Find A Way
"Where did we go wrong? What could we have missed? Why is the magic not restored to everypony? Where are you, Twilight? What happened to the Equestria we know and loved?"
For the last several minutes, since Sunny had left Bridlewood, Sunset Shimmer wondered aimlessly, lost in her own thoughts, clouded by more and more troubling questions that grew, every seconds. Each questions would ask another, and so on and so forth, until an answer could finally end them.
Tired, lost, and at her wit's end, Sunset Shimmer collapsed onto the soft grasses of Bridlewood. All she wanted was to visit a friend. Sadly, it seems, she had arrived too late. How long she has been away, she does not know. And at this moment, she doesn't care. She just wants to go home. A time and place when she has friends and family.
Succumbing to her exhaustion, Sunset Shimmer closed her eyes, and her world went black, as she enters a dream.
Her dreamscape was a large city, reminiscent to Zephyr Heights, Canterlot in its heyday, and the human world she came from. All it was missing are the people. The sound of friends talking and getting together, to have a good time. Friendly neighbors exchanging heartfelt greetings. Little kids running and playing games, in the beautiful light of day. Without them, life seems dull, bleak, and meaningless.
Sunset Shimmer looked up to the sky, seeing a blanket of dark clouds, blocking out the sun, and showering the streets tearful drops of rain. Feeling the cooling breeze and comforting touch of the waters, Sunset felt herself rejuvenated, as if it was just another day when she was still young, in spite of herself. But without her friends by her side, to share it with, she felt more and more alone.
Find A Way – Rebecca Shoichet
Feeling the turmoil emotion swelling inside, Sunset lets them out, with a heartfelt, familiar song.
I have to find a way
To make this all okay
I can't believe this small mistake
Could've caused so much heartache
Oh why, oh why?
As Sunset Shimmer walked down the streets of her desolate dreamscape, she wondered how it all went wrong. What happened to Princess Twilight? Where and when did it all went so horribly wrong? What could've torn the Kingdom of Equestria apart? How can the ponies, who were once friends, be divided and live so far apart in paranoia? How can Sunset Shimmer pick up the pieces and mend them back? And could it be possible that somehow, she can, in some way, still reconnect with Princess Twilight?
In her dream still, Sunset Shimmer found herself in the hall of stain glasses of Canterlot Castle. Sunset remembered passing through this hall, a few times before. Each time, she takes a glimpse at all the memories, depicted in the stain glasses, old and new, on the walls, left and right, and back again.
Something is wrong, it's plain to see
This isn't how it's meant to be
And you can't see it like I do
It's not the life that's meant for you
Oh why, oh why?
Dipping her head, Sunset Shimmer finds herself in the underground station of Zephyr Heights, where she, Sunny, Izzy, and Zipp had seen the stain glass windows, engraved with images of Princess Twilight Sparkle's cutie mark, and the supposed crystals that are the source of Equestria's magic.
Losing promise
I don't know what to do
Seeking answers
I fear I won't get through to you
Even more lost and alone with herself, Sunset Shimmer looked up at the glass image of her friend's cutie mark, practically bathing in its spotlight. With tears dripping from her eyes, the fiery unicorn looked to the ground of her dreamscape, as she came to the end of her song.
I'll try
And I'll try
I'll try
And I'll try
"Sunset...Sunset...Sunset! Wake up!"
Startled, Sunset woke up and finds herself, back in reality, surrounded by the worried looks of Izzy Moonbow, Zipp Storm, and Pipp Petals.
"Oh! Girls!" Sunset exclaimed tiredly. "Oh...what? What is it? What happened?"
"You fell asleep!" Izzy replied.
"You were out for an hour," Zipp added. "You gave us quite the scare. Well, mostly Pipp."
"Oh?" Pipp scoffed. "I'm not the one who was crying and...grieving."
Still mildly awake, Sunset Shimmer let out a yawn as she stretched her legs and back. She looked around, searching for the missing members of the group.
"Where...where are Sunny and...Hitch?" Sunset asked.
"They went back to Maretime Bay," Zipp answered. "Pipp and I were just going to leave with mother and the guards, but..."
"...We felt it wouldn't be right to leave, without saying good-bye, to you...and Izzy," Pipp added.
"Oh...right," Sunset looked down, sadly remembering the distraught looking on Sunny's face. "I...I'm sorry. For everything."
"It's not your fault, Sunset," Izzy replied. "We all tried our best! We all wanted to bring the magic back!"
"I know, but..." Sunset walked over and took a seat besides Izzy's musical instrument. "I feel like, I should've done more... Perhaps be more...responsible? I'm the grown-up here. And yet... I just went along with everything, thinking that it will all turn out alright in the end. Because, that's how it worked for me."
"In other words, you were going with the flow?" Izzy asked.
"Yeah...in a way," Sunset sighed. "I...I was...I kinda hoping, that when this is all over, once we've restored Equestria's magic, then maybe...every pony can be friends again. And maybe...I'll see my friends again."
"You must really miss your friends, don't you?" Zipp asked, to which Sunset gave a solemn nod. "So...tell us about your friends again."
"Why?"
"Well, I figured, since we're leaving, and probably never going to see each other again, for a long time, then...we might as well hear one last story from you. For old time sake."
"Yeah!" Izzy chirped with excitement. "Tell us a story!"
"I guess we could spare a minute, or two," Pipp added, as both she and Zipp got comfortable.
"Hmmm..." Sunset scratched her chin. "I...I don't know what story I should tell you kids..."
"Ooh! Why don't you tell us the story about how you and Princess Twilight became best buds!" Izzy smiled eagerly.
"Yeah, tell us that story," Zipp encouraged.
"I don't think you've ever told us that story!" Pipp added.
"Hmmm," Sunset pondered, before she chuckled, "Alright. It all started when Princess Twilight's crown was stolen, by a thief."
"Hey! Kinda like how we stole Queen Haven's crown!" Izzy chirped.
"...Something like that," Sunset chuckled. "But...without the coordinated teamwork and...it was a dark night. Everyone were asleep, and the thief simply walked in and stole the crown. And she would've gotten away with it, had it not been for...Princess Twilight's number one assistant, Spike."
And so, for an hour, Sunset Shimmer told the story of how Princess Twilight had pursued her magic crown, into the next world, and how she entered the Fall Formal in Canterlot High School to win her crown back, and befriended five more girls along the way. All the while, Sunset left out the details that she was the thief and her transformation into a demon sorceress.
"Wow!" Izzy Moonbow marveled. "That is the coolest story I've ever heard!"
"It's unbelievable," Zipp Storm commented.
"So...let me get this straight," Pipp began. "Princess Twilight came to your school. You helped her win her crown back. But then...a demon sorceress came out of nowhere and tried to take her crown, and you all just...defeated her?"
"That's right," Sunset nodded, while looking to the side, keeping the truth to herself.
"Even with the magic crown on her head, the demon was still defeated, just like that?" Zipp asked. "Sounds impressive."
"Yeah, impressive," Sunset confirmed.
"But how?"
"Well...Princess Twilight, being the Princess of Friendship, it's all about friendship," Sunset sighed in nostalgia. "Friendship is the magic that comes from the heart. It's so simple, yet so strong, even I didn't believe it, until Twilight opened my eyes to it. It's a power that brings us all together. It empowers you with all the love in the world, from your friends, and family. Because when you work together, you can go a long way...even defeating a demon."
"Wow!" The four young mares marveled.
"That sounds like a great story!" Izzy Moonbow smiled. "If only it was true."
"That's the thing, Izzy," Sunset began. "It is true. I was there."
"I'd have to be there to believe it," Zipp said.
"...Yeah. If only you could," Sunset frowned, missing her home more and more.
"Well, true or not, if this Princess Twilight is as magnificent as you say she is," Pipp began. "Then that's good enough for me," Sunset smiled at the pegasus princess's statement. "So...Princess Twilight...she's an alicorn, right?"
"That's right," Sunset nodded.
"Are all alicorns like that? So...friendly, and powerful, and stuff?"
"Actually, they're just ponies, like you and me," Sunset chuckled. "At least, that's how I've come to see them. In their own special ways, they're relatable, because they can relate to us."
"What are alicorns like anyway?" Zipp asked. "I've heard they're rare, and they're powerful, but...are they?"
"Well, like you said," Sunset began. "They're very rare. No pony can just be born an alicorn. It has to be earned."
"Earned how?" Izzy asked.
"...I'll tell you later. But to put it simply, alicorns are ponies with the traits of every pony tribes. The horns of a unicorn, the wings of a pegasus, and the heart of an earth pony."
"So...they're like three different ponies combined into one?" Zipp asked.
"Correct!" Sunset nodded, before she was hit with an epiphany. "Wait a minute. Horns of a unicorn, wings of a pegasus, and the heart of an earth pony!" She gasped in realization. "That's it! That's what went wrong!"
"What? What went wrong?" Pipp asked, sharing her sister and Izzy's confusion.
"The crystals!" Sunset explained. "I...I think I know why they didn't work!"
"Why?" Zipp asked.
"We thought there were only two crystals. Right? The unicorn and pegasus crystal. But, what if there's a third? A crystal made for earth ponies?"
The three young mares all exchanged glances as they processed the words Sunset had spouted.
"An earthy pony crystal?" Pipp asked.
"But...I'd have known that, wouldn't I?" Zipp asked. "But...then again, there was that one shattered stained glass back in...Zephyr Heights!"
"What stained glass?" Pipp asked.
"Nevermind that!" Sunset exclaimed, getting the girls' attention. "We gotta get to Maretime Bay! Sunny has to know! Let's go!"
"Right behind ya, Sunset!" Izzy chirped, galloping after the fiery unicorn.
Zipp and Pipp both turned to exchange looks. It wasn't long before the two sisters nodded in agreement. They've come so far, that they can't go back now. And for what it's worth, Sunny is their friend, and they're willing to help out. With a kick of their legs, the two pegasi princesses gave chase, after the two unicorns.
On the way, they happened to pass by Queen Haven, her pegasi guards, and Alphabittle.
"Izzy! And...fiery headed unicorn stranger," Alphabittle called. "Where are you going?"
"Pipp? Zipp?" Queen Haven called after her daughters. "Get back here!"
"Sorry mom!" Zipp called out. "But we gotta go!"
"Go? Go where?" Haven asked.
"To Maretime Bay!" Sunset answered. "Sunny needs our help!"
Speaking of whom, Sunny Starscout was in her lighthouse, packing up all of her old toys, artifacts, and memories of ancient Equestria, that both she and her late father had worked on, together.
It broke her heart, as she puts all of her mementoes away. They were all she had left of her father. She couldn't help but remember the tender bedtime story, Argyle once told her.
Flashback
"Can you tell me the story?" A young Sunny asked.
"Again?" Her father laughed, incredulously.
"Pleeeeease?"
Unable to resist his daughter's plea, Sunny's father complied, as he told the story, "Once upon a time, many, many moons ago, in ancient Equestria, there lived a very special—
"Unicorn!" Young Sunny finished.
"The unicorn was very bright..."
"As bright as the sun."
"One day, the princess summoned her to the castle for an important assignment."
"To learn about friendship!"
"Mm-hmm. She soon made lots of new friends."
"Earth ponies, Pegasuses, and unicorns!"
"Together, they showed everypony the Magic of Friendship and how to live in harmony," Argyle ended the story, as he held up a night light that resembled a carousel, with images of unicorns, pegasi, and earth ponies.
"Wow! You finished it!" Young Sunny marveled.
"Pretty neat, huh?" Setting it on the nightstand, next to her bed, Argyle played the night light, enchanting his daughter more, with beautiful lights of ponies that flew around the room. "Earth ponies watched in wonder as Pegasi painted rainbows across the sky. The nights were lit up by a hundred unicorn horns."
"It's beautiful," Young Sunny marveled in awe. "I wish I had a friend who could fly around or float things. Why can't we be friends anymore?" She asked, tiredly.
"That, my darling, is a big question," Argyle frowned sadly, before he encouraged, "And maybe one day, we'll figure it out. Together. We'll do our part...
"...hoof to heart," Father and daughter said together.
"Goodnight, Daddy,"
"Goodnight, my little pony," With that, Argyle took his leave, closing the door to Sunny's room, behind him.
"Goodnight, friends," Sunny said to her dolls.
End of flashback
Returning back to present time, Sunny's heartache intensified as she went up to the upper level of her lighthouse home, to put away more drawings, pictures, and souvenirs of Equestria's heyday, when she noticed a symbol, beneath the lighthouse's crystal ball. The symbol was shaped like the unicorn and pegasus crystals, joined together, but with a circle in the middle.
Then, in that moment, a ray of sunlight shines into the room, and Sunny looked up to see herself surrounded by shapes of unicorns, pegasis, and earth ponies, that danced and flew around the room.
Following the light's path, she looked to see the source of the light show. A crystal that her father had installed, into her favorite night light. Curious, the young mare picked up the crystal in her hoof, when she was struck with an epiphany. Putting the small crystal in the center of the symbol, it opened up, to reveal a perfect fit. Sunny could hardly believe her eyes. Her heart began to pound faster than she could breath. She finally understands the problem. Could this be it? Has she found the answer?
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Alright! New chapter and wow the Find A Way song really do fit for sunset in this chapter and her sharing stories about how her and Twilight became friends and how she share it with the three ponies she became friends with and figure out that there is a third crystal that the earth ponies have, and looks like Sunny had the same discovery, and we are near the end of this story, and I am so excited about it and I hope BOTH Sunny and Sunset become alicorns in future update considering how well known about friendship those two are,I am looking forward to it, keep up the great work
All I can say is thanks very much for getting the next chapter to this up. Really appreciated Sunset reflecting on what went wrong as well as sharing the story about how she and Princess Twilight first met with Izzy, Pipp and Zipp, not flat out lying but not revealing the whole truth either (though, to be fair 1. She had the justification of not wanting to give the tribalists more fuel than she could avoid and 2. She had changed so much for the better over the years that she probably does actually ALMOST see the her that stole Twilight's crown as a different person/pony) before both she and Sunny made the realization about the Earth pony crystal at almost the same time.
By my count, we probably only have a few chapters left (and two of them are probably going to be the final battle with Sprout's mecha and the return of magic [with the immediate aftermath of that], with a possible epilogue chapter),
Anyway, definitely looking forward to more of this and I hop you and your family and friends have a Happy Halloween.
Yay! another chapter I can't wait how to see this end oh I do hope Sunset becomes an alicorn too, I mean come on she kind of become one in the Friendship games, I can't for the life of me guess why did Hasbro just ignored that🤣
„They're very rare. No pony can just be born an alicorn. It has to be earned.“
Flurry Heart was born as Alicorn (and it would be quite unusual if Twilight Hadn't told Sunset about your niece.) 🤔
So far not a bad story for basically a copy paste of the movie while inserting Sunset into the mix. Looking forward to the next chapter
Looks like both Sunset and Sunny had the same revelation....
Oh man I remember this song it's very nice but also sad and make sense that you have sunset singing this song sense she is the one singing when she did the singing voice of Twilight
We’re getting close to the final battle.
Flurry Heart begs to differ, though I wonder why Twilight never mentioned her niece.
Oh man poor sunset even more heartbroken and lost then ever but izzy Zipp and Pipp found her sleeping and asking her if they can tell her more of the story about Twilight and the magic of friendship and she did told them but bending the story a little but the rest is true but suddenly she got an idea what they are missing so it looks like Sunset and the others need to get back to sunny and hitch to tell them about it and it looks like sunny had the same idea as well i wonder what's going to happen next guess we'll found out next time
Aaand cue the apocalypse machine breaking down the lighthouse.
Hopefully Sunset'll manage to stop him in time.
-You know, I always wondered what would've happened if they DID manage to put the crystals in the that beacon slot at the lighthouse.
For all we know, the building could've been Twilight's legacy or something.
11033347
i know you're one to express your opinion but all this frigging hate is so unnecessary
11033388
*imitating nick wilde* it's called lying keeping a secret for their protection, sweetheart
11033395
they're not enemies. you're the one laying on hate after hate about sunset. she doesn't even know about flurry heart so lay off her. after all, how would you feel if someone puts a lot of unnecessary hate on you like an internet troll?
11033395
Get out. NOW.
We don't need your comments here, as some of us would like to read the story!
11033402
my friend, i'm sure phantom dragon will probably hide the comments and probably block him once he sees all of this hate
11033417
I hope he sees it soon...
This guy's just getting me... so PEEVED...
Seriously, what is his major malfunction?
11033423
you might want to look on his profile and see his blog posts. i was kinda disturbed when i saw them
11033425
Just did...
And man...
This guy needs help... Like serious professional help.
11033430
like a professional psychiatrist or therapist man
And he’s gone…
11033432
I know abuse is bad, but that's no excuse for that kind of talk...
11033451
you talking to him or me?
11033452
I was talking about him...
11033453
sorry. i had to make sure. and i agree that's no excuse for that kind of talk
11033454
Yeah...
And speaking of, I believe that Sunset's story is true... From a certain point of view.
Sunset became Celestia's student because she saw it as a quick way to gain power and become a Princess. She later became a demon and fought Twilight. When that happened, the evil person that Sunset used to be was destroyed... and the new, friendlier Sunset seen in the later movies, shorts, and specials was born.
Over time, Sunset started to distance herself from her past, and through her story, we see that she thinks of her old self as a separate person who, as far as she's concerned, is dead and buried.
11033473
indeed. after all, it's best to let go of the past
11033473
What happened?
11033620
it's a long story
It's always darkest just before the dawn...
So I read up to Zipp Storm and a Blast from the Past. And honestly, it was quite fun! But as a bit of feedback...
Sunset's very much an observer here. Her comments are fun, but she does NOTHING to the plot. Everything happens the exact same way as the movie, when her presence should be changing things.
Would Zipp believe the unicorns lost their magic when Sunset very visibly teleported? Would they go with the old crown-stealing plan when Sunset could take it herself? What if Sunset revealed herself before Izzy, leading to a massive change in how maretime bay acts? (not taking into account how she DID, and the maretime bay citizens did nothing but give her odd looks instead of the expected running and screaming). Could the queen have some knowledge of Sunset? Maybe security is enhanced due to Sunset's escape etc? Beyond that, skipping forwards to bridlewood... Having a living unicorn who is actually CAPABLE of magic? Yeah, they'd be much, MUCH less dismissive of them - Sunset's magic would invoke awe and fascination, I doubt they'd just ignore it.
When you aren't just rehashing the movie, you're great. But... You really need to shake things up. Sunset's presence should change everything - slowly at first, but at least by the time they're at Zephyr Heights, everything will be different. I'm not trying to be overly critical, you do the new segments pretty well... But you need to be ready to fully break from established canon.
I bet The quote from the next chapter would be something like this:
Sunny: you’re all in danger!
Queen haven: I’m sorry. what?
Sunset: why are we in danger?
(Then sprout showed up with his war machine along with the other of the ponies wearing devices, who were surprised to see that the unicorns and the Pegasi have arrived)
Sunset: oh. That’s why.
Several centuries or perhaps a millennium likely.
I miss her just as much as you do sunset.
I really hope sunset tells them sooner than later that the thief and demon was her.
She did.