Sunset Shimmer felt bad for Twilight.
The Twilight formerly from Crystal Prep, that was- although the time loop Princess Twilight had been caught in hadn't exactly sounded like a picnic either.
The other Twilight? Well, she reminded Sunset of herself, a few months ago. Unsure of her place, desperate for approval after everything she knew had been uprooted.
She brought it up in the library. Twilight had a physics book open on her lap, one hand on her cheek.
"We have a word for what happened, you know."
Twilight started. "Sunset! I... I didn't see you there."
"In Equestria, we call it Discordant overload. It's what happens when a unicorn tries to use too much magic all at once, and it either makes them sick or corrupts them. It's pretty rare, but it has happened."
"Equestria? You-" Twilight's pupils shrunk to the size of pinpricks. "You... You've been to that other dimension? The one with all the... magic?"
"Actually..." Sunset took a deep breath. "I was born there."
"You- oh my gosh, I..." Twilight buried her face in her hands. "All that destruction, and I could have just asked you..."
"Twilight, you need to stop blaming yourself."
"Midnight Sparkle-"
"Was not your fault." Sunset said firmly. "Did the others tell you about how we became friends?"
"No... Pinkie almost did, but Fluttershy said that you should. Why?"
"Because... I was corrupted by the magic too. I tried to take control of the student body and march them into Equestria as an army."
Twilight raised her head and stared. "You-"
"Know exactly how you feel. Equestrian magic is powerful- too powerful for these bodies unless you're prepared for it." Sunset grabbed Twilight's hands. "It corrupts your thinking- I mean, I thought a bunch of human teenagers were a match for a legion of unicorns and pegasi. Nuts, right? Trying to learn about something new is nothing, compared to that." She smiled. "You have friends now, Twilight. We're here to help. And if... well, if you're still curious about magic, then I think I'll be able to help."
"..." Twilight's gaze fell. "...Thank you."
Sunset squeezed Twilight's fingers. "What are friends for?"
