World 3: Chapter 10
“You can’t be serious!” Sunset exclaimed, tossing her hooves in the air. “You actually want me to stay!?”
Nightmare Moon flicked her eyebrows, the starry grin on her face told that she was enjoying the reaction. “You were the one who got my sister to speak. You were the one who broke the corruption on the Tree of Harmony. I have no doubt you’ll solve this too, and so I cannot let you leave until you’ve done so. We need the Elements of Harmony.”
Everyone had her pegged right, she really does flip-flop, Sunset mused, glancing down at the table in front of her. The six gemstones sat atop a blue doily, the spark within them showed no signs of appearing. Each crystal was grey like the skies of her dreams; colorless and dark. “But you don’t like me, you don’t trust me,” argued Sunset. “You’ve got the Elements, why not just send me home?”
Her friends sat around the table, all with looks of revulsion and irritation. Their eyes spoke the words they dared not: “Sunset, stop trying to get sent home!”
They gathered in one of the many rooms of the Everfree Castle, debating on what to do with the unique Elements of Harmony. “You could bring them to Celestia and ask her about it,” Rainbow Dash suggested, but Nightmare Moon shot that down immediately. That had been when she decided on Sunset staying, to the surprise of everyone.
“These Elements of Harmony, there is something wrong with them. Perhaps your knowledge of other worlds will be enlightening, perhaps not. Until then, you don’t get to scamper off. We had a deal.”
You never said they had to be working, Sunset wanted to argue. She thought better of it, refusing to stick her foot in her mouth, or more specifically, her hoof. “In my experience, utilizing the Elements of Harmony as dark energy doesn’t do whatever this is. When Princess Twilight defeated me, she gained her Element back with no issues to its state or power. No, whatever you did is beyond just dark or evil energy, it was still being amassed when Celestia took them back. The Tree of Harmony did its best to try and remove it, corrupting itself in the process. I’d say the bearers need to perform their Element’s talent around the stones. That may awaken the power inside—if there is any left.”
“What if there is no power to them?” Fluttershy asked.
“We won’t know unless we try. It’s the only logical thing I can think of—showing the Elements of Harmony your good traits. Perhaps if Celestia had used them at that instant then the corruption would have been thrown off. Since she didn’t, sticking them in the tree instead, that corruption wasn’t able to be removed. Getting the Elements reacting from each of you and sticking them back in the Tree of Harmony afterward would heal it,” Sunset voiced her thoughts. The Elements reacted to the girls in the first world, then reacted to me in the second. If we’re following the first then we need to band together and make them realize what each of their Elements truly are.
“Back into the tree?” snarled Nightmare Moon. “We’d never get them back out if we did that!”
Sunset sighed and nodded. “That’s correct. I don’t think you’re going to get what you want, Nightmare Moon. The Tree of Harmony is more important than you may realize, even if it means sacrificing a good defense.”
“I know how important it is,” Nightmare Moon started to argue, but Sunset cut her off by slamming her journal on the table.
“I’m sure you believe that, but that’s not the point.” Sunset flipped through some of the pages. “Princess Twilight wrote me detailing her and her friends returning the Elements of Harmony to the tree.” Had she done that sooner, I would never have attempted to steal her crown. That’s an odd thing to think about. “If I look into how and why she did that, I might be able to find a starting point on where to go from there.”
Twilight clapped her hooves. “While you look into that, the five of us could try spending time together to see if we can’t draw the power from within!” Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy liked that idea, but Rarity groaned her disapproval, though she made no attempts to deny the idea.
Then, Rainbow Dash raised a hoof. “Shouldn’t we wait for Miss Applejack?”
“It won’t hurt to try without her,” Sunset argued. “Each of you gained your Element at different times during my first trip to a new present. In fact, you took the longest, Dash.”
“What!?” Rainbow Dash slammed the table with her elbows, pushing her hooves to her eye sockets. “I was the slowest!? I’ve never been the slowest at anything!”
Sifting through her backpack, Sunset pulled out one of her notebooks. Flipping past algebra, she found a blank page and ripped it out, pieces of paper tore from the metal binder and fell to the floor like confetti. “Here, I’ll write down each of your Elements. Maybe Ponyville will prove a good place to help you realize your Element. Remember—it’s a subconscious sort of thing. You have to believe in something to really make it stick.”
Each Element was written down and a line connecting to the name of the bearer. Rarity audibly guffawed at hers. “Generosity? How in Equestria am I supposed to realize that as my Element? Can’t I trade?”
“Yeah, sure, have loyalty,” Rainbow Dash snickered. “I’m loyal to a fault, or so the captain says. How can I earn my Element when I literally live my life as loyal as possible?”
Sunset rolled her head from side to side. “I didn’t say it would be easy.”
“But again, you’ve been helpful,” Nightmare Moon noted. “I’d hate to say it, Sunset Shimmer, but I’m actually starting to like you. I had thought to mistrust, I had believed you would be my ruin. A pony from another world who would want to take away my position due to faulty notions. Now I can see that you only want harmony for this world, and harmony it shall have.”
Sunset sat straight, squaring her shoulders. Any respect Nightmare Moon would have for her might be ruined if she asked the wrong question, but she knew she needed to ask it regardless. “Harmony. Does this mean you’ll let Celestia out of the moon? Bring day and night back?”
Half the bearers slammed their faces into their hooves—the other half used the table.
Nightmare Moon’s expression dulled, her eyebrows pushed up. Everything then came crashing down as she erupted into laughter. Not dark laughter, but the hollering of amusement. “You had me going for a moment there, Sunset Shimmer!” She reeled her hoof back and fired, slapping the air.
“But—”
“That’s right!” Pinkie cut the unicorn off before she could dig herself lower into the hole. “She was clearly trying to get my Element!” Pinkie grabbed the notepaper and pointed at her Element. “See? Laughter! What a funny jokester you are, Sunset!” While Pinkie exaggerated her laugh, the other bearers all feigned their own awkward chuckling in the hopes of playing up the terrible excuse.
“Enough!” Nightmare Moon suddenly commanded, ceasing the frivolous laughter. “Sunset Shimmer, I shall send you back to Canterlot in order to study your journal and to give Miss Applejack her piece of the Element’s puzzle. The girls and I shall remain here for the night. Hopefully, that will give you enough time to solve the mysterious illness of the Tree of Harmony while the bearers can discover something of their own.”
Though her friends seemed to like that idea, more specifically the part where Nightmare Moon and Sunset would be far, far away from each other, Sunset didn’t. She could not come up with a good enough reason as to why she should stay, however. She attempted to say that she did not know which Element was Applejack’s, seeing as how they were all the same dull grey coloring, but Nightmare Moon fixed that issue immediately.
“It’s this one. I know my own Element.” Nightmare Moon lifted one of the gemstones out from the group, and even though it looked the same, she sounded sure that it was the correct one. “I’ll have the guards arrange a chariot. We’ll return on the morrow.”
Stuffing the gem into her backpack, Sunset took a moment to glance around the table. The bearers were smiling at her, excluding Rarity. It was clear they were happy she was staying, regardless of how much hot water she was attempting to pour on herself. They were not able to voice their liking in front of the alicorn, but Sunset knew. “Then I guess that’s that,” Sunset said, standing up. “I’ll see you all tomorrow. Good luck.”
As she was led away from the table by a guard, her heart sunk. I’m returning to Canterlot where Applejack and Shining Armor will be waiting. If I don’t agree to side with them, they’ll surely lock me away. It’d be the perfect time for them to do so, Nightmare Moon and the bearers wouldn’t be available to question why, and there’s no arguing with the savior of Equestria’s famine.
Once in the chariot and deep in the night sky, feeling the gentle breeze against her fur, Sunset let herself relax. “I guess I’ll have to give in,” she mumbled to herself, staring up at the moon above. She didn’t like the idea of lying to Applejack or Shining Armor, she wanted to hold herself to a better standard. In some small way, she was trying to hold herself to all the Elements of Harmony. She had said so, not just to herself, but to an entire classroom. “We all hold each Element within us, regardless of what we look like on the outside. Friendship is what binds them all together,” she remembered telling the class that Pinkie had forced her to speak at. It was true, though. Honesty, one of the many Elements, could only strengthen friendships.
Lying to Applejack? That went against everything she stood for. It almost feels like I’d be slipping back into my old habits if I did that. She frowned. Such a sacrifice was not done lightheartedly. Lying to a villain who’s trying to destroy or rule the world—that’s one thing. But lying to the bearer of honesty? Why do I feel doing so is going to haunt me for the rest of my life? It’d be a heavy price to pay, am I willing to risk the cost? Her relaxing ride back to Canterlot swapped, turning into a stress-filled nightmare. What if following along with Applejack and Shining Armor is the right thing to do? Maybe I’m looking at this the wrong way.
The clouds started to part and she could see the purple of Canterlot’s rooftops and blue flags in the distance. Soon, she’d have to make a decision. She could not steady her wobbly legs, the anxiety working itself outward. The crawl down past the mist into the city was not as flashy as it had been her first time, the chariot’s drivers landing behind the castle, the same spot they had taken off from. Stepping down and out, Sunset trotted into the castle alone. None of the guards seemed to notice her. Even when she returned to her room, the guard stationed there was nowhere to be found. For all intents and purposes, she was nopony. Maybe nopony will know I’m here till after Nightmare Moon and the girls return. Oh sorry, Nightmare Moon, I completely forgot to give Applejack her Element. My bad. You understand, right?
She threw her backpack onto the table, tossing her body onto the silken sheets of her bed. The anxiety in the pit of her stomach wouldn’t let her sleep, but the smooth silk felt nice to touch regardless.
The anxious feeling soon returned. She didn’t like the idea of lying to Applejack, it would be a sacrifice she’d have to make in order to work against the earth pony. The alternative was helping Applejack, sacrificing her whole purpose of using the Elements of Harmony on Nightmare Moon and returning Equestria to what it should have always been. Not that it may be possible. The Tree of Harmony was pretty battered.
Either way, she’d be sacrificing something. “This is hard,” she muttered to herself. “I feel like I’m playing politics.” She rolled over onto her back, staring up at the canopy. “Can I just go back to fighting wars? Give me a camera and I’ll start covering them too. Sunset Shimmer, photographer extraordinaire.” She wanted a music player as well, missing the mirror world's music. The songs playing through Canterlot’s speaker system were far too instrumental for her taste.
Most of all, she missed her friends. Though they wouldn’t be missing her—they couldn’t even know she was gone—she knew that if they did, they’d be doing their best as ponies trying to save her from these awful worlds.
Could they do something they weren’t comfortable with just to save me? she wondered. They had become friends again to beat her, and that wasn’t comfortable. Especially not for Princess Twilight. In the end, it led to Sunset doing something far out of her comfort zone—she became friends with them. I could use some ice cream.
Pushing her neck up and pressing her horn into the covers, she stared at the unopened backpack. With her magic, the backpack unzipped and the Element of Honesty floated out. Grasping it in both hooves, she stared at herself in the dull reflection of the tetragonal gem. Her snout pressed against the cold stone, feeling the lifelessness inside. The Element of Honesty. It belongs to Applejack, the most honest pony I know. Her eyes scowled, she could see her own brows crease into the shape of a crescent. Wait. She lied to me.
She rolled onto her side, setting the gemstone on the silk sheets. “What are friends for? That was a lie! She didn’t want to be my friend, she was just using me!” Whatever she was feeling before was thrust out, anger filling her stomach and curdling her thoughts. She clenched her teeth into a grimace, tossing her legs out from under her. “I’m going to give her a piece of my mind!”
Throwing the door open, she levitated the Element beside her as she walked. Once in the elevator, she tapped the bottom floor. The lift fell and stopped, opening on the next floor for another pony. To her surprise, it was Shining Armor. “Where do you think you’re going?” he asked as he entered. With his magic, he disabled the button for the bottom floor and pressed the second to the top. “It seems Nightmare Moon has decided to keep you for a little while. Is that an Element of Harmony?”
Before she could answer, the stallion stole it, taking a hard look at the dull gem. “Hey!” she yelled, swiping with a hoof at the stone. “That belongs to Applejack!”
“Don’t worry, we’re going to see her right now.”
A lump stuck itself in her throat, she put a hoof to her neck. This is it, isn’t it? They’re going to give me an ultimatum. The metal doors creaked open and Shining Armor stepped out. His steely eyes looked back at her, waiting for her to exit as well. She did as she was silently commanded, her head shrunk into her neck like a turtle and its shell. Following along behind, they rounded two corners before stopping at a door with a decorative nameplate. She wasn’t able to read what it said before Shining Armor threw the door open. Applejack was already waiting inside.
Taking a step in, Sunset immediately wondered whose office this was. It’s not Celestia’s or Nightmare Moon’s. This isn’t nice enough, but that’s a gorgeous view. Her eyes peered past Applejack who sat on the desk, a set of glass doors behind her. Even from the entrance to the room, Sunset could see past the balcony outside at the dazzling view of Canterlot.
A dark desk and swivel chair sat close to the balcony’s doors, another chair sat opposite, which Shining Armor pushed back for Sunset to sit in. He took his place opposite Applejack, standing firmly to the side of the spruce desk. When she sat down, her head twirled to look at the room behind her. A gorgeous painting of doves, fruit, and playing ponies sat beside the door. There was a standing fan in one corner, unused. Whoever utilized this room, it was clear they enjoyed the colors of Canterlot. Ivory walls and mulberry-colored carpet matched the theme quite well. An aesthetic charm that most of the castle no longer had, having changed to blue, silver, and black for Nightmare Moon’s reign.
She went to speak, but Shining Armor cut her off. “We received word that you had discovered the Elements of Harmony and were bringing Applejack’s back,” he said, sliding the stone across the table to the earth pony. “It seems you were wrong, too. The princess desired to keep you on to discover the cause of her unique predicament.”
Applejack lifted the Element in her hooves, raising it up to eye it. “They are mighty gloomy.”
“Which puts us in a unique predicament as well,” Shining continued. “You know things, though you don’t know the motives behind them. Other than our desire to replace the princess as the decision maker, we’ve kept silent on who we’d instill as our new leader. We cannot disclose that information until you decide whether you’re willing to work with us or not.”
“And I’d like to remind you that you should work with us,” Applejack added, throwing the Element into the air and catching it repeatedly. “It’d be very beneficial, friend. You’d help us grow into an even happier Equestria. With us in charge, we’d be able to increase living conditions by a couple hundred percent. Just imagine for a second, the road between Canterlot and Ponyville being filled with happy families and farmland. Or an earthly connection to Cloudsdale, making it easier for earth ponies and unicorns to get to the city. Nightmare Moon has been so focused on defense that she’s forgotten about the basic needs of ponies.”
Sunset cleared her throat first, then asked, “So, would you all be bringing Celestia back?”
The two looked at each other before throwing their heads back with laughter. “Celestia is a criminal under Nightmare Moon’s rule, us taking over won’t change that. It might give the princess more time to speak with Celestia, especially now that you’ve led the groundwork, but Celestia isn’t important right now,” Shining Armor explained, brushing the topic aside.
“What about Cadance? You’re just going to leave her up there?” Sunset asked, crinkling her nose at him.
“Who?”
Sunset revolted in her seat, sucking her chin to her chest. “That’s the warden up there, used to be Princess Cadance,” Applejack answered the stallion. “A niece to Celestia who didn’t want to play nice. I’ve heard the name, never spoken to her though.”
Shining Armor nodded. “The name sounded vaguely familiar. She babysat my sister once before we didn’t need her anymore.”
“B-b-but you two are supposed to be engaged! Or married by now, technically,” Sunset sputtered, spit flying as she spoke.
“Married?” Shining Armor laughingly shook his head. “My parents have been wishing for that for years, but no. The only thing I’m married to is my work. Maybe I’ll start dating after we change the power differences.”
Applejack slapped the desk, hooting along with the stallion. “That’s what I tell Granny. If they only knew the work ahead of us, they’d know why we’re putting off that marriage mumbo-jumbo. Same with Sunset here, I reckon.”
Sunset was still lost in her own mind, the conversation around her slowly dwindling to a far-off breeze. Shining Armor and Cadance aren’t going to get married, they aren’t even dating. This world is so messed up, but how would I even go about fixing that? The last two worlds, they’re together and in love. Can I even have a hope to bring them together? Is that even something I should bother fixing? There’s so many other things that I won’t be able to fix unless I spend years here—not that I couldn’t do that, but. She shook her head. She hadn’t even realized she was playing with her watch, twirling it on her hoof.
“Sunset,” Shining called but was ignored. “Sunset!” he yelled, finally snapping her out of her dreaming.
She leaned forward in her seat, cupping her hooves together as if she were interlocking their fingers. “Alright,” she decided. I can’t fix everything. Sacrifices will have to be made, and that means hearing Applejack and Shining Armor out. I have to rethink my entire strategy. The Elements, the Tree of Harmony, they’re no longer my focus. I’ll just have to fix what I can. “Fill me in on everything. I’m ready.”
The surprise of a quick turnaround shocked the conspirators. Applejack hopped off the desk, her red skirt flowing down her backside as she landed. Shining Armor gave a motioning glance before he too stepped away, passing Sunset and heading for the door. “I had a feeling you’d join us, Sunset. I knew there was something about you that just spoke true friend,” Applejack said, placing a hoof on the unicorn’s shoulder. The door echoed an open and close, but Sunset kept her eyes on the mare. “I know you’re a little freaked out, anypony would have the right to be. But you’ll be helping us do the right thing.”
“I didn’t say I was going to help you,” Sunset said, “But I won’t interfere.” Two can play this lying game, Liarjack. “I’m willing to hear your spiel, listen to your side of things. It’s the first time I’m having to do something like this, to pick sides. And I am freaked out, sacrificing things isn’t something I wanted to do this time around.”
“That’s good enough for me,” Applejack replied. “Once you see our plan and our end goal, you’ll know it’s the right thing. We’re friends in the world you came from, right? I’m a pretty trustworthy gal?”
“You are.” Not so much in this world. Though her inner feelings conflicted, Sunset put on a bright face for the earth pony. “Applejack is the most honest, trustworthy girl I know. She’ll help out her competition when they’re feeling bad, even if it means sacrificing her team winning.”
“Yeah, that sure sounds like me. A real swell mare,” Applejack chuckled.
Sunset pointed her nose up at the earth pony. “So much for being the most modest of ponies,” she scolded.
Applejack’s happy expression faded to an anxious scorn quicker than school kids rushing out the door after the final bell rings. Now it was Applejack’s turn to have a lump in her throat, a flush stinging her cheeks. A few strands of golden mane fell onto her muzzle as she inclined her head gravely. The sudden flare of temperament could be seen from a mile away—but Applejack did the opposite of what Sunset expected.
Lifting her gaze, the earthen mare smiled, showing a neat line of bone-white teeth. The Applejack Sunset knew would have gotten angry, the Applejack Sunset knew would have started an argument. This was not her Applejack, however. “Being humble allows others to feel more comfortable, but I’m a competitive gal at heart. I don’t need to make you comfortable since I know you and I will be the best of friends soon enough.” The Applejack of this world had time to deal with things that would make her angry, to grow and learn and deal with a plethora of others. To see business deals rise and fall, and to understand when to hold back emotions.
“Who knows, you might even desire to stay for a while. A good life. Being pony, having your health, that’s what I consider to be a good life.” Applejack strutted around Sunset, lifting her hooves to stand bipedal on the back of the unicorn’s chair. Her hooves pushed under the red and yellow mane, fluffing out the back. “The city banquet is in two nights, I’ll get you set up with something good lookin’. We’ll be belles of the ball, you and I. After the banquet, we begin our operation. The last banquet held by the princess.”
“How are you planning on removing her from power? She won’t just let it go,” Sunset replied, feeling the soft hooves grace her neck.
“She’ll be pushed into a corner. The general public will believe she did something that she didn’t do, and the general public will side against her. We’ll step in, have her relinquish her power but allow her to keep her royalty, and then we’ll move on with our plans.”
“I suppose I’ll learn more about your plans once I learn who you’re planning to announce as your new leader. Someone the general public will like, I assume?”
Applejack wrapped her hooves around Sunset, dangling them against the unicorn’s chest. Her chin was pressed onto the red and yellow mane with a gentle touch. “No, not well-liked. Not hated either. But he’ll be endorsed by me, and my opinion holds a lot of weight.”
“He? So, Shining Armor?”
“No, but his endorsement also holds a lot of weight. Shining Armor was one of the first to bow to Nightmare Moon, and he’s helped shore up defenses. No, Shining Armor isn’t the right pony for the job. Someone charming, sensible, and eager for power. He’s the one who brought the zealots together, who came to me with a proposition of influence. You’ll meet him soon enough.” Applejack lifted her head. “He’ll be here in a minute.”
It didn’t take a full minute before the door of the room opened. Sunset was anxious to see who it was, but Shining Armor stepped through first, blocking her view. “Is she ready?” he asked Applejack, who nodded in response. The stallion stepped forward, coming up and standing next to Sunset’s chair. “Don’t do anything funny,” he muttered to the fellow unicorn, pushing his side against her to keep her still. Applejack was on her other side, and both faced toward the desk.
That’s when Sunset heard the hoofsteps, a slow, steady saunter after the door had shut. Her eyes were wide with anticipation. She stared beneath Shining Armor’s chin, waiting to see the first glimpse of the unknown pony. White on white, Sunset blinked. For a moment, she thought Shining Armor’s fur had moved, but no. It was the other pony walking past, their white fur matching Shining’s.
She gasped at the sight. “You!?”
The dirty blonde brushed to one side of his horn, not-a-prince Blueblood took a seat on the opposite side of the desk. “Besides finding out our little secret, you’ve been only a boon, Sunset Shimmer. Keeping Nightmare Moon’s eyes on you, she’s ignored our little mistakes and follies that would have ordinarily aroused suspicion. Now, these two claim you’ve agreed to keep a hushed word on things, allowing us to move on with our plans, and yet I believe you could help us further our goal.”
“I get it, you’re upset about losing your title as prince—but shouldn’t you want to bring Celestia back? Why go through all this just to keep Nightmare Moon around!?” Sunset asked, sitting forward in her seat.
“Celestia made several errors with her rule, and she failed to protect us from her own sister. I do not believe she deserves to be in jail, but she certainly believes she does, so we progress without her. In the end, Nightmare Moon is far more controllable. She’s indecisive, reasonable, and kind. Keeping her on as the royal face will allow us to control the zealots and the population of Equestria.” Blueblood cupped his hooves together, his half-smile never falling from his face. “This is not about being a prince again, Sunset Shimmer. I cannot attain that title without rousing suspicion. No. This is for power. It’s time for those of us who have strengthened the world to become its masters.”
Sunset felt she was missing a piece of the puzzle, a key reason behind the emotional travesty. But what? It’s like I’m suffocating here and yet the life raft is almost within my reach. “Couldn’t you just do all this through Nightmare Moon? Wouldn’t she listen to Applejack?”
“She’s scared of decisions,” answered Shining Armor. “Through my guards, I learned many things of your arrival. Things such as another alicorn, the pony before you. Nightmare Moon has known where the Elements of Harmony lay for some time, but she never chose to relay that information to you. Why? Indecision. She had told that other alicorn that she desired time travel to hide the Elements of Harmony completely, yet when you promised her that she could utilize them for herself, her decision changed completely.
“She had waited to be sure you could truly get them before reneging on sending you home. What was in her letter tonight? Simply put, she reconsidered utilizing your talents for something productive.” Shining Armor shook his head. “Who’s to say that once she has the Elements of Harmony fully empowered that she won’t change her decision to use them herself? Who’s to say she won’t decide on hiding them, instead, so that they can’t be used against her if need be.”
“She’s scared. Scared of the Elements,” Applejack agreed. “I can see it in her eyes. Her decision to bring the bearers together, to try and get us on her side. She worries she might regret it. It strains her train of thought, stressing her out worse than a hemp knot holding two ten ton weights.”
That seemed to follow along with what Sunset understood of the dark alicorn. “She’s been afraid of me, but since I’ve proven I can help her, her defenses have lowered. Not completely.” A book exploding flashed in her mind. “But enough to see a different side of her than others see.” I saw the regret in her eyes when she saw the Tree of Harmony. She tried to blame Celestia, but I think she knew it was just as much her fault. Maybe that’s why she wants me to stay. She feels guilty.
“That’s where you’re wrong, Sunset.” Applejack leaned close, keeping eye level with the unicorn. “You’re starting to see that different side that we all see. It’s why we don’t want any harm to come to her. We all care about her. She’s done her best, but we need to move in a new direction. We can’t do that with her in power.”
“Some of us care about her,” Blueblood corrected, he shook his grinning mug. “But, if you’re willing to help us, I’ll explain our plan’s details. It’s going to be underway starting tomorrow with or without you,” he explained.
“Tomorrow? I thought you three weren’t going to do anything until after the banquet,” replied Sunset.
“Tomorrow we cut out our scapegoats,” answered Blueblood. “Once the banquet is finished, we’ll announce to the world what is happening. In four nights, everything will change.”
“Four?”
“The banquet lasts for three nights, Sunset. Didn’t anyone tell you that?” Applejack asked.
“A three-night banquet? Even the Grand Galloping Gala is only one night. I guess Nightmare Moon really does try to outdo Celestia.”
Applejack chuckled. “Something like that, yeah, I guess. On the first night, it’s mainly reserved for the most well-to-do ponies, while the second and third is open to the rich and nobles of Canterlot. Tickets are a bit easier to come by than the Grand Galloping Gala, so long as you can afford it.”
“And that third night is where our plan will be revealed. Canterlot will be burning with fury after that,” Blueblood said, his snickering was annoying.
Burning Canterlot. That didn’t sound like a good thing to Sunset. “Okay. I’m ready to hear it.”
The blonde stallion sat back in his chair, his forelegs outstretched against the desk. That handsome smile of his was a bit eerie for somepony so concerned with bettering Equestria. “Then let’s begin.” One of the drawers opened on his desk, with his magic he lifted out some papers. “As you know, we’ve been tainting food supply. Applejack’s food supply, specifically. The scapegoats will be blamed for doing that, but Nightmare Moon was the one ordering the scapegoats, or so we’ll have the public believe. In doing so, we’ll make the general population believe that Nightmare Moon desired to remove Applejack from her power. It’s a good scandal, and we’ve got our hooves in all the right places to make it work.
“Once Nightmare Moon is accused, we’ll ask her to step down. In doing so, our sweet Miss Applejack will modestly ask Nightmare Moon to remain on as pure royalty. Applejack will forgive the princess for her desires, to which Nightmare Moon must oblige. In doing so, several leaders of Canterlot’s branches will step forward claiming me as temporary leader. Once Applejack and Shining Armor throw their support for me, the others will follow. What they won’t know is that we three will maintain superiority over the others in order to hold all the power.
“Once all is said and done, the scapegoats and Nightmare Moon will be forgiven for their actions, and we’ll begin our implementation of a new housing sector. Along the expanse from Canterlot to Ponyville, to Fillydelphia and Manehattan, and to the Crystal Empire, we will begin setting up roads and farmland. From there we will cultivate new stretches of homes.”
“So Applejack gets more farmland to increase her finances, you get more land to claim rule over, and Shining Armor gets more areas to put guards in, increasing his role as captain. Is that it?”
Blueblood smirked. “You catch on quick. Plenty of personal gain, and Equestria will be strengthened entirely. A win-win. This has often been a desire of ours, but Nightmare Moon preferred to focus on defenses, for some reason. We are tired of hiding within our walls. It’s time to branch out. There is nothing that can threaten us, so long as we hold the Elements of Harmony. We three will be the most powerful ponies in Equestria.”
Is this what Nightmare Moon was afraid of? Was I wrong to judge her so harshly? Sunset held no expression as she contemplated Blueblood’s words. “I see,” was all she replied with.
“Do you? The sacrifices we’ve made in order to move things along are many. Our plan will not be stopped, you must not interfere. However, should you like to aid us in our plan, we’d allow you to play a part that we’d think you’d like,” Blueblood explained.
“It won’t be believable unless somepony claims Nightmare Moon as evil,” Applejack said. “My influence is legendary. For Nightmare Moon to turn against me, it’d be unthinkable—unless she’s evil.”
“And that’s where I come in. A pony from another world where the sun still shines. I’m assuming I claim her as evil and launch a tirade against her, to which Applejack will step in as the hero and forgive her? You won’t use the Elements of Harmony on her if she steps down? Is that it?”
Shining Armor said, “That’s right. It all goes down on the third night. Nightmare Moon will most likely keep you close during that time. It’ll be the perfect opportunity. We’ll announce it to Canterlot the next morning.”
This plan seems awfully smooth. There’s barely anything that could go wrong, aside from me opening my trap to Nightmare Moon. But if Applejack can lie, I can too. “Alright. I’ll make sure I stay beside her the third night or just in reach.” Which means I’ve got to stop you on the second night. If you three succeed, I won’t ever get the chance of setting this Equestria right. Using the Elements of Harmony on Nightmare Moon is the only way, but to do that I’ve got to help her with you three first.
Blueblood sat up straight, clapping his blue hooves together. “Wonderful. Absolutely wonderful. I knew you’d see things our way. Once all our work has finished, we’ll send you on to the next world whenever you like. You could even stay if you’d prefer, though I’m sure returning to a world with the sun is far more enjoyable.” Applejack shot a glare at Blueblood that both he and Sunset managed to catch. “We all think it from time to time. Don’t give me a dirty look for saying it out loud.”
So that’s why they’re claiming the zealots are separate. This supposed leader doesn’t care, he just wants power. He’s nothing like the stallion of the last world—that Blueblood was a bit of a charmer. Sunset raised a hoof as if she was in school again. “Are we done? If you want me to do this, I have to figure out how to repower the Elements of Harmony before the banquet begins. That only gives me a night.”
“You can do it, Sunset. I believe in you,” cheered Applejack, patting the unicorn’s shoulder.
“Very well. We’ll see you at the banquet,” Blueblood said as Sunset stood. Shining Armor led her to the door. “Have a goodnight, Sunset Shimmer. Remember, this helps not only us but Equestria too.”
“Yeah.” She didn’t look back at him.
When she reached the elevator, Applejack called her name. “C’mon, let’s take a walk,” she said. At the bottom floor, they exited the castle’s interior, traveling around the outside to a scenic garden that Sunset recognized. They traipsed past rose bushes and a fountain, and Sunset expected to find a statue of Nightmare Moon in the place of Queen Chrysalis, but there was no statue. “I know it doesn’t seem like it, but I’m trying to help Equestria.”
“And your own pockets.”
“That might be true, but without me, Blueblood and Shining Armor would turn our land into something like Manehattan or Fillydelphia. Nothing but cement and steel. With my ideas, I get to help build Equestria’s future and make sure nopony goes hungry.”
“You could have asked Nightmare Moon for clearance to do that, you didn’t need those two. Nightmare Moon treats you better than anyone else. Why go through all of this? Is it just for the power?”
Applejack shook her head, her golden mane shining in the moonlight. “All my life I’ve been trying to figure out what my purpose was. I left Sweet Apple Acres as a filly, I lived in Manehattan for years. It’s where I got my business sense. When I returned to the farmstead, things weren’t going too well, and it got even worse once the Forever Night came around. Discovering the napple not only saved Equestria but my home as well. With the power that I’ll gain from this move, I can make sure nopony ever has to worry about their home life being taken away.”
“Your home was already taken away, Applejack. Equestria without a sun is no home at all.”
The earth pony lowered her head. “I’m sorry Sunset. Celestia isn’t coming back, and even if she did, Nightmare Moon would just have us use the Elements of Harmony on her. And we would. Don’t you think you should give up on that folly idea?”
Deep in her heart, Sunset somehow knew using the Elements of Harmony wouldn’t be an option in this world. The bearers loved Nightmare Moon, just as they loved Celestia in the previous two timelines.
“Sometimes, Applejack,” Sunset said as she began to walk away from the earth pony. “Sometimes, you have to let go of things you thought previously. And other times, you have to sacrifice those same notions. Letting go and sacrificing, they’re not the same thing. But one always leads to the other.”
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I wonder who will be the Element Bearer of Honesty, because Liarjack is a cold business mare in this Equestria with excuses why her way is the right way. Of course expanding her business and influence is only a pleasant side effect.
Alone how she always emphasizes the word "friend" just to make it clear that she can't only be your greatest ally, but your worst enemy as well if you cross her the wrong way.
Look who's talking.
Sunset is so focused on setting "things right" and still has the self-centered idea that it could be her holy mission to turn every Equestria she appears into a similar kingdom how she knows it. Like she is some timeline police who "knows how it has to be done". I wonder when the lesson will sink in that a different world with a different history and perhaps a different culture doesn't simply make a 180 to fit into her own believes and has its own right of existence.
At its latest the destroyed Tirek universe or the by Discord conquered world will make things much much harder for her. I don't think they let the Element Bearers walk away unscathed, especially Tirek.
Oh, and the "Flim & Flam universe" would be hilarious to see.
Oh Celestia, please no...
So this is a great chapter.
I loved everything about it!
😄
I don't like this universe's Shining Armor. He sounds like- no, he is a fucking scumbag that deserves to be gelded and suicide is too merciful for him. And a hard boot to the balls if he still has them. Same with Blueblood. I've yet to find a Blueblood that isn't smarmy or a whiny stallionfoal.
8597718
But at this point it's clear that she is right. The miserable animals, all the fruit that no longer exist (including the Zap Apples), ponies that clearly miss the sun, etc.
8598033
Have you read the Best Night Ever?
8599019
That is right, but she always tends to think that those worlds are "wrong" or "nightmare fuel", just because they are not like her own and that is a pretty arrogant way of thinking. Like: "Your world is crap, no matter what you lived through you should change your ways as fast as possible to live like the Ponies in my world. That is how it should be done".
If some Ponies worship NNM, then those Ponies are insane in her eyes and how such behaviour has to be corrected.
Of course there are much better solutions for this Equestria and they need the sun if they don't want to end up dead at one point, but I don't think that she can simply translate her experiences from her Equestria to this.
So, I notice there's something of a glaring hole in this plan. Namely, that they are relying on Nightmare Moon to willingly step down. ... And that she really is completely ignorant.
8599019 What's the Best Night Ever? It better not be a clopfic.
8597718
Agreed. I think the thing for Sunset to do is to walk away from all of this. Nightmare Moon is unstable, but I'm not sure handing Equestria to this other faction is an improvement. And with one of the elements part of the conspiracy, with another generally hating and mistrusting Nightmare while two others are steadfastly loyal and the other two could kind of lukewarm...any plan based on her usual method is shaky at best. The Element of Honesty is being tricky and underhanded? Not a good time for a plan that depends on the elements to function properly.
At the same time, this plan the conspirators are putting forth seemed incredibly chance. All Nightmare Moon has to do is is say no, and what are they going to do? Part of their whole motivation here is that she's indecisive, and yet their plan depends on her voluntarily standing down.
If I were Sunset I would not be betraying Nightmare Moon right now. If she does, even if everything else goes the way the conspirators want...there's very little reason fro NM to not blast Sunset herself.
Also
8599663
The Best night Ever is a Groundhog Day timeloop story featuring Prince Blueblood. It's a relatively famous fic from very early in the fandom.
Sunset. You must wield the Element of Honsty! :sunsetsmirk:
Saying it now. I dislike this worlds AJ greatly
Yeesh. I didn't expect the full villain "Here's all of our evil plans" monologue. Huh.