It began with Eyore, the Dynamite Mule.
Readers will, of course, be familiar with his villainy. Originating as a mine worker in the distant tunnels of Griffonstone, he became one of the early leaders of the anarchist movement, and the first to strongly identify dynamite with their cause. His spree of terror crossed the world and lasted for six years, as he threw his bombs at constables and crowds alike.
His greatest achievement was the bomb plot against the West Canterlot Orchestra House, where he hoped to destroy Celestia, Twilight, and all the nobility of Canterlot in one moment of conflagration.
Sunset never met him, but she wrote him letters while he awaited trial. They were anonymous so as not to reveal her identity, but she felt compelled to tell him of all the good he had done on that day.
Sunset herself had only narrowly escaped the blast. The thought of spending one more night with Celestia, with the hangers-on, with the new bitch-princess, had made her physically ill to her stomach. Once she could imagine a nice evening at the orchestra, but she could no longer hear the music. Instead, she saw her own face, smiling at the mare who had stolen everything she ever desired in life. She vomited on her lovely evening dress. Celestia relieved her of her duties and told her to get some rest, for she was clearly unwell.
Perhaps she might have done so. Perhaps she might have been a simpler creature, who thought of being relieved of her duties as nothing more than a free evening. She might have spent the evening in bed, or reading, or done anything else she desired. But she had been raised in the traditions of Canterlot, and raised by Celestia. To be dismissed from one's duties was not a gift, and she found her evening tormented by guilt and gnawing inadequacy.
Eventually, she pulled herself out of bed, swallowed her pain and her rage, and found a new dress. She rehearsed in her head an excuse, and something nice to say about Twilight when she arrived.
She reached Platinum Avenue just in time to see the explosion consume the Orchestra House. Later, of course, Celestia and Twilight would be pulled from the rubble unharmed; a thousand tons of dynamite could not pierce an alicorn's skin. But at that precise second, as she saw the building be consumed by fire, Sunset imagined them both dead.
She felt a lightness -- a joy so great it consumed her to her very bones. Her soul was transformed, as swiftly and completely as downtown Canterlot had been transformed by clay and blasting caps.
Sunset found herself in that explosion.
Sunset and Starlight Glimmer sat in Starlight’s office. A clock in the corner passed the seconds with it’s loud regular tick. A ceiling fan overhead slowly turned. Sunset was sitting quietly with her hooves folded. Starlight had the script open in front of her.
“Yeah,” Starlight said. “I don’t think so.”
“Heh… come on.” Sunset forced a smile onto her face. “It’s good, right?”
“It’s about murder.” Starlight rested a hoof on her desk and leaned forward. “You know this is a foals’ show, right?”
“You address adult topics all the time! Like that episode on involuntary organ donation.”
“That was for a good cause! It taught foals about utilitarian ethics. It didn’t tell them to write love letters to terrorists.” Starlight rolled her eyes. “Look, I just don’t think it fits.”
“Well, uh. I have another idea that might—”
“Sunset.” The mare behind the desk let out a heavy sigh. “I have a question for you.”
“Yeah?”
“Is this show called, The Sunset Shimmer Magical Half Hour? Mmm?” She lifted an eyebrow. “Is it? Because I notice you’re the main character in a lot of these ideas.”
“I just think it’s fair I get one episode!” Sunset raised her voice. “I mean, that was the deal when we got rid of Twilight, right? That’s why we did it! You know. We were in this together?”
“You know, that’s a good point. We did have a deal. And I do owe you something, don’t I? Step over here for a second?”
Sunset rose and leaned over Starlight’s desk. Starlight nodded and took a breath.
Then she slapped Sunset hard across the cheek.
“Let me be clear,” she got in Sunset’s face, until they were muzzle to muzzle. “This show has room for one magical mare. One. That’s why we got rid of Twilight. And you think I can’t see you’re planning to do the same thing to me? Mmm?”
Sunset stood there in shock. Her eyes were wide. Her jaw fell open. Tears filled her eyes: “But… I…”
“You got Equestria Girls. Your own show. You got character development. You even got Twilight’s ditzy copy to be your supporting character! Don’t say this didn’t work out for you.”
“I wanted to be a horse!” Sunset sniffled, trying to hide the tears running down her face. “I don’t want to be sixteen forever. I’ve been on the cheerleading squad for twelve years!”
“Them’s the breaks. You can be a supporting character in Equestria, or a bigshot at Canterlot High. Let me know when you work out what you want, but ‘Element of Magic’ isn’t on the table.”
“I… but… I…”
“Get out.”
Sunset fled the office in tears, and Starlight fell back to her chair. She spun around to face the window, and let out a sharp snort: “She’s even worse than Twilight.”