The Worst of All Possible Worlds

by TheTimeSword

World 5: Chapter 10

Her mind was on Twilight Sparkle the entire flight, she could not help thinking about the princess of friendship. Discord had explained much through the clouded way he spoke, and it was enough for Sunset. She needed no more explanation. His silly game had its reasoning, and though he was not the Discord who Twilight Sparkle had seen reformed, Sunset still believed him. Was this faith going to lead down another path of regret? Would it be like Tirek? Like Sombra? She dared not wonder for long, fearing indecision would rise from uncertainty.

One thing was for certain, Sunset felt assuredly different. Much strife and confusion churned her mind and heart. Turning into a demon or turning into a hero, both brought regret in very different ways. But they also brought something else: experience.

As she flew beyond the floating city of Canterlot, letting the winds take her smoothly, she wondered what this world’s Twilight Sparkle would be like. A villain, most likely. Discord was out to prove something, and though he already had, Sunset knew there would be more. The game would not end once she collected all six bearers. She knew it as truth. She could only hope whatever the draconequus was planning would prove useful.

I’ve met another Discord, different to the one of my Equestria. I’ve met every single villain that Twilight and the girls have ever squared off against. Who would have thought that was even possible? Now, the girls are the villains. I know Discord is the cause of their turn, but I’ve got a good feeling now like everything will work out. It’s that same feeling I felt standing by Twilight, singing at the sirens. This journey's been hard, and it’ll probably get harder, but I’m going to keep that feeling. I’ve got it now, I’m not letting it go. No matter what, I’m in charge.

Her wandering thoughts tepidly centered as she coasted down from above the clouds, eyeing what was to be the location of the Crystal Empire. Unlike Canterlot, which floated upright, the Crystal Empire was supposedly upside-down.

Sunset knew she would be close when she reached the wall of ice that often surrounded the empire in these off-kilter timelines. A blizzard that raged was a good sign the Crystal Heart was in trouble. She'd seen it work twice, in the first world and the previous. Now, she hoped to see it again, the beautiful glow that shined and enlightened the city.

Instead of a twisting nether of ice and cold, she got a circle of fire that surrounded the city.

It was not upside-down, at least, not at this moment in time. The whole of the Crystal Empire rotated like a clock, twirling from its center axis along an angled degree. Sitting vertically, Sunset’s mind boggled as to how the gravity worked. I hope it’s not like a snow globe where turning it upside-down sends all the snow to the bottom. Passing over the crackling flames, sweat dripping from her brow, she touched down on the grass that edged the crater below the floating city. The Crystal Heart’s got to be in use—otherwise, the flames would’ve eaten this place up. Staring up at the now horizontal crystal homes, she wondered if it was even possible to live in such a place. Life goes on, right? The same could be said for Canterlot and the Badlands. But this is getting weird.

The rotating city did not rotate quickly, nor did Sunset want to wait the hours that it would take for the horizontal to turn vertical and vice versa.

Taking flight once more, she headed for the closest crystal building. Aquamarine in color, the half of the home left its living room behind on the rim of the crater. Sunset set to land just below the second story window, yet as soon as she passed the edge, she found herself flying directly into the building on the opposite side of the road. Crashing through the partially cracked door and slamming into a shelf, the world went dark. “Oh, no! Did I just knock out my vision!?” Her voice echoed, reverberating in her ear, which baffled the alicorn. Tapping at her face, she realized a ceramic pot locked itself around her head. With an explosion of magic, the pot disintegrated, leaving a trail of ash as a necklace.

With a gentle push up, Sunset stood on all four hooves, leaving the shelf to topple into her indentation. Expecting to be off-balanced, she found her footing was suitable. Strange. Stepping back outside, she gazed at the sky. No longer did she glance up at a sun and moon, but instead a wall of fire. Turning left, the way she'd come, was now vertical. A third was sky, a third was fire, and a third was the green grass she dropped in on. “This thing has its own gravity?” she gawked, eyeing the rest of the road. Magenta, violet, sapphire, and emerald buildings lined the street, untouched by the upheaval from the world below.

I wonder what else changed. Twilight has to be somewhere in this mess, or the cause.

Sunset dared not fly too far above the roofs for fear of tumbling wildly out of control into the inferno that raged in the distance. Gliding with grace towards the tallest structure, she decided to check on the Crystal Heart, knowing that if it ever was removed, the firestorm would close in on the poor city.

Upon reaching the castle, she noted not a single pony had been seen since arriving, and that didn't change once she got inside. Trotting through the rooms, she recognized some, and found traces of struggles and spats of ire, but no pony. Reaching the throne room, she checked the trapdoor beneath the rug, which remained untouched. “Princess Cadance should be here. Shining Armor too, if they were able to get married.” The barren room did not dishearten her, it only intrigued. A few people have said that the Crystal Empire has a theater. Where would that be? she wondered as she traipsed back outside.

The Crystal Heart sat silent, bright and warm as it ever was. Coming close, she saw her reflection. I’ve got to do something with that mirror. But what? I… this world’s me… might one day have a change of heart. She could come back through of her own accord. I can’t deny that day, yet it certainly isn’t safe to have out in the open. She put a hoof on the Heart and inhaled, seeking an answer.

“Don’t touch that!” a voice yelled, accompanied by a hoof flying and striking Sunset on the side.

Flopping to the ground and rolling to her opposite flank, she watched a pegasus mare pass over. Too high to have hit Sunset, the alicorn's brows shot together in confusion. Throwing a look over her side, Sunset didn't see any other pony. “Who are you!?” Sunset yelled back, but the pegasus had disappeared above the castle.

Rubbing the area she was struck, Sunset did not feel that a bruise would be left. At least somepony else knows what the Heart can do, but I bet that means others also want to remove it. She took one last glance at the Crystal Heart before stepping out from underneath the castle.

The rotation had changed ever so softly, the wall of flames lowered and the sky grew. Sunset attempted to spot the pegasus, wondering just how far she could go without suffering a gravitational pull. Pressing a hoof to her forehead, Sunset shaded her eyes, examining the top of the castle. “Excuse me? Where is everyone?” she shouted, hoping the pegasus would answer.

Only silence replied. Sunset started to feel a repetition, everywhere she went she was met with taciturnity and introversion, regardless of the world. It’s almost comical. Almost. With a few steps, Sunset hopped into the air and flapped her wings, taking a crawl across the crystalline landscape. She knew of one place that would be vocal, she just needed to find it.

Her walk with Princess Cadance proved to be a fruitless memory as this world lacked the areas that Tirek extended, and her recollection of The Crystal War timeline grew slippery. Just how many hours have I put into these worlds? I lacked a calendar for those first two, and the days were kind of a blur. Almost a month? More? Add that to losing so much time in that changeling cocoon.

“Speaking of being a blur, I get that this place is called The Crystal Empire, but all the buildings are too similar. I feel like I’m flying in circles,” she muttered under her breath. “I never noticed how parallel they look. It’s like one of those Saturday morning cartoons that Pinkie Pie made me watch, where when a character is running so fast that the scenery repeats itself. At least Canterlot’s got different venues and flairs, regardless of their constant color scheme. This place definitely needs some individuality. Of course, can’t do that without ponies… Where the blazes is everypony!?”

Besides the pegasus, Sunset found nothing. And unlike Las Discord, there was no fog here hiding statue ponies on rooftops or hindering her eyesight.

Ending right where she began, she swooped down and landed within the town square right outside the castle. She was growing impatient. Standing within the castle’s shadow, Sunset tapped her cheek. Her eyes then trained in on the Crystal Heart.

Hatching an idea, Sunset began to whistle and meander her way towards the artifact. As she stood next to the pedestal, she looked around to see if anyone could be seen. “This isn’t something I want to do,” Sunset bemoaned. “Resorting to such a tactic already? Ah, well.”

With a gentle shove, Sunset pushed the Crystal Heart. And just like before, the pegasus mare came swooping down the underside to slam a hoof into Sunset’s side, knocking her to the ground. But this time the mare also had to save the Heart from falling, giving Sunset a chance. Creating a barrier around each of the openings, Sunset trapped the pegasus.

Rolling on her foreleg and pushing herself up, Sunset groaned heavily, feeling the soreness in her stomach. “That hurts, y’know,” she said aloud. Her eyes wandered upward to look at the pegasus, but to her surprise, the pegasus wasn’t trapped.

“You really think I’d let you trap me that easily? I’m not an idiot.” The voice echoed from beyond Sunset’s barrier. Flapping her wings, the pegasus hovered with her forelegs crossed. Staring directly at the alicorn, the mare said, “Stop messing with the Crystal Heart. I won’t tell you or your leader again.”

“Leader?” Sunset huffed. “I’m my own mare, sorry to burst your bubble. But I’m more than willing to play Discord’s advocate if it means I get answers.” Sunset raised a hoof to the Heart, ready to push it if her problems were not met with solutions.

“You serious? That’s not going to work. Hasn’t your boss taught you anything? Barriers don’t work against my Charm.”

A wave of confusion washed over Sunset. “Your—your what?”

“You don't know? Then..." The pegasus haughtily tilted her muzzle upward. "A Charm is a being subconsciously produced by the owner, kind of like how unicorns cast magic. Except this isn’t just for unicorns. The Puppet Master gave a lot of ponies a Charm, yet I’m still one of the few who refused to obey. See?” She pushed her rump to Sunset’s view, showing the cutie mark had been covered with a six-pointed purple star. “Now, I suggest you leave this area if you know what’s good for you.”

“Listen, I don’t know what's going on, and I’d guess Discord is the Puppet Master, but I’m not working for him. I’m working for myself; I’m trying to collect the bearers of the Elements of Harmony,” Sunset explained, hoping that communication would last long enough to get some answers.

“Discord? Oh please. He’s smart to stay away. If the Puppet Master had him under her strings, we’d all be doomed.”

Sunset stepped away from the Heart and released the barriers, staring at the pegasus without blinking. “What’s your name? I’m… Princess Sunset Shimmer.” She felt good saying it. I recognize that cutie mark.

The turquoise-colored pegasus held no expression change, nor did her hovering cease. “The name’s Lightning Dust. A princess, huh? I’ve never heard of you.” She ran a hoof through her amber mane. “Though I guess that’s normal nowadays. Hadn’t heard of Princess Luna a few years back either. How do I know you’re not just one of the Puppet Master’s designed freaks?”

“Is the Puppet Master a mare with purple fur? Probably has stars for a cutie mark like the one on your flank? A unicorn?”

“Sounds like you already know her…” The pegasus squinted and glanced over the alicorn, uncertainty growing in her movements.

“I actually know her quite well. Well, not in this world I don’t. Her real name is Twilight Sparkle, she’s the bearer of the Element of Magic, and I’ve come to take her back to Ponyville. Most likely by force, as has been the case for some time now,” Sunset explained. She knew not to inch forward as it would drive the mare off.

Lightning Dust hovered to the ground, her eyes wide. “You’re here to cut the Puppet Master’s strings!? Well, geez, sorry about hittin’ you then. If there’s anything I can do, let me know. I’m all for tearing down that arrogant, self-conceited witch.”

“That’s good—because I have no idea where she is. I’ve flown all around this city and only found you—well, barely found you. Trapped you, sort of, mostly. I guess.”

“It’s cool. She spends all of her time tormenting that other princess anyway, over in her little theater. So, uh, do you mind if I ask you a few questions?”

Sunset didn’t refuse. “Go ahead.” Not like I’m in a rush or anything, and this girl is clearly suspicious. Wonder how long she’s been here?

“What’s your favorite color?” asked Lightning Dust.

“…What?”

“Your favorite color. What is it? I need to know more about you before anything happens and you’re replaced.”

“You mean like if I was replaced with a changeling or something?”

Tilting her head forward, the pegasus seemed confused. “Changeling? I don’t know what that is, but no. There’s a lot of different Charms out there, I need to know more about you specifically so that if she appears I’ll know if it’s really you or not.”

Oh, I don’t like that at all. “I guess red and yellow are my favorite colors?”

“What’s your favorite memory?”

“Ice cream with Celestia.”

Lightning Dust’s brow shot up, but that didn’t stop her questions. “What’s your cutie mark mean?”

“I’m good with magic,” Sunset replied.

“The worst food you’ve ever tasted?”

“Deep fried ice cream.”

With a nod, Lightning Dust had it all memorized. “Now I need you to remember these three things about me. I will not be repeating them. I won the Senior Flapper’s Competition three years in a row, I pride myself on independence, and I wanted to be a Wonderbolt when I was a filly. Got it?”

“Got it,” Sunset replied, hoping she did.

“Good. Let’s move. Hopefully, we won’t run into any of her goons so long as we fly.”

With Lightning Dust leading the way, trailing a streak of blue and yellow, Sunset faltered with every attempt to keep up. To her luck, the theater was not far and had been within walking distance. Nevertheless, Lightning Dust slammed down on the street in front of the auditorium, her power unleashing in a thunderous shockwave. Floating like a feather down beside the mare, Sunset carefully settled herself back on the ground, far more graceful than the pegasus.

“This is it. She’s inside,” Lightning Dust said, her voice becoming brash.

“Wait out here. I want to talk to her before things get violent. It might only have a slim chance of working, but Twilight Sparkle is the smartest pony I know. She has to know what’s right and wrong, and I’ve got to drag it out of her.”

Clearly surprised by the show of character, Lightning Dust replied, “Uhm. Yeah, oh—kay. Give it a shot. I’ll be around back ready to bust in should things start going down.” The mare flew off without waiting for a reply.

Alone again, Sunset glanced up at the drama hall. Large in stature with a happy and sad set of pony shaped masks, it looked like it could hold an incredibly immense audience. Taking in a big gulp, Sunset pushed in both doors and came face to face with the lobby. Inside the plush, maroon-colored foyer, she could hear the sounds of a xylophone and tambourine. Pressing her body to the wall, she peered through the door-less entries into the auditorium.

Burgundy seats lined the enormous room from back to stage, though only one seat was taken. On stage, two ponies were tied with strings, moving them like puppets. Sunset immediately recognized them to be Princess Cadance and Shining Armor. “Oh, my love! I love you so much! You are the one for me!” she heard the white stallion yell.

“We will be together forever! I will not let anyone tear us apart!” Princess Cadance replied, stretching her forelegs out.

“Pause!” another voice—the Puppet Master—commanded, and the strings tugged tight. Sunset watched as the single seated pony hung a hoof over the back of the seat next to her. She stared directly at Sunset, and said, “Come on in. The play only started a few moments ago. Have a seat next to me.”

She could tell by the voice that it was Twilight Sparkle, though as she got closer, Sunset could not discern where the pony began and the cloth ended. Black socks, black dress pants, a white button-up shirt with a black coat, and a scarf of purple stripes. Covering her mane and horn was a top hat, black of course. She kept her muzzle covered by the scarf, only her violet eyes could be seen. They stared at Sunset as she walked the aisle, reaching the seat to the left of the unicorn. “What’s your name?”

“Sunset Shimmer,” she answered, plopping down in the seat.

“What a pretty name. Why is it you have come to me, my dear?”

“I, uh, need you to win a game?”

“A game? How intriguing. I would assume I am the most important piece, yet a mind is not to be squandered. You’ll have to figure out how to win without me. I am far too entranced with this show. Have you seen it?” Before Sunset could answer, the mare reacted for her, “Of course you haven’t. I wouldn’t let my beautiful choreography be squandered on the wastrels of the rest of Equestria. But a princess? You shall get to see it. I’ve always valued a princess’s opinion, they’re almost on par with me.”

Clapping her hooves together, the play resumed.

“My dear, I must tell you, I am not who I say I am!” Princess Cadance cried out. “I am a monster, a villain, a terrible swindler come to steal you away from your family!”

“I don’t care, I love you! I’ll drop my family for you—we’ll make another, far away, in a city where everything is bright and shining!” the stallion replied.

“Shining Armor!” a voice called out, big and masculine, and filled with power and wisdom. “I have come to save you! The spell this charlatan has cast upon you will be undone!” Coming out from the left side of the stage was a giant stuffed toy, grey with curly hair and polka dot pants. “It is I, Smarty Pants! Face me, villain!” Strings ran up from the toy’s forelegs as it stood bipedal, pointing at the princess.

In retaliation, the princess charged at the toy. “I’ll never let you take him from me! He’s mine! I’m selfish and he’s mine forever! You’ll never see him again!”

But when the princess came within striking distance, the large toy uppercut her with the force of a hurricane’s wind, sending her up into the scaffolding and out of sight. “What’s this? The princess—the monster is gone!” Shining Armor gawked, strings pulling on his lips. “Smarty Pants! You saved me?”

“I did! And now we will return you to your real family, where you belong! Hop on my back, young stallion, and we will be off!” the toy replied, and Shining Armor did as requested. The two then disappeared off stage, and Twilight Sparkle released a round of clapping.

“What a beautiful display!” She rubbed a tear from her eye. “What did you think, Sunset Shimmer? What did you think of the monster that came to tear away the proud knight? What about the dominant, brilliant Smarty Pants? Tell me your thoughts!”

That was awful. “You have some emotional problems to work out in this world, don’t you? This isn’t going to be easy.”

“Did you not like it?”

“I’m not here to judge your fanned fiction of your brother. Not sure why anyone would. No, I’m here to take you back to Discord. You’re the Element of Magic, a bearer of the Elements of Harmony. It’s time to put down the crazy and come back with me,” Sunset curtly explained.

“I already told you. You’ll have to figure out how to win it without me. Since you did not like the play, I must work on it. Nothing I have ever made is a failure, and this certainly won’t be either. If you’re interested, I’ve made plenty of other things. Songs, art, spells, creatures. You can have any of them if you’re appreciative of the craft and my talent, but not me. I am far too busy.”

Sunset rose from her seat. “Spells, huh? You make something called a Charm?”

“Would you like a Charm? All the ponies I’ve given have loved theirs. It’s one of my most proud achievements, and there are many.” Her eyes tilted with her head as if she was examining the very bones that held Sunset together. “What would your Charm be? Come on, give me something. Don’t be shy. I’m good at getting it right.”

“I don’t want a Charm. I’m quite fine with the magic I house, thank you. I’m a princess, after all.” She shook a hoof at Twilight. “I need you specifically, not one of your creations or stories. Beating Discord means something, it means turning this world back to normal. Don’t you want this world to be normal again?”

“No. I quite like it the way it is. This is my little slice of paradise. An entire city sprung up out of nothing, all for me. Now, if you don’t want a Charm, go away. You’re making me cold.” She shivered, crossing her forelegs and slinking back against the seat.

“You can either come back with me peacefully or we can do this the hard way.”

“There’s a third option, which involves you leaving, I suggest you take it,” Twilight replied, her voice growing angry.

“Lightning Dust! Talking’s resolved nothing. Time to light her up!” Sunset yelled out and waited for the backup. She had difficulty dealing with Lightning Dust's Charm, and she guessed Twilight would too.

But the pegasus dealt with her own difficulties. “Uh, that’s not really going to happen,” Lightning Dust called out as she was brought out on stage by Smarty Pants, strings wrapped around her limbs. “She got me, Sunset. She’s gonna get you too! Get out of here while you still can!”

“That third option is off the table, unfortunately. You’ve made this unpleasant. How tragic.” Twilight Sparkle rose from her seat and turned to face Sunset. The glare she held could melt tungsten. “But as I am ever so gracious I will grant you a Charm regardless, and then cast you down with the others. You have earned that respect for simply being a princess.”

As Sunset readied herself, she noticed strings wrapped around her limbs. When she went to remove them with her magic, she found her horn was strung. Before she could put up a fight, the unicorn sent a spell into her eyes, and then only blackness surrounded her vision. Falling to the floor was the last thing she felt as she drew unconscious.

Though it came unexpectedly, she knew that golden flowers would be upon her in a flash. Yet the smell did not pierce her nostrils, the darkened sky did not appear above. Her lucid mind roamed freely in a world that was not the same that she visited every slumber.

She awoke in a bed. Comfortable, she resented her awakening, but confusion led way to curiosity. With a hoof on the crystal headboard, she pushed herself off the side, leaving the silky comforter to tumble to the floor. “Where am I? Where’d Twilight go?” she asked the quaint room, wonder how long she'd been out.

She was upstairs, she could tell by the thumping made by hooves a floor below. As she pressed to the only door within the bedroom, she peered through the lock, seeing the stairs down. It was at the same time the door opened, smacking Sunset in the face. Letting out a pained grunt and holding her eye, Sunset flopped around on the floor. “Oh, sorry, dear. I didn’t know you were there.”

“Who are you?” Sunset asked as she stood, still holding her face. “You’re not Lightning Dust. Are you with Twilight?”

“Me? No. I may be a unicorn but I’m not part of her gang.”

“Gang? Well… who are you?”

“The name’s Sassy Saddles. Lightning Dust told me about you. We’ve just been waiting for you to get up,” the unicorn replied.

“You’re friends with Lightning Dust? What happened? How’d we escape the theater? It feels like it all happened just a few seconds ago…”

The mare named Sassy Saddles frowned. “We weren’t able to save you… in time, unfortunately. You have your Charm. Lightning Dust tried her hardest, but I found you both unconscious outside the theater.” She then pointed to Sunset’s cutie mark, a six-pointed purple star covered her sun. “Just like me,” Sassy added, lifting the black dress she wore to show her covered cutie mark. “She calls it a Charm. It’s given us powers that we normally wouldn’t have.”

“Can’t you undo it? You’re a unicorn.”

“Lightning didn’t tell you much, did she?” Sassy asked, chuckling under her breath.

“No, things happened fast, and she was pretty forceful about remembering things for some reason.”

Sassy nodded with a lying smile on her lips. “She’s reckless but capable. No, when we’re given the Puppet Master’s Charm, we can no longer use our magic. Lightning Dust can’t move or walk on clouds, I can’t levitate objects, and Suri’s got the strength of a house cat.”

“Suri?”

“Suri Polomare. Another of our trio, though I guess now that you’re here helping us that makes us a quartet.” She chuckled again. To Sunset, it was very clear the mare in front of her was miserable. The smile was sickening only because it was a lie. The eyes stared through Sunset wanting something unobtainable. All of it was a mask for the poor unicorn. Before she could ask how long Sassy and the others had been here, Sassy queried her own question, “You’re a princess, but I’ve never heard of you. When did you become a princess?”

“A little over a week ago, if you can believe that.”

“I’ve seen a lot of things that would contradict a lot of what I used to believe. Why were you drawn to the Crystal Empire?”

“Drawn? Lightning Dust didn’t tell you?”

Sassy Saddles frowned, bleak and weak. “She did. Though I assumed she was joking. You… don’t still want to go after the Puppet Master, do you?”

“I have to. She’s a piece of the game that I need to get to win Discord’s challenge. I’ve got three out of six, I’ve come too far to quit now,” Sunset replied, not meaning to sound curt.

“Well, that’s going to start making our votes a tie then. Dust always wants to go after the Puppet Master, but Suri and I know better. We’re resigned to the fate we’ve been cursed with.”

“If you don’t want to deal with her, why not just leave?”

Sassy shook her head, her orange mane staying perfectly in place. “Once you’ve received your Charm, you cannot leave the Crystal Empire. Taking her on is foolhardy, so we make due. We live our lives trying our best to not get caught by one of her ruffians. It’s… difficult, to say the least. But now there’s somepony new to talk to. I bet you’ve got a lot of interesting stories from the outside world.”

“Can’t leave, no magic. Geez. Talk about a bummer.” Sunset sighed and rubbed the bridge of her muzzle. “Well, now that I know what she’s all about with those strings, I’ll be more prepared. I’m going to take her back to Ponyville and have Discord lock her in a cage.”

“Weren’t you listening? What good will any of that do? Locking her in a cage? Taking her back to Ponyville?” The unicorn was just as confused as Sunset.

“All the other bearers that I’ve gotten have their magic contained within their cages. It’s not hard to assume Discord would cut off Twilight’s magic too. Once I figure out how to remove this Charm of hers, I’ll teleport us both back and have him lock her up. Discord and I have a… new understanding, I think. Unspoken, but it’s there. I want the bearers, and Twilight’s a bearer, so I’m not leaving without her.”

Impressed, Sassy said, “Taking down the Puppet Master? Coming from Dust, it always sounded ridiculous, but you actually make me believe it could happen. Maybe it’s just because you’re a princess…” Rubbing her foreleg with the other, she tilted left and right. “I suppose if you need my help, I can, though I think you’ll want to get Suri on board before we agree to anything. Lightning Dust’s already willing, I’m sure. She was so sore about getting caught that she rushed off immediately after waking up.”

“Well, the first thing I need to do is figure out how to remove these Charms. Getting my magic back is all I need to cut her little act short.” Sunset glanced back at her rump and scowled.

“Oh! What is your Charm? Have you figured it out yet?” inquired Sassy.

“My Charm? No, I just woke up. How do I even use it?”

“It’s just like casting magic. You feel it in you, bringing it forth like a spell, but once it’s out, you can use it.” Closing her eyes, Sassy’s fake cutie mark glowed for a moment and called forth her Charm. Appearing like a ghost, the Charm was that of a beautiful white mare covered in gems of different colors. With giant diamonds as forelegs, the Charm gave a little twirl and a wink to Sunset. “This one is mine. I call it Free Fancy. Lightning Dust said that giving them names is stupid, but don’t be shy from thinking one up for yours. It helps with the tedium. Suri calls hers Buttons.”

Wincing with confusion, the alicorn tried to rattle her brain around the mystifying information. Just like magic, huh? Sunset gave it a shot. Focusing inward, she felt her rump get hot as the six-pointed star glowed. Waiting for something to happen, Sassy gasped, forcing Sunset to throw a look over her shoulder.

The Charm appeared in all of its radiance. Above her rump lingered the torso, arms, and head of a golden warrior, blonde hair streaming down its back. With hands instead of hooves, it reminded her of the defender she became to combat Midnight Sparkle. The only mystery was what it did—and why exactly it had a red blindfold covering its eyes.

“How beautiful, Sunset. I’ve never seen a creature like it before. Think it’s strong?”

Smiling, Sunset replied, “Oh, I am quite sure it’s very powerful. It embodies friendship, and there’s nothing stronger than that.”

Comments

[Wysteria]

Charm? Reminds me of a stand...

[HB_DS2013]

Oooh, I like this already.

[GIGA-XISBASS]

9070348
I know right, does that make Twilight DIO or something with how everyone is acting?

[Anachronon]

Really Sunset?

Three of six bearers you've met were all insane in their own ways, be it gluttony, pride, or greed. What made you think that chatting with someone who calls herself "Puppet Master" of all things would end differently?

[Admiral Q Ponyform]

In a case on irony Twilight has become Starlight

[TheTimeSword]

No new chapters this week due to life stuff. Should be back on track next week. (Maybe.)

Edit: Yeah, so, uh, maybe longer than a week. I started a new job and it's a 3rd shift 11PM-8AM job, so I'm getting used to it. Hiatus will be ended by the end of the month, however.

Second Edit: I've invested in Grammarly Premium, and will be going through and re-editing older chapters. This might take some time, but once that's finished I'll add more chapters. And seeing as how the first chapter alone has over 140 issues, it might be a while.

[The Taios]

Here’s a question that’s been floating in my head that no one has talked about..... but where the hell is each equestria’s versions of starlight glimmer? you’d think that with witnessing each counterpart, we’d end up meeting her at some point.... but no. We never read or witnessed her until later on in the show.

[Csquared08]

Oh boy!

[Csquared08]

A wave of confusion washed over Sunset. “Your- yourwhat?”

You accidentally a space

[Blaster M]

<<<===「To Be Continued」===<<<

You heard this in the last paragraph