At the edge of Maretime Bay, Sunset Shimmer was panting heavily, after a long gallop across, what she believed, was half of Equestria.
"Phew, Sweet Celestia, I'm...I'm...I'm pooped," Sunset panted, collapsing on the ground to catch her breath, with Izzy, Zipp, and Pipp galloping up to her side.
"Are you okay?" Izzy asked.
"Yeah," Sunset panted. "Just...needed to...catch my breath..."
Before another word could be spoken, the sound of explosions erupted from Maretime Bay, to which the five mares looked up, to see a sparkle of fireworks breaking the silence.
"Fireworks?" Zipp asked.
"Aw, they're throwing a welcome to Maretime Bay party for us!" Izzy smiled. "Sunny must've known we were coming and she put together a welcome party for us!"
Sunset, however, wasn't at all convinced, "I don't think it's a welcome party, Izzy. Something's not right...we have to find Sunny and fast. I have a bad feeling she may be in trouble!"
"Why couldn't you just teleport us all to her house?" Pipp asked, catching breath from the long gallop. "I mean, can you teleport us?"
"Magic teleportation takes a lot of concentration and a lot of strong mentality, Pipp," Sunset lectured. "But now's not the time. C'mon!"
Once again, leading the charge, Sunset Shimmer galloped into Maretime Bay, with three young mares following behind her. The fiery unicorn looked up to see that Sunny's lighthouse home is not too far away. Just a skip and a trot closer, with every hoof steps. Thankfully, Sunset didn't have to run too far, when Izzy shouted.
"Sunny!" Izzy Moonbow shouted.
Following the chirpy unicorn's gaze, Sunset looked, and sure enough, saw Sunny Starscout and Sheriff Hitch, galloping into view, from over the horizon.
"Sunny!" Sunset exclaimed, almost out of breath, as she and the young mares came to a stop, in front of Sunny.
"What are you girls doing here?" Sunny asked.
"We've figured out the problem!" Izzy chirped.
"Yeah, and how we can stay friends!" Zipp Storm added.
"How?" Sunny asked.
"Ask her!" Pipp pointed to Sunset, who composed herself. "She figured it out."
"Sunset Shimmer?"
"Sunny!" Sunset began. "I think I know why the crystals didn't work."
"There's a third crystal!!" The two mares said together. "What?" They asked, doing a double take, looking at each other.
"Say what now?" Sheriff Hitch asked.
"Pipp! Zipp!" Queen Haven shouted, as she came galloping towards the group, with a herd of pegasi guards. "I know you're upset, darlings, my sweet little darlings," Queen Haven said, with Alphabittle joining. "But it's time go home now!"
"Izzy Moonbow!" Alphabittle began. "You're gonna get us all jinxed! And the same to you, Sunset Glimmer!"
"It's Shimmer..." Sunset corrected. "Sunset Shimmer."
"Excuse me!" Queen Have huffed to Alphabittle and Sunset. "Do you see my mouth still moving? That means I'm still a-talking!"
"You're all in danger!" Sunny interrupted.
"What?" Queen Haven, Alphabittle, and Sunset Shimmer exclaimed.
Suddenly, a loud horn blared in the air, drawing every pony's attention to the source. Driving in a storm of smokes and gravels was a large robot, vehicle, in the shape of an earth pony. Marching by the mechanical behemoth's side are a squadron of earth ponies, wearing Anti-Mind Reading Hats.
"Uh, what is that?" Sunset pointed at the large robot.
"Everypony, Sprouticus Maximus!" Sheriff Hitch introduced the robot. "Sprouticus Maximus, everypony..."
"I can't take much more of this..." Sunset groaned.
As if the technological advancement with Anti-Mind Reading Hats, unicorn traps, and especially, phone, wasn't enough, now the weary Sunset Shimmer finds herself concerned with the possibilities of contending with armies of killer robots.
"Would you look at this?" A voice called from the giant robot. "Our enemies delivered themselves to us!"
"No, no, no," Queen Haven reassured. "We're not here to fight, Mr. Big Robot Pony."
Unfortunately, the queen's words fell on deaf ears, "I do not accept your surrender!" The robot, or more likely its driver, scoffed. "Load the Splat-a-pults!"
However, some of the earth ponies refused to heed the robot's command, and instead, chose to retreat.
"Why do I have to do everything myself?!" The robot complained, as an arm extended out from its front.
"Hold on," Sunset squinted her eyes for a closer look at the robot's visor, to see a familiar earth pony deputy, behind the wheels. "Hey, Sheriff? Is that...?"
"Deputy Sprout?" Hitch confirmed. "Unfortunately, yeah. Turns out, without me, all the powers as a sheriff has gotten to his head and–"
"He's declared himself emperor!" Sunny Starscout added.
"This day just keeps getting better and better," Sunset shook her head in sarcasm.
"We have to stop that thing!" Zipp exclaimed.
"But how?" Izzy asked.
"With magic!" Sunset Shimmer and Sunny Starscout said together. "JINX!" They pointed at each other.
"Bing-bong!" A random unicorn shouted.
"I'll try and hold that thing off," Sunset Shimmer strained, focusing every ounce of her mental powers, into her horn. "All of you, get out of here!"
"No, Sunset!" Sunny shook her head. "I'm not leaving you behind. And neither would Rainbow Dash, if she was still here."
"There's no time to argue!" Sunset replied. "I'll try and buy you enough time so you can escape this town and find that third crystal. The Earth Ponies' Crystal!"
"But that's just it, Sunset!" Sunny exclaimed. "I HAVE THE CRYSTAL!"
"What?!" Sunset exclaimed, along with Sheriff Hitch, and the other three younger pony friends.
"It's at the lighthouse!" Sunny then turned her attention to Alphabittle and Queen Haven. "Quick! I need your crystals!"
Both Alphabittle and Queen Haven exchanged looks, before they decided they have nothing left to lose. Without any argument, they gave Sunny their crystals, who then turned to her friends. "C'mon! Let's go!"
With that, Sunny Starscout took the lead as she guided her friends, up a hill, back up to her lighthouse, with Emperor Sprout giving chase in his giant robot.
"Oh no, you don't!" Sprout didn't get very far, however, when he was stopped by an aura of red sparkles. "What? Huh?"
The red stallion looked through his windshield, to see Sunset Shimmer, mustering every ounce of mental powers she had left, into her magic, to hold the robot off.
"Keep...your...hooves...away....from my...FRIENDS!!!" Sunset grunted, digging her hooves into the grounds, trying to force the robot off, with all her might.
"HEY!" One of the earth ponies pointed. "That unicorn still has magic!"
"See? What did I tell you?" Sprout boasted from the seat of his gigantic robot. "Sunny Starscout and Sheriff Hitch have been brainwashed by this unicorn! And probably, by the entire herd!"
"That's not true!" Alphabittle stomped his hoof. "We don't have any magic, except her. Look!" Trying to prove his point, Alphabittle strained to focus any mental powers he had, but was unable to conjure up any magic. "See?"
"It's true!" Queen Haven added. "And as much as I hate to admit it, but we pegasi can't fly either!" Queen Haven and her pegasi guards flapped their wings, but were unable to be airborne. "See? I can't fly. No lie. At least, not this time."
"Don't you see?" Sunset called to the Earth Ponies, as she loosens her magical grip on the robot. "Every pony in Equestria have lost their magic. Including you!"
"Us?" One of the earth ponies exclaimed in confusion. "We don't have magic. You're trying to psyche us out!"
"No, I'm not!" Sunset stomped her hoof. "Doesn't any pony remember a time when Princess Twilight ruled all of Equestria? When unicorns, pegasi, and earth ponies all got along? Or better yet, ponies with other creatures, like dragons, griffons, and...and yaks?"
"Dragons?" The earth ponies exchanged confused looks with one another. "Griffons? Yaks? Next thing you know, she'll say that ponies can make friends with a tiger. This unicorn sounds even crazier than Sunny Starscout."
"I'm not crazy!" Sunset shouted. "It's all true! I knew Princess Twilight! She was my friend. All of her friends were my friends! And some of them were earth ponies and pegasi!"
"Enough talk!" Sprout shouted, pulling on a lever, making his robot roar to life. "It's time to die!"
"Die?!" Some of the earth ponies exclaimed in shock. "That sounds excessively morbid. And extreme!"
Nevertheless, Sprout could hardly care less, as he proceeded to kick his giant war machine into high gear, attempting to run over Sunset Shimmer. But Sunset Shimmer refused to back down, lighting up her horn in a red sparkling aura, holding the robot back with all her might, digging her hooves deeper into the ground.
"You...shall not...pass..." Sunset strained, refusing to yield.
"Yes, I shall!" Sprout spatted, as he continues to put the pressure on Sunset.
In the meantime, everypony around them watched in awe as Sunset Shimmer, a lone middle-age unicorn, fighting off a towering robot, driven by the self-proclaimed Emperor of Maretime Bay, with nothing but magic. Unfortunately, it wasn't meant to last.
Sunset Shimmer could barely hold the giant robot back. With each passing seconds, the stress and strain of maintaining her magical hold was draining her mental prowess. And Sprout's persistent to break free was overtaxing for her. Still, whatever the cost may be, to restore Equestria to the land it once was, Sunset was willing to take that risk, even if it may be her last.
Just when Sunset's mind was about to crack, a voice shouted, with the sound of galloping hoof steps.
"SPROUT!" The voice shouted, revealing himself to be Sheriff Hitch, who came galloping back at Sunset's side, with Zipp Storm following. "That's enough! This ends now!"
"Yeah," Zipp Storm added. "Listen the Sheriff!"
"What? Are you crazy?" Sprout spatted. "Get out of the way, Sheriff! Don't make me run you over!"
"Over my dead body!" Zipp scowled, standing in front of Hitch and Sunset, flaring her wings out.
Narrowing his eyes into a scowl, Sprout glared at Sunset Shimmer, "So this is how it is now, huh?" He spatted. "You can't take me on alone, so you've decided to brainwash our Sheriff, my best friend, and this...this pegasus, to be your pony shields? For you to hide behind?"
"The only pony here who's been brainwashing others is ponies like you!" Sunset countered. "You call yourself emperor? You're hardly even a deputy to your sheriff! You don't even know a thing about being a sheriff! A sheriff serves and protects his ponies! He doesn't manipulate them to, or convert them to be his...his soldier, or invoke CHAOS and WAR!!"
Back in the crowd, some of Sunset's words resonated with the local earth ponies of Maretime Bay, as they took some of her words into account.
"Ha! Big talk, unicorn," Sprout frowned. "I'm TWICE the sheriff, Hitch Trailblazer could EVER be."
"No, actually, she's dead on the money, Sprout," Sheriff Hitch said, as he stood beside Zipp.
"Hitch?" Sprout gasped, turning his robot off.
"Where were you, when I came to Sunny's house, to arrest her and Izzy?" Hitch challenged.
"Are we seriously having this talk now?"
"And where were you, when I spent the last several days, maybe weeks, tracking Sunny and her friends across half of Equestria?"
"Well...YOU tasked me to looking after Maretime Bay in your absence, remember?"
"And do you even remember my specific instructions?"
"Uh...run that by me again?"
With a roll of his eyes, and a shake of his head, Hitch repeated, "I told you to keep every pony calm, maintain the peace, and be the pillar of strength."
"Right!" Sprout clicked his tongue. "That's it. And that's exactly what I'm doing..."
"Not the way I see it," Zipp shook her head. "I don't know what driving a giant robot pony is supposed to be. If it's the Sheriff's definition of 'pillar of strength,' I'm fine with that. But waging war against other ponies? Are you kidding me? That's hardly maintaining the peace, or even keeping any pony calm. I should know, because for almost my entire life, my mother and sister and I have kept our ponies calm, with mirrors and wires!"
"...And your point is?" Sprout asked.
"ARGH!" Sunset Shimmer grunted in frustration. "You're no Emperor! And you will not hurt a single hair on Sunny Starscout and her friends!"
"We'll see about that."
But just before Sprout could proceed with his agenda, a green glob of goo splatted on his windshield, catching him by surprise.
"What the what?" Sprout exclaimed.
"That's our sheriff of the town you're messing with!" One of the earth ponies frowned, as all of Maretime Bay stood behind Sheriff Hitch, with two familiar birds and crab standing next to Hitch.
"And my daughter!" Queen Haven added, as she and her pegasi guards stood behind Zipp Storm.
"And one of our own ponies, who isn't a local of Bridlewood, and surprisingly, even for me, can still do magic!" Alphabittle said, loudly and proudly.
"Bing-bong!" A random unicorn exclaimed.
"That's a mouthful, even for you," Sunset complimented Alphabittle. "And what? No...bing-bong?"
"I have to admit, seeing you in action, standing your ground, with magic is pretty awesome," Alphabittle replied. "And I respect that...for an old gal."
"Hmph!" Sunset Shimmer huffed, before she countered. "Yeah? Well...you're quite the gamer...for a big pony who lost to a kid!"
"I thought she was average-height."
"Uh...are we really having this talk right now?" Zipp asked, drawing the ponies attention back to Sprout, who was still aghast at all the ponies, standing up to him.
"Why?" Sprout demanded. "Why are you all fighting me?" Turning to the earth ponies, Sprout shouted, "Ponies of Maretime Bay. Come on! Don't listen to this unicorn, or Hitch! He's clearly been manipulated by her evil spell! Don't let her do the same to you!"
"Actually... you know what?" One of the earth ponies frowned. "For the first time, I've been thinking clearer than I ever have," He said, as he defiantly took his Anti-Mind Reading Hat off.
"What?"
"You didn't keep our town clean," Another local of Maretime Bay added. "You didn't even bother telling us to pick up the trash, or litters!"
"Sheriff Hitch should've been in charge," Another earth pony added. "Not you!"
"Are you seriously throwing your lives away...for this...this...thing?" Sprout challenged, pointing at Sunset Shimmer. "She's a criminal! Just like...like...like Sunny, who's up there, in that lighthouse, conspiring with that other unicorn!"
"But they're also my friends," Sheriff Hitch stomped his hoof. "Our friends," He said, as he gestured to Zipp Storm, and the other ponies. "Sunny was right. As a Sheriff, it's my job to uphold the laws, to keep everypony safe. And that includes pegasi and unicorns."
"And if you want to arrest Sunny, you'll have to get pass us!" Zipp challenged.
"All of us!" Alphabittle added.
And just like that, all the ponies stomped their hooves in agreement, holding their heads up high, continuing to defy Emperor Sprout, who finds himself in utter denial at the sight of ponies – unicorns, pegasi, including his own kind – joining together to rebel him, all to save one mare. Sunny Starscout. This is clearly not what he had in mind.
Feeling more furious than he ever felt, Sprout pulled on a lever, bringing his war machine, back to life.
"No problem," He snarled, pressing a button to activate a pair of Splat-a-pults, from his robot's flanks. "I don't need any pony to stop me. I only need this baby to get pass all of you!"
"Sprout!" A female voice shouted. "That's enough!"
"Mommy?" Sprout yelped.
Joining in the rebellion, stood the CEO of CanterLogic, Phyllis Cloverleaf, and Sprout's mother.
"This has to stop!" Phyllis added.
"But mommy!" Sprout whined. "You told me that unicorns and pegasi are evil! They can't be trusted."
"But I always said to be scared is to be prepared," Phyllis reminded. "Not to attack. You were in charge of being sheriff. Not an emperor."
"But mommy...I...I did it all for us! For you!"
"But I didn't ask for this," Phyllis shook her head, as she sighed, "I love you, my sweet little Sprout. But going to war, risking the lives of our ponies...the ponies we swore to protect from ponies who...are different from us, is crossing the line. Get out of the toy, now."
"But..."
"I wouldn't talk back to your mother, if I were you," Sunset advised, with a hint of disdain in her tone.
Knowing that it is futile to continue, especially against his mother's words, Emperor Sprout let out an exasperated sigh, as he turned the robot off, and stepped down from the cockpit.
"Phew!" One of the ponies sighed in relief. "To be honest, and for the record, I never wanted to fight."
"I was hoping we don't even have to fight," Another pony expressed her opinion.
"Well, you don't have to worry anymore," Sunset smiled, as she turned her attention at all the ponies, gathered around her. "Because as of now, no pony will ever have to fight each other. Not now, not ever. Let's all be friendly neighbors, starting with a hoof shake and start over."
Sunset said, extending her hoof out for the ponies to shake.
Sheriff Hitch was the firs to step forward, "Hi! I'm Sheriff Hitch. Welcome to Maretime Bay."
"Nice to meet you," Sunset dipped her head, in respect.
"I'm Queen Haven," Queen Haven added. "And I wanted to thank you, for saving my daughters and taking good care of them."
"Zipp's a real firecracker," Sunset smiled. "And Pipp has a lovely singing voice. They reminded me of some...friends I once knew."
"I'm Alphabittle," Alphabittle joined. "You want to play games? I'm the game," He winked.
Phyllis also stepped forward, for a hoof shake, "Hello," She greeted Sunset. "I'm Phyllis Cloverleaf. Founder and CEO of CanterLogic. At your service," Turning to her son, Phyllis nudged Sprout forward. "Sprout..." She scolded.
"Do I have to?" Sprout wined, earning a stern glare from his mother. "Fine... I'm Deputy Sprout and...and...I'm sorry."
"Hey, what's going on?" A voice asked, revealing herself to be Sunny, Pipp, and Izzy, curious to what the commotion was all about.
"We're starting over!" An earth pony answered. "We're saying hello to Sunset Shimmer and shaking her hoof, to become her friends!"
"Really?" Izzy asked.
"Uh...hehe, becoming my friend, from a hoof shake is a bit of an exaggeration," Sunset chuckled nervously. "I just diffused an angry mob with a lecture on the differences between anarchy and...peace. So, how'd it go with the crystals, Sunny?"
At the mention of the crystals, Sunny looked down, even more dejected than she was in Bridlewood.
"The crystals didn't work," Sunny sighed. "Even with a third crystal...they...they didn't do a thing. No...no rainbow lasers, or light show, like you told us in your stories, Sunset."
"Sunny," Sunset frowned in sympathy.
"I...I've let you down again," Sunny sobbed. "I've failed Equestria. I'm sorry, I...I wish I could make Equestria exactly the way you remembered it. I do! But I–"
Before Sunny could continue, a pair of hooves wrapped around her shoulder, pulling her close for a comforting hug.
"I don't care anymore," Sunset shushed the distraught, young mare. "It's all in the past... Along with, Twilight and...my friends. But I can't live in the past, forever. I have to live for today...and tomorrow."
Still, Sunny cried waterfalls of tears, on Sunset's shoulder, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
"Shhhh, you don't have to apologize for anything, Sunny," Sunset shushed. "Magic or no magic, as long as there's friendship. That's magical enough for me..." Pulling Sunny away, Sunset looked into the young mare's eyes, putting a hoof under her chin. "Is it still magical for you?"
Though sadden, with her hopes and dreams seemingly shattered, Sunny's lips quivered as she managed a small sad smile.
"It is."
With that, Sunset and Sunny wrapped their hooves around each other in another hug, with their friends joining in the group hug.
Suddenly, without warning, from the top of the lighthouse, a bright and beautiful ray of light shines down, bathing Sunny Starscout, in its glow, on the spot.
"What the hay?" Sunny exclaimed. "What's going on? What's happening?"
"Sunset, what's happening to her?" Sheriff Hitch asked.
"I...I don't know," Sunset then turned her attention to the lighthouse and pointed. "Look!" Everypony all watched as the three crystals, Sunny, Sunset, and friends, have collected, all floated from the lighthouse, danced around Sunny, bathing the young mare in a sparkling glow.
Every pony all watched with anxious expectation for what happens next. First, a golden pair of wings sprouted from Sunny's back, followed by a matching horn that protruded from her head, and Sunny's mane was colored with a streak of blue, yellow, and red.
Sunset Shimmer could hardly believe her eyes, "No way...can it be?" She asked, praying her eyes weren't playing tricks on her.
"Sunset..." Izzy began. "Is she?"
Sunset simply nodded as she confirmed, "She's an alicorn!"