Fresh snow crumpled under Sunset Shimmer’s hooves. She looked up at the blue sky above, showing little evidence of the storm that had engulfed the land three days ago. She peered over her shoulder at Twilight and Spike, wrapped in sufficient winter garments.
Ahead of them was the cave that the Crystal Mirror resided. Its giant stone door half open as Sunset had left it.
“Nearly there,” Sunset called over her shoulder, pulling the door open wider.
“Yeah,” She huffed in reply. The journey to the cave had taken all day and involved wading through deep snowdrifts.
Making their way through the door, Twilight let up her horn and was surprised to see that the cave was very shallow. The Crystal Mirror was already in sight.
While approaching it Spike asked whether it was open.
“Yes,” Sunset answered. “I can feel.”
“Me too,” Twilight added. They examined the mirror with a mixture of emotions.
“Strange to think of it here now and not at home,” Spike said. “And we’re still wondering why it went berserk in the first place.”
“Only Twilight’s theory holds any water,” Sunset replied drawing confused looks from the other two. “Oh, right, yes. I mean the other Twilight. We spent months trying to find the reason to the mirrors strange behavior but it's hard to measure magic and its effects with scientific equipment. The only correlation that she could find was that our sun was producing a large solar flare. Our Twilight theorizes that the sun may produce magical energy, that may have overpowered the portal.”
“Yeah, that sounds about right,” Spike said pretending to understand and fooling no-pony.
“Anyway, speaking of the sun,” Twilight began, turning her sights back to Sunset. “Did you get to talk to Celestia?”
Sunset looked at her hooves with her ears drooped, “No, I haven’t.”
Spike gave her a sideways look, “Why not?”
“Well after we’ve have all been very busy these last few day and I didn’t want to bother her,” -She looked up at the two- “It's been so long and we left on such bad terms. I mean, what do I even say to her?”
A familiar voice wafted in “You could start with hello,”
Princess Celestia strode into the cave much to the surprise of the trio with them exclaiming her name. She stopped just short of them and to Sunset’s silent joy, her look was not one of anger or contempt but of kindness.
The two faced each other with Sunset struggling to find her words, “Celestia, I……I’m sorry.”
Celestia gave Sunset her trademark warming smile and stepped up to her, embracing her with hoof and wings. Twilight and Spike watched on smiling.
Celestia was the one to break the embrace, looking up at the Crystal Mirror, “It is time.”
Sunset and Twilight also turned their attention to the mirror, both sensing its magic waning.
“I truly wish we had longer, for there is much we need to catch up on,”
She continued. “But now you must return to Canterlot High and let them know the fate of the flying craft that came through before.”
“I will,” Sunset replied. “And I will return when the mirror is next open."
“And I look forward to it, Sunset,” Celestia added warmly. “Now go, before the mirror closes.”
After another quick hug, Sunset moved away towards Twilight whilst reaching into her saddle bags, “Here, take this.”
She handed Twilight a brown covered book with both cutie their marks at its center. Twilight quickly studied it and felt its magic in her hoof, “Is this a new journey!?!”
“Curtesy of Sunburst,” Sunset chuckled. “Well, we gotta keep in touch somehow.”
The two mares and Spike shared a hug before Celestia reminded Sunset of the closing mirror. Sunset pulled away from twilight and stood in front of the mirror. She looked over her shoulder at the others waving her goodbye. She gave them a quick salute and then walked into mirrors surface. Just a few seconds later the warm glow the mirror was giving off, ended and the portal closed.
“Wow, she was cutting that fine,” Spike remarked.
“Yes, that's Sunset for you,” Celestia chuckled. She turned away from the Crystal Mirror and made her way towards the cave’s entrance. “Come Twilight. Let us return.”
Twilight smiled and followed with spike still on her back.
Dusk was quickly approaching The Crystal Empire. Celestia, however, found herself at the cities hospital. Wanting to visit its residents before putting the sun to bed. She acknowledged the bow of a nurse before being shown to the main ward.
It was almost full with patients. Almost all of whom were Shinning Armour’s guards or ponies forced into Nightmare Moon’s army. She slowly wandered between the beds and talking to its occupants. Many of them she knew personally. Both from Canterlot and Ponyville.
Ahead of Celestia was another familiar face that she didn’t expect to see, “Well, hello there, Fluttershy.”
Fluttershy ears pricked up at her name. She turned to face her and bowed, “Princess Celestia.”
“I did not expect to see you here.”
“Well the hospital was a little short staffed, so I’ve been giving them an extra hoof.”
“Indeed,” -Celestia looked at the paticents- “Any of them seriously harmed?”
“A couple of fractured bones from a couple of the guards but nothing too serious,” -Fluttershy pointed at several paitents- “Most of them were just suffering from exhaustion and exposure. With another day or two’s rest, they should be ready to go home.”
Celestia nodded and then noticed another pony approach. It was Hoofly’s doctor, Healing Touch. One of the few evacuees who volunteered to stay in the Crystal Empire instead of being moved on to Rainbow Falls. She stood before her and bowed, “Your highness.”
“Dr,” Celestia said, acknowling her bow. “How is everything going?”
“Pretty well, your highness. But…” -She shifted on her hooves- “Foxtrot has woken up and has asked for Midnight Snow.”
Fluttershy’s eyes droupped and rubbed her hoof in nervous discomfort. Celestia, however, had been in this situation more times than she cared to count. Such was the curse of an extended life.
“What did you tell her?” She asked.
“I said I would get someone who could speak to her.”
“Understood,” -Celestia nodded understandingly- “I will tell her.”
“Are you sure?” Fluttershy asked.
“I am,” Celestia reassured. “In many years in Equestria, I have had to deliver such painful news before. Also, Foxtrot is one of my palace guards. It is best if I tell her.”
The other two mares nodded slowly and Healing Touch showed her the way but Foxtrot was not hard to find. She had been given a private room with had guards stationed at its door. Shinning Armour had placed them there, guarding against any reprisals on her. So far none had happened.
Foxtrot stared blankly at her bedcovers, trying to recall and make sense of the last couple of weeks. Celestia gently knocked on the door before opening it and sticking her head around to look inside, “Foxtrot, may I come in?”
Foxtrot looked up from her bed and was slightly panicked to she Celestia so soon, “Princess Celestia! I..I……”
She tried to get out of bed but was ushered back into it by Celestia, “Foxtrot, my dear, stay in bed. You have yet to regain your strength.”
“But Princess Celestia, I’ve failed you.”
Celestia placed a reassuring hoof on her shoulder, “No Foxtrot. You were ambushed by a powerful being that was unknown to you. It would be unfair to blame you for these events.”
Foxtrot calmed down somewhat, “What was this creature?”
“I believe it was the same creature that corrupted my sister all those centuries ago, Nightmare Moon. But we need not threat from her anymore. Midnight saw to that.”
“He did!?! He is full of surprises,” Foxtrot and Celestia grinned. “By The way, here is he?”
Celestia’s smile slowly ebed away, “Foxtrot, do you recall from your training what a Decimation Spell is?”
“Erm, yes. Its a forbidden spell,” She answered confused. “It destroys the target from the inside out. Even parts no-longer connected to the main body.”
“Thats right,” -Celestia nodded- “And Midnight used one on Nightmare Moon.”
“He did!?! Where did he learn how to use such a spell!?!”
“I don’t know but what I can tell you is that he used it just after he freed you from Nightmare Moon," -Celestia took in a deep breath- “But not before that creature forced a piece of herself into Midnight which undaughterly must have fused with his being."
Foxtrot stared at her princess blankly, "What are you saying?"
Celestia didn't need to answer. It was clear from the tears starting to stream down her cheeks, that she knew what Celestia was trying to say. She moved up to Foxtrot and like with Sunset several hours before, embraced her with a both hoof and wings.
Foxtrot let out a bellow of despair and despite it being muffled by a wing, echoed out the room. Bringing an uneasy silence throughout the hospital.