The Worst of All Possible Worlds

by TheTimeSword

World 6: Chapter 4

The mountain sorrel and pine forests were traded for the hustle and bustle of city life. Cement skyscrapers replaced the small crystalline homes where only the crystal castle could compare to the heights. Quiet ponies became screams and shouts, only muffled by honks and horns. It’s been a while since I’ve been in this city. Not since that first world. Sunset’s group was the first to appear by train in a long while, and so the commotion they gathered was far more palpable than the welcome in the Crystal Empire. Bright flashes and cries for autographs rung her head like a bell.

Forced to display her magic, Sunset cast a bubble barrier around her band, reflecting dusk and the lowering sun. A night spent within the Crystal Empire left them with a long morning, and the ride dwindled their hours into the next. “This town never sleeps, from what I’ve heard,” Applejack said with a yawn. “Shoot, it’d be supper time back on the farm, then an hour of play before bed.”

Twilight asked, “Where are we heading? You said your f-fourth is somewhere in this city. Do you have any idea where?”

“Not a clue,” Sunset answered. But if I follow in my own hoofsteps, city hall will tell me where she is. “It might take some time to find her, which is why I was eager to get here sooner. I knew we shouldn’t have spent the night.”

“I don’t generally like meeting new p-ponies, just so you know,” added Twilight. “You three seem alright, but this crowd…” The unicorn covered her eyes with a foreleg. “I’m not even properly dressed.”

Pinkie Pie giggled. “I like meeting new ponies! There’s a chance to become friends with each of them!” She waved at the crowd as they continued on their covered path.

“Friends? You sound like my brother. Always on and on about friendship—not like he has many either, mind you. All his friends remained in Princessland, or are still in the guard.” Twilight’s head sunk low. “I don’t get what’s so special about friendship.”

“Me neither,” Applejack spoke up. “Pinkie keeps muttering on about it. Even if I didn’t have a thought in my brain, I’d still be wonderin’ if it didn’t relate to Sunset.”

“Perhaps it relates to her project. Why she’s gathering us?” Twilight curiously inquired.

“Not at all! Princess Sunset Shimmer wishes to take down Flim and Flam and rule over the other princesses!” Pinkie Pie answered without hesitation.

Twilight let out a shocked gasp. “Rule over the other princesses!? Th-that can’t be!”

With a groan, Applejack pulled on her cheeks. “I’m pretty sure Sunset Shimmer told us not to mention that, Pinkie, or did you seriously forget?”

“No, I remember,” answered Pinkie. “She said if Twilight is elastic about the princesses, not to tell her of the secret plan to overthrow the princesses and take over Equestria. Well, I certainly don’t think she’s very stretchy. Look at her! She’s really tense.”

“Ecstatic, Pinkie. Ecstatic!” Sunset hollered over her shoulder.

“No! Yo-you’re serious!?” Twilight stopped, only to be continued forward by the ever moving bubble shield. Sunset chose to not look back, only if it was meant to hide her truer emotion. “I-I-I can’t partake in something like that! Let me out!” The unicorn dropped her bags, pounding on the shield, screaming at the paparazzi photographing her.

“Twilight, stop!” Sunset finally turned with a stern look, only for it to be shot down by surprise.

The purple unicorn burst the shield with her own panicked magic, escaping into the crowd with an astoundingly speedy gallop. “I’ll get her! I’ll get her!” Applejack yelled, chasing after the mare, and also disappearing into the crowd.

As the crowd swarmed Sunset, their words piercing her brain, she could barely make out Pinkie’s words. “Ohh!? Are we running away now!? I can do that! How fun!” The pink pony hopped off in the opposite direction of the first two, unabated by the flocking citizens.

Pecked and prodded, twisted and swallowed, Sunset felt her mane and feathers grabbed and pulled. A stallion took a photo of her eye, while a mare plucked a few strands of tail hair. In a moment of unbridled anger, Sunset’s magic unleashed and pushed a gust of wind from every pore of her body. Cameras fell smashing, papers scattered into the night sky, and ponies hollered in fear. “I am not your plaything!” Sunset spoke in a voice so deep that it sent a chill down her spine. “If you wish to see the spectacle of a princess, go to Princessland. Do not test my power again!”

As she floated back to the ground, ponies rushed to escape her sight and presence. In the end, she was alone, and her friends nowhere to be seen. Well, there goes the ease of finding those three. I knew my luck would run out eventually. Her eyes tilted, turned, and teetered, trying to see a scarce coloring of orange, purple, or pink. Instead, a blinding light once again scorched her vision. “I told you—” Sunset started to yell as she rubbed her eyes.

“My apologies,” a mare called, dipping the camera. “I was wondering what the commotion was. Didn’t want to miss a chance once everyone else vanished, but you’re just a pony.” As the mare came closer, Sunset saw the yellow fur and pink mane. “Not just any pony—but a princess. I’d say it’s an honor, but the fact that I’m seeing a princess outside Princessland leaves me uneasy, if you don’t mind me expressing myself.”

Blinking, Sunset couldn’t believe her odd fluctuation of luck, good or bad. “Fluttershy?”

Gently lifting her oversized, lavender hat back, the pegasus stared through rosy glasses. “You know who I am?” The camera tugged on her neck as she let go, brushing against the brown trench coat that encompassed and sagged around her body. “But I haven’t the slightest clue who you are.” Lifting her hoof, she reached into the coat and dragged a notepad with pencil up from a pocket. Jotting with her mouth, she didn’t take her eyes off the alicorn. “If it’s not too much trouble, could you tell me your name?” she lisped, though every word enunciated perfectly.

“I’m a pony who has been looking for you, actually. My name is Princess Sunset Shimmer—though please, call me Sunset.” She held a smile that slowly faltered. “I would introduce my friends, but they ran off. Now I’ve got to find them again.”

“Lost your friends, huh? I’m more of an animal sleuth, but missing ponies isn’t a far off topic. I can help, if you’d like. But I want to know how you’ve heard of me. I’m not very well established outside of Manehattan,” responded Fluttershy as she tucked her chin into the collar of her coat.

There’s something different about this Fluttershy from the others. Sunset felt herself dissected by the eyes of the pegasus with every passing second. “I can’t answer that question at the moment, I’m afraid.” She wants to help. Is her curiosity enough to keep at my side till I can craft a good enough lie? Telling Twilight she was needed for a project didn’t work out very well, after all. I’d like to rely on my status, but when no one has heard of me that’s kind of hard. “I have to find them before they get into trouble. I’d be more than willing to tell you anything you want to know after I round them up, but right now I really have to find them.”

Trotting away, Sunset hoped that the words were enticing enough, yet when she looked back, the pegasus was gone and the street empty. When she continued, the voice spoke up, “Curious. You looked back to see if I was following you. Your words meant to lure me, correct? To get me to follow you?” Startled, Sunset snapped her head in every direction, eventually turning to the growing night sky.

Like a butterfly, the flapping wings were silent, almost inaudible. “Fluttershy?” Sunset’s brows furrowed.

“Your words feel as though you are hiding something, and your actions prove it. I hope you don’t mind my inquisitive nature in saying so, as it’s not meant to hurt your feelings. I’m so sorry if it does.” Floating back to the ground, Fluttershy followed and stood in front of Sunset, a face as blank as the back of a greeting card.

I don’t like this. Sunset suddenly felt anxious in her stomach. What happened to Fluttershy in this timeline? If I tell her something and she figures it a lie, she might search deeper. If she discovers Discord—if I tell her I’m trying to take down Flim and Flam—if she suspects anything… What am I supposed to say?

“I-I have to go,” Sunset stated, her confidence squished between dread and unease. Trotting off once more, Sunset did look back again, this time out of panic. Indeed, the prying pegasus followed. The mare said nothing, though her face turned stern, almost mean, with her eyebrows pulsed together. Running faster, Sunset began shouting, “Applejack! Twilight! Pinkie! Where are you!?”

Those who were closing up their shops within the town of tall stone stared at the two who ran through streets, shouts and screams coming from one, while the other glowered gloomily. What they might have thought was no consequence to Sunset, as the alicorn took to the sky. She knew she wouldn’t be able to lose Fluttershy, but having the familiarity of Applejack or the ridiculousness of Pinkie Pie by her side would give comfort. “Come on. Come on! Why’d they have to blab? Why’d Twilight have to freak out? This city is massive!”

As the sun faded and the stars grew, the city lit up like a firework. Little dots of orange, purple, and pink forced Sunset to ground for each, only to find they were not the mares she was looking for. And yet Fluttershy kept pace with her, ever silent in her ambitious curiosity.

It wasn’t until Sunset closed in on the train station that she heard the screams and the carts of black and white screeching down every street. A hogtied pony and broken glass littered the stony road, with Applejack standing vigilant. Helpful citizens argued with the earth pony, trying to get her to release the unicorn, yelling at her to cease the unnecessary capture. It was then Sunset realized somepony called for the city guard, the black and white carts holding two of the blue suited officers each.

Setting down beside Applejack, she narrowly avoided glass. “Applejack! You caught her. What happened!?”

“You have any idea how hard it is to capture a unicorn when ya ain’t got no magic?” Applejack yelled her answer with a question of her own, her breath heavy. Her eyes then shot to a yellow pegasus. “I told y’all this ain’t what it looks like! Step back before things get rough!”

Sunset glanced over her shoulder. “No, that’s Fluttershy, the one I was looking for.” Her eyes then darted to Twilight whose mouth sat covered in rope, much like her legs. “I lost Pinkie, and the constabularies are on their way. I saw them from above, and I don’t think they’ll be as kind to me once they hear what Twilight says. We’ve got to think of a plan, and fast!”

Gulping down fear, Applejack turned to the crowd. “Go on! Get! This here is a princess!”

The shouting did nothing. Sunset felt the world closing in, and this time she couldn’t create a barrier, teleport away, or force it all back. The guards pushed through the crowd, Twilight struggled with the rope, and Applejack growled at them all. Sunset looked to Fluttershy, the firm pegasus stared back. Avoiding shards of glass, Sunset went to her. With a whisper, she said, “I’m not from this world.” It was a revealing secret that she dared not let any of the bearers know. Not until time was right.

“What?” Fluttershy’s eyes went wide, almost stretching to the width of the rims of her glasses.

“I need you to keep everything I’m about to tell you a secret. I’m not from this world, I’ve come to defeat the brothers Flim and Flam. They’ve trapped me in this world with the help of a draconequus named Discord. Collecting the six bearers, who include these two and you, will grant us the Elements of Harmony. We can free this world from Discord’s control, but right now, I desperately need your help. I’ve lied to Twilight, and if these officers hear what she says, there is no way I’ll be able to help anyone. I’ll be forced to fight just to avoiding being sent to Tartarus.”

The yellow face stared with a tense ambiguity. How curious was the pegasus? Curious enough to help, at least. “Officer!” Fluttershy called, coming to the one who looked to be the chief. “You’ve arrived just in time.”

“Well if it isn’t our resident pet detective,” the short-nosed stallion chided. “What’d you do this time? I’m growing sick and tired of havin’ to clean up your messes.”

“My apologies sir, however, this isn’t just my mess. That unicorn is a dangerous criminal, bent on stopping this princess from completing her search for another mare. I’m helping her search, however, the princess has nowhere to keep this deranged unicorn in the meantime. She’s gotten loose once. I ask politely for your aid in the matter,” Fluttershy pleaded with an unyielding grip on her voice.

It was clear the chief had history with Fluttershy as he sighed and said, “Princess or not, it’s always you causin’ trouble. You want our help? Fine, but I want you out of my city.”

“Deal,” Fluttershy immediately agreed without a hesitant glance. “But please, make sure you keep the unicorn from speaking. If she speaks, she can cast her evil magic on your officers and escape once more!”

“Yeah, yeah,” he bemoaned and gave an order. Crunching of glass beneath the boots of the officers echoed out as they took Twilight into custody, lifting her into their carts and placing magical wards to prevent her escape. “Now find whoever it is and leave.” He then trotted past Fluttershy, his frown turning into what almost seemed a smile. “Greetings Princess Sunset Shimmer. Word travels fast, and I am happy to help in your investigation.” His frown returned. “Why you chose to have that batty mare help you is beyond me, though.”

Sunset was unsure what to respond with, other than politeness, reiterating Fluttershy’s kindness. “Don’t worry, we’ll be out of your hair in a relatively short manner.”

“You are always welcome in our city. Your captive will be held at the department within city hall until you take your leave. Do feel free to visit again without the pet detective.” He bowed. “Ma’am.” As he passed Fluttershy, he said with a mocking tone, “Detective.”

The crowd and officers dissipated, leaving Sunset, Applejack, and Fluttershy alone with a few janitorial ponies cleaning the shards of glass off the street. “I’m sorry,” Sunset said, coming to Fluttershy.

“Leaving Manehattan will be a chore, but there are other opportunities elsewhere. Maybe I’ll even be able to open up a service in Princessland, being a detective who has now aided a princess, after all.” She almost smiled. “Of course, I’m not sure what good a pet detective will do in a city of money and gaudy souvenirs.” The pegasus was very frank, a difference from the others Sunset did not fail to note.

Sunset nodded. “I’m sorry, regardless. Fluttershy, this is Applejack.”

“Pleasure.” Applejack shook Fluttershy’s hoof, though neither seemed pleased to meet the other.

“Now that this awful business has been cleaned up, you said you had one more to follow who ran off?” Fluttershy asked.

“Pinkie ran off?” Applejack rolled her eyes. “Well, shoot. I thought she was alright with going after Flim and Flam?” Applejack then struck her mouth, realizing her mistake of speaking in front of Fluttershy. “Drat! I’ve got as big a mouth as Pinkie!”

“It is quite alright. I know more than you’d think,” Fluttershy responded. “I’ll keep quiet. Do not worry, Sunset.”

“Oh.” Applejack scratched her cheek, looking between the two. “Wait—what?”

Sunset wanted to laugh, to share in the moment, but the creeping of time ran up her mind like a snaring vine. “Come on,” she commanded. We need to find Pinkie and be gone quickly. If word does travel quickly like the officer said, I have no doubt the brothers will hear of this fiasco. The faster we move the less chance Flim and Flam have to figure out where we’re going next.

Searching for Pinkie Pie in the cold alleys and tall constructs wasn’t much different than her search for the pink mare on the battlefield. Instead, those cold alleys were between crystal homes, and tall obelisks brought on by a dark king could be downed by the earth pony and her sister. Though one thing remained, Sunset was forced to dodge ponies. These were shutterbugs rather than brainwashed soldiers. “It’ll be easier if we split up. Meet at the train station at noon if we don’t bump into each other. One of us is sure to find her. It won’t help if you two are stuck with me, caught by another pony wanting autographs,” she told the two. Both recognized her authority and neither disagreed with her justification.

Sunset took to the sky, hoping to get her own aerial view of the enormity that was Manehattan. Where would Pinkie Pie go? What if she’s hurt or lost or scared? Does she even get scared? She’s loopy enough to never be scared, but this city is ginormous. Sunset gulped down her worries. Air stung her eyes, forcing tears to cut her edges, and only then did she realize how fast she flew. Her trepidation left her little time to scrutinize. Blocks were traveled. Ponies passed. I almost hit the sea, she noted, looking out onto the harbor, a thousand stars reflecting off the water.

As she hit the ground, slowing herself into a trot, she eyed the smaller buildings that were still far taller than anything in Ponyville. Some were hotels meant for sailors or passengers to sleep somewhere that wasn’t above water. Others were shops, already closed for the night. Night. The moon passed quickly, reaching the midway point of the sky and beginning its descent.

She trotted back the way she came, eyeing every lit building.

Eventually, she crossed paths with Applejack once more. “Have you found her?” Sunset asked the orange pony.

“Not to be rude, but, does it look like I’ve got a pink pony next to me?” rebuked Applejack.

“No.” Sunset’s muzzle scrunched up. “Keep looking. Did you go that way? I’ll go that way.” She didn’t wait for Applejack to respond. The further she walked, the more worried she became, eventually turning to yelling for the strange, pink mare.

That only ended with a few ponies throwing potted plants from their windows down at her, following a string of very unpleasant words.

Her heart sank when the light of the buildings no longer were the glow of candles or bulbs, instead the reflection of a sun greeting the land. It burned her eyes to know she’d been awake all night.

She stood in the middle of an intersection, one which held buildings still unaware of the rising sun. “This city is massive. How am I ever supposed to find her?” she whispered to herself, eyeing the sky, wondering if the Element of Laughter had somehow developed flight through her own silly actions.

“Sunset,” she heard the draconequus speak. He was smart, she knew, and would only call when he knew no one important would hear. Yet, now he spoke, to warn her of something. To warn her of someone.

With a turn, her dread was realized. They caught her. “Flim and Flam.” Yet she was alone, no bearers around. Could they prove she was gathering them? Did it matter? “What are you two doing here? Come to make snide remarks again?” She didn’t know which was Flim and which was Flam, and she didn’t care. If Fluttershy, Applejack, or even Pinkie Pie show up now, they’ll surely question if I’ve convinced them to help me. A mean side glance from Applejack or the simple truth from Pinkie is all they’d need to try and lock us both up.

The one with the mustache spoke first: “We talked to the princesses. We were there when they received a letter too.”

Then the one without continued, “Unfortunately, we know when they’re lying. Of course, they don’t know we know, but a simple chaotic spell placed on them prevents their lies from ever reaching our little yellow ears.”

“I figured that much,” Sunset lied, feigning her confidence. “Of course, their lies weren’t for you, but for the bearers.”

“You’re a nuisance. Finding loopholes in our words,” the stallion with the mustache complained.

Flim then said, “Right, dear Flam, right you are. I’m sure you must’ve thought you were so clever, Sunset Shimmer. They won’t side with you if they’re against you, right? Thereby cunningly overcoming our reasoning to send you and them to Tartarus. Drag them around Equestria, possibly hating you for it, all to spite our words.”

“Hey, you said it, not me. You want me to play your little game. Well, technically you two are just pawns. Servants. Subservient, even, to your master,” Sunset mocked, mulling over her next insults.

Flam snarled. Flim shook his head and held his brother back. “We’d send you to Tartarus right now, but Discord believes your little lies won’t work,” Flim stated. “He thinks he’s unbeatable. We aim to keep it that way.”

“I’m a princess. You think you two can take me on?”

“Oh, my, no,” Flam argued with an almost sincere tone. “But putting you in your place is all that we need to do.” With an unrolling of paper, a set of bold words displayed below the largest word. Contract.

“You seriously believe I’d actually sign one of your senseless contracts?” Sunset was baffled. They couldn’t be that naïve, could they?

Laughing, Flim choked on his words, “Who says the contract is for you?”

Flam unrolled the parchment all the way, displaying Princess Celestia’s name in finely blackened, cursive writing. “With this contract we can send her to wherever we feel like. Right now, the castle is under renovation, and so Princessland is effectively princess-less. Nopony would notice if we sent Equestria’s most noble princess to Tartarus. Not for a long while, anyway. Even if they did, nopony could do a thing—except for you, right now.”

Flim unveiled another contract, this one without signature. “Hosting a fourth princess in Princessland will be a chore, but it’ll be worth it to know Discord will be unbeatable. We’ll remain the economic kings of this land under his authority. Call it servitude all you want, I’d rather be rich and under his paw than a poor showpony once more.”

“Send Princess Celestia wherever you like,” Sunset snarled at them, showing her willingness to play by their ethics. “Just remember, wherever you send her won’t be half as bad as where you’re sent when I’m done cleaning up this world.”

The two brothers rolled up the papers. “Very well,” Flim said, “We’ll give you some time to reconsider. But don’t take too long. We’ll be sure to let Princess Celestia know whose fault it is she’s put into this situation.” With that, the two lit their horns and stepped through a swallowing, green void, disappearing just as randomly as they appeared.

“They’re not the worst villains I’ve come across, but I certainly dislike them the most,” Sunset muttered to Discord.

“Really? You dislike them the most? I would have thought…”

“Shush.” She tried to center herself, simmering the boiling blood in her body. Now I know for fact that I was right in rushing us. There’s nothing those two have more of than time and patience. “Pinkie!” she returned to yelling for the pink mare, hoping the gal wasn’t far off.

The stirring of emotions hadn’t done much to ease her worry. When noon came, she knew that the train station was the only place to be. Relief flooded her senses when she saw the pink earth pony standing beside the pegasus in the brown trench coat.

“I found her in the library of all places,” Fluttershy greeted, her glasses removed. “How she got in during the night, I am curious.”

“I’m almost not surprised,” Sunset said, mentioning nothing of the two brothers. “Where’s Applejack?”

“Right here,” responded the earth pony. She was carrying Twilight on her back who was bound in chains given to her by the Manehattan officers. “Sorry I’m late. Canterlot stock always got their fancy jewelry, don’t they?”

Groaning, Twilight spat venom, though her voice stayed muffled by the muzzle of leather wrapped around her mouth.

“Get her on the train,” Sunset told Applejack who did as she bid, Pinkie Pie following giddily behind. “Thanks for your help, Fluttershy.”

“How’d you procure a train?” Fluttershy deflected.

“The screaming one’s brother lent it to us, after some coercing. Came with a skeleton crew, but it’s getting us to where we’re going,” Sunset answered. She then asked her own question, “You’re okay with coming with us, right? I know you’ve been kicked out of Manehattan, but I’m not sure you understand what you’re getting yourself into by coming with us.”

Fluttershy rolled her eyes. “The library has extensive information, actually. The Elements of Harmony? Never has anything been said of bearers to such things. Only of their use against Nightmare Moon, though from my understanding they were used to defeat Discord by the Flim Flam Brothers. To mention such a thing would be crazy, which means you are from a world where we are the bearers. It’s logical, it fits holes. And obviously, there’s some reason you’re lying, why you’re hiding the truth from the others. I can wait for that reasoning, and I am interested in meeting this draconequus. Do not lie to me directly, however. I’ve got a good nose for the truth.”

As she turned to board the train, Sunset stopped her. “How do you have such a nose? Why are you like this? What happened to you?”

That sparked a surprised expression. “What do you mean?”

“You’re shy, indirect, and passive. At least, almost every other world has you that way. You’re polite, too. In this world you’re far more aggressive and direct.”

The blank face returned. Fluttershy’s flat mouth spoke with a calmness, “When I was a filly, a mare I had never seen helped me. She showed me one thing, and one thing only. Being who you need to be to help others is what this world is all about. Ever since then, even though I am normally a shy pony, I choose to help others in the only way I know how. I may be a loner, but others shouldn’t be alone.” She shrugged, the collar of her trench coat brushing her mane. “I was fortunate enough that life led me down a path where I could develop skills needed to help, and the bits to do so.”

The opposite of Applejack, Sunset noted. But like Applejack and Twilight, she hasn’t heard of me from Flim and Flam. Why did they tell Pinkie Pie? “I… Thank you for enlightening me.”

Fluttershy kept a solemn, small mouth as she nodded lightly, taking a moment to stare before she too boarded the train. The smoke of the billowing engine began fuming as the train started its grating engine. Two to go, it seems. Cloudsdale here we come.

Comments

[Admiral Q Ponyform]

God damit Pinkie.

And i so want to destroy those contracts. The princesses were idiots to sign them.

[RolkFlameraven]

Oh, right this is the world with Starlight stopped the bullies with words and twisted friendship. What an odd Flutters to have come from such.

[Twilight_Shimmer]

loved the update!!

[Wydril]

9613343
Good catch! It's a plausible background for Flutterscharch. Rorschutterfly?

[Csquared08]

Huh, what an odd Fluttershy. Looking forward to meeting Dash and Rarity.