World 3: Chapter 2
“I can’t believe it. I thought finding Rarity and Rainbow Dash was a stroke of luck, but now we’ve got you!” Sunset grabbed hold of the fellow unicorn, wrapping her in a hug. “This might be easier than I expected.”
The Twilight of this world grabbed Sunset as well, but with her magic, pushing Sunset off her immediately. “I’m not exactly sure what you’re talking about, which is fine since we’re going to be evaluating everything you know. If you would, please follow me to my study.”
“Everything I know?” Sunset reiterated as she levitated her backpack over, pulling it on. “I’m sorry, I’m not exactly sure what you mean by that.”
Twilight pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose. “Forgive me. Perhaps you had not yet spoken to Nightmare Moon about this. My mentor has requested me to obtain all the information relating to you, your world, and these—what did she call it?” A clipboard suddenly appeared in a puff of smoke. “Ah, yes, the Elements of Harmony. Apparently, I’m one of those as well. I always assumed I was meant for greatness, but it’s satisfying and rewarding to hear it straight from my teacher’s mouth.”
“Wait, hold on,” Sunset cut in, “I just want to make things clear for me—is Nightmare Moon your teacher?”
“That’s right.”
“But that’s supposed to be Princess Celestia!”
The clipboard fell from Twilight’s magical grasp, but she caught it before it could strike the ground. “Princess Celestia?” Twilight repeated the name as if she were repeating the punchline of a funny joke. “I’m not sure what it’s like in your timeline, and I assume you’re very humorous there, but please refrain from speaking about Equestria’s enemies in such a frivolous matter.” The purple unicorn then turned away and said, “Now, if you would, please follow me.” She started walking and did not look back to see if Sunset was following—which she was.
They took the elevator down to the bottom floor, passing ponies who looked far more luxurious than anyone Sunset had ever seen. The richer they looked, the busier they were, and then Sunset realized that they were serving staff. Nightmare Moon must pay well, she assumed, glancing over a stallion in a suit that looked too uncomfortable to work in. She didn’t have long to stare, following Twilight was an extraordinary task. The purple unicorn was quick, and when they went outside, Sunset believed that she would lose the apprentice in the darkness. However, the city was bright, something Sunset hadn’t expected. The moon’s power was strong, overpowering any shadow or darkness. It was like the sun hadn't disappeared at all.
Across the grassy courtyard and over to a building that stood as an offshoot of the castle, Sunset stared at the giant glass window of the tower. “This is your study?” she asked, noting that it was the same tower she’d seen the night before.
“That’s right. Nightmare Moon allows me to have free access to the castle grounds so long as I live within the gates,” Twilight replied as she led Sunset up the spiraling steps and to the door. When they entered, Sunset was surprised to see the quaint home. To the left sat a settee that allowed for staring out the open balcony, and to the right sat a curved sofa meant for waiting guests with another sealed balcony just to the side of that. However, this was only the foyer to the rest of the home.
It was far bigger on the inside. The entryway led upstairs to the main floor where an enormous library of shelves were all filled with different varieties of books. In the center sat a giant telescope, and on the ceiling sat an even larger hourglass. The sand was running down slowly, Sunset assumed it was for telling the hour of the night. There was another set of stairs leading up to the second level, and just past that was a small alcove with a desk and magical supplies.
To the right of the second staircase sat a small hallway and what looked to be a bedroom, though the door was half closed. As she stepped into the center of the room, she got a better view of the second floor. There were more shelves, and just over the railing she could see bits of a lounge along with another closed door. “This place is massive! I didn’t get anything like this when I was an apprentice.”
“When you were an apprentice?” Twilight asked.
Sunset had already said too much, but it would do no harm to give Twilight the full amount of information. “In my world, I was once an apprentice to Princess Celestia before I decided I didn’t like being under her.”
“That’s good to hear,” replied Twilight. The purple unicorn made her way over to the stairs that led up to the second level. To the side sat a couch, which she levitated to the middle of the room beneath the hourglass, taking the left side as her seat. “Nightmare Moon was afraid you were secretly a spy for the evil harbinger of the sun. It’s good to hear she is disliked in other worlds as well.” Scribbling began to ring out as she took notes.
“Well, that’s not exactly how things are—”
“What is the glorious Nightmare Moon like in your world?” Twilight interrupted. “Are you her apprentice?”
“There is no Nightmare Moon in my world,” Sunset sternly replied. “She was beaten, cast down by the Elements of Harmony and redeemed. Her true self was returned to the world. Princess Luna remains at Princess Celestia’s side and they rule Equestria together.”
Twilight stared for a long moment from behind her gray glasses. She looked a lot like the Twilight from Crystal Prep, Sunset recognized. But she had been through two worlds now that displayed drastically different characteristics of those she knew. This world couldn’t be like her own Equestria except with Nightmare Moon as the ruler. There had to be something negative.
“Princess Luna, you say?” Whether Sunset had struck a nerve or not, she couldn’t say. The Twilight of this world appeared calm, collected, and far more interested in Sunset than the other two she'd met. “She’s never spoken to me about being someone else, but I’ll make a note of it nonetheless,” she said, jotting down the information on her clipboard. “How do you operate in a world where the sun threatens your very existence?”
“What are you talking about? It doesn’t threaten my existence—it helps it. The sun is a good thing.” Sunset could feel herself getting angry. Glancing away from the purple unicorn, she marveled at the catalog of books, hoping she could cool herself off by reading some of the titles. They were completely out of order.
“I’m sure it doesn’t.” It sounded mocking, and it probably meant to, but Twilight moved on immediately. “Let’s roll back to who you are instead of the horrid world you live in. You’re Sunset Shimmer, ex-apprentice to the evil Princess Celestia. How do the Elements of Harmony associate with you? What do they do and why are the bearers six ponies?”
Horrid. Evil. Sunset rolled her eyes out of view of the other unicorn. “The bearers are my friends—sort of. I know Celestia and Luna once used them to defeat Discord, but as to why the Tree of Harmony chose to give the bearers that right as well, I don’t have an answer. I’m trying to figure out what the Tree of Harmony is myself…”
“Then we’ll be working closely together, it seems. Why did you end your apprenticeship, and what did you do afterward?” Twilight asked, and Sunset could hear the thoughtful scribbling in the background.
“I ended it because I wanted to become an all-powerful demon who controlled the minds of students,” Sunset remarked, laughing at herself for telling the truth, even if Twilight wouldn’t realize it. “Of course, I got what I wanted, and I was sorely defeated by the powers of friendship.”
The scribbling stopped. “Please try to answer seriously, it’ll be easier on both of us.”
“Oh, please. Your world is somehow able to survive even though plants require sunlight to perform photosynthesis. Don’t claim what I say is a joke when that’s the biggest punchline I’ve ever heard.” Sunset felt the edge of her backpack’s straps digging into her shoulders, so she threw it off. “And your books are completely unorganized. Now there’s a joke for you—a Twilight Sparkle who botches organization.”
Other than Sunset’s judgements of the world, the room went silent. Once Sunset shut her mouth, she realized that the Twilight of this timeline might not be emotionally receptive to anger, much like the one from Crystal Prep. "You're supposed to be so smart, but did you ever think that you shouldn't be messing around with things you don't understand?!" she remembered yelling at that Twilight, and how bad she felt immediately after. When she threw a look over her shoulder, Sunset was surprised to see Twilight so calm.
“Are you finished?” Twilight replied.
The way she said it stuck with Sunset for a moment, visioning her old self saying something similar. “Yes,” answered Sunset, squaring her eyes back on the dysfunctional shelf.
“I haven’t had time to organize them—” The scribbling returned “—I’ve needed an assistant for years but nobody meshes with me very well, at least no one that I could order around. I’d rather not task friends with that duty either.”
As Sunset listened, she realized she was staring at a book about dragons. Happenstance. A smile came rushing to her face, only to be swept away by a frown. How did Twilight get Spike? she wondered. The Twilight of this world called out another question but Sunset ignored it, fetching the old journal out of her pack. She brushed over the pages, hoping the name Spike would draw her eyes somewhere within the paper. “Have you ever had a chance to get a baby dragon?” Sunset asked as she worked over the journal.
“A what?” There was a bit of scorn in the voice. “No! No, I have not.”
From my understanding, Twilight has had Spike for most of her life. Both the dog and the dragon are a fundamental part of Twilight’s life—yet none of the worlds I’ve visited have him there! If I can find just one bit of detail as to when she gained Spike, I can find out when Twilight and that Starlight Glimmer ruined the past. I might even be able to correct the map to send me there! She slowed down as she scanned every page, examining the words closely.
“Excuse me. I have many more questions that I need to get through—could you do whatever it is your doing later? I’ve got a significant schedule, and helping Nightmare Moon is of top priority.”
“I’m sure your schedule is not nearly as important as me or what I’m doing,” Sunset argued, shaking her head as she concentrated on the turning pages.
Suddenly and violently, Sunset’s journal ripped from her grasp. “Hey!” she yelled, following the book with her eyes as it leapt to Twilight’s lap.
“Let’s see what’s so important,” Twilight said in a rather flat voice. Sunset charged over to her, stomping her hooves to sound threatening. Twilight, however, shielded herself in a bubble. “Aw, you want lessons on how to make friends in school. What important affairs you must have,” she sarcastically prodded, glaring and rolling her eyes, lifting her upper lip in an attempt to mock Sunset.
“Oh yeah?” Sunset slammed both forelegs on Twilight’s shield. “Take a look at who I’m talking to, genius!” she exclaimed, taking a page right out of Rainbow Dash’s vernacular.
Twilight flipped back a few pages, glancing over the words written with an unfeeling expression. Something in that changed, however, as her brows suddenly tightened. She glanced more, read more, and furrowed more. “Princess Twilight Sparkle?” she announced. “This can’t be real. I assumed the whole other world thing was a joke, that you were just some gifted unicorn who came from another part of Equestria and was playing dumb.”
The bubble suddenly popped for Twilight, both figuratively and literally, and Sunset was upon her in a second. Prying the book from Twilight’s magical grasp wasn’t easy, but Sunset held it against her chest, refusing to let go. “No! This is my journal. Get your own!” She would feel silly later for yelling such a filly-like thing, but she meant it. “I lost it once, I’m not losing it again!”
Not even bothering with magic, Twilight swung herself onto Sunset’s back, digging under the world hopper’s forelegs to get at it. “My name is in there—that makes it half mine! Tell me who I am! Tell me who that is!”
“What are you whelps fighting about?”
The voice was so intimidating that both of the mares stopped in their tracks. Twilight’s glasses had fallen to the floor and Sunset was clenching her teeth down on the binding of her journal. They both flung themselves back onto their hooves as Nightmare Moon ascended the foyer’s steps. “Is this what you’re fighting over?” Levitating Sunset’s journal away, Nightmare Moon flipped open the cover and began reading a few of the pages. “Hmm.”
Though Sunset wanted to complain about the fact that other ponies were reading her journal, she decided to stay that conversation for another time and another, less threatening alicorn. “Twilight Sparkle,” Nightmare Moon said, “I’ll have a moment with the time traveler.”
“Yes, of course,” replied the purple unicorn as she tidied up her hair and swiftly trotted out of her own home.
Sunset had no idea what to say or do, so she did neither. It feels like I’m having a test graded, she thought as she waited for Nightmare Moon to speak, expecting some sort of scolding or contempt. But instead, laughter erupted from the villainess. “You?” she said, looking up from the journal. “You were Celestia’s pupil, and you turned into an evil demon in this… high school? To be honest, I’m quite impressed. Perhaps I should be more careful of you—you might be desiring my seat of power.”
“I’m not like that—” she started to argue.
“No, of course not.” The journal slammed shut. “You noticed who my assistant was, correct?” Sunset gave a swift nod in response, and Nightmare Moon closed her eyes. “I didn’t recognize her when she appeared in my Everfree Castle. She looked nothing like my assistant. Flat hair. No glasses. Unclothed. Wings!” She groaned, dropping her head. “I haven’t told her that I met that strange version of her, that I saw her, spoke to her, and watched her leave.”
Sunset wasn’t expecting a villain to be so paranoid of something that sounded like it was straight from a slice of life television show generally called ‘sitcoms’. “Why didn’t you tell her?”
Nightmare Moon remained silent and then walked forward, tossing the journal back to Sunset as she passed the unicorn. The giant window seemed smaller compared to the alicorn, and Nightmare Moon’s mane detracted from the stars of the sky. “What happened to me in your timeline? You said I was… redeemed. Go into detail, if you would.”
“I wasn’t there, but to my understanding, the Elements of Harmony were used to break your curse. They transformed you into your old self, Princess Luna. Princess Celestia accepted you back warmly, I believe she too was saddened by having been apart from you for so long,” Sunset answered.
“I see.”
“B-but.” Sunset remembered the things Celestia had told her in the previous worlds and the gossip she had heard from the other Elements. “Without the bearers, Celestia defeated you and returned you to the moon in both the worlds I’ve visited. In the first, she hated talking about you, and I believe she thought of not being able to save you was her biggest failure.”
A silence permeated the air for what seemed like minutes to Sunset before Nightmare Moon finally spoke. “That was not her biggest failure. Her biggest failure was sending me to the moon for a thousand years—her own sister! She is the one who was truly wrong.”
“In my world, you were redeemed, and in the last two, you were defeated. Every timeline I’ve visited has one villain always winning—and this is the first time that villain is you.” Sunset stared at the reflection of Nightmare Moon. “The Elements of Harmony have always beaten you. Doesn’t that tell you something?”
“Yes,” Nightmare answered. “It tells me that you might be the key to changing that.” She turned her head, and Sunset noted how much the slit-like pupil reminded her of an opening portal. Nightmare Moon wanted something opened, but what. “I don’t want a villain to win in this world—and I do not claim myself as one. I want what’s best for my people, and that is a world without Celestia and her awful sun. With you at the helm, I can have my little ponies secure their rights for another millennia. The Elements of Harmony will be used to protect my kingdom when I cannot.”
Sunset titled her head like a confused dog. “Why wouldn’t you be able to protect it?”
“I did not tell you earlier because you did not mention his name. I was once beaten and weakened by a centaur named Lord Tirek. He snuck into my city and my castle during the true night. He tried to drain my power, and I was forced to retreat into the mist and regain my strength before I could return him to Tartarus.”
“Lord Tirek!” Sunset had forgotten all about the lousy lout. There had been no mention of him in the previous two timelines. “You beat him?” she said, almost inflecting a tone of gratitude.
“I saved my people from a harsher villain than I, Sunset Shimmer. You may not believe it, but I want what is best for this world, and my sister is not it.”
A split second of doubt crossed Sunset’s face, but it was not because of Nightmare Moon. I wonder if those last two worlds are safe from him. Her eyes drifted down to the journal in front of her. With the Elements, they should be fine. There was no way of knowing the last worlds’ fates, and this one was far more disconcerting. “As much as I know you mean those words, I can’t agree that having you as a sole ruler is best for this world, Nightmare Moon.” Sunset paused, judging the angered reaction of the alicorn for what it was. “In my world—you and your sister rule together in harmony. A harmony brought on by the Elements of Harmony.” A harmony that must return.
“Are you getting cold hooves? Unwilling to help me?”
Sunset shook her head like a slow ocean wave washing against the shore. “Not at all. I’d be interested in seeing more of this world. If you are kind to your citizens, then I might be wrong about all of it. As for the bearers, I’m going to spend a day with each of them to see how they operate and what they do.” And to see if my friends enjoy this sunless place.
“I think you mean to spend a night,” Nightmare Moon corrected with a grin that was supposed to be menacing, but Sunset had met Chrysalis, and hers was better. “I’ve already assembled the bearers and they’re waiting in my throne room. I do hope you’ll be able to unlock their power, for your sake.”
“I’m anxious to meet them.” They might just be able to restore harmony to this world, hopefully. “Was it easy to locate all of the bearers?”
“Quite so. It seems every single one was in my employment, or my gratitude, in some form. It makes for an eerie coincidence that I cannot ignore, validating your words and your worlds.” Nightmare Moon paused for a moment, glancing down her muzzle at the unicorn. “Also, please refrain from telling others of this other world and your apprenticeship to my sister. I wouldn’t want some group of zealots to overhear and come whisking you away in the true night.” A grin of amusement came to the alicorn’s face. “Now then, come, let me introduce you.”
There was no need to do so, Sunset was already friends with several versions of the same ponies, and she knew she would befriend these as well. Even Twilight. Especially Twilight. She remembered the words of her own nightmare’s Twilight, the foreboding sense it brought. “Are you going to leave us too?” the purple unicorns had said. It brought peace to Sunset that this world’s Twilight was so calm and gathered, and a bit curt. But peace was what this world already had. “Aren’t we your friends?”
Once they reached the throne, a chorus of salutations rang out amongst the hall. “Greetings, Princess Nightmare Moon.” Six bearers and twenty guards, all bowing as low as they could. It was the same way they greeted Princess Celestia, Sunset remembered seeing it often during her apprenticeship. As she followed Nightmare Moon to the steps of the throne, Twilight already standing to the side, she noted that the room had grown much smaller.
Though the way ponies acted had not changed for their supposed benevolent ruler, the layout of the castle had. The throne was closer to the entry with two angled walls of marble now cutting the room in half behind the main seat. Smaller doors sat on both of these side walls, and an extraordinary painting swept from one to side to the other, detailing the phases of the moon. From crescent to gibbous and the motions in between. Sunset did not have the time to reflect on why the phases no longer made sense, Nightmare Moon had already begun addressing the five.
“I have met each of you at one point or another, but first, allow me to introduce the reason I have brought you all here.” Nightmare Moon extended the back of her hoof, motioning to the mare from another world. “This here is Sunset Shimmer, a unicorn who can travel between worlds. She is going to assist in bringing out each of your Elements, as you five are bearers of the Elements of Harmony. The sixth is my apprentice, Twilight Sparkle. In return for Sunset’s help bringing out your Elements, you six will aid in returning her to her own world.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet all of you—even though I’ve technically met you several times now,” Sunset said, smiling an awkward smile. It hadn’t gotten any easier to see the strange looks she was given whenever other worlds were brought up.
Nightmare Moon continued, “For posterity’s sake, please introduce yourselves.”
Sunset had already glanced them over, eyeing their expressions, clothes, and hairstyles as she had entered. Now, however, she got a clearer view of each of the five. Until now, the biggest change had been the last world’s Twilight with her yellowish teeth and bald head or Rainbow Dash’s metal wing. Until now.
Rainbow Dash came without her armor, the only one who hadn't bothered to wear clothing. In comparison to the four others that stood around her, Rainbow Dash looked three inches shorter. At first, Sunset assumed it was the hair—the mohawk that was evocative of the Crystal War’s version which had a floppy strip of hair down the middle. But as she stared, Sunset noticed the legs were shorter. It was clear as day—or night, as Nightmare Moon would correct. Without any reference to her own Equestria’s Rainbow Dash, she could not judge if this Dash was the most accurate or the least.
“My name is Rarity.” The white unicorn was the first to speak. She was also the only one who had not changed much physically as the others, though her personality certainly had. The ensemble she wore in the Everfree Castle seemed to be the only one she had, and her mane and tail had remained in a compact bun. “I am the head facilitator for the Everfree Castle, managing and making sure the entire palace does not become unkempt.” She paused, a slight sneer came to her lips that only Sunset seemed to notice. It wasn’t until Rarity finished that Sunset realized why the sneer had been there at all. “I’ve been removed from that position for the time being, however, and am on leave here in the castle until further notice. I look forward to serving in whatever way I can.”
Once Rarity stepped back, Rainbow Dash stepped forward. “Rainbow Dash, guard to the princess. When not accompanied by Nightmare Moon or one of my fellow ‘Elements’, you will be attended by me. During my sleep, I will have another guard available for escort should you require food or to use the privy.”
It was a well-rehearsed line of dialogue, clearly written by Nightmare Moon herself. Sunset could hear a few snickers from the other bearers, and even Pinkie murmuring to Fluttershy. “Just who is she that she requires so much security?” the earth pony whispered.
“I look forward to working with you,” Rainbow Dash finished off and stepped back. Every movement made was stiff right down to the way her lips pouted to say her Fs and Ys. She wasn’t like that in the elevator, noted Sunset before moving on.
Fluttershy was the first to speak up from the ones Sunset had not formally met. As Nightmare Moon’s royal menagerie custodian, Fluttershy managed all the animals kept within the castle’s zoos. “One of the first things Nightmare Moon did after taking her rightful role as our princess was start a menagerie meant for the well being of animals,” Fluttershy said, putting more information out there than Rarity or Rainbow Dash had. “I offered my services immediately after seeing how animals reacted to the rightful darkness of the Forever Night. They were so frightened—they didn’t understand. Thanks to Nightmare Moon’s patience and my guidance, there isn’t a forest or lake that doesn’t appreciate the sanctuary she has brought.”
Though everyone smiled and agreed with Fluttershy, Sunset was unconvinced. It’s been years, however. They might have forgotten what the sun even did for them. The expression and tone that Fluttershy had wasn’t like Rainbow Dash’s. To Sunset, it felt genuine, and that was far more worrisome. The yellow pegasus wore a pink collared shirt with a compact green purse strung beside her. Her bangs were blunt and unfeathered, reminding Sunset of Princess Twilight’s manestyle, but this Fluttershy also had pigtails sticking out from the sides of her head. It gave her a not-so-shy look that was the paradigm of every Fluttershy.
“While I am a bit confused as to why I would be one of these chosen six, I’ll do my best to help the princess in any way I’m able.” Fluttershy gave a broad smile and that was when Sunset noticed the gap between her front two teeth on the top row.
Mane style, clothing, teeth coloring. Those are things that can be explained by altered timelines. But changes to height and the placement of teeth? That’s just absurd, Sunset thought heavily. That’s when it clicked. Twilight and Starlight Glimmer—they’re in the past, they changed something in the past. Something so far back that the bearers’ lives have completely altered! That means it had to be something when they were fillies, or around that time. Finally! Some piece of information on them!
She became so lost in thought she did not hear Fluttershy finish or Pinkie Pie’s first few words. The normally puffy hair of the pink party pony was a mix of a topknot and a chignon that went down the back of her neck. Draped across her muzzle sat glasses that looked far too flat to be for regular reading, with the outer edge of the blue rims detailing a trio of balloons matching her cutie mark. Though she had missed what Pinkie claimed her job to be, it was easy to see that she was one of the castle’s chefs—a lime green jacket that held two rows of buttons down the front. The cuffs of the coat didn’t reach her hooves, though, and Sunset knew that it was because all good cooks need room to move freely.
And Sunset knew Pinkie was a very good cook—or a bad one, depending on how you looked at it. The pink pony was slightly chubbier than the rest. Perhaps no one knew that she was, but Sunset had three key references to what other Pinkies looked like, and the plump cheeks that held the glasses up were a bit rounder than those last three. “And then I said ‘Oatmeal, are you crazy!?’” The Pinkie of this world spoke fast, her high-pitched tone giving the feeling of something the last two Pinkies could not—happiness.
At least her personality has remained the same, if not her looks, Sunset begrudged, a grunt of anguish leaving her lips as the chef pony finished.
There was only one Element remaining.
In the back of her mind, Sunset always believed her friends were beautiful. Possibly the prettiest girls in school. The pony versions, while some had seen some wear, were just as handsome. However, the Applejack of this world stood as a shining example for the rest to follow.
The creamy blonde hair was short in the front, making her bangs flow to one side, never touching her brow. The back wasn’t long either, but held enough to float behind her ears and to her shoulders. The entire mane looked like waves, so soft and silky.
“Hello there,” Applejack spoke, her inflection still holding true to her country roots. At least this world isn’t completely insane. “My name is Applejack, it’s my pleasure to meet you. If Princess Nightmare Moon believes you a worthy compatriot, I’ll gladly enjoy working alongside you, and it would be my honor to be your friend.” Though the country aspect was there, her vernacular was off.
Her voice wasn’t the only thing. The beautiful earth pony was wearing a smooth burgundy blouse with a pink collar that accentuated her neck. A matching pink skirt rang down her flank, a bit longer than most ponies but short enough to show off the high red heels she wore on all four hooves.
“I am uncertain as to how much you know of our world. Hearing that you’re from an alternate universe—I can only imagine that some of those would be without our glorious night,” Applejack continued. Some? Try all. “If that is so, you might be curious as to how we produce food.”
“If I may interrupt—” Nightmare Moon did as she pleased. “Applejack here is being far too modest as she is known to be.” The elegant earth pony blushed at the alicorn’s words, almost matching her red heels. “It was not an easy transition moving to the Forever Night. Celestia had cursed the plants of this world, forcing them to rely on the sun for sustenance. Applejack worked night and true night, trying to develop a seed that did not require such poison, all without the help of anyone aside from her family.
“It was just a week after I assumed full control of Equestria that a modest little earth pony from Ponyville came to me holding a bright blue fruit the size of an apple. I was shocked. Not only could she grow something that was not cursed by Celestia—but it also grew exceptionally quick. That pony was Applejack, my first hero, saving the world from the terrible starvation that Celestia had brought upon them.”
A plant that grows without sunlight? That cannot be! Sunset was dumbfounded. Nightmare Moon then bowed her head to the earth pony. “Please, continue, Miss Applejack. There has been so much that you have done for us.”
“It’s my honor, really. The fruit that I made—I called it a napple. I am not the best when it comes to nomenclature, I’ll admit, but I was a simple apple farmer prior to the Forever Night. Since then, I’ve helped in agricultural pursuits all around Equestria, helping others create different varieties of night fruits and vegetables. I even wrote a few books on the subject, not that I’d claim to be the best writer in the world, I had plenty of editors helping me with words I hadn’t bothered learning before.”
“That’s very impressive,” Sunset replied with honesty. “I’d love to hear more about the subject, I’ve only lived in a world that never assumed the, uh, Forever Night.”
A chorus of shocks and gasps rang out from the Elements—and even a few guards. “Your duty is not to learn of our world, Sunset Shimmer,” Nightmare Moon said shortly. “Your duty is to help them gain their Elements so that you can go home and so that we may be more secure in our future. I suggest you remember that.”
“I haven’t forgotten. The Elements of Harmony are fickle. They need to be drawn out from within the bearers. To help aid in that, I must get to know each of you. I’ve met you twice now, in different worlds that were far worse than this one. In both of those, things had changed in you, things that were different from the versions I know and cherish in my own world. There’s always some little details that still keep you who you are, and that’s what the Elements of Harmony recognize.
“I’d like to spend a day with each of you firstly. Whether it be doing your job, performing some recreational activities, whatever. It doesn’t matter, just so long as it’s part of who you are. If I can’t draw out at least one Element from that, then we’ll have to move on to group bonding.” Sunset shook her head, smirking. “I know it all sounds so cheesy, like we’re going camping where we’ll sing songs and hold hands, but trust me. This stuff just sort of clicks.” Like a seat belt—no, no, don’t start that again.
Nightmare Moon did not seem satisfied with Sunset’s answer, but the Elements did, Twilight included. “Very well,” Nightmare Moon said, half-chiding, “Please do your best as quickly as you can. I’ll not put pressure on you, but these six ponies are all part of my life, even in small ways. I’ll not have you torment them with dreams of grandeur that you fail to provide.” Sunset understood what Nightmare Moon was really saying. “If I find you’re lying to me, it’ll be the dungeons for you,” was the words hidden beneath.
“I suppose this completes our introductions then,” Nightmare Moon stated and turned to the five, a slight bow of her head telling them they should go. “Oh, and Miss Applejack. Should you desire a suite inside the castle grounds, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
“I appreciate it, but I wouldn’t want to be a burden.”
“As modest as ever,” Nightmare Moon replied, and the attractive earth pony was off with the others.
Only Twilight remained along with the villainess. “Shall I return Sunset to her room for the true night, or is it too early?” the purple unicorn asked.
Nightmare Moon trotted with significant strides over to Sunset, glaring down the bridge of her nose as she walked. “How long exactly should it take to get them their Elements?” she coldly asked.
As long as it takes to devise a plan to defeat you. “It took nearly a month in the last world,” she replied, leaving out the part where she had spent a good portion of it in a cocoon. “That was under extreme conditions that we were working with, too. It might take longer here. Usually, there’s a big calamity they must face in order to be drawn out.” She rubbed the underside of her chin, staring absentmindedly at the alicorn in front of her. “I might have an idea. Hopefully, it won’t come to that.” I am getting really tired of the Elements only working at the last possible second. In truth, she was not completely over how the previous world ended. Sometimes, learning to let go is the hardest thing.
Nightmare Moon relented, a heavy sigh leaving her chip-like teeth. “Fine. Fine!” Her slit pupils turned to Twilight. “Take her back to her room, she’s not to leave it for the rest of the night.” As Twilight trotted down to guide Sunset back to her room, the evil alicorn shouted one more question, “Spend a night with each you said? Who’ll you choose for tomorrow?”
Sunset thought about it for a second. “Fluttershy.” She wanted Applejack, but that had been the obvious choice. There were many tricks among villains, and she could only assume that Nightmare Moon made up in cleverness for what she lacked in intimidation. The evil princess gave a nod, and Twilight continued as her guide.
Without fail, a guard had been placed outside Sunset’s room before they arrived. Though it was not Rainbow Dash, the guard still recognized the two and quickly opened the door. Twilight entered first, flicking on the light. “Did you want to talk about something?” Sunset asked, following her in. She hadn’t expected Twilight to stay, much less wish to speak.
“Actually, I wanted to apologize for how I acted early tonight,” Twilight replied, catching Sunset completely off-guard.
“Oh.” The Twilight from the Crystal War had been rude, and so had the one from the Resistance timeline. A bruise still remained on her left knee from when the Resistance Twilight had become overly paranoid. “I wasn’t expecting you to apologize,” Sunset said, “But thank you. I’m sorry too. I’m usually easier to get along with. This… world hopping, it’s taking its toll.”
“I do look forward to spending a night together, and I hope you’ll allow me to question everything about your world. Not just as Nightmare Moon’s apprentice, but on a scientific level.” Twilight pushed her glasses up her muzzle. “Though I’d like to hear about what I am in your world. I do hope I’m no slouch, especially as royalty. Princess Twilight Sparkle, imagine that. Well, actually, I guess you wouldn’t have to.”
Sunset started to speak, but the words of Nightmare Moon came rushing back. “I haven’t told her that I met that strange version of her,” the evil alicorn had said, speaking of that very Princess Twilight. Though Nightmare Moon hadn’t wanted to, there was no reason Sunset couldn’t. “I’d love to fill you in sometime soon,” Sunset decided, taking time to judge the apprentice to Nightmare Moon first before revealing any information of her princess counterpart.
“That’s good to hear.” That seemed to be all the purple unicorn had wanted as she immediately turned to leave, only stopping to ask if she wanted to be served dinner now.
“It’s a little late for dinner,” Sunset replied, pointing her hoof over her shoulder at the window where the full moon lit the sky with hundreds of stars around it. “I’m just going to turn in for the night, I didn’t sleep that well.”
One of Twilight’s brows arched so hard that her glasses stumbled. “It’s only a little past five o’clock, Sunset.”
Dummy! Sunset badmouthed herself for forgetting. “Right, right. I’m not used to it,” she replied, rubbing her tired eyes with the back of her hoof. “I’m just going to head to bed anyway.”
Twilight gave a quick nod. “I’ll have a watch prepared for you to keep before you meet up with Fluttershy. Have a good night, Sunset Shimmer.” The purple unicorn didn’t wait for a response, closing the door to the bedroom that felt like a prison.
“Goodnight,” Sunset said quietly as she threw a worried look over her shoulder at the moon. “At least you’ve never changed,” she remarked to the bright star, staring at the unicorn-like shape on the surface.
Not even bothering to close the curtains first, Sunset crawled into bed. New sheets replaced the ones from the morning—or whatever counted as morning in this ‘Forever Night’ world. She reckoned it would be easier to sleep with the moonlight pouring into the bedroom, dancing against the vanity and the foot of her bed. And she was right. Once her eyes closed for the last time, she was immediately swept to dreamland, becoming just as lucid as the night before.
When she became aware of her coherent powers, she realized where she stood. “A plain of golden flowers,” she mouthed silently, feeling the strength of a wind suddenly brushing down on her. Her head spun, then her body, until she became too dizzy and fell on her rump. A loud thud rang out as she did, forcing herself back to her hooves to look at what sat beneath her. Whatever it was remained covered in grass, and she quickly went to work wiping it away. There was dirt, too, as if something buried the object.
Black and purple, she found the edge of the object, pulling out the golden flowers and wiping away the dirt. “It’s a crystal,” she heard herself say as she removed more dirt, eventually discovering a face within the quartz. She drew her eyes closer, trying to see who it was, but the sky… It’s black. She realized it had always been black, but a bright sort of black that reminded her of a cloudy day where no sun could be seen yet everything remained illuminated.
Looking back at the purple crystal caused her to scream. The face had pushed against the inside. “Don’t you miss us?” it said. “Aren’t we friends?”
Sunset backed away as the ground began moving, the crystal slowly rising from the soil. Other flowers started to move around her as more tetragonal crystals rose beside coal-colored cocoons. Every crystal and cocoon levitated a yard or two off the ground, some still encased with bits of dirt or roots. “What do you want from me!?” she yelled at them, pulling on her hair in distress.
“We’re waiting for you,” the voices spoke in unison, “We’re all waiting for you.” The voices began to repeat the words with almost a musical lilt in their cadence as if they were truly happy to see her. She couldn’t see them, however, only the silhouettes of ponies kept within the crystals and cocoons.
“Sunset Shimmer,” a voice cut through the chant.
Gasping for air, Sunset threw her body forward, causing her to do the same in the waking world. She awoke immediately to the darkened room that was only dimly lit by the starlight. Aside from her heavy panting, the only thing she could hear was the slight ringing in her ear that accompanied true silence. For a moment, she thought she was alone, but then the voice spoke again. “Sunset Shimmer.”
Standing over her as a doctor stands over a patient, Nightmare Moon was glaring down at Sunset. For a moment, Sunset could feel herself building a scream in her throat, but it subsided. “W-what are y-you doing here?” Sunset asked, trying not to sound weak, but failing. I’d rather deal with this nightmare than the one I came from, she thought, still panting.
“Were you having a nightmare?” Nightmare Moon asked though it was clear she already knew the answer.
“Yes, I was.”
“How?”
“What do you mean how!?” Sunset asked, suddenly feeling very angry for having her privacy bombarded.
“My people do not have nightmares, I do not allow it. You are not one of my people but I should still have control of your dreams and nightmares, yet I cannot enter your mind while you slumber.” It sounded as though Sunset had piqued Nightmare Moon’s curiosity almost as much as it angered her. “My people have been far happier without such terrible dreams. By right, I should be the only nightmare they fear.”
Sunset threw the sweat-stained comforter off, tumbling to the opposite side of the bed away from Nightmare Moon. “That’s all well and good, but you have to remember that I’m not one of your people. I don’t accept you as my leader, so why would my mind ever allow you to invade my thoughts?”
“I do not invade my subjects’ privacy,” Nightmare Moon replied, even though she was standing in a bedroom uninvited and unwelcome—the irony was lost on her. “I simply prevent such terrors. The true night should be enjoyed just as much as the time spent under my gracious moon,” she described and then turned the conversation back to Sunset. “What was it you were dreaming of?”
“My friends,” Sunset replied as she stared out the window. The moon was rising once again, though out of sight, the colors of blue and purple were streaking across the black sky. “I was dreaming of my friends.”
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Well...
She's not wrong.
Well, glad you clarified why Nightmare Moon didn't recognize Twilight. I'm curious as to how you intend to resolve this as you said that the Elements won't be used to defeat the threats of the remaining worlds. Also, I wonder exactly what pattern you plan to establish to explain why each timeline is different. Also, are those nightmares Sunset's having regarding her friends in the Human world, or the versions from the other two worlds she's visited?
8496064
I'd like to answer, but that might ruin tomorrow's chapter, or possibly Friday or Saturday's chapter.
That's a lot of questions.
I wonder when Sunset will understand that the Ponies there may WANT to live in a Equestria a la Nightmare Moon? She acts morally higher and simply claims from the first second on that NNM is evil and that her mission in this timeline would be to turn NNM into Luna and to return Celestia from the moon, or so I think she wants this all to end in this timeline.
One important life lesson is that life isn't always easy or has an subjective "happy ending". Sometimes you have to compromise and accept that things go a way you don't want them to be. That still doesn't mean they are "bad".
Twilight, Applejack, Rainbow, Fluttershy (Pinkie Pie no clue) are honestly loyal to NNM and Sunset really thinks she could somehow turn them against their leader, who even tries to make their lives as pleasant as possible? Yeaaaahhh, good luck with that.
Sunny is much too obsessed with the thought that EVERY timeline she is has somehow to end in a way that it may go more in the direction her own Equestria took.
i am now postive in this timeline celestia became day breaker
8496308
Or she brain washing them. She says she able to enter the dreams of her subjects, but not Sunset.
How do you know she not brain washing them in thier dreams, and why dosn't she talk about the others...the other races.
What happened to them, sure the Minotaurs, Griffons, and Donkeys and Deer they may have something to say about the eternal night.
Or are they all dead?, Who s ys Apple Jack only made fruit and plants to grow only for the ponies.
And let the other races die out.
8497106
Who knows, maybe it will be a topic in later chapters. But until this "mind control" thing about NNM is true we can only assume. Until it isn't proven right I'll tend to say that Luna is doing something very questionable, because she wanted to be loved like her sister.
We will see how it goes.
She really should find a lock for her journal.
Ouch. Poor Spike...
What a fascinating world so far.
I had this story in my backlog for a while and have been speeding through it recently. So far this is already my favorite world.
sunset finding Applejack extra attractive has me hoisting the sails for a ship I didn't know I even wanted to sail-
The thing that bugs me about so many Nightmare Moon timelines is this idea that ponies have been living under Nightmare Moon's authority all along and it's Princess Celestia they fear. Short of Nightmare Moon has put a whammy on a good percentage of the population, they should all have nostalgic memories of living under Celestia's sun.