Shimmer: La Jument Revolutionnaire

by GuyWhoWritesThings

Duel Seven: Magic.

The Sunday afternoon sun hangs low outside, as its last rays of light trickle into Sunset Shimmer and Starlight Glimmer's room through drawn curtains. While normally apart on weekends, the two currently crowd around a full-body mirror attached to the back of their door. Party dresses replace their standard Academy uniforms, and are the subjects of their current inspections. Sent by Rarity earlier in the week, they now serve as their attire for the party they've agreed to appear at for Spike's sake.

"I didn't realize when Spike said Rarity was throwing a party, he meant she was throwing a gala..." Sunset mutters as she looks down at her dress, and back to the mirror. Turquoise fabric wraps along the entirety of her trunk, light at her chest and transitioning into a darker gradient as it nears her flanks. The skirt billows out in layers as it travels down her hind legs, sparkling ever-so-slightly and trailing against the floor. A single loop of transparent fabric loops around her neck, attaching to the portion covering her chest. "This is ridiculous. I agreed to a social gathering, not whatever this is shaping up to be."

"It's not so bad, is it, Sunset?" Starlight's black dress stands in contrast to Sunset's. The material around her barrel is plain but not entirely unappealing, her front hooves set through small sleeves as the colors help better emphasize Starlight's own. The skirt is a single layer, that, while not transparent, becomes more opaque as it descends from the body of the dress and reaches the floor. Larger gems adorn the skirt, adding a bold flair of blue to the otherwise mono-tone design. "I'm sure you can bear with it, for Spike's sake." She smiles, eyes moving to Sunset, and then back to herself, in the mirror. "Besides, the dresses are pretty."

"I will say, Rarity's got the taste to go with her pompous attitude, at least." Sunset grins to herself. It may be a bit of an unfair quip to make with the slightly better insight she has on the mare, but Sunset can't resist. "So, got any idea what kind of party we're about to get ourselves thrown into, Starlight? You have..." Sunset pauses, phrasing her next few words carefully, "experience with Rarity, after all."

Starlight simply smiles at her. If she's bothered by Sunset's inquisition, nothing shows. "Rarity likes to throw functions for all the high-status ponies on the campus every month or so. It's probably just one of those, Sunset."

Sunset groans. "High-status, huh? I have enough experience with those to know they're always an unpleasant experience." Sunset rubs at the back of her ear with a hoof. "Geez, this is so not the place for me to be going. It makes me wonder why Spike's even going. I'd expect him to hate stuff like this even more than I do."

"Because of Rarity, of course." Starlight replies, tone neutral, but Sunset can still feel the unmade eye-roll and unsaid 'duh' behind the words that other ponies would have employed. "He'll always show up if Rarity invites him. It doesn't matter what it is that's going on."

"Makes sense, I suppose." Sunset shrugs. "Though, that just makes me ask why Rarity keeps inviting him. They seemed friendly enough when I saw them on the bleachers, but Rarity doesn't seem the type to like younger foals around her. Or dragons, in this case."

"It may surprise you, Sunset." Starlight explains. "But, Rarity has a crippling desire to dote on basically everypony, even if, to you, she may seem otherwise. So, with Spike, she..."

Sunset laughs nervously. "Come on, Starlight. You make it sound like Rarity just spends time with him out of pity because he has a crush oh her." Sunset's face falls as Starlight slowly turns away from both her and the mirror, choosing to stare at the opposite wall, instead. "Oh... the poor little fella. Doesn't she realize that's gonna hurt him, eventually?"

"I can't say." Starlight Glimmer replies, simply. "I only know what I've seen. Rarity never spoke of him to me directly."

Sunset finds herself looking away now as well, reaching a hoof for the door handle. "...Let's get going, Starlight. We're gonna be late if we keep standing here talking like this."

Starlight turns back to Sunset as the door creaks open, looking her over one final time. "What about your mane, Sunset?"

"What about it?" Sunset asks, turning back to Starlight and fluffing her mane from below with a hoof. "There's nothing wrong with my usual mane style, is there?"

"Of course not, Sunset."

Sunset gives Starlight a deadpan stare. "...You're judging me silently, aren't you?"

Starlight simply smiles and tilts her head slightly.

"Yeah, it's not happening. Let's get going." Sunset leads the way out before Starlight can rebut, using her magic to shut the door behind them. The two walk the halls of their dormitory in silence, not speaking again until they step out the building's front door and into the evening air. That's when Sunset turns to Starlight, trying to get a more positive conversation going. "Spike'll be happy to see you were able to slip out of your arrangement with the Headmaster for a night, Starlight. I hope she wasn't too upset about it."

"Oh no, everything's fine, Sunset." Starlight assures her. "Actually, the Headmaster was really happy to hear I had some new friends. She invited me to bring you after school some time to meet with her, if you like."

Sunset smirks at her. "Meet with the super secretive Headmaster that nopony ever sees? That's intimidating, but for you, Starlight, I think I'll give it a go, if you want me to."

"Sure, Sunset."

Indeed, the thought of meeting the Headmaster is intimidating to Sunset, but moreso, she thinks, is the thought of meeting one of the few ponies Starlight seems to trust that has no relation to the dueling game or Sunset herself. However, ever curious, and ever seeking answers, Sunset's more than happy to take Starlight up on that request. Answers to what, Sunset can't say, but even gaining some better insight into the personal life of the mare she's become so tangled up with will satisfy her. That, however, is a thought for another day, as for now, the two make their way to the Harmony Building, the only other in-use building in the 'Magic' Dormitory wing, and the only dormitory made from crystal.

---

After a mercifully short walk, the pair reach the front gates of the Harmony Building, set open to allow the party-goers easy entrance and exit. A high, white-crystal wall surrounds the property, with a single pathway leading to the building's front entrance. On either side of that entrance, inside the walls, are carefully maintained lawns, each dotted with apple trees as the property stretches in either direction. The Harmony Building itself is a mansion of three stories, ceiling-high windows dotting every floor, and a large balcony dotting the topmost, pillars stretching down to the ground-level to support it while further framing the entrance. The building, its crystals as white as its walls, glistens in the soft light of a rising moon. The windows, however, glow with the warmth of artificial lighting, symbolizing the night-time festivities within.

"Geez, Starlight..." Sunset mutters to herself, looking up at the Harmony Building from halfway along the pathway to the entrance. "This place is huge. Is a mansion like this really set aside for just five ponies? It's really... excessive."

Starlight nods. "Yes, only the Elements of Harmony and those given their explicit permission are allowed to stay in this building."

Sunset shakes her head, stepping up to the entrance and testing the handle on the door. Finding it unlocked, she swings it open. "Sometimes, I wonder how Friendship Academy even stays under budget. Between this place and the rest of the 'Magic' wing being completely unused besides us, they have to bleed bits."

Starlight giggles. "That's what I always tell Twilight when she has problems with the budget, but she insists on it being this way."

"Twilight, huh?" Sunset leans in to Starlight once the two are inside, shutting the door with her hind leg. "Someone sounds even closer to the Headmaster than I guessed she might be!"

"Oh! Well..." Starlight trails off, turning her head up to the ceiling. Sunset takes the hint and decides to take her own look around. The foyer of the Harmony Building is intricate, a spacious room with curved staircase on either side, leading to an upper level. The tables, railings, floors, and basically everything else are all crystal, colored to give the illusion of a contemporary mansion. "Let's get going, Sunset. We shouldn't keep Spike waiting." With that, Starlight takes the lead for a change, guiding the pair through a set of double doors on the first floor of the foyer.

"I'm guessing you already know where we're going?" Sunset asks. The question may as well be rhetorical, however. Despite not being explicitly told, she's sure that, assuming the Elements of Harmony followed the same rules when they were Champion of the Duels as she is now, that Starlight has stayed here in the past, and in turn likely knows the entire place like the back of her hoof.

"Yes, Sunset." Starlight answers anyway.

They travel forward, at Starlight's lead, taking one hall, then another, before finally finding themselves in front of a white door, the crystal shaped with great care to mimic the ornate wooden doors of an olden architecture. Starlight sets her hoof on the handle. "This is the Ball Room, as Rarity calls it. I don't think it actually has an official name, though." From inside, the two can hear the faint sounds of a violin, and the din of indistinguishable chatter between ponies, signifying that Starlight has the correct room.

Sunset bows her head and motions a hoof forward, giving her a playful grin. "Lead the way, Starlight."

"O-Okay, Sunset." Starlight replies, only slightly hesitant as her hoof turns the handle and pushes the door open.

Past the door is a room so expansive, the Dueling Arena is the only thing she finds herself capable of comparing it with. The floor is a translucent crystal, while the walls and ceilings remain white, and windows line the far wall. Rows of sheet-covered tables take up the left side of the room, covered with the kinds of high-class party favors Sunset's come to expect from these sorts of gatherings. A small stage rises on the right side, against the wall, and on it is a mare whose dark mane contrasts against her light-grey coat. Her Academy uniform is the standard white, but adorned with a pink bow tie, and the cuffs and tails have a particularly fanciful golden frill to them. She stands on her hind legs, her body propped against a large violin, drawing the bow in one hoof to play a smooth tune that floats effortlessly through the room despite the endless conversations going on between the party-goers.

The party-goers themselves mill about, carrying drinks both in-hoof and in-magic, most of them exemplifying the kind of dress code Rarity forced upon Sunset and Starlight. The party dresses many of the mares wear are colorful, fancifully designed, leaving the ones Sunset and Starlight are wearing as simply two among many. Stallions find themselves mostly in tuxedos - many black, but representing the range of white, ivory, tan, brown, and a few stand-out exceptions - with each having at least minor adjustments to things such as coat-tails or cuffs to try and make them unique. Sunset steps forward, toward the tables, in hopes of trying to find Spike, but a sharp intake of air behind her causes her to stop.

"Are you alright, Starlight?" Sunset asks, concerned as she looks back over her shoulder.

"Yeah..." Starlight assures her. "I'm just not used to being around this many ponies."

I suppose that's not entirely surprising... Sunset turns to her and rests a hoof on her shoulder. "We can go home, if you want, Starlight."

"I'll be okay, Sunset."

"If you're-"

"Hey! Shimsham! Glimglam!" Spike's voice calls out to them from within the crowd. Sunset spins back to the group, and soon sees a bobbing, black top hat, its purple-scaled owner waving a claw as her weaves through the party members and races over to them. "Glad you made it!" He says, grinning, tugging on the lapels of his tuxedo, white bow-tie barely visible against an equally-white dress shirt beneath. "This darn thing is so stuffy, I'm tellin' you."

Sunset sets her hooves on either of his shoulders, leaning in close to his face. She feigns her best annoyed glare, causing his happy grin to turn nervous. "Okay, Mr. Spikey-Wikey, we're establishing a new rule. No more cutesy nicknames. They're getting dumber the longer they go on. Got it?" She the lets her expression soften, giving him a playful grin and patting his shoulder. "Nice penguin suit you've got here, Spike. How's the party been going?"

"It sucks as much as I thought it would." Spike groans. "Actually, scratch that, it's worse! I can't even spend my time at the party hanging around Rarity because she's spending all her time with this obnoxious stallion she met from her own grade. Bluebutt, or something, I think his name was." Spike crosses his arms, glaring at the floor. "Heck if I care, anyway."

Sunset smiles sympathetically. "Or something, huh?" She giggles, doing her best to lighten his mood, and looking around the room. "So, come on, what have you been up to, anyway? Even if this party is a complete snooze-fest, you have to have something to be doing to pass your time."

"Oh! Sort of..." Spike rubs the back of his head with his claw as he and Sunset separate. "Rarity's sister and her friends apparently prepared for how awful this party would be by inviting this stage performer. We can't get anypony to let us put her on stage instead of Octavia's violin-playing but she's been really nice about just entertaining the four of us."

"Well, lead the way, Spike." Sunset says, motioning with her head for him to get moving. "We came here to hang out with you, after all, not these busybodies that Rarity invited."

He shoots her an excited, appreciative grin. "Thanks, Sunset." He spins on his feet and beckons them with a claw. "Follow the master, then!"

Sunset turns to look back over her shoulder. "You coming, Starlight? Or do you prefer staying here?"

"Coming!" Starlight quickly falls in place behind Sunset, as the two in turn follow Spike through the crowd of ponies and past the various snack tables.

"Rarity has a sister, huh?" Sunset asks, trying to make conversation as they walk to a far corner of the room. "I suppose that makes some things make a bit more sense."

"Yeah." Spike nods without turning around. "Sweetie Belle. Her friends are Apple Bloom, Applejack's sister, and Scootaloo, Rainbow Dash's would-be sister. They're fun enough to be around, I suppose. I mainly hang out with them when either you two or Rarity aren't around."

"Third choice. Harsh." Sunset laughs to herself. "But, 'would-be' sister?"

"Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash aren't actually related." Spike explains. "Scootaloo's an only-foal, I think, but her and Rainbow Dash act pretty much like a little sister and big sister, anyway."

"I bet it helps her fit in with her friends pretty well." Sunset comments. It's surprising how normal things seem to be around here, when these Magic Duels aren't involved...

"Yeah, maybe..." Spike trails off. "Hey, right over here!"

Spike runs ahead, leading them to a space between one of the far tables and a window. In it, three fillies sit in a semi-circle, squirming in party dresses they each clearly despise, their backs to Sunset. The center of their attention is an older azure mare, around Sunset's age, with a striped cornflower mane and striking, violet eyes. She wears a tuxedo similar to Spike's own, down to the bow-tie, and an overturned top hat rests at her hooves. She speaks animatedly, moving her hooves along with every word, voice carrying as effortlessly to Sunset as the playing of the violin now that she's closer.

"And that, dear fillies, is how The Grrrreat and Powerful Trrrrixie resolutely defended the planet from a monstrous creature from outer space!" The mare bows, sweeping one hoof in front of her chest.

"Okay, hold on." The raspy voice of one of the fillies, an orange one with a messy, purple mane, tiny wings visible over her dress. "The ursa major and the giant dragon were a bit crazy, but you expect us to believe you fought a space monster?"

"Yeah, that tale's a bit too tall, even for me." A second filly replies, this one with a yellow coat and red mane given more basic care. The pink bow that sits in her hair is a distinctive feature that Sunset surmises she must like to wear pretty much everywhere, as it clashes distinctly against the dark green of her party dress. The voice of the filly reminds Sunset of a much younger Applejack, though the twang in her words is much softer.

"Come on, everypony. It was still a cool story, wasn't it?" The third filly seems the most comfortable in her surroundings as she pleads with her two friends, her curling mane a twist of mulberry and pink, set against her alabaster fur. The tip of a horn pokes out of her mane, barely visible from behind.

Sunset feels confident in mentally determining which of the fillies is which without the need for an introduction.

"And what's so-" The performing mare's violet eyes snap up at Spike's return. "Ah, Trixie's assistant for the night has returned. And he brought friends!" Her eyes then turn to Sunset and Starlight. She pauses as she takes a sharp breath, her eyes becoming the tiniest bit wider.

"Uh. Hi." Sunset waves a hoof tentatively. She then notices the strange look on the mare she presumes to be 'Trixie', and looks back to Starlight Glimmer, who appears to be giving the other mare the same look. "...Starlight?" She traces the line and sight back and forth once, then again, being sure she's gauging the situation correctly. She then speaks, trying to break the deadlock of dumbstruck expressions between them. "Is there something going on here I should know about?"

"Ah!" It's the azure mare that breaks from her stupor first, shock transitioning to joy as she rushes forward, knocking over her top hat in the process, and pulls in Starlight into an enthusiastic hug. "Starlight Glimmer! It's been so long since I've seen you!"

"Ooooh!" Sunset leans in. "Starlight has an old friend, does she?"

"Of course she does!" Trixie grins confidently, looping one leg around Starlight's shoulders. "Starlight and I were, for the longest time, like this!" Trixie emphasizes her statement by squeezing Starlight close to her, their cheeks touching. "I was - am - her best friend, you know. Trixie Lulamoon's the name! But, you may address Trixie as The Great and Powerful Trixie! I haven't seen Starlight in a long time, but she must still talk about me sometimes, no?"

"Sorry." Sunset replies, shaking her head. For somepony so happy to see Starlight Glimmer, Sunset can imagine what the effect of knowing that her old friend never seems to talk about her is. "Starlight never really talks about her past all that much. Not for lack of me trying, that is."

"I see..." Trixie's face goes sour. "Then again, Starlight was never the most sociable pony, so maybe this is to be expected..."

Starlight pulls the hoof from around her off, turning to her old friend. "Sorry, Trixie. It's nice to see you again."

"Quite!" Trixie extends a hoof, waving it across the three fillies she'd been entertaining just before. "As you can see, The Great and Powerful Trixie was in the process of entertaining some wonderful fillies that have been forcibly detained in this stuffy party that is far too unsuitable for the younger audience! She would be honored to have her most valued assistant by her side once more!"

"Most valued assistant?" Sunset asks.

"Aww, what about me?" Spike protests.

Both questions are ignored, however, as Trixie's attention is squarely on Starlight Glimmer.

Starlight bows her head slightly. "I'm sorry. I'm here with Sunset tonight, Trixie."

"Oh, Starlight, that's nonsense, you ca-"

"Sunset, hm?" Trixie's eyes move from Starlight to Sunset, narrowing as she approaches. "That would be you, I take it?"

Sunset laughs nervously at the approaching Trixie, whose eyes look ablaze. "Uh, yeah, Hi, again. Sunset Shimmer! Starlight's roommate! Nice to meet you, Trixie Lulamoon, er, Great and Powerful Trixie! Ah... heh."

"I... see..." Trixie's eyes narrow further as she leans in to Sunset. "And just how do you know my Starlight Glimmer, hm?"

"Like I said, we're roommates!" Sunset spits out quickly. "Starlight was, uh," her eyes dart quickly to Starlight, and back to Trixie, "getting bullied, so I stuck up for her, and we ended up roommates. That's it!"

Trixie's eyes turn back to Starlight. "You? Bullied? Pardon if I don't believe such an intelligent, driven, and
confident unicorn mare like yourself could end up bullied without showing your aggressors what-for."

Sunset's eyebrows raise at that last adjective in particular as she glances between Trixie and Starlight again, the latter speaking. "Things have changed, Trixie." Starlight says plainly, though her eyes hint at other emotions. "Why are you here?"

"Because-"

Starlight cuts her off, an act that Sunset doesn't think she's seen the mare do to any other pony before. "I mean at the Academy, Trixie."

Trixie presses a hoof to her chest, raising her head and giving a confident grin. "The Great and Powerful Trixie has recently transferred to this fine establishment! And with her foalhood friend here, it is quite fortuitous luck indeed!"

"Yeah! Great luck! It'll be good for Starlight to have more-" Sunset's attempts to assuage the situation are interrupted by a pony tapping on her shoulder. She spins around quickly, a whirl of emotion between her current situation and the last time something tapped her shoulder. However, this time, all she finds is a gray-amber stallion, with a brown mane, wearing his own bow-tied brown tuxedo.

"Sunset Shimmer?" He asks, tersely.

"Yes?" She responds, resisting the urge to step back as her eyebrow raises. Behind her, Trixie and Starlight enter another exchange, but for some reason, the content of their words can't reach her ears.

"Here." He pulls an envelope from his suit, passing it to her. "This is for you." Without giving Sunset the chance to respond, he turns and heads back into the crowd of ponies, leaving Sunset stunned as she holds the envelope in her hoof.

Sunset's eyes go down to the letter, the front completely blank. She turns it over, and her heart skips a beat. The flap is sealed with a magenta, six-point star, just like the one that Rainbow Dash had shown her a few days previous. She scans the immediate area to be sure no other ponies are around, then tears the flap open with her magic, sliding the contents out. Inside is simply a single piece of folded paper, with a clear message once she unfolds it:

To the Champion of the Duels:

Come to the Dueling Arena at midnight.

Questions pile into Sunset's brain, faster than she can truly pay them mind. Who sent this? How had they sent it? Was it that stallion? Was it one of the Elements of Harmony? Why on a Sunday? Why more dueling? They all culminate into a single thought, one she hoped to be true but was never truly naive enough to believe. I'd hoped this stupid mess would've been over after beating all those Elements of Harmony!

"This better be some idiot's idea of a joke!" She turns her head back to Starlight Glimmer. "Starlight, we need to go!" Without waiting for an answer, Sunset gallops into the crowd of ponies, mind racing. Whoever's sending these letters knew I'd be here... did Rarity set this up? While she doesn't feel unsafe at the party, per-se, her need for answers is in full gear once more.

"Yes, Sunset!" Starlight calls after her, the sounds of hooves following behind Sunset.

"But, Starlight!"

"Sunset!"

The voices of both Trixie and Spike are drowned out as Sunset hunts through the crowd. There has to be at least one of those Elements of Harmony around here. They live here, after all...! While she hadn't spotted one on her way in, she also hadn't looked for them in particular. Now, however... There! Her eyes spot her target, an unmistakable stetson visible through the crowd, only further emphasized by her choosing to wear her orange Element of Harmony uniform. Sunset weaves her way past, Starlight hot on her hooves. "Hey, Applejack!" Sunset calls out once she's in earshot, grabbing the other mare's attention.

"Sunset Shimmer...?" Applejack turns to her, confused. "Well, I'll be! Heard you might come but didn't expect you to come say hello. How've you been?"

"Great, just peachy." Sunset replies, dismissively, heart pounding in her chest from adrenaline. Collecting herself, she pulls out the letter and envelope with her magic. "Is this one of your group's idea of a joke?"

Applejack takes both the letter and envelope into her hooves, examining them. "This... this is from End of the World, Sunset Shimmer." Applejack explains, darkly. "You beat Rainbow Dash, didn't you?"

Sunset's curiosity at that statement is enough to eat through her panic, bringing her back to reality. "You didn't know?"

"Nope, haven't seen her since Friday." Applejack confirms. "Won't talk with anypony but Fluttershy, didn't even show up here tonight. Fluttershy's with her as well, I think." She sees the question forming on Sunset's lips and continues without being prompted. "Pinkamena's not around, either. Whenever Rarity throws one of her parties, Pinkamena packs up and and crashes at her sister's dorm room for the night."

"What about Rarity?" Sunset asks. The thought of Rarity using the party to both ask for a rematch and mess with Sunset doesn't seem entirely outside of the realm of possibility, to her.

Applejack shrugs, handing the items back to Sunset, who quickly stows them in her dress. "She's out front with Hams-a-lot, if you want to confirm what I said with her." Applejack quickly scans the crowd, her eyes stopping on one pony in particular. "Best get going and take care of that, Sunset Shimmer. You're in a might bit of hurry, I bet, and tonight's chaperone is making his rounds this way."

Sunset follows her eyes, quickly finding the stallion she's talking about among the group of party goers. His dark grey coat is contrast by a royal purple Academy uniform, cuffs and collar furred. His mane is swept back and well-styled, black, with a large, cobalt streak. His green eyes look soft as he banters with one of the mares in the crowd, eliciting a giggle from her at some kind of joke.

"Who is that?" Sunset asks, eyeing the older stallion skeptically. "Teacher? I haven't seen him before." She knows it's protocol to have a faculty member present at larger student gatherings, and while Sunset certainly doesn't know every teacher on the campus, this stallion's appearance is striking enough that Sunset feels she should at least remember seeing him in a hallway once or twice, if nothing else.

"His name's Sombra. Student counselor. He's a nice enough stallion, honestly, but he likes to get you to talk. Especially if he thinks you're up to no good." Applejack turns to her. "Not exactly what you need right now, Sunset Shimmer, so get goin'. I'll distract him for you."

"Why are you helping me?" Sunset asks. While she definitely agrees with Applejack's assessment, the pressing need for answers doesn't cease. "I'd figured all you Elements of Harmony would be tripping over your hooves to see me mess up."

Applejack shakes her head. "The dueling game has rules, Sunset Shimmer. You've figured that much out by now, right?" Applejack grins. "Last time somepony broke them, Rarity got herself shown up by some hotshot fresher with a tree branch."

Sunset grins herself, surprised at being able to share some amusement over that event with one of the Elements of Harmony. "Thanks, Applejack." She looks over her shoulder. "Let's go, Starlight!"

Applejack tips her hat as the two run off to the exit doors, making her way toward the student counselor to fulfill her word. Sunset's magic pulls the doors open, and the two race out, a number of heads turning at their hurry as they barrel into the hallway.

"Why, on a weekend?" Sunset complains to herself as her and Starlight race down the hall. "Can I seriously not even have peace even on a weekend, anymore?" She curses under her breath as she reaches a junction in the halls, eyes darting between them as she tries to remember which way leads to the exit. "The two days I've come to appreciate the guarantee of not having this sprung on me, violated..."

Seeing Sunset's veiled confusion, Starlight takes the lead, silently heading down the hallway that leads back to the main foyer. Wordlessly appreciative, Sunset follows, using her magic to pull open the entrance doors to the Harmony Building upon entering its distinct opening foyer. Outside, under an apple tree nearest the path, Sunset sees Rarity talking to a stallion, just as Applejack alluded to. Not taking immediate note of him, she holds a fast, final debate with herself as to whether to trust Applejack's words on their own or verify them with Rarity, and decides to err on the side of caution.

"Oh my..." Rarity giggles daintily into her hoof. "That is so-" Mid sentence, she yelps, as Sunset Shimmer whirls her around so that the two stand face to face. Her eyes go wide for a moment, then narrow, immediately seething. "Sunset Shimmer, do you-"

"Sorry, Rarity!" Sunset cuts her off, eyes darting to the stallion she's with. At this distance, she can't not take notice of him. His coat is white, like Rarity's, with a flowing blonde mane and blue eyes. His well-cut jaw and honed facial features give him a look of an Aponis among ponies. "Sorry, Hams-a-lot, stealing your date for a minute." Sunset says, dismissing said Aponis out-of-hoof, and pulling Rarity aside.

"My name is-"

"Yeah, don't care!" Sunset yells over him, waving him off with a hoof, dragging Rarity across the path and under the nearest apple tree on the opposite side.

"Sunset Shimmer! What are you doing?!" Rarity protests in a whisper, the seething rage beneath it easily detectable. "You better have a-" Her tirade is cut off when Sunset produces the letter and envelope.

"Applejack says this is from End of the World." Sunset explains, equally hushed. "Is that true?"

"Yes, it is." Rarity confirms. "So, why are you bugging me about this on my date? Just do what it says!"

"Who even is End of the World, anyway?" Sunset asks, her own anger boiling equally hot to Rarity's "Who names themselves something so... pretentious?"

"Maybe, if you're lucky, you'll be able to ask them yourself and find out, dear." Rarity says, before turning away, flicking Sunset in the face with her tail. "Now, leave me be, please." She turns back to Sunset one final time, however. "I must say, though, you model that dress I sent you quite well. Maybe I should invite you over for a proper fitting, sometime."

"Yeah, that's nice. Maybe some other time!" Sunset shrugs her off, friendliness not something taking space in her mind right now. She darts down the path and out the gates of the Harmony Building, turning down the road back to her and Starlight's own dormitory.

"Where are you going, Sunset?" Starlight calls out, though she's now running alongside Sunset. Again, Sunset finds her impressed at her seemingly-sedimentary roommate's ability to keep pace with her so effortlessly. "The Dueling Arena's the other way!"

"To change, Starlight." Sunset replies sarcastically. "There is no way in tartarus I am dueling anypony in a ball gown, of all things."

"Oh."

---

The tower looms in the midnight sky before Sunset Shimmer, now clad in her Academy uniform, its intimidation factor renewed now that Sunset has no idea what to expect atop it. Her necklace presses heavy against her chest as a mix of dread and anticipation blooms. The double doors stand tall before her, gates serving as the final barrier between Sunset and whatever lies ahead. Or rather, they would be, but something sits in front of those doors this night - two pegasi, one yellow and pink, the other blue and prismatic.

"Fluttershy? Rainbow Dash?" Sunset asks as she steps towards them. "What are you both doing here?" Sunset's become accustomed to the ritual being a solo affair until she reaches the Dueling Arena. To have not one, but two visitors, rubs Sunset entirely the wrong way. It's just another change to something that's become so static to her, and in this situation, any change is very uncomfortable.

"End of the World sent you a letter, right?" Rainbow Dash asks in return. Her voice sounds empty, like a mare simply going through the motions. Fluttershy's hoof is pressed against her back, rubbing it circularly.

"How did you know?" Sunset asks, taking a step back from them, stance shifting instantly to defense. While the pair look anything but threatening, Sunset's edge is razor-sharp. "This isn't secretly either of you, is it?"

"No." Rainbow Dash shakes her head slowly. "You're the Champion of the Duels, Sunset Shimmer. You've defeated every Element of Harmony - and as far as we know, that means you've defeated every pony in possession of a Magic Crest necklace. The only person left to summon you to the Dueling Arena is End of the World, isn't it?"

"How should I know?" Sunset 's edge softens as she allows herself to relax. "This is the first time I've ever received a letter, and I got it from some shady pony at Rarity's party." Though she's relaxed, she still eyes the two, warily. "How did you know I'd receive a letter tonight, Rainbow Dash?"

"I didn't." Rainbow Dash stands, leaving the implications of her answer open as she steps toward Sunset Shimmer. At her right side, Sunset can see Rainbow Dash's estoc hanging clearly. She moves closer to Sunset, one step at a time, and while Sunset's mind says she should be retreating in equal measure against an armed mare outside the Dueling Arena, her body stays rooted in place. Sunset's heart races as Rainbow Dash's left hoof reaches, but breaking her expectation, Rainbow Dash instead pulls the strap that holds the estoc's sheath in place over her head, offering the weapon to her. "It's still broken. But... I have a feeling you're going to need it, Sunset Shimmer."

"Thanks..." Sunset Shimmer says absent-mindedly, looping it over herself. The weight of the weapon feels strange at her side, as does the strap resting against the back of her neck. It's not something she enjoys having to wear, but for some reason, she feels compelled to listen to Rainbow Dash's advice. Advice that she still doesn't know the purpose behind. "Wait. Rainbow Dash, what's going on? Why are all you Elements of Harmony helping me all of the sudden?" She asks, locking her eyes once again with the cerise eyes of Rainbow Dash, instantly reminded of their duel. This time, however, it's different. That spark held by those eyes during that duel seems missing, leaving her eyes dull and unreflective.

Rainbow Dash turns her head away and begins walking down the path away from the tower. Fluttershy quickly gets up and begins following her, turning back for just a moment. "I'm rooting for you, Sunset Shimmer! Good luck!" She waves a hoof, and soon, both are gone.

"Well... looks like there's only one thing left to do." Sunset says to herself as she pulls out her necklace, eyes on the hilt of the estoc at her side. The crystal and the doors glow, Sunset's eyes squinting, and once more, the entrance clatters open. Taking one final breath to prepare herself, Sunset steps forward.

Inside the tower lies the second tower. Trepidation fills Sunset as she takes the first step on the stairs. The anger she felt upon getting the letter is now long forgotten in the reality of her situation. Only one thing happens in the Dueling Arena, and while she knows the rules and the stakes, she also knows the dangers - dangers that feel far more real when she has no knowledge of her opponent. Rainbow Dash's actions only served to further her paranoia. She knew I'd get a letter, somehow... does that mean she knows who's up here? Does she secretly know who End of the World is? Is that really who's up here?

Those questions are replaced by one even more immediate as she nears the top of the staircase, now bathed in the light of the castle, the structure hanging above like an ominous chandelier. Starlight Glimmer, in her magenta dress, is waiting for her at the top of the staircase, a hoof extended to her, face neutral. Around the two, the midday sky once more replaces midnight, clouds swirling around the edges of the Dueling Arena. Feeling compelled, Sunset takes Starlight's hoof in her own, and ascends to the top of the staircase. The arch normally leading into the Dueling Arena simply reflects her and Starlight Glimmer back at themselves, the entire thing filled in with a giant mirror.

"Starlight, what is this?" Sunset asks, looking up at the expansive, glass surface.

"Come, Sunset." Starlight beckons, and steps forth. Sunset's eyes go wide when Starlight crosses the threshold of the mirror, its surface rippling.

What in tartarus?! She just walked right through a giant mirror! Where did it even come from? The Dueling Arena has always been pretty crazy, but it's never changed before. She laughs to herself. Then again, I suppose today is a day of a lot of firsts. Looking back up to the reflective surface of the entrance-mirror-thing, Sunset's eyes go wide, reflecting back to her as she realizes she's still standing, alone, after Starlight Glimmer has already gone ahead. She finds her hooves quickly, running at the glass-like surface without hesitation. "Wait, Starlight!" She clenches her eyes shut at the time she should impact, but simply passes through the threshold instead.

Reaching the other side, Sunset stops, slowly opening her eyes. She's... taller, than she remembers. Wait... She turns on two legs, back to the mirror. The reflection staring back at her isn't the pony that Sunset Shimmer knows as herself. She has two arms, two legs, hands, fingers... completely alien appendages that still somehow also feel natural. This form... I look kind of like...! Matching pants and shoes now compliment her uniform's coat. She runs the hands along her face, exploring it, in disbelief at its lack of fur and muzzle, her fiery hair now flowing along her back. The fact Sunset seems to know exactly how this strange body she's been put into works only amplifies her discomfort.

"It's been a long time since you've looked like that, hasn't it, Sunset Shimmer?" A feminine voice asks from behind. It's not the fact a voice is there that causes Sunset to turn on her heels in a panic, but the fact it's a voice Sunset's heard before, mere days before.

The... thing, in front of Sunset Shimmer takes time for her to fully process, but one feature stands out to her above the rest - the magenta uniform, in the style of the ones worn by the Elements of Harmony. "You!" Her pale-violet skin contrasts against the magenta uniform, while her hair hangs in a long bang just above her eyes, more trailing down her back, straight, colored deep blue with dual stripes of violet and rose. Unadorned, violet eyes look over her softly, as if the thing across from her is looking at an old friend and not an opponent in a duel. "Who? What? How?" All the questions try to spill from Sunset's mouth at the same time. "Explain!" She yells, stomping a foot, her mind feeling overwhelmed at the situation she now finds herself in.

The girl's gaze turns solemn, turning to the floor. "It would be you to make it this far, Sunset Shimmer." She lets out a long, wistful sigh. "I shouldn't be surprised, should I?"

"How do you know who I am?" Sunset's confusion, anger, and trepidation and melt into a stew of emotion as she points accusingly. "Are you the one who called me here?"

"Yes." The girl across answers simply.

"Then, you're the one organizing these duels? You're the one who calls themselves End of the World!" Sunset juts her finger forward to emphasize her point. Even if she doesn't know who or what the being in front of her is, she feels a tiny bit of satisfaction in knowing that-

"No." Comes another simple reply, deflating Sunset's conviction instantly. "The End of the World is not a person, or a pony, or any other such creature."

"How can it not be a pony?" Sunset asks, her pointing hand clenching into a fist as her voice quivers with both frustration and desperation in equal measure. "Then, what is it, some kind of organization, or-"

"No." Sunset's thought train is again killed by that simple reply, before it can finish. "The End of the World is not any kind of group, or organization, or any other varying collective of ponies, people, and other creatures thereof."

"Then, what is it?!" Sunset feels her heart pounding in her chest as she allows her arm to drop, the strength from the anger she's been gripping so tightly slipping away. "Tell me! The thing that runs these duels, that makes Starlight Glimmer suffer the way she does, tell me what it is! Tell me, what is End of the World?!"

"I'm sorry." The girl apologizes. "You need to discover for yourself the truth behind The End of the World."

"Why?!" Sunset's foot stomps, anger renewing as both her fists clench. "Why is it so important I 'discover the truth for myself', that it's worth my friend being put through this terrible dueling game, instead of you just telling me now?!"

"Do you understand the nature of the Magic Duel, Sunset Shimmer?" The girl's question is soft, betraying no response to Sunset's outburst.

Sunset's mind rebels at the apparent non-sequitur, despite the girl continuing to stand calmly at her place in the Dueling Arena. "The nature of the Magic Duel?!" Sunset bites her lip, taking a long, drawn breath to keep control of herself. The confusion of her situation is finally subsiding, leaving only her emotions directly related to the girl across from her left, and those are things Sunset Shimmer can keep in check. While she'd love to let those feelings run free, and let the girl bear their brunt in turn, she knows she can't let that happen if she wants answers. "I know what the others have said about it. That the purpose of the game is to obtain the Crystal Mare, and somehow use it to gain some kind of great power."

"Every Magic Duel is a test, Sunset Shimmer." The girl replies, ignoring Sunset's answer completely.

"A test?!" Sunset's frustration and disbelief return as soon as she's finished burying them. "Baking something that lives up to Mrs. Cake's standard in Home Ec. is a test!" Sunset fights with herself, desperate to keep her composure. "How can these duels possibly be a test of anything, besides who's better with a sword?"

"And, are you better with a sword than the Elements of Harmony, Sunset Shimmer?"

"Of course I-" Sunset stops herself, halfway through her reply. She thinks back to each of her experiences with the Elements of Harmony in turn - Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkamena, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash. Her fists clench their tightest yet, her fingernails digging into her palms. "No, I'm not. Before these Magic Duels, I'd never used a sword before. Even Fluttershy is better with her sword than I am."

"And yet, you are the Champion of the Duels."

"I..." Sunset turns her gaze down to her feet, fists still clenched tight. "I just, after I learned about the way Starlight was being treated, I wanted to stop it, is all. This dueling game, all of it. I'm not like the others. I don't have any important thing, some big desire or ideal to fight for."

"If that's true, then lose this duel to me." The girl recommends.

"Lose the duel? On purpose?" It's an idea Sunset Shimmer considered very briefly, long ago, before her Magic Duel against Applejack, but an idea she quickly tossed aside. Even if, initially, it was simply overzealous altruism, she wanted to help Starlight Glimmer, and now, as her friend, that idea sounds more unpalatable than it's ever been.

"Yes." The girl gives a nod, but never looks up from the floor. "If I win this duel, I'll take Starlight Glimmer. She'll disappear from this Academy, forever, and the dueling game will cease."

"...Disappear?" Sunset mouths the word, stunned, turning back up to the figure across from her.

"That's what you said you wanted, right? For the dueling game to end?"

"I..." This time, it takes several long, deep breaths before Sunset can speak again. "I don't want Starlight Glimmer to just... disappear. I want her to be free from the rules of these Magic Duels, but I also want to able to be her friend, friends with the mare I know is buried, deep in there, underneath all this junk that's been forced on top of her! Friends, without all the baggage that this dueling game brings with it! That's why want to end it, the proper way!"

The girl smiles, finally looking up to face Sunset Shimmer. "Then, it sounds like you have plenty to fight for, Sunset Shimmer."

The tension flowing through Sunset's body finally goes free, her hands going limp at her sides. As she relaxes, she finds it in her to return the girl's smile. "Yeah. I suppose I do."

The girl's eyes turn to the side, and Sunset follows them. Both spot the third occupant of the Dueling Arena as the girl speaks. "Starlight Glimmer. Please, the crystals."

Starlight's skin tone is similar but a bit lighter to the coat color of the pony Sunset is used to seeing,while her mane is styled and colored in its usual way. The magenta dress flows to the floor, highlighted by green frills along the waist, the rest of it mirroring the design choices of its equine counterpart, just fit to her current body. She steps forward, standing in front of Sunset Shimmer, cupping a six-point star crystal in her hands. Reaching, she gently pins it to her chest. "A small crystal from deep within me, for you..." She says, ritualistically, eyes on the crystal, but then turns her gaze up to meet Sunset's own. "I believe in you, Sunset Shimmer." She says softly, so only Sunset can hear. She then steps back, once, then twice, and turns on her heels. Wordlessly, she approaches the figure across from Sunset, and pins another of the crystals on the girl's own chest. "And for you... a fleeting crystal from The End of the World."

Starlight then returns to Sunset's side. A hand rests on Sunset's shoulder, just as a hoof would normally. The two lock eyes, as Starlight's hand traces its way down Sunset's arm. She takes hold of it, entwining it with the small of her back. Sunset uses her arm to brace Starlight, having an idea of the purpose behind the gesture.

"Our talk is over, Sunset Shimmer. Please, draw your sword." The girl's tone is solemn, lacking any of the confidence or bravado other Duelists so far have exhibited.

Starlight Glimmer's eyes close, moving her hands up to her chest. "Spark of Friendship, which lies deep within..." Cupping her hands, the white light appears, energy emanating from her as she wills the power forward. Her body collapses backwards, into Sunset's grip, as the power pushes against her. "Heed me, and come forth..." The energy causes Sunset's hair to billow, as it grows, taking the shape of a rod. It solidifies, and an ornate, curved guard appears around the rod - now the hilt of a sword - the six-point star pommel glowing a soft magenta.

Sunset reaches for it, gripping the handle in one hand. She draws it out slowly, feeling its strange power flow once more through her body. Once the blade is half-way free, she pulls it out in a swift motion and points it at the strange girl. "Grant me the power to revolutionize the world!" The words spill from Sunset's mouth, without her recognition, as if they belong to someone else.

Somewhere, outside the Dueling Arena, a chorus of bells rings, flooding the ears of every person on the platform.

"Very good." The girl compliments, reaching to her side to grip her own weapon. The determination Sunset feels from drawing the sword quickly evaporates at what she sees. The handle is an ornate, rounded gold, with a hand guard reaching over the fingers. The blade is a moderate length, and at its pommel is the magenta, six-point star. It's the Spark of Friendship, the exact same sword that Sunset holds in her own hands. How? The girl's eyes steel themselves, the emotions from before the duel being shut away as she focuses on her task. She raises the sword in her right hand, handle level with her shoulder and blade pointed skyward, pressing her left hand over the hand-guard. "Your test begins now, Sunset Shimmer."

From the sidelines, Starlight Glimmer watches, eyes dancing behind their crystal sheen as they focus on Sunset Shimmer.

Sunset and the girl charge at the same time, blades not taking long to clash together in the center of the ring. "You still never explained how this is supposed to be a test!" Sunset grips the handle of her own weapon with both hands. Finding the right footing is a struggle at first, but Sunset is soon able to press against the girl's strike. "If these Magic Duels have nothing to do with sword skill, then what are they testing? It doesn't mean crap to tell me that if you're still only going to leave me with the same vague bull everypony else is!"

The girl soon steps back, allowing Sunset to take the initiative, blocking and parrying as Sunset strikes. "That bullheadedness of yours... I envy that about you, Sunset." The swords clash, one ring of metal washing over the Dueling Arena after the next. While the girl's crystal remains in no immediate danger, she remains entirely on the back foot, and the winces she exhibits upon each clash of steel do a lot to highlight the gap in physical strength between the two. "Though, sometimes it makes you miss the forest through the trees, doesn't it?"

Sunset swings broadly, nearly knocking the girl's sword from her grasp. "Why do you keep talking like you know me?!" Sunset continues her assault, not showing an ounce of mercy even as she asks her questions. "Have we met before? Tell me who you are!"

Their weapons clash again, this time near their base, their hands nearly touching as both press themselves forward in an attempt to overpower the other. Sunset's face is only a breath away from the girl's now. "It really has been a long time, hasn't it, Sunset Shimmer?" Her voice is completely at rest, despite the exertion her body is making against Sunset. "I suppose it's not too surprising you'd forget..." The girl looks away, eyes becoming distant, lost in an old memory despite the duel taking place between her and Sunset Shimmer.

"Just tell me!" Sunset bites back, again finding herself overpowering her opponent as the other girl's knees bend. "If I really forgot, just tell me who you are, already!"

"The answer's right here, Sunset Shimmer..." The girl replies, calm as ever, even as her body buckles under Sunset's offense. "All you need to do is seek it out."

Starlight Glimmer's eyes waver, uncertainly, passing between Sunset Shimmer and the girl.

Those words, and the soft manner they're spoken in, are enough to give Sunset pause. In that brief moment, the girl slips her sword free of Sunset's, and slashes horizontally, a single target in mind. Sunset pulls her hands away quickly to preserve her fingers as the girl's sword clashes against the hilt and guard of her own. Without the grip of its owner, Sunset's Spark of Friendship is easily swatted away, clattering against the floor of the Dueling Arena. Sunset takes a step back as the girl rises, eyes darting between her and her weapon, reaching a hand out futilely.

"That magic isn't here, Sunset Shimmer." The girl says, reading Sunset's attempt to tap her unicorn magic and will the Spark of Friendship back to her. "Did you really believe that the Spark alone is enough to accomplish those high goals of yours, Sunset?" She raises her own weapon high, tip pointed directly at Sunset as she maneuvers herself between Sunset and the lost sword. "I'm sorry, Sunset Shimmer. But, if that's the case, then this lesson between us is coming to an end."

The pommel of the girl's sword glows, a brilliant magenta. Above the two Duelists, the light of the castle brightens, flooding the Dueling Arena with intense, artificial light. With inhuman, barely perceptible speed, the girl lunges forward. Her right arm extends, aim true as her body is enveloped with the light of her weapon.

With one thrust, metal clashes.

The girl's sword finds itself caught between the cross-guard and shattered blade of Rainbow Dash's estoc, Sunset grasping the hilt tightly in both hands as she uses it to pull the girl's blade aside. "If you're going to quote that phrase, remember to quote the whole thing!" Sunset smirks, eyes alight as they meet the girl's, whose soften. "I may not have unicorn magic right now, but the Magic of Friendship is everywhere, or so I've heard!" Sunset twists her hold on her new weapon, and with a flair that's still vivid in her memory from her duel with Rainbow Dash, throws the girl's sword from her grip, sending it clattering to the Dueling Arena floor beside Sunset's own.

Starlight Glimmer gasps, eyes wide. A swirl of amber and magenta reflect from her crystal sheen.

"Very good, Sunset Shimmer." A faint smile graces the girl's lips as Sunset brings down the remains of the estoc, swiping the crystal from her chest. "Maybe you'll be the one who smashes this world's shell, after all."

The bells chime once more, flooding the Dueling Arena deafeningly as a stillness falls over both Sunset Shimmer and the strange girl.

Sunset Shimmer blinks, and she's shorter, standing on four legs. Rainbow Dash's estoc is held aloft in her magical grip, thrust downward in the end of the striking arc that closed out the Magic Duel. She looks around herself, panic rising once more, only to find herself completely alone, under the chandelier-light of the castle above.

Both the strange girl and Starlight Glimmer are gone.

Comments

[WolfWatcher7]

... wow almost twice as many words already. Awaiting the next chapter!

[GuyWhoWritesThings]

7871613
Yup!

More importantly, there's now enough bits that it should actually be possible to suss out part of what's actually going on. Either that. or leave things more confusing than ever. Both are acceptable, really.