The next day following the heroes’ battle against Stygian, things were calm. This one was wondering where he should go next, since he couldn’t stay in the island. Hovewer, the owner was a generous man and accepted to pay Stygian a trip to Las Pegasus on board of The Paradise, a luxurious cruise ship. This one thanked the man a thousand time and left in the morning, promising the girls he would come if they ever need him. A couple hours had passed since his departure, and the girls were chilling on the beach.
“I’m still sad Stygian couldn’t stay with us on the island” said Adagio.
“But you have to admit the owner was very generous to pay him a trip on a luxury cruise” said Sunset. “Maybe he had a soft spot for Stygian too...”
“Who’s going to attack us next?” asked Rarity. “And when?”
“Without counting the villains we already fought” answered Twilight. “There is 4 left: Starlight, Cosmos, Tirek and Nightmare. I’m certain our next enemy will either be Starlight Glimmer or Nightmare.”
“Nightmare will be a tricky one” said Sunset. “But thanks to Luna and her notes, we know what to expect from him and prepare in consequences. As for Starlight Glimmer, she’s as skilled as Twilight Sparkle with magic as well as being smart.”
Back to Grogar’s castle, Starlight was getting impatient. She was turning nervously around her bed. Yesterday, Grogar told her she’d have to wait before attacking the heroes. Two weeks, to be exact...Two long weeks. He didn’t told her the reason, only that she had to stay at the castle.
“Damn this old man!” she said. “Well, fuck it, i’m not obeying him!! This is HIS business, not mine...I have my own business to take care off.”
Starlight took her personal effects and, wearing the Alicorn Amulet, left her room. She turned invisible using a spell and headed discretly to the hall. Luckily for her, Grogar was asleep and the others were minding their own business. She reached the castle’s doors and using another spell, turned herself into a mouse to pass under the massive doors. Once outside the castle, she teleported away. It was evening when her absence was noticed, by Moonlight, who reported it to Grogar. They came to the conclusion that Starlight had her own plan in mind and quickly passed to other things. Only Discord knew what she was up to. A few days ago, he told her about a powerful time travel spell created by Starwirl the Bearded. That spell, when successfully casted, would allow Starlight to change the course of Equestria’s history at will. He revealed her that she would need to use the Tree of Harmony as a magic anchor for her to come back to the present period. When she asked why the Tree of Harmony exactly, Discord told her that this tree was also created by Starswirl and the Pillars. Almost all of his most powerful spell could only be casted using the Tree’s magic, including the one she was about to use on the Mane 6. Grogar, him, had to change his plan and sent Nightmare and Cosmos torment the girls...This one was busy pampering Moonlight in the castle’s common room. Sombra, Chrysalis, Tirek, Discord and Sunny were also present.
“What’s your plan exactly?” asked Moonlight to her. “Are you going to imitate Discord or...?”
“I’ll make the last day of their vacations a living hell” she answered, smiling devilishly. “Discord was too soft with them, i won’t...I will break their spirits, drive them to insanity, if Nightmare doesn’t do it before i jump in. Grogar tasked him for the next two weeks to weaken mentally the girls with his illusions and nightmares.”
“Too soft? Please bitch” said Discord. “I’m just not a sadistic monster like you are.”
“You really think you can break those girls?” asked Sombra, with a snarky smile. “They have the power of Friendship on their side...Sure, you might bring them to their limits, but they will find a way to return the situation...”
“Do you think i don’t know that?” answered Cosmos. “I would do things differently, but this old bastard just want us to test them.”
“Why are you and Discord obeying him, anyway?” asked Chrysalis. “You are litteral gods!!”
“His Bewitching Bell” answered Cosmos. “That fucking thing can steal the magic of any creature, even those of Draconequus, like me and Discord.”
“And before you ask why don’t you just use your magic to steal it” said Discord. It’s because we can’t...Grogar casted a spell on it to prevent me and her to steal it with our magic. Since he keep that thing with him at all time, taking it without magic is suicide.”
“Don’t you think he could hear us right now?” said Tirek.
“We would he?” said Cosmos. “He clearly doesn’t see us as a threat to him”
“You’re not wrong” said Moonlight. “But also, he can’t use the magic of his Spy Crystal to spy people inside the castle. That’s why he’s mostly relaying on me to report anything abnormal or suspicious happening.”
“Are you going to report our discussion to him?” asked Sombra.
“Why would i?” answered Moonlight with a smile. “You’re just saying bad things about him and he couldn’t care less. But if you were to talk about a rebellion or a betrayal, i would have no choice but to report it to him. But i trust your good sense of judgement to not try doing that.”
Sunny was sleeping on a beanbag, curved in a ball, like a dragon.
“She’s so precious when she sleep” said Moonlight. “I could almost forgot that she’s a monster when she’s awake.”
Sunny suddenly woke up and stretched.
“I heard that” she said. “I’m just a wild girl, that’s all”
“You’re sleeping an awful lot those days” said Moonlight. “More than you usually do...Are you going out at night?”
“You try to sleep with Tirek as your room neighbor” said Sunny.
“Well, my snoring didn’t caused me or others any problem when i was sleeping in the wild” said Tirek. “In fact, it was keeping predators away. And it’s not my fault if Grogar want me to sleep in a small-ass room.”
So, almost two weeks passed and it was eventually the last day of vacations for Sunset and her friends. Nightmare’s mind-sapping strategy had been successful, so much that none of the girls had the energy or mood to have fun. 2 weeks of constant nightmares had made them grumpy and irritated. It was now Cosmos’ turn to jump in and give those girls the worst scare of their life. She was going to make their nightmares a reality with her magic and she couldn’t wait much longer. So when Grogar gave her green light, she immediately left the castle.
“Nightmare really did a number on us...” said Sunset, laying in a hamoc. “Look at us...We’re completely exhausted mentally and physically because of the lack of sleep. If Tirek had to attack us while we’re in this state, i doubt we could fight back”
“I admit this would have been a fantastic idea to send that brute instead of me” said Cosmos, standing above her. “But he picked the longest straw and me, the second longest. So, you have to fight me instead!!”
With her magic, she immediately restaured the girls’ stamina. Sunset felt in perfect shape and full of energy.
“I was supposed to take advantage of your weakened state” said Cosmos. “But i prefer having you at your best, because you’ll need all your concentration if you want to survive me!”
Sunset got up and faced Cosmos. Her friends soon joined her, except the Dazzlings.
“Oh yeah, i’m afraid those 3 traitors won’t be of any help to you” she said.
“What’s your plan, Cosmos?” asked Sunset.
“I’m going to make this day the worst of your life!” she answered. “A living NIGHTMARE...Ha ha ha ha ha!!”
She snapped her fingers and Sunset found herself in complete darkness. A creepy laugh, who could only belong to Cosmos, resonated around her.
“Welcome to the Limbos, darling” said Cosmos, hidden in the shadows. “A prison where your nightmares become reality”
“If Stygian could spent a thousand years in there and keep his sanity, i’m pretty sure i can too” said Sunset.
“Stygian had already lost his sanity when he was sent here...You, you’re still sane” said Cosmos. “Like in all prisons, you’ll have to break out of the Limbos and the only way to do so is to face your worst nightmares until you see the light. How fast you can escape depends on how you choose to confront them.”
The presence of Cosmos disappeared.
“I’m not that worried about myself, Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie” thought Sunset. “We have more than enough courage and willpower to make our way out of this place. It’s more for Rarity, Twilight and Fluttershy i’m worrying about...Rarity abandon too easily, Fluttershy doesn’t have any courage on her own and Twilight is quite fragile psychologically. Anyway, i have to get out of this place...”
Sunset tried to illuminate the place with the magic of her geode, At her surprise, it worked and she saw she was in a room with a single mirror in front of her. She walked to it and saw in the mirror’s reflection the demonic monster she became at the Fall formal. She broke the mirror with anger and disgust.
“I’m not that monster anymore” she said.
The shards of the mirror she broke turned into more mirrors. All around her, the image of her demonic, evil self were looking at her with a devious smile.
“What the heck?” said Sunset.
The reflections in the mirrors suddenly became sentient.
“We’re a part of you...Sister” said the reflection in front of her.
“Part of you!!” said another reflection.
“Join us!!” said a third reflection.
“JOIN US!!” shouted all the reflections at once. “Don’t resist...”
“This is indeed a nightmare come true” said Sunset to herself. “Hum...Cosmos told me earlier that how quickly i would find the exit depended on how i chose to confront my nightmares. There is 3 ways i know of one can confront them: Reject them, accept them or ignore them. I’ve tried rejecting that one and it doesn’t seem to work. What if i try to ignore them?”
Sunset sat on the floor and closed her eyes, ignoring the reflections talking to her.
“Is she ignoring us?” asked a reflection to another reflection.
“How rude!!” said another one.
After a while and still hearing them talk, Sunset came to the conclusion ignoring them was vain.
“I guess that only leave me one option” she said.
She got up and walked right to her reflection.
“You are a part of me” She said to her demon reflection. “You are the part of me that i hate, that i hated. Now, i accept you. I’ve changed for the best, but i must never forget the evil things i’ve done. I have to be in harmony with both part of myself...I’m an Angel that forgive and guide those who want to change their ways, but i’m also a Devil that must punish those who persist in their evil ways...”
Her reflection changed: One side of it was her Daydream form, the other, her Devil Form.
“I’m the Yin and the Yang” she said. “I’m the Day and the Night, the Sun and the Moon...that’s who i am...That who i AM!!!”
At this moment, Sunset changed into her devil form. After she did, the environment changed as well, revealing the place to be one big, creepy-looking prison. It didn’t took long for Sunset Shimmer to realize and understand that they key was accepting the truth, her truth. She realized she could never have become the good-natured person she was today if she hadn’t been a mean-spirited person, a monster, in the first place.
“I’m still the good person that i am, even in this form” she said to herself, smiling. “I also remember that in this form, my psychic magic drastically gained in power...Let’s see if it still the case now...”
She used her magic to locate her friends. The first magic presence she felt was Applejack’s and followed it. Her friend was locked inside a cell, completely cut from reality. She used her psychic powers to bring her back to reality. When Applejack saw Sunset, she freaked out, but calmed down once she knew what happened. She ripped the prison door from the walls and threw it behind her.
“Let’s get the others” said Applejack.
Sunset felt Fluttershy’s presence next and levitated toward her location, followed by Applejack. She did the same thing than with A.J and woke her up.
“Applejack!! Sunset!!” said Fluttershy. “I’m so glad to see you!!”
Like she did with hers earlier, Applejack ripped out Fluttershy’s cell door. The next person they located was Pinkie Pie and rescued her, then Rarity and Rainbow Dash. The last one left to save was Twilight Sparkle, but they didn’t even have to do it. It’s her who came to them, in her Midnight Form. Sunset and her hugged for a moment.
“I like your new look!!” said Sunset to her.
“I like your new look too!!” said Twilight.
“Mirror?” asked Sunset.
“Mirror.” answered Twilight.
“Great...” said Rainbow. “So, if i understand, you two got a new power-up while we didn’t get anything...”
“It’s probably because i broke you out myself” said Sunset. “Anyaway, none of you were evil at some point, so i don’t think you would have gained something by finding the exit by yourself.”
“Let’s get out of this place” said Twilight. “Sunset, i think if we combine the powers of my Midnight form to those of your Daydream form, we can force an exit to our world...”
“Alright, girls” said Devil-Sunset. “You know what to do...Blast me!!”
The girls executed and lend their magic to Sunset, who transformed into Daydream Sunset. Her and Midnight Sparkle then grab each other’s hand, and with the remaining one, opened a rift to their world. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy grabbed Applejack and Pinkie Pie, while Rarity created a platform that she used like a surfboard. The girls passed through the rift, a smile on their faces. Meanwhile, Cosmos and the others, who assisted to the whole thing, were silent. Grogar, on the other hand, was happy with what he saw.
“You see why i want those girls on our side, now?” asked Grogar. “The more powerful they become, the easier for us it will be to take over Equestria, once i turn them to the dark side...”
“I see what you mean” said Sombra. “But you don’t want them to be too powerful so none of us can’t beat them”
“I’d say they pratically unlocked their full potential now” said Discord. “Sunset and Twilight, at least...the others still have to awaken the true might of their Element. Once they do, however, Rainbow Dash and Applejack speed and strenght will have pratically no limits. The latter could travel through time by running, while the former could move a mountain effortlessly. Rarity will be able to make magic constructs with any type of gemstones, each one with their unique effect. Pinkie Pie will be able to change any object or substance she touches into sugar. Like a building, for example, imagine the power of the explosion...Fluttershy, her, on top of talking to animals and control them, will be able to gain the physical abilities of any animal she touches. If she touches a magical creature, like a Changeling, a Dragon, a Kirin, a Deer, A phoenix, a Griffon or a Minotaur, to name a few, she’ll gain their primary magical abilities.”
“You mean, if she touched me” said Chrysalis. “She could shapeshift?”
“That’s right” said Discord.
“How are WE going to beat them, then?” asked Tirek.
“With powerful relics i made for each of you” answered Grogar. “They will allow you to reach all the untapped potential in you. Tirek, you’ll be as powerful, if not more, than if you absorbed all the magic of Equestria.”
“Awesome!” said Tirek, excited.
“Chrysalis.” continued Grogar. “You’ll be able to feed not only on love, but also on sadness, anger and hatred. Absorbing someone’s sadness will turn you into an Aqualing and give you the power of water, absorbing anger will turn you into a Fireling and give you the power of fire, and absorbing Hatred will turn you into a Darkling, and give you the power of dark magic.”
“Really?” said Chrysalis.
“Sombra” said Grogar. “You’ll gain a power far superior to the Crystal Heart. You’ll be powerful enough to cover continents with your corruption, hold millions of people under your control.”
“Excellent...” said Sombra.
“As for Discord and Cosmos, there magic have already no limits” said Grogar.
“What about me...And Moonlight?” asked Sunny.
“You two are different” answered Grogar. “I’ll tell you everything about the nature of your magic...and how to reach your full potential...In good and due time...Meeting is over...Goodnight”