"You view the other world as your opportunity. But to be honest, I really don't think giving up everything you have in Equestria to start over in a completely strange place is more promising."
"What if that isn't a shortcut? What if it's a terrible turn of events that leads you into an abyss?"
Memories related to Sunset Shimmer surfaced in Aurora's mind.
The brief flash of envy Sunset Shimmer showed when she saw Twilight Sparkle getting along with the human m5 on the sports field;
When Sunset Shimmer was moved by Twilight Sparkle's sense of responsibility and decided to stop trying to steal the crown, only to hear the human m5 say, 'No wonder you could become a princess,' the breakdown she felt when her own existential value was completely negated by a casual remark from a bystander;
When Sunset Shimmer successfully stole the crown, only to find the moment she put it on that it was not the power she wanted, leaving her to let her helpless tears be evaporated by magic;
Finally, Aurora's memory froze on the image of Sunset Shimmer crawling out of a large crater in a sorry state after being hit by a rainbow beam, crying and saying she knew she was wrong.
Aurora felt that her tears might not have been entirely because she realized she had done something wrong, but partly because of the regret that her own self-righteousness had led her to such a state.
The return of the prodigal ultimately brought about her rebirth, but what was sacrificed was all the pride and dignity of a once-in-a-generation genius.
Yet even so, every day of her future was spent atoning for everything she had done in the past, as if no one had ever truly forgiven her.
Thinking of this, a few streaks of ruthlessness appeared in Aurora's eyes.
No matter the cost, she did not want the experiences of Sunset Shimmer from the original timeline to appear before her eyes again.
Even if...
"Flying Light... have you... never considered me a friend?"
Sunset Shimmer's words caused Aurora to feel momentarily stunned.
But thinking that this might be Sunset Shimmer trying to lull her guard to seize an opportunity to escape, she immediately became firm again.
"If I didn't consider you a friend, I wouldn't have come to stop you."
"Ha... see, even at a time like this, you still have that self-righteous look."
Sunset Shimmer forced herself to raise her head and look directly into Aurora's eyes; those stubborn, angry eyes were now brimming with tears.
Aurora suddenly lost her composure.
"I'm not sure if you realize it yourself, but this isn't the first time you've been like this, Aurora."
"I really hate how you always act as if you have everything under control! You are indeed very sharp and mysterious, as if you knew many things that would happen in the future beforehand. The first time, I took it as a coincidence, but after one prediction after another, I found that I can no longer treat you as an ordinary pony."
"But I really felt that you were a friend who could understand me. Even if you are very special, I felt that we would definitely be able to get along well, just like we usually do."
"As long as I pretended not to know you were keeping things from me, we could have stayed best friends."
Sunset Shimmer suppressed the trembling in her voice, but she couldn't stop the tears from sliding down the corners of her eyes; still, she did her best to look directly at Aurora, watching her composure shatter bit by bit.
"But you misunderstood my patience toward you, truly thinking that only Celestia could see your uniqueness."
"I don't blame you for not telling me your secrets, just as I didn't have the courage to tell you what was on my mind. You're right, I am indeed very naive and foolish to think we were truly friends who could understand each other."
Sunset Shimmer felt the magic threads binding her loosen slightly, which allowed her to barely stand up.
"You say staying in Equestria is more promising? What are you referring to? The Magic of Friendship? Where on earth do you get the confidence to think I would believe your viewpoint on something that hasn't even been proven to exist? Because of your 'foresight'?"
"Then why do you never tell me the reason? Is it because in your heart, you feel I'm just a'stranger pony' you can't reveal more things to?"
"...No! It's... there's a reason, and knowing too much might not be a good thing..."
Aurora's voice grew smaller and smaller; she herself did not know what kind of consequences telling other ponies about her oddities would bring.
When encountering matters that made her hesitant, she was accustomed to first imagining the worst possible outcome; only if she could accept the worst ending would she go through with it.
But this was, after all, her subjective view; to the listener, Aurora's caution and hesitation were clearly signs of a lack of trust.
"Haha..."
Sunset Shimmer's sarcastic laughter was so piercing as it reached her ears. She did not press Aurora for the so-called reason, because she knew she wouldn't get an answer even if she asked.
"Are you going to say it's for my own good? Aurora, I admit you see things very clearly, but that doesn't mean you can assume a more experienced posture to lecture me on how to do things!"
"Because just as I don't understand you, you don't understand what I'm thinking at all! You only know I have ambition, but do you know why?!"
"You have everything yourself! But what about me? I've worked hard too! But there are things in this world that even hard work can't make up for! That is a gap I can't diminish even slightly, no matter how hard I try!"
"I just... want to prove that I won't be pushed around by any pony, to prove with my own ability that I am qualified to remain in Canterlot as Princess Celestia's student..."
Sunset Shimmer blinked her already dry eyes rapidly.
She felt that Aurora's magic could no longer maintain its binding force, so she struggled to her feet and used her own magic to break free from the shackles that hindered her pursuit of worth.
"If the Magic of Friendship you speak of truly exists, it certainly has nothing to do with the two of us."
All that was left for Aurora was Sunset Shimmer's proud but lonely back.
"If you can prove my choice is wrong, then prove it to me; otherwise, you're just a liar full of pretty words."
After saying that, Sunset Shimmer ran toward the mirror and never looked back.
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