This story is a sequel to Firebird Dahlia
Hearth's Warming is approaching, and Sunset is going to spend it with her family, just like old times. After all the excitement in the human world, a relaxing holiday is just what she needs.
But upon her return, Sunset discovers her mother has come down with a rare and life threatening disease, and the only cure is the Ice Iris flower tucked away in the Crystal Mountains.
With the elements against them, Sunset and Spitfire must work together and traverse the treacherous mountain range to save their mother and give their family the best Hearth's Warming in a decade.
Wonderful coverart done by RuushiiCZ
Cerulean Voice has returned to edit! Many thanks to him!
Chapters (2)
Let's gooooooooo
I haven't even read it and I already liked it
Oh my God, you made a sequel to one of my favorite Sunset Shimmer stories!!!!! You sir or mam truly are one of the best writers in this site!
This is one of the many christmas gifts I was hoping to get! and now that I have my laptop back?! Ohhhoho boy! Starlight!! Prepare the chamber!
Uh didn't you blow it up last time you used it?
Yes...your point?
Swear if you die in there again I am not bringing you back to life....
It's fine I went and found the dragon balls....Who knew they existed in Equestria? Go figure.
Ewwwww! Gross
Not THOSE kinda dragon balls...jeez mind in the gutter much?
sees new Albinocorn story, presses the track button, then reads.
Good to see this AU being continued. I like the interaction of Sunset with Spitfire a lot. So many authors leave Sunset with no meaningful Equestrian roots, making her an orphan or worse. I appreciate an author who tries something different.
So, this is about parallel to A Hearth's Warming Tale and Rarity Investigates! Both suitably altered for this different time-line, of course!
This reminds me of "It's a Dangerous Business, Going Out Your Door". Rare disease that only afflicts one of the three tribes, severely inhibits the ability to use that tribe's unique magic, spreads fast, and is fatal without a specific flower that grows rarely in one specific environment. Not complaining, though. That story was amazing.
Well this was an unexpected and pleasant surprise! Looking forward to seeing this story continue.
Welp. I'm in.
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And also the entire story isn't overshadowed by the massive plot hole that could have been filled by simply asking Celestia, because as we've seen, Celestia and Luna are no match for the harsh weather conditions surrounding the Crystal Empire
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That's fair, but asking Celestia for help would have been boring and then there wouldn't have been an epic story and sequel.
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Oh I know, believe me. Dangerous Business and Will of Evil were truly epics.
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Yeah, though I recently reread them, and looking back, they're really awkward to read without scene breaks/transitions/idk if there's an actual term for them. Thankfully that problem was rectified partway through "Will of Evil" but still
Sequel?! Yes!
Welp, looks like this disease is real. Hopefully Sunset and Spitfire will be able to succeed.
This was an excellent chapter getting us back into this version of the world and reestablishing their sisterhood. And it seems the tradition of Equestria having terrible health care continues. And quite a few interesting bits here as well, such as the Sunlight material and the mentioning of possibility of Sunset needing to defend the human world with the geodes. Interesting head canon, or a promise of a third story to make this a trilogy?
Still, even if Sunset's geode isn't as flashy as some of the others, it is very handy and matches her personality well. While Sci-Twi may be pushed up to a seemingly co-leader status with Sunset in Equestria Girls, Sunset still shows herself to be the team mom of the group based on Legend of Everfree and the specials and internet shorts.
Looking forward to the next chapter.
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Hopefully though, this one won't turn into a sprawling epic with asshole deer-elves that will spawn an even longer sequel with a Villain Sue and even WORSE deer-elves as well as constant heapings of overly wrought grimdark and everyone having a massive case of the stupids.
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Asshole Deer? I guess the Elders? Cus the common Deer were, for the most part, nice enough.
And the gods heard her prayer, but then decided "Nah, screw her."
Yeeeeeeeeees
Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees
Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees
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Ye
YESSS a sequel to a story i never knew i wanted!
So much yes to this sequel!
*Screaming* AHHHH A SEQUEL YESSSS!!!!
Nice! I'll be looking forward to more of this!
ALBINOCORN STRIIIIIIKES
*Proceeds to read.*
Ah this is great! I loved Firebird Dahlia, and I'm happy to see it continue! I'll always take more Sunny and especially Spitfire! Quite the coincidence too; I just posted my own little Hearth's Warming story centered on Spitfire.
I'll comment more once I get a change to read this.
This is gonna be great.
Bit ashamed of myself that my first thought was "Take Rainbow Dash with you, you'll need her." Although....that WOULD be cool in this setting...
I'm all for that
Dis gun b gud!
This is reminding me a lot of "It's a Dangerous Business, Going out your Door"- which is not necessarily a bad thing.
Deadly, tribe-specific disease, only known cure is a rare flower from far away...
Though I suppose even Hasbro used that plotline canonically, so you're in good company.
You know, ponies really need to start performing medical research... given how often somepony comes down with a rare illness requiring a dangerous trek to distant lands for the cure.
For that matter, how the heck does anyone manage to find these cures in the first place if the disease is so rare and cure even rarer and located a bazillion miles from the instances of the disease?
Oh my god, I missed this in my notifications... It's an Xmas gift of the greatest variety.
That doctor has poor bedside manner. It's too bad Mage Meadowbrook hasn't come back yet. Of course, it would be a much shorter story if she were there to cure Dawn.
As others have mentioned, a quest to find a rare cure for a rare disease has been done before - even in canon - but that doesn't mean this fanfic won't be good. The Ice Iris is really a McGuffin to get Sunset and Spitfire to bond in an adventure, and I'm all for that.
Ooh, sisterly adventure. This promises to be a gripping read. Looking forward to it. Also, great work in reestablishing the sibling dynamic from the word "Go."
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Presumably, the pegasi were in the Crystal Mountains during the exodus from their original homeland when somepony said, "They're dying anyway. Let's feed them this flower and see what happens."
8646567 Huh, and here I've been using that tactic to find deadly poisons...
I'd forgotten how much I like your characterizations (meaning I need to re-read the first story again) . Looks to be off to a great start. As someone with parents who aren't young, this hits me closer to home than I'd thought.
Glad to see Sunset and Spitfire are still keeping calm for now, all things considered
He has a point.
I hope so.
That's a thing? Neat.
Cute. But no. Be awesome.
See?
Among other things.
And cats are adorable.
This is a nice bit. Both fucked up, neither is 100% in the right.
Also a valid point.
Wait until morning. The extra heat, however meager, and the extra sleep and food in you is going to help.
Smart.
Crap.
It's a substitute for a reason.
Tambelon? As in, Grogar the necromancer Tambelon? That's, huh.
That explains how the Sirens were able to fit their hair in their hoods. Inherent spatial compression spells in their hoods.
That's pretty useful.
Welp, here we go.
Best Human and Skid Mark out in the cold cold wilderness, racing against the clock! Looking forward to seeing how crazy they drive each other.
Humans are weird
Won't argue with that.
From what I remember, a lot of people seemed to miss that bit.
Also, this is very important. What kind of chips did she have, Albino?
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Don't even bother. He wouldn't tell me either.
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But inquiring minds want to know!
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But this is important!
Sibling rivalry will have to take a backseat to iris hunting. I just hope it doesn't act out at the worst possible time. Or in an avalanche zone.
In any case, I get the sense that this is the warmest these two will be for quite some time.
And porn, although I can understand why Sunset wouldn't want to explain that to her sister.
don't question it.
Excellent chapter seeing the two on their quest and to see them getting along, even with the sisterly bickering. Their banter was great and funny and the flashback was really well done. Baby Sunset was adorable and Spitfire's thoughts on wishing things would go back to just her and her parents is quite ironic, as that did happen when Sunset ran away, but it resulted in her parents divorcing. Be careful what you wish for indeed. I can't wait to see what happens next.
this is awesome! Can't wait to read more!
Enjoyed the first, and am liking this one so far! Can't wait to see where it goes. I particularly love how well Sunset and Spitfire play off each other.
I featured this on episode 209 of my podcast, Pony 411.