Twiset Shimarkle

by 20thCentury Brony

Vendetta

That was the most exhausting flight I’ve ever taken, Sunset thought as she and the others finally got off the plane to Canterlot City.

And she wasn’t lying. After digging some money from her satchel for airline tickets, the Fellowship of the Bell were all out of whack with the human world. Other than constantly saying “everypony” and comparing human limbs to pony limbs, they were an all-around headache for Sunset. Starlight and Trixie were constantly getting asked for autographs and pictures by fans of their performances on the plane. Discord and Tempest were getting in trouble with a flight attendant for the former’s snide comments and his enjoyment of disregarding rules and the latter criticizing the crew’s failure to dwell the “chaos”, saying that a crew working to stay ahead is one that works in perfect harmony, and, though it held nothing on them, their fashion senses. Lastly, Flurry went around the plane asking anybody there some very awkward questions about their customs, hobbies, and *ahem* biology with Spike making sure she’d watch her step with people. The only ones quiet were Sunset and Twilight.

Ever since they started the quest, Sunlight have been avoiding making any form of contact to each other. Their party might have mistaken it for being too nervous around one another. In actuality, they were scared. Twilight was scared that if she tried to break the ice with her love life, she’d only infuriate her again. Of all her friends, Sunset mad at her was the most breaking thing imaginable. Whether or not she would open up was her own choice. She’d loved her enough to respect her privacy. Sunset, on the other hand, feared that her anger destroyed her chance with Twilight, feared that she made Twilight think she hated her. After taking in just how much she’d been acting up recently, she’d started taking her self-loathing to new levels. But she kept telling herself that whether or not Twilight still loved her was entirely up to the Princess of Friendship herself. She’d loved Twilight enough to respect her decisions.

But they knew saving Equestria was top priority and couldn’t let their drama meddle.

Things started to tense again, however, when they got to Canterlot City.

After going through airport security and taking taxis, the Equestrians continued on foot, where they took in Canterlot City’s majesty.

During the princess hangout, Sunset also mentioned Sci-Twi’s advancements of magic on Canterlot City that Princess Twilight found hard to believe, that is until she saw it in person. Canterlot City was a utopian of alchemy. Every means of transportation has no more usage of tires and fossil fuels, only fueled by magic without ever running out, magical electricity and water were given lifetimes of eternity and instantly clean for drinking and bathing respectively, and waste disposal systems now identified what was garbage and recyclable. Twilight’s actions to the city made the biggest impact on the world yet. No sooner after, more cities soon followed her examples, giving her more work than she could manage alone. Eventually, after everything died down and the world began to use magic on a regular basis, Twilight was forever known as “the Magical Futurist.” Her work a massive influence, to the question of what the source of her success, she always answered…her friends.

“So this is all because of the human Aunt Twilight?” Flurry asked in wonder as she took in the city’s amazingness.

“That’s right, Flurry,” confirmed Sunset. “The Twilight of this world was obsessed with the basics of magic and how she could apply it to modern day life- “

“-After she absorbed too much of it and accidentally turned herself into a dark anthropomorphic creature called Midnight Sparkle and nearly broke the interdimensional walls between our two worlds,” Twilight bluntly finished with a bemused smile. She turned to see Flurry’s expression trying to connect the dots and Sunset’s amused expression. Seeing it confused Twilight. “Uh, it doesn’t bother her anymore?”

Sunset shook her head, amused expression still plastered. “It was nearly two decades ago; we’ve both gotten past that long ago.”

Escaping her reverie, Flurry returned to subject. “Bottomline: this world now uses magic on a regular basis like we do in Equestria, only to a lesser extent.”

“Eeyup,” both women agreed in unison to the young girl’s comment. Hearing each other quote after Applejack’s brother caused both to blush lightly, blushes that didn’t go amiss by the younger princess, who’s growing grin deflated when Discord spoke up.

“Oh, blah, blah, blah,” complained Discord from behind, “princesses and the wanting of sense. Differences just make alternate dimensions all the more chaotic.” He stopped to rub his flip-flopped foot, massaging the ache in his toes since he was used to snap-travel.

Trixie rolled her eyes and scoffed. “This coming from a draconequus who lives in a dimension of pure chaos.”

“Because I am pure chaos.”

“Guys, come on.” pleaded Starlight. “Years later and you’re still at each other’s throats. It’s starting to get childish.”

“And you whining over a potted plant wasn’t?” Trixie countered with an eyebrow raised. While it was long ago, Starlight still held hard feelings over that disrespect towards her plant. And that incident caused her to snap.

“Phyllis spruced the office and you killed her!”

“You’d’ve warned the Great-.”

“And Powerful Trixie,” groaned Tempest, starting to have enough of Trixie’s arrogance, “yeah, we’ve all heard it about 15 times counting this one.”

“Leave the boasting to Trixie.” boasted the boastful guidance counselor. Shadow only groaned in anger.

“Can’t get enough of an ego-boost, can you?”

“Ladies, please,” Starlight tediously cut in between the Captain and the Counselor. Before and during the flight, Tempest and Trixie’ve been at throats over each other’s protectiveness and egos. Flurry’s captain made it quite clear that she distasted egotistical ponies and creatures, while Trixie’s against constant watchfulness over somebody who doesn’t need it. They even came close to getting physical just before they took off for Canterlot. And through it all, Starlight was the middle girl, keeping things cool between them. After breaking about four fight, the Headmare was getting just flat-out peeved.

“Oh, come on, Starlight,” pleaded Trixie, giving off her best pleading eyes and pouted mouth to her ex-marefriend, “can’t you let me have this one?”

Starlight puffed in annoyance. “Trixie, this is not a shouting match; this is a quest to save Equestria and, by extension, this world. Matter of fact,” Starlight stopped to lean into Trixie’s ear, causing the magician to hotly grin, thinking that she wanted to gossip behind Shadow's back, only to be disappointed when Glimmer whispered, “I agree with Tempest, you don’t need any ego boosts.” Distancing herself, Starlight saw Trixie’s dismayed expression, causing the former to wince a bit.

Looking back on their party, both woman shared a glance, silently laughing as the side-conversations continued. Not breaking eye contact, the two grown women unknowingly reached out and connected hands. The ice seemed to finally melt once again.

If Sunset accepts me, Twilight thought, I could rule Equestria alongside the most beautiful person I’ve ever met.

If Twilight accepts me, Sunset equally thought, I could spend the rest of my life with the most adorable princess I’ve ever met.

Their hands had finally met. Sunlight looked down to see the bond. They blushed lightly and tittered as they turned up and got lost into each other’s eyes.

Suddenly, a growl broke between the Fellowship and ruined the moment, tensing Tempest up. After a few moments of silence came another growl. Since everyone was silent, they were able to locate the source of the growling…to Flurry’s stomach.

“Is that…you, sweetie?” asked Twilight. Flurry nodded her head sheepishly as she turned to look at everyone else’s expressions. A relieved Tempest lowered her guard and looked at her princess with mild amusement. Discord and Trixie looked at her with “seriously” looks while Starlight and Spike place a hand over their bellies, implying the same mood. “I guess we could fuel up, huh?”

“Thank Celestia,” “I could eat,” “Not a bad idea,” and “Sounds very good” were amongst the collective responses. So, Twilight turned towards her possible marefriend, wanting suggestions. Since Sunset was their go-to guide around the human world, she would have to choose where they’d go to eat. It’s can’t be just any restaurant, she thought. And she wasn’t joking. While most humans ate meat, mostly everyone else she met, including her friends, were vegetarians, so bringing her crush and company anyplace that serves them meat would undoubtingly result in an episode riled up about cannibalism.

This would require plenty of thought.

“Hmm, so delicious,” the princess of love proclaimed after consuming a spoonful of spicy flat-noodle soup.

After much thought, Sunset had finally decided on the Tasty Treat. It was the perfect place for dinner, she thought. No meat was served whatsoever, environment was pleasant and had a home-sweet-home feel, and she mentioned that the food was to die for. It was also one of the Humane 7’s favorite eateries after they saved it from getting shutdown. Thirteen years ago, the Equestria Girls first found the Treat when a harsh critic named Zesty Gourmand gave it the lowest review in all of Canterlot’s restaurants and Spoiled Rich threaten to close it as Coriander Cumin and Saffron Masala were behind on payments. Wanting to help, the girls advertised the Treat and made some very minor changes(on Rarity’s part) to the place that got business a-booming, giving the Treat a 4/4 star masses review and raising twice the money needed to save it. For their help, the two relieved the Girls of all charges for their meals there. Saffron would always seat them while Coriander made them their usual orders. That evening’s visit was different, however, when only Sunset and “Twilight” walked in.

After putting up with their orders and their viewpoints, the heroes spanned yarn.

“So lemme get this right,” Starlight chuckled towards Sunset, “your Pinkie Pie took a brief disliking towards your Mudbriar, but then decided to hook him up with your Maud unlike our Pinkie just like that?”

“She took it so better than we’d’ve all expected,” Sunset answered, “and we thought it sweet of her to hook her sister up.”

“I want to say I’m not surprised,” commented Spike as he downed his water, “but we’re talking Pinkie and she’s Discord…on a more unbalanced level.”

The Lord of Chaos gave off a deadpan look, causing all table guests to amusingly chuckle.

Flurry looked across the table where her aunt and her crush were sitting uncomfortably next to one another, who’ve been giving each other a blink glance before returning to conversations or their meals or turning towards something else. Wanting to do something for them, she waited until the conversation changed.

In spite of how much she wanted to help, Flurry deep down felt that what she was thinking of doing would be wrongly forced. Upon knowing Twilight’s crush, she had been processing and modifying an over-the-top, cheesy, yet hopefully romantic setting for Sunlight. While having Shining Armor’s courage and responsibility to duty, she clearly inherited more of Cadance’s leadership and magic spells over love. Unlike the Princess of Family who only used her powers for the greater good, Flurry was much more impulsive to use her powers to play matchmaker and ease her shipper urges. Her parents had hoped that she learned her lesson after a couple of “soap operas” and yet the Princess of Love continued those antics. Now seeing Twilight acting all skittish around her very special somepony, her inner shipper was squealing to be released, but the rational part was putting her hoof down. One certain thing: she wanted to break the ice.

“So, Sunset,” she started, “it’s just occurred to me that we don’t know your job.”

Sunset looked up at the younger princess with an expression tinged with nervousness. She looked around the table to see everyone giving her anticipating faces, wanting in on it. After turning to Twilight whose eyes quickly shot forward and tapped her fingers together, the teacher exhaled and explained her job.

“Well, y’know what they say,” she stated, “home’s where the heart is. I mean, I teach Integrated Science at Canterlot High and I’ve made some very special teacher-student relationships.”

“Like Celestia and me or like me and Starlight?” wondered Twilight aloud. Turning to the blushing Twilight, Sunset only managed a shy smile.

“Like Celestia and you,” she confirmed. She saw at the edge of her eyes that Twilight’s blush brighten her lavender face. There was a chorus of “ah” around the table. You guys are really enjoying this, she thought as she continued. “They didn’t care much for friends until I- “

“-taught them the importance and benefits of friendship and they eventually made plenty?” Twilight absent-mindedly finished. She snapped out of it and looked at Sunset with widened eyes and tried to manage a straight smile to no avail.

Ever the empath, Sunset managed her own. She didn’t need her powers to know Twilight’s feelings at the moment. “The apple don’t fall far from the tree.” Sunset repeated with a Southern drawl.

“Integrated Science, huh?” inquired Trixie coyly. “What’s your favorite part: cosmology, chemistry, biology?”

“TRIXIE!!!” rebuked Tempest and Starlight as the captain gave Lulamoon a hard backhand to the shoulder. It didn’t derail Lulamoon from her giggles as the rest gave her equally rebuking looks, Sunset giving the fiercest matched by her furious blush. Her mind was swimming with words towards Trixie unfit for a family restaurant. She, however, composed herself with a deep in and out of breath and, not after her eyes darted to see the hot blushing Twilight, continued.

“Astronomy, actually,” she clarified.

Everybody at the table gave off expressions that didn’t look at all impressed or surprised. Sunset thought that her crush was so obvious that the rest would think of her crush more as an obsession. On her left was Twilight looking down on the floor, left hand twirling a strain of hair and her right holding her stomach. Is she getting butterflies?

After a beat of silence, Twilight turned and broke it.

“What are your classes studying now?” asked the bookworm.

Sunset was still silent until she answered.

“My classes are doing something very fun. Right at this moment, we’re studying,” she cleared her throat, “astronomy and constellations. Before Spring Break, I took them out to Camp Everfree and showed them the stars. We saw the Ursas, Pegasus, Rockhoof, Aries, and…Twiset.” Hearing this caused Twilight to shoot up in surprise and was awestruck with emotion. As Sunset rambled on, her hand unknowingly reached for Twilight’s right hand. “Twiset is a seven-star constellation that was recently discovered by this world’s Twilight and was named so because of…a certain ship she supports.” Finishing that with an embarrassed blush, she finally felt that her left hand was held onto Twilight’s right. Seeing this, the two couldn’t help but give small yet sincere smiles at one another, not paying any mind to their onlookers. Discord, Trixie, and Tempest looked with calm anticipation, Starlight and Spike watched as their eyes shimmered and they beamed, and Flurry’s internal squealing was killing her so bad that she’d just explode.

Lost in the moment, Sunlight just looked and leaned in close to each other, their minds racing with excitement and Flurry’s squealing becoming slightly audible. The two ex-students couldn’t believe how close they were to their lips and how much they’d’ve enjoyed it…

“Sorry, but am I interrupting?”

…if Saffron hadn’t returned. Sunset and Twilight recoiled and looked up at their waitress with burning faces.

“Anything I can help you guys other than save Twilight’s marriage?” Saffron asked her customers with a sly smile, causing Trixie, Discord, and Tempest to chuckle silently and Sunlight to embarrassingly turn away. The waitress had no idea that the Twilight before her was a completely different Twilight than the one she knew.

“No thanks,” answered Spike. “If we could get the check, we’ll be on our way.”

“Oh, there’s no need. After what these two and their friends did for us, it’s on the house.”

Not facing Saffron, Sunset makes a gun gesture and clicked her teeth.

“I’m sure you all enjoyed your meals here at the Tasty Treat and we hope to see you again.” Saffron proclaimed before walking away with a satisfied smile.

“Well, I’m sure we’re all probably fueled and ready.” Twilight commented, trying to cool her red-hot face and getting out of her seat. “We should get back to the bell, don’t cha agree?”

The rest soon followed suit, everyone but Sunset heading out. Spike noticed her going the opposite way.

“Aren’t you coming?” he questioned the teacher, who turned to him.

“I’ll join you guys in a few. I need to wash first.” cleared up the teacher. Spike, understanding, turned for the doors in-and-out of the Treat while Sunset turned for the ladies’ room, face still burning embarrassment.

Come on, Sunset, she thought to herself as she splashed palmfuls of water into her face. She promised Spike to be out in a few minutes, but she’s been in the restroom for over ten chewing herself up for not acting sooner. Quit being such a stupid mare and go for the Celestia-dang lips! Ugh, no. I doubt she’d take it well. I need to play it smart and collective. Twilight likes that about me, doesn’t she? Besides, she probably knows anyway, and she seems to like me-like me…yet there’s still the possibility that she doesn’t and-and-and…GGGRRR!!!

As her conscious kicked her rump, Sunset looked in the mirror, reflected once again on recent events and was worried over her friends waiting impatiently for her. Sunset breathed deep.

No more self-loathing, Sunset. The minute you see Twilight, you grab her by the arms and smooch her deep, hard, and passionately and you tell her how much YOU LOVE HER. And with that thought, she smoothed out her pants and shirt of wrinkles and marched out of the ladies’ room for the exit when suddenly…

…just within earshot was the hum of a beautiful singing voice.

Sunset was hoping it was some daydream of hers since it was so beautiful. To her, there was only one voice that could sound so beautiful with the beauty of an angel. She turned to the Treat’s back exit and heard the singing coming from outside. She walked to the door as the singing continued.

Opening the door only amplified the harmonizing and majestic beauty of the song. Looking around the back alley, Sunset saw but the trash bins and bags accompanied by the awful smell that engulfed many alleys in the setting sunlight. However, what she found next cladded in darkness was her brightest star; Twilight Sparkle just standing in the far end. The older woman was starstruck seeing her crush singing such a beautiful melody in a filth-ridden environment. Walking over to her, Sunset froze dead when Twilight turned and saw her. She walked towards Sunset with those dream eyes as she continued her aria.

Finally just face-to-face, the two unicorns-turned-humans looked each other in the shimmering eyes and blushes threatening to melt their faces. Sunset was about to speak, but Twilight simply placed a finger over her lips. Darting eyes from Twi’s finger to her face, Sunset saw that Twilight was clearly suggesting “shut-up-and-kiss-me-you-big-bacon-haired-idiot.” Despite her blushes threatening to melt her face, Sunset had gotten the message very clear and gave her cutest teary-eyed expression possible as she moved her face slowly to Twilight who done so as well.

The two had finally met lips.

Sunset was on overdrive. Her heart was going lightspeed, legs were jelly, and eyes were tearing. What was happening right then was considered her greatest happiest moment, surpassing making friends. She was clearly in heaven and wouldn’t want the moment to end. She was content on staying in the kissing for eternity.

That is,…if she were kissing Twilight.

“SUNSET?!?” a voice cried out from behind.

The sound made her eyes open wide in shock. She recognized it to belong to Twilight, but impossible since she was-

She turned around and gasped in shock as she saw Twilight and the rest standing there frozen in equal shock. She sputtered in utter confusion as she looked between her friends and the Twilight she kissed, who formed a sinister grin. Looking from behind was a mirror, revealing a shocking truth: Twilight #2 was Adagio!

Thousands of thoughts flooded her brain. She had just kissed Adagio Dazzle in front of Twilight. How could the Siren had pulled this off? How could she have fallen for it? What has she just royally bucked up?!

She was speechless, so Adagio, shedding her disguise and ponying up, spoke for her.

“Grogar’s magic did more than restore my powers;” she cackled despicably, “he’s also increased them. I can bring to vision any deep desire to lure my prey, i.e. you, Sunset Shimmer.”

Walking backwards towards her friends, Sunset cursed herself as she looked around everyone’s shock, Twilight clearly the most hurt. Adagio cackled again with a wave of her hand as multiple objects fade away to reveal Flores and the Raptorians. Ready for the kill, the Siren announced:

“You took everything from me, Shimmer. Now I’ve just returned the favor.” She roared.

And with that, her soldiers charged for the Fellowship.

Knowing their complete lack of magic (excluding Sunset’s geode), the eight rebels turned to run, dashing through the sidewalks and gathered crowds. Adagio and her squad gave chase, causing a panic in the city. Sunset was shifting focus from the pursuers to her direction. But all her mind could possibly conjure up was the thought of breaking Twilight’s heart. Adagio sang all the way.

As the Dazzling sang her rage out, the bird-dogs swooped down onto the escapees, beaks snapping. And even with her lack of magic, Captain Tempest was still willing to fight back. As two Raptorians swept down, the agile captain jumped towards and sweeping-kicked both flyers in the face, bringing them hard to the ground and quickly returning to her cohorts. Flores, running on three vine legs, was advancing with fly-trapper claws stretching towards the heroes. Feeling around her magician uniform, Trixie found a small tape roll, smoke pellets and a pack of mini fireworks with matches in her pockets. Looking at the objects, she’d got an idea. Taping the pellets to the fireworks and igniting the fuses, the Great and Powerful Trixie threw the self-made bombs at the colossal plant creature and beamed with self-praise as the bombs went off and set part of Flores ablaze, derailing him from the chase and onto the street.

But Dazzle continued forth. Speeding up towards her quarry, the lead Siren unleashed a shattering vocalizing blast towards the sidewalk ahead, blocking off the eight and forcing them onto the street.

And with that, Flores returned to the game and struck three tendrils into the concrete. Within seconds, they came back up and trapped the heroes within. Left with no means of escape, they were lifted in the air as smaller tendrils shot out from the larger vines and started to strangle their lives out. Despite struggles, Sunset and her Mane 7 were powerless against the plant’s tightening grasp.

Struggling, Sunset’s mind raced for an escape, but was outclassed by the plant monster. Opening her eyes, Sunset looked around to see her friends losing their lives as well. Feeling that everyone present were going to die because of her was pain enough but seeing Twilight from above choking for breath was the needle to the heart. Adagio clearly had planned to make Princess Twilight suffer just to make Sunset suffer. The runaway unicorn was mortified to see how low the lead Siren had gone over the years.

As the wicked Siren cackled away, Sunset Shimmer closed her eyes in accepting her fate.

The constriction and the cackle stopped abruptly.

Feeling the tendril’s grasp loosening, Sunset opened her eyes to find it engulfed in magic. Once the grip entirely loosened, the Equestria Girl was saved from falling high by the same magic. Floating in mid-air, Sunset looked at the aurora surrounding her and remembered it to be Twilight’s telekinesis powers. Looking up, she looked…

…to find Princess Twilight freeing the rest and all ponied-up!

Even though Twilight didn’t have a geode, Sunset quickly surmised that her pony-up form was because of showcasing the Magic Element. Sunset’s face was a mix of amaze and fear; amaze for seeing Twilight with wings and a crown-like headband and displaying her magical powers and fear for the simple angered look on her face. She had seen Twilight mad before, but it was a new kind of anger. Twilight looked ready to enact blood-soaked vengeance; she looked willing to kill; she looked something…midnight.

Fortunately, Sunset’s amaze was amplified by the sudden changes by the rest of the Fellowship. They all grew pony ears and tails and powers from where she levitated. Spike, Discord, and Flurry all had their signature wings and Starlight, Trixie, and Tempest each a hairband baring their cutie marks. Sunset was last to pony-up, gaining her tail, ears, and signature geode outfit. Looking above the green wall, Sunset saw the very-peeved Siren roar in fury and continue her vengeful-serenade.

The lead Siren dived down towards her quarry with the eyes of vendetta, another music wave at the ready. Looking up with Sunset, Twilight lifted with her telekinesis chunks of the road up and hurled them through Flores’ tendrils and at Adagio. Dazzle used her charged vocals to destroy the concrete projectiles. But it was all Twilight needed as she hurled another road chunk straight for the Siren with vicious rage, even striking one bird-dog. Shaking it off, the Siren and two bird-dogs returned to the hunt and dashed with equally vicious rage. She was closing distance between her and her targets as she readied another vocal blast.

But just before she could fire, a vortex opened right in front of her. Seeing and recognizing it, Dazzle tried to slow. But it didn’t matter, for a giant black hand reached out, firmly grasped her and pulled her in swiftly as she screamed in angered horror, the two bird-dogs not far behind.

While witnessing and wondering what just transpired, it was the least of the Fellowship’s worries as they were still pursued by Flores. With more tendrils coming for them, Tempest shot at them with her returned firework powers and Starlight evaded them via teleportation while they covered their escape. Watching these powers in action came off a surprise to Sunset herself.

“I thought your geode was all the magic we had,” Flurry voiced as she flew next to Sunset. Sunset was going to give her two bits about their mysterious power-up when Trixie interrupted.

“Who cares? We can use this to escape!” And with Starlight and Tempest gaining up, Trixie tossed her last two smoke pellets to the ground, engulfing all eight in the puff.

Waving the smoke away with his tendrils, Flores quickly snapped away at and saw its prey continuing their escape. However, it didn’t follow them for sensing something-no someone standing over the green and moved towards the source…right to the Everfree Forest.

SNAP!

“What are- “Sunset trailed off as she eyed her new surroundings. The Fellowship of the Bell was now in a star-lit forest filled bramble vines and plunder plants. Sunset, depowering, remembered these to only originate from…

“You snapped us into Everfree?” Sunset spat out turning to Discord with surprise in her tone.

“Well,” Discord clarified, “we suddenly got our magic back and I thought instant snap-travel to the Bell.”

“And my duplication spell would distance us from Grogar’s cronies for the time-being,” Starlight added confidently as Sunset smiled in relief only for curiosity to take over.

Looking around, she saw how everyone depowering while happy with their magic, Flurry clearly remaining so, wondering how they could just do so right now. However, when she reached Twilight, her princess depowered and hurt from recent events. Remembering the kiss she unintentionally shared with Dazzle, Shimmer composed herself before walking over to Sparkle with a comforting hand stretching out.

“Twilight, I…”

“Let’s just find the Bell and go home.” Twilight barked, turning from Sunset to Spike, causing Sunset’s heart to sink from the outburst. “You left it somewhere in this forest, Spike?”

While acknowledging Sunset’s pain, Spike sighed as he pointed northwest: “And made sure it was in good hands…down that direction.”

“Good. Let’s move.” Twilight coldly stated as she moved in that direction.

Everyone else were left in worry at seeing Twilight’s sudden change in mood. While the rest followed their princess at a steady pace, Flurry turned to see Sunset. Her head down did nothing to hide her waterworks from the Princess of Love. Wanting to try and help the downhearted woman, Flurry stretched out her own hand onto Sunset’s shoulder. Not flinching, Sunset looked up to her comforting smile and moved forward with the younger princess calming her, whispering comfortably and rubbing her back.

Thinking back on recent episodes, Sunset was really hating herself for her actions towards Twilight. She loved the princess for Celestia’s sake, so why was she bucking up her chances so badly? I just want this to end, she mentally sobbed. All I want is to just tell Twilight how much I love her without any problems!!

Unfortunately, Sunset’s bad luck was yet to end.

Hearing Adagio’s dislike for waiting was frustrating enough but disobeying him infuriated the Father of Monsters over the edge. Upon knowing what the lead Siren had done, Grogar heatedly dragged her from her chase and back to Equestria where he preceded to brutalize Adagio with painful magic surges from his horns. He held no mercy towards the pleading Siren as he continued to beat her for her actions across the throne room with Aria, Sonata and the remainder of his Elite as the audience. Charging his horns, Grogar then swung his head upward to the Siren’s face, sending her across the room.

“I ordered a wait,” berated the self-proclaimed king as he walked towards his leading commander, “but instead, your poorly-thought, revenge-driven plan cost two of my Elite!”

Getting up on her hooves, Adagio was quickly grounded when Grogar used his magic to restrain her wings. Looking up at her advancing master, now at his complete mercy, she pleaded: “Father, forgive me. I disappointed, yes, but I only wanted to rid us of Princess-. “Before she could finish, Grogar stomped his right forehoof onto her head.

“Nopony gets rid of anypony unless I give the word!!” screamed the tyrannical ram as he applied more pressure onto her head. “Do I make MYSELF CLEAR!!?!?!

“Y-*Gasp* Y-Yes, M-*Gasp*-Lord Grogar,” Adagio barely choked with the hoof’s pressure. Hearing her compliance, Grogar removed his hoof and magically threw her back towards her sisters, looking in disgust as his latest creations took pity on the insubordinate. He took a sick thrill watching his own followers wither in fear as it only threw more fuel into his fire. And wanting to cement his authority after Adagio’s actions, he decided to address his soldiers. So he walked over to Twilight’s throne and, seeing his soldiers gathered before him, stomped his hoof down to gather their attention from the battered Siren.

Silence engulfed the room.

“Now with your undivided attention,” Grogar addressed in a calm, yet baleful tone, “allow me to clarify something. I am not usually this ANGRY. In fact, I never had because back in my glory, I had but single-minded beasts who caused unholy FEAR and SUFFERING in my NAME without question. Some of them, I now wish to have done then, seemed worthy enough of free will because it would have motivated them to reach far greater feats of DESPAIR. But THAT was LONG AGO, and THIS is NOW. And FREE WILL is clearly taken FOR GRANTED by most nowadays. That same FREE WILL allowed…” As he continued, Grogar conjured up the petrified Legion of Doom from the garden, watching in mental glee as his minions pieced his saying, “CHRYSALIS, TIREK, and COZY GLOW to use all of MY MAGIC against Equestria, only to FAIL and have it ALL TAKEN AWAY from me. Equestria’s FEAR crushes their HOPE and FREE WILL and allows me to rule UNOPPOSED. So, I…WILL NOT tolerate any TRANSGRESSION against MY RULE. I WILL NOT tolerate any JUDGEMENT. I WILL NOT TOLERATE,” he continued as he placed a charging forehoof onto Chrysalis’ head, “ANYTHING AGAINST ME!!” And with that, his hoof’s magic surged over the Legion statue and sent it blowing up over the throne room in hundreds of tiny pieces. Seeing his minions’ scare-stiff faces at the Legion’s remains, Grogar laid himself down onto Twilight’s throne where he took in the fear. “If ANY OF YOU care to speak, NOW is NOW, or YOU. WILL. BEG for DEATH.”

Knowing their places, the Sirens and his Elite bowed in feared submission.

Grogar smiled, pleased to have established complete control. “Good, my children. Now get back out there and bring me the Humane 6.”

After what they just witnessed, his army scrammed, flying out through the balcony.

Sitting on his conquered throne, Grogar stared blankly in his darkly lit throne room.

While I play some games, he thought, with the princesses.

“What were you thinking?!” demanded Aria as the three Sirens flew over Canterlot.

While revenge was common amongst the trio, they had made a promise to always do something together. And Adagio’s transgression was piercing. Something the accused didn’t care for.

“I was simply trying to do Grogar a favor,” Adagio defended.

“Puhlease!” retorted Sonata. “You did it just outta personal revenge. Without us by extension!”

Groaning in frustration, Adagio turned to Sonata with an annoyed face. “I’d told you, one of you would’ve sing before we got Shimmer. Plus, what’s your beef against this?!”

“Leave her be,” Aria demanded as she flew between her sisters, “it’s my job to give her grief…but she’s right.” Aria defended against her boss of a sister.

All three were in surprise at what the violet Siren just claimed; Adagio that Aria would even protect such a “weak link”, Sonata that after all their bickering years, Aria defended her, and Aria herself for bringing herself up to challenge Adagio and defend Sonata. Aria processed at what could’ve make her act so “impulsive,” as she’d’ve called it. After some, she thought that while Sonata was a bit of a-scratch that, she was a total dunce, she was still the youngest of them and had a child’s innocence despite her acts. And, as much as she hated it, Aria was warming to her over the years.

Finally, after the shock wore off, Adagio finally questioned: “You’re taking her side?”

Aria failed to respond as she and Sonata were still flabbergasted before finally stating: “No, I’m not taking sides! I’m just saying she’s right.”

“That IS taking my side Aria.” Sonata pointed out, earning a “quiet” look from Aria before returning to Adagio.

“We all want payback, but your thirst is more personal than ours.”

“Well, it SHOULD BE!!” retorted the lead Siren. “We’ve spent who knows how many years in that forsaken dimension and were given an opportunity much too delicious to pass only for Shimmer to take it all away from us!! Grogar promised us blood and I won’t sleep until I’ve my share.”

“Even by risking our necks?! You screw him over again and we’ll get no blood at all.”

Adagio grunted angrily. “Why are you of all creatures so nervous? You were nev-.” Adagio silenced with wide eyes, pondering. Aria watched in anticipation until Dazzle gasped in horror. “Are…you two…believing in…this whole friendship nonsense?!”

Sonata and Aria looked at each other before Blaze tried to respond but was cut off by her angered sister.

“How could you two be so foolish to buy this!?! We’ve feast on ponies’ bad vibes and were banished from here! One minute you want blood and you suddenly think to make bracelets, have sleepovers and-and-and think they’ll forgive us like that?!”

Adagio pierced her sisters with rage-filled eyes, demanding an answer as the two Sirens looked in fear of “Grogar No. 2” when…

BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!!! They turned attention to distant colors brightening the sky.

Brushing off their argument, the Sirens watched as the fireworks just outside the castle walls formed an arrow pointing down and the message: “Come and get us, Sirens!” Accepting it, the sisters harmonized to rally the Tartarus monsters under their spell. Hearing the call, Cerberus and his former prisoners gathered before their descending commanders at the gates. Seeing all of their mesmerized soldiers gathered before them, the Sirens led the charge outside the city towards the disturbance and possible rebels.

Little did they know, they were played right into their hooves.

Just outside one of the entrances to the castle’s catacombs, originally guarded by the Chimera and Manticore, Twilight teleported herself, Fluttershy, and Applejack there, confident smiles plastered.

“Whoo-wee,” Applejack quietly cheered once their faction arrived and saw how alone the three mares were, “Ever the fast workers, Pinks and Dash are.”

“Part one of breaking into the castle is a success,” Twilight announced, even writing down their news in her cell-book to their other half. “Now comes the matter of getting in and regrouping.”

Seeing Twilight’s point, Fluttershy and Applejack looked over the catacomb entrance and found it enclosed in bricks. The honest apple simply laughed heartily at the so-called challenge, walking over to the wall as Twi and Flutters looked on with confusion.

“Sugar,” chuckled Applejack as she turned to face her friends as she stretched her hindlegs, “if ya called a stampede of any critters a problem, Fluttershy’d be the Rainbow Dash of calming them. Ten seconds flat.” Positioning herself, she pulled her hinds back and gave the wall a mighty buck, smashing open the wall and giving the three mares an entrance. “After you, ladies,” she confidently insisted as she stood in pride and her two accompanying mares trotted inside, watching to not trip over any bricks. Applejack followed not long after. Before returning forward, Twilight turned towards the busted wall and used her magic to reseal it and not draw suspicion.

Doing so engulfed the hall into pitch black, but not for long as Twilight lit up her horn tip with magic, looking to see Applejack and Fluttershy shielding their eyes from the brilliance. Twilight returned her attention forward with the two mare close behind.

“How did you suddenly get so with magic spells, Twilight?” inquired Fluttershy as they continued. “I know you’re an alchemist, but last I’d checked, you were never this advanced.”

Twilight didn’t respond until after several seconds.

“Well, you guys remember that time when everyone in our Canterlot were turned into ponies and creatures after that one magical failure of mine?” The bespectacled mare gave a finishing blush.

AJ and Flutters nodded in response.

“While we were working to reverse it, Sunset gave me some advanced lessons on magic. Even gave Rarity some pointers.”

“Ah.” Fluttershy simply respond with.

“Ah guess that explains why she was glum when everything went normal,” Applejack pointed. “Speaking of which, how do ya gals think those gals are getting in?”

“Truthfully,” Twilight answered, “Pinkie’ll find a way in.”

And she did.

Once Pinkie and Rainbow booked from diverting Grogar’s beasts from the castle, they regrouped with Rarity who was digging a tunnel like a dog to the castle catacombs. Seeing this, RD joined in on the digging. After two minutes of bone-aching digging, the two mares turned to Pinkie and gestured her to help in the digging. Instead, the party-pony just shoved them aside as she moved for the hole. Twisting her long curly strain of hair, she let it go and brought her strain down as it continued to spin like a drill into the ground. As she burrowed deeper into the ground, Rares and RD followed her into the hole, blocking their tunnel with dug-up dirt to avoid suspicion.

Soon enough, the three of them made into the catacombs as well.

Shaking the dirt off herself, Rarity quickly lit her horn in radiance to give them light and found Rainbow wiping the dirt off her bandaged wing while Pinkie wrote to Twilight about their position. Within moments, Twilight responded saying they’re in the catacombs as well.

“All cats are in the house, ladies,” Pinkie jubilantly stated, earning puzzled looks from Rarity and Rainbow. “Ugh, Twilight, Flutters, and AJ are in the castle as well.”

The two simultaneously oohed.

Pinkie immediately wrote back to Twilight.

“What do we do now, Twilight?”

Several seconds later, Twilight responded back.

“Just keep moving forward and watch yourselves until we find each other. From where we are, I’ve a feeling this is a maze.”

“You heard her, ladies, HO!” Pinkie cheered as she continued forth with Rainbow and Rarity following shortly behind as they exchanged rolled eyes.

It’s a shame they didn’t count on being watched.

Standing before her father, Catrina showed King Grogar the Humane 6 making their way through the catacombs through two looking holes. As Grogar looked on with silence, Catrina looked up with silent satisfaction.

“Fear not, Father,” the cat witch proclaimed with a grin, “I will gather my buffoon brothers and-. “

“No.” he swiftly interjected. “You are to wait, give them a false sense until I say so.”

“What? But they- “

Grogar growled as he stomped his hoof down, the sound echoing across the room and looking at the cat with bile. She clearly needed a refresher after what he’d just made clear.

“You will wait, or you will suffer.” hissed the more powerful ram.

Clearly frightened by his words, Catrina scatted out of the room in a blink.

Grogar chuckled with sadistic delight at her fear as he took a speck of magic from his horns and conjured a form. “Reasons why will reveal, but for now,” he voiced aloud as the conjured magic formed a likeness of Sunset Shimmer, “I wait until she’s ripe.”

With a clop of his hooves, he crushed the likeness.