rival, someone she needed to beat. Already feeling behind, obtaining her cutie mark was only the beginning of the race leading up to her departure. You see, Sunset valued one thing above all else, my total love and affection. She made it her goal to become just like me, which included the desire to become an alicorn. I tried to temper her expectations, but I only succeeded in fueling her desire.”

“But I don’t remember her at all. How is it possible that we never met growing up?”

“From the moment I met you, I knew you were special, Twilight. So did Sunset. At first, I wanted to teach both of you together, but I quickly changed course. Ever since Sunset realized her mark, I knew things would never be the same. With the help of Cadance, I kept you apart, trying to stem the tide of jealousy and contain the anger growing within my daughter. I failed to see that my actions only served to drive a deeper wedge between us. As much as I loved my daughter, she would not allow that love to be shared with anyone else. My plan backfired.”

Looking over at the window with bright shafts of the late morning sun streaming down across the small table and reflecting up into my eyes, I magically drew in the curtain. Given the small interruption, I felt obligated to restart the discussion. “So you kept us apart because Sunset saw me as her competition? I had no idea.”   

“That was my mistake. I take the blame for what happened.”

“What did happen?” I asked, the original question still left unanswered.

“It’s probably best if I let her tell you.” Celestia rose from the chair. “Come with me, there is something I need to show you.”

I thought for a moment that I should mention the journal tucked under my wing, perhaps let Sunset weigh in on the discussion, but instead, I quietly nodded and followed Celestia’s lead. Her magic opened the doors and we strode through the great hall. A number of guard ponies stood at attention, merely saluting as we trotted past. Out the main doors and down the corridor we went.  Up the great staircase and finally spilling out on one of the upper floors, I remained one step behind. The tapping of our hooves echoed through the hallway as we drove by half a dozen similar rooms—sleeping quarters on this level—coming to a stop in front of an archway containing a mural of the sun. 

“Please forgive me for having kept this from you for so long, Twilight,” Celestia said as she ignited her horn. “I tried to bury her memory, and I am ashamed to have done so with such impeccable execution. Not even my own sister is aware of her existence.”

Celestia’s magic met with the wall. The glow from the painting grew to the point of melting. Slowly, a door, much like the others along the hallway, materialized within the arch. Golden embellishments along the grain marked the room as one belonging to royalty. With a final twist of her magic, the handle turned and the doorway opened.

A bright red and sun-kissed swirl of yellow met my gaze. Between the rug and the drapes, the four-post bed with the gently hanging canopy above, there could be little doubt. Owing to the unmistakable decor, I knew instantly that this was Sunset’s former bedroom. 

Celestia crossed the threshold and motioned for me to follow. “Everything is as it was when she left. I sealed it off the same night she broke my heart.”

I stepped inside.

Even with the bright colors and warm palate, I felt a chill in the air. The curtains drew back in Celestia’s hold and sunlight flooded the room. I took another few steps forward and arranged myself in the light, trying to fight off the pallor of the space left frozen in time.

Celestia drew up next to the bed and lifted a mirror from the nightstand. “I must remind you, Twilight, this message comes from many years ago. She is not the same as she once was, but this may help you to see why she left.”

The mirror floated over the bed and transfered into my field of influence. I brought it in close examining the sunburst pattern that rimmed the edge. My own reflection covered the glass surface, but it faded away just as quickly as I took notice. In it’s place, the flowing mane and bright yellow-orange horn of a slightly younger Sunset Shimmer came into focus. I concentrated on holding the mirror aloft while the framed image began to speak.

“Finally, I know the truth. Everything I ever wanted to be, my destiny, you stole and gave to that brat, Twilight Sparkle. How could you betray me? How could you turn me away? You told me I was special, that I was destined for greatness. You lied to me all these years. You were never my mother, and I was a fool to believe in the prophesy.” An eerie smile spread across Sunset’s face. “I’ll show you that you were wrong to abandon me, that everypony was wrong. By the time you find this, there won’t be anything you can do to stop me. I’ll see you in thirty moons—mother.”

The image faded out against the echo of a sinister laugh. I gently laid the mirror on the bed. Looking up into Celestia’s face, she tried, but failed to hold back her tears. Her horn alight, a flash tore into the mirror, glass splintering in the assault.

“I never want to hear those hurtful words spoken again.” She fell back on her haunches and dabbled at her eyes with a foreleg. “Sunset left because she discovered I was not her natural mother, and felt that I abandoned her in favor of you fulfilling the prophesy of Nightmare Moon, just like her real mother did when she was born.”

Crouched down in my huddled pose, I squeaked out a weak response. “I-I don’t know what to say.”

“The past is in the past, Twilight. We must move forward.” With the tears removed, Celestia stood once again. “I never lied to my daughter. Adopted or not, I love her and always will. As with you, she has a spark within her that may one day reveal amazing things. She needs to know that. She needs to know I still believe in her potential, her destiny.”

“Maybe if you were to tell her yourself, perhaps in a letter?” I retrieved the journal from my bag and laid it out on the bed. 

A smile returned to Celestia’s face. “I remember that night years ago. Returning from your lesson, I meant to tuck Sunset into bed and found her message waiting for me. I didn’t have much time to react before the mirror closed. The journal was the only way I knew we could keep in touch. I had enchanted a copy for myself to communicate with her whenever she would travel for her studies, but she left her copy behind when she went through the portal. I quickly made my way through and delivered it to the other side, just before the mirror closed. It was my hope that she would write to me and we could work out our differences. Even though I kept trying, I never got a response. Cadance tried to write to her as well, but nothing seemed to break through to her. I’m glad to see you using it. Perhaps she would hear what I have to say now…”

In the glow of Celestia’s magic, the book opened to a blank page. A golden quill materialized and the words began to stream out in sparkling ink.

[i]Dearest Daughter,

I love you! 

With every sunset, I am reminded of your glow. The spark of your destiny burns as brightly as ever, and I am pleased to see how far you have come. You were meant for great things, Sunset Shimmer. I know this to be true. Wherever your path may lead you, I hope the sun is there to guide you; you should never feel alone. Above all, know this: I want you to be happy. Should you choose to return, there will always be a place for you here. 

With all the love in my heart, I hope to hold you in my hooves again, some day.[/i]

Celestia heaved a heavy sigh. The quill disappeared in a flash. “Thank you, Twilight. I’m glad I was able to say what I needed to say. Hopefully Sunset will—”

The book began to glow. More writing appeared near the bottom of the page. We both read the response.

[i]Mom? It’s great to hear from you! Twilight told me that you wanted to see me, but I thought I told her that my hands were full right now. Sounds like that message didn’t come across the right way. I’ve got a lot going on with my friends and I can’t leave them hanging. Maybe I can come home for a visit next week? Let me know if that works and Twilight can open the portal. 

Love you!

P.S. We should probably get another set of journals, just for us.[/i]

“Twilight?” Celestia said.

“Yes, Princess?” I replied, trying to avoid her glare.

“You wouldn’t mind if I hold onto this journal for a little while, [b]would you[/b]?”

“Not at all, Princess. Take all the time you need.” My dumb, toothy grin highlighted my already awkward exit. 

I really should have listened to Spike.