Dear Diary, Ugh, I'm such a terrible friend! Sunset was talking about her favorite books today, and I realized I totally had forgotten to read The Knight and the Rose! Sunset really wanted me to like it, too, but I managed to bluff and I don't think she realized. I just finished reading the whole thing. It was good, though a bit cliche. There was a lot of really pretty imagery, and I really like the Sunburst Rose. In fact, I feel like I've read about something like that before. It might be based on a real world myth or something. I'll have to do more research. Sunset will be happy to talk about the book, in any case. -Twilight Sparkle

Twilight Sparkle stood on a cliff overlooking the ocean.

"You're really cute as a pony, you know that?" Sunset said, scratching Twilight between the ears. "Here, have a sugar cube."

Twilight took the proffered treat, letting its sweetness dissolve on her oddly shaped equine tongue. She tried to say thanks, but only a whinny came out instead.

"This is me, Twilight," Sunset said, her horn glowing as she looked at her, eyes wide and trusting. "You can pet me if you want..."

"She loves me, she loves me not. She loves me..."

Twilight turned around to see the young human Sunset, sitting down, pulling the petals off of a Sunburst Rose. When she looked up, her eyes widened and her face went beet red. "T-Twilight! What are you... I'm just, uh, making fun of that stupid thing they do in movies, with the flowers! It's so dumb, am I right?"

“Hey Sunset,” Twilight heard herself say, her voice twinned between child and adult. “Can you help me with an experiment I had in mind?”

The human Sunset smiled down at her from her position riding the pony Sunset, who was now proportioned like a real horse. “Sure thing, Twilight. Anything for you.”

The forests loomed beneath them as they all looked over the edge of the cliff together. “Now then,” Twilight said, adjusting her glasses while her lab coat flapped in the breeze, “to test the theory of gravity I’ll be pushing you both off the cliff at the same time. In a pure vacuum, you would both hit the ground at the same time.”

Both Sunsets looked at each other, then grinned and turned to face Twilight. “We’ll help you get all the empirical evidence you need.” They reached out, each taking Twilight by the hand and pulling her backwards as the cliff crumbled beneath them.

Twilight screamed and fell into darkness.

Her screams trailed off as she kept falling. This would normally be the part where she woke up in her bed, drenched with sweat, but she found herself still just floating through an endless void of darkness.

She touched down on some sort of ground, and a loud click echoed through her eardrums. The moon popped into existence, soon followed a swath of stars that lit in succession like the lights in a warehouse.

Cool waves lapped at her feet. She could feel the sand squishing between her toes as she flexed them tentatively. The moonlit ocean before her stretched to eternity.

“Okay,” Twilight said, scowling, “what?”

“Hello, Twilight Sparkle.”

Twilight spun to see a tall, beautiful woman approaching, her hair as deep and sparkling as the midnight sky itself. Her figure was perfect, her eyes deep pools of infinity that betrayed far greater wisdom than her apparent age – thirties, maybe? – would suggest.

Also, she was naked.

“Bwuhh,” Twilight stammered, her mouth suddenly dry. She knew she should probably look away from this strange woman—for whom the term ‘goddess’ probably wouldn’t be an entirely inaccurate descriptor—but couldn’t find the willpower to do so.

The mysterious woman blinked, and she watched Twilight’s expression for several moments before glancing down at herself. “Oh, right. Humans are still rather sensitive about such things, are they not?”

She snapped her fingers, and a long, full dress appeared to cover her nakedness. “There. I apologize if I have caused you any offense, Twilight Sparkle. That was not the impression I wished to give.”

Twilight shook her head rapidly, licking her lips then swallowing. “It’s, uh, fine, I guess. So… who are you again?”

The woman bowed before her, her ethereal hair floating in the light breeze. “I am Princess Luna, Warden of the Night, and you, Twilight Sparkle, are dreaming.”

Twilight pinched her right arm. The sensation was numb rather than painful. “I kind of gathered that. Although usually the beautiful, naked ladies in my dreams aren’t nearly so majestic.”

Luna smiled. “As the Princess of the Night, it is my duty to ensure my subjects are not overly troubled by their inner demons as they sleep. Sometimes, I will personally enter somepony’s dream in order to help them stand against their fears. Other times—well, I must admit, my curiosity has been piqued. One does not usually meet two Twilight Sparkles in one lifetime.”

“Hmm.” Twilight frowned, rubbing at her chin. “It’s been a while, but Sunset did tell me a little bit about you. Dreamwalking, huh? That seems like a pretty cool superpower. Kind of an invasion of privacy, though.”

“Perhaps. Most welcome my presence these days. Though if anypony wishes me to leave them to their own devices, I will leave them be. Do you wish for me to go, Twilight Sparkle?”

Twilight glanced around at her surroundings, the beach and the ocean each stretching infinitely. “I suppose not. I’ll admit, the concept has me intrigued. This could just be my imagination, but if you’re real, the ability to traverse dreams has some fascinating implications. Just think of what it could do for the psychiatric field!”

Luna threw back her head and laughed, the sound rich and hearty, seeming to blend in with the ocean's surge. “Fascinating indeed, though you humans have managed well enough without. Indeed, you have recovered with remarkable speed, considering how terrified you seemed just a few moments ago.”

Twilight bit her lip and clutched at her arm. “I… I’ve been having nightmares like that ever since Sunset got hurt. Sure, it’s bad, but it’s just a natural physiological and psychological response to past trauma. I’ll get over it.”

“Is that so?” Luna waved a hand, and their surroundings transformed. “What does this place mean to you?”

“This is…” Twilight took off her glasses, rubbing them on her shirt before she put them back on. “It’s my lab, the one I’ve got home back in Baltimare. It’s where I conduct my experiments, naturally.”

"It's a fine laboratory.” Luna picked up a beaker, peering through it. "Perfect for a budding scientist such as yourself, is it not?"

Twilight shrugged. "It's well stocked, but it doesn't hold a candle to a real lab. Still, I'm proud of what I was able to build. This is my place. Working here helps me think."

"Or avoid thinking?"

Twilight flinched. "Yeah, I guess that, too."

The pair stood in silence for several moments before Twilight let out a long sigh. "So, is this the part where you show me the ghosts of Twilights past, present, and future?"

Luna shrugged. "What is there to show you?" She picked up a book from a nearby table and thumbed through it. "You already know yourself rather well."

It took her a few seconds, but Twilight recognized the book as her old diary. "Hey, you can't just—”

Luna threw the book back down on the table with a loud thunk, then pointed over Twilight’s shoulder.

Twilight turned to find herself staring at her own reflection. After a few moments of studying it, she sighed. “Oh, it’s just me. I was kind of expecting one of those magic mirrors that show you your deepest secrets or something.”

“Dreams run deep, Twilight Sparkle. Without my careful guidance, the Dreamscape can quickly descend into a labyrinthine nightmare from which there is no easy escape. Navel gazing in a realm such as this is dangerous. Horrors lurk in the depths of the subconscious, willing to prey on those with too many questions.”

“What is this, a campfire story meant to scare me?” Twilight turned around, crossing her arms. “Whatever. Since we’re apparently playing this bit to the end, what about my future? What’s in store for me?”

Luna shook her head. “The future is unknown to all of us, even myself. Nopony knows what lies ahead, but we can choose our destination, and the paths we walk to get there. What do you want your future to hold?"

"I want to be a scientist," Twilight blurted out.

"You already are a scientist," Luna said, gesturing around the laboratory.

Twilight rolled her eyes. "I'm an amateur; there's still a lot of room left for me to grow. I want to make important discoveries. I want to go down in the history books. I want to change the world."

"Why?"

That question—obnoxious, demeaning, piercing. And yet, the cornerstone of science. "Because that's who I am, and that's who I want to be."

The image before her changed, her form growing older, wearing a labcoat, her expression cold and calculating. Her “cutie mark” symbol, a carbon atom, was sewn into the breast pocket.

Twilight stared at the symbol. "You guys take this sort of thing literally, right? In this world, science isn’t just my career—it’s my destiny."

Luna smiled, nodding. "It is a bit more complicated than that, but close enough. Is a life of science the only thing you desire?”

Twilight began to nod, but stopped herself.

"I want Sunset to be by my side."

The image changed, a reflection of an older Sunset holding onto her arm, smiling.

"I see.” Luna stroked her chin. “In that case, I have another question."

"What's that?"

"Why are you so scared?"

The mirror cracked, and Twilight’s knees buckled. The image within shifted to show her younger self and the younger Sunset sitting back to back.

"Because I'm afraid I'll lose her," Twilight mumbled. "That's obvious, right? It already happened once before.”

Luna sat down next to her, resting a hand on her shoulder. “The loss of a loved one is a difficult thing to deal with. Fearing for those you care about is as well. Many struggle with this. Some break. Others persevere. You are not your grief. You are no less because of how you feel.”

Twilight sighed, sitting down and pulling her legs in close. “But I feel like less. This situation is just so… fucked. Sorry, but I can’t really think of a better word for it. I should be able to deal with this. I want to be able to. But how can I? How can anyone?"

"Were you aware that your friend Applejack lost both of her parents around the same time you lost Sunset?"

"Wait, what?" Twilight turned to stare at Luna. "She never... Nobody ever said anything!"

Luna nodded, her face grim. "It is not something of which she often speaks, but in the world of dreams, all is laid bare. She is a strong and brave young woman."

Twilight bit her lip and tried to hide her face in her knees.

"You already know that Sunset lost her father and never knew her mother. The lives of your friends Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash are not free from hardship, either. We all have demons in our past—some more than others. It is what we do now that matters."

"I know that!" Twilight shouted, her eyes filling with tears. "I'm trying as hard as I can! But the nightmares won't stop, and I'm still scared! How am I supposed to do it? Tell me!"

Luna smirked, waving a hand. "It is quite simple, Twilight Sparkle. You are not alone, and you do not have to bear this all by yourself.”

Six mirrors surrounded them, each one reflecting the image of one of her friends. The image of Sunset caught her eye and smiled.

"Seriously?" Twilight said, sniffing and wiping at her nose. "That’s the moral we’re going with? Friendship is magic?"

“I am not my sister,” Luna said, shaking her head. “I do not believe that friendship is the answer to all of life’s challenges, but it is still the answer to many of them, and to this one in particular, I think. You do not have to bear this burden alone.”

Twilight rocked back and forth. “And what if it’s not enough?”

“Then that is when we cheat,” Luna said, grinning. She reached up and unclasped her necklace, then handed the small sapphire to Twilight. “I cannot guard your dreams when you return to the human world, but wear this when you sleep at night, and it should scramble your dreams into nonsensical noise—at least for a time.”

“I see.” Twilight held up the necklace, letting it dangle and reflect the light from all the surrounding mirrors. “Can I have a duplicate copy, so I can study how this thing works?”

Luna laughed, then stood up, offering her hand to help Twilight to her feet. “No.”

Sunset snorted, her eyes fluttering awake as she yawned. She sensed the lack of presence in the bed next to her, then rubbed at her eyes, looking around the room. She found Twilight sitting at the window and staring out at the streets below. The transformed unicorn had an unfamiliar necklace clasped around her neck.

“Good morning,” Sunset said, cracking her neck and rolling her shoulders before stepping out of bed. “You sleep okay, Twilight?”

“Alright, I guess,” Twilight mumbled, not turning around. “Everything’s a bit stiff. Weird body.”

Sunset nodded, then enveloped Twilight in a light telekinetic field, giving her marefriend a quick massage.

Twilight stiffened, then turned around, blushing. “Wow, I guess you, uh, weren’t kidding. That’s incredible.”

“I know, right?” Sunset moved over to the window and nuzzled Twilight, giving her a quick peck on the cheek. “I don’t remember seeing that necklace earlier, but it looks good on you.”

“It’s uh, nothing, really. Just thought it looked nice, that’s all.”

Sunset raised an eyebrow.

Twilight sighed, shaking her head, “No… it’s not nothing. Princess Luna gave it to me last night in my dreams, which is apparently a thing that’s possible here. We talked about… some things.”

“Woah, seriously?” Sunset asked, letting her telekinesis drop. “I’ve never actually met Princess Luna myself, but Princess Twilight speaks pretty highly of her.”

“Yeah…” Twilight bit her lip, looking away, but then she took a deep breath and turned to face Sunset. “Ever since you got into that motorcycle accident, I’ve been having nightmares. New ones, about you, about what happened in the past. I’m scared of losing you.”

Sunset blinked. “Oh.” She reached a hoof towards Twilight, then pulled it away, instead opting to just look her in the eyes. “We already talked about this, right? You know that I’m here for you, whatever you need. Nothing has changed.”

Twilight smiled, then shook her head. "Yeah, I know. That's why I'm telling you this, rather than just keeping it to myself. Luna said this necklace will help stop the bad dreams, too."

Sunset lit up her horn, carefully feeling the pendant with her magic. "It's definitely enchanted... though I don't have a lot of familiarity with this school of magic, and the way these spell lattices are arranged is downright archaic. Which makes sense, all things considered."

"That's..." Twilight stared at her, mouth slackened before she sighed, chuckling. "That you can just light up a pointy bit on your head and see all that in seconds is amazing. I can't even comprehend what that's like. Like trying to explain color to the blind."

"Eh, I wouldn't go that far," Sunset said, shrugging. "Earth ponies and pegasi wouldn't understand it either, but they've got their own unique ways of interacting with the world. A human comparison might be that it would be similar to, say, putting on a pair of infrared goggles?"

Twilight rubbed a hoof against her chin. "I suppose I can understand that analogy. Still, I wish I could experience that for myself, and... look at me go. I start off talking about my feelings and end up on science and magic theory. Talk about having a one track mind."

Sunset grinned. “It’s something I like about you.”

She stepped past Twilight to lean in close to the window and look out over the city. It was her home, once; maybe it could be so again. “You ready for a fun day out on the town?”

“Yeah, I think I am,” Twilight said, holding a hoof up to her new necklace and smiling.

The section of the city they made their way through was hardly the grandest. In fact, it was pretty much one of the worst and, in the eyes of some of its residents, could be considered a slum.

But even the slums of Canterlot were rich compared to elsewhere. Soft light beamed down from street lamps, illuminating wide cobbled streets. It was a peaceful little neighborhood, but guardponies still walked the beat, just in case anypony managed to get into trouble. Things were just a bit more packed down here, and that tended to attract more colorful folks than the stuffy nobles were used to.

The sights, the sounds, the smells—everything about it came as a blast of nostalgia to Sunset, and she delighted in showing Twilight around, pointing out the places where she used to hang out, buying her food and various knickknacks, and greeting wizened old shopkeepers who used to sneak her bits of candy, even though they didn’t recognize her through her disguise.

Sunset’s foalhood had been a lonely one, and she didn’t have as many stories to tell as she would have liked, but it felt nice to share, and to lose herself in reminiscences.

“...and I didn’t really come back to this part of town much after I got accepted to Princess Celestia’s School,” Sunset said as they rounded a corner. “Back then, every little thing seemed to make me angry, and I thought I could just leave it all behind. Celestia, I was such an idiot.”

Twilight mumbled something in agreement, her attention half-focused on the cotton candy Sunset had bought her, barely managing to hobble along while holding it in one hoof.

“Anyway,” Sunset said, rounding another corner, “there’s an old antique shop up here that I wanted to visit, run by an old mare named Petunia Daze. Her human counterpart owned my house, remember? It was thanks to her that I ever made it into the School in the first place, and I never properly thanked her, you know?”

“It’s weird.”

“What’s that?”

Twilight frowned and rubbed at her chin with her hoof, inadvertently getting a bit of candy stuck in her mane. “Just thinking about this world, and how it compares to mine. All the stuff you’ve been showing me… there was nothing like that when I was growing up, and I’m fairly certain this wasn’t the human Sunset’s experience either.”

Sunset raised an eyebrow as she carefully levitated the gunk out of Twilight’s mane before it could settle. “That’s what you’re thinking about? Just take it for what it is, whether it matches with your world or not. Small changes can make big differences. I think it’s pretty clear by now that you and Princess Twilight are pretty distinct. Why wouldn’t our worlds be?”

“Yeah, but…” Twilight shook her head. “I get your point, but I still want to understand it. Ooh, can we stop by a library sometime later, too? I’d love to spend some time reading your culture’s literature, as well as nonfiction on science, geography, and history.”

“Yeah yeah,” Sunset said, snickering. “I don’t know about a library, but we can probably ask Princess Twilight if you can borrow some of her personal collection. Anyway, this is it. Right… here.”

Twilight blinked at the shop in front of her. “It looks a little modern for an antique store. And is also a Floral Boutique and Crafts Store. You sure this is the right place?”

Sunset’s ears fell flat. She knew this was the right area. Even without a map, those old streets were too familiar to forget. But she had been gone a long time, and Equestria wasn’t going to sit around in stasis just so she could revel in nostalgia.

“Sorry,” Sunset said with a sigh. “I guess somepony else bought the business. Oh well. Probably enough nostalgia for one day anyway. We could go check out a museum or something if you want.”

Twilight’s eyes lit up, but then she shook her head, pulling back. “I’d love that, but why don’t we go check this place out anyway? Maybe the new owners know what happened to Petunia.”

"I suppose," Sunset mumbled. What was she really trying to accomplish here? It was her past, the one she had left behind her. But she missed it. Some parts of it, anyway. As well as they had come to know each other, Twilight still only knew Sunset after she had become a better pony. Sunset wanted Twilight to like every part of her—her past and her present.

"Come on," Twilight said before she leaned in and nuzzled Sunset. "You can buy me a souvenir."

Sunset trudged up the familiar wooden steps. The earthy smell of the old wood brought memories flooding back of the kindly, wrinkled eyes of Petunia Daze, smiling as Sunset explored her shop, playing with and experimenting on the (probably dangerous) antiques and artifacts contained within.

But that was all gone now.

“Welcome,” a smooth, feminine voice called out from somewhere deeper in the shop as they pushed through the door and a small bell rang. “I’ll be with you in a minute!”

The smell hit Sunset first. Perfumes from dozens of different flowers assaulted her nose, mingling together and bringing stinging tears to her eyes. Discretely covering her nose with magic, Sunset hurried over to the crafts portion of the shop. Knickknacks and trinkets and works of art lined the shelves. Sunset marveled at the various glass sculptures and wooden figurines. This place was a crafter’s paradise.

“Excuse me,” Twilight said as she walked up to the counter, “I was hoping we could ask you some questions?”

A tall, lanky white unicorn mare with a long mane of luxurious golden curls stepped out from behind a nearby curtain, her face beaming with a professional smile. "The name is Lily White. I'll answer whatever questions you have to the best of my ability."

Sunset stared at the shopkeeper, eyes wide and jaw slack. She knew this pony. Lily had been one of her peers at the academy. A fire sparked in Sunset’s chest as she recalled just how arrogant, how snotty Lily had been—but she doused that flame.

You’re one to talk about arrogance, Sunset thought. You were probably just as awful to her as she was to you. Calm down and give her a chance.

"My friend here has some questions regarding the previous owner of this building," Twilight said as she gestured towards Sunset. "As I understand it this used to be an antique store?"

Lily White raised an eyebrow, glanced over at Sunset’s stunned expression, then smirked. "Your 'friend’ here seems to be a little distracted." She fired up her horn and soft waves of magic ruffled her mane as she struck a pose. "I understand that I'm quite stunning, but I'm afraid I'm already taken." She lowered her head, light glinting off of the engagement band around the base of her horn.

Twilight frowned, and turned around to look at Sunset. "Sunset? Is something wrong?"

"I..."

Lily's brow furrowed, and she mouthed the word, "Sunset?" peering closer.

What was she hiding from, anyway? The illusion probably wouldn't stand up to close scrutiny, so she might as well get this over with.

Sunset fired up her horn and let the spell unravel, her true form melting back into existence with a shimmer of light. "Hi, Lily. It's been awhile."

Twilight recoiled, but Lily only gasped, covering her mouth with a hoof. "S-Sunset Shimmer?! I—everypony thought you were dead!"

Sunset shook her head. "Sorry to disappoint you."

"Sweet Celestia," Lily breathed, her eyes wide. "Honey, get out here! You'll never guess who came to visit!"

"I thought you said you didn't have any friends growing up," Twilight said, looking between the two.

"I wouldn't say we were friends." Sunset bit her lip. "Look, I was a total bitch to you back then. I just wanted to apologize, then I'll be on my way."

Lily White blinked, then threw her head back and laughed. "Are you serious? We were just kids, Sunset, who cares? The two of us had a bitch quotient high enough to rival the rest of the school combined, but that's all in the past now. Kids grow up."

"Yeah, but—"

"Sunset!" A shrill voice cried out before a brown blur slammed into her from the side, wrapping its forelegs around her neck and squeezing tightly. "Ohmygosh, I always knew you were okay!"

Sunset staggered under the impact, but managed to stay on her hooves. "Uh, hi, Sandy. It's good to see you too?"

Sandy Art pulled away from the hug, grinning from ear to ear as she brushed a hoof through her mane. Although Sandy was certainly an adult now, the image she struck was so very reminiscent of the bright eyed filly Sunset remembered.

The matching engagement band on Sandy's horn wasn't lost to Sunset either.

"Wow," Sandy muttered. "I have so many questions. I don't even know where to start."

"How about 'where have you been' or 'what happened to you, Sunset?'" Lily asked with a snort and a toss of her name.

Sunset let out a long sigh. "It's kind of a long and complicated story... For the short version, let's say my egotism and power hungry nature got the better of me and I left Equestria when Princess Celestia wouldn't give me what I wanted."

Sandy art wilted. "Oh. I remember Princess Celestia being so melancholy after you disappeared. It must have broken her heart."

"At least up until she got her new student, and later when Princess Luna returned." Lily added.

"Tell me something I don't know," Sunset grumbled.

Twilight cleared her throat.

Sunset blinked, glanced over at Twilight, then smacked herself in the face with her hoof. “Right. This is my marefriend, Twi— er, Dusk Shine. Dusk, these are two of my old classmates, Lily White and Sandy Art.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow, glancing at Sunset and mouthing ‘Dusk Shine?’ before she turned and bowed her head to the other couple. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“So uh, I guess you two are an item now?” Sunset asked, glancing between the pair.

Lily and Sandy glanced at each other and smiled, and Lily leaned down to nuzzle Sandy’s cheek.

“Yeah,” Sandy said as her face colored slightly. “We were always the best of friends. It just kind of grew naturally out of that, you know?”

“Friends, business partners, lovers,” Lily said with a shrug. “What could possibly go wrong? But enough about that. Seriously, Sunset, it’s good to see you again. Goodness, there’s so much to catch up on.”

“What brought you here, anyway?” Sandy asked, tilting her head slightly.

“Oh, right.” Sunset frowned, scraping at the floor with a hoof. “The only reason I came in here actually was because I wanted to know what happened to the previous owner of this store. I used to know the mare who worked here, before I went to the School.”

Lily frowned. “We got the building directly from the bank, but…”

“I’m pretty sure I remember hearing that the previous owner passed away. Sorry,” Sandy finished.

Well, there it was. It made sense. Ponies came and went, whether Sunset was around or not. Some things transcended dimensions—friendship was one. Death was another.

“I see.” Sunset looked down. “Thank you.”

Sandy bit her lip, fidgeting as the room filled with an uncomfortable silence. After about a minute, she suddenly perked up. “Oh, I know! We should go on a double date! We can catch up on everything we’ve missed and what you’ve been doing and all sorts of stuff!”

“Hmm,” Lily said, rubbing at her chin with a hoof. “That sounds good to me. Are you two up for it? We close up at five.”

Sunset blinked, then glanced over at Twilight. “What do you think, er, Dusk?”

Twilight pursed her lips together. “I suppose it sounds like fun. I’ve never been on a double date before. We don’t exactly know any age appropriate couples back home.” She turned to Sunset. “Still, what about that museum you mentioned earlier?”

“I think we should still have time to make it, if we leave now,” Sunset said, checking the large clock hanging from the wall.

“Yippie!” Sandy cheered, jumping up and down.

The four hashed out their plans for several more minutes before Sunset and Twilight said their goodbyes and promised to meet up again later.

Even if some parts of Equestria had passed her by, it seemed that Sunset’s new outlook on life could open up new doors and help her find friendships she would have never thought possible just a few years ago.

Maybe there was still a place for her here after all.

Twilight stared out of the hotel window, watching the snow fall onto the streets of Canterlot below.

“So,” Sunset said, yawning as she stretched out on the bed, “how did you like your first weekend in Equestria?”

“Exploring a Victorian-style city, meeting new people, going on a date, absorbing the vast knowledge available at three different museums, and convincing you to spend most of our budget on books?” Twilight turned to Sunset, grinning. “Eh, it was alright.”

Sunset laughed. “Just alright? Sheesh. I guess I really need to step up my game.”

Twilight flashed her teeth, but her thoughts turned inward. The double date had been fascinating. Not so much the date itself, but because she was able to see Sunset reconnect with her past. It was mostly an enigma to Twilight, so different from the Sunset she had known, and such a different side of the Sunset she knew now.

But the smile she had seen on her girlfriend’s face as they swapped stories about their wayward youth and griped about troublesome teachers had been genuine. It was a side of Sunset she liked seeing.

But there was still something that Sunset seemed to be avoiding.

“Sunset, isn’t there something else you need to do?”

Sunset raised an eyebrow, resting her head on her forelegs. “What do you mean?”

“It’s just…” Twilight frowned, trying to find the right words. “So much of the talk at dinner focused around Princess Celestia, and how you were her student, and everything that went along with that. I’m really curious, myself. I think I’d like to meet her sometime. But… I mean, you’ve never said anything about meeting her in our plans, so, I was just wondering…”

“Jeez, not you too,” Sunset groaned, rubbing at her eyes with a hoof. “I already had this conversation with Princess Twilight. Look, I’m just not ready to face her for what I did, alright?”

Twilight bit her lip. “Are you sure? After everything you’ve been through, it sounds like she would—”

“No!” Sunset snapped as she stood up. “It’s not happening, okay? End of discussion.”

Twilight flinched. She scowled and opened her mouth—but a single look into Sunset’s eyes sent ice sliding down her spine. “Okay, I’ll drop it. But, um, if you want to talk about it, I’m here for you.”

Sunset blinked, then let out a long sigh, climbing back into bed. “I’m sorry, it’s just… gah.” Sunset grimaced, then stood up again and began to pace. “Princess Celestia; she was my greatest inspiration and my worst enemy. I wanted her to like me, to love me, to praise me, to recognize me for how amazing I was. When she did, it was like I was on top of the world. Whenever she scolded me, well… I never listened. She was wrong, an idiot, too lost in her old fashioned ways to see what I clearly could. She tried so hard to teach me, but I just pushed her away, convinced I knew everything already. I only listened to what proved me right.”

Twilight nodded, then moved over and draped a foreleg over Sunset’s shoulder, saying nothing.

“It’s stupid,” Sunset said, lowering her head and raising a forehoof to cup Twilight’s. “I know how much of an idiot I was, how everything was my fault, but a part of me still blames her anyway. If she had been a better teacher, had been able to reign in my stubborn arrogance, then I could have…”

Sunset shook her head, then disentangled herself from Twilight and made her way to the bed. “It’s too late for any of that now.”

“I guess you should just take it at your own pace. It’s not like I don’t have my own issues holding me back.” Twilight blew out the lamp, then made her way over to the bed to snuggle up underneath the covers.

“Sorry,” Sunset said, rolling over and draping a foreleg over Twilight. “Look, thanks a lot for coming on this trip with me. Even putting my issues with Celestia aside, it really means a lot to me to come back here and see all this again. I hope you’re having as much fun as I am.”

Twilight twisted so she was face to face with Sunset, their snouts nearly touching. “Alien body, alien world, alien culture. I love every moment of it, Sunset, and I love spending it with you, because I love you.” She leaned forward and kissed Sunset softly on the lips.

Sunset blushed. “I’m glad to hear it. There’s um, something I want to talk with you about when we get back to Earth. It’s… important.”

“Important, huh?" Twilight said, grinning. “That’s sitcom code for time to worry, you know. I’d rather just enjoy us, right here, right now.”

Twilight leaned forward and kissed Sunset once more.