//------------------------------// // Chapter Fourteen: Of Sirens, Prodigal Students, and Sawed-Off Sorcerers // Story: Princess of Shadows, Darkness, and Light // by jwizard //------------------------------// Equestrian Universe, Human World, 06-13-05 A.N.M., 2:27 PM (After Nightmare Moon) Sunset Shimmer smiled as she looked at her friends, which had one more number than they did a week ago. It had only been a short time since the end of the Friendship Games between CHS and Crystal Preparatory. The unusual thing was that the rival school had three alternates that Sunset wasn’t expecting. Only one of them actually mattered though; the Human World’s version of Twilight Sparkle. The girl in question blushed a bit as she gazed at her new friends. Sunset blinked as her blush deepened when she glanced at this world’s version of Rainbow Dash. Her smile turned smug as she recognized the first signs of a crush. Sunset winced a bit as a sharp, jabbing pain hit her between the shoulderblades. She was about to ask Rarity for a couple of the painkillers she always carried, when the base of the now-broken statue shimmered. Abruptly, Princess Twilight stumbled through the portal. All the other girls- except for this world’s Twilight -joined in the outcry. “Twilight!” The princess was dogpiled by a gaggle of giggling teens. She greeted them with smiles before launching into a flurry of apologies towards Sunset. “I’m so, so sorry I was unable to come sooner Sunset! It’s been a mad few months! Me and another princess had to go North to stop something from happening, and I haven’t had a chance to do much in Ponyville since we got back! I was only able to find out you needed my help because I had to get some books for Rainbow Dash from my castle. I’m so sorry!” Twilight would have continued in this vein had Sunset not pinched her lips closed. “Slow down Twilight! It’s okay! Sure, we sure could have used your help, but everything worked out. Thanks to the Power of Friendship.” Twilight smiled at that. She then blinked in shock as she got a good look at the one girl that hadn’t joined in the dogpile. The other Twilight blinked as well; it was like looking into a mirror. The two girls slowly approached one another. Princess Twilight touched Twilight’s arm at the same time as the other girl touched hers. The two then smiled; Princess Twilight’s was gentle, while Twilight’s was shy. “Well, it’s so nice to meet me,” the displaced Equestrian princess said a bit sardonically. Sunset rolled her eyes at that. “I understand that you’ve had a bit of an adventure. I know somepony- er, someone I should say -that might be able to help you with the fall out.” “That’s okay Princess,” the other Twilight said shyly. “Sunset’s been a big help, and I’ve been getting some advice from Vice-Principal Luna as well. I guess she has experience in fighting inner demons too.” Twilight nodded. “Well, I guess this just turned into a visit then. If you truly want some more help though, just tell Sunset. She knows how to get in touch with me. At the very least, it’ll give you a chance to see my world.” Her smile turned wry. “If you’re anything at all like me, I’m sure curiosity is just eating you alive.” The other Twilight blushed as she nodded. Sunset frowned. “Ah, actually Princess Twilight, I was thinking of giving Twilight here my old journal. I won’t need it when I return to Equestria tomorrow.” The other girls exclaimed at this. “Why are you leaving us Sunny? I thought we were friends,” Pinkie Pie asked sadly. The fiery-haired teenager hugged the pinkette. “You are Pinkie; that’s why I want to leave my journal behind. That way the connection will remain open. I’d leave it with one of you, but I think Twilight is a better bet. I’m sure she can learn much more about the Power of Friendship from you girls without me around.” Sunset sighed. “It’s just; it’s time girls. I’ve got old friends- a whole other life -back in Equestria. Now that the portal can be opened any time, it’s past time for me to go home.” The other girls nodded at that, though they were all wearing sad faces. Twilight herself was the saddest of all of them. Giving into impulse, she jumped up and gave Sunset a big hug. “I’ll miss you Sunset. I don’t want you to go, but I know know that change is often for the better.” “Hey, it’s not a good-bye here Twilight! I’ll be back in a few weeks. Or, maybe you can all come over to the other side for a visit.” The other girls nodded at that, smiling more brightly as they realized that Sunset wasn’t completely writing them out of her life. Princess Twilight smiled as she looked on. “It looks like you’ve learned everything you needed to Sunset. I’m sure that Celestia will be every bit as proud of you as I am,” the purple-haired princess said softly. She nodded as she made up her mind; it wouldn’t hurt for her to stay for another day. Several hours later, Princess Twilight walked to the Wondercolt statue. She had received a note to meet Sunset and a couple of the other girls there. Twilight was surprised at those that were present; not only were both this world’s Applejack and Rainbow Dash here, but so were the Dazzlings. Adagio snorted as she saw Twilight approach. “Well, if it isn’t the pretty pony princess,” she said in a huffy manner. “Aren’t you supposed to be on the other side?” To Twilight’s surprise, Aria slapped her upside the head. “Adagio, will you knock it off already?! We came to ask for her help; well, at least me and Sonata did anyway. If you want to keep on regretting the loss of power that misbegotten son of a hydra and a chimera gave us, then you can just stay here and gloat.” Adagio scowled at that. “I don’t see why we should have to grovel; it’s not like her or any of the other Equestrian Princesses are likely to give us another chance. The only reason I’m willing to ask at all is because it’s boring here; it’ll probably be just as boring in Equestria, but at least there’s magic there. Maybe then we’ll stop feeling so empty...” the girl trailed off. Twilight sighed. “Adagio, almost everyone deserves a second chance to prove themselves. If you were past redemption, the Power of Harmony would have done more to you than just destroy those pendants. Only those that have truly given into Evil are irredeemable. You deserve as much of a chance as Discord did, and if it’s in my power to give it, then so be it.” As Twilight finished speaking, a glow suffused the three former sirens. They blinked as the bindings that Star Swirl cast on them faded. Aria and Sonata weren’t all that surprised. However, Adagio’s jaw dropped a bit as she felt the bonds being lifted. “You mean that’s it? After everything we’ve done, you’re willing to give us another chance?” When Twilight nodded, the girl sighed. “Well, thanks I guess. C’mon sisters; let’s let the rest of these clowns talk until they’re ready to leave.” The three former sirens all walked off a ways, giving the other girls a bit of privacy. Sunset turned and hugged Applejack first. “Thank you AJ; I know your grandma letting me stay in your townhouse while I was at loggerheads with the rest of CHS wasn’t fair on you. I was always afraid that you were going to toss me out.” Applejack shook her head. “Ya might have been acting the brat in those days Sunset, but even then, Ah’s could tell that ya had an honest, kind heart. Ya were just all caught up in the easy path, that’s all.” Sunset nodded. “You be sure and give the rest of the girls my farewells, okay? I’d stay longer, but there simply isn’t anything here for me any more.” Applejack nodded, sniffing a bit. Sunset then turned to Rainbow Dash. The polychromatic-haired teen scowled a bit. “I don’t get why you can’t just stay till you graduate Sunny,” Rainbow groused. “I mean, you only had one more day, tops.” Sunset shook her head. “Rainbow Dash, I’ve been over this before. I already went through high school twice now; I don’t plan on staying in this world, so a high school diploma won’t be of any use to me. I need to see if Princess Celestia will let me take my finals at her school. The most important thing though is that this isn’t my world, Rainbow Dash. I’ve made friends here, but it’s not the same.” Sunset hugged the athletic girl; not surprising, the girl hugged her back. “You take care of Twilight now, you hear me? She needs someone that knows what it feels like when you don’t fit in.” She grinned at the blush that arose on Rainbow Dash’s cheeks. After a bit, the two girls broke off the hug. The Dazzlings saw that they were all finished, and joined the two going back to Equestria. After a bit of a tussle to see who would go first, the five girls all stepped through the portal back to Equestria. Rainbow Dash waited a bit until she saw the shimmer that heralded the portal’s closing. “So long Sunny; you can count on me to take care of her for you. You’ll be back some day, once you find out where your heart really belongs.” Rainbow Dash paced nervously in front of the mirror as she waited for Twilight to return. “She said this was only a quick trip over and back,” she grumbled. “What has she been doing over there; tending parties?” Luna rolled her eyes at her fellow princess. “Rainbow Dash, you know for certain that she has seldom crossed through yonder mirror unless she needed to. It shouldn’t take much to reason why she’s tarried as long as she has. Certes, I can think of four reasons why she has, and mayhap is only waiting on them.” Rainbow frowned at Luna. “What reasons? Even if Sunny was coming back here, it still doesn’t take her all day. And if she had a reason to take longer, she would have sent a message of some kind.” Luna sighed. “I suggested the same to mine sister, and she agrees.” She pointed to the contraption where the twin to Sunset’s journal rested. “Earlier, yonder journal did glow most emphatically. I would have told you sooner, but you seemed mightily engrossed in the barrel of cider you got from fair Applejack.” Rainbow colored at that. “Ack, I missed it!” She sighed. “It doesn’t matter anyway; the message probably was for me.” Rainbow sat down on her rump next to the podium. “Anyway, why are you here Luna? I mean, I appreciate the support, but I would have thought you’d be back in you Kingdom.” Luna smiled slyly. “What says I’m not in both places? After all, I am the Princess of Dreams; when My Little Ponies slumber, there I can be. Much like yourself, Alicorn of Light.” Rainbow’s pithy comment was halted as the mirror chimed. Rainbow bounced back as a two-toned fiery-maned unicorn jumped out of the now shimmering portal. Sunset Shimmer trotted to the side to give room as four more mares soon passed through. Luna frowned as her guess was confirmed. “Well, I most certainly wasn’t expecting to see you three again. I trust that Princess Twilight had good reason to allow you to return.” The three now ordinary unicorns quivered before the Lunar Diarch. Even Adagio was unable to hide her fear. Twilight scowled reprovingly at Luna. “I used the same judgement for them that your own sister used when she freed Discord. Besides, they were little more than pawns, Luna; the magic of the Siren is something that only one unicorn can bestow upon another. I know for a fact who gave it to them, and why he did so. Without that power, they’re just three ordinary half-trained unicorns.” Luna snorted angrily. “Twilight Sparkle, do not presume to insult my intelligence. I know better than thou how the Pact of the Siren works. Pawns they might have been, but they had to be willing for it to even work. Thou hast taken great risk in granting them passage; their crimes were of far greater level than Discord’s ever were. I still question the wisdom of letting him out, and even more so granting pardon to those three.” Twilight snorted. “I’ve only granted them what they were already given Luna. I witnessed their defeat; more than just the Power of Friendship won that day. The stones they bore were destroyed by none other than the Avatar of Harmony.” Luna was about to offer a rebuttal when a flare along the edges of Adagio’s mane caught her attention. Leveraging the Sight granted to her as an alicorn, her eyes widened as she was able to see that the three were indeed touched by Harmony itself. “Certes, thine is right! Not only are they touched by Harmony, but there’s little Taint on their souls.” She frowned pensively. “Still, even that matters little. Star Swirl imprisoned them for crimes against all ponies; they needs must make reparations for said crimes.” Rainbow Dash trotted over to the three. Ignoring the shocked gaze that Sunset gave her, the cyan alicorn touched her horn to the right front hock of first Adagio, then Aria, and then Sonata. Colored bands of crystal appeared around each mare’s hoof. As she raised her head, all ponies could see the glow of the Aurora in her eyes. “As it was the Invader of the Land Sworn to mine Sister and I that these three Bound themselves unknowingly to, then it is by this one’s judgement that they are Bound in service to the Aurora. I find them worthy to be returned to the People they were Sworn to, as their Hearts have yearned for my voice for longer than the Nightmare was sealed away.” All the other mares gasped in shock as first Adagio, then Aria and Sonata changed before their eyes. Their coats took on a crystalline luster. Their manes shined with a thousand sparkles. Even their eyes bore a shimmering look. Luna’s expression was one of shock. She made to speak, but found herself unable to. The three newly-born Crystal Unicorns all bowed before the Alicorn of Light. She bowed in return, then turned towards Twilight. “See that these three are well cared for, She of Magic.” The mare nodded, and gestured for the three to follow her. The Alicorn of Light then turned her reproving gaze onto Luna. “I am most displeased that you would believe the lie that misbegotten excuse of a stallion told you after he unjustly banished my daughters. Yes, my daughters, Luna; those three were Born of my Light with the rest of the First Crystal Ponies. The Pact they were Bound to was one of lies; they knew NOTHING of it when they first took it.” The Alicorn’s gaze grew intense. Luna sunk onto her belly as she felt the weight of an ageless presence press down onto her soul. “Even though they did great evil while under his aegis, it was no worse than the evil done by thine own hoof while under the aegis of Envy. Indeed, it was far, far less than that which was done under the hooves of the pride of both thy sister and thy teacher. Star Swirl has much to answer for, but to demand reparations on three that were sent away to make certain his misbegotten Seal remained intact is by far the worst he has ever done. I sent those three away with others to escape the Seal he placed on the Crystal Empire, only to have him send them away, rather than Breaking the enchantment forced upon them. Your sister has learned the fallacy of trusting anything that miserable excuse of a stallion ever did, but it seems as though you have yet to learn the same!” Luna’s anger broke her out of the entrancement that the presence of Serenity placed on her. “Essence you may be, but Star Swirl’s efforts were only ever meant to Seal away a Great Evil! Where do you get the right to say that both what he did, and his very existence were worthless?!” “BECAUSE IT WAS ALL IN DEFENSE OF A FALLEN KINGDOM, DESTROYED BY ONE THAT MINE ENTIRE EXISTENCE HAS BEEN SPENT IN THE EFFORT TO DESTROY! WHAT IS WORSE IS THAT HE SEALED AWAY AN ENTIRE REALM OF INNOCENTS IN ORDER TO BIND ONE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DESTROYED! THE DARK ONE SERVES NO PURPOSE IN THE CREATION OF THIS OR ANY OTHER REALM; HE IS AN INCARNATION FROM A FRAGMENT OF A FALLEN SOUL THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DESTROYED COUNTLESS AGES AGO! INSTEAD OF NURTURING THOSE BORN IN THIS WORLD, I AND MINE BROTHER AND SISTERS HAVE INSTEAD BEEN FORCED TO SPEND OUR ENTIRE EXISTENCE TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO DESTROY A SHADOW, ONLY TO HAVE EVERY ITERATION OF THAT ASININE STALLION SEAL HIM AWAY! I KNOW STAR SWIRL FAR, FAR BETTER THAN YOU CHILD, SO BELIEVE ME WHEN I SAY THAT WHAT OUR POWER WAS FORCED TO DO BY HIS HOOVES WAS THE GREATEST BETRAYAL THIS WORLD HAS EVER SEEN. ASK BOTH THIS ONE WHOM I AM USING AS A MOUTHPIECE, AND THE ALICORN OF MAGIC TO TELL YOU WHAT THEY HAVE LEARNED!” The rant had the effect of reducing Luna to a quivering wreck. “I-I'm sorry Serenity; it is just that Star Swirl was there for both myself and Celestia when nopony else was. I find it hard to think his actions were malicious.” At this point, Sunset stepped forward, shaking her head as she did so. “I don’t think that’s what Serenity is saying, Princess Luna. What I know of Star Swirl was that all of his efforts were well meaning, but horribly mistaken.” The unicorn sighed. “Part of my own problems was that I followed his model of dealing with things. You and Princess Celestia both learned more from his pupil anyway; at least, that’s what the teachings of Harmony Princess Celestia tried to hammer into my thick skull led me to believe.” Rainbow Dash nodded, still under Serenity’s influence. “He does indeed mean well, and always has. However, he was ever the traditionalist; he and his teacher parted ways after she was unable to get him to listen to reason. You learned her lessons far better than you thought you did; I am most certain that she is very proud.” The glow left Rainbow’s eyes as she shook her head. “How many times does it need to be said LuLu?! Angela’s tried to tell you; Clover tried to teach you. Hay, even Selene’s tried to get you to understand. Me and Twilight found out first hoof that Star Swirl isn’t anything more than a hack. In fact, he’s so inept that the Dark One has taken control of just about every major spell he ever cast; the only reason the Seal remains intact now is because others are its pivot points. Were it still Bound to the Crystal Empire and the Plane of Ascension, it would have fallen by now.” Luna eyes held sadness. “It is hard to think badly of one that I called Teacher.” As she continued to think, her eyes turned hard and flinty. “Which he never was; I learned what I know from Clover. It was Celestia that learned from Star Swirl, and little of it she ever used. Save for those misbegotten prophecies…” Abruptly, the lunar mare facehoofed. “Forsooth! The proof stares me right in the face! The very spell that turned young Twilight into an alicorn is Clover’s creation!” “Which is a spell that can only be used by a balanced number of the three tribes in the presence of the Seeds of Harmony,” Sunset said. Her tone was dry. “It also requires a balanced amount of the three primary types of pony mana in the caster to work properly. Or maybe it balances out the caster’s mana by making equal amounts. That part of the formula wasn’t very clear.” “Actually, it requires that either a nascent or full-blown pegacorn cast the spell in the presence of Bearers of the Seeds that are a balance of tribes. It doesn’t have to be unicorn, earth pony, and pegasus; that’s just what worked for me.” Twilight walked into the room before continuing. “Clover was already ascended when she first used that spell. I missed those details because what I originally thought was just an ornate form of writing was, in fact, oversimplified pegacorn runic.” Twilight teleported a familiar ornate scroll and held it before Sunset. The fiery orange mare took the scroll and unrolled it. She nodded as she read what was written. “Yep, same spell I deciphered about two months before I jumped into the mirror. I fled just after the fight I had; I called the Princess out on the fact that she was using me to free her sister. What she refused to get was that I was more than just ‘scared to make friends.’ I was scared to hurt them. Without all of the Seeds, they could have died. I didn’t want that to happen to Lyra and the others, so I ran off.” “Then what was all that about taking the Element of Magic?” Rainbow asked. Sunset scowled. “That was the result of spell residue from the Sirens when they were banished. It’s gone now; it was almost fully dissolved when I passed through. What was left latched onto my fear and desire to prove myself.” Sunset reached back and rubbed her hoof on a painfully itchy spot on her back. The spot came back bloody. “Um, I don’t feel so good,” she said as she collapsed. The scroll fell from her levitation aura as bony protrusions erupted from her back. The mare started to scream in pain. Luna gasped. “She’s transitioning?! Quickly Rainbow Dash, get a blanket! Twilight Sparkle, go brew a pot of mine own blend!” Luna’s aura flashed as she and her dream avatar switched places. The lunar mare ran a ball of azure mana down along Sunset’s proto wings as the continued to grow. This helped to soothe the mare, and her convulsions ended. Rainbow returned with a blanket. Luna carefully levitated Sunset onto the blanket, making sure that her growing wings weren’t touched in any way. She took the towels that Rainbow had also thoughtfully brought and stanched the blood that flowed from the mare’s sides. “Why does this sort of thing always happen when we least want it to?” she grumbled as she ministered Celestia’s wayward pupil. Rainbow sighed. “Serenity was afraid this was going to happen. I got the impression that that was one of the reasons she was so angry. One of Star Swirl’s so-called ‘prophecies’ was actually designed to push away any student of Celly’s that showed hints of becoming a pegacorn. Twily showed the same ones, but Celly basically ignored them, thinking the ‘warning’ only applied to Sunset.” Luna gaped. “Thou canst mean that mine sister has let those prophecies direct everything she hast done in the last thousand years?!” Rainbow shook her head; she was using her magic to do the same on Sunset’s left flank that Luna was doing on her right. “Not everything; just where the either the Elements of Harmony, the Seal on Nightmare Moon, or the Seal over the Crystal Empire was concerned.” Rainbow grinned; it wasn’t a nice one. “Her releasing of Discord was at Solaris’ urging; seems like everything he ever did was a deliberate upset of all of Star Swirl’s efforts. Makes sense when you consider where he came from.” Luna frowned. “He’s a draconequus; his kind have oft been creatures of chaos.” Rainbow snorted at that. “Oh, gimme a break! Discord has as much relation to real Draconequi than I do to a hippogryph. Angela told me that he was a chimera created by the Utopian High Council as a last ditch effort to destroy Astropolis. It was stopped by a certain alicorn that I’m sure you’re quite familiar with.” Luna scowled. “As much as I hate to admit being wrong, I know that thou art correct, Rainbow Dash. Discord has always seemed far too mismatched to be a draconequus. I met a pair of them when young; they may be odd, but they have a natural form akin to gryphons.” Rainbow nodded. Twilight trotted in with a pot of Luna’s blend. “I got this as quickly as I could. How is she?” Twilight gazed in disbelief at Sunset’s shifting form. “Her wings are almost fully grown already?! It took Rainbow several hours before her horn fully grew in!” Luna sighed. “‘Tis different for every nascent.” Her eyes widened as sparks started to fly from the end of Sunset’s lengthening horn. “She’s flaring! Help me shield you two!” The other two alicorns joined their barriers with Luna’s own aegis as Sunset’s horn flared to life. Sunset’s eyes flashed open, glowing a bright white. All of the other alicorns present could feel the presence of primal forces as it forged a bond between the newly awakened pegacorn. Rainbow’s eyes glowed with the colors of the Aurora as Serenity once more used her as a mouthpiece. “No! This one is not yet ready! She must be able to choose! YOU SHALL WAIT UNTIL SHE WAKES! THE COUNCIL HAST SPOKEN!” The forces subsided in sullen anger. Sunset’s eyes continued to glow however, as she was still undergoing a mana flare. Twilight yelped as she felt vibrations thunder through the foundation of her palace. “She’s already approaching full apotheosis?! I thought that requires either a conscious choice or action!” “It does Twi! That’s why Serenity stepped in! She had the full backing of the Council of Essences on her side. The Primal Forces have chosen Sunset as their Avatar!” “Which force has chosen Rainbow Dash?” Luna asked, yelping as a particularly violent spark smacked her in the left flank. “All of them! Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Metal! They’ve been waiting for years; they were starting to bond well over five years ago now, just before she jumped into the mirror. YIPE! That’s my wing, not my shield, you stupid flare!” The other two chuckled at the glare Rainbow Dash gave off despite the situation. For the next few minutes, the three alicorns did their best to stave off wave after wave of magic that flowed off the horn, wings, and hooves of the ascending pegacorn that lay in the center of their rough circle. After a rough ten minutes, the flaring finally stopped; Sunset’s eyes closed and she finally fell asleep. The three alicorns dismissed their combined shields and took stock of their surroundings. Their efforts had paid off; other than a few singed feathers, a pair of smarting backsides, and a bit of wounded pride on the part of the Lunar Diarch, the damage had been contained. Luna rubbed her singed left cutie mark, then gave it a pat. “I do hate flare burns; you can’t heal them. Mine sister is going to have words with my Captain; he’ll get blamed for ‘practicing too hard with my baby sister’ again.” The other two mares giggled at that. Luna gazed at the young pegacorn between them. “What a hard night this has been. First I see three ghosts from the past; then I get a rightful chastisement from one that is far older than I can grasp; and finally I pay witness to something that not even Angela has ever been willing to contemplate.” The dark blue alicorn frowned. “However, there’s one thing I’ve learned this eve that I’m having trouble accepting. No matter who hast said it, I still find it difficult to accept that Clover is a pegacorn.” “That’s because she’s not a pegacorn; she hasn’t been one since before there even was an Equestria. Nor was she ever the unicorn she always pretended to be.” The mares all turned their heads towards the new voice. Princess Hope smirked as she walked her astral projection over to where the others were lying. “I suspected that this one would make her way here sooner or later.” She stroked Sunset’s mane with a tender hoof. “It was perhaps the hardest thing I’ve done in a long time, leaving her in that orphanage. However, I promised my daughter that I would not step one hoof on Equestrian soil unless and until the Council of Eight said I could. I keep the promises I make to my children; they seldom ask anything of me.” Twilight frowned. “Sunset told me that she was adopted, but I never knew from where. But you make it sound as though she’s also your daughter. That makes no sense.” Hope laughed gaily at that. “Oh Twilight; I’m not like my sister Essences; myself, Gaia, and Chronos all have true earthly forms. We feel the same urges Our Little Ponies do, and often give into them. I’m alone in that I allow children of said unions to be born though.” “Why? It’s not fair to deny new life a chance,” Rainbow said in a snappish tone. Hope’s expression grew sad. “Because it’s seldom fair to the child. Just look at what Sunset has gone through. Plus, all of my children know I’m their mother; they can’t help to.” Hope sighed. “That’s why she ran when she did; the fear she felt was the knowledge of how Harmony works. If she had failed- and as she was then, she would have failed if she had tried -her friends would have died from violent mana flares as the Seeds worked through them. In the end, all that would have been left is five dead ponies and a feral pegacorn. That’s after all the dead would have been counted, as she would have likely leveled Canterlot.” Hope’s gaze turned flinty as she looked at Luna. “I want you to hear, and hear well, what I am about to say Miss Moon Princess. You and your sister need to REJECT EVERYTHING that Star Swirl ever did or ever taught you. I’ve spent the last 2,347 years trying to unravel the mess he’s made, and you and your sister holding onto the tattered threads has only made my efforts thus far that much more difficult. I’m telling you the same thing I told my daughter Clover all those years ago; CUT HIM OFF.” Luna sighed. “I can’t speak for my sister, but I see the wisdom of it. By holding this nation- nay, our world -to the standards of the fallen nation of Utopia, he’s shown himself to be an unwitting pawn of the Dark One. That is why that city fell; it was a bastion of his power.” Hope nodded. She sighed. “Don’t misunderstand me; I love Star Swirl as much as any other of My Little Ponies. As full of hubris as he is, he has never truly given in to Evil. Those that have are among those whose names are inscribed on the Ninth Gate of Hel; they will suffer the same fate as  the damned King of Dragons when the time comes. I say when, because I have faith that the Time of Troubles that heads towards our world heralds the end of the Dark One’s influence.” Hope’s muzzle brightened as she gazed at the now-peaceful smile that graced Sunset’s muzzle. “Take care of this one for me; she is truly special.” Her projection dissolved into motes of Harmonic mana as it faded. The three mares settled down on pillows; Rainbow and Twilight curled next each other on Sunset’s right side, while Luna curled onto a stack on her left. They all soon dozed off, waiting for Sunset to wake.