Twilight stood frozen, dumbstruck by the sight in front of her. Sunset Shimmer, was in Ponyville, and as a unicorn. Instinctively, Twilight took a step back from her, only to bump into Trixie. “Oh sorry Trixie, but Sunset Shimmer? What… what are you doing here?” She asked, coming across more harshly than she had meant.

        Sunset Shimmer was quick to notice Twilight’s body language. The backing away, the stiff posture, the jumpiness, the hastened speech and jumbled stammering. She had seen so many others behave that way before. Finally she answered, “Well it’s been thirty moons since, well you know, the formal. With the portal open, I figured I haven’t been in Equestria for a while, so I decided to visit, and who better to visit than the hottest new thing around?”

        Being friends with Applejack over the years helped Twilight spot an obvious lie, Sunset was not lacking her signature arrogance, but it was different this time, it was as if she were hiding something. Whatever plan Sunset had in mind, Twilight was not worried about her crown, because she had put a protection spell on it long ago that prevented any magic from levitating it or teleporting it away. Still, Sunset was dangerous because of what she was capable of without magic. Twilight was not sure how much being back in Equestria would change things.

        After moments of silence that seemed to drag on, Sunset’s false bravado was beginning to wear. I expected this. I know she has no reason to believe me, or want anything to do with me. Sunset thought.

        Sunset was surprised, however, when Twilight spoke up, “Well, while you’re here you should know that Ponyville is my protectorate. Anything you do to anypony here is the same as doing it to me,” she told her, putting on her official princess tone. Twilight was still confused about her being in Ponyville, but Sunset seemed unyielding in keeping that private.

        Sunset remembered how to breathe, and wiped the sweat that had formed on her brow. “Thanks princess, and don’t worry I promise to behave myself. Before you ask, no I didn’t bring a zombie army with me,” Sunset said, her words overflowing with snark.

        “Well that’s good at least, I kind of have a full plate as it is,” Twilight shot back with an equal amount of sarcasm. This surprised Sunset, yet the small smile on her face suggested she was pleased with this side of the princess. A rather noticeable cough quickly tore the two away from their internal contest of wills and sarcasm.

Trixie looked at Sunset Shimmer dead on, her glare boring holes in the her. “So Twilight, are you not going to introduce me to your friend here?” she asked in her best attempt at sounding cordial.

“Well I wouldn’t say that we were friends exactly, see Sunset and I are…” Twilight thought, struggling to find the word that best described her relation to Sunset Shimmer.

Before she could find it, the other unicorn intervened, “I was a former student of Princess Celestia, but when I didn’t get my way I left through a magic mirror into a parallel world populated by hairless apes. I attempted to steal Twilight’s Element of Magic, use its power to build an army of brainwashed teenagers, and then invade Equestria.”

Trixie stood quietly, no doubt taking in all the information Sunset had dumped, before saying, “That… is the single most ludicrous idea Trixie has ever heard of!”

Trixie fell to the ground, laughing so hard she had trouble breathing. Twilight was left unsure what to do, but looked at Sunset and saw she was blushing so hard her coat had taken on the same color as parts of her mane.

Finally Sunset shot back, “Well it sounded like a good plan in my head. Besides who are you? Some sort of maid or servant filly?”

That immediately silenced Trixie’s laughter who then closed the gap between her and Sunset Shimmer, her voice picking up in volume, “What!? Trixie is no servant filly, she is the greatest magician in all of Equestria!”

Sunset, however, seemed unimpressed and her faced shifted from confusion to a knowing grin. “Wait a second. Trixie? As in the ‘Great and Powerful’ Trixie?” she asked, her odd hoof gestures  left Trixie confused, but Twilight knew all too well was the result of Sunset still adjusting to her hooves.  

Trixie puffed her chest out and proudly said, “Why, yes! It does seem even uninformed riff raff such as yourself knows of the magnificence of Trixie.”

“Oh yeah I know who you are, you’re that weirdo in the wizard cosplay with the card tricks and cheap sparklers,” Sunset replied flatly.

“How dare you mock Trixie?” asked Trixie, her horn now glowing magenta.

“It’s pretty easy when you give me so much material to work with. The world I visited had almost no magic in it, and I bet the Trixie there has more skill than you,” Sunset harped back, her own horn now glowed a bright teal.

“Is that a challenge?” Trixie asked.

“Like you’d be a challenge,” Sunset called back.

“Enough!” yelled Twilight, and both mares found themselves encased in bubbles of purple light, unable to break them. The two unicorns turned to the source of the barriers and saw Twilight, her face a blank slate, but between the flared out wings and posture, her presence dwarfed both Trixie and Sunset’s.

“Now listen you two, I have one week to prepare for the first anniversary of my Pony Educational Enrichment Program, and the two of you starting a magic duel in my library is the last thing I need,” she told them bluntly.

        “Trixie, you were just saying you returned here to make up for all the trouble you caused last time. What is everypony going to think about you starting fights immediately afterwards?” Trixie lowered her head, and scuffled her hoof across the floor. Twilight then turned to Sunset, “As for you Sunset Shimmer, I know your whole ‘just thought I’d drop by’ story is a total lie, but since you’re unwilling to tell me the truth I see no reason in bothering with trying to get it.”

        Sunset looked like she was going to try and explain, but Twilight cut her off, “No I don’t care right now, I just want to make one thing clear to you, Ponyville is under my protection. Which means if you’re here to try something, I will stop you.”

        Sunset stared blankly back at Twilight, then simply replied, “Duly noted.”

        Twilight decided to ignore Sunset’s smart remark and instead lowered the barriers around the two unicorns, hoping her display at magic was enough to discourage them from trying to reignite their animosity.

        “Well Sunset Shimmer…”

        “Oh please just call me Sunset. There’s no need to be so formal with me,” Sunset corrected her.

        “Well Sunset, I’m going to guess you don’t have a place to stay while you’re here for the next couple of days until the portal closes. So I guess you can stay with me as well, in fact it’s probably for the best,” she told the unicorn.

        Sunset showed no sign of enthusiasm as she asked the princess, “Sounds fine to me. Are you sure this place is big enough for me and miss Great and Powerful’s ego?” Sunset asked, pointing to Trixie.

        Trixie did not take Sunset’s bait that time and merely stuck her nose up and ignored the other unicorn. Twilight just turned away, rolling her eyes before speaking. “No, because I don’t live in the library, not anymore anyway.”

        “Wait, you don’t? Then why are we here?” asked Trixie, she and Sunset both looked confused.

        Twilight motioned for both of them to follow her, which they obliged, as she answered, “No, like I was about to tell you before we walked in: I don’t live in the library, but it acts as the quickest route to where I live now. Unless I fly there. But I’m not sure I could carry you both.”

        “Especially her,” Sunset managed to sneak in, her volume just loud enough for Trixie to catch and Twilight to miss.

The princess led her two charges towards the a door on the other side of the room. Twilight opened it, leading them into yet another room lined with bookshelves. However, there was one other item, a mirror, that stood alone in the center. As the three ponies approached it, Trixie felt a strange sensation emanating off of the mirror.

“So Trixie must ask, what exactly is this?”

“Why it’s a…”

“It’s a transition gate. The mirror is simply the catalyst for a permanent teleportation charm,” Sunset interjected. She then looked to see both Twilight and Trixie’s mouths agape.

“What?” She asked.

“Well, it’s just that you’re right,” Twilight told her, genuine surprise was heavy in her voice.

“Hey, I was once the hot new thing at Princess Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns too you know,” Sunset responded, pointing her nose up in the air as she walked over to where the mirror stood. “Besides it’s the same basic principle as the mirror that connects Equestria to the other world.”

“Huh, I never really thought about it before. But you’re right,” Twilight pondered aloud, as her horn began to faintly glow, and the mirror itself began to shine.

Both Sunset and Twilight seemed unfazed by this development, but Trixie was stepping back from the light. However, she soon felt the ground beneath her disappear, followed by a feeling of floating, only to immediately fall back onto the floor. As Trixie stood up and recovered from the ride, she realized she was in a completely new room.

Like the one in the library, this room was covered in bookshelves. However, the ceiling was much higher, the walls and floor were now stone instead of wood, and a magnificent chandelier hung in the middle of the room.

“Woah… I mean, Trixie is impressed. She has never seen magic quite like that,” the unicorn recovered, playing off how amazed she really was.

“Oh please, it’s not that impressive, any unicorn past their second year knows how to set up a transit link,” Sunset replied flippantly.

Trixie’s face blushed, but before another argument could begin, Twilight spoke, “Now girls if you’d please follow me this way.” The two unicorns followed the princess over to a door. Twilight opened it, and then the two mouths of the other ponies dropped.

The door opened up to a grand hallway, with a ceiling that stretched up higher than any of the buildings in Ponyville. The entire room was open, airy, and gave  a sense of class.

After noticing their gawking, Twilight finally spoke up, “So… it isn’t too much, is it?” She asked her guests nervously.

Trixie was the first to speak up, “Well it is certainly something.”

“Yeah something,” Sunset echoed, who was still far too busy taking it all in.

“Well I can admit it sometimes feels like a bit much, but I inherited it so I felt obligated to accept it. Plus with the mirror it’s almost like I’m still living in Ponyville.”

“So where exactly are we?” Sunset finally asked.

“Well, we’re in the Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters, which is kind of in the middle of… the Everfree Forest,” Twilight responded reluctantly.

After only a second of sinking in, Trixie’s eyes opened wider and she turned frantically to Twilight and yelled, “The Everfree Forest!? Why are you living in the middle of the Everfree Forest? There’s things like that Ursa Major living in here, and remember when the forest went wild a couple of years ago?”

“Yes Trixie, I remember. I was kind of involved in that incident,” Twilight said as she blushed herself.

“Big surprise,” both unicorns replied simultaneously.

Twilight ignored them and continued, “But, that is all in the past. The Everfree Forest isn’t entirely that bad, and after some sprucing up, I was able to move into this castle. Besides this place is a treasure trove of historical information; I figured I might as well stake my claim on it.”

“You would pick your castle based on its historical relevancy,” Sunset deadpanned.

Twilight however was quick on the draw, “Actually it was mostly because the castle was a gift. From Celestia,” she emphasized.

Without any inflection Sunset replied, “Oh, how nice of her.”

“Yes, very nice indeed. Trixie believes this palace is quite exquisite, it will serve as a perfectly suitable place for her to stay while in Ponyville, why she just might consider staying here, umm long-term.”

“Uh-huh, well don’t forget we have an entire town to convince that you’re not a megalomaniac back for revenge,” Twilight said, snapping Trixie out of her starstruck haze. She then turned to her other new houseguest, “As for you, you need to convince me that you’re not one either, but for now I have to go meet my friends. Naturally, I would bring you both along, but I have a feeling they would be a little less… understanding.”

Trixie and Sunset actually looked to one another and both nodded in agreement. Twilight spoke again, “Now the only problem is, there isn’t anyone else here.”

Both Sunset and Trixie looked at Twilight, confused looks donning their faces.

“Well...I can’t just leave you two here alone. Knowing you two, I’d come back to find the place in an even bigger mess than when I first found it,” Twilight explained.

“Hmm, yeah I could see that,” Sunset replied flatly.

Trixie’s look only grew more offended, “Why I never. The Great and Restrained Trixie would never stoop to such means.” Twilight and Sunset merely stared, unconvinced of Trixie’s assertions. Finally Trixie added, “Well, okay fine, not anymore.”

Suddenly a familiar light shined through the cracks of the door that led to the mirror room. The door swung open and entered a dragon. Sunset’s first thought was to back away. Though she had been living in a world without dragons for over ten years, it was still ingrained in her to run from the first sight of a dragon. However, Twilight and Trixie seemed unfazed.

“Oh, hello Spike, didn’t expect you home so early,” Twilight said as she walked up and hugged the purple drake.

“Yeah, well Belle has a performance this weekend, so it’s all practice, and she needs to keep rested,” Spike replied as he made his towards the kitchen, only to see his path blocked by the new house guests.

“Uh, Twi.”

“Yes, Spike?”

“Why are Trixie and Sunset Shimmer in our place?” He asked calmly, as if the question had been about weather.

“Oh, well Trixie’s here to make amends and Sunset’s here for some reason she won’t tell me. So in order to ensure neither destroy Ponyville, I’ve taken up the task of keeping an eye on them,” Twilight replied with equal casualness.

        Trixie delivered a meek wave and an awkward smile to Spike, while Sunset actually approached the dragon closer to inspect him. After circling him several times, which conjured up in Spike’s mind images of a shark encircling its prey, she finally turned to Twilight.

        “Wait… is this that dog you had with you?” She asked, her disbelief hung heavy on her words.

        Twilight only nodded her head affirmatively, as Sunset turned to see Spike had lowered himself to her level, and was looking right at her.

“Sup?” he asked.

The mare jumped, and fell over. While Twilight was able to restrain her laughter to a small snicker, Trixie was guffawing. Spike merely stood up and smirked, and turned away from Sunset. Twilight offered the unicorn a hoof up.

Sunset then dusted herself off before speaking. “Well, I can certainly see you’ve grown up,” she told the dragon.

“Yeah, you seem a lot… smaller since the last time I saw you. You know, when you had your goons kidnap me and then use me as a bargaining chip.”

“Hey, I had no intention of hurting you. I’m not a monster,” Sunset spoke in an effort to defend herself.

“Could’ve fooled me given what happened immediately afterwards,” Spike shot back.

This time the dragon hit his mark, as Sunset slouched, no doubt the memories of her finest hour flooded back. Realizing that he had perhaps hit a little lower than he meant, and with an invisible cue from Twilight, he walked over to Sunset. Kneeling down, he placed a claw on her shoulders, which tore her from pretending to be fascinated in the tile floor, despite it’s impeccably clean grout.

Spike struggled to find something nice he could say to Sunset Shimmer before he finally told her, “Hey, well… it’s all in the past, and well I doubt you’re crazy enough to pick a fight with Twilight here when you weren’t even able to defeat her in a place you supposedly had years to learn about and grow accustomed to.”

“Spike!” Twilight interjected.

“But, yeah so anyway. Glad to have you here, and uh...you too, Trixie,” he said, giving Trixie a thumbs up, though her smile suggested she was still enjoying all the humor to be had at Sunset Shimmer’s expense.

Twilight then nodded for Spike to come and speak with her in the hallway that lead from the main room to the study. Once the two were out of earshot of their guests, Twilight said, “Spike, I have a favor to ask you.”

Immediately Spike could see the writing on the wall, “You can’t really expect me to foalsit those two, do you?”

Twilight answered, “Well, yes. I’m supposed to be meeting the others about the anniversary party next week. I just really don’t think bringing those along, especially Trixie, is a good idea.”

“Hmm, this is true,” Spike added.

“So Spike, can you please stay here and keep an eye on them,” Twilight asked.

Putting a claw to his chin, Spike thought for a brief moment, before finally saying, “Okay fine, but I want something out of you.”

Twilight was at first surprised, but then replied, “Umm, okay I guess that’s fair. What did you have mind?”

“Well, Belle’s a bit of a fan of the band the Hay Yeahs, and they’re performing next week. Tickets have been sold out for months, but I’m fairly certain an alicorn princess could probably swing it.”

Twilight rolled her eyes, but she had to admit to herself that Spike’s concern for his special somepony was cute in a way. “Alright fine, as a princess it should be my duty to oversee the well being of all my subjects. Sure normally the aiding of young love falls under Cadance’s territory, but I feel just as strongly on the matter as she does.”

“Alright then, so we have ourselves a deal your majesty. I’ll watch over the terrible twosome…”

“Spike!” Twilight again interjected.

“Alright, alright, I’ll play nice,” he amended.

“Good, now if you’ll excuse me,” Twilight said, as she walked over to Sunset and Trixie.

“Now girls I’m heading out for just a bit, but Spike’s here if you need anything. You have free reign over the castle, any of the basic areas are unlocked. Just relax and I should be back shortly.”

“Trixie will certainly relax,” the blue unicorn responded with relaxation already heavy in her voice.

“Yes mom, I’ll behave,” replied Sunset, her voice laden with sarcasm.

Twilight simply ignored Sunset’s sarcasm, scrunched her face, and in an instant, she was gone in bright flash of light, leaving Spike with the two unicorns.

Spike awkwardly shuffled his feet and looked all around the room, before finally saying, “So do you guys want me to break out any kind of board games or something? We have Monopony.”

…

        The world rebuilt itself as quickly as it had vanished, and Twilight was back in her library in Ponyville. Long gone were the scorch marks and the faint smell of singed mane that usually followed teleportation spell, which Twilight was perfectly happy with. She then looked at the clock on the wall, and was relieved to see she still had five minutes to hoof it to Sugarcube Corner for her meetup with the others.

Minutes later Twilight had arrived to Sugarcube Corner, ready to break the news of her new roommates to her friends. “Hello girls, sorry I was late,” Twilight said as she entered, noting they had been sampling tea and pastries, most likely new creations being tested by Pinkie Pie.

In a move that surprised Twilight, Fluttershy was the first to respond, “Oh hello Twilight, it’s no worry, we were just… talking.”

Twilight noticed Fluttershy’s hesitation, and asked casually, “Oh about what?”

“About...things,” Fluttershy answered, again with hesitation.

“Things?” the princess repeated.

“Uh huh, yes, things,” Fluttershy stammered out, the desperation in her voice growing.

Luckily, Rarity finally stepped in to refocus the discussion, “Oh darling, I’m so glad you’re here. Now we can discuss your big event next week. Now I know you said this will be a toned down, serious event. So I think I’m going to go a bit back in time for this one, and base your gown off the dress you wore to our first Grand Galloping Gala together.”

“That’s very nice Rarity, but I have something important I need to tell you all first,” Twilight interjected.

“What? That you’re taking in crazy unicorns when you should be locking ‘em up,” Applejack said, as she took her dainty tea cup and downed all its contents in one gulp.

“So Rainbow Dash told you,” Twilight replied.

“Of course I told them, this is the kind of thing you usually tell your friends. ‘Hey guys, so remember that pony that came to town, kicked me out, and then put the rest of you to work making sculptures of herself? Yeah I decided it’s cool for her to come back, and she’s shacking up with me’,” Rainbow Dash said in her best attempt at mimicking Twilight.

Applejack however, was not amused, and instead she only continued to stare down Twilight. Finally, she said, “Now Twi, sugar, I know you think anypony can be given a second chance.”

“Yes, I do,” Twilight interrupted.

“But, you and I both know there are just some ponies that can’t be reasoned with. It’s like I told Apple Bloom the time that Diamond Tiara had pushed her and her friends around one too far. I told her that there are just ponies in our lives that are bad, and we need to shut them out, for our own well being. Only Trixie once tried to take this place over so that’s an even worse case.”

Twilight stood her ground and said, “Yes, but AJ we all thought Discord couldn’t be reformed, and then look what happened. Fluttershy made us all look pretty foolish that day for doubting her.”

Applejack glanced over to the pegasus, who had ducked under the table when the conversation shifted back to her. “Yeah, well Fluttershy’s a bit of a saint so that’s a special case, and turns out Discord liked having fun and playing pranks more than anything. So I can see why he’d choose to behave a little so long as it meant he didn’t have to be a garden gnome all day.”

        At this point Dash joined, “Yeah, but Trixie... all she’s interested in is herself, and everypony thinking she’s the greatest thing ever. I mean can you believe a pony like that, so showboating and obnoxious.”

        “I can think of some that come to mind,” Twilight deadpanned, glaring at Dash so the pegasus got the point. Rainbow Dash, however, completely ignored the barb. “Look, I know what she did was bad, and why she’s come back now of all times is beyond me. But, none of you were with me when she came up and apologized to me for what happened all those years ago.”

        “You mean right before she fled, so she couldn’t be punished for what she did?” Applejack asked.

        Twilight reluctantly answered, “Yes, but she has a plan to make amends, I mean she came back here for a reason. Plus I think her idea could work. If she puts on a big magic performance, and if it attracts as many tourists as she thinks it can, then his could potentially be big for the town.”

        Twilight tried to search for any signs of changing opinions in her friends. Rarity and Fluttershy seemed at least mildly interested, Dash was unyielding, Applejack was incredibly unyielding, and Pinkie was eating some cake.

        Twilight hoped she may have found her opening, “Pinkie Pie, I was wondering could you make my ‘Happy One Year of Learning’ party into a ‘Happy Year of Learning and Water Over the Bridge Magic Show’ party?”

        The ponies could have sworn an explosion of confetti and sugar went off, only to find Pinkie Pie, still with a the fork in her mouth, standing on the table right in Twilight’s face. “I totally can do that, that sounds like the most fun party ever.”

        “Really?” Twilight asked, genuine excitement creeping in on her voice.

        “Totally, buuuut on just one condition,” Pinkie added, which caused Twilight’s excitement to deflate a little. “See when Trixie was last here, she was a meanie, and not just normal one, no. She had the glowing eyes and everything, she even made my mouth go ‘poof’. I couldn’t eat sweets for an entire day, do you know how horrible that was? But, for some reason even though I couldn’t even eat regular food….or breathe, I turned out fine. Yeah, that part confuses me a bit. I have a theory, but it involves the largest mirror in Equestria, and a whole ton of vanilla pudding. Anyway, if Trixie is serious about being nice and being our friend, great! Because a pony could always use more friends. Though if she wants to be friends, she has to prove it to me, by showing me what’s she’s got.”

        Realizing Pinkie had reached a break, Twilight hesitantly asked, “What are you suggesting?”

        “Silly, that she show me her act of course. If it’s fun and I enjoy it, then I’ll totally help out with planning her event alongside yours. If not well… there’s always the corrections circuit,” Pinkie said in an attempt to spin it as a positive.

        Twilight sighed, “Well thank you for this chance Pinkie, it’s more than I had before. I’ll let Trixie know, and again thanks."

        “No problem,” Pinkie said, along with a bright smile.

        “Alright, now if we’re done talking about criminals, maybe we can get this shindig planned out,” Applejack said.

        “Yes, but there’s just one more thing I have to tell you all,” replied Twilight, knowing well that it was best to get this over quickly.

        “Oh geez, what is it now. let me guess, another evil unicorn is staying with you for the week?” Rainbow asked sarcastically.

        “Trixie’s not evil, and neither is this unicorn. They’re both just… lost, and it won’t be for a week, just three days,” Twilight explained. The looks on her friend’s faces only grew more confused. Twilight knew she had quite a bit of explaining on her hooves.

…

“Ah yeah, you just landed on my Friendship Express, and since I own all the railways, that’ll be two thousand bits,” Spike cheered, holding out his claw for payment.

        “Oh come on! This game is a farce!” shouted Sunset Shimmer, as she handed over her last bits to Spike.

        “Trixie just thinks somepony’s jealous she’s loses,” Trixie commented. The joy in her voice was impossible to mask.

        “You know what forget this game, I’m sitting on nothing but Trottingham Way, and you own all the railways,” Sunset yelled, her hoof pointed at Spike. Though she turned her attention to Trixie, “And you, don’t think I haven’t noticed you sneaking bits from the bank this entire game.”

        “Who? Moi?” Trixie asked, as she feigned innocence.

        “You know what I’m through, if somepony needs me, I’ll be off getting lost in this place!” she said as she exited the room.

        Spike shrugged his shoulders, and began the daunting task of putting the entire game up. Trixie though, decided to go check up on her. Besides it got her out helping put all the pieces up.

        “Trixie has decided she will take a walk as well,” she declared, as she headed for the door.

        Spike seemed uninterested, he simply shrugged his shoulders and said, “Yeah sure, just don’t try and fight each other if you cross paths, I already have this mess to clean up.”

        Trixie ignored the dragon and proceeded to wander the halls of the castle. After minutes of going through the upper floor, Trixie made her way back to the main room she had seen when she first got there. Having not run into Sunset in any of the upstairs rooms, Trixie was not surprised to see the other mare was already in the main room. As she walked she realized what Sunset was doing, she was staring at something hanging on the wall.

It was a picture, a simple one by comparison to all the national and academic accolades that adorned the walls. It was a picture of Twilight Sparkle, only it was an old one since Twilight was still a unicorn in the photo. She was also much smaller, which was only exaggerated by the size of the pony she was standing next to. It was none other than Princess Celestia, the princess most well known throughout Equestria. The two of them looked happy together, and with the banner behind the reading ‘Annual Canterlot Magic Fair’, Trixie surmised it was from Twilight’s school days.

“They look like they're having fun,” Trixie finally commented. Sunset did not respond.

“So, I guess you’re like Twilight then. A prodigy, studied under Princess Celestia. The world in your hooves,” Trixie said, her voice laced with contempt. “I guess you two have a lot in common. I wonder what it would have been like if you had gotten that crown.”

“Look if you have something you want to say then say it,” Sunset snapped back, her patience finally worn out.

Trixie took a step back, but she was hardly in retreat. She glared and Sunset and spoke, “Okay fine, what I want to know is why are you here? Trixie came to make amends, but instead I’m playing Monopony with a dragon and some snarky mare keeping secrets.”

“Oh well I’m so sorry your highness, I deeply apologize for not scheduling time around your life. If I had just gotten that memo I could have slowed down the moon long enough for you to have your time with Twilight uninterrupted,” Sunset replied mockingly.

Trixie, realizing now how ridiculous her complaints sounded, relaxed her aggressive stance. “Okay, maybe Trixie is just a little bit jealous.”

“Trust me, you have nothing to be jealous of,” Sunset replied, her voice soft and wistful, as she stared absentmindedly at the picture of Twilight with Celestia.

“Well… how about Twilight. I mean she has incredible magic.”

“Friends,” Sunset added.

“A castle,” Trixie included.

“A magical degree,” Sunset replied.

“Ponies who admire and look up to her,” the two unicorns spoke near simultaneously.

The two turned and faced one another, before Trixie spoke first, “Look, I’m sure we each had an idea of how our plans would work out, and neither of us expected...well this.”

“Yeah, I never would have guessed. Twilight just seems to have a natural proficiency at attracting power-hungry unicorns. I just assumed I was special.”

Trixie fought to not laugh at Sunset’s snark, which she found could be a little funny when it wasn’t being directed at her. “Okay, look, neither of us are exactly good at making friends, or being nice to each. However, I think we could at least try to make these couple of days you’re here bearable.”

“Uh yeah, about that,” Sunset attempted to explain, but then the air next to them seemed to crack, followed by a bright light.

“I’m home!” declared Twilight Sparkle, as her teleportation fazed out, though she remembered hearing screaming as she warped into the room. She turned to see that Trixie and Sunset had been standing right next to the spot she usually teleported to. Well, at least Twilight guessed they had been standing, but now she just saw both of them on the ground hugging each other, with shocked looks on their faces.

Twilight tried to not laugh at their position, a battle that she ultimately lost. As the princess laughed, Trixie and Sunset both realized the position they were in. Trixie quickly let go of Sunset and got up to dust herself off, “Umm, welcome home Twilight Sparkle. I know what that may have looked like, but I can assure you it wasn’t… at all.”

“Oh, you don’t have to explain anything, I was hoping you two would have some bonding, but I never expected things to go this well.”

Trixie seemed miffed by Twilight’s teasing, while Sunset seemed apathetic to it. After a minute, Twilight finally cleared her throat and said, “So I went and talked to my friends, and Trixie I have some good news. Pinkie Pie has decided to give you a chance at impressing her. If you can then she’ll help you plan out your event, we’re even thinking about having it coincide with my banquet next week.”

Trixie seemed to perk up at this news, “Oh thank you Twilight, I’ll be sure to put together something I just know will wow her.”

“Good to hear it, now I have a pretty busy day tomorrow, but before I head off to bed, I guess we need to finally address both of your sleeping arrangements,” Twilight added as she began to ponder where best to put her guests.

“Wait, before we get to that I have something I need to tell you,” Sunset declared. Once she knew she had Twilight’s full attention, Sunset took a deep breathe and then said, “I know I haven’t been upfront and honest with you since I got here, and truth is you really have no reason to trust or believe me. I also know that I cannot say why I’m here, not yet anyway, but I can at least tell you the truth about this.”

Twilight’s look suggested concern, and Trixie’s awkward glances back and forth made it seem like she wanted to be anywhere else. “See the thing is, I don’t have three days to stay here, because I went through the mirror on the third day, and that was last night.”

At first Twilight seemed confused, but it only took moments for a look of understanding to don her face. “So, what you’re telling me is…”

“Yes, by now the gate has closed, and I’m now stuck on this side,” Sunset finished Twilight’s statement.

“But, why?” was all the alicorn could ask.

“I have my reasons, but I’ve decided to return to Equestria, so it’s looks like I’m going to be staying here full-time.”

What Twilight had hoped would just be a couple days worth of enduring now had a much longer time frame placed on it. There was one thing she knew for certain.

She was in for quite a ride.