White towers speared upwards into the blue sky, their golden roofs sparkling in the daylight. Massive sun and star sculptures adorned the tops, dotting the skyline of Canterlot as these juggernauts jutted upward. Amongst these golden displays were deep, nearly black purple stripes, swirls, and underhangs that only served to enhance the sparkling and pure-white majesty of Canterlot Castle. Staring up at it all, Sunset Shimmer scowled, sighed, and said, “Home again, home again, jiggity-jig,” in a slightly scorn-ridden tone.

A plump, bespectacled male griffin, who was hurriedly rushing away, paused just long enough to look at Sunset and say “Hah! She said it!” in a nasally voice. His prize, a dirty look from Sunset before he continued his scramble elsewhere.

“Was that really necessary?” Starlight Glimmer’s voice called out.

Sunset turned towards Starlight. “What? What I said?” Sunset turned back towards the castle. “It’s just a thing you say… A thing you say when you’re home… and possibly not totally happy about it.”

“Not that!” Starlight exclaimed as she trotted up to Sunset. She motioned with a forehoof. “THAT!”

Starlight turned towards the train with a pink steam engine complete with a heart-shaped window and several brown passenger cars with different colored pastel roofs. One car stood out as it was a different color, purple with a magenta top, and also because of the black smoke pouring out of either end.

“It was just a little fire,” Sunset insisted. “It’s not like I set the whole train ablaze!” she narrowed her eyes slightly. “As tempting as that sounds.”

“Nothing of note even happened on the train!” Starlight cried. “Heck! The ride was also short. Ponyville is just one stop away!”

Sunset crinkled her lips into a tight frown. “That’s all part of the train’s game! It’s trying to lure us into a false sense of security, and then, bam! Appearing-disappearing train cars that inexplicably change order mid-trip! I just gave it a little warning that Sunset Shimmer doesn’t have to put up with that sort of nonsense!”

Starlight let out a sigh. “Are you going to be like this the entire time we’re here?!”

Sunset scowled at nothing in particular. “… Maybe.”

“Sunset!” Starlight said in an exacerbated tone. “This is my first friendship problem that’s not my own! I would at least like a chance to fix it properly.”

Sunset shrugged as she turned and began trotting. “Don’t worry about it. I’m sure you’ll do fine.”

“… Okay, but what if I don’t?!” Starlight said in a worried tone as she followed Sunset. “What if I fail this so hard that Twilight sends me back to friendship kindergarten?!”

“Ok. Just. What?” Sunset replied with a blank stare. “Is that even a thing Twilight had you do in the first place? I mean… That sounds pretty silly, even by Twilight’s bizarre friendship lesson standards.”

“Well, no… But what if she makes it up because that’s just how bad I screw everything up?!”

Sunset merely blinked a few times. “I guess I understand your concern to some extent, but maybe you’ve been hanging out with Twilight a bit too much.”

“Well, we do kinda live together.”

Sunset let out a short chortle. “Yes. In a castle. It’s not like you two share a small house or apartment or anything. I’m not saying you should start avoiding her, but you can certainly pick a wing of the castle to hang out away from her from time to time so you’re less of a neurotic mess.”

Starlight felt her jaw tighten. “Okay, okay. Maybe I can hang out with somepony else more often. Just… Why’d you feel like saying that ‘home again’ thing in the first place?”

Sunset rolled her eyes. “Well, ‘abandon all hope, ye who enter’ felt melodramatic, even for me.”

The griffon’s voice suddenly called out, “Hah! She did it again!” in an excited tone, much to Sunset’s chagrin.

Starlight grit her teeth. “I’m specifically asking why you’re being such a grump about this!”

Sunset gave Starlight a blank look. “You, Starlight Glimmer, are asking somepony why they might be upset about returning to a city where they spent a lot of time being something of a tyrant to every pony around them.”

Starlight’s head suddenly shuddered in frustration. “I don’t have a good response for that!” she cried.

Sunset smirked.

Starlight took a deep breath. “But I do want to know why you seem to be picking on me specifically!” Starlight narrowed her eyes. "Or am I imagining things because I'm just such a neurotic mess?"

Sunset’s smirk turned to a frown as she sighed and shook her head. “I’m sorry, Starry. You’re right. I was being a real bit-‘b’ word.” Sunset turned away with a sad look on her face. “Guess it’s just my superpower to tick off everyone around me when I’m in a bad mood.”

“I thought your superpower was mind-reading.”

Sunset chuckled as she glanced back at Starlight. “That’s my new superpower. I’ve been ticking off ponies since I was a filly.”

Starlight gave Sunset a half-smile. “Okay well, apology accepted.”

Sunset nodded. “Thanks for calling me out on that so quickly.”

Starlight’s smile grew slightly. “I learned not to let these things build up thanks to Trixie,” Starlight’s smile plummeted as she opted to stare down at the cobblestone path she and Sunset were walking on, “and, you know… storing up my negative emotions in a bottle until they got out and possessed ponies.”

Sunset chuckled. “Well, Trixie can certainly have that effect on ponies.” Sunset’s joyous look fell. “Wait, hold the phone,” she said as she stopped in her tracks and turned towards Starlight, “now give the phone to me. You did what?!”

Starlight frowned and glanced up slightly. “What’s a phone?”

“Not important right now,” Sunset replied. “What’s this about your negative emotions possessing ponies?”

Starlight sighed. “Trixie was being, erm…”

“Trixie?” Sunset suggested, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah, that,” Starlight replied, “and rather than confront her about it, I started magically siphoning off my negative emotions and storing them in a bottle.”

“Oh, yes, uh-huh. I see,” Sunset said with a knowing expression that slowly gave way to complete and utter befuddlement. “Why?”

“She had just learned how to transmogrify and just seemed so happy to have an understanding friend! I just… I guess I didn’t want to disappoint her or make her sad.”

“No, I mean, why did you think to pull out your emotions and store them like that?!”

Starlight let out a huge sigh before letting everything out like an angry, broken faucet, “I don’t know, Sunset. Maybe because I’m just that much of a screw-up that I need constant supervision from my friends to make sure I don’t make a mess of things!”

Sunset flinched. “Okay… I deserved that…”

Starlight groaned. “No, no… Sorry… I mean. It’s true, isn’t it? Every time I’m out of sight of you or Twilight for too long, I end up causing problems for everypony.” She looked down at the street sadly. “No wonder Twilight freaked out when Order chose me.”

Sunset smiled and place a forehoof on Starlight’s shoulder. “I’m sure the tiny stalker dog knew what he was doing when he sent us here… I mean… Apparently, he’s been making sure Equestria doesn’t fall apart for a long time. And look, I’m sorry I told Spike to come get me if he thought you might cause trouble.”

“Why?” Starlight replied. “I mean, I’ve already proved to you and everypony else I need the help.” She shook her head. “I can’t believe Twilight said I ‘graduated’ from being her student. I mean, almost right after she says that I turn around and mess up again!”

Sunset glanced around, taking notice that she and Starlight had suddenly quite the audience of staring onlookers. She waved a forehoof in the air mysteriously. “You can go about your business.”

Starlight glanced out at all that pairs of eyes focused on her and Sunset, cringed, then leaned in close to Sunset. “Uh… What are you doing?” she whispered.

“I’m testing my new powers…” Sunset whispered back. Sunset waited for a beat and noticed nopony had stopped looking at her and Starlight. “Nope… Not working… Guess I’ll try the old-fashion method.”

“What’s the—”

Sunset’s eyes suddenly glowed red as did her horn. Almost immediately, a jet of flame shot out and upwards high above Sunset. The flame spread into a large, blazing circle with two eye holes and a large maw full of massive flickering teeth. The fire face leered angrily at the ponies around it who now stared at it in near abject terror.

“Er, never mind,” said Starlight.

“Mind your own business!” Sunset bellowed in a nearly supernaturally loud voice, the face perfectly fire-lip-syncing with her. Ponies suddenly fled, leaving the two ponies alone on the street. Satisfied, both Sunset and the face smiled. The fire dissipated and Sunset’s glowing eyes returned to their normal, turquoise selves. Sunset snickered to herself. “It’s been too long since I’ve done that.”

Starlight shook her head. “Somehow I doubt Celestia would approve.”

Sunset grinned. “Who do you think I learned that trick from?”

Starlight’s jaw dropped. “No…”

Sunset’s smile turned full demonic, she began trotting again. “Yep. Mom would pull that out whenever we were having an, er… public heated debate and there were too many looky lous.”

Starlight’s lips pulled to one corner of her mouth as she once again began following Sunset. “I wish I had your confidence to pull tricks like that.” She sighed. “Of course, knowing me I’d probably take it way too far.”

Sunset’s smile softened. “You remind me of somepony.”

“… Who?”

Sunset grinned and paused just long enough for Starlight to catch up so she could playfully bump her shoulder against the lilac unicorn. “Who do you think?” She shook her head from side to side and looked off into the distance. “I used to obsess about all the mistakes I made or thought I might make. I figured everyone was just waiting for me to cause a problem.”

“… Really?” Starlight asked with interest.

Sunset nodded. “Really.”

“Well… How’d you stop worrying about it?”

Sunset smirked. “You know… I saved the world a few times… Kind of like you did.”

Starlight grinned sheepishly. “Well, I was just lucky…”

“Hah! You stood up to Queen Chrysalis. That had to take more than luck. I mean… Twilight ranted and raved about what a good job you did in between complaining about how hard it was to get all the Changeling pod goo out of her mane and tail.”

Smiling, Starlight’s cheeks flushed slightly. “It’s not like I knew Thorax would be able to blast her and all the Changelings would, well… change.”

Sunset smiled silently at Starlight for a bit. “I’m sorry, I don’t have a good response to that. Still! You should be proud of what you accomplished! Not walking around scared you’re going to cause another problem.” Realization suddenly hit Sunset. “Wait, is that why you were getting on my case? Not that I didn’t deserve it. You think this trip is your big chance to prove yourself?”

Starlight grinned nervously. “Maybe? I mean… In my defense, you did set our train on fire.”

“I started a fire in our train!” Sunset clarified. “Big difference. Anyways, I’m sure whatever Peeper-Pups sent us here for is a small thing. So don’t worry so much! The way Twilight tells it, the table-er-Order doesn’t usually send ponies out for really big things.”

“Twilight said something similar.”

“Oh?”

Starlight nodded. “Yeah… She thought maybe it was just the cooks fighting over who had the best butternut squash soup or maybe the royal hairdressers are fighting over a comb.”

Sunset thought for a moment. “Well, Kitchen Nightmare has the best butternut squash soup in Canterlot, probably Equestria. Any pony who thinks otherwise is insane… and he’d tell them so.” A wistful smile spread across Sunset’s face. “By shouting right in their face.”

“… Kitchen Nightmare?”

Sunset grinned. “Yeah.” Sunset looked off into the distance. “I wonder if he remembers me…” she frowned. “I wonder if it’d be a good thing if he did.”

“Why wouldn’t it be? I mean, I get that maybe you were mean to him back when you were little, but you can always apologize.”

Sunset winced. “That’s not how that would go down… I mean, you know how Cadance cowered in complete terror at my mere presence when she first saw me?”

Starlight nodded.

“Okay, now imagine that I’d be the one cowering. I mean… I’m good at yelling, but there’s no way I can out yell K.N.” Sunset’s wistful look returned. “God, have I missed him… and his cooking.”

“… You miss a pony who’s good at yelling?”

Sunset nodded. “He’s kind of an idol of mine. Anyhow, if it is the comb thing, we’ll just say that we’ll split the comb evenly among whoever is fighting over it.”

“Won’t that ruin the comb? Unless it’s huge and there are only a few hairdressers.”

Sunset chuckled. “Clearly you haven’t seen the combs my Mom uses… but ruining it is the point. See… The true owner of the comb will refuse to let any harm come to it!” Sunset smirked. “I got that idea from an old story back on Earth.”

Starlight nodded. “But what if more than one hairdresser doesn’t want to see it destroyed, or like… None of them care that much if it’s split?”

Sunset shrugged. “We’ll just use a duplication spell or, I guess, break the stupid comb? It’s just a comb, as presumably fancy as it may be.”

“That sounds somewhat anticlimactic.”

“Yeah, well… It was a baby in the earth story.”

“What?!”

Sunset nodded. “I know, right? Earth stories are so much cooler than an Equestria ones. Besides, both those problems sound a little too pedestrian for the ancient personification of Order to dispatch us.”

Starlight frowned. “Okay… Well, what if Princess Celestia and Princess Luna aren’t seeing eye-to-eye on something and there’s the possibility that they’ll both lose control and turn into nightmare versions of themselves?!”

“Uh… Well, yes… That would certainly be worth our time… But where’d you get an idea like that?”

“Erm, Spike suggested it.”

“Oh, really?” Sunset thought for a moment. “You know, the little guy is usually pretty sharp. He might be on to something.”

Starlight let out a small whimper.

Sunset gave her a scrutinizing look. “Did he really think they’d go ‘Nightmare mode’ though?”

“Uh… hehe… No… I just added that part.”

Sunset smirked. “You know, I’m learning a lot about how your mind works and I haven’t had to read it even once.”

“… I don’t have a good response for that.”

Sunset just shrugged her shoulders. “Even if we need to beat some sense into the Princesses—”

“Uh… Do you mean ‘talk some sense’ into them?”

Sunset’s demonic grin returned. “Depends on how stubborn they are. But between the two of us, this should be a cinch! Besides, Order doesn’t seem to send ponies out for the real dangerous stuff. You know… aside from the occasional village that’s being run by a crazed, cutie mark stealing despot.”

Starlight couldn’t help but wince at that.

“I’m joking! Geez!” Sunset shook her head. “Haha! I mean, hello! Former Demon transformed coup attempting pony here.”

A small smile appeared on Starlight. “Right, right…” Starlight looked around. “So, uh… When are we going to make it to the castle?”

“Well, I’m grumpy and hungry, so we’re heading somewhere that used to fix both things for me.” Sunset paused and looked at Starlight in bemusement. “I mean… Didn’t you notice we’re heading the exact opposite direction from the castle?! You can see it from here!” Sunset said as she stopped, turned, and pointed a forehoof.

Starlight turned around as her cheeks burned crimson. “So we can…”

“How could you not notice we were heading away from the castle?”

“I don’t know! I was following you!”

“And you… what? You thought I was taking a shortcut that was further way from the castle or like… going to reveal some sort of secret entrance that’s really far away from the castle?!”

“Okay, okay! So, I’m still bad at directions!” Starlight admitted. She groaned. “Wow… Today is just off to a great start!”

Sunset shook her head. “You’ll feel better about it after you’ve had a snack.” She took a few more steps and pushed open one of two glass doors with her forehoof, a bell ringing above it signaling it had been opened. Sunset paused to sniff the air as a smile crept across her face and Starlight walked in. “Ooooh… now that smells of delicious nostalgia.” Sunset grinned and stared inside at wooden tables amongst a checkered black and white tiled floor, green walls with large windows and paintings of doughnuts, and most importantly, a front counter with a clear display case full of pink, brown, white, and yellow doughnuts as well as two tall shelves behind it that were similarly loaded.

Starlight’s face lit up. “Wow, those look really good.”

Sunset walked in, the door closing behind her with another ring of the bell. “I know, right? I’m really glad this place is still here!”

A gray door from behind the counter swung open and out stepped a tan unicorn stallion with a tousled brown mane wearing a white a white cook’s coat and white paper cap. “Hello, girls! What can I…” the unicorn trailed off as his emerald eyes settled on Sunset and lingered there for a bit.

“Hey, Joe!” Sunset greeted. “Erm… Look, it’s been a few years and you might not remember me, but Celestia and I used to—”

“AAAAAHHHH!” with that, Joe suddenly dashed back behind the gray door he had appeared from, the door swinging in and out on its hinges.

“—come here all the time and I see you remember me quite clearly!” Sunset finished, her turquoise eyes having gone wide and worried as her smile cracked a bit.

“… Yikes…” Starlight said. “Just, yikes.”

Sunset motioned towards the spot Joe had been moments ago. “And that’s an example of it being bad when some pony recognizes me! Spoiler alert: There’s going to be plenty more times when ponies recognize me and they’re all probably going to go about this well!”