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Chapter One - A Night With Rarity9,918 words
Chapter Two - A Night With Pinkie Pie7,134 words
Chapter Three - A Night With Rainbow Dash7,957 words
Chapter Four - A Night With Fluttershy5,583 words
Chapter Five - A Night With Applejack8,451 words
Chapter Six - A Night With My Friends10,675 words
Chapter Seven - A Day With Flash Sentry9,312 words
Epilogue - What Dreams May Come6,585 words

Epilogue - What Dreams May Come

“Now darling, what precisely did you mean by ‘everything’?”

Sunset Shimmer smiled and assured her friends, “That was what Twilight said in her message. Princess Celestia wants to talk with us, and a few others, about everything. I’m guessing all the stuff that went down at the Fall Formal is part of it.”

Rarity pursed her lips as she pondered that while Sunset led them into the teacher’s lounge, Pinkie Pie dashing off to the vending machines for snacks. “Well, it’s no doubt important, and I don’t like the idea of turning down an audience with royalty.”

Applejack grinned as they approached the mirror leading into the bridge realm. “Ain’t exactly the smartest idea last Ah checked.”

One by one, the six entered, all curious as to what would be discussed and eager to learn. The bridge realm had changed its furnishings, still a mostly empty space but lacking the furniture that Sunset had been accustomed to since her first time visiting. Waiting for them near the portal that led back to Equestria were Twilight, Princess Celestia and Spike, the little dragon carrying a stack of books in his arms. The elder alicorn’s gaze swept over the gathered group as she gave them a welcoming smile. “Hello girls. Hello Sunset. I’m glad you could all come at such short notice.”

“Oh, it’s no issue at all, your Highness.” Rarity gave a small curtsey and noted, “You wouldn’t call us here if it wasn’t important, after all. Now, what is it that you wished to discuss?”

“I’m afraid much has weighed upon my mind since Princess Twilight came to your world, and I’ve found myself thinking that it was long since time that I made an effort to fix some of my other mistakes. This meeting, and what will be discussed here, is a crucial part of that.” The princess levitated each of the books out of Spike’s grasp, gently sending one to each of the girls and explained, “One such mistake was keeping others out of the loop when there was important information they needed to know.”

Pinkie Pie quickly looked over the cover and read aloud, “A Brief History of Equestria: Abridged Edition.”

“I’ve highlighted a few areas that you all might be interested in.” Twilight looked to Sunset and explained, “Princess Celestia already filled me and everypony else in on the details earlier today, but there’s some things in there that you definitely need to know about.”

“Thanks, but it might take us all a while.”

“Yeah, especially if we have to leave these here.” Rainbow Dash briefly skimmed through her copy and admitted, “If I’m gonna read a doorstopper, it better be an exciting one.”

“Don’t worry, you can take them with you.” At the curious looks from the girls, Celestia gave a small laugh and asked, “You aren’t curious about how Spike managed to take a piece of paper from your world back to ours without incident?”

“Hey, yeah, I was wondering about that!” The little dragon turned to the princess and asked, “How did I do that?”

“You did nothing. Despite coming from another world, that paper has a similar or identical chemical composition to paper found in our world, making it practically indistinguishable. The same is true of the ink. So long as an object is indistinguishable between the two on a chemical level, and isn’t a living organism, it can use the bridge mirrors to traverse the two realms.”

“Really?” Pinkie’s gaze went from her book to the portal back to Canterlot High before she stepped through, her cargo going with her. She stepped back through none the worse for wear and declared, “Yep, it works! Yay loopholes!”

“I wouldn’t try coming through by wrapping yourselves in paper, though,” Twilight warned. “Whoever made the portals probably considered something like that.”

“I wasn’t about to try it anyway.” A stray thought came to her, and Sunset asked her former teacher, “Who did create the portals? I didn’t get that far in my reading before you caught me.”

Celestia looked briefly to Twilight, then grinned and offered, “Twilight, would you like to tell her, or shall I?”

“Please?” The elder alicorn nodded, and Twilight turned to the gathered students of Canterlot High and gleefully declared, “Star Swirl the Bearded created the portals, back before Princess Luna turned into Nightmare Moon!” Her very un-princess-like squeals of delight rang through the realm as she started hopping up and down on her hooves in excitement. “My mind is still blown!”

“Whoa there, sugar cube!” Applejack let out a low whistle at the young alicorn’s enthusiasm before she asked, “Sounds like this Star Swirl feller’s a big deal.”

Twilight’s eyes glittered with glee. “You have no idea! Star Swirl was one of the most brilliant sorcerers in pony history, dating all the way back to the pre-classical era, and probably the most powerful of all high-level unicorns! He’s the father of the amniomorphic spell, and created over two hundred others, from time spells to age spells to…!”

Sunset laughed despite herself and gently set a hand on her new teacher’s back to calm her, then turned to her new human friends and summarized, “He’s basically our Merlin.” The five girls nodded in understanding, and she turned back to Celestia and realized, “I should’ve known he had a hoof in creating the Crystal Mirror. But why have a feature like that?”

“That I don’t know, but it’s possible he met someone with whom he wanted to collaborate with. Having an easy method of sharing research would be useful in a case like that, and you can’t deny this hasn’t been useful for other things.”

A sad smile crossed the flame-haired girl’s face. “No, I can’t.” She took a quick breath to steel herself and offered a grateful smile. “Thank you, by the way, for everything. You didn’t have to do all of this, looking out for me and everything. We didn’t exactly part on good terms.”

“No, but if I could maintain a thousand year vigil for my sister, could I do less for a brilliant student?”

A small, saddened grunt, and Sunset noted, “I’m not that brilliant. What happened the night of the Fall Formal showed me that. Safe to say I was never meant to carry an Element of Harmony, probably the same to say I was never meant to be a princess. It was never my destiny.”

Celestia extended a wing and gently stroked her former pupil’s face, a reassuring smile on her own. “Sunset Shimmer, you should have realized by now that I do not choose my students on a whim. I made you my student for the same reason that I made so many others before you my students, and for the same reason that I did Twilight after your departure; because of your potential.” She smiled and offered, “In all honesty, I was hoping I’d have a chance to discuss this properly with you. Now seems the perfect time.”

“That’s probably our cue to skedaddle…”

“No Applejack, I’ve something I need to discuss with each of you as well. Please, stay.” Celestia looked about and noticed some waiting chairs and cushions off to the side. She gently brought them over with her magic and arranged them so that all present could sit comfortably, then began her story. “All of you know by now the story of my sister Luna’s fall a millennium past. Afterwards was a dark time for Equestria as a whole, and myself in particular. I was the last alicorn, the only remnant of the fourth pony tribe. What family I had was long gone, what descendants I had left far from me due to distance and time. Such an existence is not something I’d wish upon anyone.” She looked to Sunset and admitted, “Alas, it still happens.”

The former unicorn offered a small smile. “At least you didn’t purposely push them away.”

“No, but my negligence was just as bad. While I had friends left, they were a small comfort. My own mistakes had damaged some of my stronger friendships, particularly with Star Swirl himself.” The alicorn smiled and added, “Still, we had enough of a bond that he was able to help me through that difficult time, and some good resulted from it. In particular to this discussion, the founding of my school.”

“The same one that you and Twilight are both alumni of,” Rarity reasoned.

Sunset looked nervous as she countered, “I don’t think I really count. I did get expelled.”

“You still attended, Sunset Shimmer. That is the important detail.” Celestia turned back to the discussion and explained, “I will admit, my reasons for doing so were varied. I had a lot more time on my metaphorical hands, and I enjoyed being in the company of young colts and fillies. I’d taken personal pupils before, and opening and managing a proper school was not only the logical next step, but it was also the right thing to do and a worthy challenge. But I also had a more selfish reason, one which Star Swirl suggested. He was quite old by unicorn standards at that point, knew that his time was swiftly coming to an end, and was acutely aware that, even if Luna’s fall wasn’t permanent, I would still be alone for a thousand years. And in his wisdom, he suggested I do something even I hadn’t thought possible – find other alicorns, or at least, their descendants.”

The girls looked among themselves in surprise, and Rainbow Dash gave the princess a disbelieving look. “Hang on. You’re saying you wouldn’t be aware of who all your however-many-great grandkids are? Or Luna’s?”

Celestia shook her head. “I’m aware of most, if not all, of my and Luna’s descendants, but we were not the only alicorns in existence. Long ago, alicorns made up a small but clear part of Equestria’s pony population, roughly a tenth of the total upon its founding. Our kin moved on from our plane of existence long ago, however; the exact dates are in the books. Now, Luna and I are the only remaining natural-born alicorns. At least, that I’m aware of.”

“But wouldn’t it be hard to miss a baby alicorn?” Fluttershy nervously amended, “I mean, I’m not saying they couldn’t be hidden, of course, but…”

“Just because the foal had an alicorn parent doesn’t mean it would be an alicorn themselves, Fluttershy.” Sunset quickly explained, “My mother and my aunt were twins but one was a unicorn and the other a pegasus. If the genes are somewhere in the family history, they can crop up under the right circumstances.”

“Though alas, it seems the most likely way for an alicorn foal to be born is if both parents are alicorns. Luna and I were both parents at one point, but all of our children were unicorns, with pegasi and earth ponies appearing in future generations.” Anticipating another question, she added, “And before any of you ask, no, neither Sunset nor Twilight are my descendants or Luna’s.”

“And Princess Cadance?”

“My niece by marriage and several generations removed.” The princess turned from Rarity to Sunset, whose expression had turned pensive. “You look to be considering something, Sunset Shimmer.”

The unicorn-turned-human looked up, but answered quickly. “You’re talking about genetics being a part of it, but before you expelled me, I found a spell that could cause ascension in the same book that I found information about the Crystal Mirror in. I thought you used that spell on Twilight.”

Celestia shook her head. “You found part of a spell. Star Swirl had a tendency to jot down notes wherever he could, including in other books, before he copied them into their proper volumes. The copy of the book that you found, I’ve since personally checked and recopied to remove that spell fragment, just in case another student found it and got their hopes up, or worse, hurt themselves attempting the spell. Still, you bring up an important point.” She looked over everyone present and explained, “Star Swirl believed that, given the right combination of circumstances, a pony from one of the three greater tribes could ascend to alicorn status. Heritage was one factor, of course, and he believed an outside infusion of magic from another alicorn was also required, but there was a third part that eluded him all the way until he left us.” She quickly amended, “And I don’t mean that he died. Star Swirl literally vanished a long time ago. Where he went, even I don’t know. Still, the purpose of the school was not only to help unicorns harness their natural talents, but also to help find unicorns with exceptional magic. There was a chance, however slight, that such magic was the result of alicorn heritage. I continued his research the best I could, but it was a very long time before I made headway. Which brings us much closer to the present day, to within the lifetimes of almost everyone here, and very shortly before Spike’s birth.”

Twilight’s eyes widened in realization. “Cadence’s ascension!” She looked to Sunset and her human friends and explained, “She was found as an orphan by a village of earth ponies, but she was born a pegasus, not an alicorn. She ascended after defeating an enchantress who used a magical artifact to drain the love from the villagers.”

“The artifact contained within it an empathic gemstone, a rare magical artifact able to amplify both positive and negative emotional energies and which are strongly believed to be tied to the Elements of Harmony. You’ll find further details on them in the books I’ve given you.” She turned back to present matters and continued, “In any case, until I had that detail available to me and the spell was completed, the best I could do was teach my students as best I could, and it was very rare indeed that I refused a student. It’s only happened once within your lifetimes. The same day you applied, I refused admission to a young mare. She was talented with magic, but she was also quite spoiled, led to believe by her parents that she could and should get whatever she wanted simply because of her wealth. Her behavior made yours prior to your departure seem saintly in comparison. For all your faults, you at least put effort and work into achieving your goals.” Pride was now in her smile as she added, “It’s not every day an applicant comes in having already earned their cutie mark, with enough skill to attempt the Dragonfire Spell on their entrance exam.”

Twilight’s face lit up in shock as she looked at her new student. “You used the Dragonfire Spell for your entrance exam?!”

A half-smile, and Sunset elaborated, “I used it, but it didn’t work. I figured the best way to hatch a dragon egg was to subject it to heat like a dragon could create and…”

“Wait, you tried to hatch me?” A nervous nod from the fiery-haired unicorn-turned-human, and Spike cried out, “That is awesome! Sure, you didn’t do it, but still, awesome!”

“And that, combined with other things I saw, convinced me to take you as my student.” Celestia’s tone turned regretful as she amended, “When I showed you the Mirror, it was my hope that it would give you a glimpse of what could be. Obviously, it was a poor choice on my part. That you learned the lesson I hoped to teach you is something I’m glad for, though I do wish that it had been done differently.”

A sigh. “I don’t know if you could have helped me. I may have had some compassion and sincerity in me, but it was drowned out by my ambition and my pride, and that started long before you became my teacher, after…” She turned away. “…After I lost my mother and father. I thought my aunt and uncle wanted me to forget my parents and think of them as replacements, so I turned them away along with a cousin who just wanted a big sister. I’d lost everypony important, I didn’t want or need to replace them with anypony else. Shining brighter than anyone else, the thought of gaining power equal to or surpassing yours, that all made it worse. Like I said, you were right, and I wasn’t ready.”

Rarity tapped at her chin with one finger, then looked to her friend. “Darling, when you looked in the mirror, what precisely did you see?”

A shrug. “First it was just my reflection. Then I saw a glimpse of myself as an alicorn, and then…” Her eyes widened as her memory set to work, and she remembered exactly what she saw. “…And then me as a demon!” She turned to Celestia and realized, “The mirror was trying to warn me! You were trying to warn me!” She shook her head in amazement. “If I’d paid attention…”

“As I said, choice. We all have free will, Sunset. You were not the first to choose poorly, nor will you be the last. And as much as we may like to, we cannot undo our past decisions, only try to avoid them again. A possible destiny, to ascend and become an alicorn, is still before you, and I think you’re now better prepared to achieve it than you were as my student.”

Sunset looked to her former teacher with hope. “You really think I can?”

“I knew from the moment we first met that you could, just as I did with Twilight after she surpassed all expectations and passed the unpassable test, and helped to bring Spike into the world. You are of alicorn descent, Sunset Shimmer, and the potential remains for you to show it. But such a thing is not done alone; Cadance ascended as much because of the love of those behind her as she did her own initiative. You always had the initiative, and now…”

“Now you’ve got us!” Rainbow Dash called, with affirming cheers coming from the rest of the gathered young mares and girls.

Sunset laughed, genuinely happy. If only Runnie could see her now. “So, I guess by now, the spell’s been completed?”

Celestia nodded and looked to Twilight as she elaborated, “It was, in a way, Twilight’s final exam as my student, to finish Star Swirl’s unfinished spell. I suspect something similar to her completed version was said by accident during Cadance’s ascension. For all of Star Swirl’s knowledge and greatness, the magic of friendship was one area where her knowledge outstrips his. That spell, in concert with her alicorn heritage and the Elements of Harmony, allowed her to ascend.”

“But I wouldn’t have been able to do it without my friends beside me.” Twilight beamed as she turned to the gathered girls and added, “That’s probably never going to change.”

“And brings me to the reason I wished for all of you to remain.” Celestia rose to her hooves and approached, a glowing ball of magic at the tip of her horn as she gently pressed it against Fluttershy’s head. “My apologies for startling you. This is just a basic magical scan.” The glow halted, and the alicorn smiled before stepping back and elaborating. “Twilight has given me a full account of her time in your world, particularly the night of your Fall Formal. I’ve corroborated her account with that of my counterpart, and I do believe that something amazing happened that night.” She settled back down into her cushions and turned to her fellow Princess. “You told me that you briefly regained your crown and Element before Sunset donned it.”

“Yes, and when it was back on my head, I felt this pleasant warmth spread through me.” She shrugged and offered, “I thought maybe I was just overthinking it.”

“There was more to it than that, darling.” Rarity looked among her friends and recounted, “When you looked out at us from the stage, your Element flashed. I thought it could have been a reflection from the lights in the gym, but…”

“But it was the Element recognizing its intended bearer, just as it did at Twilight’s coronation as princess in Canterlot.” Celestia smiled and added, “It also recognized that Twilight, despite her changed appearance, was in proper balance with herself, just as she was in Equestria. And the Elements of Harmony are intended to preserve and restore balance when it’s lost. But they work their best when all together, and when their users are in harmony with themselves and one another.”

Sunset’s expression turned incredulous. “So you’re saying what happened that night, turning into a raging she-demon and all, was because I was out of balance?”

“Only we can change who we are, Sunset. And without the other five elements present to help you realize what you had become, the crown did the only thing it could, and changed your outside to be as monstrous as your inside. And once the transformation began, it could not be stopped.”

“I’m still surprised it even happened at all. I thought when I went through the portal, I lost my magic.” Twilight looked to Spike and guessed, “But if that was the case, then Spike wouldn’t have been able to talk.”

“Magic cannot be truly lost. In this instance, it was simply disabled; you had no horn or wings, and your hooves had been replaced with hands and feet. The magic was still there, you just had no means of accessing it. Sunset acted alone, and while she was attuned to magic itself, she had no link to the other elements. Friendship has a powerful magic all its own, and without the elements that go into a good friendship, what results is something monstrous.”

“Domination.” A chill went up Sunset’s spine. “The logical extreme of what I thought I wanted, to be on top and for everyone to know it. I knew something was wrong the instant I put the crown on and felt all that magic rush into me. Even before I put the crown on my head, physically hurting someone, the idea of…” She shuddered, but continued onwards, “…Of killing someone was out of the question. But like that, without what little goodness I had left, I was laughing at the idea of being rid of Twilight.” She looked to her new friends and regretfully finished, “Of all of you.”

“But one thing that isn’t a part of balance is evil. It exists, but it is an imbalance rather than a natural part of life. Give things a chance to correct that evil, and it will be defeated.”

“Just like how the student body didn’t take much convincing to rally behind Twilight.” Sunset’s expression brightened as she reasoned further, “Just like all of you did individually when she brought you back together.”

Twilight smiled, reaching the same conclusion. “Fluttershy helped me when I asked for it, and even offered me some good advice for hiding Spike. Pinkie Pie didn’t bat an eyelash at me signing up, even encouraged it. Applejack warned me truthfully about the danger I’d be in…”

“And once that video was posted, I immediately acted to disguise you.” Rarity pointed to each of her friends, and then herself, and counted off, “Kindness, Laughter, Honesty, Generosity…”

“Rainbow Dash coming onboard to help once I got you back together as friends was a big help, but the clincher was what she did when things looked darkest.”

Sunset remembered her own words clear as a bell. “I had magic. Twilight had nothing.”

Rainbow Dash grinned and declared, “She had us!”

“And when I threw that fireball, all of you jumped forward to protect her…”

“An act a’ loyalty! And we got transformed by the crown, got ya back to yer senses and saved the school!” Applejack looked to Twilight and realized, “It must’ve recognized us as bein’ just like our counterparts, same as with you.”

“It didn’t just do that!” Twilight clapped her hooves together excitedly as she realized, “The crown enabled my magic, enabled Sunset’s, and infused the five of you with Equestrian magic!”

“And it’s still there.” Sunset looked at her friends with amazement.

Stunned looks were on the five human girls until Rainbow Dash broke the silence. “That. Is. AWESOME!” From that came wild cheers among the five until she asked, “So how do we turn it on again?! I mean, I’d love to get back in the air some more! I was flying like a natural!”

“That, unfortunately, remains unknown.” The mood dropped as Celestia explained, “This is entirely unprecedented. We don’t know how you can trigger your transformations again. All we ask is that, should you discover how, you report it immediately to Sunset Shimmer so that she may relay word to Twilight.” She gently smiled and amended, “And that you don’t do anything dangerous in an attempt to activate your new powers, obviously. I’d hate for you to hurt yourselves, just as my counterpart would.”

“Well, it was friendship that helped us to gain this magic, so perhaps that will allow us to activate it.” Nods of agreement went out among the five, and Rarity looked to Sunset and offered, “And that’s something we should share, hmm?”

Sunset smiled. “Wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“I’m sorry to say dears, but we can’t stay much longer.” Rarity tucked her phone back into her purse. “We all have homework, Sunset included, and our parents will worry if we don’t get home soon.” She looked to Twilight and smiled. “But I do look forward to hearing from you again soon, dear.”

Twilight smiled back. “Me too.”

Various goodbyes were exchanged, books packed away and departures begun. Celestia departed first, Spike following. The remaining pony nearly joined them, but Sunset called, “Twilight, can you stay for a second? I’d like to talk, just the two of us. Please?” She turned to her friends from Canterlot High and assured them, “It won’t be long, I promise.”

“Okay, but don’t forget about you know what, alright?” At Sunset’s nod, Applejack ushered the others out. “Come on, y’all, give ‘em their space.”

Twilight gestured for her pony friends to do likewise, Spike being the last to go as the two found themselves alone. “What brought this on?”

“No tricks, I promise.” Sunset nervously laughed as she explained, “It’s not like I can swap bodies with you or something. I might still have my magic, but…”

“But you don’t know how to use it.” Twilight noticed an uneasy expression cross her new student’s face. “You think you do?”

Sunset sighed. “A couple days ago, the morning after the last day of my suspension? I was in my new place, taking a shower. I was singing and, well, I started feeling a magic surge come on.”

Alarm spread across the alicorn’s face. “What happened?”

“Nothing. I stopped as soon as I felt it and calmed myself down before it went any further.” She rubbed one elbow uneasily and added, “I don’t think it was taking a shower that triggered it.”

“No, probably not. Music has a magic all its own, so you singing probably did it.” A small tilt of her head, and Twilight reasoned, “Certainly not the weirdest way to use magic.” Her attention turned back to Sunset as she asked, “Did you tell any of the girls about that?”

Sunset shook her head. “Wasn’t sure how they’d react.” Her gaze went downwards. “I’m scared, Twilight. I remember everything that happened that night, and I don’t want it to happen again. I don’t want to turn into a monster, or kill anyone, or…” A comforting wing draped over her back, and she mused, “Two weeks ago, I wouldn’t have given them getting hurt a second thought, but now? I don’t want to lose them, Twilight. Aside from Flash and whoever left me that note, they’re all I have in the human world for the next two and a half years. They’re amazing and wonderful and…” She smiled and turned back to the pony at her side. “…And you sure know how to pick your friends.”

A smile was returned. “They knew how to pick me too.” Twilight withdrew her wing and settled down. “And to tell you the truth, I’m a little scared too.”

“Really? Twilight, you’re a princess now. A national hero, beloved by all Equestria, with an amazing brother…”

“Pair of brothers.”

A laugh. “Fine. You have an amazing pair of brothers, three princesses as friends and advisors and family both surrogate and actual, and some great friends. You have everything a pony could want, everything I ever wanted. What do you have to be scared of?”

“Everything.” Twilight raised her wings and explained, “I never saw being a princess coming. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining about being an alicorn, and I’m really looking forward to flying.” The two shared a grin before she continued, “But ever since, I’ve had so many concerns on my mind. The thought of having to rule over my own kingdom, for one. I know enough about politics to know that I’d be terrible at it. Plus there’s the thought of not being able to see my friends as much, or worse, losing them entirely. And that ignores the physical changes. I remember what Cadance looked like after her ascension, and trust me, she didn’t look nearly that slender.” She prodded her horn with one wing and added, “It’s already longer now than it was before, and I’m taller. Ascended or not, it’s only a matter of time before I reach Cadance’s proportions, and then Luna’s and maybe even Celestia’s.”

“So get a place with bigger doorways.”

“That solves one problem, but what about the rest? Not even Celestia and Luna know if Cadance and I are mortal like other alicorns, or if we’re immortal like they are. I don’t want to lose my friends or my family. And ignoring that, just because Celestia and Luna can’t die of old age doesn’t mean they can’t die. And my friends definitely can.” Her wings folded at her sides, and Twilight mused, “When I came to Ponyville, I wasn’t interested in having friends. Now, I can’t imagine my life without them. They deserve this as much as I do, and I wish I had a way to give them what I have.”

Once more, Sunset found herself thinking back on what she’d thought about the princess at her side. Her first impression had been from a newspaper, a notice that a student of Celestia’s had gotten something that she’d wanted more than anything. Twilight had surprised her at every turn, from her refusal to call in guards to her simple act of helping her out of the crater the night of the Fall Formal, to outright forgiving her. Her old illusion was gone; this wasn’t a spoiled brat, but a girl who was thrust into something she wasn’t expecting, and despite being more than up to the challenge, she didn’t think she was. “I don’t know about the rest of them, but you’re already helping me to give you what you have.” She wrapped an arm around Twilight and offered, “Celestia said it herself, I’m a lot closer to being an alicorn now than I was when I left. That’s one friend you won’t lose so quickly.”

The two shared a smile, and found themselves interrupted as a voice admitted, “Seems I’ve something else to apologize for, don’t I?” They turned to find Princess Celestia back among them as she approached. “Twilight, it was always my hope to see you become an alicorn, just as it is with Sunset and so many others. But I’ve known you long enough to know a few things.” She knelt at Twilight’s left and smiled. “You are a brilliant scholar and a gifted spellcaster, approaching if not exceeding Star Swirl even before you ascended. You’re also a brave, dedicated young mare, humble and with a good heart. If a foe comes to you, genuinely repentant and asking for forgiveness, then you most likely will grant it to them. And if your adventures have proven anything, you’re an excellent troubleshooter, and a more than capable leader. But a leader and a ruler are two very different things.”

“Then, you’re not expecting me to rule over a kingdom? Like Cadance is the Crystal Empire?”

“The Crystal Empire was Cadance’s birthright, Twilight. So far as I know, you don’t have one. You will probably be expected to take charge should something happen to me or Luna, but I hope that is a long time yet in coming. For now, however, I think the three of us know where you’re happiest; at Golden Oak Library, in Ponyville.” The smile went wider as Celestia suggested, “Unless, of course, you want a kingdom…”

Twilight frantically shook her head and waved her wings and fore hooves. “Oh, no!” She calmed down and reiterated with a smile, “Please, no, I’m fine without.”

“I thought as much.” Celestia turned to Sunset Shimmer and added, “That said, I hope that when you do take a throne, you do not do so alone. I had Luna, after all, and I like to think you’ll have another alicorn at your side one day, in addition to your other friends.” She smiled and added, “If nothing else, it will be good to see two of my students standing side by side.”

“I still have a chance at it, I guess.” Sunset smiled and offered, “As long as I still have a choice.”

“You were never without.” The elder alicorn leaned forward and added, “Though I think it would be a good choice for you to share some information about your family with Twilight? It might help her and Rainbow Dash to find them.”

“Probably should’ve done that the last time we were all here, huh?” Sunset chuckled nervously, and sighed, picturing her aunt, uncle and cousin in her mind. “My aunt’s name is Solar Flare. She’s got a light golden coat and a mane that goes from deep red at the roots to light yellow at the tips. Her cutie mark is a horizontal streak of flame. My uncle is Blue Streak; silver coat, black mane, blue lightning bolt cutie mark. Be warned, he’s a motormouth. My cousin…” She smiled. “She could’ve been my twin. Same mane color, same coat color, same eyes. Don’t know what her cutie mark looks like. She always wanted me to call her ‘Runnie’. Her full name is Sunrunner.”

“Solar Flare, Blue Streak, Sunrunner.” Twilight nodded with a smile, but quickly turned sad. “Rainbow Dash and I will find them. I promise. Might be a while, though; after the summit, I have my goodwill tour of Equestria, and then there’s the Summer Sun Celebration, and that ignores everything with the library…”

“I get it, you’re a busy princess.”

“But not too busy to take a message from you every once in a while, or see you and the girls.” Twilight looked up at Celestia and asked, “May I take the bridge mirror back to Ponyville with me?”

“Of course, but try not to advertise it too much.” Celestia carefully inserted her head between her two former students, gently nuzzling them both, and asked, “And do keep me informed, hmm? I doubt either of you are my however-many-great-granddaughters, but I still think of both of you as dearly as I do my own children, even after all this time. We’re still family, my little ponies.”

Sunset warmly accepted the nuzzle, Twilight doing the same. “And I don’t have an excuse to not talk anymore, do I?” The three laughed at that, and she got to her feet. “Thanks for that, Twilight. It’s nice to know I’m not alone.”

Twilight smiled reassuringly. “Nopony’s alone, Sunset. But someday, you need to tell them. They’ll understand.”

A shrug as she slung her backpack back on. “Maybe. I’ll let you know when I do. I promise.” She approached the portal back to Canterlot High and laughed. “Wow. I feel so relieved, but…”

“Nervicited?” Twilight smiled. “Me too. But it’s a good kind of nervicited.”

A nod, and Sunset Shimmer departed with a smile, leaving the two alicorns to make their own way out.

“Celestia, where did Star Swirl get the idea for the portals anyway?”

A laugh. “That’s actually an interesting story. There are other Equestrias beyond ours, Twilight, some similar but with their own radical differences. There’s at least one, for example, where Luna and I were the only alicorns, period. At least, at the time they contacted us.”

“Really? They contacted you?”

“They had a mirror that let them communicate across dimensions, and they thought to use it to seek out advice on some things. Economics in particular. I have to say, it was very interesting talking to myself like that.” She sighed, “They also had one other difference which caught my attention. Unlike in our world, alicorns were always immortal, barring illness and injury. They were actually quite surprised to know about that difference, as I was that they were researching means of granting their immortality to the rest of Equestria’s population.”

“Were they successful?”

“I don’t know. They haven’t contacted me since then, but I expect if things have been for them as they’ve been for us, they’ve been very busy indeed.” Celestia smiled and added, “That said, I did ask them to get in touch again, should they perfect their method. It would be nice to compare notes, and see how things went on the road untraveled, and there’s always the chance that their methods could work for us.” She gave her student an encouraging grin and said, “For now, however, I think the road we’re on is exciting enough.”

The two smiled again, and Celestia went through the portal back to Equestria, Twilight following a second later. She didn’t know exactly what was to come on the road ahead, how long she’d have or whether she’d have Flash by her side, but two things weren’t in doubt. That good or bad, it would be exciting, and that she wouldn’t be traveling the road alone.

And she knew Sunset knew that too.

Author's Note:

My apologies to everyone who commented upon the original version of the epilogue - I didn't know that deleting it would mean deleting your comments! Sorry!

Now then, for those wondering - no, future stories will not involve chasing down other potential alicorns. You want something like that, read Reality Check's "The Great Alicorn Hunt". Excepting Sunset Shimmer, however, there is one very firm candidate for alicorn ascension in my stuff. I'll let you guys all guess about who that could be. I've also got a good idea of other potential alicorns, but I'm waiting for the rest of Season Five to pan out and for future comic book releases before I elaborate further.

Speaking of whom, I offer my thanks to him for allowing a reference to his stories involving Nyx, particularly "Nyx's Family". If his world's versions of Celestia and Luna would end up consulting folks outside their world, why not consult versions of themselves, maybe even discuss their other plans?

Anyway, as of right now, the Quiververse has branched off from the official stuff quite firmly. Some events will still happen as they happened before. Others, such as the events of "Pinkie Apple Pie", will actually happen sooner, and others will happen slightly differently but still have the same general results. And that, of course, ignores stuff in the human world - the Sirens are still out there, the Friendship Games are still to come, and who knows how many other adventures await. I only hope you folks keep on following me as the story continues.

For those curious about the original version of the epilogue, links follow...

http://fav.me/d8uhkmk
http://fav.me/d8uhkym

What's discussed in them still hold for the rest of my 'verse, but I'll be splicing in the relevant bits of exposition where appropriate.

EDIT on 9/12/15 - One bit of dialogue tweaking for this installment.

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