//------------------------------// // Chapter XVIII: Vesper Radiance (Part Two) // Story: Sunset of Time // by Albi //------------------------------// Chapter XVIII: Vesper Radiance (Part Two) The throne room consisted of only two ponies: Celestia on her throne and Sunset at the foot of the dais. The guards were dismissed, and Evening Court had been cancelled. Celestia had not looked at Sunset since her return from taking care of Cadence. Even now, her eyes were closed. A shrouding dark cloud of negative emotions covered her face, eclipsing the radiant sun. “Sunset Shimmer,” she said in an iron voice. “As Princess Cadence is currently in no condition to speak, you will explain to me what happened.” Sunset flinched, not at hearing about Cadence, but at the absence of all warmth from Celestia’s voice. “I happened to be in the library while Cadence was practicing her magic. She wanted to see if she could undo any of the spells on the restricted door for practice. I’m sorry, Mother, I should have tried harder to stop her.” There was a prolonged pause. “If you think your manipulation of truth will work on me, you are very sadly mistaken. I have forgiven your past grievances, but not today! Only the truly desperate or foolish would try to get into that room, and Cadence is neither. You knew full well the level of spells that surrounded that door.” “Yes, but I didn’t know exactly what—” “That is no excuse.” Celestia finally opened her eyes, burning Sunset’s soul with righteous flames. “I knew the slightest possibility existed that you might try regardless, but never did I suspect you would manipulate another… and to pick Cadence of all ponies! The combined magic from all of those spells that attacked Cadence...  Sunset, if I had not arrived when I did, that magic could have inflicted irreparable damage to her, both physically and mentally.” Would have served her right, Sunset thought, something hot beginning to boil up inside her. Seeing as you only care about her. She held her tongue, however, diverting her effort into keeping her face neutral. Celestia leaned forward on her throne. “What were you thinking?” she whispered harshly. “I was thinking I wanted to be an alicorn,” Sunset responded in an equally harsh whisper. “I was thinking that this was the final push I needed to ascend to princesshood! I know almost every form of magic except those in the restricted section! I’m so close… so very close… close to the destiny you promised me! But you keep holding me back!” Sunset panted hard. Liquid magma flowed through her heart, her chest burning. “I’ve worked so hard… I’ve worked for so long!” Her neutral face cracked and she bared her teeth, the magma running through her whole body. “I’ve given everything to you, but you won’t make me a princess! Why?” “Because you are not ready!” Celestia stood from her throne. “You still fail to grasp the most important lesson I’ve tried to teach you! Your actions today have served only to prove that you still have a very long way to go... if you are even still worthy of such a title!” “If? If?” Sunset stamped a hoof. “I am worthy! I know almost everything about magic! I know how this kingdom runs! I know how to handle the nobles and the peasantry and any crisis that threatens us! I know a damn lot more than Cadence, that’s for sure!” The magma was overflowing, and Sunset finally understood what it was. But she had never felt such anger for her mother before. Never this level of resentment. Never this volume of hatred. “It is that kind of arrogance that holds you back, Sunset!” Celestia’s overbearing presence made Sunset wilt like a flower exposed to too much heat. “This is not a competition. I am not judging to see who is the better pony. I am trying to turn you both into future rulers.” Celestia’s fire receded, but now it was Sunset’s turn to blaze. “Of course it’s not a competition because clearly, she’s winning! She spreads a little love around and suddenly she’s an alicorn! She gets adopted to be your niece! I fight my way to the top and strain my magic day after day, and somehow, Blueblood is more royal than me!” Celestia’s eyes softened. “Sunset…” “No!” Sunset couldn’t stop. She couldn’t turn the flow of hatred back into the volcano of her emotions. Her heart was bleeding too fiercely for her to allow Celestia to try and bandage it up with a simple ‘I’m sorry.’ “I swore to you that I would work hard and make you proud! I kept my end of the promise, didn’t I? Yet Cadence comes swooping in and steals everything! You told me I had a grand destiny! You said I would rule Equestria by your side someday!” “You will, Sunset—” “Then what about Luna?” Pearly tears found their way out of the corners of Sunset’s eyes. “Why is it the longer I stay here, the more I get shunted aside? Is my destiny really just to save your sister? I’m not good enough to be family, is that it? You told me you loved me! You called me your daughter! Or were those just words to you?” “Sunset, cease this foolish talk at once.” Celestia’s voice retained its firmness, but her tone of sympathy had returned. “I love you, Sunset. You know that—I know you do. But you are too clouded by delusions of grandeur to see it clearly. I…” Celestia’s voice quivered for a moment. “I’m not a prize to be won, Sunset. You can’t have me all to yourself.” “But you’re the only pony I want and the only one I need!” Sunset dropped onto her knees. Her anger began to harden and she looked up at Celestia with sparkling eyes. “I love you, Mother. Nopony else loves you as much as I do. We were destined to be together. Our cutie marks are identical. Our power is greater than anyone else’s. That’s why I want to be an alicorn. So I can stand by your side for all eternity. Mother and daughter ruling Equestria together!” Celestia bowed her head. “Sunset, being an alicorn is not synonymous with immortality.” “But you can do it, can’t you?” Sunset’s grin split from ear to ear. “I will not make you immortal, Sunset. Nor will I make you an alicorn.” Sunset stared up at her, smile quickly evaporating. “Why?” she whispered. “Why? Why?” Celestia bowed her head lower, her mane flowing in front of her face. “I love you, Sunset, truly I do—” “Then make me family! Make me an alicorn! Show me off to the world! I will bear your name proudly, more proudly than anyone else! You don’t need Cadence, you don’t need Luna! You only need me! I’m the strongest unicorn in the world, and I demand that you make me an alicorn!” “No!” Celestia smashed a gilded hoof into the carpet, cracking the marble beneath. “You are not ready, and if this is the path you wish to follow… perhaps you never will be.” Sunset’s voice shook. “What are you saying?” Celestia looked up from behind her ethereal curtain of mane, her eyes flooded with tears. “I have let my love for you cloud my judgment for too long. Sunset, this meeting is not about our relationship or whether or not you can ascend. Your actions have injured another equine—you’ve put her in mortal danger. And I need to know—” there was the slightest plea in her voice “—do you feel any regret?” Sunset drank Celestia’s image in. She wanted to lie. She wanted to say yes, that she was regretful and sorry and everything would go back to the way it was supposed to be. But kneeling in Celestia’s presence, feeling her overpowering aura, Sunset could not find the strength to do it. She turned her head. “No, Mother… I do not.” The hall’s empty air choked both of them, trying to get them to speak. Sunset had no other words to say, none to defend herself and no more to accuse Celestia with. “Very well…” Celestia’s voice was thicker than lead. “If… if that is how you feel, Sunset… then I’m afraid… I have nothing left to teach you.” Sunset jerked her head up, her eyes wider than the glass windows, her pupils almost nonexistent. “...What?” Celestia had a wing blocking her face. “You refuse to accept harmony and friendship, opting merely for power. I cannot teach you if you no longer want to learn, Sunset. It is clear to me that you need to find your own path, one that does not consist of only trying to please me.” “You’re kicking me out over one mistake? Over Cadenza? She’ll be fine, won’t she? You said so yourself—” “That is not the point, Sunset! You have disobeyed my rules several times and you have shown me you care not for what happens to your fellow ponies! Those are not the actions of a princess—those are not even the actions of a decent equine!” Sunset’s voice rose. “This isn’t fair! You can’t do this to me! I’m Sunset Shimmer! I’m heir to the throne! I’m your daughter!” “No, you are not!” Celestia bellowed. “Your name may be Sunset Shimmer, but you are heir to nothing! You are not the daughter I tried to raise!” All of the air left Sunset’s lungs. She doubled over, suffocating on Celestia’s words while her heart bled from innumerable cracks. It crumbled to pieces, each jagged point stabbing her in the chest. This couldn’t be happening. Not to her. Sunset’s eye twitched. Her own mother was abandoning her? After everything Sunset had tried to do for her? “You… you don’t mean that,” Sunset croaked, her eyes fixed on the carpet. “You can’t mean that.” Sunset looked up only to find Celestia’s back turned towards her. “I won’t banish you, Sunset…” Celestia’s voice barely made it through the screaming turmoil in Sunset’s mind. “But you are no longer welcome in this castle. I tried my best… but you seem insistent on walking this path. Perhaps this will teach you a much-needed lesson.” Sunset sat there, her entire body convulsing as the storm in her mind raged on. This was happening. She was being denied everything. No. I’m supposed to be a princess. She doesn’t love me anymore. I’m being replaced. She’s scared of me. Mother, you can’t do this. I love you. Mother… “Mother.” Sunset finally drew breath. “You can’t do this! You can’t!” Her eyes vanished in a lake of brilliant light and her mane whipped about, caught in its own hurricane. “I won’t let you!” she screamed. Wrapped in a ball of fury, her pain roared forth from her horn and blazed across the room, leaving burnt carpet and broken tiles in its wake. Celestia turned and deflected it with a hoof, sending the attack into the wall, which melted on contact. She hovered over the floor, her own eyes ablaze like the afternoon sun. “Do not trifle with me, Sunset Shimmer!” Celestia’s voice echoed into eternity. “You may be able to harness the sun’s energy, but I still have powers you can only dream of!” Sunset fell back and quivered in the shadow Celestia cast. Before, her aura had been overpowering, yet it had not tried to smother and strangle Sunset. Now, Celestia’s aura consumed all, as mighty as the sun itself. Who was she but an insect challenging a giant? A distant star compared to the full glory of the radiant sun? Celestia closed her eyes and dropped to the floor, her ethereal mane hanging limp, her almighty aura gone. “Leave, Sunset,” she said wearily. “You are dismissed.” With a gait that showed her true age, she turned and walked towards a door in the back. “Fine! Go!” Sunset yelled, choking back her sobs. “Leave me like everypony else! I don’t need you! And when your insane sister comes back and throws the world into darkness, don’t come crying to me!” She watched Celestia’s retreating form pay her no mind. “Did you hear me? You’ll rue this day, Celestia! You’ll rue it!” Celestia continued to ignore her. Sunset felt the last of the sun’s rays vanish from the shattered remains of her heart, a bitter chill replacing it. She bit down on her lip, building up the coming scream until it was a crescendo in her throat. Just as Celestia exited the room, Sunset's final words tore through her and shook the throne room. “I hate you!” Sunset watched the film on the page slow to a halt, becoming just a picture again. Warm tears poured down her face, yet she knew they weren’t really hers. Not fully anyway. “So, Celestia kicked me—her out because she loved her too much?” Sunset’s throat felt raw, as if she had just finished having that horrible conversation with Celestia instead of watching it. “That was a key factor, yes.” Luna said. “That Sunset was prepared to do anything and everything it took to become an alicorn, believing that Celestia would praise her above all others if she did. She wanted to be the only one Celestia paid attention to.” “Why not just throw her in prison then? Why let her walk away like that?” Luna looked down at her with a soft expression. “It is not a crime to love somepony, Sunset. And it is clear my sister loved her too. Even after a thousand years, she was not ready to lock another family member away.” Sunset fell silent and wiped at the tears still clinging to her eyelashes. She set the book away and pulled out another one titled Everfree. She now knew why Vesper loathed Celestia so much. Now she just needed to prove that they weren’t connected in the way Sunset thought. The monster flashed behind her eyes and she shuddered violently before throwing the book open. It had been well over a year—or at least, Sunset thought it had. She had lost count some time ago. She only snuck into town to steal some food when she grew tired of eating berries and roots. Sunset sat in the decrepit ruins deep within the Everfree Forest. She hadn’t intended to run there when she fled from Canterlot. She just followed her hooves and they led her there. It had taken her five minutes to find the library. Old books—some molding, but most of them having weathered the ages—were stacked on shelves and tossed into piles, gathering copious amounts of dust while they waited for someone to care for them again. Sunset happily obliged, spending every minute of every day reading whatever she could. She left most of the rest of the castle untouched, taking small jaunts around the old corridors when she was in an exploring mood, hoping to find something else of interest. She found plenty of secret passages and even a large organ, yet nothing fascinated her more than the treasure trove of ancient knowledge waiting back in the library proper. Still, even as she read to her heart’s content, day in and day out, it felt painfully empty. Part of Sunset hoped Celestia would find her. That she would come and apologize and take Sunset back. Or that Sunset would wake up and find it had all been just a dream. But she knew no such thing would happen. Upon her initial arrival, Sunset had sifted through the ancient books hoping to find a way to take revenge against Celestia. Rage and sorrow still burned through her, a fiery storm upon her heart. She had unearthed several books hidden deep in the archives: spell books and lore she was sure Celestia had not intended for most ponies to see, or had even forgotten they existed. But, as time passed, Sunset’s urge to harm Celestia waned, replaced by a gnawing pain that ate her from the inside out. She missed Celestia. Sunset wanted to go back and beg for forgiveness. But their last conversation would explode in her head whenever she thought about making the attempt and a fresh wave of fury would wash over her, burying any remorseful feelings. “Besides, with everything I said and did, she’d never take me back.” Sunset sat at a beaten old desk that she treated with the utmost care, lest it collapsed on her. The last light of day fell upon her through large fissures in the ceiling. She shut another book and levitated it back to the shelf she found it on. A year here and she had gone through most of them already. What was she to do when she finished? All of the knowledge she had acquired put her no further to becoming an alicorn. “Maybe it’s all just pointless.” Sunset yawned and rubbed her eyes. She looked back at the two-toned sun adorning her flank. “What’s my destiny then? What am I supposed to be if I can’t be an alicorn? If I can’t be Celestia’s daughter?” A sharp pain shot through her chest. Mother. Daughter. She could hardly use those words without feeling pain. It was always followed by a hollow longing for time past. Celestia had been her everything. Without her, Sunset had nothing. Nothing to strive for, nothing to live for… She blinked furiously. When those thoughts were crowding her head again, it was time for bed. She made her way to where two thrones sat at the end of the crumbling hall. A pillow and blanket were set up on the golden chair, and Sunset settled down onto them. Her eyes were only closed for a few seconds before they snapped open. She sat upright, staring transfixed at the other pony across the room. Princess Celestia smiled sadly at her. “Mo-Princess… I…” The rest of her words died in her throat; hollow things that would never be able to convey the stinging pain of the fractures that still marred her heart. She stood up and stretched a hoof into the void separating them, though she knew she would never be able to touch Celestia again. Celestia continued to stand in the threshold, smiling her sad smile, never saying a word. Slowly, words crawled out of Sunset’s throat, weak and fading in the quiet air. “Can I come home?” Celestia’s head dipped, but did not rise again. She turned away and disappeared like vapor. Sunset stood there with her hoof still outstretched, a living statue ornamenting the gold throne. She didn't move until the first light of day struggled through the castle cracks. She had a plan now. She would fix everything! It was quite simple actually; Sunset didn’t know why she hadn’t thought of it before. She sat back in the library the following night, a flickering candle her only companion while she dove head-first into previously read books. She had seen it before, she knew it. Why didn’t it hit her sooner? The best way to fix everything was to make sure none of it happened! A simple time spell. She would go back in time and warn her past self not to make any stupid mistakes. She would tell her to not trick Cadence, and—as much as it would hurt her—to wait until Celestia decided she was ready to be an alicorn. As much as she detested having Cadence steal away Celestia’s time and love, some of it was better than none of it. It was the only way, her last remaining option. Sunset could not go back as things stood. Too much had been said. Her mother did not love her anymore.  “Aha!” She finally flipped to her desired page: Starswirl’s basic theory of time travel. If it worked, this future would be overwritten, as would she, replaced by whatever actions her past self would take. But that was fine with Sunset, so long as she could be with Celestia again. She read the spell over repeatedly, etching it word for word in her head until she could recite it backwards and forwards. According to the text, it could only be done once, so Sunset had no room for error. When she was finished, she walked outside to the castle courtyard and waited for the sun to rise. She would need to be at her absolute strongest to pull this off. She figured five years back was plenty of time; enough to warn herself about Cadence. Perhaps her past self would work harder then and ascend before Cadence showed up.  The sun slowly crested over the tree tops, painting the sky in vibrant hues of pink and orange before the first light hit the courtyard floor. Sunset braced herself, stepping forward into the radius of light and absorbing the sun’s power. It flowed through her, filling her with adrenalin and giddiness. Everything would be fine. Soon, everything would be as it should be. Her horn thrummed with power, the spell building to its apex. She could feel time subverting itself to her will. Not even the laws of the universe would stop her from achieving her destiny. The sky simultaneously screamed in pain and cheered in amazement as the loudest boom Sunset ever heard ripped over the world. Her heart beat jumped to triple speed, and she lost control of the spell as the shock wave slammed into her. The magic wrapped around her in an attempted full-body strangle, jerking her to the right. An all-consuming light replacing the rainbow ring in the sky was the last thing she saw. A splitting headache was Sunset’s wake-up call. Dirt coated her tongue like a blanket, and she quickly spat it out. She hissed and gripped her pounding head after the sudden movement. She curled up into a ball to hide her eyes from the sun’s grinning glare. “What happened?” she moaned. Once her headache died down, she got to her hooves and looked around. She was still in the old castle courtyard, and nothing looked like it had changed. Had her spell worked? It was impossible to tell from where she was, so Sunset gathered herself and marched into the Everfree Forest. Once she could see Canterlot, she would teleport the remaining distance. What had that ring of light been? she wondered as she navigated the forest. She prayed it hadn’t disrupted her spell too badly. If it had worked, she had only a set amount of time to give her past-self advice before her time was up and she’d snap back to the future. At least, that was the ideal outcome. She reached the edge of the forest, the tiny, backwater town of Ponyville to her left and Canterlot to her right. She manipulated the sun’s energy again and made the jump, reappearing in a small alley in the city’s upper end. The first thing to reach her ears was a loud chorus of cheering. Trumpets and drums were playing regal fanfare and confetti was drifting on the wind. Had she come back to a previous Summer Sun Celebration? Sunset followed the noise out of the alley and down several empty streets until she arrived at the main road. The scene was positively crowded with ponies; the noise was deafening and certainly had the pomp and circumstance Sunset expected from the Summer Sun Celebration. Yet there was no raised platform where Celestia would have raised the sun. No banners bearing her cutie mark. Instead, the banners bore a purple star with smaller white stars around it. A golden chariot made its way down the path, pulled by a procession of guards. And sitting within that chariot was not Princess Celestia or even Princess Cadence. This mare was purple with a violet mane and a pink highlight running through it. Her wings were displayed for all to see, and a crown with a setting identical to her cutie mark sat just above her horn. Sunset shoved her way forward, the rest of the crowd having vanished from her mind. She moved up until only a line of guards separated her from this nightmare. Sunset looked at the purple princess, then she jerked her head to the castle balcony where Celestia stood, looking prouder than Sunset had ever seen. And Sunset Shimmer died. Betrayal, despair and anger all surrounded her, raised their sharpened talons and bore down on her relentlessly. They slaughtered, maimed and murdered her, again and again. She could make no noise; she couldn’t scream or breathe or even think. No one was aware of the pony dying right in front of them. In the end, her bitter emotions tossed Sunset into a black hole, her body consumed by a vortex of pure hate. Sunset continued to watch the procession—the new princess now surrounded by her entourage—but she saw next to nothing. Nothing seemed to register anymore. Perhaps the pink one had waved at her as Sunset turned away, but she did not care. Her body moved at an irregular pace, her movements jerky and uneven, like a puppet with broken strings. “Princess Twilight Sparkle,” the crowd cheered. “Behold, the newest princess!” “Princess Twilight Sparkle,” Sunset mouthed. The words burned her throat, and she doubled over in pain. “Princess Twilight Sparkle.” She picked herself up and kept walking, returning to the quiet alley where she had first entered. “Princess Twilight Sparkle.” Sunset broke into a grin. “Princess Twilight Sparkle.” She giggled. “Is this my replacement? Celestia, is this your newest favorite? Do you love her, Celestia? Do you?” She broke into a fit of laughs and clutched her side. “I wonder what she has that I don’t? Are you going to tell me, Celestia? Or do I have to figure it out on my own?” She laughed harder. “You love her, don’t you? More than me I bet! She never disappointed you, did she? Well, I hate her, hahahaha. I hate her so much, haha! And I hate you too, Celestia! Hahahaha, I hate all of you. I hate all of you so much!” Sunset pressed a hoof against her face, still laughing. “But that’s fine. Because you’re all going to love me. I’m going to become your only princess. You’ll be so proud, Celestia. Those will be your last words. I’m going to kill you. You and Twilight and Cadence and Luna and anypony who gets in my way, okay?” Sunset fell onto her haunches and laughed. She sat alone in the alley and laughed to herself. She laughed until there were only tears left. Sunset snapped the book shut with more force than needed. Tears flowed down her grinning face, unable to stop. Luna reached a hoof out to her. “Sunset—” “I’m fine!” Sunset smacked her hoof away. “Just fine… haha.” Luna looked at her sharply. “Sunset, perhaps it’s best if we end here tonight.” “No!” Sunset’s look was wild, an animal trapped in a cage looking for a way out. “I need to know. I can’t go on not knowing. What happened… what happened to me? I need to know.” Sunset was sure Luna was going to say no, or at least throw out some cryptic advice that alicorn princesses loved to give. Instead, she gave Sunset a look of pity. “Very well. But I suggest we hurry. We are running out of time.” Sunset was sure destiny had returned to her side. The universe wanted her to become an alicorn now. For only an hour after she returned to the old castle in Everfree did she discover a very old scroll wedged deep between one of the library shelves. It was tattered and fading, and gave very few details, but it spoke of exactly what she needed. Three pieces of enchanted regal wear, forged long ago and hidden away somewhere in Equestria. An amulet to grant one magic. A crown to grant one wings. And a set of hoofguards to grant one strength and longevity. The Dark Regalia. According to the scroll, the pieces had been split up and given to their respective tribes for them to hide away. All Sunset needed to do was find them. She danced back and forth on the tips of her hooves, then burned the scroll. Nopony else would be needing it. She transfigured a black cloak from a torn tapestry and wrapped it around herself, pulling the hood over her face. She would start with the amulet; Canterlot’s underbelly was known to deal in forbidden objects from time to time. If there was any information to be gathered, it would be there. She was also dying to learn more about Princess Twilight Sparkle. Sunset crouched behind a large gnarled root, one of many exuding from the hollowed-out tree decorated with tribal masks from Zebrica. Her mission was already starting to feel like a wild goose chase. She had picked up useful information in Canterlot regarding the Alicorn Amulet, eventually finding the peddler who claimed to have it only to find he had sold it months ago. To whom, he could not say. Like Sunset, the buyer had kept their face hidden the entire time. It then dawned on Sunset that if the amulet had been purchased, then it was most likely to have been used. And if it had been used, then it would have left a signature of magical energy if it was truly as powerful as the scroll claimed. So, Sunset was both delighted and annoyed that the faint trail led her back to the Everfree Forest. “Why would a zebra come to live here?” she murmured, staring at the tree house. In the end, she supposed it was of little importance. The real question was if the zebra was wearing the Alicorn Amulet. Sunset doubted it, however. She had collected information on all of the major events she had missed in what had apparently been a thirteen year absence. Sunset shuddered. Thirteen years. It was something she couldn’t wrap her head around. Nothing felt different from two days earlier, when she was years in the past. That explosion—or as she came to discover, the Sonic Rainboom—had messed up her spell so badly, not only had she gone the wrong way in time, she had overshot her intended mark of five years. And since she hadn’t snapped back yet, Sunset knew she was stuck, a refugee of time. Regardless, in her information hunting, Sunset had heard nothing of a zebra wielding unicorn magic. Something like that would have been the talk of Equestria. And the zebra in question would probably not waste time living in such a forsaken place. Still, Sunset knew it wise to keep her guard up just in case. Her horn lit, and a faint red outline appeared around her body before she camouflaged into the background. She focused on the tree, the bark vanishing to reveal an outline of the interior. Inside, she could see a mass of red moving about and putting items into what appeared to be a bag. The mass then turned to the door, and Sunset snapped her magic off, ducking lower. The zebra stepped outside and took a deep breath of air. She said something Sunset could make neither heads nor tails of then set off down the forest path. Sunset waited ten minutes before getting up to move closer. She stopped at the tree’s threshold and frowned. Something was making her horn tingle, like it was picking up magic. She closed her eyes and probed the tree again, finding wards around the entrance and windows. “Did she make these with the Alicorn Amulet?” They weren’t particularly strong, yet they had Sunset trembling with excitement. If a zebra could make defense wards, she could only imagine the power she would soon wield. It took a minute of concentration before the wards collapsed and Sunset stepped inside. Odd trinkets and baubles littered the main room, with a large cauldron taking up the center space. Sunset took no discretion in searching for the amulet. The bigger mess she made, the harder it would be for the zebra to notice what was gone. She tore through drawers, broke open bottles and even searched through the bedroom. She found her prize hidden in a small box beneath the bed. The ruby jewel emitted a soft glow when she pulled the amulet from the box. She licked her lips hungrily and snapped it around her neck. The effect was instantaneous, like a dam had broken and flooded her with magic. She gave a flick of her horn and created a miniature whirlwind to tear through the tree, tossing any remaining items that had not been touched to the four corners. With a mad laugh, she vanished in a bolt of crimson light. The Cloudsdale Library was quiet and empty, save for the librarian. Sunset attributed that to the fact that most pegasi were probably too dumb to read. She spent all morning searching through mythology books and was surprised when her search turned up nothing useful, just what she already knew. None of the books gave her even a hint of the Tempest Crown’s location. Sunset would not give up though. She turned towards history with the idea that maybe the pegasi didn’t consider the crown as myth and recorded it as fact. Sure enough, within a text describing the founding of Los Pegasus, she found a concrete reference to the Tempest Crown, said to be worn by Captain Gale and handed down through his family. Unfortunately, after looking through the genealogy books, Sunset learned that Gale had no more living relatives. Still, something was better than nothing. She left the library with her new destination in mind, but drew pause when a thought tickled her brain. She had just spent an hour looking through somepony else’s family tree, yet she knew nothing of her own. Despite the fact that her parents had abandoned her, longing filled her to know who they were and why they had done it. With that longing came a desire to pay them back in full. Hollow Shades sat in the shadow of the Foal Mountain. The small village was surrounded by thick trees that guarded the townsponies from the outside world. It was as silent as a graveyard when Sunset arrived just before midnight. She took quick, even steps as she strolled through the village, her heart tightening in her chest. “Morning Glory. Midnight.” She finally knew the names of her parents. It had taken her several hours and covert trips to her old orphanage and the hospital she was born in before she discovered who they were and where they lived. Unwilling to wait until morning, Sunset approached the doorstep. They would meet her now! They would look upon the child they abandoned! She pounded on the door with determined force. She was about to blast the door down when an off orange-coated mare answered the door. Her eyes, however, matched Sunset’s to a tee, and her yellow mane was the same shade as the streaks in Sunset’s. “H-hello. Can I help you?” Her eyes were lined with sleep, and there was a subtle grogginess mixed in with her tone of apprehension. Sunset did not care if she had roused the mare from bed; she would not be kept waiting any longer. Still, she kept a lid on her emotions and said in a rather pleasant voice, “I certainly hope so. Is this the home of Midnight and Morning Glory?” “Y-yes it is. I’m Morning Glory. Um… do I know you?” Sunset lowered her hood, yet Morning Glory showed no sign of recognition. “Such a shame,” Sunset said, ignoring the spasm of fury in her chest. “You really don’t recognize me? I’m heartbroken.” Behind Morning Glory, a middle-aged stallion appeared. His coat was a deep blue, but Sunset could tell his greying mane had once been the same fiery red as hers. “Honey, who’s at the door—” His eyes dilated and he took a leap back. He pointed a shaky hoof at Sunset. “I-I don’t believe it! It’s you!” “See? At least a father bothers to remember his own daughter, unlike you, Mother!” The word was ash in Sunset’s mouth. She already had a mother, and this pony was not her. But it sent a wave of satisfaction to throw the word in her face. Morning Glory’s expression dissolved into a look of horror. “Mother? Then that means, you’re… you’re…” “I am the daughter you abandoned so long ago. I am Sunset Shimmer.” She advanced through the doorway as Morning Glory staggered back like she had been punched in the chest. “I suppose I should at least thank you for my name. It was the only present you left me after all.” Midnight stepped up and put a hoof on his wife, who looked ready to fall over. “Sunset, why don’t you come inside so we can talk?” he said civilly. Sunset stepped onto the welcome mat and swung the door shut behind her. “Don’t worry. I don’t plan on staying too long. I just wanted to see my birth parents at last, see what had become of them… ask them why they left me when I was not even a year old!” Both of them flinched, much to Sunset’s vindication. “Sunset,” Morning started, “it… it wasn’t an easy decision. We just… we couldn’t handle being parents at the time. We could barely support ourselves, let alone feed a child. We thought you’d be better off somewhere else.” Sunset looked around the inside of their home. It wasn’t lavish by any means, but it was a far cry from anything ponies could call poor. “You seem to be doing well now.” Midnight nodded. “Yes. We managed to turn things around later on—” “Then why didn’t you come back for me?” Sunset demanded. Morning looked at her, fighting away tears and speaking in a strained voice. “We-we thought by then, somepony else would have taken you in. That you would be happy—” “I spent ten years in that orphanage! Ten years! All the other ponies got adopted, but not me! Never me! You think I was happy? How could I be happy in a place like that?” Morning burst into sobs, hiding her face with her hooves. Midnight took over and said, “We’re so sorry, Sunset. If we had known—” “If you had known. That’s just it, isn’t it?” Sunset took a predatory step closer. “You didn’t want to know. Plausible deniability. Somepony’s suffering doesn’t really happen if you don’t know about it!” Midnight swallowed with apprehension. “S-Sunset, that isn’t true.” “I mean, I wasn’t exactly hard to find,” Sunset continued, ignoring her father. “Once I became Princess Celestia’s student, I thought ‘maybe they’ll be able to find me. I’m right next to the Princess after all!’” Morning stopped her crying and looked up at Sunset. “You were the Princess’ student? Oh, sweetie, that’s—” “Don’t you dare call me ‘sweetie!’ Don’t tell me you’re proud of me! Don’t say you love me, because I know you’re lying!” “Sunset, we do love you,” Midnight said with a desperate plea. “We promise, we’ll try to make up for not being in your life. We truly are sorry.” Sunset laughed bubbles of cruel mirth that floated around the living room and clotted the air. “You’re sorry? No you’re not. Not yet anyway.” She drew closer to them, her smile feral. “You want to make up for not being in my life?” A silver dagger appeared by her side. “Give me yours.” Sunset flew out of the whirlwind and crashed against the damp, stone floor. Despite the pain throbbing in her shoulder, she didn’t let go of the crown clutched in her hooves. “Ehehehe… ahahahahahaha!” She hugged the Tempest Crown against her chest and savored her moment of triumph. The pegasi had made an effort to hide it, but a little labyrinth and a tornado would not stop her. She jumped to her hooves and placed the crown on her head, her laughter still bouncing around the cavern. Like the surge of magic the Alicorn Amulet had given her, the effect of the crown was spontaneous. Sunset was lifted into the air, and a swirl of red light danced around her midsection. Something started to push against her shoulder blades and protrude from her back, though she just laughed through the pain. The red light spun faster, bringing her new appendages into the world feather by feather. Sunset could feel the connection with her new extensions already, taking to them like she had them all along. When the light faded, Sunset hovered over the cave floor, gently flapping her new angelic wings. She turned her head to the right, then to the left, examining each one in turn. They were large and feathery, and matched her coat color. They reminded her of Princess Celestia; a thought that segued into memories of being tucked in their embrace. She touched back onto the ground and shoved the thoughts into the recesses of her mind. She would not get sentimental and penitent—not when she was so close. Not when she finally had her wings. Sunset jumped into the air, screaming with delight as she did a lap around the cave. Flying was everything she dreamed it would be. Even in the confined space, she felt weightless and free. She was faster than ever before and now held dominion over the skies. All she needed was the power of the Obsidian Hoofguards and she’d be a true alicorn! She landed back on the ground and took notice of the three ponies near the mouth of the tunnel. Her parents’ animated corpses stood with the vigilance of statues, while in between them lay a motionless pegasus mare. Sunset did not know her name, nor did she care. As Captain Gale had told her, Sunset needed a living pegasus to get this far. The poor soul had just happened to be in the right place at the wrong time. “Dead weight now,” Sunset murmured as she eyed them. Princess Twilight Sparkle and her colorful friends were already aware the amulet was missing, and a report had gone out about two ponies abducted from Hollow Shades. Somepony would also come looking for this mare as well. They no longer served any use for her other than attracting attention. “Well, Mother, Father, this is where we say goodbye, I’m afraid. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me.” Sunset blinked and a red mist seemed to dispel from around the older ponies. Their bodies swayed for a second, then fell over, never to move again. Water brushed across the bottom of Sunset’s hooves while she regarded the unconscious pegasus. The cave would probably flood before she escaped, but just in case… Sunset snapped a stalactite from the top of the cave and hurled it down, impaling the mare in the throat. She gurgled for a second, blood pooling from the gaping wound, before becoming as lifeless as the unicorns beside her. With a satisfied giggle, Sunset teleported away. Sunset stepped out of the library and into the cold night, wrapping her cloak around herself even tighter. It was with a heavy heart she descended the steps and walked towards the city’s limits. That library had thousands of year’s worth of knowledge, and she wanted nothing more than to sit at a table and read everything. If only the Crystal Empire had reappeared sooner. She stopped and looked at the city’s central square, where the castle rose high above the rest of the crystalline buildings, shining bright even under the blanket of darkness. Sunset could only imagine how anypony slept in such a place. Beneath the castle was the Crystal Heart, emitting a soft hum that unfortunately drew up unwanted feelings in Sunset. It’s not too late, a voice said in the back of her head. You could stop now, go back and apologize to Celestia. Her eyes flashed red and she bared her teeth to the sky. “No,” she hissed. “I’m almost there! This is the only way now!” She glared up at the castle, wondering where Cadence was inside of it. Sunset made a note to herself to come back and kill Cadence after Celestia was dead. Then, she would sit and read the whole library. Sunset slid across the cold, polished floor and slammed against one of the crystal pillars lining the side of the massive room. She slumped over, unable to move her bruised body. She closed her eyes and tried to draw on her magic, but still found the gripping pressure on her horn. She looked up and eyed the blue, spherical ornament lying some distance away. “Damn that suppressor,” Sunset wheezed, her warm breath visible in the freezing air. A loud roar brought her back to the moment at hand. She could see the beast looming towards her in the reflection of the crystal tiles, its monstrous footsteps echoing throughout the cathedral sized room. Sunset forced her head up and looked the monstrosity in its eyeless sockets. The draconic beast loomed over her. It roared again, its breath reeking of rotting flesh. It flexed one of its sinewy arms, raising a bony claw over its head, prepared to deal a final blow. “Not yet,” Sunset said, struggling to find her voice. “I can’t die here… I’ve come too far… I refuse to die here!” As the beast’s claws came down, Sunset hurled her body out of the way, though it did little good. The monstrosity jerked its claws to the left and batted Sunset to the other side of the room where she landed on her wing with a sickening crunch. Another roar shook the ceiling, and Sunset couldn’t help but wonder if it was a roar of triumph or annoyance. By the way it swished its long, thorny tail, Sunset humorously thought that perhaps the beast was happy somepony had tried to play with it after all these years. Quick as that thought entered her mind, the pain in her broken wing sharply reminded her that this game would end with one of them dead. “How do you... kill something... that can’t die?” she wheezed. The dragon’s tail inadvertently smacked into the suppressor orb, and Sunset’s eyes widened with renewed hope as it sailed through the air and smashed into pieces against a crystal pillar. Magic surged through her again as the beast drew near, and Sunset unleashed a mighty torrent of fire that completely consumed it. Sunset knew the following roar was one of supreme rage this time. The dragon reared its head back and unleashed a blast of its own; blue wind coated Sunset’s fur even as she teleported to the other end of the hall. Every nerve in her wing screamed and her legs ached and were unresponsive. As she struggled to keep her balance, the dragon—still on fire—turned its massive body around, preparing to charge again. The most outlandish idea drew upon Sunset’s mind as she watched the fire coating its visible bones slowly extinguish itself to nothing. The beast truly was the definition of immortal. If what Sunset had read was true, it could never really die, just fall into something akin to unconsciousness. And if she had that power… Perhaps it was her looming mortality, or the magic of two pieces of the Dark Regalia clouding her judgment, or maybe even the freezing temperatures making it hard to think straight. Whatever the reason, Sunset, with all her strength, rose to her hooves. Darkness bubbled around her horn and black mist clung to her red eyes. If she could do this, she could become something even greater than an alicorn. Her immortality would be assured. She could be together with Celestia forever! The dragon lunged at her, and with a primal roar of her own, Sunset lunged forward. * Something not quite equine limped away from the dragon’s carcass. It approached the end of the hall where an alicorn statue sat on a pedestal. Red gemstones sat embedded in its legs, or at least so it appeared. A black beam struck the alicorn’s face and the entire statue disintegrated into dust, leaving only a set of black hoofguards. The creature smiled. * The Day Court came to a close as the last petitioner left the throne room. Celestia sat upon her dais going over the remaining paperwork while her assistant checked things off a clipboard. Silence reigned for many minutes before Celestia cleared her throat. “Well, I think we can finish the rest of this another time. That will be all today, Raven,” she said pleasantly. “Oh, are you sure, Your Highness?” “Absolutely. I insist that you enjoy the rest of your day.” She urged Raven on with a wave of her hoof. “It would be a shame if you wasted a beautiful day like this inside.” Raven beamed warmly. “Thank you, Princess.” She gathered a few of her own papers and hurried out the room. Celestia then looked at the two pairs of guards at the foot of her throne and near the front door. “I ask that you take your leave for a few moments. I need to gather my thoughts.” They all shared a concerned look, but made no word of protest. They each saluted and marched out the door after Raven. Once she was alone, Celestia threw several protection wards around the door and windows. “All right," she said, eyes narrowed, "you can come out now.” “Still as sharp as ever I see.” The figure pulled itself from the shadows and materialized in the center of the hall, showing off all of its sharp teeth. “Mother… it’s been so long.” Celestia held a hoof to her chest and struggled to get a breath of air. “By the gods… what have you done to yourself, Sunset?” Sunset stood as tall as Celestia now. Her coat was the color of dried blood, though it seemed patchy in various places. Near the bottom of her legs, her fetlocks were completely gone, revealing muscle and even some bone before it was covered up by the Obsidian Hoofguards. Her wings had lost all of their feathers; far more draconic, they sported black webbing in between membranes of thick bone. Her eyes were no more, just two balls of fire floating in two black sockets. They matched her mane and tail, living pyres that danced wild and passionate, threatening to incinerate all who got close. “Do you like it?” she asked, her voice as harsh and warped as her appearance. “I knew you would be shocked.” She giggled like a school filly. “Yes! That’s exactly the face I thought you would have!” Celestia’s starstruck gaze was paved over by pained sadness. “My dear, sweet Sunset Shimmer. What drove you to do this? Did nothing I say ever reach you?” “Oh no, Mother, I learned a lot from listening to you. But you know what they say: actions speak louder than words. Dismissing me from your tutelage, disowning me as your daughter—replacing me with Twilight Sparkle!” The windows rattled with the strength of her voice, but Celestia did not flinch. “You refused to see reason when it stared you in the face,” she said, emotions eating away at her hard voice. “You showed no remorse for the pain you inflicted on others. I sent you away hoping you might find your own path instead of tailing so doggedly in mine.” “You treated me as if I had committed a crime in trying to love you!” Sunset lowered herself, like she was about to charge. “I did everything for you! And yet this is the thanks I get? You kick me out so you can replace me with her!” “I could never replace you, Sunset.” Celestia’s voice was heavy, and tears gathered at the corners of her eyes. “You may not believe it, but I have always loved you. I always have and always will.” Sunset raised herself up again. “If you truly do, then say it. Tell all of Equestria that you love me. That I am your only daughter and the heir to the throne! Disown Twilight Sparkle and admit that I am her superior!” Celestia closed her eyes. “There was a brief moment once upon a time where I would have considered doing it if it fixed our relationship. But I will do no such thing now.” “But you just said you love me!” Sunset roared. “And I do. But love is not something you parade around and hold over other pony’s heads.” She opened her eyes, a blazing fury within them. “I love the mare you were, Sunset Shimmer, and I will always love and cherish our good memories together. But I am afraid you are no longer my Sunset Shimmer.” Sunset stared blankly at her, digesting her words. “You’re right.” Her lips curled into a smile. “Sunset Shimmer is dead. She died quite a while ago honestly. No. I am a much better pony than little Sunset Shimmer. I am a goddess that all will bow to!” She flared her wings out, and her mane began to twist and snap erratically. “I will be Equestria’s newest beacon of light and respect! Everypony—no, every living being—will hail to me as the Bringer of the Sun!” She lifted herself into the air, energy gathering at the tip of her horn. “You will call me Vesper Radiance! And you are going to love me, Mother!”  Sunset peeled herself out of the memory at last and flung the book across the room. She knew that, had she been awake, she would have thrown up. She could not be sure what made her more ill: the horrific and bloody battle that transpired between Vesper Radiance, Celestia, and—after a short time—Luna, or the fact that part of her had found enjoyment in watching Celestia take a beating. She put her elbows up on the little table and ran her hooves through her mane. Somewhere along the way of watching all of these memories and thoughts, it had become quite disheveled. Sunset inferred that her dream body reflected her current mental state. Her mind indeed felt tired, battered and worn from trying to process so much in such short time. She wanted to stop. She could already guess how this battle was going to end. Yet if she did, she would be missing the final, crucial clue to solving the riddle. Although she had come this far and now understood who and what and when, she still did not understand how. If she turned away now, it would haunt her forever. Truth—absolute certainty—was within her reach, but the longer she sat there looking down at the table, the more she wondered if she wanted it. Luna gently nudged her side until Sunset strained herself to look. “I know what you must be feeling, Sunset. We do not have to continue right now. We can wait until tomorrow, after you have had time to take in everything else. I admit that last memory was... unpleasant to look at.” “N-no.” Sunset’s breath came out raggedly. “No… I need to finish what I started. We’re almost done.” She levitated the thrown book back over and stared at the black letters on the cover. The End… scrawled in magnificent cursive. She looked up at the circular shelves that lined the room. The books had started on one side of the door that led back to Sunset’s own memories and came around to the other, chronicling the other Sunset’s life. They had come full circle now. Whatever was in this last book marked the end of Vesper Radiance and the beginning of Sunset Shimmer as she currently stood. There was no point in putting off the truth of the matter, not when its black talons had Sunset’s insides in its grasp. She and Vesper were inexplicably linked to one another. It was a truth, however, that Sunset looked at through squinted eyes like it was a distant image. Only finishing this horrid memory would make it clear. And whatever happens, don’t blame yourself! Princess Twilight’s words ricocheted back to Sunset, and she felt Truth’s black talons grip her harder. With a final shuddering breath, Sunset opened the book again and dove into the memory. Celestia crashed back down into the demolished throne room, smashing the last remains of her opulent chair. Dust and broken stone spread out around her, the rubble bathed in dusk’s bloody glow, free to shine through the collapsed ceiling. Vesper dropped out of the sky and staggered heavily when she landed over Celestia and crushed her wing, though Celestia did nothing more than whimper loudly. “Ahaha, so sorry, Mother. I really didn’t mean to do that one.” Blood dripped out of several open wounds, her fur and flesh had been charred in many places and a great gash ran the length of her face. She looked down at Celestia and frowned. “Mother, you look terrible.” Celestia opened a swollen eye. “S… Sunset.” Wham! Vesper kept her hoof on top of Celestia's face. “I’ve told you already, Mother. My name is Vesper Radiance now. Hahaha. But you never listen, do you?” She pressed further into Celestia with a sickening wet crunch. “Go on, Mother, say it. Say how proud you are of me. Tell me I’m better than Cadence or Luna or Twilight Sparkle.” She leaned her face closer to Celestia’s. “Tell me you love me.” She removed her armored hoof, revealing Celestia’s bloody face. Celestia coughed violently. “I… I… can’t.” Vesper tittered. “Well, Mother, I guess I have to kill you now. But don’t worry—I know necromancy! Hahahahaha! I can keep your body around forever, Mother! Just you and me—together forever! Ahahahaha—huh?” The double doors burst open, and Twilight flew in, unleashing a ball of grim fury into Vesper’s back. Vesper smashed into the back wall with a scream of surprise, but quickly extracted herself. “You… You!” Vesper licked her lips hungrily at the princess standing before her; five others lined up behind her, each bearing gleaming necklaces. “Princess Twilight Sparkle. I’ve been waiting so long to meet you.” Twilight kept herself guarded, her face armored with anger and vengeance. “Who are you?” “Who am I?” Her twisted laugh rose into the bleeding sky. “You never mentioned me to her, Mother?”  Twilight’s guard inched down. “Mother?” She looked to Celestia for confirmation, but the princess was barely moving. “Yes, Twilight Sparkle. I am Celestia’s daughter: the Heir to Equestria and the sun itself!” She lifted herself high into the air. “I am Vesper Radiance! And you, little usurper, are trespassing on a very private, very intimate family matter.”  She ignited her horn and lifted Luna up from the corner where she lay, wrapped in a blood red light. “Here. Take this and wait patiently in the hall, please. I’ll kill you in a second, okay?” Vesper flung Luna’s limp body at the group. Twilight slowed her velocity down enough so Rainbow and Fluttershy could catch her and bring her to the ground safely. Vesper dropped down and smashed her front hooves against the floor. The ground rolled up like a wave and rushed towards them, pushing them all back into the hall. After their forced departure, Vesper slammed the door shut again, though she had not two seconds of peace before Twilight teleported back and charged at her. Vesper deflected all of the spells Twilight threw at her, though she had no time to counter with any of her own. Twilight kept advancing, looking more determined with every step she took. Vesper refused to let her near Celestia, and with a great flap of her wings, sent Twilight hurtling back across the hall in a twisting funnel that left her on her back. “Do you really want to die that badly, Sparkle?” Her horn bubbled with inky darkness, her eyes burning brighter. “How about a slow and painful death, hmm? That way, you can watch as I take away everything from you, just like how you stole it from me!" Vesper released a black miasma that raced for Twilight, just as the doors opened again. "Twilight!" Pinkie yelled, and shoved her out of the way. The miasma hit Pinkie instead, her entire body turning black and shuddering before she returned to normal. She stood still for a moment, eyes wide, then fell over. “Pinkie!” several voices cried. Twilight stumbled over to her, ears bent, horn lit. She looked over Pinkie once before her ears flicked up, then back down again. She turned to Vesper, a wild look on her face. “What did you do?” “Ahaha haha hahaha! What’s the matter, Princess? You can’t figure it out? Here, maybe if I hit you too, it’ll become clearer!” She charged her horn again, but Twilight beat her to the draw, hitting her with the force of a cannonball. She ran forward and hit Vesper again, then again, and again, and one more time for good measure. Vesper was embedded in the wall once more, only much deeper than last time. Twilight slid to a stop in front of Celestia, her hooves soaking in royal blood. “Princess! Celestia! Celestia, please say something!” Tears dropped onto Celestia’s bloody face. “Twi… Twilight,” Celestia croaked. “I’m here. I’m right here.” Twilight leaned in closer. “Please… Twilight. Save her… Save… her soul.” “What?” She looked at Vesper, struggling to free herself. Celestia opened a puffy red eye. “Luna… gone a thousand years. Alone. She was so alone. Nopony… deserves that punishment. I still… love her. Please… help her.” Celestia took a desperate gasp of air. “Don’t… let her suffer… anymore.” “Get away from her!” Vesper launched herself at Twilight with jaws open wide. Twilight put a hoof on Celestia and teleported back to where her friends were gathered around Pinkie. “She’s mine!” Vesper bellowed. “Mine!” Twilight looked at Celestia. “I’ll try, Princess. Rainbow, I need ten seconds of distraction time so I can wake Pinkie up… I hope.” Rainbow gave a silent salute and tore through the air. Vesper threw several balls of fire at her, which she merely maneuvered around with resolved grace. A hoof then contacted with Vesper’s face, though it did no real damage. Rainbow, however, had moved out of Vesper’s direct line of fire and was circling around for another run. Vesper spread her wings and jumped into the air, moving so fast she looked like she might have been teleporting. Rainbow paused for a second to glower at her, then followed her higher into the air at top speed. Vesper waited for Rainbow to get close, then weaved to the side and looped back around her. Her fiery mane acted on its own and reached out to grab Rainbow’s back leg. Rainbow put in an extra burst of speed at the last moment, though the fire still managed to burn the bottom of her hoof where it instantly blistered. She yelped, and swung around to dive at Vesper. Vesper ducked to the side, watching as Rainbow flew at top speed to the ground. She waited for Rainbow to crash, but no such thing occurred. She banked with a perfect one-hundred and eighty degree turn and skidded to a halt in front of her friends. Vesper smiled to herself. “Fine then. I shall kill you all at once!” She threw her head back, a massive orb of fire building at the tip of her horn. “Goodbye, Mother!” She swung her head forward and threw the conflagration down— —Only to have it disappear completely in a rainbow vortex. Her eyes widened as the spinning rainbow reached for her and spiraled around her entire body. She could not even scream as the whole world went white. Then, everything was black. She was crying. She felt so full, yet so very empty. She could see nothing, just darkness around her. She was falling through darkness at rapid speeds with everything fading away from her. A burst of light came from somewhere above and a pony stretched a hoof out for her. “Sunset Shimmer, please, take my hoof!” “Why? Why should I trust you?” “You don’t want this for yourself. You don’t want to be locked away for eternity. Please, I can’t save your body, but I can save your soul!” “Who says I want saving? Maybe this is what I want. This is what I deserve.” “Nopony deserves this. Not even you.” There was hesitation. She could feel the darkness pulling on her, dragging her to whatever would be her prison. The light was quickly fading. But why should she accept it? It had already shunned her, hadn’t it? Then, there was a new voice: much more familiar; much more heavenly. “Sunset… my daughter… it’s time to go home.” She reached for the light, ignoring the protests of the dark. It was warm. It was soothing. “Rest now, Sunset Shimmer.” And then, she was floating. She didn’t know where, for she could not see. She felt like she was being pulled upwards, yet, something weighed her down. She was not even sure if she wanted to go up. No, up was good. Up was rest and peace. No, she could not go up yet. She had something she still needed to do. But what was it? Anger and hatred bled into her. Revenge, yes, that was it! And as quickly as they came, the feelings were gone. No, she didn’t want revenge anymore. She wanted sleep. But something was still weighing her down. She felt magic. It was colder than ice—colder than death. Then, there was something warm. It felt loving, harmonious. It felt like the wings of an angel. Mother. There was a flicker of unresolved hatred. And then, there was a will. Something drove her on. Something she needed to do. But it slipped out of her mind again. But she knew she needed to do it. She clung to that feeling. She was not ready to go up. She was not ready to be forgotten! She would carry on! Even if she had to start all over! The warm magic burned white hot and began to take form. She felt herself grow less aware, but more real. Little by little, bit by bit, she returned, her soul burning brighter than ever. A foal’s cry echoed throughout the room. Sunset closed the book. No emotion ran through her, just a stark emptiness. A buzz like static echoed through her head, then she realized she could actually hear it buzzing around her, her state of mind affecting her dream. She made it stop, though she failed to get her mind or body to do much else. “Sunset—” Luna’s soft voice cut out the static “—say something. I am here for you.” Sunset didn’t speak right away. She kept staring at the words The End on the book cover. A lie, like many other things in her life. Her second life. Her illusion. She let out a hollow laugh. “So… she was right… I was right. There really is only one Sunset Shimmer. Vesper Radiance… Sunset Shimmer…” Truth finally pulled its claws out of Sunset. “We’re the exact same pony.”