The morning sun rises as Sunset Shimmer and Starlight Glimmer walk their usual path to the Academy. Several days have passed since the Magic Duel between Fluttershy and Sunset Shimmer, the week now approaching its end. The lack of Elements of Harmony challenging Sunset to sword fights allows her to enjoy a semblance of normalcy. One that she knows won't last, but a semblance nonetheless. It leaves Sunset unwilling to even question Starlight about a number of details regarding the Magic Duel that have begun to itch at her mind, simply wanting to enjoy those normal aspects of their friendship instead. In this case, walking to the Academy together.
"So, how's hanging out with Fluttershy during afternoon classes been, Starlight?" Sunset asks, attempting to make some conversation. If she doesn't initialize, she's learned, Starlight can go nearly an entire day without saying much of anything. "You two seem to get along pretty well, now."
"Ah, yes." Starlight nods. "It's been... nice."
A smile breaks out across Sunset's face. She's refrained from asking about Fluttershy before now, wanting to let Starlight and her meet without being prodded about it until her curiosity finally hit its limit. "Great! What's it like, hanging out with her and doing whatever it is she does with all those animals she keeps?" Sunset herself hasn't seen the yellow pegasus since the day of their Magic Duel. She doesn't know if its coincidence or a result of the fact they dueled, but she never saw the mare before the day they dueled, either, so it's not entirely abnormal. Regardless of the reason, it's left Sunset out of the loop, and from her point of view, serves as a nice conversation starter that Starlight can direct however she likes.
"She has a lot of... interesting animals." Starlight explains. "It took a few days for him to warm up to me, but I've finally gotten to groom Harry for the first time."
"Harry?" Sunset asks. Of course Fluttershy would have names for all of them, too.
"Yes. Harry, the bear." Starlight replies, in her usual tone.
"...Bear?" Sunset stops and blinks, needing to verify she's heard correctly, which Starlight helps by nodding. "She has a bear on the campus?! How does she even control that?"
"I used to think like that, too. Fluttershy just has a gift with animals, though." Starlight's lips tug up to a small smile. "Harry's really docile once you get to know him, Sunset."
"I... see..." Sunset nods, laughing nervously. Note to self, never piss off Fluttershy, or I might meet Harry in some dark alley.
"Is everything okay, Sunset?"
"Ah, of course!" Sunset quickly pulls herself back together, letting thoughts of Bear Encounters of the Worst Kind slip from her mind. "I'm glad you and Fluttershy are getting along so well, Starlight."
"Are you really so sure you should be?" A voice cuts into their conversation, from behind. The two wheel around to find a pink mare with a raspberry mane obscuring half of her face, adorned in a blue Element of Harmony uniform. "Friendship with the Crystal Mare is a novel idea, Sunset Shimmer."
Sunset's hackles rise at the sight of the mare. She remembers her from her first day, talking to Rarity in the Courtyard of the Tree of Harmony. However, up close, the air the mare exudes, and the strange glint in her eye give Sunset shivers. The impression stands starkly in her mind against those of Applejack and Fluttershy, and even Rarity. "Who are you supposed to be?" Sunset draws herself up as her eyes narrow slightly, summoning up her own bluster as a defense against the strange mare.
"Pinkamena Diane Pie." She replies, curtly. Her tone is detached, but fundamentally different from the type of detachment Starlight Glimmer employs. While Starlight's is undercut with a basic cheeriness, Pinkamena's is tinged with aggression, leaving the impression of a wild animal, ready to strike at the right provocation. "Friendship is fickle, Sunset Shimmer."
"A bit cynical to say when you attend a place called 'Friendship Academy', isn't it?" Sunset finds herself instinctively stepping to put herself between Starlight and Pinkamena. "What do you want, anyway?"
Pinkamena laughs under her breath and steps forward, walking to Sunset's side. "Just to give you your fair warning. I'll be taking that Spark away from you." Her hair obscures her face from Sunset's vision, and her tone serves similarly to Starlight's in its ability to not betray emotion on its own.
"Spark?" Sunset asks, confused. "...Wait, are you challenging me to a Magic Duel at seven in the morning?"
Pinkamena's head and shoulders quake slightly from a single laugh. "Of course not." Her head turns to Sunset, her single, visible eye alight. "I just want to be sure you're ready for the party. I'd hate for it to be a surprise, after all." The grin her mouth draws into unsettles Sunset, and leaves her grateful when the mare turns back to face the path ahead, and begins heading into the Academy. "See you around, Sunny Girl."
Sunset remains still on the path, next to Starlight, watching the pink mare's retreating form. Once she becomes a speck on the horizon, Sunset lets out a relieved sigh. "Sheesh. That mare gives me the creeps."
"Pinkie sure is something else, isn't she, Sunset?" Starlight asks, seemingly unfazed by the encounter.
"Pinkie...?" The nickname washes over Sunset as she tries to associate it with the mare she's just met. After a moment, she grins and shakes her head. "There's no way. I can never see her ever going by a name like that."
"Is that so?" Starlight's head tilts.
"Come on, Starlight." Sunset motions her head toward the Academy, and the two resume their trek to the school. The two walk in silence for a short time, but Sunset can't resist her need to question any longer. "Although... since that mare spoiled the mood, anyway, I do have a question."
"Yes, Sunset?"
"When she said 'Spark'... was she talking about that trick sword from the Magic Duels?" Sunset remembers the incantation that Starlight always pairs with her summoning of the sword. Spark of Friendship, which lies deep within... Before, Sunset had figured it had been some kind of ritualistic saying, given the name of the Academy itself, but now, she's wondering just how much significance it may have if that Pinkamena mare is referencing it directly. "You know, you say the thing, do the lights, and you use whatever trick you use to summon that sword?"
"Oh, the Spark of Friendship." Starlight confirms. "It isn't a 'trick sword', Sunset."
"Then what is it?" Sunset realizes that 'trick sword' may have been the wrong phrasing, as she's used the sword enough to know that it is, at least, a real sword, with a proper blade, but it's the only phrasing she can think of that conveys something similar to her current thoughts on it. "You're not going to tell me it's some kind of crazy, magical sword, are you, Starlight?"
"And what if I am?"
"Then..." Sunset sighs. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised, given everything else that goes on in these Magic Duels of theirs. It'd make the name make a bit more sense, at least." Sunset turns her gaze skyward, putting one hoof to her chin while walking on the remaining three, albeit slower, causing Starlight Glimmer to soon end up directly at her side instead of slightly behind her. "Though, even if it is, why would she want it? It's still just a sword, isn't it?"
"Well, why would they want the Crystal Mare, Sunset?"
Because they're crazy. Sunset wants to reply, but stops herself, quickly realizing the significance of Starlight's question. "Why do they want the Crystal Mare, Starlight?"
Starlight Glimmer simply begins humming to herself. Sunset wants to press, but the two are now within the bustle of students and the Academy buildings themselves, essentially killing any chance at a conversation over this subject matter for the time being.
Later, and elsewhere...
A small cassette player sits on the edge of a round table, surrounded by five chairs. In each sits a pony, their five colored jackets contrasting the white crystal of the balcony. A pink hoof reaches out, pressing the play button. The action itself constitutes a ritual between the gathered five. A six-point star emblazoned on the player's front glows a soft magenta as the tape begins to turn.
"If it cannot smash its egg's shell, a chick will die without ever truly being born."
The cassette cuts out, and the light dies, signifying the start of their meeting. The significance of the quote, and the identity of the girl speaking it, are both beyond the reach of the gathered ponies, but its a ritual they adhere to nonetheless.
A black, circular device sits in the table's center. On its face, four partitions are sectioned off, one each a different color - green, red, blue, and yellow. "Game begin. Red." The device says, the red partition glowing to match its instruction.
"She got you too, huh, Fluttershy?" Applejack says, pressing the aforementioned colored panel. "I thought you weren't interested in dueling her for the Crystal Mare, though." Her friendly smile and slightly raised eyebrow denote a genuine curiosity at the mare's change of heart.
"Red, blue."
"Things... happened." Fluttershy replies, vaguely and defensively, hoof moving to press the panels in sequence. Her face again rests behind her mane, although her posture is noticeably less slumped. "But... I'm convinced something is going on, now. I shorted out Sunset's magic, and she still..."
"Red, blue, blue."
"Shorted out her magic?" Rarity asks, curious, hoof following the sequence. "I didn't take you for much of a fighter, darling. How did you manage to do something like that?"
"Um... you know how I have that practice rapier?" Fluttershy laughs nervously. She's had friendly sparring matches with the other Elements of Harmony to help them prepare for duels among themselves, giving them all plenty of chances to see her weapon of choice. "I might have gotten really mad and hit her right in the horn with it!" At her admission, she retreats behind her mane, like a foal hiding behind a curtain.
Rarity cringes, a hoof reaching for her own horn absentmindedly. "Oww..."
"Yeah..." Fluttershy nods. "But, she still did that... thing she does, in the end. It even snapped my rapier like a twig."
"Red, blue, blue, green."
"So the game has reached the next level, then." Pinkamena laughs darkly, tracing the sequence. In front of her sits an open letter. "I get to be the one to duel her next, too. It's a little... exciting." She grins, clearly reveling in the anticipation at what's to come.
"You sure seem rarin' to go, Pinkamena." Applejack quips. "But, it sounds like that girl has a win button that ignores how good we might be at the dueling game itself. Got any thoughts on that?"
"It's the sword, of course." Pinkamena's eye meets Applejack's. "As far as I can tell, we're not dueling Sunset Shimmer. We're dueling that sword. Until she pulls out that finisher, it seems like even Fluttershy can beat her in a straight play of the dueling game."
"Red, blue, blue, green, red."
Rainbow Dash's face scrunches, concentrating as her hoof moves along the device. "You all said that the Crystal Mare called it the 'Spark of Friendship', right? Pretty weird name for a sword, if you ask me." She slouches back into her seat, satisfied at her ability to remember the pattern. "Besides, losing to a sword... that just sounds silly."
"Got any better ideas as to what's been happening?" Rarity asks. "Some newcomer who doesn't even take any classes applicable to the Magic Duels is sweeping through all of us. Clearly something is going on, Rainbow Dash."
"Yeah, clearly." She folds her hooves over her chest, looking slyly back at Rarity. "Clearly, you all just suck."
Rarity huffs at the insult. "Does that apply to Fluttershy, too, dear?"
"Red, blue, blue, green, red, green."
"Best watch what insults you throw 'round, RD." Applejack's face becomes a mimicry of Rainbow Dash's during her own turn, as the pattern begins getting longer. "But, I imagine if it really is some kind of magic sword or something, the Crystal Mare didn't get a choice in namin' it." Her hoof moves, a bit slower this time, but still able to press the buttons in their correct sequence.
"Yeah." Rainbow Dash shrugs, using the lead to diffuse the tension she's just created. "Swords aren't exactly friendly, after all. Cool, but definitely not friendly."
"Red, blue, blue, green, red, green, yellow."
This time, however, no hoof moves, and a buzz indicates the chain breaking from the device timing out. The eyes of the other four ponies turn to Fluttershy, whose face carries uncharacteristic resoluteness, for the second time that week. "Everypony, I have something to say." She stands from her seat, drawing herself to her full height. A gentle breeze brushes her mane away from her face, exposing it fully.
Rainbow Dash leans forward, curiously. "What is it, Fluttershy?"
Fluttershy glances briefly at Applejack, their eyes meeting, before continuing. "I might sound like a hypocrite since I dueled, too... but, after doing that... I think Sunset Shimmer is right." She swallows, eyes passing over the gazes of the other three ponies of the group, whose faces hold different levels of confusion at her declaration. "I don't think we should follow the instructions from End of the World anymore."
"And why shouldn't we?" Pinkamena's hooves slam against the table, rising onto her back hooves. While leaning on the table, Pinkamena is eye-level with Fluttershy. "You've just confirmed yourself that these Magic Duels have a point, and now you want to stop? Or do you just want to keep this status quo because Sunset Shimmer lets you have what you want?" Pinkamena leans forward, closer to Fluttershy, and as she does, her raspberry mane falls forward, further obscuring her face.
Fluttershy falls silent, her confidence cracking as her eyes turn away from Pinkamena and onto the circular device in the center of the table. The tilt of her head causes her mane to obscure part of her face again.
Rarity sighs, shaking her head, leaning herself forward as well, if only to insert herself between the two. "Fluttershy, darling. Even if we all took off our necklaces and discontinued the duels, End of the World would just find somepony else to fight for them. The Crystal Mare will be in the same circumstances, just with other ponies. We're fortunate to be the ones with this opportunity, especially with the letters slowly being proven more and more true."
"...Rarity's right, Fluttershy." Rainbow Dash says, eyes pointedly on the table and not the yellow mare being addressed.
An orange hoof reaches forward, pressing a button on the circular device.
"Game begin. Yellow."
"So how's your week gone, Spike?" Sunset Shimmer asks, sitting in the shade of a tree on Friendship Academy's outer campus. Starlight Glimmer and Spike are under the shade with her, the trio sitting on a pinkish-purple blanket, decorated with four-point magenta and white stars, layered atop each other, swooshing trails of striped turquoise and aquamarine flowing from them. Groups similar to theirs dot the undersides of the other trees around the outer campus, some on their own blankets and others merely sitting in the grass. In the distance, the rows of bleachers that symbolize where the natural fields end and sports fields begin are visible, twinkling in the noon sun.
"Terrible!" Spike grumbles, crossing his arms. "They decided to hammer us out the gate, and I've already had to take three exams today because of it. Three!" He leans his back against the tree, grunting in frustration at his workload.
"Yeah." Sunset leans against the tree as well, relaxing in contrast to Spike's frustration. "They've been hitting our class really hard, too. For a school about Friendship and Harmony, they sure do expect us to know a lot of math."
"But you're like, egghead-tier smart, Sunset. You can handle that sort of thing. I... well, can't. Just passing these things is a struggle for me, sometimes." He kicks his feet against the blanket to vent his frustration. "Geez, this really stinks."
Sunset chuckles. "It can't be that bad for you, Spike. You're like, what, five grades below me or something? They can't have you doing anything that complicated."
Spike huffs. "It doesn't change the fact that I barely have any time left to hang out with Rarity because of it. I haven't been able to help her with her clothing stuff all week, and that's the main chance I get to spend time with her."
"Sounds like tough luck, Spike." Sunset places a hoof on his shoulder. "I'm sure next week will be better."
"Yeah, I hope so..." He mutters, eyes cast at his feet.
"So! Starlight!" Sunset turns to the third, silent member of their group, keen to pull the conversation back in a positive direction. "It was really nice of you to offer to set up a picnic for us." She gives Starlight an appreciative grin. "I was starting to think you weren't interested in getting involved in our little lunch-time tradition."
"It's no problem, Sunset." Starlight replies. She picks up the handle of a large picnic basket at her side in her mouth, moving it to the center of the blanket. "It's not my specialty, but I tried my best." Her hoof flips one side of the basket open, allowing Sunset and Spike to view the contents therein - two sealed containers, a reveal that feels like quite the anti-climax to both of them. Soon, she's also set plates in front of each of them - glass, white, with an old-fashioned, green trim. She follows those up with the appropriate silverware, of a design matching the trim of the plates.
Using her magic, Sunset Shimmer pulls out the first container, pulling the top open. "Oh, hey! A pie!" Sunset turns from the food to her friend in surprise. "I wouldn't have guessed you knew how to make pie, Starlight." Sunset sets the container down on the blanket, pulling the knife that Starlight set out up in her magic, making the first incision.
"Thank you, Sunset." Starlight's neutral expression becomes the slightest bit happier at the compliment. "I hope you like it."
"But who brings glass dishware to a picnic?" Spike asks, holding his plate up to examine it. While skeptical of the setup than Sunset, he's still clearly eyeing the 'pony food' as he's called it for himself. It's hard for either Spike or Sunset to not be curious to the kinds of things Starlight Glimmer may cook.
Sunset completes her cuts, levitating the first slice onto her plate, holding it up in front of her. "...Wait." She examines the slice closely, seeing something completely unexpected. "...Is that macaroni and cheese inside the pie?" Sunset's expectations of this picnic feel flip-turned upside down, as she stares at a combination she's never seen before.
"Have you never had macaroni pie before, Sunset?" Starlight asks, smiling sweetly at her.
"Well, no, but... it's definitely something new to try." Sunset cuts two more pieces from the pie, placing one on each of the remaining plates. "I'm sure it'll be good, Starlight."
"I hope so, Sunset."
Spike dives into the basket, pulling out the remaining container. "Well, let's see what else there is!" He pops open the top to find an assortment of firm, yellow-white squares. After eyeing them for a moment, he turns up to Starlight Glimmer. "Are these some sort of candy. Starlight?"
"Yes." She nods. "Butter tablets, Spike."
"Sweet!" He grabs a square in a claw, tossing it into his maw. He chews the treat eagerly, but soon slows, his pupils dilating.
"Um... I might have used a bit too much sugar." Starlight laughs into one of her hooves upon seeing Spike's reaction.
"Holy crap!" Sunset exclaims, a half-eaten pie slice resting on her plate. "Water! Please tell me somepony packed water!"
Starlight Glimmer tilts her head, sweet smile ever-present on her face. "Was the ghost pepper jack too strong, Sunset?"
"Yes!"
"Resorting to watching ponies eat, Pinkie?" A mono-tone voice asks.
"No one asked you, Maud." Comes Pinkamena's snarl of a reply. "And stop calling me that, already."
The two stand under a tree in the outer courtyard, Pinkamena leaning against the trunk while the other pony, Maud Pie, stands behind her, eyeing the back of her head. To the untrained eye, Pinkamena's gaze looks unfocused, staring into nothing, an activity that most that know Pinkamena superficially won't find strange at all. However, the reality, that Maud can see, is that her stare has a honed target, one group out of many performing similar activities - two ponies and a small dragon.
"No." The grass behind Pinkamena rustles as the other pony sits. "I'm worried about you."
Pinkamena rounds on her, cerulean eye meeting turquoise. "Why?" Pinkamena's voice is mixed between biting and pleading.
The mare in front of Pinkamena holds her eyes without flinching or hesitating, a feat most ponies aren't capable of. Her gray fur clashes against her white Academy uniform, while her short, cropped violet mane frames her face. "I'm your older sister, Pinkie. I have to worry about you."
"Well, there's nothing to worry about." Pinkamena insists, her tone regaining its distance as she turns back to her original direction, sitting alone under the tree. "Just go away, already."
The grass rustles once more, as Maud decides to move closer to her sister. "There's a large fault in that statement, Pinkie."
"Maud, no." Pinkamena replies immediately.
"I'm not about to take you for granite, Pinkie."
"Stop calling me that already!" Pinkamena wheels on her sister once more, distance gone, only wrath remaining. "You want a pun? Fine! You should just make like a tree and leave already!"
"No." Maud replies flatly, unflinching at her outburst, as she sits once more. "I'll make like a rock. That means not moving at all."
Pinkamena hits her head against the trunk of the tree. "You would! Fine then." She pulls herself to her hooves, shaking her head. "You sit like a rock, and I'll leave like a tree, then." She turns, back toward the Academy, and makes said leave along the nearby crystal path. However, directly behind her, a second set of hoofsteps make it clear she's not alone, causing her to stop. "I thought you were making like a rock?" She grumbles, not turning around.
"I am. Except this time, I'm making like a rock, and rolling." Maud replies. "This path goes down a hill."
Pinkamena turns around, facing Maud again, and opens her mouth to speak, but the reply dies on her lips. She sighs instead, and then speaks. "No more puns, Maud. You're no good at them. You should let me handle them from now on."
"That's what I'm digging for."
"Hmph." Pinkamena turns, resuming her walk back to the Academy. "Do what you want."
The afternoon sun sets on the Courtyard of the Tree of Harmony, reds and ambers reflecting off the branches of the great tree. Starlight Glimmer, as is her role, tends to the tree and its surroundings. At its base, Sunset Shimmer leans back, looking up through the branches, relaxing after afternoon classes.
"Not helping Fluttershy today?" Sunset asks. While curious, Sunset's not complaining about the situation. Fluttershy often keeps Starlight late despite her insistence to start her work before the day even ends, leaving Sunset to her own devices until late into the day. While she has an appreciation for solitude, she enjoys having an afternoon where she's not on her own, even if her company isn't the most sociable.
"Not today, Sunset." Starlight replies simply. "We had plans, but when I went to meet her, Fluttershy said she'd prefer to do it on her own."
"Huh." Sunset shrugs. With how enthusiastic Fluttershy had been before, she finds it strange the mare would cancel an appointment. Not wanting to press further, Sunset thinks up another conversation starter. "So, why do you spend so much time taking care of this tree, Starlight? I know, Crystal Mare stuff, but this tree isn't alive or anything."
"Not true, Sunset." Starlight replies, her attention never leaving her work. "The Tree of Harmony is very much alive, in its own way."
"Is it, now?" Sunset's skepticism is plain in her tone. How can crystal be alive, even if its in the shape of a tree?
"Yes." Starlight confirms. "Maybe not in the way you think of it being, Sunset, but it is." She hums to herself for a moment, then continues. "The magic from the Tree of Harmony could be felt everywhere, once."
Sunset turns her head back, looking at Starlight. "And how do you know something like that?"
Starlight Glimmer merely continues humming.
Another stonewall, huh? Sunset's become used to this, to some extent. Starlight seems willing to answer her questions, but after a point, she merely hums. After noticing the pattern, Sunset's come to assume it to be some rule of being the Crystal Mare, having more knowledge than the Duelists but for some reason not being allowed to impart it by whichever pony runs the game. Applejack made it clear that an entity above the Elements of Harmony have the true reigns, and Sunset doesn't feel any reason to distrust her yet.
She turns her thoughts back to the tree, and decides to turn and give it an up-close examination. Maybe it's simply a matter of asking the right question... She runs a hoof along the base of the tree, thinking, until she notices a detail she hadn't before. Below the carved-out six-point star, and faint, there are emblems visible on the crystal - one, in the shape of a glowing sun, and the other, a crescent moon, surrounded by clouds. "Hey, Starlight."
"Yes, Sunset?" Starlight's voice asks from the far side of the tree.
"What are these things on the base of the tree?" Sunset runs her hoof along the markings, feeling only smooth crystal beneath them. Flat... it's like they're part of the crystal itself.
"Markings?"
"Yeah, there's a sun and a moon at the base of the tree." Sunset explains, still perplexed by their existence. "Any idea what they're supposed to mean, Starlight?" Sunset's hoof lingers against the image of the sun, feeling a nostalgic tug, despite having never seen the symbol before.
"They're from the old fairy tale about the first two alicorns." Starlight explains. "Everypony's heard it as a foal, so surely you have, too?"
"Maybe..." Sunset's voice trails, as she realizes just how little of foalhood she can recall these days. "But, why are they on the base of the Tree of Harmony? Nopony inscribed them... they're dyed directly into the crystal itself."
Humming is the only response Sunset receives. Darn it all... Sunset turns and flops back against the Tree of Harmony, frustrated. She releases a drawn-out breath, trying to expel her foul mood as her eyes draw along the building. It's there, she sees the figure once more, tall and in its magenta coat, in the second story window, with its hair, deep blue with dual stripes of violet and rose. However, this time, for the faintest of seconds, she's able to catch it from the front, before it flees from the window. It's a glimpse to short and too far away to make out any distinct features, but she sees one thing clearly - thick, black-framed glasses.
And, once more, Sunset Shimmer's hooves are moving, before she realizes what she's doing or where she's going. That... whatever it is, has to be following me! And with that uniform, it has to be related to the Magic Duels and the Elements of Harmony, somehow... Her hooves thunder up stairs, doing her best to pursue despite having started from so far away. I have to catch it! She rounds a corner, catching a glimpse of magenta pants and dress shoes, and keeps running, heart pounding in her ears as she finds a reserve of speed she's never known she had. She rounds the corner, following the steps...
...Only to find herself in a straight hallway, with only Pinkamena on the other end.
Pinkamena grins at her from behind her mane. "You look like you've seen a ghost, Sunset Shimmer."
"Gah!" Sunset's hoof stomps, her breath ragged. "I think I'm starting to notice a pattern, here..."
"Pattern?" Pinkamena steps forward, closing the distance between them. "What are you talking about?"
"Nothing." Sunset finally collects herself, locking eyes with Pinkamena. "Let me guess, Magic Duel at midnight, right? That tends to be what happens next, in this situation."
"I see you're starting to understand how things go around here."
"If that's all, then I'm leaving." Sunset turns to head back down the way she came. "I've had a long day and I'd like to relax before we try to stab each other in a fever-dream inspired arena."
"I'm hurt!" The mare feigns, hoof to her chest. "You got so close to Applejack and Fluttershy, and you barely even want to talk to me. What do those two have that I don't?"
Sanity. Sunset mentally quips.
Pinkamena walks up to her, grinning. "Come now, Sunset Shimmer. I'm only a little crazy."
Sunset's eyes go wide as she takes a step back from Pinkamena. "Okay, that's really creepy. How did you do that?" Sunset looks over the mare quickly, looking to see if she missed any key details about them. "You're an earth pony, there's no way you have some kind of crazy mind-reader magic or something."
Pinkamena's grin widens. "I'll tell you if you answer one of my questions, Sunset. How's that sound?"
"And what kind of question is that?" Sunset does her best to hold her ground and keep her eyes locked on the mare, but she's sure the facade isn't working anymore. Something... something is terribly wrong with this mare. I can just feel it, deep inside me.
"The million-bit question, of course!" Pinkamena leans in, her visible eye dancing with excitement. "How does that fancy sword you used to beat the other Elements of Harmony work? It's clearly doing something outside the normal rules of the Magic Duel, and I want to know what it is."
Sunset allows herself to laugh, out of stunned disbelief. She can't tell if its because question feels so absurd to her, or if the fear that she's been feeling from Pinkamena has driven her insane. "So you Elements of Harmony don't anything about it, either, huh? That's great!" Noticing Pinkamena's crazed grin quickly turn into a scowl, Sunset continues. "Yeah, I have no clue. It's like I told Applejack, I don't know the first thing about any of this stuff, except for the bits and pieces I can find along the way."
"Mm. I see." Pinkamena turns from her. "That problem's more prevalent than you may realize. See you tonight, Sunset Shimmer." She takes several steps, then stops, turning her head back to Sunset Shimmer. "And yes, Sunset, something is quite wrong with me. I'm glad you've noticed." Without another word, Pinkamena heads down the hall, disappearing from sight.
"I swear, if I keep having to do these stupid duels, I'm going to die of sleep deprivation." Sunset Shimmer mutters to herself as she walks up to the tower that's soon becoming far too familiar for her liking. The double doors stand tall in front of her, awaiting her part of the ritual to gain admittance. Sunset's hoof pulls her necklace free of her uniform, holding it up to the door, and she clenches her eyes shut against the light. With a clatter, the doors' movement stops, and the light ceases. "Why can't they schedule these Magic Duel things at a reasonable hour, for once?"
With the doors wide open, Sunset enters, soon reaching the tower inside the tower, and begins her climb. Trepidation fills her thoughts this time as she ascends the spiral staircase. I've just realized... I'm going to be having a sword fight with that psychotic mare. She gulps. With my luck, she's going to try to gut me. Please, please, let these duels have a rule against that! The light of the castle again peeks over the sides of the Dueling Arena as Sunset nears the top of the stairs. She takes a breath, steadying herself. You can do this, Sunset Shimmer. You beat Applejack, somehow, and fighting that mare was like trying to move an immovable object. The chandelier-light of the castle washes over Sunset as she ascends the final bend of the spiral, and she steels her resolve, surrounded by the twisting clouds and midday sky.
Sunset passes through the archway signifying the entrance of the Dueling Arena, finding both her opponent and Starlight Glimmer just where she expects them to be. Pinkamena, like Fluttershy, has her weapons already drawn, and her choice of weapons and stance has Sunset even more confused than her fight with Applejack. In Pinkamena's right hoof is a scimitar, curved and long, with an ornate, gold hoof-guard and handle. In her left hoof is a matching parrying dagger, both the blade and hoof-guard obviously designed to catch other swords and toss them aside. While the weapons hold a glint and intent that matches what Sunset perceives of Pinkamena's personality, her stance is something else. She holds herself on two hind legs, standing upright, like Spike, like it's the most natural thing in the world to her. I'm not sure if I'm impressed, or terrified. ...No, I'm definitely terrified.
"Welcome, Sunset Shimmer." Pinkamena's grin returns. "In this dark arena, let us fight. Truly, we shall dance, tonight, the two of us, framed beneath the floating castle's light." She sways slightly on her two legs, weapons resting limply at her sides. Her shadow casts long against the Dueling Arena's floor, only adding to the shiver running down Sunset's spine upon looking at her.
"Is that meant to be poetic or something?" Sunset asks, doing her best to not let the strange mare faze her. "Because, that just sounded kind of..."
"Whose to say?" Pinkamena asks. Her shoulders rock as she begins to laugh at some internal joke, eyes cast squarely at the ground, before her head rises, one visible eye glistening as it locks with Sunset Shimmer. "Supposedly, the wings of an alicorn are capable of flying up to the castle. That's why I'm going to take your Spark, Sunset Shimmer. I'll have those wings for myself... and with those, I'll be able to reach it. I'll reach the castle!" She raises the scimitar, pointing it at Sunset Shimmer. "I'll reach the castle and take my light back!"
"What are you...?" Pinkamena's ranting leaves Sunset stunned, mouth gaping as she tries to untangle the words. "If you want to see the castle, why not just have Fluttershy or the other pegasus mare you're friends with fly you up there? It's not that high up for a pegasus."
Pinkamena doesn't immediately reply, as Starlight Glimmer steps between them. She turns, walking slowly to Sunset, and pulls out the six-point star crystal from her dress. "A small crystal from deep within me, for you..." She says, pinning the familiar gem to Sunset's chest. She meets Sunset's eyes, and a hoof rests against her shoulder. "Don't be afraid, Sunset." Sunset mouths a 'huh', as Starlight Glimmer turns and approaches Pinkamena. She bows her head, pulling out a second crystal, and places it on Pinkamena's chest. "And for you... a fleeting crystal from The End of the World."
The ritual complete, Starlight Glimmer retreats from her, moving back to Sunset's side.
"To answer your question, Sunset Shimmer, the Dueling Arena has rules." Pinkamena explains, body still eerily still. "Try using your magic to attack me." Her grin widens, and her visible eye narrows, her only hints of movement. "I'll wait." Her stance remains unmoving, including the scimitar pointed directly at Sunset.
"Uh... sure?" Sunset blinks, confused, but not about to pass up an opportunity for an easy win if Pinkamena wants to let her have a free shot. She concentrates, building up the magic on her horn, ready to blast the six-point star clear off Pinkamena's chest, and fi- "Gah! What in tartarus?!" Her horn sparks, magical feedback singing her fur and leaving her head splitting before the Magic Duel even begins.
"I told you." Pinkamena's grin reaches dangerous, face-splitting proportions. "Rules." She laughs to herself, lowly at first, the act morphing into a cackle that floods the Dueling Arena.
Sunset grits her teeth as Starlight's hoof presses against her shoulder. Clever, tricking me into that for a leg up. Then again, I suppose I'm the idiot for falling for it. She tests her horn with a simple light spell, finding her magic still usable, though with a dull throbbing that flows through her horn and to the front of her head and eyes. Sunset feels Starlight's hoof rests against her shoulder, and prepares herself for the Magic Duel to begin.
Starlight Glimmer closes her eyes. "Spark of Friendship, which lies deep within..." From Starlight's chest, a white light emanates. It grows, brighter and larger, eventually taking the shape of a rod. Its shape solidifies, a curved, ornate guard appearing around the rod - now the hilt of a sword - the six-point star pommel glowing a soft magenta. "Heed me, and come forth..." The hilt takes full shape and extends from Starlight's chest. The blade, still buried within her, glows a fierce white, brimming with energy that sends Sunset's mane billowing.
Sunset reaches for it, gripping the handle in one hoof. She draws it out slowly, feeling the strange power again flow through her body. Once the blade is half-way free, she pulls it out in a swift motion and points it at Pinkamena. "Grant me the power to revolutionize the world!" The words spill from Sunset's mouth, without her recognition, as if they belong to someone else.
Somewhere, outside the Dueling Arena, a chorus of bells rings, flooding the ears of every pony on the platform.
As the toll of the bells dies out, Pinkamena's body quivers. "There's the Spark! Now, give it to me!"
Pinkamena rushes forward, running entirely with her hind legs, dual blades glistening in the light of the castle as Sunset Shimmer moves her sword into a magical grasp instead of a hoofed one, instinctively maneuvering herself for defense after her battles with all the previous Elements of Harmony. These Elements of Harmony, they're all so- Sunset, however, finds her thought interrupted and expectation betrayed, Pinkamena leaping backwards the second Sunset raises her sword defensively. Pinkamena takes control in that moment, moving forward again in a blur of speed, looping her parrying dagger under the sword. In a single, fluid motion, she uses the parrying dagger to toss the Spark of Friendship aside and her scimitar to thrust forward, in a savage show of aggression.
From the sidelines, Starlight Glimmer watches, impassively.
Sunset, meanwhile, barely sidesteps in time, the blade cutting into her mane as it passes dangerously close to her face. "Whoa!" She uses her magic to pull her sword free of Pinkamena's dagger, and leaps backwards. "I knew it! You're nuts!" Sunset takes another step back, valuing every piece of distance she can put between herself and her opponent after that opening strike.
A low chuckle escapes Pinkamena's lips as she turns herself to face Sunset again. "No, you don't know, Sunset Shimmer." She kicks off the ground, her aggression sending Sunset's heart racing as the scimitar raises high. "I'll do anything to get my light back!" Pinkamena brings the scimitar down, a guillotine aiming directly for Sunset's head.
"Your light?!" Sunset barely dodges the descending scimitar in time, stepping backward on instinct, and then again as Pinkamena thrusts the parrying dagger forward. The tip of the weapon stops a hair's breadth from her muzzle, stopped only by Pinkamena's limbs being that hair's breadth too short.
"Yes!" Pinkamena sweeps the scimitar horizontally, nearly catching Sunset's muzzle once again. "My light! I need it back, and the only way I can have it again is to take the light of the castle! For that, the Crystal Mare, the Spark, the wings... I'll take all of them, too, if that's what it takes!"
Sunset raises her Spark of Friendship, blocking another downward swing of the scimitar. Behind her is the edge of the Dueling Arena. She's got me herded me into a corner... Gah! Resisting the pain in her horn, Sunset redoubles her efforts, trying desperately to push Pinkamena back and give herself an exit. "Take the light of the castle? How in the world can you possibly even do something like that?! Why would you want to?!"
"When I was a little filly, I grew up on a farm. A rock farm! We farmed rocks! Can you imagine how dreary and maddening that is on a young mare?" Pinkamena's weight leans into her downward strike, and Sunset strains to keep the sword steady in her magic, teeth gritting and face scrunching under the strain. "One day, a light swept across my farm, and my life changed forever! I was happy! I made everyone else happy! I felt like I could do anything!"
A small flicker enters the eyes of Starlight Glimmer, as she continues watching the duel.
"If that's true, then what's the problem?" Sunset presses her blade back against Pinkamena's, doing her best to hold her ground in the struggle. "If something so great happened, then what could possibly lead to you being like this?!"
Pinkamena laughs darkly. "Because, it's gone now, Sunset Shimmer." She says simply, eye for the smallest moment cast away, to the floor of the Dueling Arena. However, it soon returns to Sunset Shimmer, glinting dangerously as her raving returns, and with it, the force being pressed against Sunset's weapon increases. "It's lost! Taken away! Gone! Kaput! The only way I'll ever get it back is with the Crystal Mare! Don't you get it?! I have to have it again!"
"No! I don't get it at all!" Sunset winces, legs shaking as the glow of her horn intensifies. While Pinkamena's strength isn't on par with Applejack's, it's enough to force Sunset to her limits, especially after Pinkamena's earlier ploy. It feels like a fire is burning in her skull, culminating with her horn, as parts of her vision become obscured in the light of her own amber magic.
"Well, that's too bad..." Pinkamena mutters, grin fading, until her eyes fall on Sunset's sword. "Spark of Friendship, huh? What type of dumb name is that for a sword?" The predatory grin soon returns as she hooks the parrying dagger on the underside of the blade, pressing down with the scimitar against the sword's middle and up with the dagger at its base. "This idiotic thing is how you beat the others... well, just watch, Sunset Shimmer! I'm going to do far more than just take your Spark away! I'm going to shatter it into a million pieces! Once I do that, maybe you'll understand!"
Sunset's eyes go wide at Pinkamena's intent, but soon narrow as she digs in her hooves. Her horn throbs and burns beyond compare, her breathing ragged from exertion. "This idiotic thing, as far as I know, is the proof that Starlight Glimmer is my friend, the courtesy you so-called Elements of Harmony never bothered extending to her!" She locks gazes with Pinkamena, hoping beyond hope to replace things like strength and endurance with sheer determination. "And that, isn't going anywhere!" She reaches out to the Spark of Friendship, grasping it tightly in her front-right hoof, ready to continue her fight even once the glow of her horn burns out completely.
"You... you-!" Pinkamena puts her full strength into attempting to shatter the blade of Sunset's Spark of Friendship, only to stagger back as both her scimitar and dagger are destroyed instead, only their hilts and jagged blade remnants remaining in her hooves. The Spark of Friendship, however, remains completely unscathed.
Starlight Glimmer's eyes widen, as a bright, magenta light reflects off her crystal sheen.
The gemstone of Sunset Shimmer's necklace glows, alongside the pommel of her sword. Above them, the light of the castle brightens, flooding the Dueling Arena with intense, artificial light. Power floods Sunset's body as wings snap open. Of its own accord, her body lunges forward, the inequine speed barely perceptible to the naked eye. Her right hoof extends, amber magic enveloping her body, target true. Desperate, Pinkamena thrusts forward the shattered remnants of her scimitar, hoping to somehow pluck the crystal from Sunset's chest with the momentum of her own charge. However, the force of Sunset's magic rips both of her broken weapons from her hooves, sending them clattering to the Dueling Arena floor.
With one thrust, crystal shatters.
The bells chime once more, flooding the Dueling Arena deafeningly as a stillness falls over both Sunset Shimmer and Pinkamena.
"No! No! I won't accept this!" Pinkamena's voice rings out from behind Sunset, and she can hear a hoof pounding repeatedly against the floor.
Sunset takes one deep breath after the next, trying to steady her heart and her mind after the threat of Pinkamena surpassed her wildest expectations, and as she does, the sword and wings vanish once more. Finally, she turns, expecting to find a pink mare ready to pounce, resulting in an after-duel duel. What she sees instead, however, shakes every impression of the mare she's held so far.
Pinkamena sits, her back to Sunset Shimmer, limbs curled against her body. Her long, raspberry mane hangs entirely over her front, and her back quivers at odd intervals. "My... my light... I can't... I need..." Faintly, in the intervals between Pinkamena's incoherent mutterings, Sunset can here distinct sniffles, causing Sunset to turn away as Starlight walks up beside her.
"Come on, Starlight... we should go." She says, turning, leaving Pinkamena alone in the Dueling Arena.