• Published 15th Apr 2017
  • 9,037 Views, 678 Comments

The Worst of All Possible Worlds - TheTimeSword



Sunset Shimmer returns to Equestria only to find Twilight Sparkle battling a strange pony named Starlight Glimmer. Unbeknownst to Sunset, Starlight has altered the past, forcing Sunset to deal with reigniting her friendships all over again.

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World 4: Chapter 4

“Hello? Anypony home?” The library appeared as deserted as the castle, with just as much dust instead of ash. Sombra closed the door behind them, the Golden Oak Library was abandoned except for the plethora of books. “We can stay here for the night, or until someone comes and kicks us out.” It had gotten dark by the time they reached the outskirts of Ponyville. Sombra supported Sunset the entire way, carrying her one foreleg over his shoulder. “You feeling alright? Let me see if I can get you a glass of water.”

Sunset huddled on a purple pillow near a window, a carved shelf at her back. She stared out at the dark night where the clouds formed a barrier between the earth and stars. Her eyes felt heavy, the voice nearly faded to a hum within the back of her mind. When Sombra returned with a glass of water and a lit candlestick, she took the glass without looking at him. “Thank you,” she said in a hushed voice, staring down at the rippling water. The stallion went around lighting the other candles until the place was as bright as it could be.

In the light, she could see the cobwebs and the dust that settled over time. In the middle of the room sat a table where returning books could be set, but it was empty. “I don’t think anyone will disturb us if we choose to rest up here for the night before returning to the Crystal Empire,” Sombra observed, a candlestick in one hoof. He came close to Sunset, staring down through his spectacles at her. “Are you certain you’re alright? You don’t look well, if I may be blunt.” He gripped the handle of the candlestick between his teeth as he placed a hoof under her bangs, feeling the heat of her forehead. There was no fever, so he simply shrugged.

“A set of doors appear in front of me after I passed through,” Sunset said, in a rather strained voice. “I walked up to them, seeing my reflection, pained and hurt. A school. Closed for the night, I figured.”

Sombra did not understand, confusion written all over his face. He did not speak up to interrupt her, however, choosing to remain silently standing over her.

“I let the hate flow through my body. I hated her. I hated myself more, but I was too prideful to tell myself that I deserved it. Being bitter, being callous. It stayed with me for that night and every night after. I joined the school, made friends, made enemies. Becoming popular, I ruled. I knew I could use the world to my advantage, I just had to figure out how. I stared at the mirror for a long while, and it stared back, darker than you could imagine anything. When it finally let me through, back to Equestria, back to my home, I found out she had another apprentice, and that apprentice had saved the world multiple times.”

She hadn’t noticed she was crying, but Sombra did, using his cape to dry her cheeks.

“It took me a while to figure it out. If you bring any object from Equestria to the other world, you can use it, even if you aren’t the original owner—or bearer. I wanted to use the crown, I wanted to tear the school apart. The memory within me, the reflection of a pained, hurt girl who only wanted to be known for something. I wanted to look back and never have to see that memory again. I wanted to rip open the world. Equestria would wait, I’d start with the mirror world and then return. Yet my plans failed. All of them. I still see that pained, hurt girl every time I go to school.”

“You can’t let your failures get the best of you, you can’t let your memories control you,” Sombra comforted, taking a spot next to the mare and leaning against her body. “It hurts. It does. But putting good back into the world can help those memories.”

“You don’t get it,” Sunset argued, her voice still weak. “I didn’t want to control ponykind. I didn’t want to make them fear me. I wanted to stand at the top and look down at Celestia, I wanted to show her I had the power to be great. I just wanted to show her how wrong she was.”

Sombra wrapped a hoof around her. “You still can.”

“No. Being nice, being friendly, being kind. That’s what she always saw within me. To show her that would be showing her that she was right. I’ve done that for the last three worlds, showed her how I’ve changed. Every time I didn't feel like I truly connected with her. It never went back to that teacher-student relationship that I’ve missed for so long. I’ve tried to replace her. With Princess Twilight. But it doesn’t feel the same. She’s more of a friend than a teacher. Just another friend with advice that I can rely on. If I don’t help her, how can she rely on me? I failed Celestia, I can’t fail Twilight too.”

“I can’t relate to that,” Sombra mentioned. “I never had someone like that, that I was close to. It’s always just been me. Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor—they’re nice to me, helpful, but I don’t feel like they’re my mentors or teachers. I’m envious. You’ve got a lot of love to give.”

“Love?” Sunset didn’t understand.

“You hate. You hate ponies. You hate yourself. You’ve got to have a lot of love to give if it can be turned the opposite. I’ve never loved anyone, I’ve never hated anyone. Battling the princesses, I didn’t hate them. Being reformed, I didn’t hate myself. Even Lord Tirek, though I don’t care for him, I don’t hate. It was hard to understand emotion when I never felt anything. I always considered myself smarter, better than others, but it wasn’t out of spite. It was pride. Pride in myself.”

Sunset shook her head. “Not pride. Egotism. There’s a difference.”

“Is there?”

“Prideful is what I was, is what I am. Egotism is the undue sense of self-importance. Pride is… it’s a satisfaction derived from one’s accomplishments. I proved I was skillful with magic. I proved I could be better than Celestia herself. It’s pride that was my downfall.”

Sombra nodded. “Egotism.” His eyes drifted up to the loft that was on the opposite wall. “We should get some sleep, Sunset. You might feel better after you’ve slept, you might not. I can’t say for certain. Tomorrow, however, I’m going to help you.”

“Help me?”

“I’m going to figure out a way to get you home. You’re going to carry that pride with you wherever you go.”

She didn’t know what that meant, but he was right. She was tired. Too tired to understand. Her weary body managed to carry itself up the staircase. A bed without sheets sat in one corner with a shuttered window. Crawling onto the mattress, she slumped out of her backpack, not even bothering to find a pillow. One by one she noticed the candles going out. She heard the stallion trotting down below as the darkness overcame the light. The trotting stopped, and so did her mind.

Dreams did not come.

No golden flowers.

No voices of despair.

A knock.

Her eyes opened to the light. The sun’s golden rays breaching the gaps of the shutters. Another knock and she rolled over, facing her backpack. The front door suddenly opened, blinding her. “Terribly sorry to intrude, are you the new librarian? It’s been some time since we’ve had someone keep up with the Golden Oak Library.”

“No, a friend and I were just staying the—”

“Rarity?” Sunset called out, lifting her head to see the white mare and black stallion at the door.

“Sunset?” Rarity’s voice filled with surprise. She pushed past the stallion, her grey eyes stared up at the loft as Sunset rose from the bed.

“It’s good to see you again, you left without saying goodbye,” Sunset said, a voice full of scorn as she trotted down the short steps.

The white unicorn’s formerly calm face was tightened by her jaw stiffening. “Y-yes, I’m truly sorry about that. Pinkie and I… we didn’t feel that it would be… a wise decision to stick around. Not that we doubted your words as the truth—it’s just that, well, taking on Lord Tirek and Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, it just seemed like more trouble than it was worth.” An anxious smile brushed her lips just before she looked back at the stallion. “Now you’re traveling around with this rugged stallion I see. Quite the improvement, to say the least.”

“Pleasure to meet you, my name is Sombra, magic advisor to Princess Cadance.”

“Sombra!” Rarity exclaimed. “As in former ruler of the Crystal Empire, Sombra?” Her eyes shifted to Sunset, her brows shot up. “Well, well. You’re finding all the big names, aren’t you?”

“What do you want Rarity?” Sunset asked, curtly.

The white unicorn glanced around the library. “Well, Pinkie Pie saw that the lights were on last night, and she’d been watching to see if anyone came out. When she told me, I figured I’d come and check it out. Are you going to be living here?”

“She’s actually staying in the Crystal Empire at the castle,” answered Sombra.

But Sunset corrected him. “No, I’ve decided to stay here, Sombra. Ponyville is close to the map and close to the Tree of Harmony. I don’t belong in Canterlot, obviously, and traveling by train all the time is really starting to strain my hide.”

The stallion tapped his chin. “Then I suppose I’ll stay here with you.”

“You don’t have to do that,” she replied.

“I know I don’t. But I promised I’d help you, and I promised Princess Cadance that I’d help those who are like me.”

“Alright,” she chuckled. “I won’t turn you away.” Though I’d like to. Seeing your face just reminds me of how much of a failure I am.

Sombra put his hoof on the doorknob. “I’m going to head back to the Crystal Empire for now. I’ll pack up a few more of my things and be back tomorrow.” He glanced over his shoulder, the lapel of his cape tickling his chin. “Are you going to be alright, Sunset?”

“Yes,” she answered.

“Promise me you won’t leave until I get back?”

“Promise,” she answered again.

He gave a nod, tucking his jaw down before heading off into the light. When the door shut, Rarity turned back to Sunset. “He’s quite the looker. A bit stocky, definitely a brooder as well. What sort of adventuring have you two been doing since Canterlot?”

Sunset gave a scoffing laugh. “Why should I tell you anything? You abandoned me in Canterlot. I could have used you two to prove I wasn’t crazy. We could have convinced Celestia that there is another way. Instead, you ran like a coward.”

“Well.” Rarity raised her shoulders in a shrug. “We don’t really see the need for change when the world is already alright. Does Sombra want the world to change?”

“It doesn’t matter what he wants,” Sunset answered. “The change for this world is no longer possible. One of the bearers is so far away not even the map could show her location. I’m trapped here.” She started back up the stairs, still continuing to talk. “My only hope is to help the Twilight Sparkle of my world. If I can do that, I’ll be satisfied.”

“I see. So, this might be a permanent residence,” Rarity noted, glancing over the decrepit, grimy library.

Not permanent.”

Rarity trotted back to the door. “Alright. If you need anything while you stay in Ponyville, let me know. My apologies again for leaving you in Canterlot. I’ll send Pinkie Pie by with a welcome basket later!”

After the door closed, Sunset laid on the mattress eyeing her backpack. She wasn’t ready to greet the day, but at least she was alone. Rolling to one side, she unzipped the bag and pulled out the book of spells. She flipped to the back. Reading over the spell that caused her so much trouble, something struck a chord within her, but she didn’t know what. Happy? Am I happy to find something that can help Twilight? No, that’s not it. Her eyes read over the words multiple times. Starlight Glimmer is one brilliant pony to alter something like this. Am I smart enough to do the same?

Pride,” she heard Sombra say, though he wasn’t here. It stuck with her for a moment. Pride.

She closed the book of spells and rolled to her other side, staring at the blue between the gaps of the shutter. She stared and stared. She started until it hurt to stare. It hurt to do anything. Half the day was gone before she got out of bed. Even then, all she did was sloppily meander to the parts of the library she hadn’t seen. A strange, damp basement filled with gnarled roots. A dusty, cozy kitchen. And a half living room with a fireplace.

Searching beneath the cabinets, she found an old brown feather duster with missing plumes. With no direction in her life, she decided to start dusting off the shanty rooms. Starting in the library, she used a stool to reach the top shelf. It was hard to use her hooves to hold the duster while maintaining balance. She missed her magic, but missed her hands more. Several times she stopped to sneeze and wipe her nostrils. Several times she thought she might fall backward—standing bipedal as a pony was not the same as being the creature beyond the mirror, her center of gravity off.

A knock came to the door just before being pushed open. The frantic pink pony closed it behind her, slamming her body against it. “Lord Tirek is coming!” she whisper-yelled. “He’s somehow found out you’re here!”

“Pinkie.” Sunset glanced over her shoulder, her hoof still against the wall to maintain her balance. “Tirek can come and visit any time he wants. It’s a library. Maybe he’ll pick up a book on how not to be a complete jerk.” She turned back to her dusting.

“So, you’re okay if he comes here?” Pinkie asked, clearly confused. Sunset did not answer, and that was a clue to Pinkie to leave the unicorn to her business. The door opened and closed, and it wasn’t long after that another knock came to the door.

Sunset once again did not bother answering. It wouldn’t have mattered if she did as, just like with Pinkie, the centaur pushed the door open of his own accord. The light shadowed his face but Sunset did not look back to see it. She focused on her cleaning, keeping herself occupied; keeping her mind off her worries. The centaur shut the door behind him, she could hear the clopping of hooves as he came to the center of the room. He stopped at the table, it was clear he was focusing on her while acting as if he wasn’t.

Without as much of a glance in his direction, Sunset dropped from the stool, moved it to the next shelf, then strode back up to continue her cleaning. “What do you want, Tirek?” she asked, keeping her eyes trained on her task.

“I was in the neighborhood. It’s not every day someone new moves to Equestria. The Golden Oak Library is a good place to live, I’m quite fond of it. It’s unique.” The centaur trotted to one of the shelves she had cleaned, dragging his index finger across the book bindings. “Are you planning on staying indefinitely?”

“No,” she answered as she ran another swath of dust off the edge of the shelf.

“Where are you planning on going if not here?”

“Why the sudden curiosity, Tirek?” Now she threw a look over her shoulder at him, a flicker of irritation and impatience shone in her eyes.

“As I said, it’s not every day someone new moves to Equestria. Especially not someone who has declared such a feat as to try and defeat me.” He turned, his biceps brushing against the oak shelf. “How does it feel?”

She groaned and turned away. “How does what feel?”

“Being without magic.”

“You were smart to take it from me. I would have crushed you like a grape.”

“I have my doubts.” He waved a dismissive hand. “The ponies of this world respect me. A pony who doesn’t, well, it piques my curiosity. And choosing to hold yourself up in the same place I just happen to be starting work in—that’s too much of a coincidence I feel. I simply don’t want to have to deal with the myriad of stalking attempts you might endeavor to learn of my weaknesses if that’s what you’re plotting.”

“I’m not plotting anything about you.” Not yet at least.

“I’m sure that’s what you want me to believe. Regardless, if you wish to learn anything about me, please don’t go about it the wrong way. I’d be more than inclined to host a chat with you, telling you all about myself, even my weaknesses if you so desire.”

Sunset’s head tilted down and then twisted to the left, staring at the centaur with her peripherals. “Get out,” she commanded with a low, cold voice. When he attempted to speak, she threw one of the books at him. “Get out I said!”

The centaur caught the book in his hand, so she threw another, to which he caught as well. “If you insist.” He set the books down on the table before turning to leave. “My offer still stands,” he said at the door. “I’d be happy to oblige a one-on-one. Hopefully when you are more stable.” When he closed the door, she threw another book at the empty frame.

For a moment, she sat against the stool, her hooves to her eyes as she tried to block the tears from falling.

Time passed, the night returned, and she finished with the main part of the library. Her hooves were a bit stiff as she wandered to the kitchen to get a glass of water. Stretching the muscles, she squatted up and down to get the feeling back. That’s when she noticed the corner of the room, tucked away behind the kitchen table. Sombra’s bags. Placing the glass on the table, she rounded to the corner, grabbing the middle strap with her teeth. He’s been way too nice, way too caring. Maybe there’s a reason for that in here. Lifting the hefty sack and placing it on the table, she decided to see what exactly he had left behind in the Crystal Empire that he had not brought originally.

Placing aside the books he’d stole from the Castle of the Two Sisters, she examined the other literature he had brought. “One copy of The Life and Times of Morari the Maneless. One copy of Magical Mysteries & Practical Potions. And one copy of…” She hesitated, her eyebrows thrown up in surprise. “The Astronomical Astronomer's Almanac to All Things Astronomy? He’s a regular ol’ Twilight.”

Moving on to the other saddlebag, she pulled out the mirror from earlier along with a few sealed flasks of assorted liquids. “Wonder what these would be for…” Her eyes drifted to the other contents. A protractor, a short-range telescope, and a second red cape. The final piece of inventory was another book. She dragged it out by the small black binding, the paper inside rough and coarse. Examining the first few pages, she noted the cursive writing was not something common for most novels. It was difficult to read but after a while she understood.

“It’s his journal,” she realized, snapping the book closed. “I shouldn’t be reading something like this.” She began putting back the instruments, haphazardly arranging them. When she was finished, she saw that she had left out the black book.

Sunset was not the type of pony to be tentative on decisions, but her mind dragged on the idea of whether or not to read the ex-villain’s journal. I suppose if he finds out, I could offer him mine to read. It’d be a fair trade. But he doesn’t need to find out, now does he? She lifted the book and dragged it with her to the loft above the library floor. Stumbling onto the mattress, she pushed her backpack to the ground before sprawling out from corner to corner. Her eyes dragged over the first page, then the second. Before long she finished ten pages.

“Princess Cadance told me today that the journal idea had been something Celestia and Luna had done in their younger years. I’d be interested in reading what they might have thought prior to battling me for the empire,” one of the pages read.

As she continued, she learned Sombra had been truthful. He had a strong, stubborn way of not telling his emotions. Even in his writing, the stallion remained vague with his details on how he felt. But as she pressed on his emotions bled through, telling tales of happiness and triumphs as well as despair and misunderstanding. All things Sunset felt at one time or another along her long journey to redemption. But unlike Sunset, there was something missing from Sombra’s journey—some moment of restoration. She pictured the Crystal Prep counterpart of Twilight Sparkle and the demonic abomination she had transformed into.

It felt good to transform into something good; to stop an evil force from destroying the world. She held the book to her chest and chin. Princess Cadance thought I was still evil. Could it be that she wants to see me show the darkness inside, to attack Tirek? All so that Sombra could have that same moment? It’s possible. I’d like to give him that, but all I see in him is…

Failure.”

She hadn’t realized it, but closing her eyes to picture the stallion was a mistake. Her body still ached, her emotions drained. It left her tired, so tired. When she opened them, she saw the underside of the golden petals pointing up at the dark sky.

Instead of rising up to head to the indigo gazebo, she chose to lay with her arms stretched out beneath the flowers. She closed her eyes, and after a long while she eventually heard the sounds of a person walking. Squinting hard, she was cautious to open her eyes, fearful of a scary sight. But there was nothing. She sat up, placing her hands in her lap and tucking a leg beneath the other. The sounds of walking was shallow but she could hear it. Every so often the walking would stop and she could hear the gentle sobs that followed. It was disturbing. She couldn’t explain the chilly feeling running down her spine as she listened. Intent on discovering what it was, she listened to the sounds.

Click, click, boom.

She jolted awake. The sound she heard was nothing more than the opening and closing of the front door. “My apologies, I didn’t mean to wake you,” Sombra greeted with the wave of a hoof. She twisted her neck to look at the shutters, a dim light peering through the cracks.

“What time is it?” she asked him, rubbing the sleep from her eyes as she did.

“Early. I slept on the train,” he replied as he trotted up the steps. As he came closer, his brows pinched together. “What have you got there?”

Tucking her chin to her chest, she closed the book and handed it to the stallion. “Your journal.” She then shifted to the edge of the bed and flung her torso off the side, grasping her backpack’s zipper and pulling out the journal that had brought her so much misery. “Here,” she said, handing it to him. “Fair’s fair. I’m a jerk and read yours, you should be able to read mine.”

He took it hesitantly. “You know, had you asked I would have gladly let you read it. Did you get everything you wanted out of it?”

She gave a short laugh. “Journals don’t really help for learning who a person is. They just help you get a grip on their mentality. Sad to say, you’ve been truthful to every point.”

“Oh.” He shrugged, a hue of red flushed his cheeks between the grey fur. “Well, I mean, I find honesty to be a very fine quality. I try to maintain a good, honest nature whenever I can.”

“As do I.” Yet I can’t be honest with how awful you make me feel. “Did you bring everything you wanted?”

“Yes. I’ll be setting up in that living room over in the section past the kitchen alcove if you don’t mind. I told Princes Cadance about it and she gave me a strange look. Apparently, I had forgotten myself when I said I’d stay with you, being a stallion and you a mare.” He covered his muzzle with a foreleg.

“You conveniently forgot that you’d be staying with a mare, did you?” she said, a wry smile touching her lips.

“If it’s not alright, I can always just—”

She gave another short laugh. “I’m only teasing. Go set your stuff up.” She tossed her legs over the side and stood. “I’m going to go out for a little bit. Don’t be following me like a puppy dog now. Ponies might get the wrong idea, what with you living with me.”

The blush returned, even stronger before, turning his whole face into a greyish pink. “I-I w-w-” he stammered.

She didn’t wait for him to get the words out, choosing to step out into the morning glow of the world. The tinge of orange rising, creating a blue swirl of color in the sky. She stared up at the openness, trying to picture dark clouds, hoping to envision the dreamscape that haunted her sleep. Her mind hurt so bad that she wanted to cry. She would have too had she not seen the red and black in the corner of her eye.

Standing a few yards away peered the evil centaur no taller than Luna. In his hands were a tray of coffee cups and a basket of baked goods. She stared with angry brows at him, her head tilted in confusion. “Good morning,” he said. “I was hoping you changed your mind.”

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