//------------------------------//
// Making You Strong (Stargate SG-1 — Pt. 4) 
// Story: Sunset's Isekai 
// by Wanderer D 
//------------------------------//


Sunset's Isekai
Making You Strong (Stargate SG-1 — Pt. 4)
By Wanderer D









My dear Sunset,

I'm sorry things went 

I am taking a moment alone after an unexpected, stressful-yet-productive meeting with someone very special to find the right words to write to you, so I might be a little... rambly, if you would permit the expression.

There are a lot of things I wish to discuss with you, my Little Sun. Things that I should have brought up and addressed long ago, for better or worse, instead of letting them simmer within our hearts to the point where resentment and frustration reared their ugly heads and we parted ways. 

Only now realize how much I could have done better, and how many chances to improve both of our lives I have missed, although I assure you I did my best as I knew how, and not once did I ever act in a way that I didn't think would bring out the best in you. I stand by what I have tried to teach you, but I also recognize that there are things I intentionally ignored and colored my decisions. They do say that hindsight is sometimes perfect. I don't necessarily agree with that, but I do believe that it gives us a more objective way of looking at things, once calmer minds prevail.

A month has passed since you left, and I miss you terribly. I admit I was not ready to forgive… and even though I have now that I've thought things over, I stand by my decision that you are not ready yet to use that section of the library, among many other things. But it didn't change who you are, and what you mean to me, and those can be talked about over tea once you return. 

You were never truly exiled, Sunset… threatening that—saying that—was a terrible mistake; a spur of the moment reaction that caused so much pain… and I can only imagine how much it hurt you to hear me say something like that to you. I was trying to 

I thought the threat would be enough to scare you into listening to me, because you have always had value to me, and yet I ended up pushing you away. A feat—I was reminded—many a parent has experienced. I do not want to be that… I don't want to be the parent that lost their child forever because of my own fears.

Cadence might be my niece now, Sunset, but she should be to you a cousin, not an adversary. I wish you were back here where you belong. With me, Sunset. With us. With your family. I hope you give me the chance to fix this mistake so that we can together be part of something greater.

Please come back.

With all my love,
~Celestia



Sunset Shimmer stared at the words in silence. Outside, and above, past the leaves and furs that lined her walls, she could hear the beating of rain, and distant thunder. The dim light of the candle in her burrow blurred a little, and it took her a moment to realize that it was tears in her eyes that were causing that. She had hoped—she shook her head, reading it again. The unspoken promise was there… but was it real? 

Celestia had denied her this for so long, what could have possibly changed her mind? Celestia never lied… exactly. But she also never told the whole truth.

She also never apologized or even recognized her own mistakes.

And yet.

If she dared hope, the first line had been crossed out because Celestia was sorry, but simply wanted to write her letter without delving into guilt. The rest of it clearly showed that she had not meant to push her away and…

"Family." She gulped, gently closing the book and holding it against her chest. "Family," she repeated. But why? She wasn't an alicorn yet. Or maybe she was ready now? She clamped her eyes shut and groaned as quietly as she could. "That's what brought you here in the first place, idiot."

But what did Celestia mean by family? Was it that she finally recognized that Sunset had been right all along? Or was this some sort of lesson, hidden as a promise once denied?

She didn't want to hope. She couldn't. And even if she wanted to…

A crack of thunder and the ground shaking around her made her jump. No, that wasn't thunder. She quickly quenched the candle, not wanting to risk the fire setting her shelter ablaze if it fell, then hoped with all she was worth that the gliders would not score a direct hit.

She waited in silence, whimpering as the ground shook and the distant sound of ground exploding outside slowly faded into nothing. The gliders were apparently satisfied.

"Shimmer."

The voice made her jump yet again, and she held her hand to her chest, gasping as she tried to calm down. "Dammit Aria," she said into the long hole that connected their hideouts together, "you scared the hay out of me."

"Oh, cool your flippers," the siren's voice answered. "I'm just checking if you're alive. Some of the other caves collapsed. You're welcome, by the way."

"Sorry, sorry. Thanks for checking… I just have a lot on my mind, that's all. Are Adagio and Sonata okay?"

"Well, don't overtax that head of yours, but yeah, they're good. They're packing already, we're probably wrapping up camp here soon, the locals looked almost ready to give us up, so you'll want to start packing now."

"Yeah…" Sunset trailed off, looking down at her book. "Hey, Aria?"

"What?"

"If you could go back to Equestria… would you do it?"

"They'd never let us back. We've been exiled."

"Humor me," Sunset countered, as she got up to start packing. "If you could go back… even if it depended on you behaving… would you do it?"

She heard shuffling, then a bitter laugh. "What, and give up the freedom Starswirl so graciously granted us?"

Sunset sighed and continued packing.

"In an instant," Aria's voice was low and longing.

She raised her head and looked at the hole on the wall, but Aria didn't say anything else. All Sunset could hear was things getting moved around and probably being stuffed into the large backpack like the one they had given her.

She thought hard about what she had sacrificed. What she had hoped. What was being offered. Even if it was a lie—and it probably was—would it be any worse than here? Probably not. And yet… she had done everything so far… and so much more. She'd aced all her tests, proven to be the best at everything, hadn't failed Celestia once… what had that mare wanted? What was different now?

What… what awaited her should she return? Maybe it was a trap… maybe it was prison. Maybe it was a return to the status quo. 'And yet.' She stopped folding the piece of leather that had been her 'wall' up until that moment and glanced at the book. "I miss her."

"You say something?" Aria asked. "I'm done here."

"N-no, I'm… I'm almost done too."

"Cool, as soon as you're outside, we're collapsing our caves. We leave nothing for them to follow us."

Sunset finished packing by sliding her book on the side of the backpack that would press against her back, glancing around. This time around there was a big difference than before… she had friends. Real friends.

Celestia might not approve of them… but if she was heading back, so were they.





Sunset watched with some amusement as Jack sniffed a cookie before giving it a try. He reluctantly nodded to himself and grabbed another, making sure that he hadn't been seen before catching sight of her.

She grinned.

"So, what do we know?" he asked, clearing his throat.

"Well, to begin with," Sunset spoke up, "we know that the mirror does not connect to Earth, like in my universe."

"But it does connect to a world in this galaxy, since the Goa'uld are there," Sam said, "so they probably have a Stargate there as well."

"So we could take the Mirror there and then the Stargate back, right?" Daniel asked.

"I believe that would be correct, Daniel Jackson."

Sunset bit her lip, tapping her finger on the table. "Something doesn't sound right…"

"I don't understand," Celestia said, "why would that be incorrect?"

Sunset glanced at the mirror. "I think…" she turned to look at Celestia. "If we take the mirror to the other side, chances are that we'll be transformed somehow. The mirror has done that to Sunset already… it's part of Starswirl's spell, I believe. Whoever goes across it, transforms into a human to better fit the world they're in."

"So what does that mean for us?" Jack asked.

"I think that if we cross, we don't run much risk of transforming on the way there… but I can't be sure about the way back either."

"Then we take the Stargate," Jack drolled out.

"Well yes, sir, but we don't know how close the portal is to the Stargate itself," Sam pointed out. "Or even if there is one in that world. The Goa'uld could have taken a ship there instead. It wouldn't be the first time."

"We need more information," Teal'c stated. 

"Princess, you'll have to write to Sunset and ask her about the Stargate," Sunset said, "did she ever see the one here?"

Celestia nodded. "Yes, I once took her to visit the old castle so she would know in the future…" She sighed, looking away guiltily until she felt the hand on her hoof and looked up to see Sunset. 

"Don't feel guilty," Sunset said gently. "There is still time for that, and your Sunset might yet surprise you. She might not be the one… but she'll be here for you either way. One step at a time."

Celestia smiled, nodding briefly, then raised her head. "She should still remember it, since we spoke about it bringing death and destruction with it. I will write to her and ask if she's seen it in that world, or heard about it. Perhaps the friends she's made there already will know something."

Sunset perked up. "Friends? That's interesting."

The Princess' smile grew proud. "I knew she could do it. She wrote about them, and asked permission to bring them back. Their names are Aria—"

"Sonata and Adagio…" Sunset completed, blinking. This was…

"The sirens."

Sunset turned slowly to face Teal'c. "Wait, you know them?"

"You know them?" Celestia repeated, looking at Sunset, then at SG-1.

Jack raised his hands and shook his head, while Sam and Daniel also indicated they had no idea what Teal'c was talking about.

The jaffa raised an eyebrow at Sunset, who motioned for him to speak first. Nodding, he stood up, pacing slowly.

"I have never met them, Princess Celestia, but I have heard of them. As Prime of Apophis, I was witness to many things, and heard many secrets. One of them was of three creatures, coveted by all Goa'uld as the ultimate hosts, for not only did they possess unexplained powers, they also never aged."

"Geeze, it's bad enough that Goa'uld get to live as long as they can find hosts," Daniel said, "but if they had immortal bodies…"

"They were considered legends, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c said. "And Apophis was quick to dismiss them as false, but yet enough was known about them, including their names, that he would keep watch for them and send occasional troops to find them."

"Of course!" Sunset smacked her head. She turned to face the Princess, "Starswirl exiled them to my Earth too, a thousand years ago. If their gems are still active, then they still have powers and they should still be immortal."

Celestia's eyes darkened. "Do you think they are taking advantage of Sunset?"

Sunset licked her lips. "I… don't know their circumstances. But they can be good." She looked up and met the Princess' eyes. "I would give them the chance. If they've been hunted for so long as Teal'c implies, they took a great risk protecting Sunset."

Celestia sighed. "And if they have been there thousands of years, as the temporal displacement would imply, then they are our best chance at finding the Stargate."

"Correct," Sunset said. "We need both, the portal and the Stargate… the portal to get there, and also to send them back… the Stargate if we want to come back in our original forms."

"Great," Jack said. "This is just great."

As Celestia levitated the diary over, Daniel spoke up. "Also… see if you can find out the name of the world they're at. If they know the Goa'uld name, we might be able to get an address from the Tok'ra."

"Not a bad idea," Jack said, "and that reminds me. Princess," he faced Celestia with all the attitude that he could muster. "Any chance you could have us taken to the Stargate? We need to also contact our government and allies. We might need support."

"Of course. I'll have my Captain of the Guard, Stalwart Shield, escort you there."

"Good, good, and you," Jack said, pointing at Sunset, "are coming with us. You have to explain to General Hammond what happened."

Sunset winced, but smiled sheepishly at Celestia, who was shaking her head in amusement. "Centuries old and still getting into trouble."

"I learned from the best." Sunset stood and embraced the Princess. "I will be back soon… and we'll help your daughter come back home."

Celestia nodded. "I will hopefully have the information you need by then."





The new camp was several miles underground, through a system of caves that contained metals and minerals that Adagio insisted would disrupt Goa'uld scans, which fit her just fine. She had felt the book vibrate some hours earlier, but as they were on the move, she had been unable to see what had been written.

Now, she found herself crossing the camp of too few survivors over to where the sirens had set their tents. "Aria?" she called out. "Adagio? Sonata?"

"We're here," Adagio replied opening the flap of her tent. "What is it, Sunset?"

"Um… I think we might have a way out… have you ever heard of the Stargate?"

The look the siren gave her was the narrowed eyes of careful re-evaluation, but Aria spoke from within the room before the elder siren could speak. "I trust her, Adagio."

Adagio's eyebrow twitched. "I still don't know how you managed to get Aria of all sirens on your side," she whispered just loud enough to Sunset. "But she is. Don't. Break. Her. Heart. Whatever it is you two have between you, friendship or more… I will make you suffer if you hurt her."

Mutely, Sunset nodded quickly, then ducked into the tent, followed by the siren. Celestia might have not intended to exile her in order to teach her a lesson, but she had learned at least one from Aria and her sisters: family made you strong.

Maybe Celestia hadn't been so wrong, after all.





"Is this absolutely necessary?" Sunset groaned.

"You know the drill, Lieutenant," Jack said, then paused for effect. "Or you would, if you were part of Stargate Command."

"Come on, Jack, you know I got caught in the moment, besides, you needed someone to translate for you."

"Sunset was always trying to bend the rules," the unicorn Lieutenant accompanying them said, levitating their weapons over to them.

Jack took his, then glanced down as Sunset offered hers. "Shimmer?"

"Well, Jack, you know how it is. Probably best if you hold on to it when we go back." 

Jack thought about it, then shrugged and took it. "Your sidearm please."

She handed it to him without comment, and Jack took the moment to lean in and glance at the unicorn, who was at that moment talking with Teal'c. "So what's with junior there? Can't be too experienced."

"It's a jab at me, from the Princess, all in good fun," Sunset said, clearing her throat. "But don't worry. He's going to be a great asset."

"Oh? How so?"

"Shining Armor is extremely proficient at generating shields," Sunset said. "At one point in the future he creates one big enough to encompass a whole city."

Jack had to admit, "that sounds useful. But what's with the awkwardness between you two?"

Sunset sighed. "If this world is as similar to my original one as I sense… I probably either dated him for a little bit, or tried to seduce him out of spite towards his current girlfriend."

He nodded. "Huh." He glanced at the unicorn, then back at her. "Did it work?"

"No. Can we go now?"

"We're just waiting for confirmation."

"Sir," Sam spoke up, "we have confirmation."

"Alright, let's go, people!" Jack ordered, marching through the Stargate. A few seconds later he was walking down the ramp with the others to a fully armed room, with Hammond standing there, an unhappy look in his face. Jack slowly raised his hands. "We're… back?"

"Sergeant," Hammond spoke up. "Arrest miss Shimmer."


End Part 4