Leaning back in her leather chair, Twilight twirled the small device in her fingers, it’s anodized casing shimmering in what little of the setting sun filtered between the blinds on her office windows. The drone of the air conditioning and the gentle hum of airflow in her custom computer were the only sound in the building as, yet again, she was the last person to leave. Eyes flitting to the clock on her desk she sighed, her time for making a decisive decision rather than a rushed one, slowly ticking away.
She knew she needed more. The data on the drive before here wasn’t enough to prove what she and Sunset had seen almost exactly two and a half years ago, or two and a half years before that. The question was, did she really want it?
Yes. Obviously.
Her scientific mind screamed to learn more about something that could well change the course of history and usher in a new era for the whole world. She knew she could do it. Even alone she knew she could find out what she needed, though it would go a lot faster if she had help, and that was where her doubts had begun to surface.
Sunset had always called her an idealist, seeing the best that anything could ever provide to the world, helping millions in the process. Sunset, her parents, what few friends she had, all told her this was a positive thing, something to be cherished and proud of. However, mere months of working in the real world had put great strain on her utopian visions.
Two years was all it had taken for Twilight to take the head of an entire research division, smashing aside gender stereotypes and hierarchical structures in the process. However, those who had stood tall on those structures and had benefited from them, despite their comparatively lacking skills, were none too pleased. Outside her own small sphere of influence, the world continued to both simultaneously amaze and disgust her. Rovers, probes and even talk of humans leaving earth for the first time in half a century. A continually rising number of people living in poverty or being homeless. New leaps in treating cancer thanks genetic engineering. Businesses, more concerned about their profits than their carbon footprint, making decisions to benefit stockholders who already had absurd quantities of money. The detection of gravitational waves with matching observations by telescope. Acts of terror, killing hundreds, under the guise of peace and truth.
Twilight’s gaze hardened, glaring out the window to the setting sun beyond. Part of her was terrified by the fact that, somehow, she was the person that would have to make this decision, while also being glad that it wasn’t left in the hands of someone else. She knew her own limits, her own flaws, her own biases. She didn’t pretend she knew something she didn’t have a clue about, unlike a lot of the world. Politicians pretending to be scientists. Insurers pretending to be doctors. Bankers pretending to be engineers. Those with the real knowledge and understanding having their life's work ‘taken under advisement’ by someone who, in her opinion, didn’t deserve the level of power and control they clumsily wielded.
Twilight blinked, then smirked at her train of thought with a sad smile on her lips. Oh how angry she was at times, but at least she could see it now and stop her mind spiraling out of control, catching it and dispersing the storm her consciousness could create. That was the problem with a mind so good at solving problems, it wanted to try and solve those that were completely out of its control.
The fading of the computer's airflow tipped Twilight off to the end of the simulation before the message flashed up on her screen, prompting her to reinsert the device that had danced between her fingers. Millions of lines of computation were summed up by the single line of text at the bottom of the screen. Twilight read it, sighed sadly, saved the results, pocketed the drive and shut the computer down. Grabbing her coat, Twilight stared around her office. Her awards, her master's degree, her doctorate, the various photos of her family and friends. She spent so much of her life in this room. In a way, it was sad. The click of the light switch and the room was plunged into darkness.
***---***---***
Sunset was the last person out of the cafe. In the eight years since she had last been inside not much had really changed. The upholstery had been replaced, fresh paint applied, the menu had been amended to include the various new fads and remove the new range of problem foods that seemed to exchange places every few years. Sugarcube Corner was still run by the same couple, and they had even recognised her, though she knew this wasn't because of her but of the girl who had started all this.
It was a strange moment that still happened from time to time. Someone calling out her name in the street, turning to see an unfamiliar face and then trying to take a guess if the person in question was after her or her displaced unicorn doppelganger. It wasn’t common, but it happened enough that Sunset could never really forget about her mirror self.
Unlocking her car, and swinging into the driver's seat, Sunset pulled out her phone and checked her messages. There were a few but not one she had hoped to see. With a long sigh, she set the device in its cradle, clipped in her seatbelt and checked her mirrors before reluctantly pulling out into the basically non existent night time traffic. She had wondered if she would need to set up her sat-nav to drive those last few miles but somehow, after so many years, she could remember the route as if she drove it every day.
‘What will I find?’, Sunset thought as she drove, tuning out the radio as it ran through the evening bulletins. She’d asked herself this question a lot over the last few months. She knew it was a stupid question to ask. She had no control over the answer, and ultimately it didn’t matter. Things would be as they would be, a lesson hard learnt many a time, at yet still that lesson never stuck.
People liked to believe they were in control of their lives, but the absurd amount of random chance meant that living was like steering a car with the accelerator jammed on. If you kept going straight you were fine, letting the road guide you and avoiding the obstacles in your way, but steer too hard or take the wrong turn and things would become either very difficult or you would meet a sudden end. In a way, you hoped you ran out of fuel before you ran out of road.
A part of Sunset smirked that she still referred to the amount of power in her car as ‘Fuel’ despite the fact that over eighty percent of vehicles were now electric. Some things changed, while others stayed the same.
Speaking of which.
Turning off the radio so she could focus, Sunset pulled up and carefully parked opposite the school where all this… pain, confusion, surprise, hope… had begun. Glancing out the windows she could see shapes standing around on the lawn under the yellow glare of the street lights. There had been some basic landscaping done around the rearing horse statue, shrubs and a rockery helping to blend it into the rolling grass out the front of the school.
However, climbing out and swiftly crossing the road, Sunset could see that the statue remained identical to when she had last laid eyes on it, weirdly so. Over the past two and a half years, Sunset’s belief that what she had seen didn’t require magic to be true. Both science and science fiction could come up with dozens of alternatives that were far more believable to her than ‘magic’. Yet the perpetual look of the statue put a thorn in the side of that view, though Sunset was sure she could find multiple competing theories if she desired.
What had definitely changed though were the girls, now women, who had, for better or worse, pulled her into this painful yet eye opening story. In great contrast to the rain-soaked and windy night thirty moons ago, the evening was pleasantly warm with a gentle breeze tickling the green leaves that canvased every tree, bush and plant. The lush grass was soft under their feet as Sunset approached the eight girls that stood around the base of the statue.
Rather than nervous and scared, most of them seemed oddly calm, perhaps even a little disinterested. The three girls who had started all this sat on a new bench that looked across the front lawn of the school, all three looking surprisingly content. Apple Bloom swung her foot back and forth, a nervous tick perhaps, but her hair was now full and flowing while her light smile towards Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle was genuine, if a little muted. Scootaloo’s hair was jazzed up in a way that Sunset doubted she would have done if she still felt the need to hide herself. Lastly, Sweetie Belle looked tired but happy, chatting away with her friends after what Sunset suspected was a hard day's work.
A new face, or more specifically a new hair colour, drew Sunset’s gaze. The bubblegum pink, candy floss esque display launched off the top of an equally pink skinned woman who wore a blue short sleeve top, with white leggings and a ruffled pink skirt, finished with blue lace. It looked more like a party frock than something would wear on a daily basis, but that single thought reminded Sunset of who this must be, and that this was someone she had actually met before, even if she looked very different. At that moment Rarity spotted her approaching, drawing the attention of everyone. The pink haired girl spun and when she locked eyes on Sunset her eyes widened, her body tensing for a moment, gaze flitting back and forth between her friends and Sunset. It dawned on Sunset that it had been five years since they last met and that time was incredibly short.
Slowly, as if worried that approaching then both might scare Sunset away, Pinkie Pie approached, her eyes tinted with both joy and sadness. Stopping a few feet away, she said nothing, seeming trying to memorise Sunsets face, or perhaps compare it to the one she knew. Eventually she relaxed and settled into a small smile.
“Hey Sunset.” Her voice was far squeakier and higher than Sunset recalled. Infact, everything about the girl seemed to have lifted, not just her great volume of hair. “How are you?”
“I’m alright Pinkie. You certainly look much brighter than when I last saw you.” Sunset smiled, doing her best to be upbeat and energetic.
“Uhuh, everythings much better.” Pinkie replied with a nod. “We all know this is gonna be weird but I mean, we’ve had time to think about the bad stuff and come to understand it and it's part of us now so we can move on. We’re never gonna forget but that's fine, that's how it should be.”
Sunset smiled, approving of Pinkie's openness. “I didn’t expect you to be so direct.”
Pinkie looked a little guilty for a moment. “Sunset was direct and liked it when people were direct and honest with her. I guessed you’d be similar.”
“You guessed right.” Sunset smiled and held out her hand. Pinkie shook it firmly and slowly then the pair moved to join the others.
Sunset hadn’t been certain what to expect of the other girls but she was comforted by what she saw. Rarity looked far more radiant, while her summer shorts and long shirt seemed to be a departure from her previous ensembles, she appeared content rather than apprehensive. Applejack chatted softly with Rarity, her clothing style not having changed one bit, while her hat was even more battered than the last time Sunset saw her. Their conversation didn’t seem forced at all, a great step forward in comparison since Sunset saw them last. Lastly, Fluttershy and Rainbow stood side by side, Rainbow resting her head on Fluttershy’s shoulder, both arms around her waist while Fluttershy rested one hand on Rainbows hip. They seemed to have flipped, Fluttershy now standing tall and full of a gentle confidence while Rainbow seemed shy and nervous, literally being supported by the woman beside her. All eight paused at Sunset’s arrival, turning to look at her with a variety of positive and kind expressions.
Unsure of what to say, Sunset just smiled at them. Her eyes eventually came to rest on the statue once more. “Any idea how long until it opens?” She asked.
“It should be midnight as usual, give or take a minute or so.” Rarity replied, moving to Sunset's side. “How have you been?”
Sunset Shrugged. “Fine overall. Some good things, some bad. Just general living I guess.” Rarity didn’t seem entirely satisfied by that answer but she didn’t inquire further.
“Will Twilight be joining us soon?” she asked instead.
“I’m not sure.” Sunset replied. She stepped forward and laid her palm flat to the marble base where the portal would form. It felt warm, unnaturally so. “She has been acting, well, more and more withdrawn the closer today got, spending more and more time working. Staying after hours and only getting a few hours sleep, getting worse the closer we got.”
Rarity opened her mouth raising her hand, then paused. “Darling, may I ask, are you both...?
“We're not together, no.”Sunset replied. “If this,” She gestured around at the school behind her. “Hadn’t happened then, maybe, but this changed her.”
“How’d ya mean, changed?” Applejack asked from over Rarity’s shoulder. “No offence intended, but outa all of us, I’d have said she had the least involvement. What could ‘ave gotten to her that made her act so out’a character?”
Sunset turned to the now assembled group, everyone present having crowded around her, anxious to hear what was going on.
“I am not certain but given her past focus when related to… these events,” She finished, “Then I’d be willing to bet it’s been about the data she gathered. Problem is, she has never told me what she found, not enough detail for me to understand it beyond her belief that magic is an as yet undiscovered area of the electromagnetic spectrum. Though I am now wondering if that was just a cover.” She paused to let the others mentally catch up. Apple Bloom and Rainbow Dash were the only two who looked a little confused, but the rest seemed to be with her. “Aside from this, I have no idea what she has been doing. I know the place where she works has some serious supercomputers for doing analysis and simulations, and, given Twilight is department head, I would be willing to bet she has gained permission to do her own research on the side.”
“So, what does that mean for us?” Fluttershy asked clearly. “Princess Twilight was highly academically gifted in many ways, so it stands to reason our version is too. Surely that is a good thing in the long term if we can discover magic for ourselves?”
“Not all magic is good Shy.” Rainbow Dash sighed. “We all know that first hand. And if it isn’t magic, think of all the stuff in this world that could be used for the better but is also abused. Wasn’t there an article in one of your magazines recently about them struggling to get nuclear material for medical use? I’d kinda forgotten that was a thing as to me nuclear stuff is either in a reactor or in a bomb. But it goes to show the same thing can be used for both good and bad.”
Sunset tried to reply to that statement but like everyone else, she failed. After a moment of silence Fluttershy steered Rainbow over to the bench and settled her down, pulling her close and stroking her hair soothingly.
“Rainbow still has a rather... tainted view of herself and the world.” Rarity whispered to Sunset. “But she will be alright with Fluttershy to support her.”
“Are they...?” Sunset prompted, giving Rarity a knowing look.
“Yes they are. Not married or engaged but I believe it's more a matter of Rainbows self confidence and self-esteem than them not being right for eachother.” Raritys’ smile faded a little. “Though she is right. Consumed by magic, Sunset tried to kill us. There are many people who might end up doing the same if given the power, or warped by it. Though I admit that is entirely speculative and based on anecdotal information at best. Hopefully Twilight has something better.”
Sunset could only nod in response. Settling herself down on the warm grass she pulled out her phone once more to check for messages, but it was still blank.
“Where are you Twi?” Sunset whispered sadly. She flopped back on the grass, looking up at the darkening sky, only to sit up again as a thought crossed her mind. “Rarity. When I first visited, there was that memorial to Sunset. Do you know if it’s still there?”
Rarity looked lost for a moment. “I don’t know. I would have thought so. Though it may not have been tended too for a while.” They both turned to look at the edge of the forest where the track would have been, but there was no sign of it. The pair made their way over to the edge and scanned the tree line. “It seems they stopped maintaining the forest.” Rarity sighed sadly. “Why would they do that for something so important.”
“It’s been long enough that there is no one left at the school who would remember, or could be something as simple as budget cuts. The education system has been strangled the last few years in so many ways.”
Rarity merely nodded at that as Sunset began to search. It didn’t take long to find the overgrown gravel path but forcing her way along it proved much more difficult, with Sunset resorting to snapping and bending back branches and arms with her hands. Rarity forged along behind her, ignoring the branches tugging at the fabric of her shorts, ducking under the low hanging branches as they worked their way forwards.
“Principal Celestia doesn’t seem like the type to let something like this happen.” Rarity commented.
“She doesn’t work here anymore.” Sunset replied, snapping a particularly large branch in half. “Nor does Luna. I ran into them both at an educational conference a year or so ago. Celestia side stepped into overseeing the education of children in long term hospital care throughout Canterlot, while Luna retrained in psychological therapy. I believe both were influenced by Sunset, though it's hard to say for sure. Though they still act as temporary heads when needed.”
The pair abruptly emerged into the clearing with surprise. The circular clearing was just as immaculate as the day she had first seen it. The bushes were denser, the shrubs hardier and in the height of summer the flowers in full and spectacular bloom. Sunset’s eyes immediately flicked to the apex of the stone in the centre of the clearing. There still stood the framed picture of the other Sunset. The wooden frame, the glass and the picture itself unmarred by time, rain and heat.
“How? Who?” Rarity muttered behind her. “All these years someone has been tending to this?”
“Wallflower Blush.” Sunset whispered, noting a small path leading off the far side of the clearing.
“Pardon?”
“It will be Wallflower Blush.” Sunset repeated. “The girl I met on my very first day here. She came here during the afternoon break and, well, we had a moment.”
“I remember her.” Rarity replied, pacing respectfully around the clearing. “She had always been on the edge, been different, quiet. When Sunset passed away, her life actually improved. People willing to give her a chance and include her. I think it improved the school as a whole in a way, even if it was rather undone by how my sister and her friends were treated.”
Sunset eyed the new exit path on the far side for a moment but decided now wasn’t the time to go on another adventure. Checking her watch she was surprised to see it was now well past eleven. “We’d best get back. None of us know how accurate this portal is.” Rarity nodded to her silently and the pair turned to make their way back, only for Rarity to stop and turn back round, pulling out her phone.
“What are you,” Sunset began as Rarity lined up her phone and took a few pictures of the clearing in the dying light.
“I don’t want this to be lost.” Rarity replied firmly. “This place matters. If it is Wallflower who is tending to it then I don’t want her efforts to slip away. I don’t want to forget what happened. I don’t want to forget who Sunset was. This place is as much Sunset as anywhere, a circle of beauty and light in the darkness. Still resisting, still fighting. Even to the end she hoped someone would come and save her. It didn’t happen before, but I can make it happen now in some small way. I just wonder what that person feels now.”
Sunset stared at Rarity, noting a sudden wave of anger in the womans’ voice, her fists clenched. After a moment she relaxed and turned back to Sunset. “Let’s go.”
***---***---***
When Sunset and Rarity emerged from the trees they could instantly tell something was wrong. Everyone was standing back from the statute in a semicircle all staring at it fixedly. Breaking into a sprint the pair rushed forward to see the normally pristine surface at the statues’ base warping and flickering. Flashes of light emanate from the marble while it twisted and shifted, a sinister hum resonating around them.
“Sunset!” Sunset turned to see Twilight, her Twilight, holding a sledgehammer and looking very scared.
“What did you do?” Sunset yelled, storming across to her and grabbing her by the shoulders. “What the hell did you do!”
Twilight visibly shook in her grip, her lilac eyes wide and scared. “Nothing! It… it wasn’t me!”
“You’re the one with the ten pound hammer!” Sunset snapped back. “Tell me!”
“It just started all on its own.” Sunset turned to Applejack, relaxing her grip slightly. “She turned up, intent on smashin’ it and while we were in her way it just started doin’ this.”
“Twilight?” Sunset stared into her friends’ eyes, searching for any hint of a lie but found none.
Finally relinquishing her grip, Sunset turned back to stare at the base of the statue. “How long has it been doing this?”
“Dunno. Maybe five minutes?” Applejack replied.
Sunset looked down at her watch. Eleven-thirty. The portal let out a sudden bright flash and a sound like arcing electricity making everyone leap back. She could feel the ground humming and a strange smell was filling the air.
“Twilight.” Sunset called. “Any idea what is happening?” She turned to look at her friend who seemed very nervous. “Well? You studied it before. Any ideas?”
Before Twilight could answer there was an almighty crack and Rarity was flung backwards across the grass.
“Rarity!” Sweetie Belle screamed but her run across the grass to her sister was cut short by another crack that sent Rainbow Dash toppling over.
Twilight and Sunset leapt back only for Applejack and Pinkie Pie to be struck as well. Fluttershy let out a whimper of comprehension, turning to look at the statue before she too was lanced in the chest by a fifth arc.
“What is she doing?” Sunset heard Twilight hiss beside her.
“What?”
“The Princess. It must be.” Twilight snapped back. “What the hell is… No! Look!”
Sunset followed Twilights’ outstretched hand to see a gleaming purple line of energy linking Rarity to the portal. In succession, Rainbow Dash was linked by a shimmering blood red arc, the point of contact dancing across her torso. Applejack and Pinkie Pie shuddered on the ground, each linked by orange and blue to the portal, with Fluttershy, who had managed to force herself up off the ground, with a glistening pink arc.
Before the portal, Sunset watched as a ball of white energy began to gather, growing and shimmering in the darkness, and casting flickering, shifting shadows across the courtyard. Fluttershy managed to get to her feet, despite the arc pushing and pulling her off balance. With obvious effort she made her way over to Rainbow Dash and pulled her up too.
“Get closer to the portal.” Twilight called. “It will make this easier.”
“Make what easier?” Scootaloo asked, as she helped Pinkie Pie to her feet.
“The magic transfer.” Twilight replied. “The Princess. She’s taking it all.”
“You said you didn’t know.” Sunset snapped at her.
“I don’t. I am making a best guess.” Twilight shot back angrily. “Now shut up and let me think.”
With help, the five women were settled in a semi-circle before the portal. The ball of white energy continued to grow while the marble base kept shimmering and twisting. Sunset Stood to the side, glaring at Twilight as she scrolled and tapped frantically on her phone. She then plucked a small memory drive from inside her fleece and stuck it into the bottom of her phone.
“Twilight? What is that?” Sunset asked warily.
“My research.” Twilight answered curtly. “No, I didn’t delete it!” She snapped, cutting off Sunset’s next question. “Well, I did, but when we were moving I found an old backup and I just couldn't stop myself. And don’t you start getting at me! I knew I shouldn’t, and I still feel awful, I don’t need you adding to that.”
“Then what can you tell us?” Sunset asked. “What is going on?”
“The end.”
Everyone stopped. Sunset felt a shiver run down her spine at the voice. An impossible voice.
“It is an end, and a beginning.” The voice continued. “And a chance to say goodbye.”
They all looked up as one towards the voice and there she was. A white shimmering spectre, her hair glistening in gold, her skin a swirling fog, her eyes and lips smiling down sadly at the girls on the ground before her.
“Hello everyone.” Sunset Shimmer spoke, her voice echoing and distant, yet painfully distinct. “It’s been a while.”
No one said a word as they looked up at the figure before them, her four hooves floating off the ground but standing firm in the night air. Her hair was the same though, her fur the same tone as her skin, her eyes somehow the same shape, that mischievous but loving glint in her eye remaining.
“Sunset.” Sweetie Belle stammered. The woman fell to her knees. “Sunset, I’m… we’re… so,”
“Shhhh, it’s alright. You don’t need to say anything.” Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo all stopped. Sunset looked down on them, a small, sad smile gracing her lips. “You’ve all grown to be better. You’ve all done everything you can to make amends. All of you have.” Sunset looked around the other girls all clustered on the grass, until she noticed Twilight and Sunset off to one side. “Huh, so that is what I look like. I’m liking the jacket, though I could never justify to myself wearing real leather.” Sunset grinned as she looked her counterpart up and down. Glancing across, she smirked. “And you must be this worlds’ Twilight. You look more professional and less manic than I imagined.”
“Thanks?” Twilight replied with confusion.
Sunset grinned and then looked down. “What’s with the hammer?”
Twilight instantly looked away. “She was going to try and smash the portal.” Fluttershy replied.
Sunset winced. “Thank Celestia you stopped her. That would have ended badly.”
“How badly?” Twilight asked tentatively.
Sunset pondered the question for a moment. “Hmmmm, given the energy that is in me now, multiplied by the thaumic constant, using Entropy’s Explosive Examiner, I’d say… something like a one megaton explosion.” Sunset let everyone's jaws drop before she laughed. “Nah, I’m just teasing you. It would have bounced straight off. You’d need way more than that to destroy the portal. I did always wonder what would happen if someone crashed a truck into the statue. It wouldn’t have yielded at all.”
Twilight let out a huff of indignation, but everyone else laughed or smiled, albeit nervously.
“Twilight?” Shimmering Sunset looked up at her with a sad but firm gaze. “When this is over, destroy that drive. Ah,“ She held up a glimmering hoof as Twilight made to respond. “No buts. Partly because you should have done as your Sunset said years ago, but mainly because once this is over,” She gestured to the lines of energy connecting her to the women on the ground. “That there will be no magic left in this world for you to analyse or even use.”
Again, Twilight made a move to counter but a tilted head and firm stare was enough to make her shrink back.
“Sorry.” She muttered.
“So long as you learn.” Sunset added with a more positive smile.
“So, when will it end?”
The spectral pony looked up at her human counterpart. “Midnight. The portal will open fully, the spell will finish and the portal will invert, pulling all the magic through with it and back to Equestria.” pony Sunset smiled sadly. “By the look of your watch, it’s only a few minutes away.”
“Then what is going on here then?” Twilight gestured. “Why are you like… this?”
“Because the Princess rushed ahead.” Sunset rolled her large teal eyes, a slight irritation to her voice. “The magic is bottlenecking on this side because it has nowhere to go, which is why I am able to pull this off.”
“And this is,” Rarity prompted.
“Imprints.” Sunset looked around at the five girls she was connected to. “My imprint on all of you. Both magical and non-magical. The events of the Fall Formal, the Dazzlings, and the time we spent together as friends.”
“But that means you’re not…” Sweetie Belle petered out.
Sunset shook her head. “No, I’m not ‘me’. I’m not Sunset Shimmer. I’m gone. But enough of me remains in you that I can be here now. Does feel a little weird being a pony here though. I’d have thought I’d come back human...” Sunset suddenly let out a bark of laughter which rolled into a long cackling laugh. “Hahahah, Phoenix! Phoenix indeed Celestia. Phoenix indeed.” She grinned, her mane shimmering as she shook her head.
Sunset suddenly looked straight forward, eyes wide and scared. “It’s coming.” She stared around at everyone with a slight desperation. “All of you, you were my friends, and you still are. I’m sorry I wasn’t always the best person, the best friend. But you have all come such a long way and I am so proud of you all. Always remember, no matter what happens, friendship...”
A flash of light rushed from the portal, enveloping Sunset in a blinding light, and, she was gone.
Everyone was left standing in the darkness, lit only by the streetlamps and the full moon above. Beside her Twilight let out a small sob, as Sunset stared at the void where her other self had been, her final words snatched from her lips.
Rainbow was the first to start crying, then Fluttershy until all eight girls were gathered together on the grass arm in arm, hugging one another as they all wept for their lost friend. Twilight broke out into silent tears beside her so Sunset turned and pulled her close, letting the smaller woman press herself against her while Sunset stroked Twilights’ hair to soothe and comfort her.
Eventually the huddle broke apart, everyone wiping tears from their eyes and gasping for breath. Rainbow clung tightly to Fluttershy while Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom rested their heads together, breathing deeply.
“Let’s go home Twilight.” Sunset whispered gently in her ear.
“But… but… what… about the others?” Twilight stammered, her breath still uneven.
“It’s over.” Sunset replied, realising the relief and exhaustion she heard in her voice. “Let them be.” Then a thought crossed her mind. “Where is that drive.” She felt Twilight stiffen. “Twilight?”
After a moment's movement she felt the small device being pressed into her hand. Breaking off from Twilight she held up the pen and stared at it. “Is this the only copy?”
“No, the results are still on the network at work.” Twilight replied quietly.
“Which by now means there will probably be backups elsewhere.” Sunset muttered to herself. “But,” She looked back to Twilight. “If what the other me just said is true, none of this will work anymore anyway?”
Twilight looked stumped for a moment. “Uhh, I don’t know.” Sunset raised her eyebrows. “Honestly, I don’t.”
“Then what was with the sledgehammer?”
The pair turned to a puffy-eyed Rainbow Dash who now stood, glaring at Twilight, pointing at the massive tool on the grass.
Twilight opened and closed her mouth several times. “I…” She began. “I decided that…” Suddenly, Twilight turned and sprinted away into the night.
“Hey! What the,” Rainbow Dash and Applejack made to run after her but Sunset held out an arm.
“Forget it.”
“But she,”
“I know where she lives, I know where she works, I know where she likes to hide.” Sunset sighed. “I’ll deal with her. Not that I think it matters anymore. If I recall from what was said when talking to the Princess last time, this world doesn’t have any magic of its own. With it all gone, all of Twilights’ work falls apart.”
“And if it doesn’t?” Applejack asked pointedly.
Sunset stared into space before looking up at the starry night sky above her, not a cloud in sight. She didn’t want to do this. She knew it would hurt them, but this needed to finish. Seven years of her life, never truly being able to move on… They needed it to end as much as she did, even if they didn’t want it to.
“I’m out.” She said frankly. “I can’t have this hanging around in the back of my mind. I need to get Twilight off this and to stop obsessing over it. You all have a chance to bring some proper closure, a good happy ending to all this pain. Over seven years of it.” She stared around at everyone present with pleading eyes. “Take what you can, be happy with it, don’t worry about every problem, don’t try and fix every issue because it will just keep tearing up your insides until you feel like you can’t go on anymore. You all have enough of your own problems to focus on and get through without adding more.”
“Sunset!” Rarity gasped, tears still streaking her face. “How can you… after what… you can’t just…”
“I’m not her!” Sunset snapped. “I am not your Sunset. I may look like her, I may sound like her, I might even behave like her but I am not her. In the same way that image, that imprint, wasn’t her, neither am I. I have my own life, my own issues, my own goals and hopes and dreams. I know it’s easier said than done, I know it’s difficult, but you can’t let this define your life. You need to move on, take the parts that made you stronger and the lessons you have learnt. In fact,” She paused, recalling the memory. “I am sure some of you know this already… ‘Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, and Wisdom to know the difference’.”
“So you’re gonna run away?” Apple Bloom asked nervously.
“Just like Sunset?” Sweetie Belle added.
“Just like we ended up doing?” Scootaloo sniffed.
Sunset let out a long sigh. “Yes, I guess I am.” Bending down to grab the sledge hammer, she turned around towards her car, then paused, turning back with a slight smile. “You know, I am no magical expert, but if magic can open portals to other dimensions, can help cleanse people of evil, facilitate and cure mind control, what is to say it can’t do even more amazing things?” All eight girls stared at her. “Just a thought.”
With those final words, Sunset turned back to her car and left them all standing there in shock. It felt as if she was driving a knife through her own heart, leaving them, abandoning them, but she couldn’t keep living with this any more. She was also certain that their Sunset, their friend as she had asserted with her final words, wouldn’t have wanted them to keep suffering for their past mistakes. Hopefully, they would understand that sooner rather than later.