The Third Sunset
Tyrant Cadenza’s Crystal Empire in the Reflection was a sprawling landscape of mountains and ice, torn apart by howling winds and fierce magic spells allowed to run rampant. It was a land uncontrolled by pegasus weather teams, full of wild storms that would devastate towns and the few forests that could survive in the otherwise lifeless country. The citizens were forced to work in the crystal mines, bleeding the land dry of whatever magic they were able to dredge up.
Such an “empire” could not be sustained indefinitely, its workers crushed to dust with each passing day. So it was that Tyrant Cadenza raided the southernmost corners of the empire’s territory for ponies and changelings to bend to her will, to replenish the fallen ranks. They were transported northward to the mines via a hastily-constructed rail system. The rickety iron tracks led powerful locomotives and their living cargo across the unforgiving wastes towards certain doom.
So it was that a train struggled to heft itself northward. The coal was dangerously low, thanks to an clerical error. A clerical error orchestrated by one unicorn in particular. This unicorn rode with the captives, for all appearances another one of the poor souls who would meet their ends beneath Cadenza’s iron horseshoe.
Due to the scarcity of the coal, the train could not move at full speed. In fact, the speed was just slow enough to be overtaken by a certain airship.
The unicorn watched the guards carefully as they argued with each other. Each one saw fit to blame each and every one of the others for their low supplies. If she looked to the rear of the prison car, she could see a few guards remain utterly silent. These quiet ponies were the victims of Cadenza’s mind-altering magics. Their wills had so utterly deteriorated under her thrall that they were incapable of acting without a command.
In essence, these ponies were also captives. The unicorn intended to treat them accordingly.
One of the guards slapped a captive across the ears. Not because they had been disruptive, but because the guard was frustrated. “Keep your mouths shut! If we run outta coal, we’ll just have to burn a couple of you idiots! We’ll start with the noisy ones!”
The temperature had noticeably dropped. They were within the Empire now. It was time to either do or die.
A thump on the roof—four pairs of hooves making landfall—was the unicorn’s signal to move. With a flash of her horn, the chains around her legs fell away. She stood up and faced the guards at the front of the train car, her body obscured by a ratty brown cloak.
“Horseapples! Who didn’t lock her down?” one of the guards shouted. Knives flipped out of his front greaves, which he promptly menaced her with. “Lay down, you gutless dobbin, or I’ll make you gutless.”
Her horn lit up with a glorious blue. She released the spell and sent him head-over-dock across the car. He crumpled in a heap of broken bones and bruised ego.
She pulled the hood back to reveal a mane of yellow and red. Her orange coat stood out like a beacon amid the dreary confines of the train car. “Heyah, dweebs. I’m Sunset Shimmer. You might have heard of me.”
The guards froze for a long moment, taking stock of their new opponent. One of them sneered. “Sunset Shimmer’s a myth, so that makes you a pretender. You shoulda stayed in Equestria with the rest of Queen Chrysalis’ brood.”
“Chrysalis? Yeah, right.” Sunset Shimmer bared her teeth in a dangerous grimace. “You’re just jumping to die in ignorance, ain’tcha?”
The guard flagged down the near-mindless zombies in the back of the car. “Dumb muscle! Take her down!”
The brutes charged, none of them capable of formulating strategies other than “kill on sight.” Sunset met the first one with a hind kick to the neck, which sent him to the floor to trip up the other two. She unlatched the chains of the prisoners around her and used them to hogtie the hapless thugs.
One of the currently-conscious guards was a unicorn. He fired a loose bundle of flame her way, which she easily dispelled with a wave of cold. The remaining guards clumped together, their teeth grinding, ready to launch a desperate joint assault her way.
The sides of the train car crumbled inward. Two ponies swung into the car and immediately began to beat the guards senseless. One was a small earth pony mare who hit harder than her slight frame would imply. The other was a strong-bodied pegasus mare who hefted two of the guards out of the car with a flap of her wings.
The pegasus grumbled at Sunset Shimmer once the fight was over. “You coulda told us what the heck car you were in. We had to deal with three groups of soldiers. Three!”
“They’d better be—” Sunset paused as the small earth pony hugged her tight. “—nice to see you, too, Coco. Those guards had better be in serious hurt, or I’m not sure we can take them all at once.”
“Me and Lightning showed them the error of their ways,” Coco Pommel said.
Lightning Dust moved swiftly to unchain the rest of the prisoners, while securing the roughed-up guards with the very same bonds. “So, spill it. Did you find out if this whole venture was worth it?”
Coco turned her nose up. “Even if all we do is free these prisoners, we’ve still struck a blow for—”
Sunset Shimmer stopped her with a raised hoof. “It’s not just the prisoners this time. He is on this train. Right now.”
Lightning Dust’s pugnacious face melted into a vaguely giggly squeal. “Oh heck yes, we are good.”
“And of the three of us, I’m the only one who can take him on.” Sunset Shimmer pulled her hood back up and walked towards the front of the car. Her cloak was whipped to and fro by the winds rushing into the train car through the holes her friends had made. “You two make sure the captives are safe. I’m headed for the engine.”
Coco Pommel wiped a smudge of dirt from her muzzle, which only served to rub it into her pale coat. “But Sunset… it’s the Black Knight. The Tyrant’s Iron Right Hoof. No one’s ever bested him alone.”
“No one’s ever bested him period,” Lightning Dust helpfully supplied.
“Get the prisoners to safety.” Sunset Shimmer grinned at them as she ducked into the next car. “If I’m still alive in ten minutes, I’ll allow you to come to my rescue.”
She made her way quickly through the mess car and two other cars, all full of the soldiers Coco and Lightning had either beaten senseless or lifeless. Just ahead was the observation car—the most opulent car in the train. If the Black Knight wasn’t aboard that, he was most likely on the engine itself, directing the defense of the train. She blasted a hole in the door and stepped through the smoking wreckage.
There, sitting at a table drinking tea, was the Black Knight himself. His armor was designed as much for intimidation as it was for protection. He was covered from head-to-tail with rounded, bell-shaped metal, painted as black as a moonless night. The darkness was crowned with a full-length cape of crimson silk. The only part of his body that was visible was his mouth, and only barely so. Just enough to see that beneath the shadows and menace, his coat was pure white.
Sunset Shimmer squared her legs and lit her horn until it glowed a similarly-pure white. “Well, if it isn’t Cadenza’s Grand High Edgelord. You gonna come quietly, or do I have to break your face first?”
“This posturing is highly tedious, Miss Shimmer.” The Black Knight smirked as he sipped at his tiny cup of tea. “Oh yes, I know who you are. Tales of your exploits have reached as far as—”
She launched a fireball directly at his head. A shield of magic appeared around him, diffusing the spell.
“I wasn’t finished talking,” he said.
Her next spell destroyed the table and chair right out from under him. He leaped away from the splintering wood, pulling lances from a quiver on his back. He guided the lances with his magic towards her. She jerked her limbs away from the points, but found herself locked in a makeshift cage of the weapons.
The Black Knight tromped towards her. His armor made movement slow, but a target that was so heavily protected didn’t need to be agile. His horn shone lavender as he lifted an axe from his back—one lacking a handle, made exclusively for unicorn wizards. He leveled its edge at Sunset’s neck. “You should have scrambled back to Queen Chrysalis like all the others. You’re fighting a war you can’t win alone.”
Sunset scowled, glaring at the axe as it hovered all too close. “I don’t give a darn about Chrysalis and her kingdom. They’re too reliant on alicorns to save them. It’s why the whole kingdom fell apart the instant Sombra went nuts. It’s why they’ve been the poorest kingdom in the world ever since Queen Celestia started grabbing power. Hang ‘em.” She narrowed her eyes at him. His face hovered mere inches away from hers. “I’m here for a free Crystal Empire, safe from the likes of you, Cadenza, and Chrysalis. No more alicorns. No more magic superweapons. We’re the Crystal Resistance, and we’re not standing for your stupid, cockamamie schemes for world domination.”
The Black Knight gritted his teeth. “You think to sway me with mere words, Shimmer?”
“Nah.” Sunset Shimmer’s expression instantly morphed to a cheeky grin, her eyelids lowered in condescension. “I just figured you were so used to lapping up rhetoric, you wouldn’t notice when I used mine to distract you.”
The Black Knight swung the axe, but Sunset was nowhere to be seen. All that was left of her was a shower of glimmering blue embers. He swung around, bringing the axe with him, to see the tail end of her teleport. She stood at the far end of the observation car, her horn casting an absolutely massive spell.
“My advice?” she said. “Think happy thoughts.”
She released the spell, which exploded outward in a bubble large enough to envelop the entire train. The floor jolted beneath them, but Sunset was ready for it. She danced with the shift of gravity as the Black Knight crumbled to his knees and slid against the wall. She looked out the window and saw the landscape shift. The barren planes retreated as the clouds descended. If she looked down, she could see the railroad track vanish towards the horizon as the train left it far behind.
The train flew through the air. Its momentum carried it forward, while Sunset’s magic defied gravity.
The axe soared through the car, seeking Sunset’s neck. The Black Knight balanced himself in a corner, one leg on the floor and three others touching the walls. “Interesting maneuver, Sunset. I would say this was an impossible feat of magic. But I have little time for impossibilities.”
Sunset ducked beneath the axe and skirted the edge of the car, looking for a clean shot at the knight. “And I’ve got little time for tiny minds.”
She glanced out the far window and saw a sight that would bemuse most ponies; her crew’s so-called “airship.” It was an ornate carriage, like one built for the aristocracy, decorated with flowing lines of woodwork and pastel paints. It wheels spun in midair, and its yoke hung limp from the front of the cart. Above the carriage itself, holding the whole thing aloft, was a large cloth envelope filled with lighter-than-air gasses. A propeller spun from the rear of the craft, pushing the whole abomination of science forward.
At the front, a begoggled, brown-coated earth pony stallion struggled with a steering rod as he attempted to move the ridiculous dirigible closer. He threw her a salute that nearly sent the craft into a nosedive.
“That really might be the worst invention I’ve ever seen.” Sunset refocused on the Black Knight, who was no longer acting as the aggressor. Judging by his low stance, his gritted teeth, and his swiveling head, he was looking for an escape route. “What’s the matter, Gloomy Gus? Didn’t foresee a ramshackle bunch of losers taking you down?”
The Black Knight growled as he called his axe and javelins to his side. “You’ve won the train, that much is certain. But you assume that I’m willing to be taken alive.” He swung his weapons with all his might and tore a hole in the side of the car. He stood at the edge of a lethal plummet and coiled his legs to jump.
“No!” Sunset grabbed him with a sudden, strong spell and yanked him across the observation car. He tumbled head over tail and rolled to a stop at her feet. She fired a bolt of magic and finally connected with the massive, enraged knight. His helmet splintered into several pieces as he took the attack full in the face.
A two-toned blue mane spilled out of his armor. Gleaming blue eyes, once full of hope and confidence, now lay poisoned with anger and spite. Sunset looked into those beautiful eyes for a moment, searching for something familiar, yet finding nothing. “Shining Armor. It’s been a while.”
“Go to hell.”
“I hoped that you were one of the ponies under Cadenza’s thrall. Mind-controlled and twisted. But I guess not.” Sunset Shimmer began to craft a spell that would hopefully knock the Black Knight out until they could get somewhere secure. “You’re just as hateful as Cadenza.”
Shining Armor kicked himself to his feet and hit Sunset Shimmer in the side of the head with an iron-shod hoof. Her vision exploded into a sea of stars, and the spell died on the tip of her horn. The train rattled as something came loose around the caboose. The floor came away from the observation car, leaving both her and Shining to backpedal away from each other.
A hook sailed through the window beside Sunset’s face. A pegasus mare hung out of the carriage and waved at her, holding a grapple gun. She pointed to the rope tying the ship and the train together. Sunset couldn’t hear her, but the panic in her voice was clear: The whole train was collapsing.
Sunset grasped the hook and unlatched it from the wood wall of the car. She flashed a faux salute to Shining Armor, the Black Knight. The grapple hook and line tore her out of the car and left her dangling in midair as the train crashed back into the tracks, coming apart at the seams and bursting as the steam engine ruptured.
“Dude,” the mustard-yellow pegasus mare said, “that was awesome.”
“Thanks, Daring.” Sunset shook her head as Daring Do, author of the Bravely Blue series, winched her up to the copilot’s seat. She hefted herself aboard the airship and strapped herself down beside the earth pony stallion. “I couldn’t save him, Time.”
“I’m sorry about Shining, Sunset.” Time Turner brushed his wildly-curly mane out of his eyes and perused the flaming wreckage below. “Still, at least we bally well don’t need to worry about the Black Knight from here on out.”
“Are you kidding?” Sunset Shimmer rolled her eyes as they pivoted around to the rear. She could see the freed prisoners waiting for them on the caboose that had detached from the train, the one car that had kept its buoyancy. Coco and Lightning could just be made out near the front of the car, shouting for the airship to tow them. “The Black Knight is inexorable. He’ll return before long. Madder than ever. Even a train crash couldn’t stop the legendary Shining Armor…”
If she had looked down, she would have seen lavender-hued spellwork tear holes in the mangled corpse of the train. A white-coated, armored figure exited, looked back up at the fleeing airship, and then proceeded to march a long, slow journey back to the heart of the Crystal Empire.
Sunset Shimmer clasped her hooves in front of her mouth. “We did manage to figure out one new thing.”
Time Turner gripped the steering rod tight as turbulence rocked the misshapen airship. Daring popped out of the forward-facing window to lend him a hoof. “Indeed? What’s that?”
“The next time I see Shining Armor,” Sunset Shimmer said, her voice quiet against the biting wind, “I’m going to kill him.”
***
Two Hearts Becoming One
Twilight Sparkle clutched her bouquet with a death-grip as she stood in the church’s nursery. It had been temporarily refashioned into a dressing room for her and her bridesmaids. She sucked in a deep breath that got stopped up halfway and released in a series of coughs. Her mother, Twilight Velvet, hovered around her, giving her last-minute touches of makeup and making sure her hair was done up just so.
Princess Twilight Sparkle watched from a short distance away, helping Sunset get her dress in order. She pulled a face, but hid it from most of the room. “They haven’t said two words to each other since they met.”
“That’s just how Twilight and her mom interact,” Sunset said, her voice a low whisper covered up with a sound-dampening spell. “There was… there was a falling out around the time Twi started high school. A split. Velvet moved for her job, Twilight got to go to the school she wanted.” Sunset hiked up the hem of her dress so that Princess Twilight could adjust her slip. “So even when Cinch got abusive, she couldn’t leave, because then she’d have to admit her mom was right.”
“Not sure that’s exactly how it works, but…” Princess Twilight stood to her full height, which—since the ascension—was now only an inch or so taller than Sunset. “I was a teenager once, so I understand how life can look at that age.”
Twilight and her mother shared a hug, then Velvet headed for her starting position. Night Light remained behind so that he could walk Twilight down the aisle. He offered his daughter a smile, which she was just able to return despite her nerves.
Shining Armor poked his head into the room. “Five minutes. Everybody ready?”
Twilight was only able to offer a strangled, wordless query.
Sunset stepped forward to lay a hand on her friend’s bare shoulder. “That means ‘yes, but no, but yes.’”
Princess Twilight bobbed her head to Twilight and Night Light. She walked past them to head out into the sanctuary. “I’d better get my seat and find Little Spike.”
“Don’t call me Little Spike,” Little Spike said from across the pews.
Edgy Spike bit down on Sunny’s dress shirt to prevent the boy from wandering away. “Hey, Ring Bearer! You gotta be ready to scoot when the music starts!”
“I know,” Sunny said, having not heard what Edgy Spike said. He proceeded to go after the nursery toys that had been tucked against the wall to make room for the wedding party.
Princess Twilight found Little Spike, who was seated near the back watching the DJ work with the sound equipment. He seemed quite interested in the workings of the devices, but broke away when the princess approached. The two of them sat in the rear of the church, being the two guests most distant from the bride or groom. Connected only by unique circumstances and similar genetics.
Well, that and a touch of friendship.
Princess Twilight frowned as she looked at the altar, where Shining Armor was conversing with Big Macintosh. The Apple was looking very dapper in a tuxedo, very similar to the one the pony Big Mac had worn to his wedding back in Equestria. Unlike the pony at his nuptial, this Mac seemed as cool as a cucumber. At least outwardly.
Little Spike nudged her in the arm. “Twilight. Smile.”
“Huh?” Princess Twilight touched her face and breathed a sigh. “I was frowning again.”
“It’s a wedding, Twi. Lighten up.” Little Spike thought a bit more, then let his expression soften. “You’ll get your chance one of these days.”
“It’s not just jealousy, Spike. Not anymore.” Princess Twilight lowered her voice until she was sure only Little Spike could hear, and even he was having difficulty picking up her words. “I’m just… resigned at this point. I don’t think I’ll ever find someone willing to put up with… this.”
Little Spike raised an inquisitive eyebrow. “Said the alicorn renowned for her beauty, wisdom, knowledge, and friendship.”
“That’s not all of me, though.” She turned her eyes to the nursery door, where the bridesmaids and groomsmen could be seen getting ready to march. It was no surprise to anybody that Sunset Shimmer was the Maid of Honor and Shining Armor was the Best Man. The human counterparts of the Element Bearers were matched alongside several of Big Mac’s buddies, with special care to make sure Pinkie and Cheese Sandwich walked together. “On the inside, I’m still the nerdy, bookish shut-in who doesn’t know how to interact with people.”
“Do you really believe that?” Little Spike looked at her back. The objects in question were rendered invisible by the magic of the world, but his intent came through all the same. “You’re gonna flap your wings and claim you haven’t mastered interpersonal interaction? You’re princess of what, exactly?”
“Oh, shut up. I mean that I still haven’t… ‘mastered’ certain ancillary interactions.”
Little Spike furrowed his brow. “It could also be that you use words like ‘ancillary’ unironically.” When Princess Twilight slumped in her pew, Little Spike reached up to rest a paw on her shoulder. “Look, if you really want a boyfriend, you just gotta put yourself out there. Meet people. Stir the feelings a little and see what sorta result you get. You’re already incalculably awesome, so I don’t think wallowing in self-doubt is gonna help you improve as a person.” He shrugged. “Not everybody is as lucky as me and Apple Bloom, getting stuck in a blizzard together. Scootaloo just thought of Rumble as a friend until he asked her out.”
Princess Twilight smirked. “So you’re saying I should let the Everfree Forest run out of control…”
“Or, you know, the less extreme option of ‘ask a friend out.’”
She rolled her eyes and lightly bumped Little Spike in the side. “I’m not exactly swimming in unattached guy friends.”
“At a guess—” Little Spike raised his floppy ears and squinted as he probed the depths of his mind for the first name to pop into existence. “I dunno. Commander Skyhook?”
“I’m not illegally dating one of my personal guards, Spike.”
“Yeah, yeah, fair. If I wanted to be funny, I could say Featherweight…”
She closed her eyes tight. “I’d rather you not.”
“Alright.” Little Spike’s eyes lit up. He moved his paw to mimic snapping his fingers. “Oh wow, why didn’t I think of it before? What about Sunburst?”
Princess Twilight pulled a face that she was glad Sunburst couldn’t see. “Sunburst? Pretty sure he’s still carrying a torch for Starlight.”
“Are you kidding? The guy’s eyeballs practically pop out of his skull whenever you walk in the room. You’d think he just discovered the lost sarcophagus of Cappuccino the Decaffeinated. And he’s always inviting you antiquing and you guys talk for hours at a time about history and—”
Little Spike was interrupted by a change in music. Big Mac guided Granny Smith to the front seat, handing her a new box of tissues as he went. He did the same for Twilight Velvet a moment later. Once Mac was on the altar, Edgy Spike led Sunny down the straight and narrow, while Cheese Cake, Pinkie’s second-youngest, tossed flowers to and fro. The groomsmen and bridesmaids made their way up the center aisle, all decked out in finery fit to steal the breath from one’s mouth.
Then, Twilight Sparkle appeared. Dressed in glistening white. Radiance personified. Her smile somehow outshone even the glittering, Rarity-crafted dress, once she got a glimpse of Macintosh waiting for her. She nearly stumbled, but her father offered a stronger arm than his spindly limbs would have suggested. Everyone in the room stood; each face beaming, and a fair few leaking liquid pride.
The music swelled as she reached the steps to the altar and stood across from Big Mac. The two of them stared into each other’s eyes, holding hands as the minister performed the ceremony. Sunny fought a sudden onset of shyness, but a little cajoling brought him and the rings he held to the waiting bride and groom. The two metal bands, the symbols of an unbreakable bond, found their waiting hands.
“…for as long as you both shall live?”
Princess Twilight breathed a soft sigh through her nose. “Yeah. There’s that, too.”
“Hm?”
She glanced down to see Little Spike looking up at her, his brow furrowed, his cheeks glistening with shed tears. She shook her head in an effort to dispel his concern, but she figured she only redirected it. She resigned herself to watching the rest of the wedding in silence.
“I do.”
“I do.”
“It is my great pleasure to present to you for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Macintosh Apple! You may kiss the bride!”
Twilight leaped at Big Mac with a level of passion rarely seen from the small woman. The groom himself took it in stride, lifting her and spinning her around effortlessly. The two met in a kiss that left the entire church cheering and applauding.
As the happy couple left out the front door on their way to the waiting limo, their family and well-wishers showered them with a cloud of bubbles. Their evening would be spent at the reception, with food, drink, and dancing aplenty—all with a signature Apple Family flair. All their friends and family were invited to stay with the celebration as long as they could.
Princess Twilight, of course, joined in with all of it, giving as good as she got with Little Spike at her side. The fun and friends eased her concern, and she was able to fully immerse herself in the atmosphere of joy.
‘You know,’ she thought to herself, ‘Sunburst’s coat does have a nice shade of orange to it…’
***
The Fairy God-Killer
The maximum-security prison known as Solitaire lay just off the coast of Equestria. The building itself was submerged in the sea, nine levels deep. Only the top floor and the roof were open to the elements. A storm constantly prevented ships of any sort from getting close, unless they were carrying a new prisoner to their appointed confinement. The full compliment of guardsponies, the ready arsenal of magic weapons, and the harsh conditions combined to form a nearly impregnable fortress.
Dr. Twilight Sparkle stared at her reflection. Her mane and tail were continually cut short by the staff. Her horn was constantly sealed with a band made from a magic-absorbing metal. She had lost weight while in prison, finding no real reason to keep herself healthy. Every day was a dim routine, with no chance for escape making itself known.
She rested her forehead against her reflection and sighed. Everything she’d worked for had come to ruin.
“Doctor?”
Her ears twitched at the sound of a voice. It wasn’t one she recognized. It didn’t sound female, which caused her senses to switch to high alert. She was in the female wing of the prison; there shouldn’t be anyone else around. The voice sounded… warbly. Shaky. As if it was either having trouble breathing, or holding back excitement.
She spun around, peering into all corners of the washroom. No one else was even close. Not even a guard. That was uncharacteristic of this time of day all on its own. She was truly alone in here.
“Doctor, please turn to the mirror.”
She turned slowly back to the mirror. Her reflection had disappeared, replaced instead with another’s visage. He was unknown to her. “Who are you? What do you want?”
He was a short earth pony stallion, grey of coat and black of mane. He wore a crisply-ironed business suit, and a red tie stood out like a bloodstain against the otherwise dark-colored uniform. A black boater hat sat atop his head, which he removed in an elegant bow. “I do very much apologize for the intrusion, Doctor. I’m afraid this is my—well, you see—this is the first I’ve been able to access Solitaire for quite some time.”
Dr. Twilight Sparkle’s eyes darkened. “This will be the last time you ever access it unless you explain just who you are and what you’re doing here.”
The pony in the mirror smiled, bearing several teeth. A friendly sort of smile. “Yes, most very amusing.” He set the boater hat on his head and adjusted it so that it sat squarely. “You may call me Jeuk.”
Dr. Twilight’s brow wrinkled. “Like an egg yolk?”
“No, no, Jeuk, like—” Jeuk cleared his throat and reaffirmed his smile with a tiny, almost giggling laugh. “It’s a foreign name, forgive me.” Before she could ask him to elaborate, he stepped back from the mirror’s surface—wherever he was—and pulled a table into view. He sat on the opposite side of the table and rested his forelegs on it. “You see, Dr. Sparkle, I am no mere pony. I am a fairy. A fae creature of the Unseelie Court.”
The doctor rolled her eyes and flicked what was left of her tail. “I am a mare of science. I don’t believe in fairies.”
Jeuk nodded swiftly, his smile growing bigger. “Ah, quite, quite right. You have, of course, expanded your mind beyond the insignificant spiritual matters of the universe and dedicated yourself to the material. What you can touch, taste, and measure. Excellent work. Most very excellent work.”
She scowled at the pony in the reflection. “Enough of this nonsense. What are you really?”
“As I said before, I am a fairy of the Unseelie Court.” Jeuk tilted his head to the side. His gray eyes looked slightly beyond the doctor to the other side of the washroom. “A prince among them, actually. And to prove it to you, allow me to introduce my affectionate nephew, Merimna.”
Dr. Twilight felt a chill befall the air. She turned to where Jeuk indicated and found herself face-to-face with a decaying skull.
The creature—whatever it was—appeared to have the body of a pony. Albeit one who had spent several years rotting in a grave. Its bare ribcage hissed as it breathed. Its tattered clothing hung loose. A frayed noose dangled from its neck. It bowed its head, and hid its horrifying face beneath its wide-brimmed hat. Its voice was a hissing, toneless whisper. “My lady. A pleasure to meet you.”
The doctor felt her heart stop briefly. Just long enough to process that the vision before her was not an illusion, hallucination, or dream. That gnarled husk of a fairy was indeed in the same room as her.
“Now then,” Jeuk said, laying three glass cups on the table, “have we accepted reality, dear Dr. Sparkle?”
“Ehm…” Dr. Twilight took a step away from Merimna and turned her newly-sharpened gaze to the mirror. “I’m listening.”
“Most amusing. Most very amusing.” Jeuk giggled, leaning heavily on the table. “We know you seek ascension to alicornhood. A noble goal in and of itself. We have watched as you try again, and again, and again, but to no avail.” He placed a hoof over his heart and tilted his head forward. “But now, at long last, we are finally in a position to help you. To bring you that which you desire most.”
Dr. Twilight sent a quick glance Merimna’s way to make sure he hadn’t moved. “What’s the catch?”
“I’m sure that when you see the full story, you’ll understand that the catch… is really no different from the very thing you want.” Jeuk’s friendly smile cracked at the seams, revealing hints of sharp teeth and dangerous intentions. “Once you have acquired your destiny, you will no doubt seek revenge against those who hurt you. Those who called you monster. Who cast you out and locked you in here to waste your days dying… slowly. Princess Celestia… Twilight Sparkle… Spike…”
The doctor’s stomach churned with rage at the mere sound of their names. “What proof do you have… that you can even help me achieve ascension?”
“Proof? Not proof, so much as information.” Jeuk spread the cups across his table in equal intervals. “You are familiar enough with the recipe to create an alicorn. Here we have the three vats, in which—” He dropped a thread of golden string into each cup. “—you would place the Fairy Strings. One from each tribe, from ponies who share a similar physiology to you. So… slight of frame.”
Dr. Sparkle licked her lips to hopefully moisten them. Unfortunately, her encounter with the skeletal fairy had left her mouth bone-dry. “Yes, and then submerge them in ambrosia to keep the Fairy Strings healthy. I’ve done it many times, but it always backfires.”
“Ah. Ahaha.” Jeuk’s twisted little smile grew until it crackled across his entire face. “This is because your precious King Sombra, who loved you so dearly and taught you so well, lied to you.”
“As I’ve gathered.” She moved closer to the mirror without realizing it. She reached out to touch the reflection as Jeuk filled each cup with a golden liquid to simulate ambrosia. “He reconfigured the Alicorn Device to become a bomb to prevent me from ascending. But then what’s missing? What did he leave out? What’s the last tiny piece of the puzzle to make alicornhood possible?”
“It’s just a small matter. A tiny little thing.” Jeuk reached beneath his suit jacket and produced a glistening horseshoe-sized object. He held it out to her so that she could observe every curve, every divot, every element of the object. “In order to create an alicorn, one must have the blood of a golden apple.”
The doctor met his eyes. “Those, too, are said to be mythical.”
“As mythical as a fairy, I suppose?” Jeuk produced a knife and sliced across the skin of the golden apple. Three drops fell into the three cups, after which he tossed the apple into the void behind him. “The world is a massive, wonderful place, Dr. Twilight Sparkle. If you would allow it, I should like to invite you to join my conquest of it. To wreck havok on those who denied you your rightful place. To allow you the opportunity to touch the sun and have it fall beneath you whim. To truly, literally, become a god!”
With his final word, he slammed the tip of the blade into the tabletop. His friendly-sort-of-smile returned, as pleasant as if he were waiting her table at a restaurant. “So what will it be, Doctor? Remain here wallowing in your own filth as you fade away to skin and bone? Or, will you rise up and become everything you always dreamed of?”
If Dr. Twilight was honest with herself, the decision was already made long ago. Way back when she first set out to complete the experiment. Back when she took the lives of those first three ponies. Still, there was business to conduct. “Well, I would consider it, if I knew more about the Unseelie Court’s operations and what your ultimate goal is.”
“Oh, but of course.” Jeuk favored her with a shallow bow. “Merimna here will be happy to discuss the specifics with you.” He slid the table away, and left himself alone staring out of the mirror. “I don’t expect your answer right away. Take time to ponder on it. Think about the future. Consider the past. Anything to prevent yourself from considering your ignoble present.” He drew close, and Dr. Twilight found herself unable to look away from the granite-grey eyes, cold as death itself. “I’m sure that you will realize before long that of all the eras you inhabit, the present is by far the least important.”
Dr. Twilight nodded, backing away from the aberrant reflection. “Yes. I suppose I will.”
He removed his hat and held it over his heart. “Very well then. Perhaps the next time we meet, you shall be no mere doctor, but a princess. Or perhaps, Queen Twilight Sparkle.”
“The twilight is long over, Jeuk.” She tapped the lock on her horn. It sizzled as a magic spell died upon it. “They’ve seen fit to beat the last of the light out of me.”
“Ah, I understand full well, Doctor.” He smirked, replacing the hat and straightening his tie. “It is a very pony thing to change one’s name when embarking on a new stage in one’s life. Most amusing. Most very amusing.” He raised his eyebrows and looked the doctor up and down. “To whom do I owe the pleasure, then?”
The doctor gritted her teeth, holding back a scream as she focused on the faces she hated most. The faces of those who she had no doubt would kneel begging and weeping for mercy when she revealed her true power. When she finally, finally, finally, ascended to become that which she was born to be.
“Please,” she said, “call me Midnight.”