First Stage
Sunset shot out of her bed, sweat matting her coat, and staining her bed. She gasped for breath, mind flashing with fangs.
The basket next to her stirred.
Sunset winced, her magic reaching out to rub the back of her friend/brother, only letting a sigh escape her lips when he went back into sleep. Her friend definitely needed the sleep more than she did. She turned her head and looked out the window. The Mare in the Moon stared back.
“Dear Celestia,” she grumbled, “I still can’t decide whether this knowledge was better for my sanity or not.”
“Sunset?”
Said mare blinked groggily. “Barb, did you say something?
“I was just saying, you don’t look so good.” The dragon reached out and pulled on her saddlebags to keep her from falling over. “Did you even sleep?”
Sunset winced. “I couldn’t sleep.”
“Well the train’s coming in. Just don’t fall over until it gets here.”
As if on cue, they heard a whistle blow through the train station. The pink Friendship Express hissed into view. Conductors and station attendants pushed the doors open and guided passengers off the train. Sunset stumbled unsteadily, guided only by Barb’s claws on her shoulder. She blinked, and then they were already in the seat.
She collapsed like a puppet with her strings cut. “Finally,” she said, rubbing her dry eyes with a hoof.
“Just rest,” Barb said, hopping onto the seat next to her. “We got a few stops on the way, so it’ll be a few hours. I’ll wake you up when we get there.”
“Thanks.” Sunset closed her eyes, and hoped for sleep.
Every assignment was finished ahead of schedule. Every test was finished with ease. Yet still Sunset was left with days of nothing but waiting. Why was Celestia delaying her? Why was Celestia denying her?
Sunset fumed through gritted teeth. Fine. If she was going to ignore her, then she’ll study by herself.
Sunset crawled around the edges of the darkened library, sneaking past patrols with a silence spell and into the Restricted Archives of the Royal Canterlot Library. “Finally,” she muttered. She lifted a few books out of her saddlebags and made for the shelves.
“Tsk tsk.” Sunset froze. “Somepony was not signing out her books.” A pink hornlight cast Sunset’s shadow across the aisle. “Books must be cared for. Books must be turned in on time. Books must be respected.” Sunset looked over her shoulder to see Head Librarian Sparkle frowning unhappily. “I thought I taught you better than this. What’s going on?”
Sunset scowled, slowly turning around. “What do you think? Celestia lets excelling students pass, she let that damn genius Terrasire pass, she let you pass, but I get NOTHING!”
“And your solution is to start committing theft?”
“I’m not stealing, I’m just ...” Sunset’s voice trailed off at the Librarian's sharpening glare. “I’ll stop.”
“Good. Come over here, Sunset,” Twilight said, holding out her forelegs and pulling in a somewhat reluctant Sunset into her embrace. “What’s wrong?”
“...Why?” Sunset whispered. “What am I doing wrong? Am I ... am I a bad pony?”
Twilight put her chin over Sunset’s head and hummed. “Well, you managed to pass every test I could come up with. You’re a bright filly, Sunset. I don’t think you’re a bad pony. Let’s go see Celestia. I’ll come with you.”
Sunset’s eyes blinked blearily as the train pulled into the outskirts of Las Pegasus, the half floating, half grounded, city of heart-soaring heights and gut-sinking lows.
It was also very loud.
She groaned, ears falling flat as she tried to block off the noise.
“Here, take it.” Sunset opened an eye to peer at her dragon companion, who was waving a pair of small pillows. “They’re complimentary apparently.”
“Thanks.” Both pillows landed on her head before she slumped to the side like a cut tree.
Barb hopped up beside her. “...Did you even fall asleep?”
“Ever wake up feeling that you ran a marathon?”
“Ooo.” She glanced around. “Do you want to get food now, or wait till we get to Ponyville?”
Sunset looked out the window, into the glittering city in front the setting sun. She thought of nightmares, the Nightmare, and monster-infested forests. She thought of the scroll under her bed a meter long with self-preservation brain barf. She thought of the possibility of randomly running into the six ponies who would be able to wield the Elements, and only having fate to rely on.
Her stomach complained that she was doing too much thinking.
“...Yeah I’ll take a sandwich.”
There wasn’t much in the way of choices, and the pair ended up snacking on some slightly dry daisy sandwiches.
“Are you sure you’re getting any rest out of this?” Barb asked, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.
“Maybe?” Sunset said, waving her hooves in the air and flinging bread crumbs in her unsteady magical grip. “Might end up buying a bottle of sleeping pills and straight up knock myself out.”
“What kind of dreams are you having, anyways?”
“Dreams about Nightmares.”
“....what?”
”She’s what!?” Sunset shouted, chest heaving as she stared at Celestia. Twilight put her hoof over Sunset’s shoulder, holding her back from just charging into Celestia’s face.
“I’m sorry, Sunset.” Celestia bowed her head in her own personal chambers, something that felt somewhat ridiculous to Sunset. “I was afraid. Afraid that you weren’t getting the right balance of skills. Losing what strands of destiny I can control”
“That’s why you were so controlling of Sunset’s curriculum?” Twilight asked, as Sunset started to hyperventilate.
‘She thought I could save her sister? An alicorn who fell to darkness and probably tried to kill Celestia, and I have to face that?’ Sunset pupils shrank as she clutched her head, sweat boring down her face.
“Sunset?” Twilight asked, concerned. She lowered herself to Sunset’s eye level. “Are you ok? Wait, no--”
“Ok!?” Sunset screeched, her head snapping up and her eyes maniac. “I just got told I’m going to face off against a power-mad alicorn in five years! I’m gonna die.”
Celestia’s magic brushed over them. When Sunset looked up, she was enveloped by the alicorn’s wings. “Sunset, I’m sorry for not telling you about this sooner. But if you wish to know ... you must learn about the Elements of Harmony
”Entering Ponyville Station” the intercom called.
Sunset rubbed the crust in her eyes, clutching her bags as the train started slowing down. Everything starts now. The moment she steps off the train, she would have to devote her entire time into finding out where and what the Elements are. All she had was that it was somewhere in the Everfree’s old castle. She would--
“Girl, stop worrying,” Barb said, cutting through her thoughts. “It’s like, an entire prophecy and everything!”
“Sure,” Sunset grumbled. “Just sit on my flank and wave my hooves as ‘everything comes together perfectly’. Pfft. As if I’m going to trust saving the Princess’s sister to rolls of the dice. Do nothing, get nothing. And I refuse to be the one who lets the Princess down.”
“Sure sure, but nopony’s going to get saved if you give yourself liver failure.”
Sunset snorted. “I’ll keep that in mind.
The brakes squeal to a stop, and the doors hiss open. Sunset and her assistant stepped into Ponyville, and looked at the dark colored balloons decorating the walls, the pumpkin lamps lighting up the main street.
Sunset’s eye caught a large banner over the Station exit-- Nightmare Moon!
Fires burned through the forest. Sunset coughed through the ashes, her hooves shakily clutching a crossbow. She cursed her lack of mana, she cursed her inability to power the only non-lethal spells she knew.
Nightmare Moon cackled from somewhere beyond the flames, crunching hooves stomping hooves getting closer and closer and closer.
Sunset yelped, rolling to the side as the tree she hid behind exploded.
“Aren’t you useless without those Elements?” Nightmare Moon taunted, sauntering casually through the tongues of flame. “If only you were better. Maybe then Celestia wouldn’t have needed to give Equestria five more minutes.”
“N-no! You’re wrong!” Sunset shouted. “I’m a better pony than you--!” She turned, and there was no one behind her.
Sunset jerked in place, eyes blinking furiously. A stylized picture of the moon hung from both sides of the banner. Barb was a few steps ahead of her, looking back at her curiously behind a rolling luggage.
“Just ... just admiring the decorations.” Sunset said.
“... If you say so.” Barb said, a little crease in her forehead before she discarded the thought. “Come on, let’s check this in so we can actually check out this place. I hear they have a bakery that takes ruby sprinkles!”
Sunset gave a tired grin. “Let’s.”
The pair continued into the town, Sunset trying to keep a handle on her pounding heart. I think I can. I think I can. I know I can. Celestia believes in me. Twilight believes in me. I have to do this.
I refuse to run away.
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- Typoglyphic · 10k words · 18 0 · 425 views
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This is an interesting start to the journey. Sunset already knowing Celestia wants her to face Nightmare Moon, and incorporating her tendency to break into libraries, were good touches. I liked how you handled the flashbacks, and you did well characterizing everyone in this short story. At this point, it's still hard to tell what the real differences will be between how Sunset and Twilight handle things, but hopefully we'll see.
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>differences
Well Sunset is probably going to react more with depression than panic--
Oh fuck you, brain.
Fascinating glimpse of an alternate path. I do love this Twilight acting as a supportive older-sister figure, and there’s an enticing amount of uncertainty over whether Sunset can pull this off. I hope you expand on this.
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Unfortunately, like most things I've attempted to write, I have been unable to find the right blocks to Jenga stack, and the plot thread collapses if i try to think any further. Unlike most, I published this one.
I keep feeling like I'd end up retreading some of MagnetBolt's Witch of the Everfree series, and i am also uninterested in retreading canon.
Very interesting stuff. hope your muse strikes again sometime. n_n