Everypony gasped as they walked through the doorway and into a massive room. To their right, there was a raised platform, on top of which sat a huge throne that had a gold star at the very top. Further to the right of this was another less ornate throne. Directly in front of the bigger throne were two curved ramps that led up to the platform at the end of a long red carpet which ran down the middle of the room.
“It’s the throne room,” Sunset gasped.
Sunny looked back at Sunset with a huge smile on her face. “This is amazing, eee he he!”
Most of the light was coming from the torches attached to their helmets. However, a small amount of light appeared through the windows, but it did barely anything to light up the interior. The colours were faded and there were small piles of debris scattered around. Everything had a dirty and unkept look after many moons of no maintenance. Sunny was soon darting around, taking photos of everything she could. The others fanned out too, looking around in awe.
“It must have looked stunning in its heyday,” Zipp gasped.
“That’s right Pippsqueaks,” Pipp grinned as she shot a video. “This is the actual throne room of Princess Twilight Sparkle. Please excuse the darkness, it’s not a filter. I’ve boosted the settings here all I can and I’ll do my best to show you as much as possible.”
Sunset was standing in front of the throne at the base of the ramp. She looked up at it with wide eyes. Despite the difference in décor, she could still picture Princess Celestia standing atop it. Her wings spread and looking seriously down at her. Suddenly she was pulled back to reality as she felt a slight breeze behind her. Turning around she saw Pipp had flown over and was hovering behind her, phone still in hoof and videoing.
“So, have you been here before Sunset?” Pipp asked.
“Yes, many times but it didn’t look quite like this,” Sunset admitted looking around. “I think Twilight must have redecorated after she took over from Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. I recognise the platform though, with the waterfalls.”
Pipp flew over to the platters on one side of the ramped walkway and cocked her head. “Oh, I think I see what you mean,” she smiled. “No water now though.”
“I’m not surprised,” Sunset smiled. “Who knows how many moons it’s been since this was last used properly.”
“What do you mean by many times?” Pipp asked. “Care to explain for the Pippsqueaks?”
Sunset took a deep breath before looking into the camera. “Before Twilight Sparkle became ruler of Equestria this was Princess Celestia’s throne room. As her personal student, I’d regularly come here to receive assignments from her or receive feedback.”
Sunset looked back at the throne and frowned as something caught her eye. She hesitated slightly before she walked up the curved ramp to the top and stood before the throne. She looked down below the seat and found what she thought she’d seen, a draw. With another pause of hesitation, she carefully pulled the draw open and gasped before sitting down.
“What have you found Sunset?” Pipp asked excitedly, flying over.
“It’s Twilight’s scrapbook of memories,” Sunset breathed as she lifted the book out carefully. “I…I wonder if it still works?”
“Still works?” Pipp asked.
Sunset opened the book and smiled as the images started moving. Pipp meanwhile gasped in shock, angling to ensure her phone camera picked it up. Sunset placed a hoof below one of the images and the audio of the memory began to play.
“This was a gift for Twilight on her coronation day,” Sunset gulped. “Starlight made it, she magically imprinted memories from each of Twilight’s friends into the pages. She even managed to get Twilight to recall memories of her friends too, all without her knowing. I can’t believe it still works after magic was taken away from Equestria.”
“So, are there any memories of you in there?” Pipp asked hopefully.
“I doubt it,” Sunset admitted. “I only know about it from a message Twilight sent me telling me about it. She was so pleased; she even included a drawing of the cover.”
Sunset turned the pages slowly, allowing the camera to see. Then, suddenly she froze as she found one that contained her. She held her hoof below the moving image before hesitating again. With a look at Pipp, then the camera, Sunset tapped the page so that the memory started playing again with audio.
Sunset was walking into the throne room with Twilight. The pair talked with Princess Celestia as she sternly looked down at the pair of them. Then, Celestia walked down from the throne and stood before Sunset. Eventually, Sunset and Celestia hugged, and Twilight beamed in the background.
Suddenly the image changed to one of Twilight.
“I’m so pleased that Sunset and Celestia’s reuniting went so well. It was something I’d dreamed about since Sunset turned herself around and embraced the magic of friendship. Luna will tell you, there were some pretty nasty nightmares as well.
My only regret is not being able to help Sunset more, she struggled so hard to be accepted at CHS. However, whilst Starlight was here all the time and able to receive guidance constantly, Sunset was effectively a pen pal. I’m always keeping an eye on her journal and I’m eager to help her whenever I can.
I know the magical incursions from Equestria into the human world are well in hoof thanks to her and her friends.”
Sunset gulped and fought back the tears that were welling in her eyes. She’d not expected a memory of her to appear, let alone a message like that at the end of it. Suddenly, she felt alone. Starlight was hurt and she couldn’t call on either her friends or Twilight to support her. A weight of responsibility suddenly pressed down on her shoulders. She didn’t realise that it was actually Sunny hugging her until she heard her name.
“Sunset?” Sunny said with concern. “Are you okay?”
“I…I’m okay,” Sunset gasped. “I just…wasn’t expecting anything like that. The feelings took me by surprise.”
“Yo sightseers,” Zipp shouted from the main doorway. “Maybe we ought to get this show on the road? We came for books and knowledge, not throne rooms.”
“Zipp! We’re having a moment here,” Sunny shouted back.
“It’s fine,” Sunset replied as she got to her hoofs. “She’s right, we don’t have that much time and who knows if we’ll be able to find the archive.”
“Well, Pippsqueaks if any of you were still sceptical about Sunset and Starlight being from the past. That should have answered your questions. We’re moving on so check out the next video when it drops. Pip Pip Hooray.”
Sunset smiled as she stowed the Scrapbook of Memories safely in one of her saddlebags. Then they walked through the throne room to rejoin the others.
“I hope that’s okay Sunset?” Pipp asked.
“Yeah, that got pretty emotional,” Sunny admitted.
“Just let me watch it back later before you post it,” Sunset smiled. “I assume you’ll be making some edits.”
“Totally, no probs,” Pipp grinned.
They walked out of the throne room, picking their way around one of the huge doors as it had fallen off its hinges. Misty suddenly stopped, looking up at one of the stained-glass windows in awe. It depicted six ponies firing magical beams at a monster.
“That’s Twilight and her friends defeating Discord,” Sunset smiled.
“Who’s Discord?” Misty asked. “Was he like Opaline?”
“He was, but not now,” Sunset replied unsurely. “I know he’s friends with Twilight and the others now. Honestly, I’ve not met him. Starlight can tell you all about him if you ask, she knows him personally.”
“Oh, okay,” Misty smiled.
“Come on, I think it’s this way,” Sunset grinned. “This part I can remember better.”
With that, Sunset guided them towards where she thought the castle archives would be.
Meanwhile, Starlight was still lying on her bed and finding it hard to stay comfortable. With nothing to do, her mind kept turning back to the battle. All the decisions she could have made that would have affected the outcome. She grunted with annoyance before wincing as she moved a little too quickly.
“Oh, I do hope visiting time isn’t over,” a voice said. “I was told a friend that I’ve not seen in a very long time was here.”
Starlight gasped and looked around the room. Grunting as once again she moved a little too much. “Discord?” she said. “Where are you?”
An area of the wall rustled and looked like it was being pulled back like a curtain, held by a lion paw. Then Discord’s head appeared around the ‘curtain’. His hair was much longer than Starlight recognised, and wrinkles appeared around his facial features. However, the same impish smile remained.
“Oh, that’s no way to greet an old friend, is it?” Discord chuckled. “Certainly not one who’s gone out of their way to see how you’re doing.”
“It is you,” Starlight replied happily. “Gah!”
She tried to move but pain shot through her body making her cry out.
“Try not to move,” Discord said kindly, coming completely into the room now. “You look positively awful and this is a strange-looking hospital.”
“Thanks, but no,” Starlight replied. “Figgy already brought a doctor. I was right, they have no idea how to treat these magical burns. I’m glad to see you’re still around and doing well.”
“Oh, I was around for millennia before meeting you Starlight,” Discord replied waving a claw. “I’ll still be around for a long time yet.”
“So? Come to catch up? Help? Or gloat that I got myself hurt?” Starlight smirked.
“Oh, certainly not the latter. You wound me Starlight you really do,” Discord replied with a dramatic flair. “I was just waiting for a moment I could speak with you alone is all. Sadly, you had to take your eye off the ball for such a moment to occur. I’m truly saddened by your current predicament.”
“Why would I need to be alone?” Starlight asked. “What’s wrong with meeting the others?”
“Oh, I have nothing against Sunset Shimmer, but she’s not met me yet. Better she meets the me in her own time than a future version,” Discord replied. “As for these unity ponies, they’re far from ready to meet the lord of chaos.”
“What do you mean? Unity Ponies?” Starlight frowned.
“Oh, come now, have you not figured it out? I thought you were better than that Starlight,” Discord replied with a grin. “Your time is governed by Harmony and that is powered by the magic of friendship. This is the time of unity and magic is powered by those three sparkling crystals above us. They must be protected at all costs.”
“Okay, so presumably the more unified the ponies are the more powerful their magic,” Starlight deduced.
“However, Unity comes from Harmony,” Discord grinned.
“Which comes from friendship,” Starlight continued.
“Bingo! Gold star to little miss Glimmer,” Discord smiled, producing a golden star sticker from nowhere and sticking it to Starlight’s horn.
“Here’s another one then,” Starlight smiled as she took the sticker off. “What’s stopping you from stepping in and stopping Opaline?”
“Opaline herself of course,” Discord replied. “I can’t get near her.”
“How?” Starlight blinked with surprise.
“The same way a certain unicorn banished me from her school,” Discord replied as he stuck the star back on Starlight’s horn. “It pains me to say, I can’t stop her even if I wanted to.”
“So, why not help Sunny and her friends?” Starlight frowned. “You don’t have to meet them to help them grow. You put challenges in the way of Twilight.”
“And remember how that turned out,” Discord frowned.
He produced an image of Terek, Chrysalis and Cozy Glow, still locked in their stone statue prison. However, there was considerably more green algae and moss growing on it than Starlight remembered.
“Good point,” Starlight sighed.
The image poofed away as Discord sighed. “Starlight, understand this. Sunny Starscout is currently no Twilight Sparkle, but the potential is there. She’s an alicorn in training, why else do you think her wings and horn aren’t permanent? Circumstances meant she needed to take those powers far earlier than she really should. She’s got a long way to go and a lot of growing to do before I’ll make my presence fully known to her."
"So you're not going to help them at all then?" Starlight sighed.
"I didn't quite say that," Discord winked. "Admittedly, I may have made a promise to a mutual friend of ours that I will help Sunny in my own way. I intend to keep that promise.”
“That’ll be Twilight then,” Starlight grinned. “She’s still looking out for Equestria isn’t she, even when she’s not here.”
“If you say so,” Discord chuckled. “Why do you think you’re here?”
Starlight suddenly groaned, her breathing becoming more laboured. Discord sighed and placed paw and claw on her gently. “My chaos magic isn’t really up to healing but I can offer some pain relief.”
“Thank you Discord,” Starlight sighed as she felt the pain melt away.
“What are friends for?” Discord smiled as he watched Starlight gently fall asleep.
He waited a moment, watching Starlight’s sleeping form before hearing hoof steps on the other side of the door. Grinning, he snapped his lion fingers and disappeared with a poof, just before Figgy carefully opened the door. She smiled as she saw Starlight sleeping and silently left.