//------------------------------//
// XXV - The Heist 
// Story: The Misadventures of Sunset Shimmers 
// by Yukito 
//------------------------------//

Sunset Shimmer tapped her table impatiently as she waited, and waited, and waited. She leaned forwards to sip her coffee, only to find that the cup was empty. She discarded the cup into a nearby trashcan and waited more.

Finally, she spied the two boys entering the café, arguing with each other over something surely stupid and not worth her time. As they approached her table, she cleared her throat, and the two fell silent in an instant. "… Mind explaining why you're so late?"

"I-It's not our fault," Snips insisted. "Apple Bloom was showing off this hula hoop thing and-"

"I seem to have stopped caring. You said that my compass started to glow?"

Snails nodded, taking out the small compass from his pocket and holding it out. "It was this bright, golden glow! It happened when we walked by Ruby's store."

"Ruby's? Ah, that jewel store… Jewels, huh?" Sunset leaned back in her chair, stroking her chin and humming as she thought. "Jewels… That complicates things."

"I think a ruby would suit you, Sunset," Snails offered, to which Snips scoffed.

"Puh-lease! Clearly a sapphire would be best, 'cause it'd match her eyes!"

"A ruby!"

"Sapphire!"

"Ruby!"

"Saph-"

Sunset rose from her chair and grabbed the two boys' heads, banging them together to silence the two. "Give me that compass. You two can go home now."

"A-Are you sure?" Snails asked as he rubbed his head, offering the compass to Sunset Shimmer. "We could-"

"I'm sure. Oh, and mention this to anybody, and you're dead, got it?"

"Y-You got it!" Snips yelled in a panic. "Not a word to anybody! You can count on us!"

Sunset took the compass and the two boys left. She waited for a few minutes before also leaving the café, taking an escalator to the next floor up and stopping outside of Ruby's store. As they had said, the compass began to glow.

'This compass is enchanted with magic, to seek out other sources of magic. Anything that can harness magic. Anything that can be a conductor of it. I need something as powerful as the portal itself to force it open…'

Sunset pocketed the compass and entered the store, checking the displays carefully and feeling the compass in her pocket to see how it reacted. Some of the jewels made it hotter, whilst some made it feel like ice. There was only one that gave her the response that she desired – the most expensive jewel in the store. It was a single amethyst, not particularly big but expertly carved. According to the display, the jewel was bathed in history and magical legend. It seemed that those legends were true.

Sunset left the store and entered a nearby phone booth, pulling out her phone and looking around cautiously before dialling a number. With what money she had left, she couldn't afford to buy the jewel… so she had only one choice remaining.

"Hi there, Diamond Dogs. It's me… Yes, our business was over, but I've got an opportunity for you. A jewel store. Some high-quality items that'll fetch a high price, and I only desire one of the jewels as my cut… I'll send you the details later, but I need to know that you're in."





Sunset clicked her pen in her mouth as stared down at her notebook. On the pages were checklists and diagrams, many of which had been crossed out. She was running through countless scenarios inside her head, wondering how many possible ways things could go wrong.

What if the Diamond Dogs bail on her? What if they tip off the police? What if the FBI or CIA had been intercepting her calls? What if it's storming that night and she gets struck by lightning? Sunset pulled out her phone and checked the weather forecast. Okay, no fear of that.

Sunset rubbed her eye and yawned. It was hard to get any sleep with victory so close, yet so far away. She turned a page in her book, and narrowed her eyes. The next list of worries related to Equestria itself.

Although she had returned recently to steal Twilight's crown, she had only visited briefly enough to determine its location. She had not checked the advances in military technology, or in magic, since she had left the country.

She drew a picture of a semi-automatic rifle and grinned. No way they could stand up to this world's 'magics'. The biggest problem was making sure she didn't get swarmed. She stilled remembered the castle's layout and the patrols of the guards from when she was Celestia's pupil, but who knows how that could have changed over the years?

"Hey Sunset, you listenin'?"

Sunset looked up and across the table, where Applejack was frowning at her. She closed her book and said, "Yeah, I heard you."

"What're ya doin' over there?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Homework? At a cake shop.?"

"You got it," Sunset said as she put her notes away, and then reached for her coffee. "Unlike some people, I have plans to pass my midterms."

That was a lie, of course. Sunset Shimmer had no intentions to even take those exams.

"If ya don't slow down an' rest a lil', ye're gonna wear yourself out," Applejack warned.

"My, you look positively dreadful," Rarity said, noticing the bags under Sunset's eyes. "You look like… like…"

"Like you whenever there's a fashion contest comin' up?" Rainbow Dash asked. Everybody but Rarity laughed light-heartedly.

Even Sunset found herself giggling at the joke. "I don't look that bad," she said, before catching herself and correcting her face. Bored look as she drank her coffee without a care in the world.

Rainbow Dash groaned. "Y'know you can have fun, right? That emo look doesn't suit you at all."

"I don't know what you mean," Sunset said.

"She means that you're always acting like you aren't having any fun when you clearly are!" Pinkie Pie explained. "Which I don't get. Why would you wanna pretend you're not having fun?"

"… It doesn't matter," Sunset said as she put her coffee down, her eyes turning away as she mumbled, "I won't be here much longer, anyway."

"What was that?" Applejack asked.

Sunset rose from her chair and said, "I'm tired. I think I'm just gonna go home and get some sleep."

Applejack nodded her head slowly. "Well, alrighty then. We're still on for the movie next week, right?"

"Sure, sure," Sunset said as she picked up her bag. She'd be in Equestria next week, so it didn't matter whether she turned them down or not. She left the store, her head low as she mumbled possible outcomes and solutions to herself.

Fluttershy sank in her chair after Sunset had rounded a corner. "I really don't think she likes us, you guys."

"She does," Applejack said in a sure tone. "She just don't wanna admit it… Nah, there's somethin' more to it. I can feel it."

"Hey, she left something here," Pinkie Pie said as she reached down to the floor and picked up a sheet of paper. As her eyes scanned over the writing on it, she gasped, and showed it to the group. "You guys… Sunset's got a secret boyfriend!"

"No way!" Rainbow Dash said, reading the note for herself. 'Meet Diamond Dogs tonight – make sure to arrive first.' Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow. "Uh, Pinkie? I'm pretty sure 'Diamond Dogs' isn't a boy's name."

"Then… she has a girlfriend!" Pinkie Pie concluded.

"No, Pinkie, it's a group," Rarity explained.

Pinkie's eyes widened. "Wow… Sunset's a playa, playa!"

Applejack's expression turned sour as she snatched the note and stared at the words. "Guys… These 'Diamond Dog' fellars are bad news… Ah think Sunset's gettin' herself involved in somethin' dangerous."

Rainbow Dash leaned back in her chair. "What, like fighting?"

"No… Like stealin'."





Sunset Shimmer made sure to arrive at the mall's entrance early, so that she could hide nearby and watch as the Diamond Dogs showed up, making sure that they didn't plan to sell her out. The three members of the gang, who seemed to be three men in dog-themed costumes, arrived together. They didn't seem to bring anybody else, nor did they seem smart enough to harness the concept of betrayal.

Regardless, Sunset took no chances, readying a spell behind her back as she emerged from hiding, approaching the three in her own costume modelled after her demonic transformation. The mask would hide her identity, and would also serve as a reminder that there was no going back now.

The Diamond Dogs were clearly cautious as she approached, so she stopped and waved. "It's me," she said, and her voice seemed to calm them down. "My name is Blaze Scarlet."

"We don't care 'bout your name," the tallest Diamond Dog said, raising his eyebrows as he looked over her outfit. "You dress funny."

"Coming from you?" Sunset laughed. "Well then, since we seem to be done with formalities, let's go over the plan, shall we?"

"Yes. Explain how you plan to beat security system."

"Oh, that won't be a problem. I'll handle the security, and all I need from you is to get me inside."

"We can dig into anywhere!" the Diamond Dog boasted.

"So I've heard. There's a vent that leads directly above the store. Dig through that, and we're in. I'll disable the security systems from my phone."

"You can do that?" the shortest Diamond Dog asked. "Dude! Technology is the shit!"

"Indeed," Sunset said with a grin.

"Alright, we in," the tallest Diamond Dog said. "You lead. We follow."

"Of course. Right this way."





Sunset Shimmer crawled behind the Diamond Dogs in the mall's ventilation systems, pretending to be using her phone as the one in the lead followed her schematics to find the jewellery store.

Once they were above it, the three initiated their part of the heist: breaking and entering. Sunset had given them the signal that the security systems were down… Of course, she only told them that because it is what they wanted to hear.

Sunset Shimmer was no fool. The store's security system was beyond her. Even with magic, she knew that she would have to be delicate when handling it, and if it had suddenly deactivated, an alarm would have been tripped.

She knew that there was no way to avoid tripping the alarm… so she allowed the Diamond Dogs to do it, instead. Once inside, metallic barriers covered the doors and windows, and small panels blockaded the ventilation system, as the sounds of blaring alarms startled the gang.

Sunset Shimmer jumped down into the store, unfazed as she cast a spell on the cameras around her. She couldn't shut off the security systems, but she could alter the recordings so that she would not be in them.

"You said that you shut off the systems!" the tallest Diamond Dog yelled over the blaring sirens.

"I did, didn't I?!" Sunset replied as she casually approached her prize. The large amethyst that could conduct magic… It was finally hers. A simple spell to shatter the case, and it was hers. "I just needed somebody to take the fall! That, and you guys have a really nasty reputation, y'know? I think it'd be safer for all our sakes if you stay behind bars!"

"You'll pay for this!"

The Diamond Dogs charged at Sunset, who simply chuckled as she raised her glowing hand. In the next moment, she was gone, a flash of light consuming her before the Diamond Dogs' eyes.

"DAMN YOU! DAMN YOOOOOOU!"





Sunset laughed heartily as she tossed the jewel up-and-down in her hand, laying back in her bed for what would be the final time. "Finally! With this, I can create a new glove that can channel magical energy, and then repair the portal with the glass shards. Then, it's just a matter of forcing the portal open which, with my abilities, will be a no-brainer."

Sunset reached for her phone and dialled a number, humming a tune as it rang. There was just one more thing that she needed. The phone picked up, and Sunset said, "Snips, it's me. This'll be our final call, I'm afraid. I need you to get me something from a certain location and bring it to the school… Snips?"

"… Sorry, Sunset Shimmer."

Sunset raised her eyebrow, before another voice on the other end said, "An' jus' what is this 'thing' that y'all need deliverin'?" Sunset gasped, almost dropping her phone as she fumbled the jewel in her other hand and sat upright. "If ya like, maybe we can help?"

Sunset heard the sounds of her other 'friends' greeting her, and her hands began to tremble. "W-What is-"

"They cornered us!" Snips cried. "They asked us what was goin' on with you and what you were doin', but we never said a word, I swear!"

"But when Snips' phone rang," Snails added, "They told us to put it on speakerphone and stay quiet…"

Sunset grinded her teeth, clutching her phone so tightly that she threatened to break it. "Listen, you guys, I don't know what you're trying to pull, but it won't matter. After tonight, we'll never see each other again, understand?!"

"Suns-"

Sunset ended the call and threw her phone into a wall, shattering it as she released heavy pants. She continued to breath for several seconds, before rising to her feet and rushing over to her workspace. "I've got to hurry. If those meddlesome people try to come after me…" Sunset bit her lip, trying not to think about… them, as she worked on her new glove.





After finishing her new glove and testing it with some basic spells, Sunset rushed to her storage unit and found the stash of weapons left there by the Diamond Dogs. A couple of pistols, a semi-automatic shotgun, 3 grenades and enough ammo to fuel a small army.

She didn't need too much, just enough to reach Celestia and defeat her quickly. A prolonged fight could be dangerous, but Celestia's magic would be powerless against the brutality of this world.

Upon reaching the school, Sunset stopped to catch her breath and search through her backpack. She pulled out a small plastic bag filled with glass shards, and used her magic to levitate them one-by-one towards the statue, repairing it so that the portal could be opened again.

"Almost there… I'm almost home, Celestia…"

Once the final shard was replaced, Sunset put down her bag and closed her eyes, focussing her magic around her fingers and charging a powerful spell. Wind began to blow around her and the statue and the ground began to shake. Green sparks crackled through the air and snapped against the statue. Opening her eyes, Sunset beheld as the portal opened before her suddenly, and lowered her hand slowly.

The portal was more like a vortex than the simply curtained-doorway that it was before, pulling in leaves and small stones viciously, and threatening to pull Sunset off of her feet like a hurricane.

"Ahahahah! No place like home, eh?!" Sunset covered her eyes to protect against the dirt flying about. The vortex settled slightly, but it was still raging, sparks of electricity crackling through the air as the statue above it rumbled.

Sunset loaded her shotgun and cocked it, and then stared towards the portal. "Well then, let's not waste any time!" She took one step forwards, before a voice called out her name.

"Sunset!" the voice called out again, causing her to turn to her left, where she found Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy, all running towards her with their arms raised to cover their eyes.

Sunset gritted her teeth. "Don't try to stop me! I'm going home!"

Applejack stopped, and the rest of the group followed. They stared at Sunset Shimmer as they caught their breaths, and then Applejack said, "If ya truly wanna go home, that's yer choice! But, is this what ya really want?! Ta go there an' start a war with yer own kind?!"

"I'm not the one who started this war, but I sure-as-heck will finish it!"

"An' then what?!" Applejack asked. "What life waits fer ya after ya kill yer old teacher?!"

"Redemption!"

"That's not redemption!" Rainbow Dash shouted through gritted teeth. "That's just revenge! And then what?! You really think they'll just let you go after that?! Make you their new princess or whatever?!"

"Please!" Pinkie Pie cried, tears streaming from her eyes. "Don't throw your life away like this! We can talk about it!"

"My life?!" Sunset paused for a moment, reaching up and placing a hand over her chest. "This is… the only life I have now." Sunset closed her eyes and yelled, "This is the only thing I have in my life, now!"

"That's not true!" Rarity shouted. "You have us!"

Sunset opened her eyes, looking at each of the girls for a few moments, before a sudden flash of light from the portal startled her. "I-I can't be your friend!" she shouted. "I'm not one of you! I was thrown into this world, I wasn't born into it!"

"D'ya think that matters?!" Applejack asked.

"You're our friend, no matter where you come from," Fluttershy said.

"'Friend'?" Sunset gasped. "B-But I… Revenge is the only thing I've been thinking about… this whole time…" Tears welled in Sunset's eyes. "H-How could I just… let that go?"

Applejack extended her hand. "We'll help you…"

"One small step, Sunset," Rarity said, giving a small nod of encouragement.

"We've got your back, Sun," Rainbow Dash added.

"You think revenge is the only path for you now… but if you let go, and stay here with us, we can show you a better way," Applejack said.

Sunset panted and rubbed the tears from her eyes as she looked between the portal and her… her friends.

"They're… You're my friends…" Sunset gritted her teeth. "You've made me laugh, made me cry, made me angry and confused… and what has Equestria ever done for me? What has Celestia ever done, besides throwing me here?"

The portal began to flicker, and Sunset took a step back. She removed her shotgun and threw it to the ground, followed by her glove. "Forget it, Celestia! I won't let you have the satisfaction! YOU HEAR ME?! I HAVE FRIENDS, AND I WON'T LET YOU TAKE THEM FROM ME NOWWWWWW!"

The portal roared, and then imploded, unleashing a blinding flash of light that make the girls scream and blinded them for several seconds. When they could see again, the portal was gone, and the statue… was in shambles.

Sunset huffed, approaching the remains of the statue. "… No opening the portal now."

"Sunset!"

Sunset turned around, only to be tackled to the floor by Pinkie Pie, who was both crying and laughing as she hugged Sunset tightly. "GAH! P-Pinkie-"

"I'm soooooooo glad you decided to stay!"

Rarity pulled the pink girl back, sparing Sunset the agonizing death whilst Applejack helped her to her feet. "Pinkie Pie, dear, you really need to control your emotions better."

Sunset dusted herself off, and stared at the five girls awkwardly. They stared back. The silence was painful. "Umm… I… decided to stay…"

"Yeah, we heard," Rainbow Dash said, folding her arms with a grin. "'I have friends now, and I won't let you take them away from meeeeeee!'."

Sunset's face turned red as the other girls failed to suppress their giggles. "I-I did not say that! You must have been hearing things!"

"Nothin' ta be ashamed of, Sunny," Applejack said. "Ah thought it was rather sweet."

Sunset groaned. "No! It was not! ARGH! You girls are painful!"

"And that's why you love us!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

"Careful. She might hire a dangerous group to take us out," Fluttershy said, giggling to herself… before realising that she was the only one. She shrank behind her hair and asked, "T-Too much?"

Suddenly, the sounds of sirens cut through the air, and the six girls gasped and looked around them. A destroyed statue. A loaded shotgun. A backpack of other assorted weapons.

"Crap! What do we do?!" Rainbow Dash asked in a panic.

"Get the hell out of here! Wait, no, the fingerprints!"

"Don't worry!" Pinkie Pie said, picking up the weapons and jogging on-the-spot. "My sis and I can get rid of these!"

Sunset raised an eyebrow and wanted to ask how, but a shove from Rarity reminded her of the more urgent issue, and the six girls scattered into the night, weaving through dark alleys and never looking back.