The Worst of All Possible Worlds

by TheTimeSword

Final World: Chapter 1

Sunset Shimmer stared at the carnivorous emptiness. The scarred land. Helpless and dry. Empty, yet foreboding. What was the time of day? Was it even day? No moon, no sun, no stars. Had this world wiped out such celestial bodies? What villain had been so evil to destroy the sky, the planet, and all life? The change was jarring. From the frivolous nature of Discord, to this. Every world stood as a paradise compared to the nature of this timeline.

The only thing that remained was the crystal table, a map for Sunset to use. Even the map, however, looked dejected. The crystal reflected grey and brown, much like the world. Nothing sparkled. Nothing shined. Not even Sunset’s own fur remained orange. The dust kicked up by such pushy wind saw to that within a few seconds. A quiet storm in the distance.

A wave of nausea pushed her to the map, the slight queasy feeling came from the shattered world. Where do I even start? she wondered, placing both hooves on the table. Her eyes strained against the sudden brightness of the light. The hologram displayed the world, much like it did every world, but this wasn’t Equestria. Not from what she could tell.

Mountains as tall as the one that held Canterlot stood in places they shouldn’t. A vast sea cut the world further into the east than it should’ve ever reached. The frozen north sunk and lifted in certain section. Worst of all, not a single city existed. The mountains of Canterlot were gone. Ponyville vanished. The Crystal Empire held no semblance of any crystals. Manehattan, Appleloosa, Las Pegasus. Even the Badlands was no more. The entire world had become bad lands.

It wasn’t hot like the Badlands, nor cold other than the chill of the wind striking at Sunset’s wingless back. She stared, waiting for the cutie marks of the bearers to appear. And, much to her surprise, all six cutie marks lit up in the same exact spot. The Tree of Harmony remained silent, leaving Sunset with only the bearers. Does that mean the Tree of Harmony doesn’t have the Elements of Harmony? Like the Resistance timeline? Her brow furrowed at the thought.

She turned her eyes to the sky. “This thing always appears in the same spot, close to Ponyville. There’s no Ponyville here. No sun. No moon. How will I tell which direction to go in?” The cutie marks were north, miles upon miles north. Far beyond the strange emptiness and the new mountains, opposite the storm. To her advantage, the tallest mountain stood just south of the marks. This strange landform was too tall and too south to match the mountain of Canterlot, it may have even been further south than Sunset and the map. “I’ve never been more confused looking at this thing.”

Her eyes then shot to the chairs, hoping to use the cutie marks on the back of the crumbling seats and her own memory to piece together the directions. The chairs weren’t there, however. “Where are they?” Sunset circled the table, finding no trace of crystal seats. “What is wrong with this place!? Discord? Discord!” She’d become so used to calling for the draconequus’s help, yet no Discord answered. Gritting her teeth, she begged for her wings back, knowing the traversal of such a horrible place would be mind-numbingly backbreaking.

Instead of choosing a direction and getting lost, Sunset chose to sit and wait. Removing her backpack, she leaned against the table, ducking her head underneath the underside. She waited. She wanted a change in the sky, something to reveal the light of the brownness as the sun or moon. Watching, she sat like a statue. An hour passed, or perhaps two. Doing nothing proved fruitless without the ability to tell time, yet even as it did pass, nothing changed. A tint of brownish-orange perforated the darkened sky on every horizon, but never collapsed or altered.

“Forget this!” Sunset threw her backpack over her shoulders, chose a direction, and marched. The dark knolls in the distance suggested a northward direction, the only real object in any distance. Unrelenting in her trot, she crossed the distance, feeling as though meters became miles. The more she walked, the less she made ground. It was as though the hills never grew, like they walked ahead of her, filing their own saunter.

Walking until she could walk no more, Sunset collapsed. Falling to the ground, the wind rattled her brain and played with her mane. When she felt well again, she walked. Hours and hours passed, she collapsed, falling to the ground with a panting breath. Her eyes closed, only for a moment, and when they reopened, she found herself covered in ash and dust. Shaking off the steady debris, she continued her conquest, forcing herself to make for the knolls.

Eventually, the sight grew bigger, if only by little increments. Compared to the moon or sun, they would be considered a filly to the celestial bodies. The sun would collapse on the knolls, feast upon the soil. Even so, Sunset could not reach the knolls any more than the nonexistent sun. The brown light which emanated in all directions remained ever-present, showing no signs of fading. The darkened sky loomed above, squishing the tint beneath its weight.

After collapsing from exhaustion for another time, she hung her head, letting it fall into the dirt. Sleep took her this time, and she was certain her body knew it was the early morning, long after the midnight hour. Her body shook with a start when she awoke, her lips cracked from the wind, and dirt shaved against her skin. She thirst for clean water, or any water, yet she would find none. Spitting a mouthful of ash and saliva onto the ground, she tried to wipe her lips with the underside of her foreleg, hoping to remove the crust of dust.

Her travel continued, only for a moment, before she realized a dot on the horizon sparked up. Is that the strange mountain? Her eyes lit at the thought, the misaligned shape matched the map. Utilizing her little strength, she forced a gallop. And with her magic, she teleported, if only a few meters in front of her. Repeating the process over and over, she made quicker progress.

When she tired, she told herself to keep going. I’ve got to find them. All six. I’ve got to find out what happened. The slender mountain grew, and the knolls too. Soon, she found herself passing the knolls, leaving them farther east than the strange, goofy mountain. Rest became a necessity, and her body felt the toll once she could almost see the base. She didn’t give up, however. Without her magic, she closed her eyes, allowing her body to move sightlessly. Her mind closed, simply going through the motions.

She opened them after a long while, the flatland of this world let no rocks cross her path, and even the occasional scorched bark of what would’ve been a tree remained out of her way. Her eyes fell on the base of the slender mountain. With the knolls to the east, she trotted to the right side, reaching the tall, unworldly structure.

It was far skinnier than the mountain of Canterlot, far taller than any of the Badland’s plateaus, and far harder than any building within Manehattan. The mountain superseded the known limitations of the world. It did not falter, it did not succumb to the pressures of gravity. Worst of all, it proved no clouds blocked the atmosphere. Sunset could see the tiptop, even from her position so close to its base. It touched the blackened sky, and held no white snow to drip down in the form of water.

Grimacing, yet eerily moodless, Sunset gave no words to the strange edifice. Her trot continued after a rest against its base, the wind dulled by the supreme height. Hunger called her, thirst pained her. She would have neither. Discord, you were supposed to prepare me. Maybe it’s not your fault, though. How could anyone be prepared for this? As she rest her eyes, hearing her own heartbeat, she dozed off. A short nap. Not long enough to regain her strength, yet just enough for her body to be able to move.

Her mind ached like an ever-imposing helmet, dragging her neck down with weights. The lower she kept her head, however, the less the wind could send dirt into her face. The occasional dusty tornado would sweep around her, whipping her hair back and forth, though its only reason for being was to annoy her.

Traveling further and further away from the strange, slender mountain, time was lost on her. No longer did she stop for a break, her body moving on its own. Her thoughts, once of worry and of want, now remained a constant empty breeze. The gust pushed against her brain like it did her face. A white noise in an otherwise deaf world. What would a world with no one in make as a noise if not wind?

For miles and miles, nothing sat in the distance. She had been going the right direction, she knew that now, yet no other landmarks stood in her path. The bearers were this way, somehow. In the land of nothingness, they were here. She just needed to continue forward.

Her body did need rest, though it did not falter and fall any longer, instead it slowed her trot. Sunset didn’t notice, her mind blank. Her focus remained on her breathing, and the want for food and water. The more she pined for the necessities of life, the worse she felt. Her bones ached, her muscles quaked, and her heartbeat rose in her ears.

When the world blurred, she closed her eyes. And for the first time in her travels, she stumbled and fell. She expected a scorched tree, one barely as tall as her, or a jagged rock, not the first she’d seen. Instead, her body was entangled with a pair of sticks. One sat a diagonal horizontal, wrapped to a vertical that stuck itself in the ground. The sight confused her. It was neither tree nor rock.

Her eyes shot up to the scene before her. A dozen of the markers sat before her. Most only held one vertical stick sitting slanted from the shredded earth. There was one that stuck out to her above all others, however. Three rows down, she trotted. A single vertical stick shot out from the ground, though the base remained covered. She lifted the object with her hoof, watching as the dust and ash fell from the faded hat. A hat Sunset recognized.

“No.” She didn’t have the energy to cry, nor the fluids to do so. She wanted to cry, she knew the hat. She’d seen the earth pony wear it, and the only girl at CHS to wear the same thing day in and day out. “No, please.”

Sunset had found the place where the six cutie marks sat.

Staring over the other markers, she knew what it meant. She understood now why the world was so bleak. Holding the hat tight, she squeezed so hard the fabric tore in half, leaving her with just a slice of the rim. The other half blew into the distance, carried by the unending wind. And though she felt she had no tears to cry, dots began to stain the remaining cloth she held. Her eyes closed. She wanted to give herself to sleep, to awaken in a world that wasn’t this terrible, awful nightmare.

But a noise struck her, forcing open her eyes. It wasn’t the wind, and it wasn’t her. A noise so odd she couldn’t help but stand and look. What she found was less expected than the markers.

A row up and three across, a metal tube peered. A lens protruded from the end of the tube as it turned in the dirt, eyeing the barren world. When it reached Sunset it stopped moving, as if it were just as surprised as her. The movement and shape reminded her of a telescope, yet not nearly as large, and it certainly wouldn’t be used on any stars.

Getting off her rump, she used her remaining strength to wallow toward the out of place device, only for it to sink back into the soil. “No. Don’t go,” she begged, her voice shallow and meek. When she arrived, she found the metal only a few inches deep, unmoving. Tapping it with a hoof did nothing.

Then, without warning, a hole opened behind the marker, shaking the earth and forcing Sunset to the ground. With urgency, she crawled to the hole, only to find it empty aside from a metal sheet. She stared blankly at the metal, wondering what it did. Whether it was delirium or a moment of clarity, she felt the sudden need to drop onto it. The coldness of the sheet metal felt good on her fur. Adding to the surprise of seeing such a strange object, a second metal slab covered her, blackening her world. With no strength to light her horn, she waited, and not long either.

Below her, the world rumbled and moved, the metal with it. It was dark for a while, and when brightness came, it blinded her. Taking a while to adjust, she held her hooves over her eyes, trying to gain a picture of what stood behind the glass. Glass? She put a hoof against the texture, feeling the glass pull as the metal she sat upon lowered.

As her sight fully adjusted, she saw beyond the glass. A world of white metal, ponies, and green grasses. Am I dreaming? Is this for real? She sat up, a renewed strength by the oddity. She watched ponies trotting with each other until the darkness returned. It only took a moment, however, as the platform reached its destination.

And who was first pony she saw in this strange world? Princess Twilight Sparkle.

“How is this possible?” Sunset asked, once again seeing Princess Twilight Sparkle.

Falling forward, she slammed her jaw on the ground. The pain combined with her hunger, thirst, and headache forced a bout of blindness. She struggled to get up, barely hearing the purple alicorn shout to other ponies in the room. “Get her some help! Get her a doctor!”

Her mind secluded itself with its thoughts, giving Sunset none to ruminate on. It wasn’t until her eyes fluttered open that the first thought crossed her mind. Where am I? She stared up at the ceiling. How long was I out? Craning her head, she looked down at her body. A tube ran to her foreleg, taped to her fur. Liquid drained through the transparency, flooding her with rehabilitating life essence. A white sheet covered her lower half. Is this a hospital? Was that world even real?

Twisting her neck, her eyes found a small, grey end table sitting next to a plush chair. Her backpack sat unopened, though out of reach. Using her magic, she lifted the bag, only for it to fall to the ground halfway to the bed. She let out a pained grunt, exhaling her disgust.

Either hearing the sound or coincidentally entering at the right time, a mare with a white cap yelped. Her surprise at Sunset’s alertness caused her to drop the clipboard she held. “Doctor! Doctor! She’s awake! Get the princess!” the nurse yelled as she fled the room.

Though she felt weak, Sunset refused to sit and wait for a doctor or princess. Princess? The title confused her. Princess Twilight Sparkle? The one I saw? Ripping the tube and tape from her foreleg, she threw her back legs to one side. When she went to stand, she fell to the ground atop her backpack.

“Here, doctor,” she heard the nurse say. “She’s awake—wait, where did she go?” Trailing around the bed, she saw the debilitated unicorn. “Oh goodness.”

Both the stallion doctor and the mare nurse pulled Sunset up, sitting her in the chair rather than the bed. “Why is it unicorns often struggle the hardest to stay and maintain their health?” the doctor grumbled, taking the backpack off the floor. Setting it beside her on the end table, he removed the stethoscope from his neck. “Can you tell me your name, you brash mare?”

Sunset went to speak, but a sudden burst of coughing leapt from her throat, splatting the stallion with saliva. As he wiped the spittle, the nurse said, “I’ll make sure Princess Twilight gets the news.”

Wanting to repeat the name, Sunset reached for the nurse. “What is your name, dear?” the stallion inquired as he listened to her heart. “A sun cutie mark is a rare sight, and a pony on the surface even rarer. We have so many questions. I’m sure the princess will want to know everything about you when she arrives.”

As he pressed his hooves to her throat, feeling for any contractions, Sunset let out another bout of coughs. This time she put her own foreleg over her mouth, preventing another moment of awkwardness between her and the unknown doctor. “Where am I?” she asked, though her voice remained fainter than that of a whisper.

He frowned, staring down his muzzle at her. “Where are you?” he repeated, uncertain if that was her question. “You’re in our hospital. Well, more accurately, you’re in Equestria.” He scratched his beard as he went silent.

It wasn’t long before the nurse returned. With her appeared the purple mare Sunset searched so long to find. “Twilight…” Sunset mouthed, the name escaping any decibel.

Kneeling down, Princess Twilight Sparkle took Sunset’s hoof in hers. “My name is Twilight Sparkle. I’m the leader of Equestria. Who are you?” she asked, her eyes full of life and wonder.

Taking a moment to breathe, Sunset gulped down the contents of her mouth, hoping to clear her throat. “Sunset,” she replied, barely getting the word out. “Shimmer,” she finished, though much lower than the first.

The doctor grunted and the nurse shook her head, both not understanding. “Sunset Shimmer?” Twilight inquired. “Is that right? Did I get that right?”

A light nod was all Sunset responded with.

“You are the first pony we’ve seen on the surface world in many years. You are welcome in New Equestria, but we are very, very curious to hear about you, to hear where you came from.” Twilight stood up. “Please, take your time to rest. When you feel up to it, we will talk more.” She then shot a look to the doctor and they both trailed out of the room.

The nurse lifted Sunset, helping guide her to the bed. “I’ll bring you some water,” she said after pulling the blanket over the unicorn.

Sitting again, alone and comfortable, Sunset stared up at the ceiling. The tan room was nothing like the surface world. The ponies held no ash on their fur, or dirt on their hooves. Did I really travel so far beneath the land to a civilization hidden below the desolation? When the nurse returned, Sunset sucked down the cup, begging for another. “F-food,” she whispered, and the nurse agreed.

After scarfing down the smallest helping Sunset had ever seen, she drank another cup and fell into a deep sleep. She tossed and turned without the tubes connecting to her foreleg, kicking the blanket off when the heat became unbearable. When she eventually awoke, the light overhead was off, and the crack of the door beamed with little glow.

Her magic flipped the switch, a feat that she pined for beyond the mirror. The glow of bulbs reminded her of CHS, the ever-present hum a constant ringing.

Though her body still ached for rest, she refused. I’m done resting. My mind is ready. Climbing from the bed, she pulled the backpack with her teeth and trotted to the door. A few steps in and she found her mind more ready than her body. Steadying herself against the frame, both straps went around her shoulders, though neither cooperated at first. Once finished, she stared into the hall, looking both ways. Several other doors remained open and dark. On one end sat a dead end with a painting of pink tulips, while the other held the desk for the nurse. The same nurse who’d helped her sat quietly reading behind the counter.

Creeping down the hall, she tried her best to sneak up on the nurse. I still don’t know who these ponies are, or what happened, but I’ve got to get to Princess Twilight. She’ll explain everything. “Ex-excuse me,” Sunset said in a hushed voice, though not entirely on purpose.

The nurse slammed her book shut, her eyes as wide as a searching owl. “You’re awake! And up!” she huffed, holding her chest as if to steady her breathing. “I should get the doctor, or ring the princess.” Her hoof went to the intercom that sat on the counter.

“I’d like to go and see Princess Twilight, actually.”

Staring up at Sunset, her eyes wavered. “I can't just let you leave. How about a compromise? Go sit on a bench and I’ll get her down here. She’ll decide what to do with you from there.”

With a gentle nod, Sunset agreed. The benches in question sat opposite the nurse station with big double doors ahead. Sitting down, she stared at the hall leading out. She waited patiently for Twilight to pass through the doors. It was the only way in and out, though the windows within showed only shadows and dimly lit white panels.

When the double doors burst open, Sunset couldn’t help but laugh. In slippers, a soft woolly cyan robe, and a sleep mask around her neck, Twilight appeared as if the world Sunset went through didn’t exist. “You’re awake! And up!” Twilight greeted. Her head then swiveled to the nurse, her eyes questioning. “She’s up?” The nurse shrugged a response, clearly just as surprised as the alicorn.

“Twilight,” Sunset quietly greeted, smiling up at the alicorn. She struggled to stand, leaning heavily on Twilight who offered the support. “D-do you… know me?”

Gritting her teeth in a vain attempt to neither smile nor frown. “I-I can’t say I’ve ever met a Sunset Shimmer.”

Not my Princess Twilight. Sunset nodded. At least it’s a distinction. “Can we talk?”

“Sure, let’s get you back to your—”

“No,” Sunset breathed. “I am tired. So tired. I am especially tired of lying in bed.”

Twilight chuckled, understanding the soft words. “Very well. You may hold onto me. Come, my room is not far from the elevator.”

Wrapping a leg around the alicorn’s neck, Sunset clung steadily, feeling the softness of the robe brush against her. The strong scent of flowers wafted against her nostrils, Twilight’s mane dripping against her cheek. With her magic, Twilight held the double doors open. A second hall lead them down past shadows into a light filled observatory. When they passed from the darkness, Sunset stopped, standing in awe of the center. “Welcome to Equestria. Well, New Equestria.” Twilight pointed from ground level to ceiling, a span of a mile high, with rails guarding over two dozen floors. “This is us.”

The center spanned a length as large as the gym within CHS, from wall to wall. This wasn't a sleek maple wood court, however. With few trees and many rows of flowers, it sparked creativity and life. An indoor park, Sunset understood. They continued from the view, stepping toward a darkened wall. The path led around in a big circle, each floor the same, all creating one tall cylinder. They didn’t follow their floor for long, reaching the elevator Twilight spoke of.

Unlike the one that carried Sunset down into Equestria, this one stood taller, more cylindrical, and lacked glass shielding. Sunset stood off from Twilight, leaning on the rails of the elevator, staring as they went up. “Where is everypony?” she whispered.

“Asleep.” She pointed to the darkness between the floors, where the lights above remained off. “I know. It’s hard to tell, isn’t it? It’ll take some getting used to.” When the elevator stopped, Twilight took Sunset by the foreleg, dragging her to the nearest door. Above, in bold, read the text ‘Princess Twilight’.

Pressing her hoof on the pad to the side of the door, a mechanism snapped, pushing the door slightly. With her magic, Twilight did the rest, helping Sunset into the modest apartment. Leaving Sunset to walk herself to the single sofa, Twilight shut the door, giving them both privacy. “This is your home?” her voice croaked, almost sounding strangled and foreign to the unicorn.

“It is. A luxurious space, I know, but we had the room,” Twilight replied. The living room and kitchen were one space, separated only by a counter with stools lining the living room's side. A second door stood offshoot from the counter, with a single drawer dresser beside. The beige sofa sat opposite, a simple stag-colored coffee table sitting in front. The alicorn brought a cup to the kitchen faucet and filled it to the brim. “Here, this’ll help.”

Resting her rump, Sunset leaned on the arm of the sofa, taking the water in both hooves rather than magic. She pushed it to her lips, letting it trickle slowly down her throat. Another sip, she swirled it around in her mouth, hoping to cut the dryness root and stem. A wheeze, and she swallowed. “Thank you,” she said with clarity, though her voice still as low as any Fluttershy. “You have your wings, but you are not my Twilight.”

“My Twilight?” the alicorn stood over her. Taking the cup from Sunset, she set it on the coffee table. Several books were to the side, some for notes while others were for studying. “Sunset Shimmer, I have so many questions.” Trotting around the stout table, she went to the other side of the sofa. Climbing next to the orange unicorn, she dared not get too close. “And I’m certain you have many questions for me. I’d be lying if I said I’d not like to go first.”

Sunset’s eyes held on Twilight, following the alicorn’s movements. “My voice,” she spoke gently, “It’ll come back.”

“Right, right.” Twilight leaned back, her own face filled with wrinkles of confusion. She stared at her hooves, obviously trying her best to not create an awkward setting for Sunset. “I’m not sure where I can begin. How far in history do I start? A year ago? The building of Equestria? New Equestria, I mean.” She apologized with a shake of her head. “We call this Equestria. This place, it’s all that’s left. We're all that's left.”

“What happened?” Sunset breathed.

“That’s a question we still ask ourselves.” Twilight stared blankly at the coffee table, her eyes shiftless. “One day, a terrible monster came. Ponies… went away. I tried to stop it. All of ponykind tried to fight back. And in the end, we lost. Our first loss. Our only loss. The world changed, and it’s still out there.”

Sunset glanced down at Twilight’s back, eyeing the cyan robe. With a lift of her hoof, she spooked the alicorn. “S-sorry.” Sunset patted the area where the purple wings sat. “Princess,” Sunset affirmed, only to end with a coughing fit.

Twilight padded Sunset’s chest, hoping to expel whatever phlegm remained. Lifting the cup, she aided in smoothing the fit, hushing Sunset at the same time. “How about a game? I ask a question and you nod your head if it’s a yes. If it’s a no, you shake it opposite. That way you won’t have to speak too much.”

Sipping slowly on the water, Sunset nodded.

Twilight stood and crossed the room, standing beside the dresser. She removed her robe and kicked off her slippers. Opening the other door, she threw her clothes into the darkness, and Sunset could barely make out the shape of a mattress. “Alright. I’m going to start pretty far back, okay? I’m going to go to before everything happened.” Twilight closed the door and returned to stand in front of the coffee table. “Do you know who Princess Celestia is?”

Sunset nodded at the obvious question.

“Princess Luna?”

Sunset nodded again.

“You know who I am, of course. Do you know the tale of Nightmare Moon?” Sunset nodded. “Do you know what the Elements of Harmony are?” To Twilight’s surprise, Sunset nodded at the question. “Really? Alright, if you know all that, then do you know of the bearers? The bearers of the Elements of Harmony?”

And once again, Twilight was surprised by the nod, the understanding eyes staring at her. “Alright.” Twilight regained her breath, allowing time to formulate more questions. “You said my Twilight. Do you know another Twilight?”

Nodding, Sunset wanted to speak, to say the many she knew, but her voice only moaned. “Don’t try to speak,” Twilight hushed. “Are you… from another world?”

When Sunset nodded, the alicorn fell to the ground, her mind twisting at the answer. “Another world. I can’t believe it. When they said they saw somepony on the surface, I thought there might have been another sanctuary in this awful world. But, a whole different world from ours?” She held her head. “Is it peaceful there?”

Sunset stared, unsure how to answer. Finally, after much debate, she nodded. A few tears pooled at her lids, which she quickly wiped with the back of her hoof. “You and the other bearers,” Sunset said, and as Twilight tried to hush her, she declined. “You s-six. Defeated. Villains.” It was a burden to speak, but she felt the need to say it. To comfort the alicorn. “Peaceful.” She nodded.

“How?” Twilight asked, no longer skewing her questions to yes or no answers.

With her hooves, Sunset mimed above her head, forming at the center of her horn and trailing down the sides. “A crown,” Twilight understood. “The Element of Magic, my Element.” Sunset nodded.

They stood and sat in silence for a while, both contemplating their words, their questions, and their answers. “We stopped them here, too.” Twilight closed her eyes, her own memories on her mind. “Nightmare Moon. We were there for the changeling invasion, for King Sombra’s return. We even took on Discord—though he later became our friend. All that we had done, we still failed in stopping the horrible monster who wiped our world away.”

“Who?” Sunset whispered.

“The worst of them all,” answered Twilight. “It has no name, we would refuse to speak it even if it did. Its power, unimaginable. Far greater than anything we faced before. To even speak of it—” She shivered, wrapping her forelegs around her body “—I fear we would bring its wrath down upon us.”

Sitting up, Sunset dropped from the couch. She took the cup in her magic and swallowed the rest. Her throat hurt to speak, but she would push herself to try. “Where are the bearers?” she asked, coming close enough to Twilight for the words to be almost audible.

“Asleep,” she answered, just as a knock came to the door. The alicorn’s eyes shot to the clock on the stove. “Though not for long.”

Sunset remained in place. She waited to see past Twilight, wondering who would’ve knocked at the early hour. “Is she here?” the voice spoke, a feminine voice, one that Sunset even recognized.

“She is. She knows me,” Twilight answered, her voice quiet, as if she tried to hide the words. The silence of the apartment made it impossible, however. “She might know you too.” Stepping aside, Twilight allowed the earth pony inside her home.

Sunset trotted forward, almost tripping over herself, just to land against the burnt orange mare. Wrapping her in a hug, the mare let out a gasp of surprise. “I guess she sure does know me, Twi.” Sunset felt the brush of a hoof along the back of her neck. “But I ain’t ever seen her.” Letting go, Sunset backed up, eyeing the freckles that wrinkled along the perplexed face. “The name is Applejack,” the mare greeted. “Bet you already knew that, though.”

“This is Sunset Shimmer,” Twilight introduced, coming between the two. “I was just trying to figure out how much she knew. She is not… from our world. I was hoping to go over our history with her, trying to find out what she does and doesn’t know.”

“Why not just take her to level five?” Applejack asked, as if the question need not be asked.

“She’s too weak to talk let alone walk,” Twilight replied, also as if the question not be needed at all.

“I want to go,” Sunset said, her voice a whisper. "I'd like to see more."

Applejack threw a hoof to the unicorn. “She’s been sleepin’ for six days. You really think she ain’t gonna want to put some tracks to the ground? Shoot, it’ll be the first time somepony new gets to see the tributes.”

Looking between the two, Twilight’s mouth scrunched tightly. “I-I suppose. On one condition.” She turned to Applejack instead of Sunset. “You go to the infirmary and get a wheelchair, then meet us down there. If she feels weak or might faint, it’ll be good to have a comfortable way for her to rest. Not to mention carrying her around is a little awkward.”

Grinning and chuckling, Applejack gave in. “I’ll see about getting some of others up too. Does she know all of us?” Sunset nodded. “Well, alright then. I’ll see y’all down there.”

After the earth pony departed, leaving the two alone, Sunset borrowed another cup of water. Lightly coughing, she felt her throat, pressing against it with her hoof. She heaved and croaked, then turned to the alicorn. “I’m ready,” she said, hoarsely.

They took the elevator down this time, only a few short levels. Sunset could see the early birds stirring beneath, meandering in the garden below the fake morning light. Some ponies on the lower floors waved to Twilight, and she waved back. "How've you lived?" Sunset inquired.

"We've got farms and recreation, homes for all, and plenty of space for extras. It took a lot of work, but we've managed."

"It sounds like you've thrived," Sunset replied, a croak to her words.

"We've survived," Twilight corrected. "It took a lot of work. I've been writing our entire history here in New Equestria, though it's nowhere finished."

When the elevator stopped, Sunset allowed herself to be held by the alicorn, trotting down the circular path to an open doorway. It repeated the same structure as the outside, she could see both the left and right sides of the room curved and opened to other rooms that also curved, completing the circle, though walls separated each room.

In this first room, the entrance to the gallery, there was only one object. A tall painting, and the contents larger than life. “We tried to stop the horrible monster, and the Elements failed us. We retreated, hoping to regain our strength for a second battle. Before we could, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna went to stop it with their own strength. We wished them well.”

On a blue background, the two painted sisters hung suspended in the shape of an oval. White trailing blue, blue trailing white. The sun and moon between them, sharing the space eternally. “And we never saw them again,” Twilight continued.

Sunset struggled with the thought. How could the Elements have failed? How could Celestia? “How?” she asked.

“That thing, it is too powerful. After Celestia and Luna left, it came for us all. It went on a rampage, destroying everything it came across,” Twilight answered.

“Ponyville? The Crystal Empire?” Sunset croaked, her voice strained. “C-Canterlot?”

Twilight stared up at the painting, her eyes unflinching. “Those are names I haven’t heard in a long time,” she mourned, a memory striking deep within the recesses of her mind. “Canterlot? You’ve been to Canterlot before?” Sunset nodded. “What did you think of it this time around?”

Sunset’s brows furrowed at the question. She tilted her head, indicating she didn’t understand. And this time, Twilight nodded. “You were up there. You found our landmark. You found where Canterlot once stood. Those markers.”

Falling to her rump, Sunset felt hooves hold her steady. “There, there,” the alicorn whispered.

There was nothing for miles and miles. Just a flat world. How could that be Canterlot? She shrugged the tears from her eyes, pushing away from the comfort of the alicorn. “More,” she commanded, pushing right. She held the wall until Twilight pulled her close, allowing Sunset to steady and walk at a quicker pace.

The next room, though smaller than the first, continued the curve. In the middle, a short pedestal held a container. Wrapped in glass, six gemstones laid in golden borders, a comforting plush bed beneath them. “We’ve kept the Elements of Harmony, even after their failure,” Twilight said. “Our failure,” she corrected. “The Tree of Harmony is gone, and so perhaps the magic with it. We are unsure. So we hide and prosper down in the dirt and earth. Perhaps one day I can figure out why they did not defeat the monster.”

These six stones were the ones Sunset recognized most of all. A cyan balloon. A pink butterfly. A purple diamond. A red thunderbolt. An orange apple. And one crown, a six-pointed magenta star at the center. “But… but friendship,” Sunset choked, her words falling from her mouth.

“We once thought that, were the Elements destroyed, we’d be powerless. But even though we house them, even though they appear fine, they still didn't work. The magic within them might be lost.” Twilight shook her head, staring at both her reflection in the glass, and at her own Element. “I had hoped we could band together, to use our own friendship as the key to defeating the monster. But something stopped us, broke us, and threw us back. We forced ourselves into hiding, hoping and helping anypony lucky enough to find us, sharing in a world we’d build. A world hidden.”

Twilight pulled Sunset away from the stones, though the unicorn had no desire to leave. Her mind still tried to fit everything into place. How is this possible? Why would this be the place I've been called? She continued to stare at the Elements of Harmony as they trotted to the next room.

“Oh, no. I thought we’d finally gotten her to sleep in her own bed!” Setting Sunset against the frame of the entryway, Twilight rushed to the yellow pony sleeping on the cold, metal floor. “Fluttershy,” the alicorn greeted, attempting to wake the pegasus. “Wake up. You were past this. What happened?”

Sunset watched the pegasus yawn and lean into Twilight’s grip, though she did not smile up at the alicorn. “I’m sorry Twilight. With a-all the commotion of a new pony, I guess I… I just walked here in my sleep.”

Turning her eyes to another tall painting, Sunset stared at the beauty. It matched the majesty of the first, though for a person Sunset never believed would’ve received such a wondrous treatment. In a pose he would never stand, with a heroic smile on his toothy face, the draconequus stood firm. His arms were tucked behind his back, he stared nobly up and to the right, as if to catch his good side. “Ah! Fluttershy!” a voice yelled.

Applejack raced past Sunset, leaving the wheelchair beside the unicorn. “I thought we were past this!” she hollered, rushing to Twilight’s aid.

“I know, I know,” Fluttershy meekly replied. When her eyes met Applejack’s they distanced themselves, falling to the ground. A second passed, and the pegasus realized she’d seen more. Flipping up her head, staring past the pink mane that covered half her face, she looked to Sunset. “Is that... is that her?”

Sitting down in the wheelchair, Sunset waited for the three to come close. “Fluttershy,” she said when they greeted her, though her voice shared in the pegasus's quietness.

“You know me?” Fluttershy gaped with eyes as large as goggles. “Have we met?”

“In another world, it seems,” Twilight answered, confusing the pegasus. “I will have to explain later, Fluttershy, once I find out more. We’ll need to hold a meeting.” She turned to Applejack. “Get her back to her room and let the others know to meet for lunch.” Trotting around the chair, Twilight used her magic to push as she rolled Sunset into the center.

“It was a pleasure to meet you,” Fluttershy said her goodbye, exiting the way they’d come with Applejack at her side.

When the two were alone, Twilight pointed up at the painting. “Do you know Discord?” Twilight inquired, and Sunset nodded. “He… He was good.” She held her face away from Sunset, her own eyes locked to the art. “Fluttershy misses him. When we built this cenotaph, she was the one who asked for a room dedicated to him. She even told the painters what he looked like, though he never stood so stoically.”

“Discord…” Sunset’s heart hurt.

“We all miss him,” Twilight added. “After the painters finished, Fluttershy spoke to him. To the painting, I mean. She spoke like he could really answer.” She then went silent, letting the words pass over Sunset.

For a while, they didn’t speak, and eventually the alicorn trotted behind Sunset’s chair, wheeling her on to the next room. She stopped just short, barely allowing Sunset to see the inside behind the doorframe. “Sunset. This next room, I… I’m not sure you should see it.”

Looking over her shoulder, Sunset stared at the grave face. “Please,” she whispered.

Choking back tears, Twilight let the unicorn have her way. Wheeling in slowly, she had no words for the wall. Only a simple phrase did she utter: “We don't know where these ponies are. All we can do is hope they’re safe.”

The chair went to a complete stop in front of the wall. A thousand photos were taped from border to border, almost on top of each other. Wheeling herself closer, Sunset marveled at the photographs, wondering who some of the ponies were. When she looked back at Twilight, the alicorn stared at the ground, a few stray tears running down her muzzle.

Sunset searched for a moment before finding a subsection, but she wasn’t ready for the sight. A newspaper clipping held Shining Armor and Princess Cadance at their wedding. Cut from a larger photo, Twilight Velvet and her husband were taped beside it. She then noticed others she recognized. Moondancer? Twinkleshine? And then she found one that surprised her the most. The one that hurt the most.

She turned back to Twilight, and in her scratchy voice, she spoke the name. “Spike?”

Slinking back at the name, Twilight had no answer.

Returning to the pictures, Sunset searched through each of the faces. Gilda. Zecora. Trixie. The water she'd drank only fueled her tears, dripping onto the chair beneath her four hooves. Mr. Barley! She found Pinkie Pie’s family, though she only recently met the ones more than just Maud. In the photograph, she could see the pink forelegs wrapped around the three sisters, though Pinkie had been cut out, making room for the rest of the photos around it. “Maud…” To the left, she recognized the Apple family, but she couldn’t bear any more faces.

“Who are you to us? How do you know so many ponies?” Twilight asked.

“We’re friends,” Sunset answered. “Best friends.”

Wheeling Sunset out, Twilight had no other questions. Sunset did, but kept them locked within her mind, her heart hurt too much to deal with the thoughts. “Can I go back to bed now?” she asked, the only question she wanted answered.

“Of course.”

There were no other words spoken until Twilight had pushed the chair into Sunset’s hospital room. She helped the unicorn out of her backpack, and asked, “What do you have in there?”

“You didn’t look?” Sunset wondered as she closed her eyes, leaning against the comfy pillow.

Twilight let go a short laugh. “No. It wouldn’t have been right to learn about you that way. And since you say we’re friends, I’m glad I avoided the temptation.”

“I’d say you’re the first Twilight to do so,” Sunset hoarsely remarked.

The purple muzzle scrunched below confused, furrowed brows. “I’ll let you rest,” Twilight replied, letting the comment go.

Alone, Sunset flicked the lights off with her magic. When she first awoke, she wanted nothing more than to get up and see what strange world this New Equestria had become. To hear how they lived. To see what awaited her. Now, all she wanted was rest. To forget everything she’d learned. To wallow in misery.

Sleep comforted her, wrapping her in a thoughtless state, only to be ruined by a desperate shuffle. Her eyes popped open, the light of the hall peered in, though her room succumbed to dark. She eyed a silhouette near the end table and chair. In a quick lash, she shut the door with her magic and flipped on the lights. “Rainbow Dash?” She spoke low, her voice growing in its strength.

The blue pegasus leapt like a cat, startled and surprised, latching to the ceiling with her hooves. Sunset’s backpack sat open, on its side, in the chair. “I-I’m sorry!” Rainbow Dash yelled, only to cover her mouth, more surprised at how loud she replied.

Lifting up the backpack, Sunset examined the book Rainbow Dash studied. It was the book given to her all those worlds ago, the scrapbook of her memories between these less than terrible worlds. “I should’ve expected one of you to snoop eventually,” Sunset said, though not harshly. She couldn't stay mad at the blue mare.

Rainbow Dash hovered to the ground, standing at the bedside. “I’m really sorry. Twilight just kept saying she has no information on you, that you’re a mystery. I-I was hoping I could discover something.”

“Where are they now?”

“In another meeting. I got tired of the lack of answers and waiting.” Her mouth fell to a hard line. “Who are you? Not just your name.” The pegasus leaned on the bed, both forelegs pressing against Sunset’s side. “Why are you here? Where'd you come from?”

Why am I here? Discord, why is this the final stop? How am I supposed to help time? What am I supposed to do? These same questions had been running through her mind as she slept. Now, the queries stared at her with cerise eyes. “I’m here to…” she paused, thinking hard for a moment. “I am here to… defeat your villain. To put an end to their tyranny.” Her whole body shook at the thought of returning to the surface. “I am here to save your world,” she said in a strangled voice.

The pegasus retreated, falling into the seat. Her eyes were blank, as if she too were a thousand miles away. “How? How will you do it?”

“With you. With the others,” Sunset answered. “As friends.”

Rainbow Dash’s lips fell apart in awe of the response. “Are you strong enough to walk?” She looked to the wheelchair that sat near the door in the corner. “Do you need me to get that?”

Throwing off the blanket, Sunset pulled the backpack over her shoulders. “I’m better. Take me to their meeting, if it’s still going on.”

This Rainbow Dash appeared excited at the thought. It was clear the pegasus wanted answers, and Sunset held herself well, ready to answer them. They travelled down the halls of the hospital, out into the cylindrical shape of their small world, onto the elevator, and up a few levels. Dash spouted questions, though Sunset answered none of them. They passed ponies, none of which Sunset recognized, and they all stared with sunken jaws. Pressing into a room of grey and white, Sunset stood before the other five bearers. A table and chairs that didn't resemble the map and its chairs seated these five. "You're awake?" Twilight gawked. "Rainbow? Did you wake her?"

“This is her? Sunset Shimmer?” Rarity spoke, eyeing the mare with a coolness. “Doesn’t look very otherworldly to me.”

“She says she’s here to stop our monster. To fix our world,” Rainbow Dash replied, perking up the entire room up.

“She said that?” Twilight questioned, rising from her seat. “Why didn’t you say it earlier?”

Sunset motioned to her throat. “Hard to say much earlier. I'm ready now," she said, still throaty. "I come from another world where you six defend Equestria, the real Equestria, from villains. In that world, a pony named Starlight Glimmer ripped time apart, creating openings to these other timelines. I was caught in the middle, stuck traveling between these broken worlds. In the last couple, I found out that something needs me here. I’m not sure what I can do, other than face this monster of yours head on, just as I’ve tried to do in every world.”

“What happened in these other worlds?” Fluttershy asked, and her body shook.

“Some were better than others, but all of them weren’t as bad as this. There was a war with King Sombra. One had Nightmare Moon as the ruler. I even…” she stopped, thinking of the draconequus who truly was her friend. “It all put me here. It led up to this moment, to this world.”

“What makes you think you can stop it?” Pinkie said, her voice deep, her stare dark. “We tried. We failed! Who are you to say you can stop it?”

But Sunset responded with a shrug. “I’m not sure. I don’t know who this monster is. I do know, I’m here for a reason, and I’m going to try. I can’t do it alone, however. I’ve never been able to do it alone. Someone has always helped me. That’s why I need you six, now more than ever.”

“Listen to her! She’s the first pony to actually want to try something!” Rainbow Dash bellowed, slamming both hooves on the table. “We have to try!”

“Dash is right. Maybe this is what we’ve been waitin’ for. A chance. If there’s a mare here from another world, wantin’ to help us, why shouldn’t we try?” Applejack agreed.

Rarity shook her head. “Shouldn’t we be trying to figure out how to access her world instead?” she brought the question into their minds. “If we can evacuate New Equestria, bringing it to her world, we can once again have a life not trapped in metal cubicles.”

“You can’t,” Sunset answered. “Only I have ever been able to teleport between these worlds.” Myself, and Discord. But he isn’t here. “I didn’t even want to come here. I’ve been trying to get home for so long. Helping you rid your world of this monster, it might get me there. I want to bring peace to you all and me.”

“That’s convenient,” Pinkie remarked. “Can’t go to her world. Only affects her. Why is it I’m the one playing the cynic here!?”

“Because I think the rest of us want to believe,” Twilight said. “Our hope dwindles, but has never disintegrated. We still pine for a world filled with laughter. Maybe Sunset Shimmer can give us that.”

Pinkie frowned, her eyes fell to the table. “I don’t want to play cynic anymore. I want hope too.”

“Lend me your strength, then,” Sunset commanded. “You don’t know me, but you’ll have to trust me. Gather food and water. Take me to your villain.” She turned to Twilight. “And bring the Elements of Harmony.”

The bearers looked to each other. Their faces remained unsure, uncertain of the dangerous road ahead. “I will not ask anyone to come that doesn’t want to,” Twilight said as she stood by Sunset. “She knowns ponies I wouldn’t expect her to know. She cried for Discord. She knows us. I for one will allow her request. I will take her west.”

“I’m in,” Rainbow Dash immediately replied, and clapped her hooves together in one solid smack.

“I ain’t allowin’ Twilight and Dash to go alone,” Applejack said, throwing her figurative hat into the group.

“We go as a team.” Rarity nodded. “I do wish there were other options, though.”

“This is the only option,” Pinkie replied. “Hope and laughter. To rid the world of that monster. I’ll join, and maybe we really can do this thing.”

Fluttershy remained as the last. “Well, I’d certainly hate to be the one who didn’t go to protect her friends. N-not that I think there’s much I can do.” She rose from her seat. “For Discord, I'll join.”

When all was said and done, with the supplies gathered on their backs and the Elements on their necks, they rose from the earth on the metal platform. The wind had ceased for the time being, and Sunset was glad for that. Her eyes fell on the horizon, the darkened sky ever-present, and the brown-orange hue sitting beneath. Nothing changed, though she’d hoped for this world to be nothing more than a nightmare. That it was all really one big prank.

Twilight led the way, and Sunset fell in at her side. The alicorn knew the cardinal directions, even without a compass or sun to guide the way. “The monster has remained in the same spot for the last few years. We’ve had scouts check in every once in a while, verifying its existence. We’re not sure what it is, or where it came from, but it’s awful. Mean, too,” Twilight described as they walked.

When the wind picked up, the alicorn was forced to lower her crown, fearing it’d be blown away. The necklaces around the throats of the other bearers cradled against their chests. Each of them had saddlebags packed with food and water for the journey there and back, though none wore clothing to prevent the gale. Even for shelter, they brought no supplies, worried it’d slow them down.

“I journeyed far from the south, from where Ponyville should’ve been,” she told them, explaining in detail the slender mountain, taller than any she’d ever seen.

“The world is… different,” Pinkie remarked.

“That mountain, it’s pretty far south. Further than where Ponyville should’ve been. Are you certain that’s where you started?” Twilight asked, concurring with Pinkie.

Sunset nodded. “It’s the same place I always start. It’s outside Ponyville, where trees would grow or be cut down. Where the Everfree could flourish if left unchecked by caretakers.”

The alicorn frowned at the thought. “It's hard to explain, but we often feel this world shifts. Like, not only did the Elements of Harmony lose, but harmony was lost as a concept. Now, nothing makes sense other than our little habitat.”

“Sorry,” Sunset replied, understanding the severity they've lived under.

“Darling, you don’t need to apologize,” Rarity replied. “It’s not your fault. We’ve all had long to grieve. You just got here. We lived through it. I can’t imagine how you’re dealing with it all.”

"Seeing six other worlds of villains in control, it's hard to say I'm dealing relatively well. In fact, I'm not sure if I'm just saying that to lie to myself," Sunset said, humbly.

They continued talking, wondering about Sunset’s world. The gusts of wind soon silenced them as Sunset couldn’t strain her voice over the shrieking breeze. Atop the ashen earth they trudged, only stopping for rest when they all uttered complaints. Sharing bread and water, they wrapped themselves in a circle with their backs to the wind, enjoying the moment of reprieve from the cutting flurries. Though the gusty current chilled them, their trot kept them warm, and when they grew cold from their resting they understood the need to continue.

When first Sunset marched north, she’d collapsed many times, her body needing sleep. Now, Pinkie stood as the voice of reason, beckoning them to gather round and let their weary eyes close. They slept facing each other, their hooves tucked beneath their stomachs, their bags blocking their rumps. The wind blew over them as if they were a rock, and though only a few truly slept, they all rose ready, greeting the new day.

Time didn’t change, nor did the darkened sky. “If there is no sun, no moon, why do we not walk blindly west?” Sunset asked after they continued in their trek.

“This isn’t our Equestria anymore, Sunset,” Twilight replied. “This isn’t our world. Whatever strange occurrences happen, we are just witnesses. I believe the monster who took everything from us also has the power to change anything they like. It's a theory, though. Like I said before, this world seems like it shifts.”

Sunset feared what they’d find once they reached their nightmarish monster. She imagined a combination of King Sombra, Lord Tirek, Discord, and Queen Chrysalis. Ten legs, four arms, six horns. Tall as that mountain. The ability to pluck the stars right out of the sky and eat them. Picturing the amalgamation, she shivered, and her senses told her to go back.

“Look!” Rainbow Dash rushed forward to a stick. When the group reached the pegasus, Sunset saw it wasn’t just any stick but a long, rusty metal bar. “What’s rebar doing here?” Sunset asked, noting the faded ribbon flapping in the breeze, tied to the top.

“I'm not sure what rebar is, but the ribbon's a marking for our scouts,” Rarity replied. “Dreadful idea, I do admit. I’m unsure what I was thinking in suggesting we leave ribbons for guides. This poor thing’s ripped to shred by the wind!”

“We’re on the right track,” Twilight added. “It won’t be far now. We should rest here. We’re going to need it.”

Though Sunset ached to continue, the bearers wanted food and water. She didn’t argue, her own memory of the journey from map to New Equestria still fresh in her mind. Six days. Traversing these worlds, I really will be an old mare in high school if I don’t find a way home soon. She imagined herself as Granny Smith, sitting beside Fluttershy, asking the teacher to repeat themselves every few minutes. The thought sent a shiver down her spine, accompanied by a hefty breeze.

When the journey continued, silence became their companion. They had no more words to share, each lost in their own mind. They didn’t even notice when the winds stopped, creating an even greater silence as they came within distance of a hill. Shorter than the ones Sunset first saw upon entering this horrible land, they edged closer and closer, shortening the distance in less time than she expected.

Soon, they found themselves at the base. The steep incline rolled with brittle dirt, a texture of sand preventing an easy climb. When Rainbow Dash suggested going around, Sunset refused. One hoof in front of the other, she aimed for the top. Both Rainbow and Fluttershy glided up the hill, marveling at the world on the other side. They didn’t argue against Sunset’s climb, and she found out why when she too reached the lip.

The barren world was lit with a golden array against the darkened sky. As the other bearers trailed in behind Sunset, they too marveled at the unbeknownst change of landscape. "This is new. No scout ever reported this," Twilight commented.

Though the soil was still ashen grey, the sky still bleak, and the world a dusty brown, it was offset by hundreds of thousands of golden petals. The same golden flowers Sunset often dreamed of after entering these terrible series of worlds. Her eyes fell hard on the centerpiece, the same structure that haunted the flowers. In the middle of the field of gold stood a short mound, and atop the mound stood an indigo gazebo.

“Stay here, and keep your Elements on you,” Sunset commanded. Sliding down the hill, she skidded into the flowers. Traipsing through the field, brushing the stems against her hooves, they felt real. Maybe I’m still in the hospital. This is all just a dream.

She could hear her heart beat as she edged ever closer to the gazebo. Movement between the beams looked familiar, forcing her to increase her pace. She slowed when she reached the mound, climbing carefully up the indigo steps. It has to be a dream. It has to be! She expected a memory from her recent past, the Twilight Sparkle from Crystal Prep. It has to be Midnight Sparkle. She invaded my dreams, she called me here. Maybe she wants revenge for stopping my own world’s Twilight.

But when she stepped into the shadow of the gazebo, the monster turned and she realized it was not the demon she expected. This one, with red and yellow hair that mimicked a burning fire, stared with cyan eyes down at the unicorn. A fanged smile pulled back the brilliant crimson skin of her cheeks. And atop her fiery head sat a crown centered by a six-pointed magenta star.

Comments

[Wanderer D]

9684384 You know, I won't be able to read this until tonight or tomorrow, but I've been along for this ride and enjoying the whole thing immensely. I can't wait to see what you come up with for the last world!

[Admiral Q Ponyform]

Okay how could Demon Shimmer cause all of this? Though I bet she sent the others to Earthquestria. I guess Sunset was not tripped by Spike in this timeline.

[TheTimeSword]

9684636
Use a spoiler tag please.

[clubbzz]

Yes, I can honestly say this is who I was expecting.

[Admiral Q Ponyform]

9684643
Oops sorry

[TheTimeSword]

9684655
No, no. The who. Tag the who.

[solusjbj]

...Wow that is an amazing villain

[Admiral Q Ponyform]

9684661
Some but think it's obvious on how you described them

[Shenzy]

The worst of all worlds? ..... so everypony turned into SPIKE?

[RolkFlameraven]

Truly, this is Sunset's worst of all possible worlds. One where she didn't step.on Spike's tail.

[Dusk Star Shine]

Damn this is good, I can't wait to see how Sunset gets through this world and then back to her Equestria , of course I hope she smacks Starlight Glimmer up the back of her head at least.

[Lotharin]

I was expecting it to be evil sunset to be honest. But the reveal was still great. Can't wait for more!

[Wanderer D]

But where are the dead teenagers? Also, was the reason that the elements never worked because D!S has the real crown?

[Secundum]

I meant to post this last chapter, but I think it's a real shame that Sunset didn't get to keep her wings after all she went through. She's done more than Twilight ever did.

And expected Final Boss is expected, though it was still well done. Wasn't expecting the Gazebo to turn up.
Guessing that the elements didn't work because Twilight lacks the Element of Magic.

[Wydril]

So, if Applejack's hat was by the gravemarker on the surface, why is AJ alive? That feels like an odd detail here.

[Csquared08]

YES! You madman! This is everything I dreamed of when I first saw this story!

[RuBoo]

...At first, I was thinking Daybreaker, but then another thought wormed its way into my mind... It got more and more proven, until... I was right.

[Silvered Ink]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8htMvPMnQyI