Chapter 7: The Lone Alicorn
In the sky with floating mountains around them, Pipp and Misty are holding hooves while spinning together, but what’s shocking is that they’re all alicorns like how Sunny is as the two laugh together.
“This is wonderful!” Misty cheered as she and Pipp kept spinning around.
Zipp, who is also an Alicorn, laughed as she flew around before Sunny appeared below the clouds. “Watch this!” Sunny said with a challenging smile as she flew up at high speed. “Whoooo!” She cheered.
When Sunny regrouped with the others, she saw that the rest of the Mane 7 were all Alicorns as they flew across the sky while laughing together. “Now this is what I call a Team of Alicorns!” Sunset cheered happily as they flew in the sky and went through some clouds.
“Yeah! Look at us! We're all Alicorns now!” Sunny cheered as she spun in the air.
“This is the best!” Zipp cheered as she kept flying.
“Now nopony of this group will feel left out!” Sunset cheered.
“I love it!” Hitch cheered as he flew around with a laugh, which made Sunny smile at his coltfriend having fun as an Alicorn as she blushed a bit. But then, Hitch’s wings and horns disappeared, turning him back into an Earth Pony as he went eye wide and started falling as he screamed.
“Hitch!” Sunny cried out in horror as Hitch fell through the cloud, but then, the others lost their Alicorn forms, while Izzy and Misty were back to normal unicorns, Zipp and Pipp suddenly lost their wings and became Earth Ponies as they all screamed down into the dark void.
“Oh no! They’ve lost their Alicorn forms!” Sunset yelled out as Sunny flew after them.
“NOOOOOO!” Sunny cried out in horror as she turned and looked around and saw Sunset not with her. “Sunset! Where are you!? We need to help our…”
“You should’ve known, Sunny.” Sunset’s voice said as Sunny looked up and was shocked to see Sunset was giant size while glaring down at her.
“S-Sunset?” Sunny asked in shock. “H-How are you…?”
“What matters is that you failed your friends!” Sunset firmly shouted, which made Sunny flinch. “You’re Alicorn form appears and goes at will, but our friends weren’t ready for that power! And now it caused them to fall to their doom!” She yelled.
“B-But… W-We can s-still…!” Sunny tried to reason with her.
“I’m sorry, Sunny. But it seems the Alicornhood isn’t with you at all. You are a disgrace.” Sunset said with a shake of her head. “And now you’re all alone again. Goodbye, Sunny.” She said before she glowed and disappeared.
“Sunset! Wait! Come back!” Sunny called out as she looked around and saw that she was all alone. “NOOOOO!” She screamed in despair.
Suddenly in the Brighthouse’s bedroom, an alarm clock started ringing as Sunny woke up with a gasp before panting with a bed mane while wrapped in her blanket, sweating a bit from the nightmare she had. “Just a dream.” She said to herself before she sighed and turned off her alarm clock. “It was just... a dream.” She repeated as she removed her blanket to reveal her full bed mane.
Then she heard chuckles as she turned and looked at Zipp and Sunset in front of her, with Zipp chuckling while holding a bowl of cereal while Sunset gave a concerned look. “Now, that is what I call bedmane.” Zipp said with a smile and chuckles before Sunset elbowed her. “What?” She asked.
“Zipp, Sunny’s mane is always like that when she sleeps rough sometimes. Don’t make a joke out of it.” Sunset scolded as she walked up to Sunny and placed a hoof on her shoulder.
“Oh, right. Sorry.” Zipp apologized as she looked at Sunny in concern. “Everything okay, Sunny?” She asked.
“Yeah, you look like you had a bad dream.” Sunset added.
“Because I did.” Sunny confirmed with a frown. “I just had the worst nightmare. We were all Alicorns and we were flying—” She tried to explain.
“Whoa. All Alicorns, huh?” Zipp asked with a smile, always wondering what it feels like to be an Alicorn herself.
“Sounds like an interesting dream, Sunny. The whole group as Alicorns, now that’s something.” Sunset said with a smile, never thinking of the whole group being Alicorns.
“But then everypony fell out of the sky, and Sunset disowned me for not being worthy of my Alicornhood and I ended up... alone!” Sunny finished with a frown as she looked down in sadness while Zipp and Sunset gave sympathetic looks.
“That sounds scary.” Zipp said with a frown.
“Especially if you saw your friends fall.” Sunset said before she gently gave Sunny a comforting hug. “But I would never disown you, Sunny. You’re like a sister to me. I would never do something like that.” She said to her while rubbing Sunny’s cheeks.
“I know, Sunset. But, I just can’t stop thinking about it.” Sunny said with a sad look. “I think I'm just worried, girls. What if I'm one of the last Alicorns like you Sunset? The only other one I've ever met... was Opaline.” She said with a scared look as she remembered Opaline attacking, draining Sparky’s fire, and her maniacal laughter laughing in her head.
“Hey, take it easy, Sunny.” Sunset said softly. “Opaline may be an Alicorn, but she doesn’t know the true meaning of being one. She tried to take all magic and rule all of Equestria. And she knows nothing about being a true Alicorn. Besides, you have me.”
“I know, but sometimes I wonder if there are other Alicorns out there, Sunset. Like us.” Sunny said in a defeated tone, which made Sunset frown a bit.
“Yeah, you make a fair point.” Sunset said solemnly. “It’s hard when you think when you’re one of the last Alicorns in Equestria. I mean, in my time, Celestia was basically the only one before Twilight, Luna, Princess Cadance, and Flurry Heart, from what Twilight told me, was around. Which made a group of Alicorns five.” She stated, knowing there used to be more than two Alicorns in Equestria.
“Were there ever other Alicorns that were not Royal, Sunset?” Zipp asked in wonder.
“That is something I never found out, Zipp.” Sunset admitted. “I have only known five Alicorns in my time, not counting Opaline, who were only Royals before Celestia and Luna retired when passing the throne to Twilight.” She explained.
“That’s something I wasn’t hoping to hear.” Sunny said sadly, which made the two ponies feel bad for her before Zipp thought of an idea and wrapped a hoof around Sunny.
“Come on, there's got to be other Alicorns out there.” Zipp optimistically said with a smile.
“Do you really think so?” Sunny asked hopelessly.
“Totally.” Zipp assured.
“Well, we heard about this Skyro place from Misty and Spike.” Sunset said with a thoughtful look. “The Alicorn lands where Princesses Celestia and Luna, as well as Opaline, were once born there. And if they were born Alicorns or so, maybe there might be more Alicorns out there somewhere.” She added with a small smile.
“Well, that is true.” Sunny said with a small smile.
“So, I think it's time to do a little investigating.” Zipp declared with a smirk.
“How do we even know where to start?” Sunny asked in wonder.
“Yeah, there’s no mention of any other Alicorns records in Equestria history before the division.” Sunset pointed out. “What place has the most Alicorn stuff than anywhere in Equestria?”
“I have an idea.” Zipp said as she put on her sunglasses with a flip of her mane. “But you're two not gonna like it.” She added, knowing one place to start their investigation.
Not long after, the three ponies are at the ruins of Opaline’s Dark Castle, with the Together Tree right in front of it with Sunny, Sunset, and Zipp and the Marestream between the tree and the castle, now in ruins since their final battle with Opaline and when the Castle’s Together Tree grew with extra plantations around it as thunderstruck from the side.
“Opaline's lair?!” Both Sunset and Sunny exclaimed in shock.
“This is the last place we wanted to search, Zipp!” Sunset added, surprised that Zipp suggested Opaline’s old castle that is barely in one piece after its Together Tree grew from its roots and in front of it.
Zipp just gave them a smile. “Think about it. She was the only other Alicorn we know about. Maybe she knew something.” She stated as the two ponies thought for a moment.
“That’s a good point, Zipp, but Opaline’s old castle?! We haven’t been here since our final fight with her and we barely made it out!” Sunset pointed out.
“Don't worry. This place is totally abandoned now.” Zipp assured them before they heard a bass music playing from inside the castle.
“Yeah, that doesn't sound very abandoned to me, Zipp.” Sunny said nervously.
“Looks like somepony took residents in Opaline’s old trashed home.” Sunset said seriously.
“Relax. We've got this.” Zipp assured them with a determined smile, which made Sunny and Sunset smile back.
“Okay, but keep your guard up, ponies. We won’t know what dangers still lurks in Opaline’s nest.” Sunset said seriously.
“We will, Sunset.” Sunny nodded as the three went up to the front door and they opened it as they saw a dark chamber.
“We’re going to need some lights.” Sunset said as her Cutie Mark, as well as Sunny’s and Zipp’s, started glowing as they all looked at them and nodded with smiles. “Empathy.” She started as her Cutie Mark projection started floating.
“Hope!” Sunny said as her Cutie Mark did the same.
“Bravery!” Zipp finished as the three Cutie Marks combined to form a bright light star as the three mares nodded and entered the chamber with Sunset taking the lead as they saw some of Opaline’s old pictures of herself on what remained of the walls and some of the ceiling fell.
“Carefully, ponies. Since the Together Tree grew, the Castle is a bit unstable.” Sunset advised. “We’re lucky that it’s barely in one piece from our fight with Opaline, but we must watch our heads.”
“Okay, Sunset, we will…AAAAHH!” Sunny yelped as she nearly fell from a chasm of what used to be the floor before Sunset quickly caught her by the tail and pulled her up before Sunny gave her a sheepish smile. “And maybe watch where we step as well.” She said sheepishly.
“Yeah, good call.” Zipp said with a small amusing smirk.
“Come on, let’s find the source.” Sunset said as the three continued on.
The three continued walking until they heard the music playing from behind the doors in front of them. “Well, this is the place.” Sunset said suspiciously.
“Whatever it is, it's coming from in there.” Sunny added as the three opened the doors, only to be surprised to see a bunch of Raccoonicorns, one with Opaline’s old crown and the other with her old cape, partying in what used to be Opaline’s old study room as one of Raccoonicorns is doing a dj with four big speakers playing Sunny’s old ‘My Bananas’ song as some of the Raccoonicorns draw a mustache on Opaline’s picture.
“Well, that’s something we weren’t suspecting!” Sunset called loudly through the music while surprised the Raccoonicorns are partying now that Opaline is gone.
“And this is the opposite of ‘abandoned’!” Sunny added to Zipp through the music.
“It's fine!” Zipp waved off with a smile.
“You do realize that the Raccoonicorns are blasting away the music is causing the castle to shake, right?!” Sunset questioned loudly as the room shook through the music.
“Don’t worry. This place will hold, let them have their fun!” Zipp said to them as the three walked past the Raccoonicorns. “Just keep your eyes peeled for something... Alicorn-y!” She added.
“We are not calling it that!” Sunset called as they went through the party.
They are in Opaline’s old study room, or what’s left of it, as they see many books and notes among the rumbles. “Opaline's lair is in total ruins. We could find anything in here.” She said as she started recording on her phone around the area.
“Or what’s left of it.” Sunset said while picking up some books. “It’s a miracle that some of these even survived the growth of the Together Tree.” She said while looking through the pages.
“A miracle for us to search them.” Zipp said with a smile as she kept recording.
Sunny then searched through the rumble as she moved some rocks before she saw Opaline’s mini figures of her and the rest of the Mane 6, except for Misty since Opaline didn’t know about her betrayal at the time. “Zipp! Sunset! I've got something!” She said as she picked up the figures and showed them to her friends.
“She had figures of us?” Sunset asked in surprise before looking behind Sunny. “And picture targets as well?” She asked, which made Zipp and Sunny turn and see the pictures of them and their friends, san Misty, with darts on them that Opaline used as target practice.
“Weird.” Zipp said dully with a brow while Sunny and Sunset had the same expression.
“Boy, Opaline really had issues.” Sunset commented before she noticed something shining in the room. “What the… What’s that?” She asked as she walked up to it.
“What’s what, Sunset?” Sunny asked when she and Zipp saw Sunset walk off.
“You found something about Alicorns?” Zipp asked with an interesting smile as Sunset walked up and removed the rocks before she saw something that made her gasp. “What?! What is it?! Tell us!?” She impatiently asked.
“It’s the Chest of Harmony!” Sunset answered as she picked up the chest in her magic, which is still in one piece unlike the rest of the castle with six keyholes.
“The Chest of Harmony? What’s that?” Zipp asked in confusion before Sunny gasped with sparkles in her eyes.
“It’s the chest that grew Twilight’s old castle, the Castle of Friendship when she and her friends found their six keys to open it to fight against Tirek!” Sunny explained in amazement as she walked up to Sunset. “But wasn’t it used to grow Twilight’s castle?”
“Yeah, it did, from what Twilight told me.” Sunset said while inspecting the chest. “It was supposed to be gone once her castle grew. How did Opaline get her hooves on this?” She questioned while holding the chest in her magic.
“No clue. But she’s really been collecting things.” Zipp said while inspecting the chest. “So this thing grew Twilight’s old castle?”
“Well, yeah. But if it’s here, that means that…” Sunset said before she frowned. “Oh, she took away the castle of friendship and reverted it back to its previous form. Not cool.”
“Oh, Opaline was evil.” Sunny grumbled in agreement, really hating Opaline even more even though she was now gone before she smiled. “But now that we have it, we might be able to grow the castle.” She said optimistically.
“Well, we might, but with how it is now, it could take a while.” Sunset was noted while inspecting the keyholes. “And without those keys, it might be a bit longer to figure out the right magic to open this thing.” She mentioned.
“Well, at least we got it.” Zipp said with a smile. “Now come on, let’s go see what else is here.” She said as they walked off, while Sunset looked at the chest longingly before she continued on with her friends while holding the chest in her magic.
The three then entered the remains of Opaline’s throne room as they looked at the throne that was still intact. To Sunny, she thought she had seen the ghost of Opaline, which made her freeze in fear, which Sunset before Zipp tossed her phone to Sunny. “Hey, Sunny! girls! Guess who I am!” She excitedly said as she flew up to the throne and sat on it with her chest up proudly.
Sunset raised a brow from this. “How could you sit there, Zipp? That’s some bad mojo.” She pointed out, feeling uneasy at Zipp sitting on Opaline’s old throne.
“I know. But look at this.” Zipp said as she then started imitating Opaline. “I'll get you pathetic ponies if it's the laaaast thing I ever—” She started as Sunset and Sunny gave bored expressions from that before they looked up and saw the ceiling breaking apart.
“Zipp! Look out!” Both Sunset and Sunny called as they quickly pushed Zipp away as the ceiling piece crashed and destroyed the throne as the three fell on the floor.
“What part of this place is crumbling and be careful don’t you get?” Sunset asked with a brow.
Zipp gave a sheepish chuckle. “Uh, okay. I guess this place is a little unstable.” She admitted before the picture of Opaline the Raccoonicorn drew on earlier fell as they all yelped in startled.
“A little?” Sunny questioned with a brow. “Don’t you mean a lot?” She stated.
“Okay, good point.” Zipp admitted while rubbing her head.
“But honestly, Zipp, I think you've been hanging around Izzy too long.” Sunset said with a chuckle. “That Opaline impression seems like something more like what SHE would pull." She added.
“Well, Misty showed me how since she used to live with her.” Zipp said with a chuckle.
“I guess that’s true.” Sunny said as the three laughed a bit before continuing on.
A bit later, the three continued searching while Sunset was still carrying the Chest of Harmony as Sunny groaned. “Ugh. Everything important must've been destroyed when we defeated Opaline.” She said while giving a sad look. “Even if there are other Alicorns, how are we ever going to find them?” She asked hopelessly.
“Sunny, the one thing I do know about Alicorns is that they never give up.” Zipp said with a smile.
“She’s right, Sunny.” Sunset said in agreement. “Alicorns may be like everypony else, but they are determined and always push themselves up and do things that nopony ever thought was possible. And we don’t give up trying to accomplish our goals. Twilight is a prime example when she shows that Friendship is magic and how strong it is.” She said as she and Zipp raised their hooves to Sunny, which the earth pony smiled as she placed her hoof on her friends’.
“Also, they have the coolest friends.” Zipp added with a wink.
“True, Zipp. But don’t get carried away.” Sunset advised with a chuckle while Sunny smiled.
“I won’t. Come on, let's keep looking.” Zipp said as they continued on. “No detail is too small.” She added, but she didn’t see the Raccoonicorn, the one wearing Opaline’s crown, walked by while holding some marbles, which caused Zipp to flip. “Whoa!” She yelped before she hit the floor with a thud,
“Zipp! Are you okay?” Sunny cried out in concern as she and Sunset looked at where Zipp crashed as the Pegasus looked down and smiled.
“I'm better than okay! Look!” Zipp said as she pointed to a tapestry similar to the Mane 7’s.
This made both Sunny and Sunset gasp. “An Alicorn!” They said as they started moving the rocks out of the way until they got the tapestry out.
“This... This tapestry! It looks just like my dream!” Sunny said as she unwrapped the tapestry to show many Alicorns flying around floating islands in the clouds. “And look at all those Alicorns!” She called excitedly.
“I think this might be Skryo! Opaline must’ve kept this when she first got banished from there!” Sunset therozies while inspecting the tapestry. “And this is as old as ours back home! And it’s still in good condition!”
“I knew we'd find something!” Zipp cheered happily, but then the three mares began to glow as the tapestry glowed brightly before they looked down and saw the Alicorns on it moving and the stars combining to reveal a big golden star that is similar to Twilight’s Cutie Mark with the Alicorns circled around it. “Whoa. Sunny. Isn't that...?”
“The Starscout crest!” Sunny finished with a big smile.
“If your family’s crest is on here, then that means that you’re connected to the Alicorns more than you realize!” Sunset exclaimed in awe.
“Okay, this has got to be a sign!” Zipp said while placing her hooves on Sunny’s shoulder.
“Though, Sunny, haven’t you noticed that your crest is like Twilight’s Cutie Mark?” Sunset asked, seeing that the crest was similar to Twilight’s Cutie Mark as Sunny looked closer at her and her eyes widened in realization.
“Sweet, Celestia, you’re right, Sunset!” Sunny said in shock. “I can’t believe I haven’t noticed that before.”
“You don’t think that there is a connection, right?” Sunset asked, but before they could figure it out, the whole castle then began to rumble as the entire place shook.
“Uh-oh.” Sunny said fearfully.
“That’s not good.” Sunset added with the same expression.
Back in Opaline’s old room, the Raccoonicorns were still partying while the speakers were on full blast, but then the room began to shake and cracks started forming, which got the Raccoonicorns’ attention as they turned off the music. “Huh?” They all asked before the ceiling then started coming down, destroying the speakers as the Raccoonicorns all screamed and started running away.
“Oh, I knew this would happen!” Sunset cried out as she, Sunny, and Zipp looked around nervously. “That loud music disrupts the castle’s remaining stability! This whole place is about to collapse!” She exclaimed in panic.
“You heard her! Time to fly, Sunny!” Zipp exclaimed as Sunny put the tapestry in her saddlebag while Sunset kept carrying the Chest of Harmony as the three dodged the incoming boulders that were falling from the ceiling as they trotted down the hallway with the raccoonicorns coming in right in front of them while they are yelling.
“Hurry, this way!” Sunset yelled as the two groups went into the other hallway as they tried to outrun the falling boulders.
The raccoonicorn dj then jumped onto Zipp’s head. “Ah! Hey! Hey!” She called as the raccoonicorns covered her eyes with his paws. “Move your paws!” She called as she tried to move the paws out of her face.
Sunny and Sunset took the lead as they saw the remaining path to the exit collapse as they turned and saw the raccoonicorns yelping and hanging onto Zipp, knowing that they couldn’t fly, Sunny and Sunset then turned to each other with determined expressions.
“You know what to do, Sunny! You ready!?” Sunset called with determination.
“I am, Sunset!” Sunny answered as she jumped up and summoned her Alicorn form as she and Sunset flew up and used their horns to levitate the Racconicorns over the chasm as they continued to fly to the exit as the two Alicorns then created a magic shield around them as the boulders fell on them, but then a bright flash appeared as Sunny and Sunset blasted the boulders away as they exit the castle.
Sunny and Sunset flew together with smiles as they twirled in the air together as Zipp flew next to them with a smile as well as the rest of the Raccoonicorns kept running as they managed to get to the Marestream and the Together Tree as they turned and saw the remains of Opaline’s Castle crumbled and fell into the abyss of the cliff.
“Phew, that was close.” Sunset said in relief as she placed the Chest of Harmony down. “Any moment in there, and we would’ve fallen from the face of the mountain.”
“Yeah, good thing we made it out in time.” Zipp said with a relieved smile before the two turned to Sunny, who was looking at the tapestry with tearful eyes. “You okay, Sunny?” She asked in concern.
“Yeah, are you feeling okay? You look sad.” Sunset added while placing a comforting hoof on Sunny.
Sunny then gave a smile with tears still in her eyes. “I am great.” She answered as she turned to her friends. “Girls, this changes everything.” She said while pointing down to the tapestry. “There's got to be more Alicorns out there.”
“If Skyro is out there, and if there are more Alicorns out there than us, Sunny, we’ll find them one day.” Sunset said with a smile.
“And we are going to find them together.” Zipp finished as the three ponies looked up to the sky with the wind blowing on their manes and tails while their Cutie Mark glowed.
“So, Sunset, now that you have the Chest of Harmony, are you planning on regrowing Twilight’s old castle?” Sunny asked while turning to the chest they managed to save along with the tapestry before the castle collapsed.
Sunset looked at the chest with a smile before she rubbed it. “One day. It might take some time to get it open, but one day. And if I could bring Twilight back, it would be a welcome home present to her.” She said with a smile, if she could figure out to open the chest and bring Twilight back, Twilight would be overjoyed to see her old home again.
“Sounds like a perfect gift." Zipp said with a smirk.
“I’m sure she’ll love that, Sunset.” Sunny said with a smile.
“I know she would, Sunny.” Sunset added as the two kept looking at the horizon as the wind blew on their manes at what they learned and received from Opaline’s former Castle.
End of Chapter 7.