//------------------------------// // Chapter Fifteen // Story: Equestria Girls: Reimagined // by Candle Light //------------------------------// Equestria Girls: Reimagined Chapter Fifteen by Candle light based on a story by Meghan McCarthy The moment Twilight had seen the Principal move up behind Sunset, picking up the punch bowl, she had realized what she was about to do, and that Twilight only had a few moments to act. A small window of opportunity, and if she let it slip, this world might well be doomed. Both worlds. She had to go through the portal. Get backup, tell the Princesses, have them prepare their armies… But even as the plans were formed, Twilight knew they would never work. At best, it would lead to a full-scale pony war the likes of which Equestria had never seen. At worst, there wouldn’t be any Equestria left to save. And so, Twilight and her friends were running down the corridors, Applejack carrying the body of one of the brainwashed students like a sack of potatoes. “This is seriously not cool!” Rainbow Dash said. “How’re we supposed beat someone like that!” “We need to get outside,” Twilight said, thinking fast. “I-I have a plan… the beginning of a plan, anyway.” “Ah’m guessing it’s got somethin’ to do with Scrib here?” Applejack said. “Back in Equestria, Scribble Dee was Sunset’s best friend!” Twilight explained. “It’s a long shot, but if we play our cards right, this just might work.” They reached the entrance, and once outside, they stopped by the portal. “So this is where y’all came from,” Applejack said. She knocked on the stone, to no effect. “How’s Sunset gonna to bring us all over to Equestria if we can’t go through?” “With the magic from the crown, she could easily shift the metaphysical arcane flow to allow conversion of… I’ll explain later! Applejack, give me Scribble.” “Here ya go,” she said, nearly throwing her at Twilight. “So, uh, how long ya reckon Celestia’s gonna keep the she-demon busy?” “Not much longer,” Twilight said. “I just hope this works.” Twilight grabbed Scribble Dee’s hand, and placed it on the portal’s surface. She then tapped it with her finger, creating ripples of magic. Scribble’s body shook, like it was hit by electricity. She moaned, her eyes twitching. Twilight let out a breath. “Uhh…” Scribble began, looking up at each of them, then fixed her gaze at Twilight. “So did you win the crown…?” “Yes and no. Are you okay?” Twilight asked. “Do you remember what happened?” “Yeah, something about Sunny turning into… wait, that was real?” “Uh-huh,” said Rainbow Dash. “And she’s gonna come bursting through the doors at any moment. Now’d be a good time to tell us about the plan, Twi—” Sunset didn't so much burst through the door, as crumbling the entire front wall, as if grabbing it by a large invisible hand, growing the rubble aside. Revealing Sunset Shimmer, her personal army following behind her. Walking towards them. “Calling in reinforcements?” Sunset shouted gleefully. “Or did you think you’d be able to outrun me in Equestria? Maybe gather up a ragtag team of freedom fighters for when I take over the world? I’m okay with that. Let’s go for the long game, Twilight Sparkle.” “Do you know who this is?” Twilight pulled Scribble to her side. “Scribble Dee,” Sunset replied, voice becoming darker. “The real question is, how do you know who she is?” “I had Spike look through your diaries. She was your best friend, wasn’t she! How do you think she’ll react, seeing you like this?” “Seriously? You’re bringing me down with sentimentality? That’s your great counterattack? Please, Scribble Dee was an old acquaintance, nothing more.” “You’re wrong,” Twilight insisted. “She was the only person you truly cared about. Think about what you’re throwing away!” “Yeah, she’ll be real angry and stuff!” Scribble joined in. “I know I’d be.” While Twilight’s words only made her laugh, the moment Scribble opened her mouth, Sunset’s face sank into a frown. She was annoyed, alright, but there were also deeper emotions hidden underneath. “Keep talking,” Twilight whispered in her ear. And hope to Celestia I’m right about this… “Like, I dunno how I'd be friends with the likes of you in the first place!” Scribble continued. “You’re the biggest, meanest jerk on the face in this planet! All you ever care about is yourself!” “Silence!” Sunset’s hair literally became fire, bursting several yards into the air. “What would a pretender like you know about me? You’re nothing like the real Scribble Dee, she…!” Sunset was losing her temper fast. “She understood what I was about! In the end, she saw things my way…” “What way? What’re you even talking about?” “That all I ever wanted was to prove to the world that my existence means something!” Sunset hissed. “That I was meant to be something greater!” As her anger flared, the dark magic in the crown sparked erratically, dangerously. And at the same time, a spark from inside Twilight. An oh-so familiar feeling she hadn’t felt since stepping through the portal, one that shouldn’t be possible here. Magic. She was sensing the crown’s magic within herself. ‘She just make me so, mad; I can’t even explain why!’ ‘I have a toothless alligator called Jummy! No, Jimmy!’ ‘I am a failed magician!’ In hindsight, the signs had been there all along, and now she had the confirmation she needed: there was a magic connection between the worlds! A faint, near imperceptible connection, but it was real, and it bound each person of this realm to their Equestrian pony version. And with this knowledge, she knew she could beat Sunset Shimmer. Instincts, don’t fail me now! “You’ve all seen my cutie mark,” she continued. “A symbol of the sun! And I was meant to shine like one! It was always my destiny to take over Princess Celestia’s throne!” “Yes it was!” Twilight agreed, a statement that took both her friends and Sunset by surprise. “That may well be what destiny had in store for you. But destiny is not a prophecy set in stone; your actions matter, and what you’re doing here today may have ruined any chances of becoming the ruler you were meant to be!” “Or, and here’s a thought, it’s exactly what destiny requires of me to reach my full potential!” “Okay, fine,” Scribble shot at her. “Say you become a ruler! You won’t exactly be loved by anyone. You’ll be just another villain for the magical ponies to defeat!” “Just another…!” The crown shot out a bolt of lightning that made them all jump. “You take that back! You don’t get to say that to me! Not you…!” Sunset’s mind was cracking. While this would have seemed like bad news, seeing as she had the power to pulverize them all in an instant, Twilight glanced at Scribble and nodded. Just a little further…! “You’re a villain, you villain! I’ll say it as many times as I want. If I could, I’d go into that portal and give myself a smack-down for ever associating with the likes of you.” “Scribble, no, you—!” She took a step forward, but stopped, and closed her eyes. “Right, let’s not get worked up; you’re not her. You’ll never be her…” “And thank god for that!” she replied. Twilight mouthed something to her, and Scribble smiled. “Because I hate you, Sunset Shimmer!” ‘Say her name.’ A jolt of magic in Twilight’s heart told her that everything was happening the way she had imagined. The crown was crackling, its beams no longer black and blue, but gray and yellow. A hole had been ripped open in Sunset’s psychological barrier, by a short burst of one of the most powerful emotions of all. Remorse. An emotion easily interpreted as negative, but based on something positive. Indeed, it was the feeling of goodness returning to a heart that couldn’t handle it. So then, what would happen if this emotions, neither truly positive or negative, was the one powering this inverted Element of Harmony? “Take my hand!” Twilight told her friends. Without asking why, the five of them obeyed, creating a half-circle between Scribble Dee and Sunset Shimmer. Twilight closed her eyes, and thought of her friends back home. Of Princess Celestia, of Ponyville, her family. And the positive feeling just came flooding out of her, weaving a magical vein that spread from her clasped hands to her friends, until they were all glowing in a rainbow colored sheen. “Did, uh, did I do that?” Scribble asked. “Nope, but you sure helped,” Spike told her. “Just sit back and enjoy the show.” “What is… it can’t…!” Sunset hissed, stepping away from the group. The crown on her head had stopped glowing altogether. She looked afraid. “You were wrong about the crown, Sunset,” Twilight said, the glow around her body growing ever brighter. “Yes, it is the singlemost powerful magical artifact in Equestria, and yes, by the principle of magic reversal, negativity does activate its power. But it’s still an Element of Harmony at its core, forged by the magic of friendship! And true friendship, in this world or any other, can never be corrupted!” “You little…!” Sunset blurted, her eyes filled with terror. “That’s impossible! Friendship isn’t… how could it…?” “I don’t blame you for making this mistake. You’re a brilliant student of magic, but you have no understanding whatsoever of the magic of friendship. This wasn’t always the case,” Twilight let go of her friends' hands, and and started walking towards Sunset, “but then you entered your self-imposed exile through the mirror. Cutting yourself off from the only friend you ever had. Your mind blocked out the knowledge of the magic, because it was the only way of coping with the trauma of losing her.” “Stop it! Don’t come any closer…!” “But you do care. Your deep-rooted regret for your friend has united the crown with those connected to its creators!” “Stop i—umph!” Twilight gave Sunset Shimmer a hug. And the world around them erupted into visions of rainbows. *** Sunset Shimmer was a floating mass of energy in an endless ocean of magic. A certain type of magic she hadn’t felt in a long time. One that her mind had convinced itself was just a myth. It soothed her to the core of her being, and yet tore at her with claws. The purest bliss, mixed with the deepest suffering. And then, she was back in Equestria. Except, not quite; she was in her pony form, but she couldn’t move. Also, she was smaller. She was back with her traveling caravan, Sleipnir. Her father was looking straight at her with that angry face that always used to send her into a state of crying rage. “You disgrace your legacy with that talk!” he barked. “If I hear one more word from you about this heresy, you’ll go without food for a week!” “I never asked to be born into this!” Sunset could feel her mouth form the words, but the sounds were distant. “Magic can be so much more than just this endless travel on the whim of some old prophecy! I’ve seen that world, and I want to be part of it.” The father sighed. “I hope you like to diet. No go to your wagon, and if I see you come out for anything other than nature’s call, so help me…” The rainbow closed the scene like a curtain. Ah yes, the prophecy. That lunatic story of the Great Traveler that commanded her people to wander the same distance ever year. Just remembering it made her sick. But no sooner had the thought struck, did several other scenes open up around her, making it hard to absorb them all. Talking to Scribble Dee. “I’m worried about you, Sunset! I dunno if I believe in the Great Traveler either, but your dad looks like he’s about ready to kick you out!” The time her mother gave her the biggest scolding of her life. “Tell it like it is: you don’t care about your family, or your friends! Why did I have to give birth to a heretic like you?” The following argument with Scribble Dee. The time she ran away, beaten and bruised by both of her parents. Stop! her mind yelled. I can’t take it! Why are you doing this to me? And then, more scenes appeared. But this time, they carried with them an entirely different slew of emotions. The day Celestia picked her up from the streets of Canterlot. “Your magic is raw and unfocused, but there is untapped magic you the likes of which I haven’t sensed in many years. You have a rare gift that only a hoof-full of ponies every century possess.” That warm smile. “Come with me, and I will help you reach your full potential.” The day she made up with Scribble Dee. “I’m sorry! I never wanted to hurt you; I-I couldn’t believe they actually hit you! I’m so happy you found your place in life… and I’ll always be your friend.” And then, snippets of memories from her time at Canterlot. The ponies she’d met, the late-night study sessions with Celestia. She saw it so vividly clear, reliving each memory as if she was there at every time and place at once. The shining beacons of happiness in a life that had been fraught with pain. All blown away. Because she had wanted more. Everything she could have ever asked for wasn’t enough. She needed everything. And in order to get it, nothing was sacred. Almost as if this world of rainbows could read her thoughts—it probably could—it showed her the fatal day that had set her on this path. Her devastating fallout with Celestia. And listening to it now, hearing every world from an outsider’s perspective, it took on a whole new meaning. Princess Celestia’s indignation was like a mother being angry at her child for stepping out of line. Of course, the only mother Sunset had ever known was the kind that had told her straight to her face that she wished she had never been born. Sunset had failed to see the concern in her voice, the pleading in her words. All she had seen was her biggest inspiration devolving into just another pony who wanted her gone. And this world had paid the price. How many potential friendships had she robbed from the people of Canterlot High? How many academic futures had she ruined? True, she had gained the power she had sought for so long. But she didn’t have everything. She didn’t have what Twilight and her friends shared. The rainbow curtain lifted, and Sunset’s mind returned to the physical world. Twilight was still holding her. She didn’t have the strength to push her away. *** “What happened?” “Weren’t we in the gym before?” “Sunset! She turned into a demon! And there are magical ponies!” “There she is! Twilight’s holding her down!” “Looks more like she’s giving her a hug.” The students were regaining consciousness. A sign that every trace of Sunset’s magic was gone. Her body had reverted back to its normal, human form, and the crown lay uselessly on the ground next to her. She was sobbing uncontrollably. Twilight’s friends gathered around them, but said nothing. There was nothing much to say; the Elements of Harmony worked in mysterious ways, its influence never quite the same twice, but whatever they had done to Sunset, it had broken her down entirely. And yet, Twilight felt compelled to say something. Anything. “Let go of me,” Sunset spoke first. “Sunset?” “Let go…!” With a weak push, she freed herself from her grasp. “Look at me. Look at what I’ve done… I’m a monster.” “I don’t see a monster anymore,” Twilight replied. “I see a girl who desperately needs the comfort only a friend can give her.” “Yeah,” she sobbed. “You’re not wrong… but it’s too late. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but all I seem to be good at is burning bridges and ruining people’s lives. You said it yourself: I don’t know the first thing about friendship.” Twilight didn’t back away. She gave her a smile; any desire to drag her back through the portal kicking and screaming had vanished along with her claws and fangs. She gestured towards Fluttershy, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash. “I bet they can teach you.” Their reaction was one of confusion and uncertainty. But as they exchanged looks, that uncertainty soon melted away. Applejack was the first to break into a smile. “Well shucks, Twilight, if that’s how ya wanna do it, who are we to say no?” “Uh-huh,” agreed Pinkie Pie. “Leaving people to cry without a friend is just wrong.” “She won’t try to hurt us again, will she?” Fluttershy said. “I seriously doubt that,” Rainbow Dash said. “I can't even explain it, but it feels like this is the right thing to do. Harmony magic stuff, I guess.” “Wait!” Rarity yelled out dramatically. “Aren’t we missing something important? One little detail before we can even think about associating ourselves with the likes of this brute!” She turned to Sunset with a cross face. “The magic word, please.” Sunset, who had watched the exchanged with eyes of utter disbelief, stammered, “Y-you want me to cast a spell? I-I don’t—” “Oh for the love of—you know the one!” Sunset did understand. She hesitated, a hundred emotions seemingly running through her face. Then finally, “I’m sorry… I’m so sorry!” Rarity broke into a grin. “Thank you! Now I’ll be happy to be your friend.” “I have a feeling we’re gonna be the best of buddies!” Pinkie Pie agreed. “The twitching in my neck is telling me so!” “This is all so sudden!” Sunset protested. “I-I just tried to turn the whole school into my personal army, and you’re okay with being my friends?” “Give it up, Sunset,” Flash came up and said. “I think they’re trying to tell you they’re willing to give you another shot. You shouldn’t look the gift-horse in the mouth this time around.” Sunset’s eyes was locked on him for a moment. Like she couldn’t believe he was even willing to talk to her; be friendly with her. Then finally, she cracked a smile. “Thank you, Flash. I don’t know what I have to do... but I’ll make things right. I promise.” “So are we just gonna forgive her now?” “I mean, she was crying her heart out.” “Come on, she tried to take over the school. She’s literally a demon!” “He has a point; if all it took was ‘I’m sorry,’ who’d need the police?” The murmur from he crowd was hard to ignore, and Twilight suspected there would be much more of where that came from moving forward. Sunset’s path to redemption would not be an easy one, but there was no longer any doubt in her mind that she would walk it willingly and with pride. A sudden gasp from the students caught her attention. Twilight looked up, and saw Principle Celestia emerging from the crowd. Without saying a word, she walked over to Sunset, who flinched. But as their eyes met, her expression changed, and her eyes gleamed with determination. “Celestia, listen to me, I… I know you’ll never forgive me. I’m pretty much responsible for some of the worst years of your life, and… and I’d understand if you never want to see my face again. But if you can find it in your heart, I-I’d like to try and prove that I’m worthy of this second chance. I’ll do whatever it takes…” In response, Celestia gave a light chuckle. “Well, Sunset, while I do like the sound of your apology, I’m not so sure it was actually meant for me.” “Maybe you’re right… just, I don’t know if I have the courage to tell the Princess anytime soon. I suppose in the meantime, for what it’s worth… I’m sorry for everything I’ve done to the school, Principal Celestia.” And Sunset went down on her knees and bowed. “You seem to forget,” Celestia replied, her expression flat, “I’m no longer Principal. And in case you forgot, the police still wants to bring me in for questioning.” “I’ll have Mr Rich call them off,” Sunset promised, getting to her feet. “He can smooth things over, have them strike your crime from the record. I won’t rest until you have your school back!” “In that case, Sunset Shimmer…” A smile spread across her face. “…apology accepted. I look forward to seeing how you make good on your promise in your final years.” If ever there was definite proof that Sunset had changed, it was in the expression of sheer relief as Celestia put her hand on her shoulder. “I won’t let you down.” “So, just thought I’d ask,” Rainbow Dash asked. “But where’ve you been hiding out all this time?” “Why, right here at the school,” Celestia told them. “In an unused storage room by the gymnasium; Luna has been dropping by with food and other necessities. You see, I’ve been keeping a close eye on the six of you, through my own personal messenger. Come here.” Twilight’s jaw dropped as Spike jumped out of Scribbles arms and into Celestia’s. “Sorry Twilight,” Spike said sheepishly. “She called out to me when I was about to go back through the portal, and she made me promise not to tell you. Hard to say no to Celestia, you know.” “That’s okay, Spike. But Principal, why did you want to keep it a secret? We could have…” Her mind must have been tired from all the commotion, because not until that second did she fully understand what she’d been saying. “Hold on, you had Spike be your… but how would you know that he could…?” “I suppose this would be a perfect time to come clean,” the Principal said, her tone growing serious. “The truth of the matter is that I have known about this other world for some time now. A little over ten years ago, I started having vivid dreams of this place filled with magical creatures, and the magnificent mare who ruled them: Princess Celestia.” “Ten years ago… when I created the mirror!” said Sunset. “Indeed, the pieces are finally starting to come together. At the time, however, I only had a vague sense that these grounds—this statue—was special somehow. I could feel something emanating from it, and though I could never catch any evidence of it through scientific study, it was enough that I knew I wanted to start my school here. That’s why I bought this building, which to that point had stood abandoned.” She let out a laugh. “How I let it all go to my head. I believed fate itself had called me here, that I could do no wrong. Some nights, I used to spend hour by the statue, wondering what sort of mysteries it was hiding just out of reach. “Ah yes, I remember the midnight star gazing we used to do,” said Luna. “But how is it that I never felt anything of the sort? If your other self is the ruler of this ‘Equestria,’ then... what role does mine play?” “Oh, you’re a Princess too,” Spike filled in. “But Celestia kinda had to put you on a time-out for a thousand years when you turned evil and tried bring in eternal night. But you’re okay these days.” “I see." Her face fell, and she let out a sigh. "As per usual, I receive the short end of the stick.” “This time, you were better off,” Celestia told her. “My delusions of grandeur only made me careless. I didn’t take Sunset’s actions seriously before it was too late. In my heart, I chose to believe things would be okay, simply because I, the chosen one, was overseeing the school. “It was you, Twilight, who brought me out of my stupor. Since the version of you from this world goes to Crystal Prep, I realized that you—and by extension, Sunset Shimmer—were both beings from this other world I’d seen in my dreams. Though it was a tough pill to swallow, I had to accept reality and do what’s right, and step down in favor of the true hero. I was quite disheartened that night; ready to give up, leave this town forever. This is why I choose to make such a drastic exit: I wanted my last hurrah to be of use to Twilight… and to be something my students would remember.” “But you never left,” Sunset said. “You came back to face me.” “I never even packed. I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. Instead, I decided I wanted to talk to Twilight again, try and get her to tell me the truth of who she was, and about my visions. That’s when I met Spike, as we were both out skulking in the night, and he told me everything. “I took away two important things that night: first of all, that this ‘destiny’ of mine was nothing more than a coincidence. I was never meant to be anyone important. And second, that it was up to me to make my own destiny, to chose for myself whether or not I wanted to be like my other. I knew right then that I would never abandon my school. I would protect them by my own terms, even if it meant going up against a forces I could never beat.” “But you did protect them,” Twilight told her. “If it hadn’t been for you, we would never have been able to escape. You saved us all.” “I…” Celestia faltered, but smiled all the same. It was a humble little smile, and Twilight thought she could see a glimmer in her eyes. “Thank you.” “Well I, for one, am more than happy to put this all behind me,” Rarity spoke. “The school has been united at last. All’s well that ends well.” “Amen, sister!” Pinkie Pie agreed, then pointed over at the school. “And there’s a party in there that was mercilessly cut short! Come on, everybody, we got a bunch to celebrate now!” “Before we do that, there is one small thing.” Principal Celestia bent down and picked up the crown, then presented it to Twilight. “I believe this belongs to you. Spike told me you were unsure whether or not you were truly worthy of wearing it. But during these past three days, you have showed us all that the mark of a true Princess isn’t the power to rule, but the ability to inspiring others to stand with her.” She placed the Element of Harmony upon Twilight’s head. “So wear this crown proud and tall, Twilight Sparkle.”