Review: The Alchemy of Chemistry, by: Novel-Idea

Link to read this story first and avoid spoilers.

Sunset is having issues. The young student she took on to tutor purely as a ploy to make Celestia think she's changed is mad at her, refusing to speak. Not like Sunset cares at all, one less thing to worry about, and she has enough of that already. It's not like she ever liked Moondancer. The little brat was just another pawn in Sunset's game. So why does she feel so horrible? Has to just be lack of sleep, and that itself is totally just because of all the work she's been doing to get the big alchemy final ready. It's got nothing to do with that nagging voice in the back of her head telling her she's messing everything up, that she's about to fail the most important test of her life, that things aren't quite what she thinks they are. She can handle it. She is Sunset Shimmer, she can handle anything. Right?

Story: The first thing that should be obvious here is that we have Sunset Shimmer, in Equestria, as a pony, well after she should be a noodly limbed adult terrorizing just barely post-pubescent, if that even, teenagers. We have us an AU, one where Sunset did not go through the mirror. This presents a slight dilemma, as it's the first in a rather large by this point series. Some stuff that could be talked about applies more to the series as a whole then this story in and of itself. Others are things that if looked at on it's own, might make the story feel a bit weaker, but when slotted into place as part of the larger tapestry of the Wavelength's series makes so much sense and works so much better. The most important of those for this story at the moment being the nature of the AU. But will get to that point later.

The pertinent issue being, this can get complicated. I'd like to try and keep my observations limited to the story in and of itself, as it is the first one. But there are some points where other stories in this verse do have a rather large impact on the meaning of what goes on. Still going to focus first and foremost on the story we have, anything else will just be extra. As to this story..... not a whole lot to talk about 'story' wise. At least as far as events. Stuff does happen, but this is a fully character driven story. We are seeing the worst day in Sunset Shimmer's life, but the focus is on how she reacts to it and the lead up to that. So it'll mostly be next section.

That leaves us with a few little details plot wise, and a whole lot of 'Oh sweet Sunmother this is good' On the writing front. Let's start with that. This story, as said, is very very well written, mostly for two aspects. Well three, but one of those is how well it handles the characters so that's for later, for now, two. How well it does foreshadowing and set's up it's Chekhov's Guns. Just how well it gives the reader the information to lead into later revelations. Presents tiny hints of what is going on, gives out details that will be relevant later without feeling like that is what it's doing. Secondly, making this feel like a living world. That there is more going on in this then just what we see on the page. There are layers of motivation, action, things are happening all the time. Now, yes they are all things that do in some way revolve around the plot, and particularly Sunset, but given what is happening, it makes sense everything we learn about right now is revolving around her.

Taking those two in a bit more detail, first the set-ups. The story does an amazing job, as said, setting up plot points, information. Laying ground work for reveals. All without feeling like that is what it's doing. Or in multi layered ways, where we can tell it's setting something up, telling us something, but there is far more there then we think, and the obvious aspect was just one of many things the story told you that would come up later. Rather then go through and drag this out with pointing out all the ways it does this, instead just going to dissect the one scene that shows off how much thought, planning, and skill went into this aspect of the story. The Griffon!Sunset one. It sets up quite a lot perfectly naturally. Of course a teacher will bring up a students family if they have an older sibling who is a current/recent student there known to be skilled at something. Hence setting up Tart's sister's skill at transfiguration. The glowing tendril of magic linking the caster and the subject. The way transfigured items mess with alchemy. Limitations on this type of magic. Introducing the idea of the imprint and Experience Cores. As well as a few other details not directly applicable to the story, but still nice in a larger context. It deliverers all of this information in a way that each one can be understood on it's own, not overloading with new facts. Yet all presented so naturally and so well, that it's not clear what might and might not be relevant details, and what is just worldbuilding. Leaving it harder to see where things are going and easier to be surprised, while having the facts to make what comes later make sense. Coupled with all of that, is the fact.. none of the facts might have been meant as Chekhov's Guns, as the story also gives us another reason for the scene beyond delivering well done exposition. Character focus. To set up an 'Anypony can change' theme. The Feather, not a plot device for later, but a memento, something that might have a more emotional impact on Sunset. It delivers so much meaning, in so many layers, it's easy to miss which one of them is the one telling you what will happen later.

Now the whole story isn't quite to that level of amazing information density yet simplicity, but stuff like that is scattered throughout the story. Either things where it works so well, you don't notice the pieces slipping into place yet. Or just tiny little things the story draws your attention towards which only in hindsight do they become obvious exactly what they meant. Such as the secretary glaring at Sunset, or the Dean 'checking the potion' one last time before the test starts. There is only one aspect here that left me feeling rather 'huh?' and like the story skipped something. Mostly in how there was a lack of set up for one certain thing. Moondancer's potion. The whole "Oh she made it too perfectly to be effected by the Chaos" is something that, I can see working, does make some sense. Yet at the same time comes out of nowhere when everything else is so perfectly set up. Even just a line back during the speech about the dangers of using transfigured items about how it say, amplifies any small inconsistencies, used imperfections to seep into and work it's power. Something that hinted that something like making the potion with utter perfection would counter the effects would have helped that not feel so abrupt.

On the 'this is a living world with more going on then we see' aspect, it is just that. How much is going on that we don't see. While yes, everything is still revolving around Sunset, it's in ways that make sense, and of course at this point she'd only notice that stuff which matters to her. Plus given the events, there were a lot of ponies working on her and trying to get to her, both positively get through to her the need to improve herself and change, as well as those trying to set her up for failure. The aspect of this that most impresses me though, is the Experience Cores plot. The secret test. Pretty much for how it didn't really matter. Celestia set up this test, other characters kept hinting at it, she was trying to get Sunset into position to make a choice. Then Sunset didn't even notice in any serious way and if not for the events other ponies put in motion, likely would have passed the test not through a decision she made to do the right thing, but simply through being to damn exhausted to care. She was to focused on her issues with Moondancer, and making sure the test went well, that even though part of her realized the chance and thought she could take it, the rest of her was just to damn tired to act on it even if she wanted to. I simply love the little subversion of things.

Add to that the way we can see other's plot taking shape, the little hints we see of a larger picture and how it all works together once revealed. The only issue there is one of "Ummm, that's not how it happened" in what one of the ponies says they did. Even then, it's more confusing then anything else because it feels like the story is itself confusing two different events. On the whole reveal, when Cinnamon is admitting to stealing the feather and why, her account is exactly what happened. But then one of the ponies in on it says they called out Sunset's name to distract her and make her bump into Cinnamon. That... is not what happened. Now yes, that is more or less what started the whole thing, but that had nothing to do with stealing the feather, as that took place several days before the transfiguration lesson. So left me scratching my head a bit as to why that was being brought up as part of the plan, when it had nothing to do with it, besides possibly being the final straw that set everything in motion. Something none of those involved would really need. Even if they were counting on Sunset blowing up to try and prove to ponies she's still evil, she only snapped because of all the stress she was under and already being in a bad mood thanks to her fight with Moondancer. Plus, there are a few aspects of their plan that do kind of feel like they fall under them pulling a Xanatos Roulette. What if Apple Polish hadn't plucked a feather from Sunset for her to keep as a memento? What if Sunset had stuck it in her saddlebag rather then hold it. What if she had noticed it missing? Granted it's likely they had other plans in mind to set her up anyway. Getting that feather just helped give them a stronger frame up and make her look even guiltier. Also one other nagging issue that counters this and does make the story feel more limited, feel less like a whole world and more just a vehicle to deliver these facts. Sunset does not feel like a student, or like what she should be at this time. She is supposed to be a fourth year student, yet she has no classes we hear of, no lessons, is a TA but only for one class of one professor, she seems to do nothing except work on her stuff for that one class and her lessons with Celestia. Despite how much she should have to do if she really was a fourth year student. Will get into the more later.

But still overall this story was so well put together, the details were incredibly thought out, worked well, and it made great use of it's limited perspective of only what Sunset sees and knows to set things up, while keeping things a mystery as well. Just all around great writing in those regards.

Characters: Now to the real heart of the story. The exploration of Sunset Shimmer, and how she goes from the petty, vindictive, domineering, school alpha bitch she was up till the events in EQG, to the kind, empathetic, amazing character she became after that. Without having a purple pony princess and her posse of pony-people give her an Orbital Friendship Canon strike.

But let's start with just how damn well it handled that first part. Was she a bully? Oh yes. Was she horrible? Certainly. Was it presented as the one note, idiotic, cliched, caricature of an alpha bitch she was in EQG? Oh not even close! This story does a great job of making clear exactly why Sunset was the way she was. What was motivating her, driving her. Beyond even the natural better understanding you'd have of a character when viewing a story through their own perceptions and with access to their thoughts. It all fits, it works, it's a well thought out series of things which make her who she is. Not just one single factor, but a multitude of them all tying together and feeding off each other. One particular point that more or less sums up what is going on;

“It’s what you felt earlier,” Yellow replied. “That gaping hole in your chest? The feeling that something was missing? Well, guess what? There is something missing.”
...
“A hole filled with fire is still a hole.” Yellow shrugged.

“That hole can be filled with power. With magic. With anything!”

This being the most important part of the story, at least towards understanding everything going on with her. It is pretty much the same idea as the end of EQG, the same thing that seemed to be getting across. But actually done well rather then the trite, cliched mess it was presented as there. It's not as simple as "I just wanted friends so I acted like a total bitch and ruined the lives of everyone around me then tried to take over a world as a raging she-demon. But now that you'll be my friends I'll be great!" Yet it's still holding to the core problem. That hole, that emptiness. The feeling of needing something, yet not sure what. So she tries to fill it with power, fear, authority, anything she can. But as she herself tries to tell herself, it's not the same. It doesn't remove the gaping hole, just helps you try to pretend it isn't there. But it hurts to much to ignore and so Sunset just keeps trying to get more and more of what she thinks she needs.

Going off on a small tangent, this actually works rather well with all four of the main ponies who have gone through this sort of thing. It's a running theme throughout MLP. Just how empty a life without friends is, and how that lack can push a pony/person to extremes in trying to deal with the pain and emptiness. The sense of something missing. Push them to do horrible, evil, or even jut plain unhealthy things to try and make the pain stop. From becoming a school bully and demanding the fear and 'respect' of all others around you to try and fill it with power. Enslaving ponies to your warped ideology and chaining them to you out of fear of ever losing a friend again. Or simply withdrawing into yourself, becoming a virtual hermit uncaring about anything or anyone else, going about their day without any but the most basic interactions with others and trying to fill the void with knowledge and study. The odd mare out in this is Twilight!Prime. Mostly due to simple ignorance is bliss. But also because, unlike the rest, she never truly rejected the idea of friendship, never feared it, she simply was happy with what she had and saw no reason to think about it. But the moment she realized just how much she had been missing, she embraced the idea with open hooves.

The important factor is, each of those that lashed out, or withdrew, or had some unhealthy reaction to a lack of friendship were ones who actively fought it. Who were afraid to actually allow themselves to connect to other ponies like that. Afraid of being hurt again like they were the one time they had reached out and tried to make that connection, like Starlight and Moondancer, or of something else. Sunset's own fear not being of being hurt, but of being controlled.

She’d never felt more exhausted in her life. She hated this. She was letting other ponies control her. How she felt. How she acted. How she thought. This was not something Sunset Shimmer should allow to happen! She was better than this! She was better than all of them!

Allowing anypony in, anypony past her armor would be a weakness. Would allow them to have control over her. A mindset that she apparently got from her parents. (Side note, what is with every Sunset story that brings her parents up always having to make them abusive, or neglectful, or assholes, or somehow always lay at least some of the blame for her condition on them? Yeah it makes sense, and does work often enough. But sometimes people can have great parents, and still turn into little snots. Or maybe go the other route, they loved her and dotted on her and spoiled her literally rotten. Still as 'bad' parents for Shimmy goes, this is one of the better cases. Far far cry from the last set I read about, who hated her from the moment she was born, beat her, abused her physically and psychologically, before finally being fed up and simply dumping her in the middle of a forest to die. And that is only to start of the issues with that story.) But this fear of control, of having anyone else able to exert influence on her, it makes her less like the other unicorns mentioned and more a parallel with Discord of all other characters. Both having the same underlying problem with friendship. Both needing to feel unrestrained. Though for different reasons. Sunset so that the only order will be her order. Discord because he felt any form of constraint or order was antithetical to Chaos. Both missing that while they are right, it does impose limits, does influence how they act. The upsides are well, well worth it.

Now why go off on this long examination of Sunset's character and all this other stuff not directly in the story? First, because it's just some awesome stuff the story touched on. Second, because of just how well done the story is at showing this. All this can be gotten from those few simple lines. There is so much depth to the storytelling, to the character work. All told in a very well done, very concise manor that makes all this apparent, touches on all this, without needing to drag things out. Simply presenting the case so well, that it fits into this perfectly and all together makes for a wonderful portrayal of a character. This is how you do this type of complexity right. Just, present it as is and let everything else fall into place. It's also a testament to how well this story fits into the larger world of Equestria, but that's for later. Also, for one final reason, because making clear just how much character the story gets in with such simplicity, how complex and fully fleshed out Sunset is. Seeing just how much there is below the surface, it makes looking at the actions of other characters take on new context, as they are just as likely to have layers we do not see. Have more depth to them then what is shown. Especially when all we see is Sunset's perceptions of them and them acting when around her. But get to them in a bit.

So the story really nailed 'Sunset the school terror' aspect. Giving it layers, reasons, and meaning it lacked (and sorely needed) in EQG. Making it work, make sense, and even giving her a slightly tragic, sympathetic light as we see just what she is missing. So how does it handle the turn around? Taking her from that uncaring, manipulative monster, into the pony we all love? So, so damn well. Like with much else done well in this story when it comes to characters, and even narrative, it's because of just how many layers are at work at once. It's complicated, but presented simply enough to fully understand without it needing to be spoon-fed. The story makes it work, and makes the whole thing feel natural.

First and foremost, through making her so tired, so exhausted. She sees being close to other ponies as an attack. As a weakness. Okay not first and foremost here, because it also plays into having her have that relationship with Moondancer already, building it up slowly. This is what I mean, there are so many pieces that are all interwoven so perfectly and play off each other. Moondancer's closeness, the way Sunset was able to just hang out with her, be around her. Yes she initially started doing so as a ploy, just one more pawn in her grand scheme for power. But, she found out she actually enjoyed being around Moondancer, even if she wouldn't admit it. She needed that taste of friendship, to learn what that feeling was to actually see what Celestia had been trying to teach her. But at the same time, her inner need to keep everypony away, that fear of letting anypony get close and have any control over her. Letting herself be weak like that. It would have kept her from truly realizing this. Or at least admitting it. Hence where the exhaustion comes in. Sunset's primary, and really only defense against this type of thing is anger, rage. Subsuming every other emotion under that. Yet now? Well, anger takes energy to maintain, it can be quite draining, and now Sunset is simply to worn out to keep it up. Her emotional shields are down, she's forced to confront feelings she's always hidden from. Unable to simply make herself to angry to care till it goes away.

The story plays the whole thing so well, setting up the pieces, while showing us that deep down, there is a good pony there. Letting us see the internal debate she goes through, letting us know that there is a part of her that knows this is wrong, that wants to be a better pony. Not just through words either, but her actions. Through how much she cares about and does her best to keep safe that flask of potion Moondancer made. Even as, like Celestia said, she wasn't quite sure just how much doing that meant herself. Between seeing these little hints, as well as better understanding what had made Sunset the way she was in the first place, it makes her eventual turn around both all the more realistic, and also more powerful as we can see just what it took. See the path she went through and understand it.

This was exactly what Sunset needed to finally realize the truth. She had been convinced that the world worked in one way and one way only. Stuck in the type of thinking of somepony who had only ever heard of the one small snippet of the well known quote from Marechiavelli, "It's better to be feared then loved". Never reading the full quote, or understanding the context of what was meant.

"And here comes in the question whether it is better to be loved rather than feared, or feared rather than loved. It might perhaps be answered that we should wish to be both; but since love and fear can hardly exist together, if we must choose between them, it is far safer to be feared than loved."

She had become convinced that it was how the world worked. That ponies only listened to you if they feared you. That you had to exert your control, your dominance. Failing to understand how, not only does Equestria on the whole not work that way, but the importance of why he says being both feared and loved is best. Though there is something related to fear that would apply far better. Respected. Yet she sees them as one in the same. Seeing power as stemming only through fear. Or at least, having worked very, very hard to convince herself of that. All the while having to deal with one small, nagging thread. One fact she simply can't make fit into this world view. One tiny flaw in her entire ideology she refuses to think about, until finally it's pushed in her face, by her own subconscious nonetheless. "Does Princess Celestia rule by fear?" Adding to all the other cracks to how she viewed the world and herself being caused by everything going on. Adding yet more layers of self doubt, or worry over what she was doing. Yet still too prideful and locked in her way of thinking to let that make her willing to be changed.

Enter the next portion of that quote that so so many people forget, even more often then the "best to be both loved and feared" part. The one that ignoring nearly ruined her whole life.

"Nevertheless a prince ought to inspire fear in such a way that, if he does not win love, he avoids hatred; because he can endure very well being feared whilst he is not hated."

This is what nearly destroys everything she's built up for herself over the years. Yet also what ultimately saves her. Because her pride, her ego, even as tired and exhausted and worn out as she was, were to strong to get her to admit she was wrong. To admit she needed to change. That her worldview was fundamentally wrong. Even if it's foundation had been cracking rather hard. As the story itself mentions in another brilliant bit of thematic foreshadowing, many times creating a change requires some form of catalyst. For Sunset, this had to be hitting rock bottom. Utterly and thoroughly losing. Having no options left, no escape, no way to get out of things. Having her ego thoroughly destroyed, made to confront she is not the grand manipulator and chessmaster she thought she was. Only then could she accept that maybe, maybe there was a better way. But even then it only worked because Moondancer was there to help. To show her that better way right when she needed it most.

It's playing things out in much the same way they did in EQG, keeping her character consistent in that only after being beaten down to the point even she has to admit she's lost beyond any chance of getting out of it does she accept a hand up out of her hole. Yet giving it much more weight, and also making her turn around make sense and not be so sudden and out of nowhere. This was something she'd been fighting in herself for a while. The test simply serving to finally make the side arguing for staying a royal bitch have to admit defeat. If grudgingly. The entire arc she goes through in this story was fantastic, both in the ideas, in what was going on in her head, and how well that internal debate and conflict was presented, while meshing with the external conflicts. A truly wonderful way of using the character and getting her set up to be the Sunset we love while still being a pony.

Now onto the other major character I have a lot to say about, though this one being one of the two main issues I have with the story. Not in total, just, one single aspect, one scene. That character being Celestia, and the scene being her confrontation with the Dean and Cinnamon Tart. Though, more so for how the way she handled it says things far beyond just that encounter. Again, this was a reason to post so much about Sunset above, because the shear depth and complexity it shows for her adds to the reality of things, and makes it just as likely that other characters are equally as complex and have as much depth to them. Such as Tia, as a large part of how to take that scene hinges on just what she is truly thinking.

Now, outside of that scene and what it implies, I loved Celestia. The way she was handling Sunset, trying to get through to her, yet at the same time trying not to push so hard she pushed the mare away. It is exactly the type of teacher Celestia has shown herself to be, the kind that prefers to allow her ponies to learn on their own. To let them figure things out for themselves, while providing the right nudges to help them. She may be disappointed in how Sunset acts, in how she refuses to get the message, but she keeps trying. She sees the best in everypony and wants to bring that out. She knows what Sunset wants, but sees that Sunset does not understand what it truly means. All Sunset sees is power, not the responsibility that comes with it. It shows in her talk to Sunset before the test. Trying to take the fight with Moondancer as a chance to maybe slip some real lessons and growth into Sunset. Just one more tiny chink in her armor. Noting quite rightly that Sunset wants to be a leader, yet basic conflict resolution is a required trait for that. You get the feeling this has been an ongoing thing. Celestia trying to subtly work the important lessons in for Sunset, while Sunset only focuses on those she sees as getting her more power.

Celestia does see what Sunset needs, but isn't quite sure how to get her to admit it. But once that shell is broken, she is right there to help Sunset pull herself back up. Knowing that now that she's reached the point, Sunset can open up. Even her slightly trollish encouragement of Moondancer to poke a bit of fun at Sunset fits. Sunset needs to relax, to not take everything, especially herself, so seriously. Having a pony she knows, she does trust, willing to rib her a bit is what she needs and Celestia gets this. But at the same time pulling Moondancer back the moment she goes to far. Warning her she only gets to use the 'Because of the years you spent being a terror' excuse and bring up Sunset's past as leverage this one time. It's a balance, keeping Sunset willing to admit her mistakes, to laugh at herself and allow others to have a bit of fun at her expense without overreacted and seeing it as an attack. While keeping it from going to far. It's a great balance that shows Celestia at her best.

Then we have the actual climax and the whole thing with the Dean. Like so much, it's a multilayered thing. On several layers, she did exactly the right thing. But there are also some shades of less then pleasant ideas. Some implications that do not sit well with me in how she treated aspects of it. First off, what the Dean did was indefensible. He fully and completely deserves everything he gets from that and there is no excuse for inflicting this on innocent students just to get at Sunset, no matter if he was right or not about her. This is a clear case of 'He who fights monsters' in action. Yet, at the same time, while his actions are utterly horrid and wrong, I can't fault his feelings for Sunset, can't fault what drove him to them the way Celestia seems to just dismiss it as him being in the wrong for even doubting her or Sunset. She takes him to task for 'failing to see she really has changed'. How was he supposed to do that? She hadn't truly changed in any real way until the past few days. While there had been signs she was starting to, they were subtle and he simply did not interact with her enough to have been able to pick them up. All he saw was her having gotten caught, knowing she was on thin ice and so putting on an act, and it's logical for him to think that given she was still terrorizing students at times. Her whole explosion on first Moondancer, then Cinnamon Tart. With what he had seen, he had no logical reason to think she was any different. Now while yes, even if he had he would likely have ignored it anyway, it still seems to ignore that, he had every right to want Sunset out of the school given just how bad she was. Given how much other students suffered from her presence. She was a threat to other students. He simply went way to far in trying to prove that. But calling him out on something like not seeing she had changed, when he had no reason to think she had.. that felt a bit to much. Even after that, saying she hopes that his grandfillies can recover from the damage he did to them. This is the single biggest thing in this scene that just, leaves me very uneasy and disliking the implications. Celestia is vastly understating Sunset's culpability in all this. She seems to be completely absolving Sunset of everything she did wrong. Ignoring all the harm Sunset caused. Yes the Dean let the wounds fester, encouraged their hate, made things worse. But it was Sunset that caused those wounds to begin with. Yet never had anything happen to her for it. Managed to stick around. What good is patching up a wound and letting it heal if the pony that caused is is just going to come around and make another one? You have to remove the cause before you can truly treat the symptoms. It's letting her off way to easy. And this is from someone that LOVES how Equestria runs on easily forgiven but this whole bit it seems like Celestia is totally ignoring just how horrible the stuff Sunset did was and how, she really had not changed until that moment. She was leaning towards it, starting to make the trip down that road, seemingly more likely then ever to do so. But it wasn't till she hit rock bottom she actually, truly had the epiphany and realized she needs to be a better pony.

But more then anything, what makes me have issues with this scene is this line from her.

“This is you. It’s always been you. In all your attempts to have Sunset Shimmer removed from this school, you never once asked why I kept her here. I knew about her behavior. I knew about her attitude. I knew, Silver. I am the Princess of Equestria. There is little that goes on in my own school of which I have no knowledge.”

First, no it has not 'always been him' Sunset has more then earned suspicion, and she's done plenty that should have gotten her flank tossed out of the school already, only being allowed to stick around because she was Celestia's pupil. If not for having Tia in her corner, Sunset would have been out on her ass a long time ago. But been over that above. Removing any hint of Sunset being the least bit at fault for being what she was for so long. But even worse is that she is essentially telling him, and an entire class of foals, many of whom had been living in fear of Sunset for some time, that she knew exactly what was going on. Meaning Celestia just told all of them she knew Sunset was tormenting them, terrorizing them, wrecking the lives of other students, outright driving them out of the school, ruining their lives, removing their chance for study, screwing them over in ways that will permanently affect them, and did nothing. To them, she pretty much just said that she knew all this was happening to them and did nothing to stop it, nothing to protect the students she claims to care about. All because Sunset mattered more to her then they did. Was worth more. That giving Sunset chance after chance after chance to maybe stop being a bitch was more important then the mental health and success of every other student in the school. Since she knew Sunset was doing these things and turned a blind eye.

Now yes, after this when the rest had left, she admits that she only recently found out some of what Sunset had done and was surprised at just what she'd gotten away with, meaning she didn't really know the details. Didn't know to just what level Sunset had gone, and still might not. But to those foals? To the students that heard her say she know what was going on? That was a horrible thing to let them think. Yes it was intended more for the Dean, her using a show of power, making clear who she is, who it was he was questioning. But the implications of what she said.. especially when she followed it up with a bit about how, as part of why she kept Sunset in school it was because you can't teach 'unfairness' in a classroom? That would just be adding more insult to injury for every student whose lives Sunset has ruined. I've heard this argument before in regards to why Dumbledore allowed Snape to be such an unfair asshole to students. It's shaky logic there to begin with, but here? It is horrible. Snape was an ass, yes, but he never outright harmed students, never drove them from the school, left them broken, tormented on the personal level Sunset has done to others. (Save Harry and Neville, but that was due to personal issues he had with both of them.) But, there is a far cry from a head master of a school allowing it, and your immortal god-empress doing so. Celestia is supposed to protect her little ponies. The shear level of harm Sunset inflicted on them without the slightest hint of Celestia caring, without any action, actively preventing Sunset from ever facing any consequences for those actions... and then all but admitting she did know about them, wasn't simply blind to them and fooled, but knew and did nothing? Yeah she so deserved her what the buck, Princess!? chewing out from Cinnamon Tart and then some. She deserves to be called out on this by the students her inaction harmed and owes the entire student body an apology. Not to mention she had better be tracking down all those students that Sunset had chased away and done everything she could to make things right for them. Made Sunset tell her about every one of those she's framed for things and purged any hint of wrongdoing from their records for it. She owes her students a lot to make up for letting Sunset go so far, and then telling them she knew all about it. (And this is a bit where the "taking it on it's own or in context with all other stories" rears up. Since if you take the per Novel canon to the series Little Truths into account, and just what Sunset has done.. it makes admitting she knew about it all the worse. Not to mention the whole bit about how harshly she deals with ponies who subject her students to what the Dean did, given Sunset did the exact same thing.. though since that also goes fully against the part from here where Sunset realized this was beyond even what she at her worst would ever do. We'll see what the promised 'director's cut' of the story says.)

Yet, this is the part where the layers and complexity come into play. It's not that simple, it can't be, and the story does a great job of showing hints that, it really isn't. As above, she later admitted she really did not know just how far Sunset had gone. That she was surprised at the letters telling her just what Sunset had done to some ponies (Letters I'm assuming Cinnamon and Raspberry talked ponies into writing to help build the case agsint Sunset.) Though that doesn't change how bad saying what she said would come off to the students. But also, tiny hints, the way the story made sure to note Celestia's total lack of expression while Cinnamon was chewing her out. A quick flash of shame on her face that Sunset notes, Sunset taking the look as a sign, Celestia was ashamed of herself. Though we also have an earlier bit about how Sunset is bad at reading the Princess and how skilled Celestia is at only showing exactly what she wants ponies to see. The whole scene, it's unsettling, has many implications that could go to very bad places. Could show Celestia just... really being in the wrong for a lot of what she's done with regards to Sunset. Yet, because it's done so well building that complexity into Sunset, showing how much thought, how many different interweaving threads make up the story and the characters, it's easy to see there is more to it then just what we are seeing on the surface. Above all, it makes me just really REALLY want to know just what was going through Celestia's mind during this, what her true thoughts about it were, as that would be what how I take it hinges on. If she realized the mistake, realized just how badly some of her little ponies were hurting because of her actions in allowing Sunset so much leeway and slack, and if she intended to do everything she could to make it right.

I do not hate the scene, nor do not think it is a bad scene. Quite the opposite, my only outright issue that I think was poorly done was the way Celestia downplayed or outright ignored any and all culpability Sunset had in this through her past actions. That this was caused in part through what Sunset had done and she does bear some blame for the hurt those fillies had been subjected to. As well as seeing just how badly her little "I know what goes on" speech would look to the students. This is a powerful scene, and while I do believe Celestia was in the wrong, at least in part, for how she handled some aspects of it, there are hints she realizes this. Knows that it was a mistake, is ashamed of having allowed things to get this bad. I am faulting her only on some of her word choices while confronting the Dean. On what her words could imply to those looking on. Not for her actions in regards to Sunset herself or the Dean, or the overall way she handled this. Even her "I know what goes on" bit was more about establishing who she is, driving home the point the she is the sovereign, the ruler, she is their Princess and she is in charge.

Do I think she was too light a touch in things before this, let Sunset get away with far to much? Certainly, yet.. Celestia is not perfect. Above all I understand why Celestia was so willing to give Sunset slack, to let Sunset have chance after chance, always trying to find a way to get through to her. Why she might be, not outright fine, but more willing to downplay the issue a bit with other students being hurt if it meant Sunset came around in the end. (Though hopefully not knowing just HOW bad she screwed some over.) One massive factor that makes everything Celestia does fully understandable and relatable. It's not said in this story, but is brought up later on. Yet even then, its presence is clear if you stop and think about things. Look at what is going on, where they are, and most importantly WHEN they are. The real driving force making her excuse almost anything Sunset does in an attempt to get her to see the light and reform. The one thing that could push Celestia to convince herself that what Sunset is doing isn't as bad as it truly is. Something that has been haunting her for centuries, quite likely her single greatest regret she would do anything to make right. Luna. She sees Sunset as her only hope for her sister being returned to her once more and so is desperate to do everything possible to keep Sunset around and trying to change her into the pony she hopes Sunset can become. One who can help fill Celestia's own millennia old emptiness.

So much of that, is without being said outright, simply shown in small hints, in the simple facts of the setting and through the story proving it does have that level of thought and complexity to it and it's characters. Even while I do dislike parts of that scene, it's more in details about what was said, not the motivations or actions, and even my doubts nearly all hing on just what Celestia was thinking, on what was going on in her head. Yet not knowing provides so much to think about. It's simply a testament to how well written this story is that so much thought, so much meaning, and so much can be taken from so little directly stated information. All while making the characters, even those I hadn't talked about, so well done and so so amazingly vibrant, complex, and real.

Engagement: Just look at how much I've thought about this stuff. Yeah this story engages you in one of the best possible ways. The story itself is great, sucks you in, everything progresses fast, yet not rushed. We see Sunset slowly breaking down, the barriers between the persona she's worn for so long and her inner knowledge of what is right fading. Are invested in the conflict, able to see her trying to do the right thing, knowing she should but, held back by all her baggage. The story makes it all so simple to understand, yet with so many layers, so much depth, so many questions to explore, wonder. There is so much that can be picked apart to better understand what is going on. Yet as the story goes on, you are simply carried away by it. To caught up in wanting to see what she chooses, which path she takes, what finally pushes her over the edge. The story is highly engaging on both the entertaining level, and the deeper, giving you so much to dive into, think about, explore angle.

Poniness: I said above there were two parts of this story that gave me issues. The first being some of the things Celestia said during the confrontation with the Dean and the implications they carried. As well as just how the foals watching could take it. The second, deals more with how this story fits into the actual Equestria. Yes it's an AU, but this is another point where what is known just in this story, and what is revealed in later ones give things vastly different meaning. I do not see 'AU' as a license to simply do whatever you want without regard to canon. That is the lazy way at best. Changes should make sense, if you just want to twist everything to be what fits your story.. are you really telling a story that should be set in the world you are writing in in the first place? The ideal AU is one that stems from a single question. "What if?" All changes should stem from that one question. This can be large, alter the very fabric of realty ones like "What if Equestria was a steampunk setting?" or simple, 'for want of a nail' type changes where just one tiny thing is altered, like say "What if Sunset Shimmer never went through the mirror portal?" Every change should be a result of that question. Now in this case, it turns out things are a bit more complicated then that, but we find that out later.

On the whole, for this story alone... it does use the AU well, it is constrained to seeing what would happen to Sunset. Larger picture, the reveal of the real details simply makes it all the better and work even more then it already did. But in making this story what it is, in how it became an 'AU' it is meaning that everything should be the same, except those things which would be changed by the divergence event. So simply saying 'It's an AU' is not a valid defense against what is my single largest issue underlying not just this chapter, but the Wavelengths series as a whole. At least the early bits. It is still present in the later ones, but is not as prevalent. That is, the character's ages. This is two fold, first, what we are outright told their ages are, and the relation between them, does not make sense for what we have seen. Two major ones come to mind for this. But second, and more importantly, they do not act consistent with what their ages should be, the story does not seem to keep how old they are supposed to be in mind a large portion of the time. They don't feel like what we are being told they are.

Okay that is a bit vague, so let's get into details. First, the number values. In this, Sunset is only two years older then everypony else that we know. Except Twi who she is three years older, but that is a separate issue. This doesn't work right, or feel right, both on a logic of events level, or just how they act. Logic wise, it means that when Sunset went through the portal, she was only like 14. She had learned enough to be as formidable as she was, grown resentful enough of Celestia, had all the emotional stuff she did happen, all in only three years of being her pupil? And all of those while a younger foal? Keep in mind, that means during all the drama, everything that led up to her self banishment, Sunset was the age of the CMC. All this happened in that age range. It does not feel right at all. Making it even worse is that the story is very clearly taking the comic The Fall of Sunset Shimmer as canon. using those events as the catalyst for things and what pushed Sunset that final bit. The thing is, in that comic, we very, very clearly see, in a way that makes clear it is not an accident, an adult.. or at least Season 1 Mane 6 age Sunset, fully grown, in the same panel as a blank flank Filly Twilight. Yet according to what we are told, she is only three years older then Twilight now. It doesn't fit anything at all of what little we have been shown, or make any real sense Sunset would go insane with jealousy and rage as she had in that short a time, while that young.

Now yes, trying to figure out the chronology of Sunset in relation to Twilight is a temporal headache that would make The Doctor run screaming. That movie was not made with any thought as to this making sense, and so.. it doesn't, there is no way these things match up or work without a TON of fanwankery and handwaving and inventing stuff like time dilation across the portal. It's a mess. But it's also clear from how the story proceeds, and what ends up happening, that the story really wanted, and hinged on, Sunset being friends with the Canterlot unicorn group from Amending Fences and that was the first priority, so it made her closer to their age so they could be. Ignoring how little sense that made of everything else. Then we have randomly making Twilight a year younger then all of them, which makes no sense at all. She knew them when she as a blank flank, they were in school before GU, cause the old school they showed up in was not GU, also none of them had Cutie Marks in that flashback. This is even outright referenced in the officially canon prequel. As their whole old chemistry class reuniting when they all found out they were first years... except Twilight, who was in their class with them.. yet now was a year behind them. Then it just handwaves that, oh she was placed in some more advanced classes' to have them be together and know each other in school. That just.. the whole thing does not work right, feels off, is very roughly inserted into the story, and for how things are treated, is there not for any purpose or reason of it's own. For all the effect this has, I can only see one reason to do it in the first place. So that Sunny can be a monster and hurt Lemon Hearts, while not having a reason to have attacked Twilight. So Lemon Hearts can be a first year while Sunset is a bitch, and Twilight can be safe by coming in after she's reformed. It's all there for the sake of adding backstory between Sunset and Lemon Hearts. it just.. it feels to blatantly unneeded, stands out, and as you can guess i don't like it. It's again, just doing whatever you want for the sake of the story, without regard for how it fits into the larger world already there.

Even then, the ages, while Twilight's makes no sense, Sunset's, as I said, it's a huge bucking mess to begin with, so alright, fine, just accept she this age. Though that also brings up the issue of if Sunset was SO well known, SO prevalent SUCH a huge disaster and so big a deal, and she disappeared RIGHT before Twilight came to the school with her stepping RIGHT in as Celestia's student without a single term between them. How the hell has Twilight never heard of Sunset? How did nopony ever compare her to Sunset, mention Celestia's former pupil, bring up anything about Sunset?

All that though, is again, only half of it. Keep in mind, these are second and in Sunset's case fourth year students. This means they are CMC age. Not CMC now.. I mean Season 1 CMC in the case of ever student save Sunset, who is closer to CMC now. It also means Sunset Shimmer was a total, utter, and complete monster, able to manipulate others at will, terrorize a school, be taken to meet, talk with, and impress foreign dignitaries, do everything she has done in this story.... while a little filly. While no older then the CMC. The level of control she has, the ideas she has, the way she goes about them, the way she is treated... none of them feel at all like a filly that young. Even in this story, she's only in fourth year, meaning she's still about the age the CMC are now. The shear level of competence, maturity (after a fashion), skill, drive, motivation, just the shear everything about the way Sunset is written, none of it feels the slightest bit like she is meant to be a foal. She is treated by everypony as at the very least an older teenager. Hell she is made a Teachers Assistant, and not one mention is made about he age being odd for it, just that nopony wanted her as their aide until Celestia directly asked one of them to do it. As I said above, she seems to have no actual classes, does nothing at school except TA for this one class. Not even all of the professor's classes, just his second year one. Every single facet of this story is told, written, and acts like she is about the age she is in EQG. Well the age her physical body looks like over there. This feels like a case of the story trying to have it's cake and eat it too. It wants Sunset young enough to hang out with and end up becoming part of the Amending Fences group. Yet it wants to deal with the drama, the conflict, the actions, and the mindset of adult, EQG era Sunset. Of a mature Sunset. Treat her like an adult at all times, despite, again, she's basically the equivalent of early teens. See again, CMC now-ish in age. The two just... it's not just a case of 'show don't tell' it' a case of what we are told, and what we are shown being wholly incompatible with each other. It's bad in this book, and just stays that way for some time, at least in these early arcs. The whole thing is just to clearly, blatantly done for the sake of 'I want a story where things are like this" without trying to give any real Watsonian reason for it to be like that which makes sense with everything we've seen. And.. I could deal with that, wouldn't like it, but fine. But adding then not having it consistent, not having her act like how old she is supposed to be, not making this feel like she is as young as you are telling me she is.. that just stretches disbelief to far for me, makes things just.. not work at all in this respect.

Buuuut all that? It is, in the end, a minor annoyance. Just one off note in an otherwise AMAZING symphony. Just one instrument in the orchestra that is out of tune. It is pretty much my only overall issue with the Wavelegnths timeline as a whole, and my only outright issue with this story itself. The Celestia one, is again, more a case of really needing to know more then we are shown, and knowing this might work and be fine, but all depending on Celestia's thoughts and off screen actions. Everything else is simply amazing, before even getting into the really big reveal that comes later and makes this whole concept get taken to an even higher level.

First, since we're talking about Twilight above, I do love how the story treats her here. (Aside from the bizarre, younger then everypony else thing.) Sunset is replacing Twilight as the best student in school, as Celestia's pupil, even as Moondancer's friend. Yet at no point does the story put down Twilight for it, it never tries to make out Sunset is better, this is simply due to circumstances changing. All the while the story actually goes out of it's way to praise Twilight and show that, yeah Twilight really is just that damn good. Both directly, through Sunset's own assessment that a year ago she'd have seen Twilight as a threat and tried to destroy her. As well as noting that for all the story is playing up how great, smart, intelligent, special, and just plain good at this Moondancer is, Sunset of all ponies admits Twilight is playing on an even level with Moondancer, without having to do even a fraction of the studying, effort, or work to get there. Simply naturally understanding things. Then, a bit more subtly praising and showing just how damn powerful Twilight is through the talks about transmutation, how being able to imprint how to use a transmuted body is just a theory, and how self transmutation is considered all but impossible. How keeping a pony transmuted requires a good deal of effort to maintain. All things Twilight as pulled off with almost zero effort or anything treating it as anything special. Simply one more thing she can do. Transforming all of the Mane 6, including herself into Breezies, holding it without effort for quite some time, and copying the Breezies enough to give them all full control over their new bodies as if it were natural to them. Yeah, the story acknowledges Twi is a bit OP. Just, circumstances have conspired to not let her fully demonstrate that.

Beyond that, as I've stated many times "poniness" is a shorthand for 'Faithfulness to the source material' and this comes in two flavors. Sticking to the canon, making sure your story fits the facts of the world you are placing it in, and staying true to the meaning of the existing work. While the age thing plays merry havoc with the former, as to the later? Let's see, Sunset Shimmer finds that the dark, yawning pit deep inside of her which drives her to try and fill it with power, control, anger, and magic can only be truly filled with other ponies. That only friendship can actually make her feel whole, complete. Yeah, seems like it nailed that aspect rather well. More then 'rather well' in fact because it handles it so perfectly. This isn't any trite, cliched, just saying 'friendship is magic' and fixing everything. It's complicated. Sunset has to struggle to even realize what the issue is, why she is having these thoughts, these problems. Even once she realizes, or at least admits, part of her wants Moondancer as her friend, she still has to fight past years of defenses she's made to keep everypony else out. Only once she has been crushed, reached her lowest point, reached rock bottom and had Moondancer save her. See just how much Moondancer cares for her does she truly realize just how much friendship can mean. It really is playing out the ending of EQG, the same overall message, the same reasoning, the same basic structure, but done far, far better. Done right. Not just a sudden "Oh I lost WAAAHHH! I only wanted friends!" But it being something Sunset has struggled with, a dawning realization she's been fighting for some time, a gradual change over time that she'd been fighting finally forced to happen through the catalyst of the Dean's scheme.

The story really, truly gets what 'Friendship is magic' means, shows just how true that is and uses it to amazing effect. Add on just some simply brilliant character exploration for Shimmy, a really intriguing, engaging look at Celestia that opens so many questions, changing things to (for now) push Twilight aside while still clearly praising and making clear how amazing she is. On pretty much every single level aside from the whole age thing this fits in so perfectly and works so well with everything the show is about.

Overall:Incredible: Yeah, the story has some flaws, but it does so so much right is such a great look at Sunset, that it more then overcomes those issues. As stated, the main one is just in the set up, in saying "it's this way because I need it to be this way for the story I want" with little regard for how it sticks to actual facts. And a bigger issue with how it fails to seem to keep in mind how old it is telling us these characters are. They are rather endemic to the early books in the series though, not just this one. Plus, as said, more a personal gripe in the first part and, just something you have accept is happening on the second. If you don't keep in mind how old they are supposed to be, they are amazing well written, act so well, and the story is just a great look at Sunset Shimmer, what makes her tick, what made her what she was, what made her what she is now. All presented in such a grand, yet simple way.

The writing is full of clear thought, layers of meaning and detail stacked on each other. Even the second biggest issue being a case of there clearly being for to it then we see, and simply left trying to figure out what that might be. It sets up this AU of Sunny being the main character in events well, plus when looked back on after the big reveal, just makes everything all the more stunning and engaging and grand. Sunset's change feels natural, is founded on one of the greats pillars of the show, of Equestria itself, and presented in a way that makes so much sense and works nearly perfectly. Everything that really matters about the story is phenomenal, giving so much to think about discuss, ponder. It's a start to a new series that does well to hook you in and make you eager to see just where a new, reformed, and still Pony Sunset will go. While also being willing to poke a bit of fun at it's own conventions. Yes I saw the "Who names these books?" dig, very nice.

This is a truly remarkable work that does rely on some sketchy at best ideas to get some of the characters where it wants them, but once together mixes them into a truly wonderful, potent, energizing creation that any alchemist. should be striving to be able to create.

To close it out... how a bout a song that, pretty much sums up exactly what Sunset learned in the end?