Sunset Shimmer was recently elected as the president of the Canterlot High School yearbook committee. So she began walking around the school, taking pictures of her friends and the other students. Once she was finished, she headed back to the yearbook room and began working on the book with her friends and a mystery girl. Suddenly she bumped into her.

"Excuse me," said the girl.

"I'm sorry," said Sunset. "I didn't see you come in."

"I've been here for a while," said the girl.

"I… didn't realize," said Sunset.

"I've been trying to get your attention for, like, twenty minutes," said the girl.

"Oops, sorry," said Sunset.

"Ain't she a quiet one?" asked Applejack softly.

"Yeah. And we know some pretty shy people," said Rainbow. "Am I right?"

"We do?" asked Fluttershy. "Who?"

Rainbow and AJ rolled their eyes.

Sunset then introduced herself. "Hi. I'm Sunset Shimmer. President of the Yearbook Committee and editor-in-chief. Do you want to join? We could always use extra help."

"I'm Wallflower Blush," said the girl.

"Nice to meet you," said Sunset.

"I've been on the Yearbook Committee all year," said Wallflower.

Sunset blushed in embarrassment. "Oh! Um..."

"We met in ninth-grade English," reminded Wallflower.

"And... I was... saying it was nice to meet you then," said Sunset. "You didn't let me finish."

Wallflower rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Anyway, I counted up all the votes for the yearbook Superlatives."

The girls all clamored around to see the results.

"Most Likely to Succeed", "Best Smile", "Class Clown." "Best Duelist" Ooh! We won "Best Friends" said Sunset. "Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Twilight Sparkle, and me!"

"I always knew I liked you all, but now it's official!" said Pinkie. "In yearbook form! The people have spoken!"

"Oh, good for Micro Chips," said Twilight. "Most Likely to Invent Cold Fusion". Not a reason to be jealous. Pfft! I'm not!"

Fluttershy laughed. "Don't worry, Twilight. We all know you're a genius."

"Besides, it's just the yearbook," said Rainbow.

Everyone else gasped.

"Just the yearbook?!" asked Sunset.

Applejack groaned. "Now ya gone and done it."

"The student body has entrusted me with the responsibility of gathering their memories into this book," explained Sunset. "In thirty years, we might not remember everything, but we will remember what's in the yearbook."

"Well, I'm entrusting you not to put us next to "Best Muscles", said Rainbow. "Every time you close the book, it'll be like we're kissing Bulk Biceps!"

"Yuck. Uh, why don't we take our picture at the beach on Saturday?" asked Rarity. "Everyone's bound to look adorable."

"Beach day!" cried Pinkie. "I'll make my world-famous fun-in-the-sun cupcakes." She then whispered to Fluttershy. "The secret ingredient is edible sunscreen! It's SPF fun-hundred!"

"Yech," said Fluttershy.

The door then flung open and Trixie walked in. "The Great and Powerful Trixie demands to speak to the yearbook editor immediately!"

"Unfortunately, that's me," said Sunset. "What do you want, Trixie?"

"Ha! Just as I suspected!" said Trixie. "I was not voted "Greatest and Most Powerfullest"! Explain yourself!"

"How should I put this…?" asked Sunset. "Because it wasn't one of the Superlatives!"

"Hmm. Neither was "Biggest Bitch", said Trixie. "But that didn't stop you from winning it in our freshman year."

"That was different," said Applejack. "The whole school voted for her."

"She was soooooooo mean," added Pinkie.

"Of course, you've changed and we all know you've earned the right not to be remembered that way," said Twilight.

"Thanks," said Sunset. "Sorry Trixie, but we're not having a "Greatest and Powerfullest" Superlative."

"Oh, you're the one who'll be sorry, Shimmer!" said Trixie. "When you least expect it, I'll have my revenge!" She then threw a smoke bomb, and tried to escape out the door. But it was locked.

Sunset walked over with the keys. "Allow me. We were actually on our way out."

The girls laughed as Trixie walked out.

"I'll just finish up..." called Wallflower.

Sunset then walked back in the room. "Forgot to turn off the lights."

"...in the dark." finished Wallflower. "Why should you notice me? After all, you're Sunset Shimmer. Everybody loves you now. Why can't they see you haven't changed?" Wallflower then took out a rock from her pocket, walked out of the room and into the school's garden with a wicked smile on her face.

Later that night, at Sunset's house. She decided to write a letter to Princess Twilight. "Dear Princess Twilight, I thought you'd be happy to hear that the girls and I were voted "Best Friends" in the yearbook today. After all, if you hadn't forgiven me, I'd still be the arrogant student I was when I left Equestria. You gave me the second chance I didn't deserve, and I'll never forget it. Your friend, Sunset Shimmer."

The next day, all the girls, except Sunset, arrived at the beach in their new swimsuits. Twilight was wearing a blue one-piece suit. AJ had a blue and green bikini. Rarity had a sexy purple G-String Thong. Rainbow was hearing a pink/rainbow bikini. Pinkie had a cute pink one-piece suit. Fluttershy was scuba diving in her black/teal one-piece suit. Even Spike was there. But he was digging in the sand.

Twilight had created a flying camera drone just for the occasion. "Group picture, practice run #36-A, attempt seven — success! Your eyes do not deceive you. I finally invented a selfie-sensing camera. It hovers into position whenever it detects a selfie opportunity."

"I prefer to take selfies myself..." said AJ.

Rarity and Rainbow were looking at some blankets. "Which beach blanket should we use for the photograph?"

"You mean the white one? Or the white one?" asked Rainbow.

Rarity gasped. "This is toasted oat, and linen lamb's wool. Eggshell, warm frost, pale nimbus, and... well, that one is white, I suppose."

"Yeah. That's the one I was talking about," said Rainbow. The wind then blew the blanket away.

"Don't worry, Rarity!" called Spike. "I got it!"

Pinkie then ran up beside him. "No, I got it! I got it!" A second later, she tripped over the pup.

"I don't got it," said the two.

Just then, a huge plant monster-like thing rose up from the tide.

Pinkie and Spike gasped. "Ocean monster! Ocean monster!"

But it was just Fluttershy covered in seaweed. "Quincy the sea turtle says the tide's coming in. We should take the picture soon or risk having damp ankles. Oh, he's so thoughtful."

Sunset then arrived in her black underwire bikini. "Oh. Twilight, you got the Selfie Sensor working? Great!" She struck a pose, but the drone floated away. O... kay. So, who's ready to take the picture?"

All the girls and Spike gave Sunset an annoyed confused look.

"Uh-oh. What did I do?" asked Sunset. "Should we do it now, or... did you wanna swim first? How's the water?"

"Sunset Shimmer? Askin' to be in our picture?" asked Applejack. "Heh. Now I've heard it all."

"Am I missing the joke here?" asked Sunset.

"The only joke is whatever you're playing on us," said Rarity. "Acting all nice like you're our friend."

"That's not funny!" said Fluttershy. "Not one bit."

"You couldn't be nice if your life depended on it," said Rainbow.

"Like we would ever be friends with you," said Applejack.

"Wait. What?!" asked Sunset.

"You got applesauce in your ears?" asked Applejack. "I said, we ain't Fr— whoa!" As AJ spoke, Sunset walked over and grabbed her hand to read her memories. And in all the memories she read, she wasn't in any of them.

"I don't believe this!" said Sunset. "It's like I've been... erased! This has to be a bad dream. Wake up, Sunset. Wake up!" Pinkie then pinched her. "Ow!"

"Nope. You're awake," said Pinkie. She then pinched herself. "Ow! Me, too!"

Sunset then tried to read Rainbow's memories, but she still wasn't there. "No! Rainbow, you saved me in the motocross race! Remember?"

"What are you talking about?" asked Rainbow.

"I can see your memories, and I'm not in them!" cried Sunset.

"And exactly how is it you can see our memories, if you don't mind me askin'?" asked Applejack.

"With this!" said Sunset showing her necklace.

"Oh, pfft! It's obviously a cheap knockoff of ours," said Rarity.

"We got them together," said Sunset. "You all were there, remember?"

"Why is she still talking to us?" asked Fluttershy.

"Pinkie, what about when I came to your sleepover before the Battle of the Bands?" asked Sunset.

"Ha!" replied Pinkie. "The closest you've ever come to a party of mine is freshman year, when you pretended to be Applejack and texted me, "Your party is stupider than a hungry duck in snow boots."

"Like I'd ever say that," put in Applejack.

"That really hurt my feelings," said Pinkie.

"And it wasn't very nice to the ducks, either," added Fluttershy.

"That was a long time ago," said Sunset. "Twilight, you remember me, right? We've been through so much together. Please..."

"I only met you once, when you yelled at me at the Games," answered Twilight.

"Doesn't anyone remember that I've changed?!" asked Sunset.

Most of the girls shook their heads.

"Maybe not anyone…" said Sunset. "I'll be right back!"

"Don't hurry back!" said Rarity.

Sunset ran under the lifeguard tower and wrote to Princess Twilight. "Dear Princess Twilight, this is gonna sound crazy, but... are we friends? Am I... nice? Please answer..."

After a few seconds Twilight replied. "Of course we're friends!"

Sunset sighed.

"Are you okay?" asked the Princess. "What's going on?"

"Kinda hard to explain," wrote Sunset. "Might be easier in person. Well, not "person", so to speak..."

"She then ran back to the school statue, and used the portal to return to Equestria.

Princess Twilight was beside the mirror waiting for her.

A couple seconds later, Sunset appeared. "Twilight!" She tried to embrace her friend, but she had forgotten that nopony stood on two legs in this world. "Aahh! Oops! I was trying to hug you." So the princess helped her.

"So, what's been happening?" asked Twilight.

Sunset explained everything.

"This is bad, Sunset," said Twilight. "It's way beyond anything I've ever heard of. Although..."

"What?" asked Sunset.

"I just had an idea," said Twilight. "But you might not like it."

"I'll do anything to get my friends back, Twilight," said Sunset.

"There is one pony who might be able to help," said Twilight. "But I don't know if you two want to see each other."

"Who?" asked Sunset. Then realization hit her. "Oh."

So Twilight teleported Sunset and herself to the Canterlot Castle where they stood outside the throne room.

Twilight cautiously opened the door with her magic. "Sooo, Princess Celestia... You'll never guess whose back! Actually, maybe you can guess, 'cause she's right here. But, um..." She then whispered to Sunset. "Am I helping?"

Sunset sighed and walked up to her former mentor. "Princess Celestia, the last time we saw each other, I was your snide little pupil who betrayed and abandoned you."

"I wouldn't have said it that way," whispered Twilight. "What Sunset means to say is—"

Sunset cut her off. "I mean that I come before you a changed pony, humbly asking for forgiveness, guidance, and knowledge." At first, Celestia didn't do anything but stare. "Or I can just go, and you never have to see me again."

Then Celestia hugged her. "I've missed you so much, Sunset Shimmer."

"I... I'm so sorry, Princess," said Sunset with tears in her eyes.

Twilight smiled. Sunset then told Celestia and Luna all about the situation in the human world.

"I am not familiar with the exact spell that could have erased your friends' memories," said Celestia. "But it sounds like Equestrian magic is at work in your world."

"Hmm, indeed," said Luna. "The toilings of this nefarious enchantment could portend unimaginable catastrophe if left unchecked."

Sunset was about to bust out laughing, so Twilight slapped her out of it.

"Sorry, Princess Luna," said Sunset. "I'm just used to hearing you say no student parking in the faculty lot."

"This "faculty lot" you speak of sounds like a place of great power," said Luna.

Sunset and Twilight giggled.

"The answers you seek are in the Canterlot Library," said Celestia. As the four entered the library, Sunset was stunned to see a pony version of Flash Sentry guarding the door.

"Wow," said Sunset. "He is handsome."

"You have your own in the other world!" said Twilight.

"Sorry," said Sunset. Her eyes widen as she looked around the library. "There's over a million books in here."

"I wish!" said Twilight. "But don't worry. You're looking at somepony who knows this place like the back of her hoof." Celestia and Luna then went down an unfamiliar route. "Where are you going, Princesses?"

"To the restricted section," answered Celestia.

Twilight couldn't believe what she had just heard and started hyperventilating. "There's a... a reh... a reh... a reh..."

"Breathe, Twilight," reminded Sunset.

Celestia and Luna opened a secret entrance with their magic and lead Sunset and Twilight down an old staircase to a hidden cave.

Twilight gasped in awe at all the old books and scrolls. "Oh-my-gosh-oh-my-gosh-oh-my-gosh-oh-my-gosh-oh-my-gosh! So many books all unread! Ancient historical artifacts! I just... I thought...! I can't...!" She then wheezed.

"You sure you're up for helping me go through all this stuff?" asked Sunset.

"Don't take this away from me!" begged Twilight.

"I should warn you," said Celestia. "The archives' mechanical catalog has not been... well-maintained." The catalog machine then fell apart.

"Guess we'll have to read everything!" said Twilight. "C'mon! No way! Can you believe they have Canterlot Cantabiles Volume Thirty-One? You heard me! Thirty-One! Sunset, that's when it gets goooooooood! Wait! Over here! An original Windigo Weather Warning from the pre-Equestrian era! Oh, my goodness! I can't! I just can't!"

Sunset and Celestia couldn't help but laugh.

Sunset and Twilight began looking through nearly every book in the old library, while Luna took off.

"Did you know Chancellor Pudding head tried to pass a law mandating Earth ponies drink carrot juice at every meal?" asked Sunset. "Well, I do… now."

"Aww. Sounds like you got to read all the fun books," joked Twilight. "Wait! I found something!"

"What?!" asked Sunset.

"You're familiar with The Seven Trials of Clover the Clever?" asked Twilight.

"Obviously," answered Sunset. "Why?"

"Well, first of all, these date back to before the founding of Equestria," said Twilight. "Look at this."

"The Memory Stone," said Sunset. "That sounds promising."

"It belonged to an evil sorceress who was practically invincible," explained Twilight. "With the Memory Stone, she could erase any memory from anypony. Even fragments of memories."

"Fragments like... memories of me being kind and reformed?" asked Sunset.

"Yes," replied Twilight. "Clover the Clever knew the sorceress had to be stopped and the Stone destroyed, so he chased her across land and sea. But every time he got close, the sorceress would erase his memory and escape. But he kept finding her."

"How?" asked Sunset.

"These scraps of parchment," answered Twilight. "He secretly wrote everything down so he'd know what had happened and where to go next. Like a trail of bread crumbs."

"Clever!" said Sunset. "Ohhhh. Clover the— yeah, got it. What happened on the other side of this portal?"

"The last page is missing," said Twilight "Clover must've hid it to keep anypony else from finding the Memory Stone. Sunset, what if somehow, the Memory Stone ended up in your world?"

"And someone is using it to make everyone hate me again?" asked Sunset.

"But who?" asked Sunset Twilight.

Back in the human world, the girls continued to relax and chill on the beach. Rainbow and AJ however, were dueling.

"We've been out here a while," said Pinkie. "Time to reapply!" So she rubbed her skin with her edible sunscreen cupcakes.

"I've been thinking..." said Twilight. "Should we be worried about Sunset?"

"Yeah!" said Trixie. "Worried she comes back! I think it's a shame the way she's treating you, pretending to be your friend. She's obviously up to something. Sunset thinks the whole school exists just to serve her. Water, please!" She then snapped her fingers, and Snips and Snails brought over a water bottle and squeezed some into her mouth. She then looked back and the girls. "You know, seeing as how the yearbook president seems to be having a little identity crisis, I believe that means the vice president takes over. And, why... that's you, Rarity!"

"If this is your way of asking to be made "The Greatest and Most Powerful", the answer is no," said Rarity. "And didn't we have this conversation yesterday? I can't quite remember."

"Maybe we did, maybe we didn't," said Trixie. "Memory is such a fickle thing. You never know when you'll forget something important. Like how great and powerful I am, which is why I need to be in the yearbook!"

Rarity groaned. "I'll think about it."

"That's all I ask," said Trixie.

"Rainbow Dragon, attack!" ordered Rainbow.

"AAAHHH!" cried Applejack.

Rainbow LP: 200

Applejack LP: 0

"I win!" cheered Rainbow. "Which means we both now have three wins and three losses."

"Next win decides the match," said Applejack.

"You're on!" said Rainbow.

"Let's duel!" said the two.

Back in Equestria, Sunset was about to leave.

"I should be getting back to my world," said Sunset. "Maybe I can convince my friends I'm telling the truth, now that I know what I'm looking for."

"Great," said Twilight. "I'll stay here and search the restricted section top to bottom until I find a way to get your friends' memories back."

"If that's even possible," said Sunset.

"Oh, it's possible," assured Twilight. "Even if I have to reorganize the whole library by subject. Or maybe chronologically! Oh! And fix the broken catalog machine... But don't worry. I'll figure it out."

"Thank you," said Sunset. "Both of you."

"This is quite a contrast from the last time we parted ways," said Celestia. "But you are not that way anymore. With every choice you make, you prove yourself to possess a kind heart."

"I guess I had a good teacher," said Sunset.

"You were a good student," said Twilight.

"Are you saying I wasn't a good teacher?" asked Celestia angrily.

"Oh, no!" said Sunset. "I wasn't...! I mean, what I meant was...!"

"She didn't say that!" said Twilight.

Celestia then laughed. "Just kidding."

"Princess Celestia has a sense of humor?" asked Sunset. "Looks like I'm not the only one who's changed."

Back in the human world, Rainbow, Pinkie, Applejack, and Fluttershy were playing volleyball. It was Rainbow and Applejack vs Fluttershy and Pinkie. Twilight's drone camera was filming the whole thing.

"It's been a grueling afternoon, but here we are: the final match!" said Rainbow in an announcer-like voice. "Next point wins! A hush falls over the crowd of ten thousand fans."

"Yay sports!" said Twilight.

"I'm not holding back this time!" said Rainbow.

"That's what I'm afraid of," said Fluttershy.

"Bring it on, Rainbow Dash!" said Pinkie. "You and AJ just bought your team a one-way ticket on the express train to You're Going Down!"

"Ooh. Nice game face, Pinkie," said Rainbow.

"Thanks! I've been practicing all day," said Pinkie. She then grabbed Twilight's drone. "Isn't that right, little baby camera?! You're in my house now!" The Drone then hid behind Twilight and Rarity.

Spike growled at it.

"Somebody's jealous," chuckled Rarity.

"Please," said Spike. "Call me when the flying can opener learns how to fetch." The drone then brought over a can of dog food and opened it. "You're the worst." But Spike did start chowing down.

The game ended with Pinkie and Fluttershy's victory, when Sunset arrived.

"Great news, guys! I figured it out," said Sunset. "Someone's erased your memory with Equestrian magic! You don't remember, but we're still friends!" She then pulled out a picture of the stone. "This is the Memory Stone. Do any of you recognize it? Wait, darn! Of course you wouldn't. But look." She then pulled out a picture of the seven of them together. "See? This is proof! We are friends!"

"Oh, please," said Trixie. "This is the same girl who made flawless fake photos of your friend trashing the gym."

"Yeah, wait a minute! Is this supposed to be me making such a ridiculous face?" asked Pinkie. She then made the same face as the one in the photo. "Ha! I'd never make a face like that! Preposterous! Fake, I say!"

"Ha!" said Trixie. "My work here is done. I'm out! And don't forget, Rarity! You promised to put me in the yearbook!"

"Wait! You did what?" asked Sunset. She then accidently stepped on Twilight's Drone.

"No!" cried Twilight.

"I'm sorry," said Sunset. "It was an accident! I can help fix it!"

"I think you've helped enough," said Twilight.

"Damn!" thought Sunset.

The girls then all headed home. Sunset looked at Trixie. She grinned as she walked away with Snips and Snails. "I bet it was her! After all, she did say I would be sorry. But all this? Just for not putting her in the yearbook?! I mean come on!"