"Uh, Pinkie Pie? Have you been messin' around with that mirror pool again?"

"No, Applejack, you silly! To pull this off, I would've had to sneak you all down there without you knowing. Not that I couldn't, but…"

"Whatever! What the hay's going on?"

"Clearly, girls, they came through the mirror," Twilight said, silencing the others. "There's no reason to worry, it's just my friends from Canterlot High." She turned to the new group that had shown up in the castle. "What are you all doing here, anyway?"

"Why, we're here to help Sunset Shimmer, of course," said Rarity. Twilight hadn't noticed Sunset at first. She was too distracted by the fact that there were two of each of her friends.

"Oh, you came back!" Twilight grinned at Sunset, which made the unicorn's heart flutter. Twilight wasn't mad! "I got so worried when you ran off earlier, and…" Twilight trailed off as she noticed Flash Sentry had come with her friends as well. "Uh, hi," she said, smiling shyly at him.

"Hey, Twilight. Check me out: I'm a pegasus!" Flash excitedly flapped his new wings and lifted himself off the castle floor for just a moment.

"Yeah, I guess you are," she said with a little giggle. Sunset Shimmer suddenly felt very unimportant. She knew Twilight liked Flash, but was it fair for the princess to get all googly eyed in Sunset's time of need? The unicorn felt her face flush and she looked down at her hooves.

"Twilight," the 'human' Rarity said, stomping her hoof. It was her hind hoof, which was odd to see. "We are here to help Sunset Shimmer make peace with Princess Celestia."

At that, Twilight seemed to snap back to reality. "Right," she said seriously. "It's actually a very convenient situation. Princess Celestia had to leave before I was able to visit with her, so she's invited me and my friends to come see her in Canterlot." She turned to her Ponyville friends and said, "You girls won't mind if I bring my Canterlot High friends along instead of you, will you? Sunset Shimmer knows them and she'll be more comfortable with them."

Rarity was the first of Twilight's pony friends to speak up. "Well, there was a delightful new chapeau I was planning on picking up that's only sold in Canterlot, but if it will make Sunset Shimmer feel better, I will stay put here." She offered Sunset a smile, and the flame colored unicorn was surprised. If this Rarity was anything like the Rarity she knew, fashion was more important than anything to her. How could she show such kindness to somepony she had only just met? The other four ponies voiced their agreements, smiling in the same way for Sunset. She returned their smiles shyly but gratefully.

"Excellent! Thank you, girls," said Twilight. She turned to Flash Sentry. "You should stay here, too, Flash. The Flash Sentry in this world is a member of the royal guard in the Crystal Empire, and you could get in trouble if someone at Canterlot Castle recognizes you." Flash nodded in understanding.

"Okay, girls, it's time to go to the train station," Twilight said to the Canterlot High ponies. "I bought an extra ticket in case you came back, Sunset, so you don't have to worry about that."

"Wow, thanks, Twilight!" Sunset said.

After Twilight found Spike and told him she was leaving, and Spike promising her he would get some chores done, the group made their way to the edge of town, where the train station was. They stepped on board and were soon headed to the capital city of Canterlot.

Sunset Shimmer's friends were enjoying themselves, with the two pegasi eagerly testing out their wings, and Fluttershy practicing her newfound ability to literally talk to animals. Rarity was practicing levitation and admiring the glittery glow her magic left on objects. But Sunset herself was gazing blankly out the window, feeling her stomach drop further the closer they got to Canterlot. Twilight trotted over, sitting beside the unicorn.

"Are you feeling okay?" she asked.

"Honestly, Twilight, I'm terrified," Sunset replied. "What will Princess Celestia do when she sees me? Maybe she won't want me there. Maybe she'll make me leave Equestria. Maybe…" She sighed. "I don't know, there are so many things that could go wrong." Sunset closed her eyes and then felt a hoof smoothing her mane.

"It won't be that bad," said Twilight as she ran her hoof through Sunset's hair. "We'll all be there for you, no matter how the princess reacts. And besides, I have a feeling Princess Celestia wants to make up with you just as much as you want to with her."

"Do you really think so?" Sunset asked.

"I really do," Twilight answered, smiling at Sunset. She moved her hoof around the unicorn's neck and pulled her into a hug. "Everything will turn out just fine," she promised.

Sunset Shimmer eased herself closer to Twilight, feeling more calm and confident than she had all day against the other's warmth. This comfort didn't last long, however, for when the conductor called out, "Now arriving in the capital of Canterlot!" Twilight released her hold on Sunset and moved toward the train door. And when Sunset heard those words, Twilight's had completely disappeared from her mind. She knew, somewhere, that her friends would be with her, but all she could envision was herself, alone under the cold stare of the princess she had betrayed.

When the doors opened, Sunset Shimmer followed her friends off the train shakily, trying to keep her breath steady. As the group made their way through the streets of Canterlot, Sunset's friends marveled at the beauty of the place, the architecture, the shops, but for Sunset, every step felt like she was getting closer to the edge of a cliff, and if she wasn't careful, she would surely fall. But she had come so far already, how could she turn back?

They soon arrived at the castle, and as they reached the throne room, a guard announced their presence. "Princess Twilight Sparkle and her friends have arrived, Princess Celestia."

There she was, sitting atop the golden throne at the center of the back wall: a magnificent white pony with the stature of a horse, clad in gold and jewels, her mane and horn sparkling brilliantly with the magic that flowed through her. Sunset Shimmer had not seen her in so long, but still felt the same rush of admiration—and envy—that she had always felt in the presence of Princess Celestia. Sunset's fear peaked, and she couldn't even think to hide as the princess began to address them.

"Welcome, Twilight Sparkle, and welcome to you all," she said, smiling warmly at the group.

"Thank you, Princess," Twilight said, bowing instinctively with the others. Sunset quickly bowed herself. "I hope you don't mind that I brought along an extra friend today," she continued, waving a hoof in Sunset's direction.

Time slowed to nearly a halt as Princess Celestia locked eyes with Sunset Shimmer. A thousand thoughts raced through the unicorn's head, her fear growing more and more as the princess slowly stepped toward her. Her breath caught in her throat as Celestia put a hoof on Sunset's shoulder.

The princess smiled, familiarity shining in her violet eyes.

"Welcome back, my old student."