Chapter 10.

Twilight returned to Equestria fully sobbing and in pain. Twilight knew that Sunset Shimmer would never be able to graduate High School or even be able to come home now that she was gone for forever. Twilight walked up to her bed  when she exited the crystal mirror and climbed in bed laying her head on her pillow crying heavily. She wanted to so badly go back to the mirror world and fight with those that had caused Sunset Shimmer to take her own life. Yet she knew in her heart that doing so would make her no better than those that bullied and harassed Sunset Shimmer into taking her own life. While crying Spike her faithful and loyal friend walked into her bedroom chamber followed by the main five elemental barriers. Spike seeing that Twilight was upset and trying his best to comfort her in her hour of need laid a gentle clawed hand onto her head stroking her hair gently. Before he could say anything though Twilight snapped at him causing him to jump back in fright.

“NOT NOW SPIKE...CAN’T YOU PONY TAILS SEE I WANT TO BE ALONE!?!” Twilight snapped angrily at him.

Seeing the frightened look on his face she lowered her head back into her pillow and buried her face into her hooves fully letting herself cry out in anger and pain. Applejack looked at Twilight then over at Spike and was the first to speak to Twilight. As she tried to calm her friend down so that she and the others could learn why their velvet colored friend was so upset.

“Sugar cube please tell us what is wrong I am sure we can help you if you just talk to us.” Applejack said softly as she laid a hoof on the crying mare's head.

“It was my fault, it was all my fault.” Twilight sobbed out as she laid her head back down onto her pillow and closed her eyes tightly.

“Darling what was your fault, Twilight please talk to us you know we are your friends. We want to help you if we can that is.” Rarity said as she sat down in front of Twilight.

“She’s gone because of me. It is all my fault, I put state affairs above my station as her friend.” Twilight cried out as Fluttershy spoke next to her trying to calm her down.

“Who are you talking about Twilight?” Fluttershy asked as she gently flew up to her friend then landed on her bed next to Twilight.

Fluttershy landed softly next to Twilight and gently pulled the velvet mare into a soft embrace while Twilight cried out again. Hugging her friend and seeing how upset she was, was making Fluttershy cry as well. She didn’t like seeing her friends upset and felt she HAD to do something, anything to help her friend out. Saying softly to her friend as Twilight cried in despair Fluttershy said to her softly.

“It’s going to be OK Twilight I am sure we as your friends can help you with this. Please tell us what happened so that we might be able to fix this for you.” Fluttershy said while hugging Twilight.  

“Why did I let my duty as a princess get in the way of my friendship with her?” Twilight cried as she laid her head onto Fluttershy's shoulders.  

Rubbing her back and her head with her hooves Fluttershy gently said to Twilight.

“Please talk to us Twilight to whom are you referring to? Please let us help you.” Fluttershy said as she rubbed Twilight's head and back with her hooves.

Twilight’s body trembled and shook as she sobbed Pinkie was the next one to try to calm her down but, it did little good. Pinkie saying to her friend Twilight in a vain effort to calm her down said softly to her.  

“Maybe a party might cheer you up Twilight?” Pinkie said as she tried to calm her friend down.

Hearing those words from Pinkie and feeling angry with the other Pinkie from the mirror world caused Twilight to react badly. As she lept off of Fluttershy and onto the cold crystal floor of her castle yelling out at Pinkie Pie. Causing the pink colored mare to turn four shades darker than what her pink coat was already. As well as causing her hair to deflate completely at the sight of her friends angry facial expression. Pinkie backed away from Twilight and her ears folded back wards as she slowly backed away from Twilight. As Twilight stepped closer and closer towards the cowering pink mare she got more and more angry with her. Twilight’s face looked like a cross between a rabid dog and snarling cat. Screaming at Pinkie Pie Twilight screamed out in anger.

“GET OUT! GET OUT ALL OF YOU! GET OUT OF MY HOME AND LEAVE ME….alone.” Twilight all but whispered the last of her words as she fell to the crystal floor of her castle bed room chamber sobbing.

Each of her friends looked at each other then slowly walked towards the door of her bedroom chamber lowing their heads as Applejack said to them all.

“Come Y’all let's let her be alone like she asked us to do. I think she needs time to rest and heal from whatever it is that is bothering her.” Applejack said as she and the others made their way out of Twilight's bedroom chamber leaving Twilight to cry on the cold hard floor of her bedroom.

“You all go ahead without me. I am going to stay and see if I can help her out.” Rainbow said as she turned to go back inside the bedchamber.

Fluttershy and Applejack were both about to say something but, Rainbow just cut them off before either of them could say anything.

“Look I know you guys want me to go with you and all. And normally that would be awesome but, right now I am needed here with Twilight. Spike I don’t want you to say anything. I just want you to get a quill and paper then take a message for me to be sent immediately to Princess Celestia.” Rainbow said as she looked over at the baby dragon standing next to Fluttershy.

Spike did as he was asked to do. He ran down stairs got a quill and piece of paper then came back up and readied himself to take a message for Rainbow Dash to be sent to the Princess right away. Seeing that he was ready to take her message Rainbow cleared her throat before she said to him.

“Spike as I talk you are to write this down got it?”

Spike shook his head up and down then placed the quill into a nearby ink flask and made ready to jot down what Rainbow was about to tell him. Rainbow Dash said to Spike.

“Dear Princess Celestia this is the awesome Element of Loyalty Rainbow Dash. I am writing this letter to you because your most awesome and faithful student Twilight Sparkle needs you now more than ever. She is suffering in great pain and anger I am not sure what to do to help her. I would like your advice on this. I think she has lost somepony that is or was very special to her and thus is taking her anger out on us. She has already nearly bit Pinkie Pie's head off yelling at her as well as the rest of us. Please come to the Crystal Castle as soon as you are able to do so. I will remain here with her until your arrival. Sincerely your most awesome and most loyal subject Rainbow Dash.”

Spike jotted every word that Rainbow had said to him then handed the letter over to her so she could read it then approve of it once she was done looking at it. Looking over the letter Rainbow sighed as she nodded to Spike saying to him as she let him pick up the letter to send it to Princess Celestia.

“Good work now please send this letter right away I will be in Twilight's bedchamber waiting for Princess Celestia to show up. Once she gets here please bring her to the bedchamber so that she might be able to help Twilight out.”  Rainbow Dash said as she headed back into Twilight's bed chamber to help her friend.

Spike took the letter walked over to a window unlatched it then and sent the letter. Twenty minutes later he belched out Celestia’s reply to Rainbow Dash. He read the letter then brought it to Rainbow Dash who was in Twilight's bedchamber gently covering the sobbing velvet colored mare with her left wing. While nuzzling her head with her snout as Spike came into the bedchamber Rainbow stopped what she was doing and looked at him with eyes filled with sadness. He laid the letter that Celestia had written in response to Rainbows letter down in front of the two then walked away. Opening the letter Rainbow Dash read.

“My dear and faithful Rainbow Dash holder of the Element of loyalty I have read your letter and shall be there shortly. I need you to stay with Twilight for as long as you are able to do so. I will be bringing with me an item that might help sway her pain in this matter. I know what is troubling her and I will be the one to help her. What I need you to do in not leave her side until I arrive which should be in about a half hour. Thank you for taking care of Twilight in her hour of need and for proving that you are indeed the Element of Loyalty.

“Sincerely

Princess Celestia”.

Reading the letter that Princess Celestia had written to her Rainbow Dash laid her head back down onto Twilight's head as she and Twilight both fell asleep. A few minutes latter Twilight woke up cold and alone in her bedroom chamber looking out her window she saw it was night time. Stretching she slowly climbed to her hooves, yawned then made her way out of her bedroom chamber. Looking around she was unable to find either Rainbow Dash, the girls or Spike anywhere. Twilight moved from one room to another in her search for her friends and her assistant Spike. Unable to locate them she thought to herself as she made her way back to her bedchamber.

“They must have gone home yet that doesn’t explain why Spike is nowhere to be found. He must have done with them to give me time to be alone. Yeah that has to be the reason why I can’t find him anywhere within the castle.”

Just as she was about to reenter her bedchamber she heard a soft voice calling out to her coming from down the hallway leading to the map room.

“Twiiiiiiliiiiiight.” The voice called out to her from the direction of the map room.

Looking down the hallway Twilight said to herself as she heard the voice call out to her again.

“What was that?” Twilight said softly to herself.

“Twiiiiliiight.” The voice called out again.

Following it she headed towards the cutie mark map chamber and entered the map room. Twilight upon entering the chamber saw standing before her was Sunset Shimmer. Over joyed to see her student and friend standing there Twilight raced up to her only to skid to a halt when Sunset snarled at her. Looking at her friend Twilight began to see something was wrong very wrong. Sunset scowled and snarled at her saying angrily to Twilight who stood there with fear slowly etching its way across her velvet colored face.

“Twilight you left me alone.” Sunset snarled at Twilight.

Hearing those words Twilight choked on her own as she looked at Sunset’s angry face getting more and more frightening with each and every passing second.  

“I...I didn’t….m..m..mean to...Sunset” Twilight said choking on her words to Sunset.

Sunset looked at Twilight then slowly began to step towards her saying to Twilight so coldly that ice itself would have a fair chance in hell.

“You let me DIE! Twilight.” Sunset said grimly to Twilight as she looked at her with anger in her teal colored eyes.  

Twilight began to shake with fear as she watched Sunset slowly walk towards her.

“You weren’t there for me!, when I needed you to be there for me Twilight.” Sunset said as her face slowly scowled and began to become more demonic looking.

“I….didn’t mean to leave you alone….”Twilight began but was cut off by an angry snarl from Sunset.

“Save your pathetic attempt to apologize for one that truly deserves it.” Sunset snarled back at Twilight.  

Twilight fell to the floor and buried her face into her hooves crying.

“Do you remember my last words to you that I wrote to you in my journal Twilight? Do you remember me asking NO! BEGGING YOU TO BRING ME HOME!” Sunset screamed the last of her words to Twilight as laid on the floor of the cutie mark map room shaking in fear as Sunset approached her.

Twilight shook with fear as Sunsets words pounded away in her ears. With each step that Sunset took her voice got more and more demonic and more and more wicked. Sunset looked at the frightened mare lying on the floor shivering in fear before her. She smiled to herself even though Twilight couldn’t see her smiling with her hooves covering her face and snout. Sunset said grimly to Twilight as she took another step towards her.

“Do you know what it is like to die Twilight? Do you know what it is like to hold a razor in your hands and feel the cold lifeless metal on your flesh as you draw it along your wrist Twilight?” Sunset growled out to Twilight.

“Sunset you're scaring me please I didn’t mean to leave you alone.” Twilight said as she slowly raised her head to face her tormentor.

Looking at Sunsets face Twilight saw her friends face slowly turning a dark charcoal grey. As Sunset's skin and fur began to rot and fall off her bones hitting the floor with each step she took towards Twilight. Twilight’s eyes went wide with fear now fully etched over her velvet face as she sat there staring at the horror that was stepping ever closer to her. Saying in absolute terror at the demonic sight that slowly walked towards her.

“Sun...set...w..w..what is...happening...t..to..you?!?” Twilight squeaked out in fear as she watched more and more flesh fall from Sunsets face.

“Do you like my new look Twilight? I have you to thank for this. This is what happens when you rot in a coffin. This is what you did to me!” Sunset hissed out in anger at Twilight.

Twilight closed her eyes and shook her head trying to get the image of her friend’s rotting corpse out of her mind yet it didn’t work. As Sunset’s flesh rotted away revealing her broken skeletal frame underneath she said to her Twilight in a gurgling demonic voice.  

“Look at me Twilight look at what you did to me!”

Twilight didn’t look up at Sunset until Sunset yelled out at her wickedly.

“LOOK AT ME!” Sunset screamed out in anger.

Twilight slowly opened her eyes to look at Sunset Shimmer's rotting corpse standing now a mere three feet from her. Twilight fully seeing worms and maggots falling out of Sunsets mouth as she heard Sunset speak to her demonically.  

“This is what happens to ponies when you leave them alone to die scared and frightened of a cold dead world. The very same world that you left me to die in. The very same world that you left me to have friends in, friends that abused me, friends that used me for their own ends, friends that were not my friends at all.” Sunsets corpse hissed out to Twilight.

Twilight climbed to her hooves slowly then she tried to run from the awful sight before her. Yet to her ever growing fear her legs didn’t move. As she soon found that she was fully frozen in place she looked at Sunsets rotten corpse saying to Sunset.

“Sunset please I never ever meant to leave you alone in that world. I wanted to help you I really did please you have to believe me.”

Sunset grinned wickedly to her as she got within another foot of her former friend and mentor. Sunset said to Twilight while pointing a rotting bony hoof at Twilight’s chest as more maggots and worms fell ever more from her rotting lips.

“I don’t have to believe anything you say to me Twilight!”

Sunset watched with glee as she saw Twilight shaking with fear in front of her while saying to her wickedly.

“Shall I show you how it feels to die Twilight? Would you like to die alone and scared knowing that no one not one single person or poney cares about you all?”

Hearing those words Twilight began to plead for Sunset to let her go yet her words fell on deaf ears as Sunset just stood there grinning like a cheshire cat about to enjoy its meal.

“Sunset please I beg you let me go! I never meant to hurt you” Twilight pleaded.

Sunset scoffed as she said to her former mentor and friend.

“You never meant to hurt me? Well you DID hurt me Twilight! You claimed that FRIENDSHIP was suppose to be the most important thing in the whole world. That without it we are nothing! Well I guess you were right about that Twilight. Because of you I get to spend the rest of eternity alone trapped in darkness…... forever alone. All because you had to be selfish you had to put state affairs above your friends and above one that REALLY needed you.” Sunset said as she pushed on Twilight's chest with a sticky rotten hoof.

Twilight looked down at Sunsets rotten hoof then back up at Sunsets rotting corpse in front of her. Saying as she watched Sunset transform into her human version.

“Please Sunset I truly never meant to hurt you I never meant for you to die alone. Please I beg you don’t do this. I never meant for any of this to happen.” Twilight wailed out as she looked back down and saw maggots and worms crawling on her chest.

Twilight tried to raise a hoof to her chest to brush the worms and maggots off of her. Yet as she had learned when she had tried to run away from Sunset her hooves like before where frozen in place. Shaking in full realization that she would not be able to get away and find a safe place to hide Twilight screamed out in fear all the while Sunset just laughed.

“Sunset please I beg you don’t do this” Twilight screamed out in fear.

Twilight heard a noise coming from behind her as she looked behind her she saw a coffin slowly rise up from the ground just a few feet from her. Its silver lid creaked open slowly as chains began to sprout out from the inside of it wrapping themselves around Twilight's front and back hoofs. The chains began to slowly drag Twilight towards the coffin as she pawed and clawed at the ground beneath her hooves trying desperately to get away from them. Every time she tried to pull herself free the chains clamped down even tighter as they very slowly began to drag her towards the coffin. Screaming out in fear to Sunset as she was now able to raise both front hooves out towards her former student and friend Twilight wailed out.

“Sunset help me!” Twilight screamed out as she was dragged ever closer to the coffin behind her.

Sunset grabbed onto Twilight's right front hoof with a rotting hand saying to her as she raised her other hand up to Twilights eyes. Twilight looked at Sunsets other hand and saw held in her hand was a razor blade that was fully caked in dried blood.

“This is what it feels like to die alone Twilight. This is what it felt like for me to slice my wrist and bleed to death alone, scared that no one would be there to stop me from taking my own life.” Sunset said as she moved her hand over to Twilight's hoof placing the razor onto her flesh.

Twilight's eyes went wide as she felt the cold icey metal touch her hoof being held tightly in Sunsets rotting hand. Sunset smiled as she drew the razor across Twilight's hoof cutting deeply into her flesh. The razor stung like a hornet and scorpion stinging her at the same. Twilight screamed out in pain as she felt her blood leak out from the cut that Sunset just gave her.

“AAAA! STOP PLEASE IT HURTS, IT HURTS SO MUCH! PLEASE SUNSET DON’T DO THIS!” Twilight screamed out as the chains there wrapped around her body dragged her closer and closer to the coffin.

Sunset smiled when she saw that Twilight was in pain from the cut she had just caused to her. Looking at her as her eyes sank into her skull and her hair began to fall out making her look more like she had mange rather than a full head of beautiful red and yellow hair. Sunset said to Twilight as Twilight was pulled into the coffin and to lead slammed shut on her.

“Good bye Twilight may you rot in Tartarus for what you did to me.”

Sunsets body fully rotted away and fell to dust leaving behind her clothing and the razor that she had held to Twilight's hoof. Twilight could be heard kicking from inside the coffin as it slowly sank back into the earth from whence it came. Screaming out as the coffin sank further and further into the ground underneath it Twilight screamed out in terror as she kicked and kicked the inside of the coffin.

“Sweet Celestia help me Sunset please HELP ME!” Twilight screamed out in terror.

The coffin slowly disappeared from site and Twilight was left alone trapped inside the coffin curled up in a half fetal position. As she closed her eyes and began to cry to herself thinking while she remained trapped inside the coffin as the darkness of the coffin overtook her.  

“I really do deserve this. I let her down. I let Celestia down. I am not the princess of friendship this is my reward for letting Sunset die scarred and alone. This is where I belong.”   

“Twilight WAKE UP!” Celestia's voice boomed into the darkness the now engulfed Twilight as she rested inside the coffin that Sunset had trapped her in.

Twilights eyes snapped open and she rolled off her bed onto the floor hitting her head on a nightstand that she had next to her bed. Holding her head in her hooves as she climbed to her feet looking around. She saw she was back in her own warm and safe bedroom chamber of the Crystal Palace that she called home. Standing next to her bed was her mentor and friend Princess Celestia who looked worried and concerned for her. Twilight stammered on her words as she tried to put together what Celestia was doing in her bedroom chamber.

“Celestia…..is...i...it...rea...really...you?” Twilight said as she slowly looked around her room.

Princess Celestia nodded gently to her faithful student as she slowly walked up to her embracing her in her snow white wings and hugging Twilight tightly in a very warm embrace. Saying to her softly as she held her student in her hooves and wings.

“Yes my faithful student it is me. I am here for you.” Princess Celestia said softly embracing Twilight fully in her loving wings and hooves.

Twilight couldn’t hold back her tears any longer she wrapped her own hooves around the chest of her mentor and let herself cry out to her.

“Oh, Celestia I have failed you.” Twilight said crying to her mentors chest.

“There, there my faithful student it will be alright now I am here for you.” Celestia said soothing Twilight as she rubbed her head and back with her powerful hooves.

Twilight cried and cried into Celestia's chest saying as she cried to her mentor.

“It was all my fault I should have been there for her. Yet I chose to ignore her and to concentrate on my duty as a Princess of friendship. Celestia I am so sorry I failed you I don’t deserve to be a Princess not after I have failed you so badly.”

“Tell me to whom are your referring to my faithful student. Who did you ignore and allow to die my faithful student.” Celestia said calmly to Twilight as she held her tightly in her wings and hooves.

Twilight hearing those words gulped heavily she didn’t want to have to tell her mentor about her failure towards Sunset yet she knew she had little choice in the matter. Twilight wanted to run and hide far away from Celestia where she could be alone in her pain but, Twilight knew that running wouldn’t bring Sunset Shimmer back nor would it solve anything. So Twilight slowly gathered her courage and began to tell Celestia what happened to Sunset and why she was so upset. Twilight said softly to Princess Celestia as her mentor ended her loving embrace to her.

“I let Sunset Shimmer die alone and scared I put state affairs ahead of being her friend and ignored her when she needed me the most.” Twilight said as she bowed her head to avoid Celestia's gaze.

“I see and how did Sunset die Twilight?” Celestia said as her gaze narrowed on to the valve mare sitting in front of her.

Twilights eyes blinked a few times as she pushed back more tears that were about to fall from her face. Looking up into her mentor's eyes she said as she sighed to herself.

“Her friends from the mirror world all bullied her and harassed her into taking her own life. Sunset was accused of posting stuff online that was embarrassing to her friends this lead to them treating her poorly and thus she took her own life. Oh, Celestia what am I to do about this please tell me how to fix this I’ll do anything you ask of me anything at all.” Twilight said as she looked into the eyes of her mentor.

Celestia smiled softly to Twilight and placed a gentle hoof under her chin then said to her while half smirking.  

“This is what you are to do Twilight…... you are to be placed under arrest for allowing this to befall Sunset Shimmer” Celestia said raised her hooves then clapped them together just as two pony guards entered Twilight's bedroom chambers.  

Twilight looked at the guards then at her mentor as her eyes went wide with fear. Exclaiming out in terror as the guards got closer to her she exclaimed.

“No wait! Please don’t do this I swear to you I can fix this I don’t know how but, I will fix this somehow I swear it.”

“I am sorry my faithful student but, you have failed me there for you are hereby under arrest. I can’t have the princess of friendship fail in such an important role as helping one that needed her to be there now can I Twilight. If I let you go unpunished for this crime against friendship what would the nobility think of this? You have created a fine scandal and real mess for me to clean up Twilight.” Princess Celestia said as she smiled wickedly at Twilight who was backing away from her.

The guards entered Twilight's bedroom chambers and clamped full iron manacles onto her front and back hooves. Struggle though she might the iron manacles held fast to her hooves as they began to drag her out of her bedroom chamber Twilight felt something hard smack her right in the lower jaw jarring her awake. Twilight’s eyes snapped open as she looked up to see Rainbow Dash and Princess Celestia both standing over her. In fear of being arrested or even being tortured and not really knowing what was really going on Twilight lept to her feet and tried to use her magic on both of them. Only to receive for her efforts a blue hoof to her her face knocking her over onto her flank Rainbow looked at her and yelled to her.

“WAKE UP! TWILIGHT YOU ARE HAVING A NIGHTMARE!” Rainbow screamed as she got between her and Princess Celestia.

Twilight shook her head, blinked a few times then held a hoof to her lower jaw rubbing it tenderly before exclaiming out as her mind tried to put together what had just happened.

“Rainbow….is….is it really you!?!” Twilight exclaimed rubbing her sore lower jaw.

Rainbow quirked an eyebrow at the question but, nevertheless answered Twilight’s question.

“Yes it is really me Twilight I mean who else would it be?” Rainbow said as she sat down in front of her friend.

Twilight looked from Rainbow Dash then to Princess Celestia and back again before saying to her friend in an almost whisper.

“I want you to leave Rainbow I don’t feel like hanging out with you today.” Twilight said as she slowly began to make her way back to her bed only to be stopped in mid stride by Princess Celestia.

Twilight looked at her then over at Rainbow and lowered her head as Princess Celestia wrapped her up in her powerful wings hugging her tightly. Saying softly to her as she held the velvet colored mare in her hooves and wings.

“It is alright to be angry my faithful student. Everything is going to be OK. You need not worry about that nightmare you had Twilight. I won’t arrest you for what happened to Sunset Shimmer.” Celestia said as she rocked Twilight back and forth in her wings and hooves.

Twilight said nothing to her just cried into her Celestia's mighty wings. Celestia looked up for a brief moment seeing Rainbow was still sitting on the floor in front of her and Twilight she said gently to her.

“Rainbow Dash will you please give Twilight and myself a few minutes alone please.”

Rainbow nodded then got up and trotted out into the hallway saying as she shut the door behind her to Princess Celestia.

“I’ll be out here if you need me Princess and Twilight don’t worry Princess Celestia will take very good care of you you’ll see.”

Princess Celestia nodded to Rainbow in return as she watched the sky blue peguis walk out of Twilight’s bedroom chamber and shut the door behind her. Looking down at the sobbing velvet mare she was still cradling in her hooves and wings she spoke softly to her saying genty to Twilight.

“Twilight my faithful student I know that you feel angry right now because of what happened to Sunset Shimmer. I know that you blame yourself for her death. But, it really wasn’t your fault that she died. You couldn’t have known that her friends in the mirror world would treat her so poorly that it would drive her to taking her own life.” Celestia said to Twilight as she rocked her back and forth gently cradling Twilight in her wings and hooves.

“But, I should have BEEN there for her. I let her down! I let her die scared and alone. I let her think that no one would help her or be her friend. She died because of me it really is my fault that she is gone. If I hadn’t gone to that stupid state service the day she had wrote me she might still be alive today.” Twilight said as she hugged her mentor tightly.

Sighing heavily Princess Celestia closed her eyes tightly then slowly set Twilight down and nestled her cheek with her own before saying to her.

“Listen to me Twilight blaming yourself for her death isn’t going to help you at all. All you are going to do is make things worse for you in the long run of things to come.” Celestia said trying to sooth her faithful student.

“But, I do blame myself don’t you see Princess Celestia if I had been a better friend to Sunset shimmer instead of attending to my duty here in Equestria. If I had actually gone to her when she asked for my help I would have been able to do something to help her. I don’t know what I would have done. But, at least I would have tried and trying to do something, trying to fix this would have been far better than me staying here right? But no instead of helping her I chose to act not as her friend not, as the princess of friendship should have acted. Inso doing so I wound up placing state affairs ahead of my friends when I should have been there for one friend that really needed me to be there for her.” Twilight said as she sank to the floor and buried her head into her hooves.  

Celestia laid a gentle wing over her faithful student saying to her as she stroked Twilight's head with her wing.

“Twilight I know you are hurting right now and I know that you more than likely don’t want to hear this but, all that anger and sadness within you is only going to cause you more pain. You have to let that anger and sadness go in order to move on with your life. You have to….. forgive your friends for what they did to Sunset.” Celestia softly said while stroking Twilight's head with her wing.

Twilight looked up at her mentor her eyes blazing with hate and anger upon hearing her mentor ask her to forgive her former friends for what happened to Sunset Shimmer. Twilight all but, screamed out in rage at her mentor who to Twilight's surprise remained vigilant and rather placidly calm while Twilight screamed at her.

“HOW CAN YOU, YOU OF ALL PONIES IN EQUESTRIA POSSIBLY ASK ME TO FORGIVE THOSE...THOSE MONSTERS FOR WHAT THEY DID TO SUNSET? AREN’T YOU THE LEAST BIT UPSET BY THIS? HOW CAN YOU OF ALL OF US THAT LIVE HERE IN THIS LAND NOT SHOW ANY SIGN OF HATE OR ANGER TOWARDS THEM?” Twilight screamed out as tears fell from her velvet colored cheeks.

Princess Celestia smiled warmly to her faithful student saying to her softly and gently.

“I can say that to you Twilight my faithful student because I have already been where you are right now. I have gone through what you are currently going through. I lost a good friend many moons ago before your birth and like you I was angry and just like you are now I blamed myself for her death.” Celestia said softly.

Twilight looked at her Princess as if Celestia had suddenly grown two heads saying to her in confusion Twilight said.

“Who…. was it that you lost that caused you to feel what I am feeling now Princess?” Twilight asked as she sniffed trying to hold back more tears that were about to fall from her purple colored eyes.

Celestia looked at her student then lowered her head not really wanting to talk about her own pain in this matter. Yet she chose to do so to help her faithful student understand that hate and anger only begets more of the same. Raising her head back up to meet Twilights eyes Princess Celestia said in her regale voice to Twilight.  

“Her name was Silver Moon. She was my closest friend and just like  it was with Sunset Shimmer. Silver Moon had been wrongfully accused of writing things down that had been very personal to me and to my friends. Unlike Sunset Shimmer where she was accused of sending personal information over I think you called it the internet. Silver Moon was accused of sending this information to the royal family and to the royal news paper. Things got posted and Silver Moon wound up losing all of her friends including me. When the truth came out that she was really innocent I was overjoyed. However that didn’t stop Silver Moon from taking her own life. You see Twilight she died before I was able to tell her that we found out who was responsible for the postings. Knowing that she had died without ever finding out who did this to her I lost it. I went after those that did that to her.”

Twilight lowered her head and asked softly almost whispering to her mentor.

“Who did that to your friend Princess Celestia?’

“It doesn’t matter anymore my point is that because I was upset with what happened to Silver Moon I flew into a rage and wound up hurting the ones that did had caused her death. I nearly killed that pony because of my rage and blind hatred Twilight. You see Twilight rather than forgive them I let hate and anger rule my judgment that day and it nearly cost another's life. I am telling you this because I don’t want you to go through what I went through. Which is why I have brought you…… this.” Celestia paused before saying her last word to allow her horn to glow bright yellow.

As her horn glowed she levitated a small piece of parchment over to Twilight. Twilight looked at the parchment her mouth gaping open in utter shock at what her eyes befell upon. Looking up at Princess Celestia she said stuttering on her words as they came out of her mouth.

“P...P..Princess...i..i..is...t..this..what...I...I think it is?” Twilight said stuttering on her words.

“Yes my faithful student it is. But, there are a few things you need to know about this scroll before you take it.”

“Such as?” Twilight said as her ears twitched and her right eyebrow raised up slightly.

“One I have charged this scroll with my own personal magic thus it can only be used no more than one single solitary time no more no less.

“Ok I didn’t know that was even possible Princess Celestia I had no idea you had that type of power or magic.” Twilight said as she looked at the scroll then back at her mentor.

“It is possible but, only for me and only for a single time once per every sixty moons. Now the second part of what I need to let you know about this scroll is that it can not be used by you at all.”

“Then what is the real point of you going to all the trouble of charging it and letting me have this if I am not the one to use it then?” Twilight asked in confusion.

“The point is I want you to give this scroll to someone else. Let this person be the one to make the call as to whether or not to actually use this power. Or let them live with their own guilt over what happened to Sunset Shimmer.” Princess Celestia replied calmly to Twilight who still had a look of confusion on her velvet colored face.

Sighing softly to herself Twilight softly asked Princess Celestia.

“Who am I meant to give this power to?” Twilight asked.

“I have chosen it to be Applejack the Applejack from the mirror world that is. I chose her because unlike the rest of your five friends over there. She is the most logical one and the most level headed one. I know that she would not use this power for her own self gain and would more than likely choose not to use but, nevertheless the choice must still be offered to her.”

“I don’t want to give her or any of them this much power Celestia I don’t think they deserve to have this type of a second chance.” Twilight said as she rotated the scroll up and down with her magic studying it as she looked at it carefully.

“I understand fully your reservations on this subject there is one more thing that you need to know about this scroll before I depart.” Celestia replied gently to Twilight as she watched her faithful student leviate the scroll over to her vanity desk and slip it into the top drawer of her vanity desk.

“And that would be what?” Twilight said as she used her magic to close the drawer of her vanity desk.

“That is this if Applejack does chose to use this scroll and the power contained within it. She will go no further back through time than the day of Sunsets death. Applejack will arrive precisely one hour before Sunset’s death . All of the events up until now will not happen and will only remain as a memory in every ones mind it is these memories that will as it is my hope drive them to be better friends to Sunset. However the C.M.C will still be expelled from school. I have chosen not to change that part of their history to help drive them into becoming better people.” Celestia said as she started to make her way to the door of Twilight's bedchamber.

Twilight watched her go then slowly climbed back into bed just as Spike and Rainbow Dash both came back into her room. Princess Celestia looked at the two of them then back at Twilight who yawned then fell asleep saying to them both softly.

“You two need to watch over her until she leaves in two days for Sunsets funeral.” Celestia said softly as she made her way down the hallway and to the main front gate of the Crystal Palace.

Rainbow Dash called out to her as she was making her way down the hallway towards the castle main gates.

“Princess Celestia aren’t you at all the least bit angry with what happened to Sunset Shimmer. After all she was indeed your student before she was Twilight’s so I don’t understand why would offer to help fix this for Twilight?” Rainbow asked as Celestia stopped in her tracks then slowly turned around to face the blue skinned mare.

Looking into her pink eyes Celestia smiled warmly and said to her softly.

“Yes Rainbow I am very angry with them yet I can not allow my anger to rule my judgement I am giving them a choice nothing more and nothing less. Live with their guilt over this or do something to fix it and try to be better for it. As you know Rainbow Dash I have lived for over one thousand moons and as such I have lost many good friends. Not once was I given the choice that I am giving to your counterparts in the mirror world. Besides I am fairly certain that they won’t use it and thus chose to live with their guilt rather than trying a quick fix for it.”

“So what are you saying this is some sort of test to see if they are worthy of what our friendship with them?” Rainbow asked as she quirked an eyebrow.

“I am sorry Rainbow Dash but, that is not for you to know now if you'll please excuse me I need to go take care of a few matters of state. Please remain here with Twilight and keep an eye on her oh, before you get the idea to use the scroll for yourself or even try to get rid of it. You should know that I charged it with my own personal energy and thus made that rather impossible for you to do.” Celestia said as she turned around then headed out the main gate of the Crystal Palace.

Rainbow lowered her head then headed inside to tend to her friend seeing that Twilight was fast asleep. Rainbow figuring it was from being so exhausted from the nightmare Twilight had, had Rainbow climbed on top of Twilight's bed and curled up at the foot of her bed falling asleep as well. Twilight and Rainbow both slept for the entire day and well into the night both of whom had been very worn out by the day's events. The next two days came and went by slowly with Twilight taking her meals in her bedroom and contemplating whether or not she should actually give the scroll that Celestia had given her to Applejack. The day of the funeral came by and Twilight found herself sitting in front of her Vanity with Rainbow slowly brushing her mane while she looked at herself in the vanity mirror. Twilight said to Rainbow as Rainbow brushed her main for her.

“I really don’t want to do this Rainbow I really don’t want to go to Sunset’s funeral. Going to her funeral means this is all going to become real and I don’t want it to be real at all.” Twilight said sadly as she stared at her reflection in her vanity mirror.  

“I know you don’t want to go there. I know that this all seems like a really bad dream Twilight. but, if you don’t go there and you don’t offer them a chance to change what happened to Sunset then you will regret it forever.” Rainbow said as she finished brushing Twilight's mane and placed a black bow in her hair.

Twilight laid a hoof over Rainbow’s hoof then slowly got up and used her magic to open the top drawer of her vanity. She took out the scroll that Celestia had given her two days ago and placed it into her backpack. Then looked at her friend before departing through the mirror for Sunsets funeral. Rainbow watched her friend go and then left the castle to go spend her time with her pet tank. She felt that she was in need of some very much “me” time. Or as Rainbow would come to  call it ‘awesome time’ to herself to help deal with what Celestia had said to her two days ago. Twilight made it safely to Canterlot High School looking around she found Principal Celestia waiting for her on the front steps of the school. Lowering her head as she approached the Principal Twilight said to her softly as she got within a few feet of her.

“Principal Celestia what are you doing here?”

Principal Celestia got up off the steps of the school walked over to Twilight and laid both hands onto her shoulders then said softly to her as she pulled her into a warm gentle embrace.

“I am here to take you to the church just up the street for Sunset’s funeral we can either walk or drive it is up to you Twilight.”

“I think I would rather walk and to do it by myself if you wouldn’t mind that is?” Twilight said sternly to her.

“I understand I will meet you there. Just take a right at the statue then head up about ten blocks past the school The church should be on your right. We will all wait to start the proceedings until you arrive.” Principal Celestia said as she ended her embrace with Twilight.

Twilight sighed to herself as she turned to leave she closed her eyes then slowly reopened them. She walked slowly to the church. Getting there she could sense the love for Sunset in the air and feel the great sadness that everyone had over what happened to her as well. Placing her hand onto the iron gate she slowly pushed it open and walked into the church courtyard. As she pushed open the front door of the church. Twilight knew it was time to say goodbye to her friend and student and it was also time to offer Applejack a means to fix the horrible mistake that had befallen her friend and former student. Twilight sighed to herself then stepped into the church to say her goodbyes to her friend. Next Chapter: Chapter 11. Estimated time remaining: 12 Hours, 37 Minutes