Zipp Storm and a Blast From The Past
Meanwhile, back in Maretime Bay, the newly appointed sheriff, Sprout, had made himself at home, redecorating the office to his liking. Replacing pictures of Hitch, with those of himself. It also didn't help that the office was more trashy than when Sheriff Hitch was in charge. The floor was littered with pizza boxes and crumbled up papers.
Sheriff Sprout was content with himself, when the doors burst open and his mother, Phyllis, came into the building, with frantic ponies clamoring outside.
"Mom?" Sheriff Sprout exclaimed.
"My, oh, my," Phyllis commented proudly at her son. "Aren't you the handsome sheriff. Look at you."
"Yes," Sheriff Sprout smiled, drawing circles on his desk with his hoof. "Yes, I am, Mommy."
"Well, this is it," Phyllis began, encouraging her son. "It is your time to shine, dear. Everypony wants to hear from you."
"They do?"
"Of course. You are in charge now. It's your destiny," She said hauntingly into her son's ear.
Feeling encouraged, brimming with confident, and the sense of authority going to his head, Sheriff Sprout took his mother's words to heart as he made his way out the front doors.
"Citizens!" He shouted, moments before the doors slammed shut on his face. "Ow!" He screamed, taking a moment to recover, before he came out of the doors and stood in front of the crowd. "It is I, Sheriff Sprout."
"Sheriff?" One of the ponies asked. "Where's Hitch?"
"We need a real sheriff," Another added.
"Tell us what's going on?"
"Hitch would know what to do."
"Come on, now, everypony," Phyllis spoke up, vouching for Sheriff Sprout. "Let's listen to what our new sheriff has to say." Turning to Sprout, Phyllis nudged her son, "That's you, sugar cube."
"Oh, yeah, it's me," Clearing his throat, Sheriff Sprout began to give a speech to the crowd. "OK, folks, calm down. There's no need to be scared.
"We're scared and we want to be prepared!" One of the earth ponies whimpered.
"The unicorns are coming!" Sparkle Chaser from the Canterlogic Annual Show hyperventilated, running blindly, with the strange periscope still strapped to his eyes. "The unicorns are coming!" He screamed, before he crashed.
"What do we do?" The crowd asked. "What's your plan, Sheriff? What if the unicorns come back?"
Pressured, not wanting to appear weak, Sheriff Sprout began, "Actually, what if you're all right?" He asked. "The unicorns could come back. They could even bring the pegasi. We are all in danger!"
The ponies gasped in shock at what Sheriff Sprout said, before he continued to egg them on, "Now is not the time to be complacent. We should do something!" With that, Sheriff Sprout lead the crowd into a musical number.
Angry Mob
Sprout:Something is lurking
Something is here
Something is feeling stranger
Stranger
Stirring up discord
Whipping up fear
Whispering softly
Danger, danger!
Outsiders creep up slow and steady
Wings glistening
Horns at the ready
Think what they could do to the status quo
Phyllis: Oh no
Sprout: They're gonna steal, plunder and pillage
They're going to take over the village
Don't just sit on your butts and do nothing and wait
Let's enter a blind irrational state!
Better get nervous
Better get tense
Better not let them catch you blinking
You don't need a reason
Fillies and gents
This is no time for sober thinking
Sprout: Mob!
Random pony: Mob?
Sprout: M-M-Mob!
Random pony: Mob?
Random pony: Mob?
Sprout: Angry, angry! Mob
Earth ponies: Mob M-M-Mob mob mob, angry, angry
Sprout: See in black and white
That's your pony right
Time to lift your manes and proudly
Throng
Numbers make you strong
Millions can't be wrong
Specially when they're screaming loudly
You might not have a bale of hay to borrow
Are you saddled with your sorrow?
Are you scared about tomorrow?
Well, it's all gonna work out painlessly
If you follow my orders brainlessly!
Sprout: Who are we?
Earth Ponies: We're an angry mob!
Sprout: What are we?
Earth Ponies: We're an angry mob!
Sprout: Look at this corn!
Earth Ponies: It's on the cob!
Sprout: Look at this guy!
"Rob": My name is Rob!
Sprout and Earth Ponies: Mob, mob
M-m-mob mob!
Mob, mob
Angry, angry (4x)
Meanwhile, back in Zephyr Heights, as the upcoming royal celebration draws near, a lot of the pegasus guards were stationed around the castle, making sure nothing gets in, or even get out, without any of them noticing. However, little did the guards know, despite all of their defensive measures, it wasn't all enough to keep a certain fiery unicorn from getting in.
This wasn't the first time Sunset's ever had to sneak around before. The first time, when she was Princess Celestia's prized pupil, she snuck into the Restricted Section of Canterlot's library, under the cover of night. The second time, when she returned to Equestria, at the Crystal Empire, to steal Twilight Sparkle's crown. And perhaps the third time, was when she, and two of her friends from the human world, had to sneak through Ponyville, reaching Princess Twilight's castle, without drawing too much attention.
Those were the days of Sunset's reckless youth. Unfortunately, considering the fact she's in her middle-age, and the changes made in Equestria during her absence, suffice it to say, at this point, the unicorn is past her prime. Nevertheless, with young Sunny and Izzy's lives, possibly on the line, Sunset was more than willing to go in.
Getting pass the guards, guarding the elevator, was an easy feat for Sunset. Courtesy of the magic she retained, Sunset fired a few magical shots at random objects, making noises to stir up the guards' suspicions to investigate. Once they've left their posts, Sunset made a dash towards the elevator, taking her straight up to palace.
Once the elevator came to the top, it clicked its doors open, and Sunset dived behind the neatly trimmed hedge bushes that were planted on both sides of the path, leading to the castle. Some of the pegasus guards walked pass the hedge bush Sunset Shimmer was hiding behind. Once they're a safe distance away, Sunset proceeded to roll out of the bush, hiding behind a large statue of a pegasus, throwing her back out in the process.
"Ow!" Sunset grunted, wincing as she rubbed her back. "Wow, was I a fool for skipping that yoga class."
Just then, Sunset's ears perked up to see another squadron of patrolling guards walking towards her. Thinking fast, Sunset Shimmer pretended to be a statue, posing her hoof in a salute, which the guards bought as they went on their way. Once again, certain she was in the clear, Sunset resumed her sneak towards the castle, only to find the entrance was also under heavy guards.
Like she did before, at the elevator, Sunset's horn lit up, under her hat, as she devised to work up some distractions. She enveloped the guards' helmets in her aura, pulling them down over their eyes, blinding them in a splutter.
"Hey! Who turned out the lights?" One of the guards asked as he and his comrades struggled to get their helmets off, while Sunset galloped through the entrance and into the hallways of the castle.
Once inside, it was just another game of hide-and-seek for Sunset, as she tip-toed behind the guards, hides herself in the shadows, and behind tarps hanging from the ceilings, which, unbeknownst to her, are reminiscent to the time when Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, and Spike, had to sneak into the Starswirl the Bearded section of the library. Season 2 Episode: It's About Time
"If I know my dungeons," Sunset talked to herself. "Sunny and Izzy should be..."
"Looking for someone?" A voice asked, startling Sunset.
"AH!" Sunset yelped, rapidly beating her chest to ease her rapid heartbeat.
Looking up, Sunset found herself, face-to-face with mysterious pegasus.
"I have to say, you're very sneaky for an old mare," The pegasus commented.
"Gee, thanks," Sunset pouted, feeling insulted. "Why not give me a heart attack, why don't you?"
"Relax, I'm not going to rat you out," The pegasus reassured. "Besides, I know where your friends are. Follow me."
Meanwhile, from inside their dungeon cell, Sunny Starscout looked out the barred window, lost in her thoughts.
"Something is not right," Sunny said. "We haven't seen a single pony flying, except the royal family." She said, without getting a response. "Izzy? Are you listening?"
Turning her head, Sunny looked to see Izzy, reclining in a massage chair, that was put in the dungeon, with cucumbers over her eyes, and a coconut drink with an umbrella, at her right.
"This isn't dungeony at all," Izzy commented.
In fact, the dungeon cell that both Sunny and Izzy have been sharing is more of a luxury spa room, than a traditional jail room. It has towels, a fountain, flowers, a bowl of fruit, relaxing scent insences, and a luxury furniture on the other side of the massage chair, complete with a crystal chandelier.
Before Sunny or Izzy could continue with their luxury treatment, a familiar voice called out to the two mares.
"Hey!" Izzy and Sunny both looked over to see Sunset by the bars. "Uh, hehe. Sorry for that teleportation mishap, from back there," Sunset smiled sheepishly.
"SUNSET!" Sunny shouted happily, with Izzy, running up to the cage bars. "You came back!"
"Where did you go?" Izzy asked. "Where did you come from?"
"How did you find us?"
"Simple," Sunset pointed to the mysterious pegasus next to her. "I followed her."
"I'm sorry you two got thrown in here," The mysterious pegasus apologized. "But I have to talk to you."
"Princess?" Sunny Starscout greeted the pegasus.
"Your majesticness," Izzy stammered. "Y-Your Graceful Highness."
"Zipp," The mysterious pegasus interrupted. "Just call me Zipp."
"Ok, Zipp," Sunny greeted. "I'm Sunny. And this is my friend."
"Izzy Moonbow," Izzy introduced herself, before pointing to Sunset. "And you've met our friend, Sunset Shimmer!"
"Hey," Sunset greeted.
"Sunny, Izzy, Sunset," Zipp began. "I really need to ask you something important." Glancing to the side, making sure they're alone, Zipp leaned in closer and whispered, "About magic."
"That's why we're here," Sunny spoke on behalf of Izzy and Sunset. "Maybe you can tell us how yours works? Izzy has no idea how the unicorns lost theirs. Well, except Sunset Shimmer, who still has hers."
"I was outta town," Sunset explained to Zipp, levitating her hat in a sparkling aura to demonstrate and validate Sunny's words.
"But even Sunset doesn't know how to restore magic," Sunny continued. "So we thought maybe..."
"Whoa, whoa, wait," Zipp interrupted. "Lost theirs, except for Sunset Shimmer? As in no magic?" Sunny and Izzy both shook their heads, along with Sunset, who added with a shrug. "Well, that changes things."
"Speaking of which," Sunset glanced at Izzy, lifting her hoof up to Izzy's horn, with the tennis ball still stuck to it. "What's with the ball?"
"I don't know," Izzy replied. "The guards called it a 'shield' thing, and stuck it on my horn. Creative, don't you think?"
"Uh-huh..." Sunset said with a deadpan expression.
"Listen," Zipp began. "I might have some information that could help, but first, you need to tell me about this." Reaching into her wings, Zipp pulled out a familiar journal, returning it to Sunny.
"My journal!" Sunny exclaimed happily, reclaiming her notebook. "Thank you, Zipp. I never thought I'd see it again."
"Yeah, I can be pretty sneaky when I want to be," Zipp boasted.
"Nice!" Izzy smiled. "I'm only medium sneaky."
"I was a pro at sneaking, back in my days," Sunset added.
"So where did that come from?" Zipp asked.
"It was my father's," Sunny answered. "Why?"
"That star..." Zipp pointed to the star on the cover, which Sunset looked.
"Hey! That's–"
Before Sunset could finish, a robotic fanfare interrupted the four mares, turning their attentions to see, at the end of the hallway, were a couple of pegasus guards, rolling a red carpet across the floor, making way for the night's star performer, Princess Pipp, who had just taken a selfie, for her PippSqueaks.
Pipp was walking on the red carpet, when she noticed her sister.
"Zipp, what are you doing here?" Pipp asked. "Mom said to stay away."
"Right," Zipp smirked. "Then why are you here?"
With a scoff, Pipp pulled out her phone, "For the content," She answered, ready to take a selfie, posing with a duckface.
Reacting fast, Izzy wrapped her hoof around Sunny, bringing the earth pony mare close for the shot. Upon seeing the princess working a phone, with little to no trouble, hooves and all, Sunset Shimmer stared, slack-jawed, dumbstruck.
"H-H-How can she work with a phone like that?" Sunset asked.
"Same as everypony else?" Zipp replied.
"But...she's got hooves!"
"So?"
"...Well, I...I, uh...When did Equestria started developing phones...like that? And touch sensitive?"
"You seriously never owned a phone before?"
"I've owned a phone!" A flustered Sunset raised her voice, before she answered bluntly, "From...outta town."
"Right..." Deciding not to question any further, Zipp decided to drop the question, as both she and Sunset turned their attentions back at the scene unfolding before them.
"Princess?" Sunny began. "Why isn't anypony flying?"
Princess Pipp gasped, before she regained her composure with nervous chuckles, "Everypony knows that only royals can fly, of course."
"What?" Sunny exclaimed, with Izzy.
"Seriously?" Sunset asked.
"I know, it's not fair, but that's just the way it is," Pipp continued, before she spread her wings, fluttered around and spun herself around. "If there was some way we could teach the citizens to fly, you know we would in a wing-beat. Right, Zipp?"
"Yeah," Zipp began, with a hint of sarcasm. "In a wing-beat."
Just then, Pipp's phone vibrated, to which she looked to see what it was notifying her, "Oh, dress rehearsals. Gotta go. And so should you," Pipp said to Zipp, before she took her leave, singing, "Me-me-me~ Red feather, yellow feather, red feather, yellow feather..." Following the princess, the pegasus guards rolled the carpet after her, with Zipp watching her sister leave, who ended her song with a trill.
Turning her attention back to Sunny and her companions, Zipp explained, "I have to show you something," With that, the rebellious princess walked over to a touch pad, mounted on a wall, and puts her hoof up to the screen, which scanned her hoofprint, and unlocks the cage door.
"At this point, nothing surprises me with Equestria and its technology," Sunset shook her head.
"You coming or what?" Zipp called to the three mares.
With that, Sunny galloped after the pegasus. Izzy was about to follow, when Sunset stopped her, and pointed to the ball on the former's horn. Getting the gist, Izzy giggled to herself as she swapped the ball for an orange, in the bowl of fruit. Once that task was done, Izzy and Sunset followed after Sunny and Zipp.
Meanwhile, outside of Zephyr Height's border, Sheriff Hitch had just climbed up to the steep cliff of the mountains, catching his breath, having been exhausted from his long journey from Maretime Bay.
Of course, like the critters back in his town, he was greeted with snuggles from the local critters – bunnies – who have already taken a liking to him.
Not willing to be deterred by the cute and cuddly affections he was receiving, Sheriff Hitch turned his attention to the task at hoof, when he noticed a familiar sticker on the ground.
"Litter," He said. "I mean, a clue," With that, the competent sheriff proceeded to investigate the scene, finding one of Izzy Moonbow's hair, hanging on a branch. "Hmm. Unicorn hair," He deduced, with the bunnies following him, watching as he picked up a feather, and tasted it. "Pegasi."
The sheriff proceeded to be on his way, placing his ears next to the ground to confirm, "Track's gone cold," Nevertheless, the sheriff of Maretime Bay's optimism was undeterred as he shook his head.
"Sunny, Sunny, Sunny, Sunny," He shook his head. "You think you've escaped? Well, think again. I will not eat, I will not sleep... Well, maybe a quick nap and snack if I can't find you in the next few hours. But after that, nothing will stop me!"
With that, Sheriff Hitch was met with a round of high-pitch cheering and applauses, as he looked down to see a whole herd of bunnies, clapping their ears in admiration of his vow.
"Oh, thank you. Thank you," Hitch said to the bunnies. "No, no. You're too kind." Resuming what he's about to say, Hitch declared, "Also..."
One of the bunnies shushed its fellow members, as they listened to what the stallion had to say.
"I'll follow you wherever you go. Whether harshest deserts, the coldest tundras, no trail too dangerous, no clue too small. The past matters not! It's justice..." Before Hitch could continue, he was interrupted by the bunnies, to which he let out an exasperated sigh, as he looked at the little critters.
"What? What?" He asked, to which the bunnies pointed with their ears, telling him to turn around, which he did, to see Sunny and Izzy's mugshots. "Gotcha!"
Back in the castle, Zipp had lead her new friends to her destination, sliding a grated platform to the side, revealing a lift beneath them. With a spread of her wings, Zipp glided down, safely landing on the lift.
"Watch your steps!" Zipp called, to which Sunny and Izzy had some rough landings.
Sunset Shimmer was the last to jump down, when she sprained her ankle upon the landing.
"AAGH!" She yelped in pain. "I'm okay. I'm okay. Just...need to stretch. Oh!" Sunset stretched her leg out, causing it to crack, popping some joints.
Pressing a lever, Zipp activated the lift to take herself and her friends to the floor of the large room, which is revealed to be a ruin of some sort.
"Where are we?" Sunny asked.
It's amazing, right?" Zipp asked, as she lead the three mares around the place. "I'm pretty sure it was some sort of station for when earth ponies and unicorns used to visit, Zephyr Heights," The princess explained, while Sunny walked over to look at a poster, advertising a visit to Maretime Bay, with Izzy following.
"It's like everypony just forgot," Zipp said.
Sunny held a hoof up, brushing the dusts off the poster she was looking, and was in awe to see the lighthouse she and her dad lived in, was on the poster. To further Sunny's heartfelt awe, her eyes widened to see a large billboard saying: Visit Bridlewood. On the billboard, it showed an image of a unicorn, pegasus, and earth pony, exploring the woodland together.
"This is proof!" Sunny exclaimed. "All ponykinds did used to be friends!"
"Didn't I tell you? Or didn't I tell you?" Sunset asked, from halfway across the room.
Sunny smiled at the olden fiery unicorn, while looking at Izzy, "My dad was right."
Sunset Shimmer was walking around the room, when she happened to notice Zipp, looking up sadly at a large, worn out, dusty poster, that is all too familiar to Sunset. Hanging on the wall, was a poster of the Wonderbolts. The very sight of the poster triggered a flashback for Sunset, recalling a time when she had once attended the Wonderbolts Derby, back in Canterlot, when she was very young.
Seeing the poster and experiencing the flashback, all together, made Sunset Shimmer feel even more out of place in this new era of Equestria she found herself in.
Sunny also walked up to Zipp's side, following Zipp's gaze up, looking at the poster that had trouble the pegasus princess. Instead of seeing a memory of days long past, Sunny saw pegasi, in their primes, flying in the sky.
"Must be really weird," Sunny began. "Being the only pegasi that can fly."
Unable to keep it to herself any longer, Zipp sighed, "The truth is, we can't fly either. We've been faking it."
"Faking it?" Sunny asked in shock, with Izzy and Sunset sharing her surprise. "But-But how?"
"You'd be surprised what some wires and good lighting will do," Zipp answered, while sulking over to a blackboard with equations and a diagram of a pegasus's wing.
"Actually, it reminds me of a trick a friend of mine once did," Sunset commented. "She's a magician. And a really good one. Calls herself the Great and Powerful... Uh sorry, go on," Sunset beckoned for Zipp to continue.
"But I'm just tired of living that ridiculous lie," Zipp ranted. "That's why I come down here – to get away from all of that, and...well, to do this."
With a canter and a leap, Zipp landed on a lever, which activated the machinery in the room, turning a giant fan to spring to life, blowing a gust of air, that carried Zipp up high. Once airborne, Zipp laughed as she did some flips and a few loops.
"Wow!" Sunny gasped.
"Whoa!" Izzy marveled.
Sunset Shimmer, however, couldn't help but shed a tear, "Beautiful," For a brief moment, instead of Zipp, flashing in her place was Rainbow Dash.
Back when she and Twilight still kept in touch, Sunset would sometimes receive updates on Twilight's pony friends in Equestria, and would often send pictures to show the fiery unicorn-turned-human.See Sunset Shimmer's Backstage Pass for a good idea on how the magic works. Among the pictures, were photos of Rainbow Dash, as a Wonderbolt, before she was promoted to a full-fledge captain of the Wonderbolts.
"Her sparkle is so bright right now!" Izzy squealed happily, snapping Sunset out of her trip down memory lane.
Sunset Shimmer looked up in time to see Zipp gliding down, out of the air current from the fan.
"But that's not why I brought you down here," Zipp began. "This is what I wanted to show you."
She turned around, guiding everypony's attention, up to what was left of a stained glass wall, with a familiar pink star, at the top.
"Twilight Sparkle..." Sunset Shimmer croaked, upon seeing the star.
"Oh, my stars!" Sunny exclaimed, looking down at her journal, to see the star matched with the one on the cover.
"This was made a long, long time ago," Zipp lectured. "When we still had magic."
"...Yeah," Sunset Shimmer frowned sadly, looking down at the floor. "When you still had magic...Twilight..."
"It's beautiful!" Izzy commented.
Still gazing at the stained glass with wonder, Sunny turned to see an image of a pegasus, with a horshoe-shaped crystal, with wings, hovering above its head.
"What is that?" Sunny asked, pointing at the crystal.
"That's the pegasus crystal," Zipp confirmed. "It's part of my mom's crown."
"Pegasus crystal?" Sunset perked her head up, as she walked over to look at the stained glass. "Huh, fascinating. But when did pegasi have a crystal like that?"
Walking to the other side, Sunny glanced up to see a stained image of a unicorn, with a piece of the stained glass smashed above its head.
"Hmm. Where is the unicorn crystal?" Sunny asked, looking around the room.
"Hey kid!" Sunset called to Sunny, before pointing a piece of the stained glass, that was covered in tarps.
Using her magic, Sunset lifted the tarp up to reveal the missing glass shard of the said crystal. Sunset Shimmer and Sunny both exchanged smiles, before the earth pony had an epiphany, which Sunset followed, turning their attention to the pegasus crystal's reflection on the floor.
Both unicorn and earth pony slid the crystal in place with the pegasus crystal, showing a perfect fit.
"Sweet Celestia!" Sunset Shimmer gasped.
"Look," Sunny pointed.
"They fit?" Izzy asked.
"These two crystals belong together," Sunny stated. "United."
"Why am I not surprised?" Sunset smiled, recalling her share of magic geodes from Camp Everfree and Princess Twilight and friends' ordeals with the Elements of Harmony.
"So, what are you saying?" Zipp asked.
"Maybe you lost your magic because the crystals were separated," Sunny theorized.
"Hmmm, I don't know..." Sunset pondered to herself. "It sounds too simple... That can't be it."
Nevertheless, Izzy and Zipp shared Sunny's theory, with Izzy asking, "So if we put them back together..."
"...magic will return?" Zipp ended.
"And all three ponykinds will get along again!" Sunny nodded.
"All right!" Zipp smiled.
"Oh-ho-ho!" Izzy chortled.
"Hmm," Sunset said, still feeling unsure, if not doubtful.
"But what about the unicorn crystal?" Zipp asked.
"Well, if you're looking for crystals," Izzy began. "We've got like a gazillion of them back in Bridlewood."
"Then that's where we'll go next," Sunny declared. "After we get the pegasus crystal from your mom, of course."
"Ooh, that'll be tricky," Zipp cringed. "She never takes her crown off."
"Even when she sleeps?" Sunset asked.
A Montage of Queen Haven
Truth to be told, the queen never takes her crown off, in her sleep, when she takes a bath, and when she goes for a swim, she always wears a rubber swimming cap, over her crown.
"I stand corrected," Sunset muttered.
"So, what do we do?" Sunny asked.
"I doubt she'd hoof it over to us, just because we asked her for it," Sunset commented. "I could probably steal it, off her head, when she's asleep. But then I'd need a perfect replica to replace her crown, before she even noticed."
"You can actually do that?" Sunny asked in awe.
"Ya darn right, I can. I stole Twilight's crown...once... When she was asleep... Uh, but for the record, she wasn't even wearing it on her head, when she was sleeping..." Sunset boasted, before a surprised Sunny, Izzy, and Zipp. "What? We forgave and forget and became friends after that."
"I got it!" Zipp exclaimed. "Pipp's performing at tonight's royal celebration. All eyes will be on her, especially my mom's. She'll be distracted. So we just need to swap the real crown with a fake."
"And where are we going to get one at this time of day?" Sunset asked.
"Ooh, I can craft a decoy!" Izzy bounced. "But I will need a box of macaroni, a tube of glue, 14 gooey bunnies and three jellybeans. Oh, and glitter. Lots of glitter."
"I'll get the supplies," Zipp volunteered herself, before proceeding to lay out the foundation of their plan. "I'll pass them off to Sunset and Sunny, and then they will get them to you. Once you produce the decoy, get your flanks to the palace."
"I can get us all to the palace," Sunset Shimmer offered. "I can teleport us in. No screw ups this time, I Pinkie Promise."
"Pinkie Promise?" Sunny asked.
"Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye," Sunset recited the said chant. 'For some paranoia reason, I can't help but get this funny feeling Pinkie Pie is still watching me.'
"Anyway," Zipp resumed. "Everypony who's anypony will be there, so security will be tight. I'll distract them, so you can sneak in."
"Maximum sneaky," Izzy stated.
"Professional sneaky," Sunset boasted.
"You'll need to be stealthy," Zipp added. "Carefully make your way to the Grand Hall, but watch out for the guards."
"Okay, and then what?" Sunset asked. "Like where do we go from there, once we're in?"
"I'll open the door to the back stage of the Throne Room," Zipp explained, while whipping out a map. "Here's a map, so you don't get lost."
"Alright!" Izzy cheered.
"And once Pipp starts singing, my mom will be so caught up, that swapping the crowns will be easy-breezy."
"Easy-breezy," Sunny commented. "Sure..."
"Any questions?" Zipp asked.
"I've got one," Sunset raised a hoof, "You're seriously helping us rob your mom blind?"
"Whatever it takes to return magic to Equestria," Zipp replied. "I'll do it."
"Alright..." Sunset Shimmer nodded. "Though, all this planning, about a heist we're going to pull, teamwork, and everything. It's...it's exciting, I'll admit. I almost feel young again."
"Really?" Sunny asked with newfound admiration. "Do you often steal a lot of royal crowns, before you became Twilight's friends?"
"No, only Twilight's," Sunset sighed nostalgically, looking up at the stained glass image of her friend's cutie mark. "And that was a real turning point in my life."
"Sounds awesome," Zipp commented, before she asked, "Now are you in or not?"
Turning back to the three young mares, who waited anxiously for Sunset's answer, the unicorn sighed, "I hope I don't regret this. For Equestria," Sunset said, holding her hoof out.
"For Equestria!" Sunny put her hoof on Sunset's.
"For Equestria!" Izzy cheered as he placed her hoof on top of Sunny and Sunset's.
The three mares turned to Zipp, who finally put hers on top, "For Equestria!"
With a holler, the ponies waved their hooves up to the air, as they set off to put their plan into action. On the way out, Sunset Shimmer slowed down, deciding to take one last look at the dusty ruins, that had once been a station of some sort.
"This was once a station, huh?" Sunset asked, looking around at some of the dusty posters. "Any chance Ponyville's still on the map? Or even Canterlot?"
"Hey Sunset?" Sunny called, galloping over to the fiery unicorn. "What's the matter?"
"Oh, I was just...curious," Sunset replied, as she walked around the ruins. "What happened here? How did it get to be like this? And...why did you even have...that?" She pointed to the shattered stained glass, that has clearly seen better days.
"I...I wish I know," Sunny replied. "Really, I do."
"I don't expect you to have all the answers, kid," Sunset sighed, sitting down on her flanks, while gazing up at Twilight's cutie mark. "I wish Twilight was here. Then I could talk to her, and ask her what had happened. Why did it happened. And if there's something I can do to...to fix all this..." A tear escaped from Sunset's eyes, which she wiped away with her hoof. "But...the more I look at the changes in Equestria, the more I feel...out of place. Like I don't even belong here anymore..."
"Because you still have magic," Sunny guessed. "And you feel alone."
Sunset sniffled, "That's one way to put it."
Sunny looked up sadly at Sunset Shimmer. It hurt her to see Sunset like this, feeling lost, alone, and misplaced, in a strange new world that was foreign from the one she's most familiar with. Sunny reached out to Sunset and puts a gentle hoof on the unicorn's shoulder.
"Everything will be okay, Sunset," Sunny said, comforting Sunset. "I promise. After we restore magic to Equestria, you won't have to feel out of place anymore. It will be just like Equestria in its heyday. And you don't have to feel lonely anymore, because you have me, and Izzy, and now, Zipp! And we're your friends now, and we'll always be with you to the end."
Sunset looked down at Sunny, with her eyes filled with tears. Either the waters have made her visions too blurry, but for a brief moment, Sunny's image was distorted, and in her place was Twilight Sparkle. Another blink of her eye showed Sunny Starscout, standing in front of her. A small sad, but happy smile formed on Sunset Shimmer's face, as she looked at the young mare in front of her.
"Thank you, Sunny," Sunset Shimmer dipped her head, touching her forehead with Sunny's. "Y'know. You're more like Twilight than you think."
"I am?" Sunny gasped in awe.
"Hey!" Zipp called from the lift she and Izzy were already in. "Are you coming or what?"
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I'm surprised you didn't bring your cell phone with you sunset lol
Well it looks like Sunset sneaking skills paid off throughout the years because she successfully passed the guards and made it to the castle and it looks like Zipp found her and told her where the others are and after getting the others out of the prison they made it to the basement where all the old station and apparently not just only Pegasus but unicorns and Earth ponies that came here and sunset even looked at the glass stained window Twilight's cutie mark and even the Wonderbolts poster was there and she felt the memory is swollen up inside of her poor sunset I felt bad for her she's in the world that she's not familiar and most of the ponies and creature she knows are not there anymore but Sunny wanted to reassure her that she's never alone wants to get the magic and everything hopefully they can get the crown from Queen Haven and it looks like hitch is here as well I wonder how this situation will work out differently guess we'll find out next time
I feel bad for Sunset feeling alone and lost in a world that she doesn’t recognize from what Equestria used to be.
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Or the logic from the books, which is completely random.
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If I may interject, The reason why Equestria lasted was because someone was there to reinforce the Ponies' unity (I'm talking about Princess Celestia, of course). It's also hinted through the small bit of lore given by Twilight in A Flurry of Emotions when she was reading about Clover the Clever that this is not Equestria's first division, as Clover the Clever united the Pony tribes in an effort to defeat Grogar. And this was long before the founding of Equestria.
So it's possible that this would happen when a person like Celestia or Twilight is no longer in the picture.
Wait how old is Sunset here? I distinctly remember a line saying she had recently graduated college, which would place her in her late twenties, still in her prime, and definitely not middle-age.
Alright, and it looks like Sunset still got it of her sneaky ness while sneaking to the castle, even if she was rusty, and now Zipp have joined the group and man did Sunset has going down memory lane, and I feel bad for her for being the only one left in modern equestria, at least sunny was there to comfort her, and she has questions and one of them is the crystals because even she knows that her old equestria never have them. And sunset sees more of twilight in sunny and more rainbow dash in Zipp and pinkie pie in Izzy. And hitch is on the move and closer to sunny. And now I’m interested on how they will steal the crown in action, and I wonder how sunset will talk to hitch and Pipp about old equestria and why they have to do it while not being selfish and stubborn on thinking twilight and old equestria ways are not real, but great job, keep up the great work
Wow looks like things are going very well for them they found each other they went to an abandoned station but it looks like sunset is feeling a lot of emotion getting the best of her like she felt like she doesn't belong here that's kind of sad well sunny and the others will help her get through this
I really do feel bad for Sunset Shimmer at this point. For the entirety of this journey through this new Equestria, everything's been so different for her. What starts as a casual visit to meet with an old friend turns out in this world the pony races hate each other, any familiar landmarks are non-existent, Twilight and her friends are nothing but legends, and ponies are even able to use cellphones... somehow. Oh, and add the fact Sunset Shimmer is apparently the only unicorn for now who can use magic.
It's a good thing Sunset found a friend in Zipp who is just as curious to know about the absence of magic, a scenario that's affected all the pony races. And I can't blame Zipp for being frustrated with having to put up with a lie. Course, it still surprised me about the use of magic with Pegasi as I figured all they needed to do was simply use their wings to fly about. Boy must I have been wrong all these years.
LOL I can't help but laugh
Reading this again, makes me wonder how old sunset is. Almost sounds like she might be in her thirties the way she acts lol
"The Great... and Powerful... TRIXIE!"
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Quick question, have you ever heard of periods or commas? Using them to split up your sentences makes your comments much easier to read than a super long run-on sentence.
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Oh, Celestia...here we go...
Listen, for all you know, the author is writing this in another language entirely, or has learning challenges; (not the least of which is the American School System.)
There are mistakes. Odd sentence construction. Plurals instead of singular, and vice-versa. Missing or improper use of prepositions.
NONE OF WHICH matters in this story! We have here a feequent conception which is used; the 'self-insert' trope. But in THIS story, that self-insertion is a character from a different 'wing' of the worldbuilding; one who has been thrust into a situation so at odds with her expected experience. Plus, the narration follows the newly introduced story of the newest 'wing' as closely as could be expected. To channel AJ here, he's doing a pretty darned good job of pulling it off, honestly.
Not everyone is Estee or SockPuppet.
Fluttershy and Rarity. Remember who they are, and apply their lessons here...
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Closer to forties...if my own personal issues are any sort of guide...
I have felt just like SunShim. The thing nowadays (60's) is severity and duration...
But she's still kicking it. Gotta give her props for that...
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It's almost "Twilight Zone", if you really break it down. I half expect Rod Serling standing over in a corner of a scene somewhere with a cigarette, narrating away...
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Depends on the degree...
I'm thinking forties, myself. Being 62, that was around the time things sometimes had a mind of their own...and it wasn't mine...
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Season 9, also...
Ponies in this 'verse sure have problems staying a hitched team. They wander off-trail with no more than a rumor. You would think that herd mentality would be a bulwark against it...but here we are...
Again...
Oh, how one letter changes a word entirely. 😬😰
I won’t be surprise if Sunny is Twilight’s descendant.
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ditto, after all I dont think its coniccidence Sunny's Luminescence is Lavender
Out of all the times I've seen a dungeon in films and tv shows this is by far the weirdest one I've ever seen before.
Same.
Ouch! That's got to hurt. 😬
She might be, whereever she is.
It sure was.
Must of been where the stained glass of the earth pony crystal was at but someone or somebody destroyed it,
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It was called royal dungeon
Perhaps they had other variants of decor too
I never really understood this part of the movie. I mean, it's a fairly safe assumption that if Sunny left Maretime Bay with another pony race, she's probably not coming back. In which case, Sheriff Hitch could've easily just trotted back home and never dealt with her ever again. This leads me to believe that their past friendship was likely forcing him to proceed subconsciously, otherwise, he'd have no reason to go after her...