Twiset Shimarkle

by 20thCentury Brony

Act I: Sunlight: Shimmers

Canterlot High School was alive.

Students, families, and school staff bustled the halls and football field in excited preparation, conversing with friends and loved ones alike, enjoying the snacks table, and waiting for the main event. School had ended a week ago, but not for these students. That day was a special occasion that they’ve waited for four years,…and it finally has arrived: Graduation.

Seniors in their caps and gowns have either went for their seats in attendance for the ceremony, stayed with their families, or hung out with their friends. They would discuss their plans for the future; some would immediately jump for a job or move on for college. Many would’ve filed up together for selfies and pictures to capture the memories that they’ll look back on in much later years. Some would even reflect on their past decisions and mistakes made and the struggles that they had endured to thrived for success. Regardless, all were having a very good time, especially a septet of girls and their mascot dog.

The Equestria Girls, Sunset Shimmer, Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Spike, were having some of the happiest moments of their lives. Their hard work of boring lectures and homework had finally paid off, and they were gonna graduate together.

Everybody already had their destinies dreamed out. Sparkle was striving to better life in Canterlot with her line of alchemy technology. Dash dreamt of joining the Canterlot Pegasi soccer team, starting from the reserves to a full-time member, while her lovely Shy was going to be a veterinarian. Pie was to apprentice under the Cakes and run the Sweet Shoppe while half-timing as the party woman she is loved for. Applejack clearly wanted nothing more than take over Sweet Apple Acres, while Rarity sought to open her own boutique she dubbed “Rarity for You.” And then there’s Shimmer herself, who simply wished to teach at CHS.

Most people with very good friends would be concerned about being separated after school, but not those gals. They’d be considered the luckiest group of friends on the planet if having magic abilities wasn’t enough, considering how they had all enrolled and been admitted to Canterlot College, even getting each other for roommates, and having each other for the rest of their lives. And their friendships have blossomed into more with each other. Rarijack was finally out two weeks before then, the same with Flutterdash, Pinkie had made partners-with-a-crush with a junior comedian named Cheese Sandwich, and Twilight was still seeing Timber Spruce then, and Sunset…could care less about romance.

In fact, she felt she didn’t need love to celebrate graduating because she had all the family she could want in her friends and their own. She could see them within the attendance. The Shies were mostly secluded in the center, crying joyously for their daughter, while Zephyr Breeze went on romancing some female students; Bow Hothoof and Windy Whistles, alongside Scootaloo, weren’t hard to find, given their over-supporting cheering, much to the annoyance of some attendants close to them; Rarity’s family managed to secured three seats from the second row up front, waiting patiently; The Apples plus Sugar Belle spent some time chatting with Applejack, expressing their pride and happiness; The Pies, as far as can be told, were monotonally happy for their bubbly Pinkie as she happily raved over her graduation ceremony/party; and the Sparkles plus Cadance (the one family she felt closest to) had shown nothing but the greatest pride to their little protégé. She couldn’t be anymore happier.

Just for today, however, she was expecting to see in attendance somepony.

She hadn’t heard from the Princess of Friendship about coming to the human world for the ceremony. In fact, she hadn’t heard back from the pony in a long time. After their little holiday misadventures, the former villain hasn’t heard much from her in quite a while. She hadn’t used up nearly a dozen pages in her journal for a response, and yet nothing came back. But she wasn’t giving up on her pony friend; she still held onto the hope that she would come. And so she could also confess-

“Sunset?!” somebody shouted for the graduate’s attention, who snapped to find a concerned Sci-Twi right in front of her. The older girl shook her head to refocus her senses as she got up from her seat.

“W-w-what is it, Twi?” she frantically replied.

“Are you okay? You were miles away from reality.”

“O-of course. Why wouldn’t I be on Graduation?”

“Ugh, don’t lie ta us, sugarcube,” Applejack demanded as she walked with Rarity hand-in-hand, the rest of the gang following behind. “We’re not letting a lie ruin today, so come clean. The healing starts when you’re honest.”

Sunset studied all of their faces, and what she saw proved their resolve. They all loved her very much, they’d go out of the way to make her happy, and she loved them just as much to do the same. But she often felt somethings better left confidential. Especially with recent events. Everything about her life was changing around so quick and she wasn’t taking it healthily. With all of them leading different lives and Princess Twilight yet to respond, she felt herself sinking into a deepening pit of emptiness, the cold from it spreading to every bone in her body and downcasting her vibrant colors. But she wasn’t willing to let it ruin the day.

So she came clean.

“I’m sorry, girls. I know Princess Twilight’s responsibilities, but I’m starting to miss her. I’ve been writing to her for a while, and she’s yet to respond. I even invited her to attend graduation, but…it’s also for something else.”

“Ooohhh, you want to tell her how much you love her?!” Pinkie squeal excitedly. Hearing this caused Sunset to shoot up in embarrassed surprise. She looked at the rest to see them with knowing smirks and smiles. Seeing nothing else to hide, she simply nodded.

Fluttershy approached her former bully with Spike in arms before cooing, “you’re not the only one. We all miss her, but I don’t think she could just leave Equestria for one day.”

“And as brutal as it is, we oughta face the honest reality that she’s not coming,” added Applejack.

“But you shouldn’t rush her into something,” commented Rainbow, “I’m sure she’ll write back soon enough. For now, we should celebrate finally blowing school.”

"Don’t forget about college, darling,” Rarity chipped in, causing her cocky friend to groan in annoyance, much to everyone else’s amusement.

“And besides, you’ll still have us seven supporting you.” Twilight declared once the laughter died down. “Sure we’ll live different lives, but we’ll still be together, even with any Equestrian magic. Equestria Girls forever, right?”

Everyone else acknowledged as they stacked their hands up in. They then turned to their comforted friend, waiting for her. Sunset again looked over her friends with her warmest eyes. How she made friends with her former victims was beyond her understanding, but she didn’t care. Those days, she had often considered herself the luckiest Equestrian on the face of the human world.

“Thanks, girls. Equestria Girls forever.” She then repeated as she added her own hand into the pile. The Rainbooms lifted their hands high and cheered before Pinkie engulfed them in a big group hug, leading to giggling fits.

Suddenly, Principal Celestia then announced: “Attention, ladies and gentlemen, may everyone please take their seats please?”

Hearing this, the Rainbooms broke apart from each other.

“Okay, enough future tense,” bubbled Pinkie. “Let’s graduate!! Woohoo!!”

The girls then cheered yet again as they parted ways.

Sunset looked over at her friends’ smiling faces as they made for their seats. Her worries over recent changes had but washed away entirely thanks to them. Heck, any problems could be rendered moot by those girls. They had their lives to lead, but they’d still be glued tight till the end. Still, the thought of Princess Twilight loomed over the top of her head. She really wanted to tell her savior how much she loved her very much. But it’s like AJ said: face the honest reality. All she could do was remain hopeful that Twilight’ll respond in the future. Then once she had the chance to confess, she’d take it. Right now, she had a graduation to attend, with a graduation party hosted by Pinkie afterwards.

Carpe diem, Sunset, she told herself. Carpe diem.

Sunset Shimmer walked into Sweet Shoppe to begin another day sixteen years later.

She woke up in the morning feeling like manure sixteen years later. Waking to her 6:00 alarm, she took her time getting ready for another day at school. After going through her daily schedule of waking-up, shower, putting on her red vest with a yellow undershirt and matching dark violet, starry latex pants, and shoes, grabbing her papers and bags, locking up her home, she was ready to start the day. She stopped to made sure that she had everything, including her geode, which she had stopped wearing two years earlier, since it reminded her of Twilight, but kept it in case of emergency. With Pinkie and Rainbow often comparing them to the Power Pony comics Spike loved to read so much, the Rainbooms were “superheroes” after all those years even when they had their own lives to attend to. Holding back nostalgic tears, she occupied her sunflower Empathy car.

Always taking the street corner with the Cakes’ place of business and home before CHS, Sunset entered for her usual coffee run. Most mornings, she’d always open to Pinkie popping from behind the counter and shout “Surprise!” But instead, the party woman, wearing an apron around her baby blue day-dress with pink sneakers and wearing her geode, manning the counter waiting for customers, smiled upon seeing her first.

“Morning, Pinkie,” she spoke in a still-tired voice. “I’ll take my-”

“-Usual: two medium size lattes with an even amount of cream and sugar and my ever-famous Laughter cupcake with chocolate frosting and the violet star sprinkles you like on top, waaaaaaay ahead of you!” The baker finished in her Pinkie-Speed as she put the exact items on the counter. Her customer only responded with a slight shrug, since this was Pinkie Pie for Goodness' sake, and paid up. She collected her order and was about to head out the door for CHS when Pinkie called out: “Sunset.”

Turning around, Shimmer asked, “Yeah, Pinkie?”

“Well, I know you’ve been a little under the rainbow lately and thought about you coming to Applejack’s for a get-together.”

“What do you mean, ‘under the rainbow?’”

“Oh, come on. You miss her.”

With that, Sunset’s eyes went small, and her cheeks went slightly red. Pinkie didn’t respond, only gave her embarrassed friend a you-know-who-I-mean look, who finally let out some hot air and asked: “Who?”

Pinkie’s smile deflated. “Look, I-” she began, only for her friend’s hand to cut off.

“I’ll see how today plays out for me,” she responded. “I’ll text you guys if I can make it. Does that work?”

“Okie dokie lokie,” Pinkie agreed and nodded. Sunset gave a slight smile before leaving the Shoppe. Once seeing her friend pull away, Pinkie quickly pulled out her phone for her messages and texted her group message with the rest. Apparently, they’ve made this when they first noticed their friends’ blues. “She’s STILL denying!! We need to do something!!!”

Responses to her frantic message were: “AJ: Calm down, sugarcube. D’ya try the get-together at mah place?”, “RD: Of course, she would. She Pinkie Promised.”, “Rarity: Well, she had to have done something other than that, darlings. Sunset’s more difficult to reason with lately.”, and “Fluttershy: Maybe one of us should just force her to come?”

It was a long time of digital silence until Twilight finally responded: “Sci-Twi: I’ll drop by school before work to see what I can do.”

“THANK YOU, TWILIGHT!!!!” Pinkie happily screamed via message.

With that, she returned to work, hopeful.

Seeing CHS with too little differences than from her time as a student, Sunset parked her car in the faculty lot, her cupcake downed, got out of her car and proceeded out of the lot to the main doors when she nearly bumped into Twilight Spruce, composed in a lab-coat over dark violet sweater dotted in stars and midnight-blue jeans, around the corner, causing both women to yell out for nearly crashing into one another. Recovering, Sunset sighed in relief. “Twilight, what are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be at work?”

“Oh, Sunset, I am so sorry,” Twilight chastised herself. “I didn’t think you’d parked this close to the corner, and I thought I had enough time to catch you before you got into school-”

“Twilight, it’s alright,” Shimmer reassured her bespectacled friend with a bemused smile. She always had a smile for every one of Twilight’s adorkable babbling and rambling.

Of all her friends, Sunset spent most of her time with Twilight’s human version after graduation. It might have been that since she was nearly the same as her princess counterpart, minus the wisdom and the position, Twilight was trustworthy enough to share her problems with. The alchemist was the closest person she could trust at that moment of her life. Breaking the short silence between them, she finally asked teasingly: “So, what are you doing here today, Mrs. Spruce?”

Twilight didn’t know how to begin, and whenever she did, it always came out as babel, until she finally found her words: “Well, it’s just, um…, I was thinking about you, and uh, uh, uh, uh, uh” Twilight cursed herself for failing to speak again, but Sunset gave a furrowed-brow and small-frown that told Twilight she got the message.

“Pinkie told you girls about me being ‘under the rainbow’ and you thought yourself the only one who could try to talk something out of me?” She asked nonchalantly to the flabbergasted genius in front of her. Twilight could but nod in confirmation. The teacher placed a hand on Twilight’s shoulder. “Twilight, look. I appreciate what you girls are doing for me, I really do. If there is anything at all wrong with me, I’d tell, but I mean it when I say I am fine.”

Reclaiming her composure during the reassurance, Twilight’s brow furrowed, and she replied with: “You can’t hide it forever, Sunset.”

“Hide what?”

“Didn’t you help me when we first met at the Games?”

Her friend nodded at that memory of the Friendship Games.

“Why won’t you let me return the favor right now?”

Sunset looked around before claiming: “You wouldn’t understand. It’s... complicated.”

“Really? Do you really expect me to believe that your crush on my pony counterpart is not understandable?” Twilight summarized, as if it meant manure. Sunset’s expression quickly turned into a furious blush mixed with sorrow, embarrassment, and fury. Twilight cringed upon realizing her “smooth move” and waited in silent dread for-

Before she knew it, Sunset embraced her in a big hug and uttered “I really appreciate everything, but I just don’t want to talk about her, okay?”

Twilight finally responded as she returned the hug: “We just want to help you.”

“And I will always love you guys for it.” Shimmer couldn’t help but smile at Twilight’s empathetic side. And to think empathy was her thing.

The two best friends pulled back from their embrace and smiled at each other. A brief silence before Shimmer broke it.

“So, I still have 45 minutes left before my first class.” the teacher offered the second coffee cup to Sci-Twi, who gently accepted. “Until then, what would you like to talk about?”

Twilight took a sip from her evenly hot-cold coffee. “I am glad you asked, Miss Shimmer.” she agreed in a mocking smile to counter her friend’s earlier remark.

And with a chuckle, the two friends walked side-by-side to the front of the school...

... while the ponies enjoyed the festivities.

The very ruler of Equestria herself was preparing Canterlot for the victory over the Legion of Doom when they took possession of Grogar’s Bewitching Bell and nearly turned Equestria into a winter wasteland by the Windigos sixteen years ago. Since then, Princess Twilight had proclaimed that very day as The Day of Unity, one that honors all of Equestria and beyond for their selfless participation thanks to her Student Six and assembles their leaders for the Royal Summit. Every creature of every kind has come from every corner of Equestria to Canterlot; dragons, griffons, buffalos, changelings, breezies, yaks, hippogriffs, kirins, name it. Even ponies Twilight and her friends have encountered and befriended over their adventures came as well; Coloratura, the Cakes, Coco Pommel, Big Mac and Sugar Belle and their son, all Cutie Mark Crusaders, Photo Finish, Sassy Saddles, Cheese Sandwich, Lyra Heartstrings and Sweetie Drops, Octavia Melody, DJ Pon-3, Zephyr Breeze, Dr. Hooves, Muffins, Bulk Biceps, Sky Stinger and Vapor Trail, the Pillars, Zecora, Mayor Sunny Skies and the residents of Hope Hollow, even Celestia and Luna have come to commemorate the day’s meaning. Also, on the guest list was Twilight’ niece and Crystal Empire ruler, Flurry Heart, a part of the Summit.

The day is always a busy one to pull together for Twilight alone. Which is exactly why she has asked the Council of Friendship to help her with the celebrations. Spike, the Friendship Ambassador for the Dragon Lands and Royal Advisor for her big sister, manages the arrangement of the Summit, Pinkie Pie is always on decorations and activities, Applejack and the Apple Family take over the banquet food with help from her family, Rainbow Dash leads the Wonderbolts to make perfect weather and put on a show, Rarity makes a new fashion line-up for every year and also takes part of the decorating, and Fluttershy herself is in charge of the music as usual. And that leaves Twilight nothing much to do but supervise the event as a whole. For the Princess of Friendship then, doing nothing much can be pretty dullsville. So instead of just waiting for the leaders and Flurry, she decides to do a little work herself, such as dusting the Canterlot Castle texts, preparing treats and tea and other necessities for the meeting, and tidying up her room.

When she got to that part of her self-made list, she was moving some books around with her magic when she knocked one over off her nightstand. Putting the literature back on the stand, she picked up the fallen object and smiled warmly as she looked over the scrapbook Headmare Starlight Glimmer gave her on the day of her coronation. Flipping through the pages, nostalgia punched her in the face as she reflected on the lessons and adventures she and the Mane 6 have gone through all those years ago.

Then, a jolt from the past came in the form of Twilight’s memories of the human world: to retrieve her crown and beat the Dazzlings. Her times there were to cherish forever. Getting the hang of being human, meeting her friends all over again, bringing them back together, the songs they sang and played, the Fall Formal dance with Flash Sentry, Sunset Shimmer-

That’s when her mind trailed off. She had remembered Sunset Shimmer as clear as the day she had gotten her cutie mark. The brightest star seen in her sky before day fall, the final beautiful red and yellow rays, the very somepony she wished to say the three-word-sentence to.

Sunset Shimmer, she thought.

My Sunset.

My Sunset.

Twilight was overlooking the crowd on the balcony, thinking of the fiery-haired mare.

“Twilight,” someone called out, causing the royal ruler to jump and blast a short spark of magic from her horn in surprise. She turned back around so fast that Spike would’ve mistook her for Rainbow Dash minus the rainbow. He held his hands out, calmly, yet panickily, stating, “Don’t shoot. It’s only me, Twilight.”

“Oh, sorry, Spike,” the prime ruler apologized. “I didn’t hear you walk in.”

“Heh, you didn’t even hear the and knocks and creaks, did you?” Spike then teased. “I thought you’d hear all.”

She only gave an embarrassed blush, while her brother echoed I thought so.

“Are you feeling okay about today?” he then questioned. “You seem a little under the rainbow earlier.”

“Of course I am. I’m just a little well…uh, uh, uh” Twilight trailed off, cursing herself until she decided to respond with another question: “Have any of the leaders arrived yet?”

Spike quickly gave a fake smile to hide his annoyed look over Twilight’s lack of answer for his own question when Twilight turned around to walk back into the throne room. He followed and answered with: “Prince Rutherford and Chief Little Strongheart are both running a little late because of this little quarrel about who could break the biggest rock, according to Pinkie and Rainbow, Thorax, Ember, Autumn Blaze and Gramma Gilda are to arrive in about 63 minutes and Queen Skystar is arriving in fifty minutes.”

“Good. Anything from Flurry?”

What none of the two had realized was that as they exited the balcony, Princess Flurry Heart with a crystal coat of arms in the shape of a heart as her cutie mark had teleported herself right behind them and sneaking until her aunt brought her up and only when Flurry gave a loud bear-like “GRRRRR” did Twilight get her answer.

Both Twilight and Spike turned around in surprise, both of them jumping in shock. While the former’s shock was mild, the latter’s was a dramatically faint right on the floor as her sister and her niece laughed at his expense. He was used to be the butt throughout the years, but he had a little place in his heart for his niece’s jokes directed right at him. “Hilarious, Flurry,” he sarcastically laughed.

“Oh, don’t be all grumpy, Uncle Spikey,” Flurry pleaded playfully while forcing a smile on his face. “You found it funny, and you know it.”

“Mm-hmm.”

“You’ll have to excuse him,” Twilight stated. “He’s a little peeved since I didn’t answer his question yet. He ain’t slick hiding it.” Spike’s face lit up hearing this. “Besides, it’s great to see you as always, Flurry.”

Their laughter was short-lived when Flurry’s captain of the guard arrived, bearing her black captain armor and multi-colored firework cutie mark.

“I know your excitement to see Twilight again, Flurry,” the Crystal Captain began before bowing to Twilight, who returned the gesture, “but could you please just walk to the throne with me instead of just teleporting ahead? You know how I worry.” Tempest Shadow, the Storm King’s former commander, had travelled to find her new life purpose and, after making amends with many adventures, finally found it in the Crystal Empire as Shining Armor’s successor captain ten years from then. Despite their positions, she and Flurry both loved each other as sister.

“Sorry, Tempest, but what else could I say except ‘I can’t wait’, huh?” Flurry asked bubbly, to which her captain just rolled her eyes with a sigh.

Another knock at the door and from it came Twilight’s own captain: Gallus the Griffon, one of her former Student Six students and the griffon’s representative for the School of Friendship, announcing, “Your Highness, the Council is here.”

“Thank you, Gallus.” Twilight responded regally. “Bring them in.”

Opening the door, one after the other, the Mane Six have entered the room. Like the Equestria Girls, Twilight’s friends have had similar futures: Pinkie Pie married Cheese Sandwich and started a family with their son Lil’ Cheese and is still in the party business, Rainbow Dash became a high-ranking Wonderbolt captain, often training herself in rookies and has wedded Blurrin’ Pride, a Wonderbolt mare proud of stepping out of the shadows, Applejack and Rarity both keep their businesses of Sweet Apple Acres and Carousel Boutiques Across Equestria respectively afloat while keeping a healthy marriage between themselves, Fluttershy still had her pet sanctuary and is happily married to Discord, who has since his actions sixteen years ago has become more of a responsible, yet chaotic creature, and Headmare Starlight Glimmer, alongside Counselor Trixie, has been running the School of Friendship, allowed the staff to move in at the Castle of Friendship, and has been taking it easy with her with her friend Sunburst.

After hellos, nice-to-meet-you-agains, and hugs, Twilight requested “How goes preparations for the festival, Council members?”

“This year’s line-up is all finished and on display.” Rarity answered. “All fabrics available for creatures of all sizes, especially leather.” That last part was directed toward her lovely farmer in a ragged stetson, who could only blush lightly as the others watched on thinking that their marriage had gotten to that phase.

Shaking off the innuendo, Applejack was next to speak up with: “Banquet food is all served and taste tested.” As she directed toward Pinkie Pie, who had taken out a plateful of cupcakes with apples slices on the frosting out of her mane. Upon seeing Applejack, Pinkie quickly restuffed the plate into her mane with a nervous smile. “Enough to feed 300 Timberwolves for six moons.”

Pinkie’s turn came and, with a chart from her mane in her hoof: “Decorations are all taken care, I made sure to ask for the best music of all cultures across Equestria, The Cakes have finished their cakes for the cake-tasting contest, all the games are laid out, Trixie had agreed to put on a little magic-” She stopped for a long gasp and tried to continue before Starlight finished.

“And almost everyone on the guest list, including the School staff, has arrived. All-in-all, the numbers clearly say that this Day of Unity festival is gonna be a hit once again this year.” She finished that sentence with a smile and a squee.

Twilight simply shrugged at that news and glanced at the animal caregiver herself, who reported: “My birds are still practicing, but it’ll make perfect just in time.” She then turned towards her rainbow-maned friend.

“Wonderbolt performances are going smooth, and the weather is bright and sunny, as pre-ordered,” Rainbow Dash bragged.

“Dat quick, huh?” Applejack asked rhetorically.

“You know me, AJ. Fastest Pegasus Alive.”

“And how is that working out for you and Pride?” Tempest slyly quipped to the wide-eyed Pegasus as Pinkie pulled out an airhorn and blew it for three seconds to go with how badly the Crystal Captain had just roasted the Wonderbolt, much to the oohing laughter of the rest of the mares and dragon present and Rainbow’s furious embarrassment.

When her laugh died down, Twilight finally spoke up and announced, “That’s excellent to hear, everypony. With the leaders heading their way for the meeting and everything going according to schedule, it looks like that we have a little time to-”

Then the sun gleamed in her eyes, and she looked at the stained-glass window of herself as an Alicorn princess with her Magic Element. Twilight always had seen that window as a constant reminder of her ascension. But right then, all she could think of when she saw the Element is when Sunset stole it. It was wrong no doubt, but in some way, Twilight was impressed with how she managed to steal a powerful magical artifact she and her friends had used to protect Equestria. After her redemption and developing feelings, she rethought what else was stolen and concluded that she also stole her attention and heart. Thinking of Celestia’s old student brought tears welling up in her eyes that she had to fight back. She saw everyponies’ worrisome faces and she didn’t want to ruin the joyous mood with memories of a mare far gone. Then, as the sun continued to gleam on her, Twilight had remembered what she had done with the Crystal Mirror. As she was moving to Canterlot, she and Spike disassembled the entire device and, with the whole drama at her coronation, forgot all it and discarded the boxes as random junk. When she and everypony left, she would have Gallus and the guards find the boxes and reassemble the whole thing. Seeing Sunset again was so exciting that Twilight was this close to joyously squealing out loud, using up all of her strength to hold it in.

“Twilight, are you alright?” Starlight spoke up, breaking Twilight out of her imagination. Twilight shook her head for a quick second and gave off a rather too quick nod at Starlight’s concerns.

“Of course,” the princess responded. “Where was I? Oh, yeah. We have some time to ourselves before the leaders arrive. Come on, spit spot, let’s get going.”

Everypony was confused at Twilight’s sudden change in mood and exchanged looks before shrugging it off and walking out. Spike gave Twilight a questioning look, to which the princess nodded to go ahead. Despite his lack of an answer, he quickly shrugged it off. That is, until he saw Twilight, just out of the room, whispered something long into Gallus’ ear. As the captain walked away, Spike stretched out an arm in front of Twilight’s chest, to the princess’ confusion.

“Are you feeling okay, Twilight?” her brother asked concerningly. “You seemed unhinged back there.”

“I’m fine,” Twilight responded as she moved his arm back to himself and walked away to join the rest. “Why wouldn’t I be alright with my friends?”

Spike only continued to give the same questioning look with a mix of annoyance at Twilight’s denial behind her back. Unbeknownst to her brother, friends, and anypony or creature, Twilight was feeling antsy, excited, and scared all at once for the mare of her dreams.

My Sunset, she thought.

Sunset.

Sunset and Twilight Shimmer, Miss Shimer had thought right before the bell rang to end the day for everyone at CHS.

“Have a good afternoon everyone and enjoy your Spring Break!” she announced to her class as they took their leave. The last one to leave, she collected her papers, reading glasses, and geode and made her way out of school.

In spite of Sci-Twi’s not bringing up her pony counterpart, their conversation earlier that day did little to ease her heavy thinking of the princess. As she walked through the always-crowded halls, she thought of how, throughout her day, she had tried to not have her students see her plight. But the few students to personally know her knew something was bothering her, since they all though friendship to be pointless, only for the born unicorn to teach them how much it can affect them for the better. Overall, they all approached their favorite teacher with the same question: “Are you alright, Miss Shimmer?” And she answered with: “Of course. I’m always alright.” But she knew that they didn’t buy it.

She was about to walk out the door when a voice called out to her: “Sunset Shimmer?”

“Twilight?!” she beamed in a joyous tone with a smile as if she heard Twilight. But all she could do was drop her smile and blush lightly when she realized who called out to her was Principal Luna, the current head of the school after her sister Celestia, who had retired and left the school in the hands of her baby sister. “Sorry, Principal Luna. I thought you were somepon- er, body else.”

“It is forgivable,” the principal stated in her usual calm tone, brushing off her confusion. “I’m glad I caught you. I like to talk to you about something.”

With puzzlement, she followed the ex-vice-principal into her office. Of all the people who would take notice of her Princess Twilight blues, the human version of Celestia’s sister would be the last person to take notice. But since they’ve been working for years, Luna was bound to know soon. After meeting the pony Princess of Night from the Memory Stone incident, she didn’t see much difference between the two.

As they entered the office, Sunset remembered the only difference between the Two Sister’s principal offices was the dark black desk that used to be in Luna’s VP office in comparison to Celestia’s classical desk. As both took their respective seats, Luna behind the desk and Sunset in front, the latter sweated, feeling sixteen years younger. Despite being a teacher herself, she worried if she peeved Luna off.

“Sooooooo…,” she started before trailing off. “What’s the sitch, Principal Luna?”

“Sunset,” Luna simply stated with a warm smile. “We are no longer principal and student, you can call me Luna. Besides, you are aware of my impeding retirement.”

“Of course I am,” the teacher acknowledged dryly. She was quite aware of her former vice-principal’s retirement. Her tone was dry not because of it, but because of who she wanted to take over: Sunset herself. While she was flattered of the idea, she felt she didn’t deserve it after all she did in the past, and her current depression was adding up to her reluctance to take it. Luna often wanted to discuss it for some time and Sunset often tried to avoid them, but Luna would always get to talk to the teacher.

“But I’ve called you here to discuss some personal matters,” Luna confessed.

“I’m sorry,” Sunset inquired, very confused. “What?”

“There’s no need to hide it here, You can tell me anything.”

The unicorn was silent.

“Anything. Like your life here or your friends or her.”

Hearing this, the Equestrian’s blush was light but hot before stammering: “Who?”

Luna gave a dry “I-got-you” look. “Maybe these will help refresh your memory,” Luna calmly stated before reaching into a desk drawer on the right side of the desk for a folder with “SUNSET” written in red letters and full of papers and brought down on the desk.

Opening the folder, Sunset found multiple papers: homework assignments, trip forms, papers requiring signatures, sign-in sheets, even the staff attendance paper. Flipping through them featured a recurring element: her signature was Sunset and Twilight Shimmer in red pen. Had she not realized this whenever she signed something? Or was there some unconscious part of her that took hold and wrote out her emotions? Either way, the teacher felt embarrassed for letting all of those students and, by extension, their families and her staff mates know about her feelings for an Alicorn princess from another dimension. Her self-loathing was interrupted when Luna spoke up: “Well, what do you have to say now?”

“Luna,” Sunset began frantically. “I’m sorry for this! I-i-i-i didn’t realize that-”

“It is alright,” Luna reassured in her ever-calm voice. “I understand.”

“You do?”

“Of course. You are simply homesick.”

“Homesick? I wouldn’t say that.”

“Have you ever considered returning to your home?”

“Go back home?” Sunset spoke surprised, tears starting to well. “Luna, are you saying-?”

“Sunset Shimmer,” Luna reassured in a slightly raised voice. “I am not suggesting that you leave CHS. All I am suggesting is that you handle your problems with uhhh…Princess Twilight, right?” Shimmer nodded, allowing Luna to continue. “My point is maybe you should return to your world and take care of your problems there. Whether you want to leave CHS or not is entirely up to you, not to me.”

Her guest tapped her fingers against one another and pondered before admitting: “Even if I could, I can’t as far as I know. You see, the portal I came through to this world opens every 30 moons and then closes after three days. Now, every time I try to cross over, the portal doesn’t open since…” she stopped to fight back tears. “For all I know, Twilight had thought that she’d done enough for me and dismantled the device that keeps the portal open 24/7. Plus, I’ve used up all but one of the pages in the journal that I talk to Princess Twilight with.”

“It is quite understandable,” Luna assured, getting up from her chair. “I only hope that you will do what your heart is telling you.”

Sunset got up from her seat, collected her things and made for the door. “Look, Luna, I appreciate what you’re trying to help me with, but…” She’d’ve finished if Luna hadn’t given her “stop-denying-it” face, causing the red and yellow haired woman to finally sigh in defeat. “I have a problem to deal with back home.” She frowned as Luna smiled. Just before exiting through the door, Luna called out once again.

“Miss Shimmer,” Luna spoke up. “Remember: speak from your heart, let everybody know how you feel, and be true to both yourself and everyone.”

Sunset looked down at the ground, pondering over what Celestia’s baby sister had just advised. The ex-student couldn’t believe herself saying it (since she cared less at first) but Luna gave much better advice than Celestia. Looking up, she gave Luna a reassuring smile with: “Thank you again, Luna,” to which the principal returned. She exited the office.

Walking into the castle library, Twilight saw Gallus and the guards nearing completion of the portal itself. Upon seeing his lord, Gallus flew to her and bowed with a report: “The device is almost ready, Your Majesty. We should be done shortly after your meeting.”

“Thank you, Gallus,” she responded as she walked to the Crystal Mirror/portal from here to the human world.

As Sunset walked out through the main doors, she saw her namesake over the horizon gleaming behind her getaway ride long ago. There was a buzz from her phone, Twilight Spruce texting if she’s coming to Sweet Apple Acres. Putting her cell away, she was close to crying as she approached the Canterlot colt statue/portal from here to Equestria.

Placing a hand/hoof on the Mirror/statue, both women continued spilling their hearts out.

Finding her car in tears, Sunset gets in to start it up and make her way to Sweet Apple Acres for both the party... and her destiny.

Vanhoover, the home of Grand Pear’s pear store, as the pamphlets state, was enjoying itself that evening. People moving here and there, going somewhere and nowhere, either in a hurry or with all the time in the world, wouldn’t be a surprising sight to see. With lights and billboards, the city was one of the brightest. Like Manehattan, the city never has a moment of quiet with the bustling cars, loud music and chattering crowds. Makes Vanhoover sound like one of those cities that’d be a struggle to survive. Which is just the case for the Dazzlings.

Sometime after at the Starswirl Music Festival, the Sirens had gone on a global tour, one that went down terribly. According to sources, a music journalist was to get the inside story of the Dazzlings’ success. Adagio and Aria wouldn’t share, but of course, Sonata spilled everything, from the looped vocal track to their bad singing and vocal processing. News went international, breaking fans’ hearts and trashing the Dazzlings’ music career.

Then there they are, ten kindless years later, still the disabled trio they were, forced to hide out in a rundown hotel in the darkest parts of the city and eating from soup kitchens. Adagio Dazzle had grown bitter over the years, desperate to find magic, even the weakest kind to quench her hunger, going to the Earth’s ends for it, lackeys in tow. Aria Blaze had grown ever more sarcastic and doubtful of her older sister’s schemes, going as far as to back out on them, with her arguments with Sonata growing even more childish. And Sonata Dusk…is still the same taco-loving, air-headed Siren she’s always been, the years having no apparent effect on her.

The three have just come back from another kitchen, reduced to wearing sweat clothes. And Aria just had enough.

“Ugh, that was but a total waste of time,” the violet-coated Siren complained. “I need something to last me a year! I’m sick of eating with all those other pieces of garbage! “

“Whether you like it or not’s immaterial for me,” Adagio countered as she drew back her hood. “The fact of the matter’s that we are stuck in this miserable world with no available means of returning to Equestria and we have but to adapt in any way we can, even if it means being beggars on the street.”

Aria only sighed of having to be told that for the umpteenth time. “I get it, no way home, no magic, we have manure! Maybe we’d’ve been spared all of this misery if we had dealt with those forsaken Pillars when they showed up.”

“Or maybe we should’ve never been bad in the first place,” Sonata pointed out as she walked in, taco in hand. “I mean, we did choose this life, did we not?”

Adagio and Aria were in shock at their ditzy sister’s suggestion, while Sonata just gave off a blank expression. Ever the first to criticize Sonata on her brains, Aria backhanded the taco out of her hands with a furious groan. Sonata didn’t have time to observe the damage done to her dinner as Aria got up close to her face. “That’d be a great idea, Sonata-,” Aria sarcastically started before Sonata interrupted.

“Really, Aria?” Sonata responded ecstatically, not catching Aria’s sarcasm.

“If you weren’t the worst,” Aria finished in an annoyed tone.

“I’m not, you are.”

“YOU ARE!”

“YOU.”

“ENOUGH!!” their leader screamed in furious annoyance. “Being stuck in a magicless world, it’s one thing. But being stuck in a magicless world with you two acting like babies is a completely different thing.” she emphasized her annoyance with those last two words gritted through her teeth.

There was a beat of silence, until Aria broke it.

“Well, she started it,” she grumbled, pointing a thumb at her light-blue-coated nuisance of a sister, who blew a raspberry her way in response, causing Dazzle to snarl in rage.

Walking out of the living room into the bedroom, Adagio sat herself down on the messed bed closest to the door out. Letting out a long, fiery sigh, she reached into the back pocket for her shattered pedant. Looking upon it, all she could see was her shattered reflection, contemplating the life three them have chosen What if Sonata were right? What if things went different for the three Dazzlings had they not become bad in the first place? Suddenly, all of her thoughts had spiraled down to the reason they’ve been reduced so low: Sunset Shimmer. Adagio had concluded that her suffering was all thanks to the ex-mean girl herself. If she wasn’t there at the battle, the world would’ve been theirs. “Just you wait, Sunset Shimmer,” she growled under her breath. “I’ll find magic again, and when I do, you’ll rue interfering with us. You. Will. Rue. It.”

Whether or not the universe would mercy her was answered by something zipping behind her. Taking her head up in shock, Adagio turned it around to catch what it was. However, the zip zipped behind her again, causing her to follow it again. On her feet ready to catch it in action, she surveyed the room for any sign, hoping to catch it. She was uncertain of exactly what she was looking for. But all she knew was that there was a certain feel about the thing that felt unexpectedly; that felt familiar; that felt magical. She was uncertain to fully believe it, but she felt that she might finally get some of the good stuff again. She could practically taste it. Of course, she knew her sisters would want it as well, but she didn’t care what they thought. She yearned for magic, she dreamt of magic, she lusted for magic.

Her suspicions were confirmed when a stream of bright light came at quite a speed in front of her. Though brief, she knew that energy and sparkle that followed it anywhere through her pendant. She could taste it. She could taste the magic that had come to her. Flashing a lustful look on her face, she knew what to do.

Following the stream around her room, hands stretched out, she longed to grasp it. Bouncing on the beds hoping to catch her prize, she caught the attention of her sisters, who barged in.

“What are you fuming ov-?!?” Aria was unable to finish as she and Sonata ducked when they noticed the stream of magic heading towards the door. Lifting their heads again, they turned to their leader, who was chasing after it.

“OUTTA MY WAY!!” she screamed as she rushed in between them. The stream became a bullet ricocheting across the room with Adagio desperate to grab it with anything. From a confronter to a kitchen pot, she only got dragged around with the magic, forcing her to let go of the magic’s cage. “Grab it, you idiots!!” she commanded her sisters, who only stood in silence until Adagio commanded. Aria jumped to grab it, but missed it by a foot, colliding with Adagio on her descent. Th gold Siren growled in frustration, turning to Sonata. “I ORDERED IT GRABBED!!!” Her scream would’ve shattered every piece of glass in Vanhoover. But all Sonata could think of was go for the window and open it, which she did at frightened speed. The magic then came at her, causing her to yelp and duck away from the window. Seeing an opening, the magic bolted for the opened window and out to the alleyway, Adagio not far behind, screaming, “NO!!!” Grabbing Sonata, she raspily asked with bile, “What were you thinking!?!”

Quaking, Sonata stammered, “Well, you... you wanted the fireflies out, didn’t you?”

“FIREFLIES!?!?!” Adagio grittily emphasized, throwing Sonata on the ground and turning for the window. “Those fireflies WERE EQUESTRIAN MAGIC!!!” She grunted as she exited through the window to follow the magic. Aria and Sonata only stayed where they were, in shock to have seen their sister act the way she did. They hadn’t seen her act like that in ever matter-of-factly. Still, she claimed Equestrian magic and they, too, longed for it. So, they thought, looking at each other, that if Adagio weren’t horse-crudding them, if she were chasing the real thing, they would want some of it as well for themselves.

“Come on, airhead,” Aria ordered, picking herself up and dragging Sonata by the arm. Both Sirens went out the window and sought to catch up with not just their sister, but with the magic.

The good stuff, they thought.

The three ex-singers had lost the magic... again.

All over Vanhoover, they followed it wherever it went. From Broadway to First Avenue, they followed their prize. Sometimes, they were close to catching it. If they cornered it in an alley, it would just fly overhead, causing them to land on the hard ground. If in the middle of the street, it would just dash off and either Sonata or Aria would come this close to get run over. Adagio would care less, since all that she cared for was the screwing magic. Of the three, she was putting effort in the hunt. She’d want it more than ever. Yet, she could not, even on her own, catch it. Halfway before they lost the magic, she ordered her sisters to divide. Seven minutes later, she found it at Broadway’s intersection and lept to catch her prey, but it was quicker than the vicious Siren. Luckily, she was quicker than the truck going at 50 MPH at the cost of losing the magic again. Regrouping with her partners eight minutes later, she was on fire under the collar when the other two reported no luck.

Walking back to their hotel through the alley behind the pear store, Adagio could do but fume. “I cannot believe that you two had managed to lose quite possibly the one thing that could make our lives in this world a bit better and a little less Tartarus!” Adagio ranted in calm fury.

“Hey, I’m not the one who opened the window,” Aria protested, shooting a glare at Sonata.

“Well, I’m not the one who couldn’t catch it the instant I was told,” Sonata countered, shooting back a glare.

“Oh puhlease, like you’d’ve done better. Thanks to you, we’re making tomorrow’s headline: DAZZLING FRAUDS CHASE AFTER ‘FLYING LIGHT’. Way to ruin us even more.”

“At least I knew what was going on.”

“You’d know if you weren’t the worst.”

“I’m not, you are.”

Oh, my lord, the lead Siren thought. As they continued their childish argument, Adagio only continued to fume. Not only did she lose the magic, but she had to endure yet another of her sisters’ stupid arguments. She had always thought that if there ever was such a thing as Tartarus, trapped in a magicless world and listening to those two forever would be it for her. Could this life possibly get any WORSE!?!

Perhaps I can ease your misery, came a voice from nowhere. The Sirens froze dead in their tracks and looked around crazily for the disembodied voice, when overhead came the light they previously chased. Descending at amazing speed, it engulfed the three villainesses in a spiraling vortex of magic. All they could do was stare as the very magic they sought out attacks.

Sonata then looked down and saw that she was fading away. Adagio and Aria stood in stunned silence as their dimwitted sister completely vanished. Aria came next, uncharacteristically holding out a hand to Adagio before she faded as well. And then there was one, as the Siren looked at herself and saw that she was sharing her sisters’ fates. Screaming in horror, Adagio fell to her knees, hands grasping her hair, as the magic also took her as well.

Once all three Sirens were gone, the vortex subsided and magically vanished as well, leaving but an empty alleyway.

There was a feeling of confusion and relief rushing as Adagio came back to her senses, waking to find herself laid out on the floor. Shooting up, the lead Siren found herself and her sisters, who have also awoken to their new location.

Their surroundings were that of an orange-bronze color. Below the trio’s feet were that of a giant fancy “G” embedded across the center of the room. The walls were lined with tapestries, each between those old-school pillars that one’d see in those ancient temples and ruins. While different, each tapestry has a common theme: a dark-blue creature depicted in each. Rising to their feet, they realized that in front of them stood a 4-by-4 desk in front of a massive glass window. A particular item on the desk was a small, crudely made metal bell.

“If I didn’t know better,” Sonata spoke up. “I’d say that we’re in one of those big CEO offices.” Her comment was met with deadpan looks from her sisters.

“What was your clue?” Aria asked rhetorically.

“Well, for starters, -” Sonata began, once again not catching the sarcasm, leading to harder deadpan expressions.

Brushing off her sisters, Adagio walked up right to the desk. The seat behind was turned to the window. She had hoped that someone was occupying it and was waiting to make her (or his) grand appearance to them, followed by a clash of thunder, like those evil masterminds with a cat she’d seen in those movies a hundred times. She then lifted up her hand, anxiety sweating down. As much as she hated it, she had to admit that she was scared of what she might see. Reaching to the chair, she titled the chair. As it slowly creeps to face them, all three Sirens couldn’t help but fear for what comes next. Even Aria didn’t shake Sonata off her when the latter clung herself to the former’s arm.

Much to their relief, however, the chair was empty.

Sighs of relief and one swift arm break from Aria to Sonata had the Sirens wondering their next moves.

“Jeez, was that intense,” Aria sighed before blurting out. “Now what exactly in the Tartarus is happening?”

Sonata and Aria exchanged looks at one another before turning to their leader. Looking at them dumbfoundedly, Adagio snapped: “What are you looking at me for?! I don’t know what’s what around here either!”

Then you are fortunate that I do, came the same voice from before. The three jumped in surprise once more. Then, all of a sudden, the bell on the desk suddenly levitated off from the desk in a black-and-yellow aurora, causing the three to jolt back slightly.

“Am I the only one who thinks that magic is haunting us?” Sonata quivered in fear. The Sirens only stood where they were, waiting for the object to do something to them, not regarding Sonata’s theory in the slightest.

The bell only levitated overhead, all eyes on it. Luckily, it stopped its ghostly float at the end of the room and descended in front of the entrance. But it did little to calm the Sirens’ nerves. All of the blood frozen in Adagio’s veins only compelled her to move closer for a view of what was scaring the living manure out of all three of them, Aria and Sonata cowering behind her.

Suddenly, the doors swung open, and then all Tartarus broke loose.

From the cover of darkness came a hooded individual in a priest robe in the darkest blue, as the still-frozen Sirens watched on. Stitched on the robe were ancient symbols that they instantly recognized as Equestrian in origin. Whoever this guy was, he certainly knew some things about Equestria. Shutting his eyes, his hands glowed in the same black-and-yellow aurora that surrounded the bell again and lifted it up to his neck. Removing the hood revealed the face of a silvery-white haired and cornflower-blue skinned man with a large red metal harness around his body. With his magic, the man moved the object to his harness and hooked it on to it, causing a surge of energy through his body as he slightly grunted. Once the surge subsided, he looked down at the three watching Dazzlings.

After some silence, Adagio, now wide-eyed and glimmering, realized what she was beholding. Walking ahead of her cowering sisters, the lead Dazzling could do but watch in amazement as she puts the pieces together: blue skin, silvery-white hair, and a bell. Then, a light went off.

“It’s him,” she whispered in stunned fear.

“My sincerest apologies for your treatment,” stated the man. “But I just had to see you. For it’s now our time.”

“I’m sorry,” Aria pepped. “Our time?”

“Precisely, Aria Blaze.”

“You know us,” asked a shocked, but still frozen Sonata.

“I do know you, Sonata Dusk. All three of you. And I trust that you remember me.”

“Why, yes,” answered Adagio, who fell on a knee and bowed. “We do, O Great One.” She looked behind at the two Sirens and gestured them to follow her lead. But the two weren’t thinking what she was thinking. She looked back at the man, who looked slightly annoyed, clearly seeing the half-truth.

“In case you do not know my legacy,” he growled, as his eyes glowed in the same light of his aurora. “Adagio Dazzle, Aria Blaze, Sonata Dusk, allow me to introduce myself to you. My name... is Grogar.”

Hearing his name, Aria’s and Sonata’s eyes both lit up and then followed Adagio’s lead. The Sirens were aware of the ram-turned-human himself. After all, he created them. While they were as powerful as him, they still feared the Father of Monsters.

Grogar was known among many creatures back in Equestria as one of the most powerful villains to ever be, but the ones who knew him personally and more than anypony else knew that he was certainly the most monstrous of them all. For his reign over Pre-Equestria was one of the darkest eras in Equestrian history. His power was matched only by the fear he spread with his children. As his monsters roamed the land and plagued ponykind wherever they went, he bathed in the fear that came with the attacks. But his greatest strength was his Bewitching Bell, an artifact capable of draining and releasing the magic of any creature. The more he collected, the more powerful Grogar himself became. How he had come to this world was soon explained.

“That’s better,” the ram-turned-human prided himself with a smirk. “And now we get to business, my partners.”

“Partners?” Adagio repeated.

“Yes, Adagio, you three are now under my command for the conquest of Equestria. For countless centuries, I’ve been exiled by that fool Gusty to this miserable, magicless wasteland. But thanks to the magical surge from over sixteen years ago, I have finally gained enough to begin.”

“You mean Sunset Shimmer?”

“Precisely.” Grogar then turned his attention to the city out his window. The Sirens picked themselves up to look out and find Canterlot City in afternoon light. “It started small, but only when Mrs. Twilight Spruce unleashed her magic,” He handed Aria a telescope and directed her to CHS .“cracked the portal and divided it across the world did I really begin to collect power from it.”

Sonata spoke up. “But don’t you also get power from fear?”

“That I did, Sonata. To do so, I became an alchemist to have the magic come to me with this replica of my Bell with stolen technology from Spruce. By then, I’ve had enough magic to easily frighten children with nightmares of a lethal ram in their dreams, three years back. That’s when the real fear began, from parent and child alike, to contribute my ascension.” He only flashed a sadistic smile. His answer was enough to shiver the Sirens to their very souls. “But enough about me. Now is the time…for retribution.”

And with that, his eyes lit up again and his Bell arose. Despite years of no magic, Grogar was still quite familiar with his spells. As the Sirens slightly recoiled in fear, the Bell clanged, thus opening a small magical vortex. And from it shot three bright beams that brought each Siren to her knees in overwhelming pain. As the energy surged through their bodies, the Sirens wondered if he meant to kill them when he claimed “retribution.” However, all fears were washed away when they felt themselves changing. Only then did they realize that he was giving them a boost rather than wasting them.

When the smoke finally settled and they rose to their feet, the Sirens were in a haze for a couple of seconds until they all got a good look at each other and themselves. They could feel it within them. The Dazzlings have all regained their Siren tails, ears, and wings and were now wearing matching golden armor covering their body and legs. Grogar’s replica had proven to be all it was cracked to be. They’ve come back ten times more powerful. As Adagio looked over herself in the window’s weak reflection, she marveled at the sight of finally having Equestrian magic back, only to have it cut short when she realized something: their voices. It has been over a decade since their pendants shattered and to have their lovely vocals back would’ve been unbelievable.

“If you’re not convinced,” Grogar spoke behind the lead Siren, whose eyes bulged in surprise as she turned around swiftly. She didn’t think him a mind-reader, Sonata and Aria watching as he pinned Adagio against the window. “Then, by all means…,” the Father of Monsters gestured towards the city. So they went to test their voices.

After flying their way up the stairs to the roof, the Sirens had made their way down to the city looking for a big crowd to stir trouble in. Eventually, the trio found one at the very amphitheater that cost them their pendants. Down below is a heavy metal band performing as its fans sing or scream along and cheer. Truthfully, none of the Sirens had a soft spot for that kind of music, so this made it the perfect test run.

As they continued to sing in their original perfect pitch, they watched the metal band instantly drop their instruments and begin to be at one another’s throats, their influence soon spreading to the rest of the crowd. From what was once a musical rock show soon turned into a huge theater of yelling and bickering humans, something that the Sirens had reveled in as they absorbed their negative energy. Satisfying their years-long hunger, they flew back to Grogar’s building to report.

When they returned, the Father was already in his chair, expecting them to come back in a more pleasant mood. When hearing them burst in, he turned with a smile, waiting to hear their opinions.

“That…,” Adagio proclaimed as she wiped her mouth with her hand. “... was the best in forever.”

“Fast food, no doubt,” Aria quipped, “but was it worth it.”

“Eh, tacos taste better,” Sonata blankly stated. Aria only gave her a deadpan look of annoyance.

“Well then, I am pleased that you three all enjoyed the fringe benefits,” chuckled the First Emperor as he lifted himself up. “For now, IT. IS. TIME..”

The Dazzlings could only exchange anxious looks of the ram’s threats and promises. As much as they wanted more magic, they feared that Grogar might waste them when they’re no more help. Their thoughts were put on halt when he approached them.

“So, I take it you reject my offer?” he scowlingly inquired. The trio only fidgeted in their places. Adagio didn’t make it far back, for Aria and Sonata sharply shoved her to be face-to-face with the madman himself. After some stammering, Adagio found her clear voice.

“If we come with,” she began with a cunningly cocky smile. “Will me and my sisters have the one who brought us this much humiliation?”

Grogar simply gave a half-smile before stating: “All I need you to do is travel to Tartarus and bring all occupants to Canterlot under your spell. You can do so with this.” He tossed Sonata a compass-like device. “It will direct you to the nearest portal home. But yes, I promise you Sunset Shimmer. What do you say now?” This brought all three together in a huddled conversation. Once they departed heads, they all fell on a knee and bowed before their superior. “Excellent,” he smiled wholly upon seeing their loyalty to him. “Let us begin.”

Using his magic, the huge “G” on his floor glows in his magic aurora and begins to perform another of his spells. The Dazzlings remembered it to be the spell Grogar used every time he made more than one monster. But for this one also required the energy of another of his monsters. Seeing that he needed them for this spell, the trio too added their magic into the spell. As the four performed their spell, they continued their triumphant voices.

As they finished, they watched as their horrifying creations came to life. Among the monsters were a humanoid feline, a hulking lava man, a cloud demon, a trio of bird-dogs, a plant creature with three heads, and a huge humanoid bumblebee. Marveling at his handiwork, the Father of Monsters chuckled evilly, ready to retake his glory.