Sunset Shimmer never had the joy of seeing what the Golden Oaks Library looked like. And as she gazed around at the golden-brown interior, thick, age scented books lining the shelves wall to wall, tables set up and topped with more books and stallion busts, she still never did. The bright golden unicorn sighed, her scarlet and golden mane unmoving as she lowered her head. Her teal eyes were soft yet filled with life, a life she knew was hollow beyond appearances.
Much like the golden and red sun Cutie Mark on her flank.
This has gone on too long, she thought.
Sunset turned her gaze to one stand in particular, a rather new entry to the library had been added, though the book itself was one of the oldest in Equestria’s history. The pages were a dull yellow, the hornwriting neat and small, a few pages’ worth of words on one page alone. The leather cover was worn but presentable. The worst damage to it was the one that had her most concerned. The last page looked torn out, but the ragged edges were glowing with a sickly green light.
As Sunset contemplated on solving the issue the book presented, soft, slow hoofsteps could be heard coming down the stairs. Sunset turned her head to catch the sight of a lavender alicorn, with a sapphire blue mane draping down like a waterfall, magenta and violet streaks adding a bit of flair, and worn, violet eyes gazing with a worn warmth. Her Cutie Mark, a magenta star surrounded by five little stars, was displayed modestly despite her Princess status, something Sunset had once envied about her but later admired.
Twilight Sparkle looked upon Sunset happily, her horn glowing with a green covered aura. The energy held, but looked to occasionally flicker and short out, but Twilight would grunt and flare it up more so.
This was the third day now since she had cast the spell in that dark tome.
“Sunset! Good morning,” Twilight greeted, trotting along closer to her, leaning in to kiss her cheek.
Sunset gave a small, sad smile. Twilight’s touch was empty and not even cold, much less warm. She gazed out the window, autumn leaves flickering and distorting on the other side of the glass. Twilight made her way to the center table and began to flip through the pages with her hooves.
“Now, I know some of our findings haven’t born fruit, but perhaps if we start going over potential combinations, they may give us the definitive answer we need,” Twilight explained, beginning her descent into the Zone.
Sunset walked over and set herself right across from Twilight, an unamused look on her face.
“Twilight, we have to end this,” she stated firmly, her eyes unblinking.
Twilight looked up, smiling as her worn eyes blinked haphazardly. She shook her head, smiling wider. “Stop what? Our research? Sunset, we are making radical changes to the field of magic! Just imagine if we can crack the final puzzle, nopony will ever have to be sad or alone ever again! And once we do, we can get married.”
“You were never alone,” Sunset sighed. “You know your friends are doing everything they can to break in here right now.”
The scenery flickered and golden-brown interior was replaced with crystalline purples and blues, sounds of banging and familiar cries for Twilight coming from outside before returning to the setting of the Golden Oaks Library. Sunset had been gazing at her hooves as this happened, disappointed at how Twilight was still holding on to her reality in the worst aspect.
Sunset looked back up at Twilight, whose expression had narrowed, frowning. “Sunset, please stop deluding yourself; this isn’t going to change anything,” Twilight explained, her voice leveled and reasoning, but the redness in her eyes and the green aura around her horn not matching her words.
Sunset would have slammed her hoof onto the table and shout at Twilight for the irony in that statement, but there would have been no point in her attempting. Not like this. The clock to the side ticked back and forth, breaking the silence that now lay between them.
“Twilight,” Sunset finally said, her expression softening as she dug deep for the semblance of begging. “This isn’t healthy. It’s been three days now since you cast that spell - and you haven’t slept a wink!”
“Oh, what’s a little sleep lost?” Twilight smiled and waved a hoof. “Spike can tell you the number of times I’ve forgoed sleep for the sake of research.”
“Yes. He would, if you would let him in here,” Sunset calmly fired back.
Twilight grimaced, then gave an awkward smile as her horn started to short circuit. Her voice rose a few octaves as she stated, “O-of course he's here. Why would I not let my number one assistant into his home?”
Twilight gave a large, toothy grin as her horn glowed brightly. Out of the corner of her eye, Sunset began to see the visage of a purple and green baby dragon fade in. Her own vision began to fade in exchange, and she allowed herself a smile.
“NO!” Twilight screeched as she dove onto the table, all essence of Spike vanishing as Sunset’s vision stabilized.
“Celestia’s horsefeathers!” Sunset facehooved as Twilight breathed raggedly on the table. She had been close - so close to being able to make Twilight accept this! She couldn’t play nice any longer. It didn’t matter anyway. “Twilight, Sunset Shimmer is dead!”
The air grew silent, Twilight’s magical aura flickering as the ticking of the clock ceased. She then smiled and laughed, her eyes wide as they teared up.
“G-good one, Sunset,” she hiccuped in a pitch worthy of Pinkie Pie. “You being dead, and acting like you’re some other pony.”
Sunset’s face softened, looking upon Twilight sadly. She got up and walked over to the window, watching a couple autumn leaves blinking out of existence. “Twilight, stop pushing away reality. You remember, right?”
“Stop,” Twilight whispered as she sat up, her lips trembling.
“I don’t know how it happened, but I know how you reacted. You couldn’t handle the loss, the heartache. You loved her so much. Which is why you took out that book,” Sunset stated as she began to trot over to it.
“Sunset, please. Let’s go to bed. You can give me one of your snuggle attacks and I can tickle you with my wings,” Twilight said hoarsely, shaking her head frantically.
“You couldn’t resurrect the dead - not yet, anyway,” Sunset said, gritting out the last part as her eyes darted to the latest research Twilight had been doing on the table. “The spirit summoning wasn’t going well - she was at rest.”
“You would never leave me,” Twilight whispered angrily, her aura fading before she grunted and charged it up more.
“Sometimes we don’t have a choice,” Sunset replied. “But the one you made isn’t helping.”
Sunset came up to the book she had been eyeing earlier, the edges of the torn out page looking as sharp as daggers. “The ultimate illusion spell, able to give you the reality you want in exchange for a continuous feeding of mana… and then beyond. The Never Ending Apparition. A spell that forces you to use up all your mana in exchange for a reality to make you happy, making you put off anything that would make it end, like sleep. And once all your mana is gone, it seeps away your life.”
The room grew quiet once more, Sunset turning to face Twilight. The Princess of Friendship was crying, hot tears streaming down her cheeks as she bit her lip, hiccuping pathetically.
“It wasn’t fair,” she finally said. “You shouldn’t have been taken like that - nopony should have. I thought when the spirit summoning failed, that maybe the body was fake. A villainous ploy.”
“But you examined it and couldn’t deny the reality,” Sunset finished, walking closer to Twilight and lifting a hoof up to her face, unable to feel the warmth of her skin of the wetness of her tears.
“You could have heeded my summons! I might have been able to handle you dying if I could still call upon you! Have you speak with me, comfort me… tell me you love me,” she whimpered, looking at Sunset. “Tell me you love me, Sunset.”
“No.”
Twilight’s face scrunched up, flaring her nostrils. “Then have you hated me all this time and left to get away?!”
Sunset shook her head, needing to get Twilight to push away everything that kept reality from her. “No, Twilight. Those are words you want Sunset to say. I’m not Sunset. I’m just an apparition.”
“You’re more than that,” Twilight quietly shot back, her smile brimming. “You are seeing things beyond what I made, following your own goals! You are Sunset Shimmer, no matter born of blood or magic! If this isn’t you…”
“I’m the last piece of your conscious, Twilight,” Sunset pleaded. “The part of you that knows what is right and what you need to do. I need to help you end this spell and save your life.”
“...What if I don’t want it that way? What if it’s better to just end it all and go to you?!” Twilight cried, falling to the floor as she cried, her aura flickering more and more, the Golden Oaks Library beginning to fade, piece by piece as a crystalline castle replaced it.
Sunset bowed her head down, partially going through Twilight. Twilight lifted her head up, nuzzling her head against Sunset’s. “Y-you remembered…”
“Well, you did a pretty good job, even if stupidly,” Sunset said, allowing a small grin. “And Twilight, as to why the spirit summoning didn’t work… I can’t speak for Sunset at that moment, but I think she wanted to be at rest, to not let you hold onto her. You could have done it, but it wouldn’t have helped. Sunset wants you to be happy, even if she’s gone. You deserve to be happy.”
“So do you,” Twilight whispered, standing up. “Are you really all right with this? You have so much of your own sense of self. If this ends… you’ll blip out. Are you fine with dying all over again?”
“Honestly, I’m scared to let it end,” Sunset said, giving a guilty smile. “I mean, who really wants to die? Especially when you’re a big baby like I am? Three days is so short. But, I don’t want to live however long I have if it kills you, Twilight. Nothing is worth that.”
Twilight turned her head away, facing the door, the shouts of her friends becoming clearer. Sunset placed a hoof on her reassuringly. “I can’t promise you won’t be hurting, Twilight, but you have a circle of friends and family who want to listen and help you.”
“...Do you know what happens to apparitions when they blip out?” Twilight asked. “I don’t want to think you never mattered in the end. Not when you’re so good and empathetic.”
“Nopony knows what will happen,” Sunset admitted. “I’ll probably just go back to being particles of magic. But if I had a choice? Well, that’ll be my secret.”
The two shared a smile, turning to face one another. Their horns pressed closed, Twilight’s magical aura flickering and fading. She gazed upon Sunset, whose form was sparkling as she became transparent, still smiling lovingly at her. Just as she had in her final moments when Twilight had finally reached her.
Twilight cringed and added just a bit more power, making Sunset look corporal again. Sunset felt the strength and glared at Twilight, who just smiled back weakly.
“Sorry, sorry!” Twilight exclaimed. “I… I just want to do this right. You… may not be my Sunset, but you deserve to be treated as well as her. I don’t want you to feel alone and unwanted when… you leave.”
Twilight stood up, setting her hooves around Sunset carefully so as to not fall through her. Sunset’s eyes widened, understanding what Twilight meant. Sunset mirrored her, not able to touch Twilight, but they were close enough. The two began to hum softly, carefully balancing themselves as they did a slow, simple dance. Just back and forth and side to side. It wasn’t extravagant or award winning. It was just a quiet moment for them and that was all it needed to be.
Sunset’s face softened and she smiled, touching her horn to Twilight’s. “This was stupid and dangerous, but, thank you for allowing me to get to know you, Twilight. Thank you for all you did for Sunset Shimmer. Never forget that you are good and can find so much more. We both want the best for you.”
“I love you,” Twilight whispered, her magical aura fading. Over at the stand, the torn edges in the book began to extend, forming the missing page, ending the book.
“I know,” Sunset smiled, pressing her lips to Twilight’s.
Twilight ended the spell.