No warmth radiated from the unending white. In every direction the world coated itself in the soft glow like snow. Bright, yet dim enough for Sunset to snap open her eyes and not be blinded. “Where am I?” she howled in one breath, throwing her neck forward. Rising to her hooves, she found herself covered in the glow of white. Once she stood, however, the flakes of light fell from her fur, dissipating into thin air. “Is this a dream? Or am I…” She thought for a moment, back to what had happened. A chill went down her spine, though no wind brushed her back.
She twirled for a moment. Every direction remained the same. “Is this what it’s like? Is this what the Elements do?” Falling to her rump, she hung her head. “Perhaps this is what I deserve for my crimes against the Elements of Harmony. If I hadn’t tripped, my Equestria would be no different.”
“Your biggest crime is thinking the Elements of Harmony are just stones in a tree,” a voice spoke, familiar in its tone. “The Elements are more than the necklaces or drawings on a chalkboard, they’re the bearers. They’re the friendships. And though their friendships may be tested, they will never be broken.”
Sunset lifted her head and craned her neck, staring over her shoulder at the mare. “Twilight? Is that really you?”
“You were broken, once.” The purple mare trotted close, coming alongside Sunset. She sat down to Sunset’s left side, and Sunset noted the lack of purple wings on her back. “A lot of bad things happen that sometimes we can’t control. But if we went back and picked the best options for every decision, wouldn’t that lead to a boring life? There’d certainly be no laughter.”
“Twilight…” Sunset stared at the mare who stared ahead. “What happened to me?”
“You wanted something, and you weren’t given it.” Lifting a hoof, the unicorn opened a memory. A square of light told the past, showing an event Sunset recognized. “An angry mare, running to a world of mystery, and leaving behind those who cared for her.”
In the light of the past, Sunset saw herself entering through the center of the courtyard. The mirror rippled to the world of Equestria, eventually stilling itself. Standing on two legs, the Sunset of the past traversed the steps in the dead of night, reaching her reflection. She stared at herself, the bipedal creature, and placed a hand on the glass. Pain and hurt, two expressions written all over her face, became shadowed with another. One not of sorrow or regret, but of wrath. Divine indignation. A look purely devoted to retribution.
“When you look at yourself, what do you see?” Twilight asked.
“A self-conceited monster,” Sunset honestly replied without hesitation.
“And yet, this being is closer in mindset to this filly than to you.” A flick of her hoof and the memory changed. In a parlor in Canterlot, two sat alone with the owner, enjoying sundaes of ice cream. They bunched together for a picture, the white alicorn wrapping a wing around her favorite student. “What do you see from this pony?”
“A naïve little filly who discovered she was meant to be something great, only to let it go to her head,” Sunset once again replied honestly.
“And what was that something? Are you great? Or are you a pathetic little pony with no friends and no mentor?”
Sunset snapped her eyes to Twilight, only to find she now stared at herself. “What in Equestria!?” she shouted, and her breath struck the copycat, causing the fake to stir like smoke.
“You’re the worst, you know that? You could’ve been the greatest pony to exist.” Though the body rotated like a waft of steam, the head twirling in the air away from the neck, the voice remained. “You could’ve been better than Celestia!”
Though disturbed, Sunset didn’t shriek or budge. The statement only baffled her. “Why would I want to be better than Celestia?” And when the question was asked, the orange smoke cleared, dissolving the copycat.
“You’re already better than me,” another familiar voice said, causing Sunset to turn her head to the right. The white alicorn sat beside her, staring at the memory. The squares grew, detailing more of Sunset’s past. “I sent my sister away for a thousand years, trapping her on the moon. It ruined my heart to see somepony so great fall so far. I saw potential in you to become better than me, to succeed me. You failed, but your mistake led to a greater resolve.”
Five friends stood around the sixth, hugging the girl with red and yellow hair. “We all make mistakes,” Sunset stated, trying to ease the grief of the alicorn.
“If I hadn’t let you go, you never would’ve become one of two,” Celestia pointed out. The memory rewound to play two sides of the same coin. One where Sunset tripped over Spike, while the other went around the basket. “If I hadn’t removed you from my apprenticeship, you never would’ve become the monster who destroyed Equestria. Nor would you have become their savior. I’m proud of you.”
“You’re proud of me? What have I done to earn it?”
In the memory, Sunset rose to the challenge of the sirens, singing her own song with the help of her friends. Another memory accompanied the first, turning Sunset into a glimmering beauty that defeated Midnight Sparkle. “You let my lessons weigh you down. Everything I ever taught you only burdened your mind, turning you into a prideful, spiteful monster. And though it swallowed you whole, you rose above it once you lost that conceited nature.”
“But I wasn’t trying to lose it. I didn’t know there was a better way at the time. You tried to show me, and I failed to heed your teachings.”
“When you were defeated, you could’ve let yourself fall into those burdens, you could’ve felt grief for failing to become great. Instead, you became great by rising up and accepting friendship from the one who defeated you. You changed the world, as I knew you would. And when the world needed forgiveness for forsaking one such bearer, you understood and shared the feelings of another.” Raising a hoof, the alicorn placed it on Sunset’s shoulder. “You always wanted to be more than what you are not. Is that such a bad thing? Striving to be better, being charismatic, being friendly. You hold so much potential, and you’re only starting to blossom. How could I not be proud?”
“And what about the me who destroyed Equestria? The one who destroyed Equestria?” Sunset asked. “Are you proud of her too?”
And just like before, when her breath reached the alicorn’s body, the swirls of smoke dissipated. She watched as the alicorn faded, the white fading into white, becoming like snow that never fell. When the glow no longer shined, her eyes turned back to the memory. Surprise lit her face as she now stared out from the top of CHS. With the sunset in the distance, the memories gone with the whiteness, she remembered a day like this.
“My past is not today,” she heard a voice all too familiar. Far more familiar than the others. “Singing about it doesn’t make it true.”
Sitting with her knees tucked to her chest, Sunset Shimmer crossed her arms around her legs, hugging herself. A black jacket sat in front of her, wrinkled into a creased ball. Turning her eyes, she met the pony Sunset’s stare. “You know what I mean?” the girl asked.
Sunset nodded. “More than anyone.”
Taking a hand from her knee, she held it for the pony, who in turn set her hoof in the palm. “Do you remember why we came up here?” the girl asked.
“Stepping up those steps, crossing the roof. I couldn’t avoid bursting into song, but it wasn’t why I came up here. The girls, they treated me so nicely after I was defeated, and they’ve been that way ever since.” Sunset felt the fingers close around her hoof. “I came up here to reflect. To think. And perhaps, in one of these different timelines, I made a different choice. Maybe the right choice. You know what I mean?”
And Sunset nodded. “More than anyone.”
Both sat in silence. One with hooves, the other with hands. The sun slowly lowered into the horizon, creating a purple sky of stars and lit houses.
“It’s hard having friends, isn’t it?”
Neither of the Sunsets asked the question, causing them both to stir. Another Sunset sat to the right of the pony, though this one didn’t resemble either. Instead, demon wings wrapped around her body, leaving her fiery hair atop a sad expression the only thing in view. Though the shock of seeing such a disfigured demon would’ve once surprised both Sunsets, neither shook with worry. “Or is it easy, and that’s what makes it hard?” asked the demon.
“Is it prideful to say that making friends comes naturally to us?” the pony asked.
“Maybe. Though it’s not unreasonable. We’ve been good at everything. Depending on the world. From magic. To friendship. To destruction. Think there’s a world where we remained in Princess Celestia’s graces and stayed on as her apprentice?” the girl wondered.
“Who’s to say you ever stopped?”
The three sitting together looked up at the edge of the roof. Leaning against the railing, a fourth Sunset Shimmer stood with her back to them. “Just because you don’t talk to her anymore, or aren’t around her, doesn’t mean you’ve ever stopped being her apprentice. We learned so much from Twilight, and she learned from Celestia. She gave us the tools, we’ve been putting them to use in our own special ways.” When she turned, the three were a contrast of sadness compared to her wonderful smile. With her arms at her sides, below a vest of charcoal black, she studied each of them. The future Sunset Shimmer staring at the past.
“But how am I supposed to repent?” the pony asked.
“How are we supposed to move forward?” the girl added.
“How do I forgive myself?” the demon doubted.
“We already know the answer.” The future Sunset lifted a hand and pointed to a fifth. “We’ve known it all along.”
To the right of the future Sunset Shimmer leaned a creature they all recognized, though only the pony had encountered such a being. “It’s difficult seeing the past. Knowing what has happened, you can only hope to move on and do better the next time.” Shimmering Justice did not speak like the strange, informational robot she once was. The red blindfold still covered her eyes. “We leave a piece of ourselves in everything we do. Destruction. Anger. Casualties. A cost that no one can afford, for a world no longer inhabited. But is it not justice to say that though we leave pieces, we also gain pieces? From others? From emotions? From life? Love? Friendship?”
“It’s not that easy. Sometimes those pieces are sad,” the girl argued.
“Sometimes others cause even more stress, filling us up with anger till we drown in it,” the demon snarled.
“I’d smash a thousand mirrors to keep my friends from getting the painful pieces of me! I’d never want anyone to feel like this. Not even my worst enemies!” the pony screamed.
“Your worst enemy already feels that way.” The final voice announced. Rising up from below their sight, the golden warrior of friendship beamed as marvelous as she did the day she defeated Midnight Sparkle. With arms outstretched, she placed a hand on both the future Sunset Shimmer and Shimmering Justice. The trio looked down not with sorrow, but respect. “You have always been your worst enemy. Just look at what you’ve done in these worlds you’ve visited.”
Shimmering Justice stretched a hand out to the demon. “You mistrusted Discord, even though he only ever believed in you. You doubted yourself. And you doubted everything you learned.”
The future Sunset raised a hand to the girl, beckoning a joining. “You tried your best to help your friends gather themselves to defeat Nightmare Moon. But your own desires clouded your judgement. You wanted things to go one way, and when you knew it was impossible, you fell on an easier task.”
“I didn’t want the changelings to be kicked out of Equestria. How is it fair they had such an awful queen?” the demon asked as she rose, relaxing her webbed wings. She placed her hand atop Shimmering Justice’s, interlocking their fingers. “But I never once thought to let my friends choose for themselves. I knew I was right, but it was their friendship who turned me from the path of destruction.” Lifting her hand to the pony, she waited. “I should’ve trusted them more.”
The girl rose next, leaning forward to accept the hand from the future. “I thought I finally understood that terrible Discord’s game. After being told everything was about me, I accepted it. I strode forward into the face of danger, throwing my friends to the wolves.” Wrapping their palms together, the girl looked to the pony and lifted her other hand. “Any patience I had I threw out the window, fearing for my own sanctuary.”
“In that fourth world,” the golden beauty began, her hands cupping both Shimmering Justice’s free hand and the future Sunset’s. “You felt such pain. Such guilt. Such sorrow. Now, you realized your mistake and you understand. Don’t you? After everything you did, you found the answer to the question. You failed to look inside Tirek and see more than what was on the surface. But more importantly, you failed to look inside yourself. The question. What was the question?”
And in unison, all except for the pony asked: “How is this possible?”
“Those six have touched so many lives. They’ve touched mine in ways I can’t even imagine. Can the answer really be that simple?” Lifting one hoof, the pony placed it in the girl’s hand. “Has it been staring me in the face this entire time? Was it always so easy?” Lifting the other, she stood bipedal and placed her other hoof in the demon’s hand. “She said it right to my face, and it’s been staring back at me in every world.”
“How is this possible?” the five repeated.
“It’s possible because of us,” Sunset Shimmer answered. “We matter.”
One by one, the five exploded into golden light, surrounding the pony in a different color until they all formed a rainbow.
“I matter.”
As soon as she spoke the words, her mind went blank. The light filled her eyes and numbed her body. In an instant, the feelings rushed to her senses and snapped her thoughts from the nothingness. Only her friends remained in her mind as the stone fell from her face. Shattering against the power of the friendship, her body returned in a glowing light.
Sunset Shimmer rose from the gazebo without wings, floating above the destruction. Her mane and tail had grown exceptionally long. In a strand that hung and circled around her face, she could see a streak of pure gold between the yellow and red. On her hooves, her cutie mark multiplied and rounded, glowing as bright as the rest of her.
Yet beyond herself, she stared down at another, much like her, yet different. The demon.
The six bearers stood defending themselves from the angry ranting of the demon. Blast after blast of magic struck the six, Princess Twilight’s barrier faltering. “You took my only friend!” the demon shouted, clawing at the barrier like a wild animal trapped in a cage.
“No. You took away your friends. You did this yourself,” Sunset told the demon.
The happiness on the demon’s face to hear Sunset speak turned sour at the sight of strange power surrounding her. “You escaped? What happened? Why are you like that? How is this—”
“Possible?” Sunset finished. “We are who we are by our actions.”
With a lift of her hoof, the gazebo reformed. Not into another gazebo, but into the Tree of Harmony. It then uprooted itself, standing with its roots tucked into dirty soil. Levitating off the ground like it were something from Discord’s world, Sunset pointed at the tree. “This isn’t right. You. Me. Them. It’s time it does.”
Another swing of her hoof and the ashen hills became soaked in green grass, spreading down to the golden flowers. As they brushed over the area the demon stood, she hovered above the change, an angry, startled look in her eyes. “What do you think you’re doing? This is my world! I made it this way! Stop changing it!”
“Change is inevitable. You will never have peace of mind if you leave it like this. Accept it, and move on.”
Clapping her hooves together, Sunset brought down the sky, removing the darkness of the clouds and returning the stars. “No!” the demon shrieked, sending a blast of magic in Sunset’s direction. However, the unicorn didn’t need to block. The magic struck against her and dissipated like dust. “What!?” bellowed the demon.
The sky turned bright and blue as the sun rose to the center. Trees popped up within the golden flowers. And for miles and miles, grass returned to the world. Sunset Shimmer returned those lost within the magic of the demon’s power. The cities. The ponies. The animals. Equestria. She did it by herself, though she was never alone. She would never be alone.
“I command you to stop!” the demon yelled, this time shooting several blasts of magic at the unicorn.
“You have so much magic in you,” Sunset told the demon. “It’d be impossible now to remove it from you. Not without destroying you in the process. You’ve spent too long with the Element of Magic, cursed by your own reluctance.” Powering her horn, she stared down at the demon. “I once wanted the power to do things my way, and now I have such power. As such, I say, why should you be removed from so much magic? Why, instead, should you not be given more magic? The magic... of friendship.” Releasing her horn’s unlimited power, she sent the beam to the demon.
But the demon refused, putting up her hands with her own magic. “No! I won’t be defeated! I am infinite! I am the greatest power the world has ever seen!”
“No. You’re not,” Sunset replied. “Not anymore.” Her magic increased, striking harder against the demon’s, and eventually increasing to the point of surrounding the retaliation.
Unable to stop the magic, the demon fell to the power. And when the damage was done, Sunset Shimmer fell too. Landing on her hooves, the power given to her by the Spirit of Harmony faded from her body. Gifted to another who could truly do good with it, just as she had done.
“Sunset Shimmer!” Pinkie Pie yelled as the six bearers rushed away from the glowing demon.
“I can’t believe you’re alright! I’m so sorry! We weren’t trying to hit you,” Twilight said after they arrived, her face filled with worry.
“It’s alright,” Sunset replied, hugging the princess. “I think everything will be alright, but first you need to do something for me.”
“What's that?” Twilight asked.
Pointing a hoof at the floating Tree of Harmony, Sunset said, “Return the Elements of Harmony.” Then, she put the hoof to Twilight’s chest. “It’s not the stones that defeat villains. It’s your friendship. The power is inside you, just like how it’s always been inside me.” Her eyes fell to the glowing mass surrounded by golden flowers. “And just like how it’s inside her.”
The light striking from the demon slowly faded, revealing the crimson skin and demon wings were no more. Instead, the girl hovered in golden radiance. A white dress clung to her torso and fell to her feet. Pure light rippled from her back in the form of wings, and from her forehead pointed a horn of white. She’d become the golden warrior of friendship, but would never be a pony again.
“But…” Daydream Shimmer held her head, white wristbands brushing her hair. “But I don’t know the first thing about friendship. What am I supposed to do now?”
While the bearers returned the Elements, Sunset went to the being of light. “I know six girls who’d like to be your friend.” She threw her head over her shoulder, watching as each of the gemstones returned to the Tree of Harmony.
“But all I’ve ever done was destroy their lives. How can they ever hope to forgive me?”
“I forgave myself,” Sunset answered. “They will too. Even if it takes time.”
When the gemstones fell into the sockets, the Tree of Harmony lit like a beacon, a rainbow bursting through the air. Like a call for assistance, the light brought another, one that Sunset recognized. Setting down where the gazebo once sat, surrounded by golden flowers, the crystal table lit up with a hologram. A map of Equestria, the true Equestria, displayed in all its glory. Canterlot, the Crystal Empire, and Ponyville were returned.
“Come on. Let me show you something.” Taking Daydream Shimmer by the hand, she led her to the table and the six bearers. Each of them glared angrily at the strange, biped creature who could only give a downtrodden response. “Look at this. Look at all these places.” She waved a hoof over Equestria.
“Sunset, what are you doing?” Twilight asked. “Isn’t she the one? Didn’t she destroy Equestria? Why does she look so different?”
“She did. I did. You see, she is me.” She looked up at Daydream Shimmer. “And now she’s going to prevent Equestria from being destroyed ever again.”
Daydream Shimmer took a step back, aghast at the thought. “How can I do that?”
“Through the power of friendship, anything is possible. Don’t you see that? And there’s one friend out there who needs us more than anything. Help her. We need to save her.”
Twilight looked between the two Sunsets. “Who? Who still needs help?”
Sunset smiled at Twilight. “You. I’ve been trying to help you for so long, and now I can. With her help. She’s the only one who can.”
With a nod of understanding, Daydream strode forward, staring down at the beautiful crystal map. “I’ll try my best.” Placing one hand onto the surface, she let the light of horn fold a stream against the crystal. Turning into water, it spread out across the world and filled the map in glorious golden light. When the entirety of the table fell to the shimmering glow, the center opened. “Is this it? Is this what you want? They could create another, if they wanted to, you know.”
From the center echoed ticking and screeching. A gust of wind sucked and pulled, but turned eventually, spouting out instead of sucking in. And then, from the green of the portal, popped out a parchment. Torn right down the middle. As the portal closed, it fell on the map. “You have so much magic, and so many friends here. They’re all with us, from every timeline. Break the spell, and prevent the table from being the conduit,” Sunset said.
“I understand.” Lifting a hand, Daydream Shimmer took the scroll and let her horn erupt in a glow. In its magic, the table lit with a blue light, and the parchment erupted into a blue fiery blaze, sprinkling its ashes across the world.
“What in Equestria just happened?” Applejack asked.
“No longer will the map be used to travel to the past and alter the present,” Sunset claimed. “Now, there’s just one final piece left.” Patting the table, she looked up at Daydream. “I need to finally return to my world. I’ve been gone for so long, and they haven’t the slightest clue.”
“You said I could come with you. Can I still?” Daydream asked.
But Sunset shook her head. “My friends are always welcome to be your friends too, but you’ve got a bit of a mess to clean up before then.”
Daydream looked back to the six, their eyes curious, losing their anger slowly. “You’re right.” She knelt, raising a hand to Twilight. “I’ve got a lot to make up for. Will you six show me the way?”
“After all the years we’ve been stuck underground,” Rarity chimed in, “You think we’re just going to accept your apology and move on?”
“Even if everyone we love has returned, and Equestria is safe, what makes you think you can just turn on a hoof and be good?” Rainbow Dash shot in with her own thoughts.
“Because she needs help,” Fluttershy countered. “And we don’t turn our back on those that need us.”
“Especially not friends,” Twilight added, though she stared at Sunset.
Daydream looked to Sunset, her eyes filled with surprise. “Just like that? Isn’t that too easy?” she asked the unicorn.
“Are you kidding?” Sunset spat, her brows furrowed, though her mouth smiled. “Forgiving someone is the hardest thing to do. But that’s why I’ve got faith in them. They’re willing to forgive me, even when I wasn’t willing to forgive myself.” Leaning against the crystal table, she shrugged off her backpack. “And once you feel ready, you should go beyond the mirror and help the world you left behind. I know five girls there who aren’t friends that could really use someone like you.”
Placing a hand on her forehead, Daydream hid her embarrassment. “There’s so much I need to do. I’ve ruined so many lives. Where do I even start?”
“With these six.” Sunset then levitated a journal out from her back. “From the ones in front of you, to the ones beyond the mirror, and to the ones in the worlds created by Starlight Glimmer. These worlds will exist forever thanks to her, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. That just means more chances for friendship to exist. What’s so wrong with that?”
Taking the journal, Daydream flipped open the pages, and the broken watch jiggled from the binding. “There’s quite a few. How long will each world take?”
But Sunset chuckled. “It doesn’t matter how long it takes. Trust me. Take your time. Smell the flowers. It’s what I should’ve done.”
“And now you’re going too.” Daydream lifted a hand to the table. “I’ll never forget you.”
“She’s leaving?” Twilight asked, pressing a hoof on Sunset. “You’re leaving? Now? Back to your world? But I still have so many questions to ask you! Not just about her, but about our world, your world, and everything!”
“I’m going home,” Sunset replied, placing her hoof atop Twilight’s. “You’ve got some good friends here who will always help you find the answers. Trust me. You’re going to do so many great things. I’ve seen it happen six times over. There’s nothing you can’t do. The power of friendship isn’t in a crown, it’s in you. You just gotta let it out.”
Embracing Sunset, Twilight hugged the mare from another world as Daydream opened the portal home. The gusts of wind dragged Sunset from the embrace and into the air, swallowing her whole. Her last sight was that of the princesses coming close to the seven, Discord at their side. And when the portal closed, she no longer heard just the ticking sounds, the feeling of being drawn, or the pressure of the magic. She heard only her friends.
“Uh, what’s she doing here?” she heard Applejack ask.
To which Twilight responded, “Actually, it’s kind of a long story.”
“A long story doesn’t even begin to describe it.” Sunset hovered onto the table, standing on the surface behind Twilight, Starlight Glimmer, and Spike. “But it was worth everything.”
“Sunset Shimmer?” Twilight gawked, staring up at the unicorn. “How is this possible?”
“Anything is possible through friendship,” she stated as she climbed down the table. As she passed Starlight Glimmer, a true smile hung on her lips. When she reached the five at the door way, she spoke directly to them. “Try not to be too hard on her. Forgiveness isn’t easy, but I’m pretty sure she’ll be on the right track if she’s got you as teachers. I know I am.”
Passing between them, Sunset followed the hall to the open door. Against a bookcase, surrounded in mechanical contraptions, sat the mirror to another world. She met her reflection and pushed through. The rippling swirled around her, and she felt herself fall to her knees.
Kissing the ground, she stared up at the school, tears pouring down her cheeks. “I’m home.”
“Oh, yeah. This is definitely what I needed.” Twilight watched as Fluttershy tickled Spike, rubbing the dog’s belly. “A nice weekend, sitting with good friends, and all the belly rubs a dog could want,” Spike said.
“Well, I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself,” Twilight replied, rubbing his ear.
“I’m glad too,” Sunset said with a mouthful of sandwich. Though the alternate universes weighed on her mind, she kept them secret, knowing she’d be able to tell her friends all about them one day. For now, a picnic in front of the school against the courtyard’s statue was a well-earned reprieve. “Who’s a good boy?”
Spike laughed and snorted. “Uh, duh. It’s me.”
“That’s right!” Fluttershy continued to rub his belly, giggling all the while.
As they sat, enjoying each other’s company, a sudden rift erupted from the statue. Bursting out from the rippling mirror, Twilight Sparkle surprised the six. “I’m so sorry I didn’t get here sooner. I didn’t get your messages until just now because I was caught in this time travel loop, and honestly, it’s the strangest thing that’s ever happened to me!” She caught her breath, only to realize she now stared across at another version of herself. “Make that the second strangest.”
“You think that’s strange?” Sunset greeted, placing a hand on the princess’s shoulder. “Boy do I have a story to tell you. And, funnily enough, it also contains meeting other versions of you.”
“Huh?” Princess Twilight gaped, her mouth slacked open. “You and the map...”
“Speaking of which. I don’t suppose you could make another journal? I’m kinda running out of pages in the one I have.”
“Journal? Uh. Ye-yeah, sure.” Her eyes remained locked on herself. “I’ll get on that as soon as possible.” She then turned away from the alternate version of herself, readying to return to Equestria.
But just as she went to step through, another being rippled through the mirror, smashing into the princess and knocking her to the ground. Sunset stared at the being, just as surprised as Princess Twilight. “How in the world!?” Sunset’s voice cracked.
“Oh, good. I was hoping to catch you when you weren’t busy,” Daydream Shimmer stood over Princess Twilight. She then eyed the two separate Twilights and the group of shocked friends. “Though, if this is a bad time, we can always come back.”
"We?" Princess Twilight asked, sharing Sunset's confusion. Of course, their confusion didn't last long as several more girls with red and yellow hair rippled through the portal mirror, almost stampeding over each other, until the entirety of the picnic blanket sat covered in Sunset Shimmers.
Sunset and Sunset's reaction was adorable for the most part. :) this was a very nice chapter.
I sense incoming shenanigans!!! Will a sequel be incoming?
9691871
"I second that notion for a sequel, after all those different Sunset Shimmers wouldn't have just shown up at the end of the story if there wasn't a sequel planned."
HEY, Pinkie Pie, what have I told you about breaking the fourth wall here on Fimfiction?
"Not too, but come on this author left the story with an ending like THAT, that screams sequel and you know it."
Okay, fine just please ask me first before you break the fourth wall here again.
"Okie dokie loki!"............starts to bounce way and goes through the portal back to equestria that she used to get here in the first place.
Well folks you see what I have to live with and to the author please do make a sequel to this story, I just got to see what our Sunset would do with all those other Sunsets having shown up, also did our Sunset lose the wings when she left the Discord world?
Good ending. But damn, Sunset STILL doesn't get wings?
its the sunset verse
9692183
9692171
Well, a Sunset got her wings. I'd call that a compromise.
9692544
Well the Discord from the Discord world gave her so much power she gained wings, didn't she keep the wings or what?
9692602
He took them at the end of Arc 6.
9692687
I see, well I still think Canon Sunset of your story should have gained her wings after all she did, also tell me what are your thoughts on Sunset being Celestia's daughter, either by birth or adoption.
9692719
I follow canon, and in the Legend of the Everfree she had no wings, sadly. I also think by now, if Sunset was Celestia's daughter, adopted or not, we would've seen it mentioned somewhere. Much like how "Auntie Celestia" is something Cadance said (like once? at most?)
And here we are. Honestly, I wish you would make this chapter a little more clear what is happening. Despite normally being good at deciphering what is happening, it was a little disheartening to have a difficult time understanding the last chapter of one of my favorite stories. I understood the end, but why did she never tell Princess Twilight what happened? And the beginning was really difficult for me. Still loved this story as a whole though.
I'm kinda disappointed that in the end, Sunset Shimmer didn't ascend into a full Alicorn and princess, after all of the experience and self-journey that she went through.
9692769
Well that is screwed up as well for human Two has wings ponies up yet is a unicorn when she ends up in Equestria. Frankly she should be alicorn from the friendship games since she pulled a similar stunt to Twilight when she got her wings.
9693132
Yeah. Tirek timeline still screwed.
9694045
I agree. Canon really shafted Sunset, especially when Sci-Twi was shown with wings during Legend of Everfree. But c'est la vie, maybe by the end of Equestria Girls she'll get her wings. This story wasn't really about getting her fame or power or alicornhood though.
9694452
Still should have earned it though.
9692544
-_-
Huzzah! The Sun has been doubled! No, tripled! No, wait a second...
Wow, excellent story. So many great scenes, good inspiration for all the worlds (especially the last), everything was relevant and came full circle. A sequel of Sunsets plowing through the worlds Starlight made would be great, but I would imagine this story required a lot of effort to maintain continuity so well and it probably seems daunting to add more to it. Either way, thank you for writing this.
A good end to a great story.
Well done and congrats!
Not bad, but I wonder about the other realities and their problems... Did Daydream help them? Also, I wonder the reaction of Twilight and Starlight to the adventures... And see Sunset relax...
Man, what an end. It smells like sequel/sidestory bait to me.
This was pretty great. I really enjoyed this from start to finish, even in spite of arc 4's best attempts to be funky. Character development was strong throughout, and the way you handled 7 different worlds was pretty sweet. Each world felt like its own story, and yet they all connected to each other so well.
I'm definitely looking forward to anything more that might spawn from this story!
9776418
I'm glad you enjoyed it!
I don't really plan to follow up on a sequel any time soon as I want to move on to my next project, but if I were to come up with something, I thought of following up on Twilight Sparkles journey in Arc 4, after leaving Equestria. Either that or something involving the multiples of Discord, maybe multiverse theory to the nth degree.
...Okay, that’s just ridiculous.
I normally don’t shed a tear for stories on this site, but this story gave my feels a gut punch in the feels. This story is simply brilliant, you brought worlds to life, you had to world build six dimensions and character progression, and you can’t forget that beautiful ending. You did this with 120%, and you did this right. This is the best thing I’ll ever read and I am thankful that you made such a masterpiece.
10205014
I'm glad you enjoyed it! I put a lot of my own emotions and worries into writing this story, and to see it connect well with people really puts a smile on my face!
10235731
It's missing on purpose. You don't add another quote when the same character has continued speaking at the start of the next paragraph.
9692769
Sunset, even after fully repenting and reforming, even after reconciling with Celestia, never ever gives even the slightest thought to anypony in Equestria than Celestia and Twilight (and later Starlight, possibly). Certainly not any possible family. The only way that makes sense is if she doesn't have any. Making Celestia her de facto mother figure, regardless of whether or not Celestia ever copped to that. Which is part of what I think led to Sunset becoming so messed up prior to EQG.
I found this story last year and really enjoyed it up to the Tirek arc, which frustrated me so much I only just now came back and finished it. And I enjoyed it again, right up until the end.
You're right. By the end of the entire run of EQG, Sunset never got wings.
You know what else Sunny Buns never did in canon?
Decide to lark off to Equestria following the end of Friendship Games, thus getting caught up in Starlight's temporal temper tantrum, traveling through six worlds of screwed-up situations, learning more and more, culminating in embodying empathy and forgiveness to such an extent she forgave one of the worst monsters Equestria has ever seen, even sacrificing herself to try to give said monster a chance to be better, thus allowing her to mainline so much Harmony she not only purified the monster but healed the entire 'ing world!
Reminder that Cadance ascended via embodying the Power of Love to show some rando backwoods witch nopony else in Equestria had ever heard of how to love. Twilight ascended via channeling the Power of Friendship to correct the accidental curse on her friends Cutie Marks.
Sunset embodied the Power of Forgiveness to literally save the entire world from destruction and after everything was over... she's still a unicorn!?
Ahem. Miss Sweetie Bell, you have the floor.
Thank you, Sweetie.
The slavish adherance to canon, even and especially canon that hasn't happened yet and doesn't need to is the bane of fanfiction.
And your story is poorer for it.
Into the Shimmerverse!
You can has review!
10443783 Fine. That Rainbow Dash is a King Crimson wannabe.
And that's a wrap. Good story, especially since it doesn't break the E rating or hit us with any untagged red tag content. Roll credits.
As for the misgivings some commenters have. Continuity is one answer, another is
sacrifice
One of the best stories I ever read
I thought by the end she asked time travel magic be illegal. Though I loved to see twilight deal with a lot of sunsets.
Ok, now I want to read this story