//------------------------------// // World 3: Chapter 5 // Story: The Worst of All Possible Worlds // by TheTimeSword //------------------------------// A quarter of the way into the book Sunset realized it was already time to get out of bed. She woke up extra early, though not on purpose, and had pulled the book Applejack wrote out from the nightstand. The next Element would soon be here, eager to get breakfast and move on with their work. Tossing the comforter from her lower half, she rolled, landed, and yawned. Unzipping her backpack, she pulled out the journal that caused her otherworldly adventure. “Something in here will tell me when Twilight and Starlight Glimmer are,” she whispered, turning a few pages. Her eyes couldn’t keep steady, however. The journal given by her friends from the last world poked past the metal teeth of the zipper. With a sigh, she closed the journal. “I don’t have time to search through so many pages,” she told herself, but in the back of her mind, she knew that wasn’t the reason she didn’t want to search. Pushing open the backpack, she switched the two books, pulling out the other. The first two pages hadn’t changed, but the third page, Nightmare’s Night, expanded its reach. A glued photograph now sat on the fourth page. Placing a hoof over the alicorn in the picture, Sunset sighed again. “Had I been a better student, the student you wanted, maybe it wouldn’t have been Twilight that you sent to Ponyville. How different would it be to have me in her place? That’s what you wanted, isn’t it?” An answer came, but not to her questions. Three swift knocks resonated on the door to her bedroom. Sunset quickly snapped the book close, shoving it into her backpack. “Coming!” she yelled, zipping the backpack closed and levitating her watch onto her left hoof. Another set of knocks and she opened the door expecting a guard or Rarity, who she would be tagging along with tonight, but it was neither. The giant dark alicorn stood staring down her muzzle at Sunset, a slightly grim look in her expression. “Nightmare Moon,” Sunset greeted, hiding her surprise. “Good morrow, Sunset Shimmer. I see you have taken to the moonlight fairly well. Any nightmares during your rest?” “No.” Sunset was thankful for that. She hadn’t dreamt at all since the ice cream parlor. “Did you have something to do with that?” The monster grinned. “I wouldn’t tell you even if I had, my dear pony. Come, I’ll take you to the Element you requested.” Sunset levitated the door closed behind her, dragging her hooves after the alicorn. “How are your attempts at bringing out the Elements?” Nightmare Moon questioned. “Steadily unsuccessful,” answered Sunset. “I can’t imagine I’ll see any success within these first few weeks, actually. I’ve learned quite a lot, so that’ll be helpful in the long run. If I’m going to be honest, I love the ability to take my time with these six. The prior worlds required fast action against terrible villains who threatened the safety of ponykind.” “It’s good that there’s no such villain here, then,” Nightmare Moon replied. Whether she meant it sarcastically or not, Sunset didn’t bother to care. She was a villain, even if she vehemently denied it. The long hall turned, and the elevator sat closed in the middle. “You requested a visit to the Tree of Harmony. After finishing up with the bearers, would you like to make a trip to it? I’d love a brisk return to my favorite castle as well.” “Absolutely. I know where it is, too. We’ll have no problem getting to it.” “Of course not. I know where it is myself. I was one of two who originally obtained them, after all,” Nightmare Moon snottily said, entering the elevator. “Honesty, Laughter, and Loyalty were my trinity, while my sister held the Magic, Kindness, and Generosity.” Sunset gasped, staring at Nightmare Moon’s reflection in the mirrored panes of the elevator. “You’re Loyalty? Honesty? That’s almost comical.” The elevator steadily fell to the bottom level. “Do not test me, Sunset Shimmer. I am a very loyal person, and that is the truth.” “Yet you were not loyal to your sister.” The elevator opened. Two guards were waiting patiently to get on for their morning patrol of the upper level. However, they decided it best not to board once they saw the angered expression radiating on Nightmare Moon’s face. Sunset was unfazed, however. Even when the alicorn hit the close door button and followed it with a different, red button, which shut the lift down, Sunset remained cool. When she was sure the door and elevator would not move, Nightmare Moon turned to face Sunset, her bulky body almost pressing against the unicorn. “Say that again,” Nightmare Moon commanded through gritted teeth, saliva dripping down the tips. “I’m sorry, did the evil alicorn get her feelings hurt?” Sunset scoffed and rolled her eyes. “You betrayed your sister, your own family. All because ponies slept beneath your moon. That’s pathetic.” “Pathetic!?” The alicorn slammed a hoof against the mirror closest to Sunset, smashing the pane. “You don’t know what it was like being in the shadow of someone everypony loved. You don’t know how it felt to be the one they ignored for her. You don’t—” “I know exactly how you felt,” interrupted Sunset, exasperation in her voice. “I know because I’m just a little version of you. The anger for Celestia, the jealousy. The want to have the power to prove that you’re better. Showing resentment and being tossed out because of it. I’m the only pony in this world who knows how you feel. So don’t you dare claim your reasoning isn’t pathetic, because I know for a fact mine sure was!” The angered expression that Nightmare Moon held tempered. A second of surprise bled through for just a moment before turning to stone. “Are you really here by mistake? Perhaps you were running from your world, your own Celestia…” That made Sunset burst into laughter. “Well, we can definitely say that the Element of Laughter was yours.” The sour lips of the alicorn tripped up, creasing into a smile, and then laughter. It was not a menacing laugh or an angry, guttural, mocking chortle. It was pure, a laugh and a hoot of untainted enjoyment. “You really are a nightmare to deal with,” Nightmare Moon replied through her cackling. “Geez, channeling Celestia are we?” Sunset pushed against the alicorn, rubbing their chests together as she pressed the button Nightmare Moon had pressed. The elevator began to move, and the doors clicked open. “Next you’re going to tell me I need a lesson in humility or modesty. Go outside, Sunset, you need to make some friends.” She stepped out into the hall, and Nightmare Moon followed, laughing harder than ever. The staff heard the commotion, and pony heads stared with awe from the hall's corners, each wondering if the off-world unicorn would become an obliterated off-world unicorn. “You know she once told me that?” Nightmare Moon claimed, walking in strides next to Sunset. “She deliberately told me to go out and make some friends—in her sun! I was trying to do that during the rise of my perfect moon, but they were all asleep. She certainly wasn’t as wise as she thought she was.” “Oh don’t get me started. I once asked her about a restricted section of the Library of Magic, and she told me it was forbidden. Then she was surprised when I broke into it. Like, I already showed signs that I wanted to become a powerful unicorn, willing to do anything to get what I want. How are you not going to realize that I’m going to break into a place with powerful spells? Over a thousand years old, yet somehow missed your prized pupil’s not-so-slow descent into a hungry lust for power.” “If you were my student, I would not only have let you gone, I would have gone with you to show you the best of the best.” Nightmare Moon stopped, placing a hoof on her chest plate. “Well, it’s her loss. Which is the same thing I said to Twilight when I accepted her as my apprentice.” Sunset bobbed her head. “I’ve meant to ask about that, but I’ll find out from Twilight herself when I spend the night with her tomorrow.” The portal-like pupils of the alicorn flickered for a moment. “You said night,” she swooned. “My, my. I believe this little trial of yours is backfiring, rubbing off on you.” The long foreleg of the alicorn pushed against the closest doorway, revealing a great luxurious chamber. “Have a good time with Rarity, my dear Sunset. I hope her snippy attitude doesn’t rub off on you as well.” She could hear the whispers as she entered the enormous room, the door squeaking closed, and the fountain flowing up and pouring back down. It was a meeting area, the great chamber. One of the many rooms usually used for the Grand Galloping Gala. A few members of staff were taking their morning breaks, chatting each other up over coffee. Long windows from ceiling to floor were barely a width apart, tracing the entirety of the room with blue drapes depicting Nightmare Moon in between. The red rug atop white tile was what Sunset followed across the room to find Rarity relaxing on a divan. The white unicorn dressed modestly. A button-up purple shirt with short sleeves ran the course of her torso, while a skirt wrapped around her waist in a matching shade of darker purple. Her back legs were crossed and kicked up over the arm of the divan. Her eyes were closed, revealing a luscious lavender-colored shade of eyeshadow. Even though she wasn’t working, she’d done her best to look far better than any of the staff. “What do you want?” Rarity asked Sunset. Her eyes hadn’t opened, but she seemed to sense the mare from another world. “It’s you and me tonight,” Sunset replied. “Mm.” Sunset waited for a long moment before saying anything more. “So, you’re just going to sit there? What are you doing?” “Killing time,” answered Rarity. “And I’m supposed to do what exactly?” “I am quite certain you will figure that out.” Eyeing the rest of the great chamber, Sunset realized there wasn’t much of anything. It really was just a room to relax in; to enjoy the serenity and peace of mind. “I’m not sure I can just sit here all night doing nothing.” “You are free to leave whenever you like.” “C’mon. You and I should do something fun. You don’t live in Canterlot, right? The Rarity I know loves hanging out in Canterlot, doing some shoppin’.” The white unicorn’s eyes burst open, her harsh pupils glaring up past her muzzle. “I am not the Rarity you know,” she replied before closing them once more. “O-kay.” Sunset flexed her eyelids, cringing to herself. Been a while since I dealt with a hostile bearer. “I’ve spent a lot of time around Raritys I don’t know.” “And I’ve spent a lot of time doing nothing. I’d like to continue that tradition.” “Why are you such a grouch?” Sunset finally shouted, her nerves building up. “Gee, I don’t know. Maybe it’s because some two-bit unicorn from another world barked crazily and ended up removing me from my position, my town, and my home.” Pushing with one hoof, Rarity sat up, her eyes trained on Sunset. “Worst of all, I’m not allowed to leave until some idiotic myth does or does not come true. My bits are on the latter, by the way. So, why am I such a grouch? Perhaps you should ask yourself why you feel the need to come ruin some poor pony’s already disheveled life before snapping at somepony else.” With a violent push, Rarity rose, pushed her skirt down, and trotted away, leaving Sunset behind. Sunset let out a big huff. That could have gone smoother. I wonder if this Rarity just needs to let go. Wouldn’t that be ironic? She let herself have a little smile before turning back to the divan. “Guess that ends your time with Rarity, huh?” another, rougher voice asked. A bright blue pegasus had folded her forelegs across the back of the divan, a juice box in one hoof. “Pretty much,” Sunset replied. “If you’re not doing anything, you and I could make it your night instead.” The straw gave little fluid, making a loud noise as Rainbow Dash tried to get the last of the juice. “Yeah, sure, though it won’t be as fun. I’m off-duty tonight, so I don’t get to guard the princess or do fieldwork. All I planned on doing was some sparring and shopping.” “I tried to entice Rarity with shopping and she didn’t go for it. You’d be the last of the six that I’d expect would want to go shopping.” Reaching back, the blue pegasus extended her hooves as high as she could, throwing the juice box all the way into a trashcan. “Woop!” she yelled, raising both hooves into the air. Grabbing onto the back of the divan, she jumped over and landed where Rarity was sitting, kicking her forelegs over the arm. “Yeah, shopping is pretty fun when you’re buying the right goods. Dresses and shoes ain’t the good stuff, though, so don’t expect that.” “Sounds about right. Lead the way, boss,” Sunset pushed a hoof toward the door, smirking. Rainbow Dash rose and fell in beside the unicorn, which is when Sunset noticed just how short this Dash was. She could rest her chin atop Rainbow Dash’s head and barely have to move to do so. “You eat your greens, Dash?” “It’s pretty much the only thing I eat,” she answered with a flex, showing the muscular form of her shoulders. It was quite impressive, though Sunset couldn’t be sure if this wasn’t how Rainbow Dash always looked. Good at every sport, that’s the Rainbow Dash way. After they made their way out of the castle, Rainbow Dash led Sunset across the moonlit courtyard. They were on the opposite side of Twilight’s tower, and even further away from the menagerie. “You ever been to the new barracks?” Dash asked, not bothering to glance back at the unicorn. “Nope. Barracks have always been inside the castle,” answered Sunset. “Always? Not in this world. Nightmare Moon doesn’t like having both the guards and the off-duty under the same roof. Says it’s not safe, especially if someone were to attack the castle.” “Yeah. She’s made quite a few design upgrades. A high defense is a good advantage.” Maybe she was serious in wanting to protect her ponies from the forces that threatened them. Even worse, she may not know that she threatens them. “Has anyone ever attacked the castle?” “Can’t really say that anyone has. Few hiccups. Never a battle. No war.” The courtyard’s white brick pathway twisted around a row of trees, the sounds of wind brushing against the leaves only barely hiding the clanging and banging noises that rang out. “I guess you could count the extremists. Technically, they’re on our side, just a little too much on our side.” The barracks were a fairly large cathedral-looking building, a different shape than the rest of Canterlot’s architecture. Its slanted golden roof held a watchtower in the middle with a bronze bell and rope hanging within. “Other than that, nothing really bad.” Sunset glanced at the unarmored guards. Three ponies and one griffon, each marked off in pairs duking it out with blunt wooden poles. “Is that a griffon? I’ve never seen one in person before,” Sunset marveled as they came closer. “I’d hate to live in the world you come from,” commented Dash. “That’s Gilda. She’s a pal.” The name held no weight to Sunset. “Is she in the royal guard too?” “No. She’s just a regular guard. Pretty good at it too after she mellowed out. She’s almost as tough as I am,” Rainbow Dash replied, brushing the back of her hoof against her furry chest. As they came closer, Gilda rotated around her opponent, waiting for the moment to strike. When she saw Dash, her guard lowered and the pony she was fighting struck her side with his staff. Wincing, Gilda held herself steady with her pole and grabbed her side. A flash of anger burned in the griffon’s eyes as she kicked up her pole, gaining the attention of her opponent, and then switched into a jab with her other leg. The pony flew and crashed into the other two sparring guards, creating a pile of furs and manes. “Hey, Dash!” Gilda called out through her panting, a golden claw raised to wave. “Yeah. Real mellow,” Sunset said to Rainbow Dash as they came closer. “Who’s the newbie? A recruit?” Gilda asked as she leaned on her wooden staff, wiping the sweat from her brow with her other claw. Rainbow shook her head. “Nah. She’s not good enough.” “Oh please, I went through two wars,” Sunset replied, defensively. “Yeah? Didn’t know ponies had wars. I’m not much of a history buff, though. Mostly know my own kind,” Gilda said. “You seem a little young. What were the wars?” Rainbow Dash was snickering, but Sunset didn’t mind. “Well, in the first world I visited, I had to deal with an onslaught of brainwashed soldiers. The second world had changelings. I’d say the brainwashed were harder to deal with just because they were smarter.” Gilda stared unblinkingly. “Dash, this some sort of prank? Now Fluttershy’s a real nice gal, but some of the other friends you pick up are real weirdos.” “Hey, you’re my friend,” Rainbow Dash blasted back. “Yeah. As I said, real weirdos. I’m a griffon workin’ as a guard to ponies, doesn’t get much weirder than that.” Gilda looked Sunset up and down. “Name’s Gilda,” she said, extending her claw. “Sunset Shimmer.” She gave a firm shake, but Gilda’s was firmer. “If you’re so strong, why don’t you prove it against Gilda?” The biggest smirk Sunset ever saw was wide on Dash’s face. Feeling the grip get even firmer, Sunset glanced back at the griffon. The blunt eyes behind the bright yellow beak were almost mocking. “Rainbow Dash always likes to bring new meat around for me to hammer down. I’d suggest you ignore her ribbings, otherwise, you might end up in a fourth world. A world of pain, one might say.” The griffon threw her head back laughing, a few feathers brandishing violet ends in the pale moonlight. Pulling away, Sunset shook off her foreleg. “I’ve felt pain before.” Though there were many painful memories that Sunset could have brought forth to reiterate, she didn’t feel the need to justify it. “I just went through two worlds fighting wars, no way am I going to bother fighting in this world too. Even if it is just some training.” Sunset shook her head adamantly. “You kidding me?” Rainbow Dash derided, staring expectantly. “Fighting through two wars should make you battle-hardened. An eye patch, broken horn, scar, something cool. You could at least prove it fighting Gilda.” “Dash is better than me at fighting,” Gilda said. “You should see her kick butt some time. She’s a real Rainbow Crash when it comes to flying, but I’ll never deny her the claim of a warrior. If you think you’re hot stuff, why not try her out?” The griffon crossed her arms, a smug, satisfied look on her face. “You chickening out on me, Gilda?” Rainbow Dash stomped her hoof. Grabbing another staff off a weapon rack, Gilda turned and threw her own to Sunset who caught it midair. “Nah, Dash. She’s kind of got a loud mouth on her like you, and I enjoy smiting unicorns.” She then wrapped her claws around her own staff, preparing to charge. “May as well be me dueling her.” “Embarrass her is more like it,” Rainbow Dash replied, glancing over at Sunset. “You can say no if you want. Don’t think the princess would appreciate me allowing guards to give you a concussion. She says your brain is pretty valuable, after all.” Sunset dropped the staff to the ground. “I already said no.” That was when Gilda and Dash exchanged a glance. Dash’s eyes were saying “No. No!” Gilda’s was the opposite. With a quick shove, the staff in Gilda’s hands extended and slapped the ground in front of Sunset, startling the unicorn enough to fall on her rump. Dash and Gilda let out a chuckle and laugh at the sight. “You’re not very quick,” Rainbow Dash said, clapping her hooves together. “C’mon Gilda, cut it out.” Sunset rose and took the staff in her magic again. “That wasn’t very nice. Spar with Dash if you’re so eager to fight.” Gritting her beak, the griffon rolled her shoulders, shifting her weapon between hands. “As I said, Dash is too good.” Without warning, she let out a barrage of attacks. Sunset blocked one, then another, and another. She was soon overwhelmed, and just when the griffon became too quick, Sunset’s horn lit and a barrier formed. Gilda’s staff bounced off and out of her claws, creating a ripple down the bubble. “Defensive magic?” Rainbow gawked, surprised at the reveal. “Maybe you are from another world. I only know one unicorn whoever bothers with it.” “The Captain of Wimps!” Gilda yelled as she plopped down on all fours. “Down in the dungeon watching over the other cretins!” “Magic is my specialty,” Sunset replied. “Defense and offense are two sides of the same coin.” Without releasing her shield, Sunset began to raise Gilda with levitation. The griffon squirmed. “H-hey! C’mon! Cut it out! I knew I should have put on armor!” “Interesting stuff.” Rainbow Dash seemed pleased to watch her friend writhe. “It’s true though, our armor would prevent that. It’s the reason we all wear the stuff.” “I’d allow that to happen, except I told you twice now that I didn’t want a fight. I didn’t stop an entire changeling army and throw them out of the throne room just to duel some untested guards outside their barracks.” Sunset released Gilda, sending the griffon falling into the dirt. “Well I’ll be a mule’s aunt,” Gilda cried, rubbing her head. “She’s got the stuff, I’ll give her that. You should bring her by every night, Dash. Give the recruits a taste of The Red Brick Wall; the mare from another world. Guess what everypony’s been saying is true.” Rainbow Dash took up Gilda’s staff along with Sunset’s, placing them back on the rack. “The Red Brick Wall?” she asked, and Gilda motioned to Sunset. “That’s a pretty good nickname,” Sunset voiced her approval. Putting that one in the book! “She knocked the staff away from you and used her telekinesis. Pretty sure that doesn’t make her tough, that just makes you soft.” Rainbow Dash ran a hoof along her mohawk. “If she were to go against me, it’d be a whole different level. Not even the captain can take me on, and he’s all about that sort of lame defense.” Sunset smiled. “Again, offense and defense are two sides of the same coin. I trained under the best teacher in the world, I know spells that only a few ponies can perform.” Of course, I’ve forgotten most of them since I’ve spent so long beyond the mirror, but they don’t need to know that. “You think she can beat—” Gilda started to say. “Yes, I can,” Sunset answered, knowing exactly who Gilda was referring to. “Pack it up, Gilda,” Rainbow Dash switched the conversation. “I’ve got stuff to do tonight and it doesn’t involve treason, concussions, or listening to the unicorn gloat. If I had it my way, we would have sent her packing back through the portal. She’s trouble, I tell you.” The griffon grabbed Sunset around the neck, rubbing her red and yellow mane. “I think she’s great. What have you got planned for tonight? Seems like you’re being dragged around by the spoilsport, maybe you want to hang out with me instead? I’m sure I’m more fun. I’ll even promise not to sucker-punch you!” “Dash wanted to spar and shop. If those didn’t last very long, I was going to suggest looking into Pinkie Pie’s ingredient problem. Someone’s been sabotaging certain ingredients around Canterlot,” Sunset replied, allowing the noogy to happen without much resistance. Gilda reminds me a lot of my Dash, maybe that’s why they’re friends in this world. “Oh come on! Dash, if you don’t want her, I’ll gladly take her off your hooves for the night. I’ve never been a detective before, and it sure beats trouncing the others. If I keep battlin’ them, I won’t ever get as good as you,” pleaded Gilda. “Ever think that’s why she won’t spar with you?” Sunset whispered, a sly grin on her face. Both Rainbow Dash and Gilda were fairly rude, but it was refreshing compared to the anger Rarity had hurled at her. Gilda, throwing her head back with laughter, slapped Sunset across the chest. “Battle-hardened and clever! Captain Wimp should be replaced with you. You’re the one I’d follow into two wars!” “Why didn’t you tell me you had something to look into?” Rainbow Dash asked, pushing the two apart with her body. “Forget watching Gilda get her feathers handed to her, let’s go do that. I’m a guard, I can arrest a pony if need be, and I rarely get to patrol anymore.” A look of enthusiasm flashed over her face, a smile puckering her lips. “You’re a real cheat, Dash.” The griffon shook her head, prancing back over to the weapons rack. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Sunset Shimmer. If you’re ever looking for a rematch, let your ol’ pal Gilda know and I’ll be sure to wear my armor next time.” She flexed and her feathers puffed up. “C’mon,” Rainbow Dash said, grabbing the unicorn by the tail. Sunset gave a wave as she was dragged off. “She’s real nice. I’ve never heard of her before,” Sunset said once they crossed back onto the marble walkway that ran all around the castle’s courtyards. “Where’d you two meet?” “Who, Gilda? Met her back in Flight School. An exchange student. She’s a real pal, though we’ve had our battles. Enough about that though, I wanna hear about this ingredient thief. Whatcha got for clues? Proof?” Sunset shrugged. “Pinkie Pie will know where to begin. Let’s go ask her.” And so they did. They did not expect Pinkie to be so busy, however. Inside the castle’s kitchen, several chefs were running manic, shoving things in and out of ovens, stirring as quickly as they could, and cutting so fast Sunset expected an infirmary visit for one of them. “Hey, Pinkie!” Sunset called to the chubby pink pony in the green chef coat, but there was no response. The shouts of staff were too much. It was Rainbow Dash whose lungs got Pinkie’s attention. “Pinkie Pie!” Rainbow screamed, cupping both hooves to her mouth as she yelled. Many of the chefs stopped and looked, but once Pinkie Pie came forward, they continued their extreme work. “Hiya, Sunset. Hello, Rainbow Dash. What can I do for you?” Pinkie greeted, a mixing bowl still in her hooves. “Rainbow’s going to help us out. Do you know where we can start the search for your saboteur?” Sunset inquired. Pinkie almost dropped her bowl, her mouth to the floor. “I can’t believe it! You’re really going to help out!? That’s so wonderful! Of course I know where you can start. The Smoked Oat, Creamy Crumbs, and the Glazed Carrot. They’ve got the manifest from their warehouses. Find the ones that match up on all three and we’ve got a good start!” “Seems easy enough. We’ll even check out the warehouses for you,” Rainbow Dash replied, a sort of half smile on her face. She seems overly enthusiastic, Sunset noted. I wonder if she gets bored often. “Thanks you two! I appreciate it!” “Pinkie! Pinkie Pie!” another pony yelled, who turned out to be Blueblood screaming her name from halfway down the kitchen. “Oops! Gotta go!” Pinkie trotted off but not before thanking them once more. While Rainbow Dash left the kitchen, Sunset waited for a moment. She watched as Blueblood scolded the pink pony who accepted her lashes gleefully. Don’t worry, we’ll solve this for you, Pinkie Pie, she thought before turning to leave. Making their way out of the castle and onto the city streets, several of the guards greeted Dash on their way out. The main part of the city was less busy than the previous night, and Sunset wondered why. “The banquet,” Rainbow Dash answered as they walked. “It’s next week. A celebration, really, for the princess. It sucks for me, though. Being stuck in a room with a bunch of rich snobs who sucked up to the princess when she first came into power.” “Were there a bunch? Of people who cowed down, I mean.” “Yeah. Captain of the Wimps was the first. There were several ponies after that. I’m not very good at remembering all their names. I just call them snob one, snob two, and et cetera.” The classical music was in full swing, regardless of the lack of ponies. “How’d you become a guard, anyway? Doesn’t seem like a job for you.” “Had nothing better to do, and they were recruiting when the Wonderbolts weren’t. Made sense at the time. Don’t regret it.” Though her face remained undefined, it was clear in her voice she did regret it. There was little else to talk about, and so Sunset halted her questions until they reached Restaurant Row. She needed to save her query for the owners and the manifests. The Elements of Harmony and Nightmare Moon aren’t going anywhere, but if half of Canterlot ends up in the hospital, that’ll put a real dampener on any plan I try to come up with. The first in the Row was the Glazed Carrot, a giant wooden carrot displayed over the front door. Inside, the restaurant was almost empty aside for a pink mare with red hair. She stood up immediately when she saw Sunset and Rainbow Dash enter. “Sorry, we’re closed. You wouldn’t want to eat here anyway,” the mare said, clearly distraught. Her eyes were as red as her mane. “Actually, we’re here to pick up your manifest. I’m Sunset Shimmer, Pinkie Pie sent me.” The mare’s frown sprung into a smile. “Oh my goodness!” Her hooves clasped to her cheeks and her eyes, funnily enough, glazed over in a moment of happiness. “Pinkie Pie is such a wonderful gal! I knew she’d come through for us!” Rushing behind the counter, the mare returned with a clipboard holding fourteen pages. “I don’t know what you’ll find, but if Pinkie says you need it then I trust her word!” “Thanks, we’ll let you know if we find anything,” Sunset replied and turned to leave. When they stepped outside, Dash broke in, “We’ll let you know if we find anything? You sounded like someone from the Manehattan taskforce. Maybe you should sign up to serve as a guard.” “Not sure somepony named Sunset should serve in the royal guard under the princess who only cares about the moon,” Sunset replied, shaking the manifest as if it were her head. “She cares about a lot more than the moon, but whatever.” Rainbow nodded. They continued, getting both the manifests from The Smoked Oat and the Creamy Crumbs. After listening to the manager of The Smoked Oat thank Sunset again and again, they wandered back out to the main street. “Let’s look them over at a restaurant that doesn’t have its ingredients tampered,” Rainbow Dash suggested. Sunset agreed but wasn’t expecting to leave Restaurant Row. Rainbow Dash had other plans, taking them both down the main street and up into an offshoot alleyway. “This place doesn’t even have a name, Dash,” Sunset argued as they trotted into the shady establishment. The flickering, moth-covered flames overhead kept the room dark, barely enough illumination to not run into a table or chair. A few guards in armor were sitting down enjoying their break, glancing and greeting the blue pegasus with a flick of their head. The tables, the shape of the room, the way the color shifted. Is this? Sunset stood for a moment, stupefied. Her eyes dragged to the floor, imagining a checkerboard with pieces scattered about. Guards are guards no matter the time or species. Rainbow Dash ignored Sunset’s complaints, sitting down at an empty table. “It’s free for guards and their guests. The food’ll be fine here.” Sunset took an opposing seat. “If the castle’s own ingredients are being sabotaged, what makes you think this place can be any different?” She sat the three manifests on the table. The low light level made it incredibly difficult to read the words, and she knew a headache would be on the way by the end of the night. Reminds of that time I spent studying for the math test when the power was out. Only reason I remember that was because it was the first time I really missed my horn. In the end, it didn’t matter since they postponed the test for the next week. “The food isn’t good enough to be sabotaged, Sunset,” Dash replied, a smug smirk on her face as she kicked her back hooves up on an empty chair. She was right. The waitress hadn’t even asked them their order, simply bringing out two bowls of porridge which looked like watery dog food. Taking a spoonful, Sunset thought it was wiser to work on the manifests instead. “West Lane Warehouse is one that keeps popping up,” Sunset said after glancing between The Smoked Oat’s manifest and the Glazed Carrot’s. “Also Warehouse 21.” “You just find the places, I’ll take you to them. I know where everything in Canterlot is, better than I know Cloudsdale even,” Rainbow replied, pouring another spoon of porridge down her gullet. “Really? Glad I picked the right mare for my assistant.” “Your assistant? I’m the one with authority here.” “You wanna look through these then?” Sunset asked. Rainbow Dash looked like she wanted to say more, but didn’t. “That’s what I thought.” Her search proved to reveal no more names that matched up, though it was possible the poisoned goods were from multiple storehouses. Once Rainbow Dash finished with her porridge and Sunset had the inkling of a headache, they set off again for the closest building, Warehouse 21. “Why are you so interested in doing this?” Rainbow Dash asked on the way, one of the few questions she asked all night. “What? Helping Pinkie Pie? She’s a good friend, and she’s nice. I’d help you out too if you needed it.” Sunset glanced at Rainbow Dash as they walked. Her height was apparent with every moment they stood next to each other. “Not that I’d think you’d need or want it. You’re the stubborn type, I know that for a fact.” “Loyal to a fault,” Rainbow replied. “The captain calls me that sometimes.” “Huh.” That sort of notion bemused Sunset. Where’ve I heard that before? “What’s the captain’s name?” “Captain Wimpy,” Rainbow joked. “That’s what we all call him. C’mon, it’s right up here.” Warehouse 21 was at the edge of Canterlot’s terrace on the northern side. A waterfall was overlooking the row of storehouses, glittering in the moonlit night. Oddly enough, no ponies were working or wandering the perimeter. “There should be at least somepony on watch duty,” Sunset said, motioning to the empty guardhouse that stood near the gate. A chain link fence surrounded the warehouses, about two yards tall. Neither of them bothered with going around, though. Rainbow Dash flew over and Sunset teleported past. The warehouses of Equestria differed to the ones Sunset had seen of those in the mirror's world. These warehouses looked more like barns, two stories and slender in width but longer in length. Entering the steel door of Warehouse 21, Sunset first noticed the skylight window at the roof which let in a large amount of moonlight. Cement coated the floor, raising the building up as if it were on stilts. There was no one inside the warehouse, just like the outside. “Alright, let’s split up and look for clues,” commanded Rainbow Dash as if she was taking charge of the mission. Sunset didn’t argue, however. She knew what to look for. Poison, mold, poor conditions. A variety of things that could be the cause of the tampering. Within the two-story warehouse, the bottom floor held crates and barrels full of foodstuffs, and on the second floor, where Rainbow Dash started her search, were things like spices and salts. Sunset chose a symmetrical pattern for her search, peering at everything to get a good idea of what might be out of place. Flour, wheat, fodder, and barrels of root vegetables, all pristine and in good health. For a moment she thought to light her horn to give her a better view, but a squeaky creak rang out and she quickly hid. Crouching low and hiding behind a set of pallets, Sunset had no idea where Rainbow Dash went. Taking a look at who entered, she could tell he was a stallion of a large build. He had his armor on aside for the helm, displaying his cool blue hair. Underneath his foreleg was a box which he promptly settled on a crate and undid the lock. Taking apart the inside, he formed what Sunset first thought was a weapon, but then realized it was a sprayer. He’s spraying food! She watched as he sprayed an entire packaging container and started to move on to the next, but Rainbow Dash stopped him. “Who goes there? What do you think you’re doing?” the blue pegasus yelled in a guttural voice, heated and flurried. She took command of the situation like guards were supposed to. “Rainbow Dash?” the stallion sounded surprised, dropping the spraying device. “Who allowed you in here?” “Me? Who allowed you in here?” Rainbow Dash growled her question while Sunset moved closer from behind the stallion’s view. “You’re the one ruining ingredients, aren’t you? Why? On whose order?” “Sorry, but I’m not inclined to tell you anything,” the stallion replied. “Orders are orders, and now I’m going to have to arrest you. You’ve seen too much.” The clacking of metal rang out, and in the moonlight, Sunset could see a pair of cuffs in the stallion’s hoof. Casting a light spell, Sunset lit up her horn and the stallion. The blue hair shifted to look, and that’s when Sunset got a full view of who the stallion was. “Who is this guy, Rainbow Dash?” she asked, staring unwittingly at the burnt orange stallion. “Spearhead. One of the Captain’s lackeys. If orders are orders, I think we know who’s behind the infection of Restaurant Row and the castle.” Rainbow’s stance changed. Her small frame more together, her shoulders wide, and her head low like a turtle creeping into its shell. “You don’t know anything.” Spearhead started sweating, a few beads of perspiration dripping down his cheeks. “You’re both under arrest then. Nightmare Moon won’t like it but there’s no other way.” Slamming her shoulder into Spearhead, Rainbow Dash knocked him off-balance. He hadn’t kept his focus on the pegasus, allowing her to send him tumbling into the ingredients he had just poisoned. “Should we fight or flight, Dash?” asked Sunset, knowing, either way, they’d be in trouble with Nightmare Moon. They found who caused the ingredient mutilation, which was more than they needed. “Fight,” responded Rainbow Dash eagerly. “Your weak sparring with Gilda earlier really reminded me why I joined the royal guard.” “Why did you join, Dash?” Spearhead asked, but it was a distraction. With his wing, he tossed flour into the fellow guard’s face, blinding her. “To get your flank kicked?” Rainbow Dash didn’t dodge or remove the powder. She kept her eyes closed even as she answered. “I was angry,” Rainbow retorted. Sunset’s eyes couldn’t keep up as Rainbow Dash twirled with blazing speed, knocking Spearhead to the ground with one blow. “Rightfully angry. I needed a place to send my anger, my fury.” Her ears twisted and turned, listening for the fellow pegasus. When Spearhead stood up, he looked at Sunset, his teeth clenching in his square jaw. For a moment, Sunset thought he would charge her, but Rainbow Dash was upon him when his guard was at its lowest. “Never turn your focus away from your opponent,” the blue pegasus said as she rode Spearhead’s back, pulling his hair as if they were reins. “You always were incompetent. No wonder the Captain always liked you.” Smashing against crates and barrels, Spearhead bucked and jumped, trying to get his armor’s wings to flutter. Kicking his sides with her back hooves, Rainbow Dash rode atop blindly, holding on better than Sunset would have believed had she not seen it with her own eyes. When it looked like Rainbow Dash was finally going to let go, Spearhead rolled and sent her flying off his back. She landed like a cat; on her hooves perfectly fine, her face still covered in flour. “Oh no you don’t!” Sunset yelled. Spearhead started to fly, heading for the ceiling, but Sunset launched a volley of magical beams. “You’re not getting away that easily.” “Sunset, stop!” Rainbow Dash called as she wiped the flour from her eyes, a bit of powder still coating her upper cheeks. “You’ll bring the whole place down on us.” Sunset stopped and looked at Rainbow Dash, and when she looked back at Spearhead, she saw him burst through the glass skylight, disappearing into the moonlit night. “We’ve got to go after him! Don’t we?” “No, we’ve got to go straight to Nightmare Moon,” Rainbow Dash replied, trotting back over to the half-destroyed barrel of flour. The spraying device was still on the cement floor. “With this, we might just get a new captain. It’ll be high time we flush out the weaker members.” I wasn’t expecting such a turn of events today, Sunset thought. Maybe there is a war going on, just secretly. Is Nightmare Moon really not behind all of this? She didn’t argue with Rainbow Dash, it was clear the pegasus was right. With a few glass pieces still falling from the roof, they left through the steel door and escaped past the chain link fence. Rainbow Dash was faster, Sunset teleported occasionally just to keep up. When they reached the castle, Rainbow Dash stopped at a set of guards. “Where’s the princess at? We’ve got evidence to show her,” the pegasus demanded of the two unknown guards, the armor disguising everything but their fur color. Sunset huffed as she came closer, barely hearing the directions given to Rainbow Dash. “Hallway 4B, she just finished giving attendance.” Rainbow gave a curt nod and trotted into the castle, Sunset on her heels. Hallway 4B? What could Nightmare Moon be doing on that side of the castle? There was no staff, Sunset noticed, only guards in their armor. Rainbow Dash was at the head, the spray tucked neatly under her wing. She was going the wrong way but Sunset said nothing. She had already figured out why Rainbow Dash was going the way she wanted. If they'd been lied to, Nightmare Moon would still be holding attendance. As they passed the throne room doors, they heard no trace of talk from the dark princess, and the guards there gave them the same spiel. When they finally reached Hallway 4B, Sunset remembered what exactly was at the backend of the castle. The chandeliers hadn’t been lit, leaving the blue hall a greyer coloring. Down at the opposite end was a wooden oak door with light shining through the cracks. “She’s not here,” Rainbow Dash said as they turned the corner, glancing down the dimly lit corridor. “That’s right, she’s not,” a voice said. Seven guards stood in full armor behind them and even more came creeping down from the rafters of the ceiling. “What’s the meaning of this?” Rainbow Dash declared her question, her stance becoming defensive. “Captain’s orders. He wants to see you,” one of the seven said, pushing Sunset towards Rainbow Dash. “Both of you.” These guys aren’t very smart. Don’t they see my horn? I can just teleport or shield myself, Sunset wondered. We should see what this captain wants, though. I’ve got my own questions. “Come on, Dash. Let’s go meet this Captain Wimpy.” Rainbow Dash faltered in her stance, glancing in her peripherals at the unicorn. “You sure?” she asked, and Sunset nodded. “Alright.” She stood normally and turned back towards the wooden door. “I’m eager to give him a piece of my mind.” As the guards marched them down the corridor, Sunset said, “Try not to do anything crazy, Dash. I’ll need you as mellow as Gilda, alright?” “Alright,” Rainbow Dash agreed. There was a bit of pucker to her lips that meant she understood. Down the grey stone staircase, careful on each of the slick steps, Sunset and Rainbow Dash made their escorted way down into Canterlot’s dungeons. When they reached the bottom, Sunset noted how much of the prison remained unchanged. An elegant birch desk where the dungeon master sat was in the same place as the broken table Sunset had smashed a changeling into. The entire row of cells led down to a set of two black iron doors where the armory most likely still sat. Even the walls were lit with flames set in their sconces, and not blue flames either. Red, orange, flickering back and forth. There was one thing that was different, however. To the left of the desk, there was another big iron and oak door with a circular pull handle. It swung inward into the office space, an identical desk like the one the dungeon master seated themself was in the middle of the room. Three filing cabinets and a shelf sat behind it against the dark grey stones that were the walls of the office. Two dark brown wooden chairs sat on the opposite side of the table while the other side held one, which was where the captain sat. He was already in his place, signing a bunch of papers with his levitated pen, a blue hoof holding down the paper as he wrote. Spearhead was also here, standing to the side of the desk, staring intently at the door. He was holding an icepack to his jaw, and his lips were slightly puffy. The captain looked up from his papers once Sunset and Rainbow Dash entered. Sunset noticed how tired his eyes were. “Shining Armor,” Sunset greeted, though not warmly. She had figured out through process of elimination. I can't believe Spearhead was so quick. “Come in,” Shining Armor commanded, and Sunset did as she was told, sitting in the left chair. Before Rainbow Dash could follow, one of the guards shoved her. “Hey!” she yelled and turned, but it was already too late. The guard had taken the spray out from underneath her wing. Spearhead pushed past her, leaving the three alone. The iron and oak door was pulled to a close, leaving Rainbow Dash angered and snarling. “You’re the one that’s been ordering the messed up food!” She turned and knocked the empty chair over, slamming both hooves on the desk. She was quite good at being mellow like Gilda. Shining Armor remained unfazed, however. His eyes looked back at the papers he was signing, finishing off the last two before fitting them neatly together and stapling the corner. “I have no earthly idea what you’re talking about Rainbow Dash, however, if I did, I would certainly suggest you stop with your little investigation.” His eyes then turned to Sunset. “Both of you.” “Why ruin certain ingredients? What’s the end goal?” Sunset asked, ignoring Rainbow’s fury. “You are Sunset Shimmer, you are not from this world, so you have no idea what it is like to live here. Let me fill you in for a moment.” He clamped his hooves together, holding them on the desk like a principal would whenever scolding a student. “We serve one pony. However, what’s best for that pony might not be what she believes it may be. While you are here to bring out these supposed Elements of Harmony, do not think you are above our laws or our civilities. I will lock you and Rainbow Dash away should I feel you’ve become a threat. Nightmare Moon won’t doubt my words.” Rainbow slammed her hooves on the table again. “You’re the one that cowed down to her, gave her Canterlot. Now you’re betraying her! You and I both know she won’t stand for this when she finds out.” “Which is exactly why she won’t find out. If she does, I’ll know, and you both will end up down here without a chance or plea deal.” His shifting eyes turned to Dash. “You may be of the royal guard and out of my command’s reach, but don’t think for a second I can’t have you drawn into a cell.” The pegasus huffed and threw her head back in defiance, which Shining Armor ignored. “Out of all the ponies,” Sunset said, “I never expected you to be a zealot.” Fluttershy had said that all the extremists had been driven underground. She glanced around the grey walls. I didn’t think she meant literally. Shining Armor smiled a devilish smile. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m going to release you both, but this is your one and only warning. If I hear any talk from either of you about treason, defamation, or these zealots, I’ll have you both locked away at the furthest cell possible.” His horn lit up and the solid door opened dramatically. Only three guards were waiting on the outside this time. “Out,” he commanded. Rainbow Dash stomped her way out past the glaring eyes of the guards while Sunset was slower. Her mind in another place. She ignored the glares and stares as she followed up after Rainbow Dash. When they got back into the corridor, the lights had returned to normal and staff had begun their routines. “I can’t believe he got us,” Rainbow growled, staring angrily at the floor so hard Sunset thought a hole might start to burn into the rug. “No, he didn’t get us. If he had, he would have locked us up immediately.” Sunset tapped her chin, glancing around the hallway to see if any guards were around. “This solves one piece of the puzzle.” “Wait, you’re happy about this?” Rainbow Dash asked, surprised. “Absolutely.” Sunset trotted over and wrapped a hoof around the pegasus. “I got to spend the night with a good friend where we discovered a giant conspiracy and we didn’t get locked in jail. Last time I got to spend this long with you we were sitting in cocoons staring back across the hall at each other while trying not to suffocate on gel.” “I don’t know what that means, but I guess I shouldn’t feel so bad.” Rainbow Dash hung her head, sighing. “I just feel like a failure. Again.” “Again?” Rainbow Dash shook off the question, spreading her wings. “Think you can get back to your room from here? I don’t think Nightmare Moon would appreciate you having freedom of the castle, but I’ve got to go work out some things.” She didn’t wait for an answer, though. Her wings soared her into the air as she passed beneath the chandeliers and around the corner of the blue corridor. Taking another glance at the wooden door, Sunset trotted away. She knew the castle and where the elevator was, and so she made her way back to her room. There was a guard positioned right outside her door, standing like a statue in the blue glow of the flames. If he was surprised to see her alone, he didn’t show it. “Hello,” Sunset hailed, and the guard opened the door for her without answering her greeting. Her room was dark once he closed it behind her, so she tossed open the curtain and allowed the moonlight to fill the shadows. The night was barely half over, and it would be hours before the true night set in. She glanced down at her watch, feeling her stomach grumble since she avoided the slop Rainbow Dash had eaten. “I’ve been demeaned, threatened, and attacked. Maybe I should call it an early night.” Sleep was calling her, but the worries of her nightmares kept her from following their words. “She’s waiting for you,” Sunset remembered Midnight Sparkle saying. “In a field of golden flowers.” Her eyes drifted to her backpack, the zipper closed tight. As she crawled onto the foot of the bed, she wondered if she should search her old journal. Instead, she pulled the newer one out. Jotting down The Red Brick Wall, she drew a poor rendition of Gilda. Her eyes eventually met her own within the fourth page’s photograph, the cheery look they held spoke volumes of her innocence. “Lessons… Lessons…” She tried to think hard of what this world would want of her, how she could help time. But nothing clicked. Tomorrow I'll be spending the night with Twilight. Perhaps she and I can go over what these dreams mean. And, just maybe, she'll help me discover when Princess Twilight is. She shifted her eyes to the book still in the backpack. Twilight... What happened?