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// 4. Reveal 
// Story: Don't Blink 
// by FoalsHalf 
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4: Reveal

“So,” Sunset Shimmer asked calmly with her arms folded as she regarded her guest, having listened to Shooting Star with interest. “What makes you think I have any special knowledge or advice that could help you?” She asked mildly.

Star could feel Sunset’s gaze taking careful measure. She only hoped her answers would be satisfactory. She struggled to avoid shifting or fidgeting in the unfamiliar human form. Conversely, Sunset Shimmer's mastery of her human form lent even more of an intimidating feel to her presence.

“My teacher has told me about you taking her crown and how she followed you here.”

“Stealing her crown.” Sunset corrected. “You don’t need to worry about offending me by calling it what it was. I stole her crown and just lucky for everyone that your teacher followed and stopped me.”

“But what she left out is what interests me, ma’am.” Star continued, not wanting to belabor the matter. 

“Oh?” Sunset Shimmer asked with interest. “And ma’am makes me sound like an old mare. As you may know, I too was a student of Twilight’s, if only informally. Call me Sunset.”  It was not a request.

“Yes m… Yes, Sunset.” Star hastily corrected, then pressed on. “What interests me is that you left Equestria a full decade before Twilight Sparkle ascended but you knew who she was. More than that, you knew that her crown and the mirror would be in close proximity. This despite the fact that the mirror had just been moved to the Crystal Empire. You were able to navigate Princess Cadance’s palace even though you could not possibly have known its layout from when you were Princess Celestia’s student. You had to have first hoof information. That means you were there right under Princess Celestia’s muzzle.”

“Well!” Sunset smiled. “A student definitely worthy of her teacher! I should note that I have had my suspicions that Princess Celestia KNEW I was there. Frankly, the lucky happenstance of the portal being open at just the right time with Twilight and her crown being so temptingly close? There’s a reason Celestia is known as the ‘Chess Master’.” Sunset noted. “So I would be very careful about that. As for the rest of it? It’s amazing how far you can get with a confident look. It’s a nervous pony that attracts attention. If you can project confidence, People will assume you belong there.”

“I see,” Star replied as a thought occurred to her. “Weren't you taught the same teleportation spell?”

“I believe I was six and a half when we covered teleportation.” She saw the look in Shooting Star’s eyes. “You can’t save everyone. Just do what you can. That’s all anyone can do and it is more than most.” Sunset counseled gently.

“I understand.” Star replied, In her heart, she disagreed ‘I may not be able to teach you the proper spell, but I will save you. I might not be able to save everypony but I won’t give up on any pony.’ 


In retrospect, putting theory into practice was a bit trickier than Shooting Star had anticipated. Getting onto the grounds of Celestia’s school was simple enough. The hard part was getting close to Twilight Sparkle. Shooting Star knew that the young Twilight already had a personal guard assigned in the form of the mysterious and aptly named Silent Shadow. A strange unicorn approaching Princess Celestia’s young personal student would most definitely be viewed with suspicion. On the other hand, she reasoned, if she could get close to someone Twilight already trusted? Princess Cadance had been Twilight’s foal sitter.It was a risk but if Star could gain the confidence of Princess Cadance, then she had a chance. Fortunately, Star had aimed for the start of the school term. There was time yet There had to be! In the meantime, she had another little filly to find. A crucial first test she had to complete before she risked everything.

According to my research, she should be near Greenbriar about now. So, now to find ‘The Great and Momentous Maximus’ and his daughter and see if we can start setting things right.