31. Found and Lost in Light
Found and Lost in Light
Cadance
Eventually, after our playful bickering ended and a few more exchanged kisses, Sunset allowed her ward to fall. Returning us to the realm of Equus once more. The Sun in the sky had continued its journey even as we had left its light. Now that the two of us had returned we were once more welcomed with its basking rays of warmth.
“I am glad to see that the two of you are well. I was slightly concerned with how long you had spent within the warded space.” The familiar tinkling of Celestia’s voice splintered the gentle warmth that Sunset and I had recently been caught in. I could feel my partner stiffen at my side, I should have attempted to comfort her, but I was too concerned with fighting down the blush that I knew was all too readily apparent on my face.
I had been all but caught by Celestia when I had just finished making out with her daughter. Wow and here I thought my life as a Princess would prevent me from living through some of the normal occurrences of a tale of romance. No, instead now I had to deal with Celestia herself.
“Why would the two of us not be alright Princess?” Sunset questioned thankfully keeping her tone civil. “Were you expecting something to happen?” Damnit Sunset, I couldn’t help but frown as I was swept away by my partner’s quick upheaval as she separated herself from my side. Making her way to where Celestia stood with a strained smile on her face. “After all, something did happen.” Sunset’s words quickly were turning feral.
“Alright, Sunset that’s enough.” I interrupted my partner’s tirade before she could go too far. Sunset twisted around to face me, her emerald eyes glistening as if they were priceless jewels, yet she listened, nonetheless. “Thank you, Sunset.” I softly spoke as I once more captured my partner under my wings embrace. Taking a deep breath before I once more found Celestia’s gaze. “Auntie…” I couldn't help but trail off as I saw her eyes that were filled with a writhing sea of flames, a far cry from the gentle warmth and kindness that was usually contained within her pink eyes.
“Cadance and I are dating.” Sunset brusquely announced at the time that I had lost my voice.
“SUNSET! Why would you announce it like that?” I admonished my partner as I whirled around to see my partner looking far too smug at my reaction. My all too foalish partner just shrugged as she responded.
“It wasn’t as if Princess Celestia didn’t already know.” Sunset’s words oozed out in response. “Or am I once more wrong Princess?” Sunset asked the pony that had raised her, once more her tone holding a taunting edge. Celestia sighed at my partner but did not contest her words. My gaze flicked back to Celestia who seemed far more amused at Sunset’s attempt at confrontation than anything else.
“My congratulations on the union that the two of you now share,” Celestia says, her voice holding an almost sacred warmth. I could feel my partner stiffening beside me at her words. Thankfully Sunset seemed to calm as I covered her with my wing. “I hope that this relationship of yours is long-lasting.” Celestia continued.
“Why aren’t you mad?” Sunset questioned, her voice filled with clear confusion at the turn of events. I felt the subtle tilt of her head as her horn brushed against my side. Once more she was exhibiting an almost foal-like curiosity. Attempting to figure out why the parents were acting the way that they were.
Celestia, however, just gave off a radiant smile in response to Sunset’s question. Her eyes shone with the full brilliance of her Sun.
“Sunset, why would I be mad? You have found yourself a partner” Sunset tensed at that word but thankfully Celestia didn’t either notice or comment. “- one that you can rely upon. I will once more remind you. One pony can grow a plant, cast a spell, control a cloud, it is only together that we can change the reality around us. I have seen what happens to a pony that has sought to do it all by their lonesome. They become lost, to both others and themselves.” Celestia, breaking off from her speech now focuses her glimmering eyes on me as she bows. “Thank you for allowing Sunset to open her heart to you and having reciprocated in turn.” She thanked me.
I wasn’t sure what was happening anymore. While I wasn’t nearly as bad as Sunset was, wondering why Celestia seemed to be if anything pleased instead of raging. I had no idea how to respond to her thanks.
“I was the one who confessed,” I responded in an effort to do something, anything to get Celestia to stop bowing. Sunset had all but turned to stone under my wing, I had no idea what was currently rampaging through her mind, but I doubted it was anything good. Celestia, either unaware of or uncaring of how Sunset was acting, once more, smiled at me as she ended her bow.
“Truly? Then I must thank you for baring your heart to Sunset. I know that she can be…” That was as far Celestia got before Sunset began to once more let off a billowing heat. One that was far different than her previous ones. This heat was far less oppressive than the usual flames that clung to her. Instead, this one was strangely comforting. Celestia, no longer speaking, was staring at Sunset, nearly dumbfounded.
Craning my eyes to my partner to see what had astounded Celestia so. I couldn’t prevent the gasp that slipped from my mouth. Sunset was all but radiating Love. Her eyes were a bright cyan that were radiating a mixture of positivity. Her mouth was nearly split into two by the brilliant smile that was splayed out from her lips. I didn’t think that she looked nearly this excited when I confessed to her.
Yet here she was. Sunset Shimmer having stepped from her ever-enshrouding darkness to show the light that she held within her very being. She was indescribably beautiful at this moment. I had heard numerous ponies complimenting me for my own charms, but I knew now that they had never seen true beauty,
“Thank you, Celestia.” Sunset was the one who finally broke the spell that she had woven over both Celestia and me. I could faintly see in the corner of my vision Celestia dumbly nodding at Sunset’s thanks.
“Of course, Sunset.” Celestia finally responded after a long pause. She must have been as enraptured by Sunset as I have been. Sunset just seemed to somehow preen even further, as both the warmth and light that she was giving off seemed to grow grander. Not needing any sort of spell or arcane formula to perform this feat of magic.
The beautiful scene was compounded as Sunset snuggled further into my side. Her grin adopted an almost ethereal shyness now that she realized that both Celestia and I were intently watching her. I could see the faint confusion flicker through her mind before she decided against questioning why we were so intently watching her.
She truly could not see what she was at the moment. Had I not known better I would have assumed that Sunset was Celestia’s bloodborne daughter. They both irradiated light and warmth to the ponies that were around them. Yet I somehow knew that this entire scene would somehow slip past my partner.
I then, much like Celestia herself was certainly doing, would entrench this memory into my mind. In an attempt to remember this enchanting scene for the one who impossibly paid no mind. When I was able to bring Sunset into my own dreams, I would show her this scene. Prove to her that Celestia did care for her. That she was loved by the pony that had long since raised her. However, such a time was in the future.
“Why are you both staring at me?” Sunset finally questions as the warmth and light that she emanated fragmented into nothing. I couldn’t help the faint whimper of disappointment that I let out as the scene ended.
“No reason,” I quickly murmured. Sunset just shot me a disbelieving look. She thankfully didn’t call out my obvious lie. Instead, she shook her head slightly before turning to Celestia.
“Is there a reason that you were waiting for us? Did you expect me to do something to Cadance?” She all but returned to taunting the pony that raised her. I frowned at my partner's immediate desire to start another altercation with Celestia. Gone was the light that had been emanating from my partner. Now she was once more enshrined in darkness.
“I was waiting to inform the two of you that I would be shortly returning to Canterlot. I wished to say my farewells as I do not believe that I will be seeing either of you two for some time Sunset.” At Celestia’s words, Sunset shrunk. All but collapsing in on herself.
“My apologies Princess Celestia I spoke out of line,” Sunset spoke as she bowed her head once more to Celestia. She raised her head after a short moment her emerald eyes ablaze with a smothered rage that had been somehow stoked within her mind.
“It is alright, Sunset. All I ask is that you would not jump to such conclusions so quickly in the future.” Celestia softly spoke. Sunset’s obvious rage didn’t dispel, nor did it grow as she nodded at the words. “Moving on from that I would like to remind the two of you that the castle will always be available for you should you find yourselves nearby or even in need of a warm meal.” She started with a small smile. “Sunset, Cadance, I would ask that you return in time for the coronation of the Princess of Love. It would be rather difficult to have a coronation without a Princess?” The smile on Celestia’s lips grew bigger, almost amused at the scenario her words were depicting.
Glancing back to my partner to see if she had any complaints with the proposal. Sunset was just intently staring at Celestia, somehow missing as I stuck my head between her vision. It took lightly tapping her with my wing that was still surrounding her, to get her to jolt back to reality.
“As long as Cadance has no issues with that, it is fine with me Princess.” Sunset grinds out as if she had swallowed rocks. Sighing, I turned from my partner to give my own agreement to the time frame that she had given.
“That is more than reasonable, thank you, Auntie,” I said with a smile of my own. Celestia nodded at our acceptance before she gave her final farewell and faded away in a burst of sunlight. “Sunset, you got your teleportation etiquette from Celestia, right?” I asked my partner who relaxed the very instant that Celestia left.
“Who else would have taught that to me?” She asked, which was a fair question. Who else would have Sunset allowed to teach her?
“I just thought that you both like to teleport away right as the conversation ends.” I idly commented on my observation of my partner to her. “You do it all the time to me as well.” At my words, she once more stiffened under my wing. “You don’t have to stop, it’s just something that I noticed.” I wasn’t about to ask her to throw one of the things that Celestia had personally taught her away.
Sunset relaxed once more at my words but otherwise stayed silent as she remained under my wing. We both once more were able to enjoy the silence we were in and the others shared warmth as the Sun continued its journey high above. That was for a few moments before Sunset once more followed in her mother’s footsteps and shattered the silence.
“I won’t be returning with you.” Sunset softly spoke into my side. Frowning at my partner’s odd words. What did she mean by that?
“To where?” I asked not-. “Do you mean for my coronation? As I would like for you to be there as both my partner and as my mare friend.” I hastily continued after I made the connection. Was there a reason she didn’t want to see my coronation? Pulling away from Sunset slightly so that I could face her, my wing kept only a few feathers upon her back as I turned.
“To Canterlot…” Sunset's face was covered in shadow as she took a breath before continuing. “I will return as an Alicorn myself or I won’t return at all.” She morosely spoke, her very words hanging in the air at her declaration.
“Why?” I couldn’t help but as I knew of her desire to ascend. To prove that she was worthy of being Celestia’s daughter. So that she could be with Celestia eternally. This seemed something more, Celestia had just announced that she would have a place for the both of us at the castle, no matter what. Sunset just shrugged, perhaps in a vain effort to conceal the very naked seeping sadness that she had been afflicted with.
“She doesn’t want me there. She never has. Until I am finally worth something, why would she want me back?” Sunset’s spoken thoughts once more were a horrific thing to hear. I was now confident at this moment that even if Celestia had done her best, she had categorically failed to raise Sunset.
“Sunset, Celestia extended that offer to both of us.” That was all I got out before my partner's eyes flashed with a near-endless emerald flame filled with hate.
“She all but told me that I wouldn’t be wanted. Why would I contest her decision on this point? It works in my favor! I would continue to have time to forge my own path to ascension and she won’t have to see me as the failure I am!” Sunset growled out before she took a deep breath and closed her eyes.
Taking her time as she got her rage under control before she finally continued. “I am sorry for snapping at you. She always relays her orders to me through a form of doublespeak. This isn't the first time she has had me do something like this” Sunset attempted to explain as she opened her eyes to reveal the absence of the emerald flames.
Where did I even begin with that? I had no idea. That, however, didn’t excuse me from trying.
“Sunset I will freely admit that there are things that I don’t understand about Celestia that you do, however, please believe me when I say that offer was meant for the both of us. Not just me.” I vainly hoped that my words would somehow be enough to convince my partner of Celestia’s intent. I, however, was not surprised when Sunset scoffed at me. Disappointed yes, surprised no.
Sighing at my marefriends actions. Alright, I was looking at the problem wrong. I think… Whatever. “Sunset, are you willing to at least enter Canterlot? Not going into the castle?” Sunset frowned at my questions.
“Why would I not go to the castle, which is where Princess Celestia is?” Sunset questioned instead of answering either of my own. A mask of confusion was splayed across her face. No doubt she was attempting to figure out where I was going with this. I wished her luck as I was making this up as I went.
“If somehow Celestia doesn't want you in her castle, would you still be willing to enter Canterlot?” I once more asked Sunset, this time providing more relevant information. Sunset silently pondered my question. I could feel the fluctuations of the temperature running through my partner’s body through the faint connection that we still shared through my few remaining feathers.
“Why?” Sunset eventually asked, her eyes narrowing. I raised a hoof and ran it down my face at how obstinate my partner was.
“Even if we don't stay in the castle, I would like you to come to my coronation. Are you willing to do so, Sunset?” My intention laid bare for Sunset. I once more awaited her answer. I was all but resigned to the answer I knew I would get at this point. Sunset took a moment to come to her answer but eventually, she nodded just as I expected… Wait. “Wait, really?” I exclaimed in a mess of confusion and hope.
“Princess Celestia ordered me not to enter her castle, she said nothing about entering Canterlot,” Sunset said with a sly grin. It took me a few moments before I began to laugh. Perhaps my laughter was from my partner’s actions, perhaps the elation of having my mare friend with me when I have officially been crowned Princess or even something else. All I knew at this moment was that I couldn't stop laughing.
“Sunset, you are adorable.” I couldn’t help but reiterate to my partner who once more scowled at my words. I chuckled some more at the face she made before I once more kissed her. “See, this is proof.” I smiled at the embarrassment my partner was wallowing in at this point.
“You are unfair.” Sunset grumbles out even as she continues to blush. Sadly, the flush of embarrassment upon her cheeks quickly fades. “I am unsure how much longer you would like to stay here but I would prefer to move on to our next destination as soon as possible,” Sunset spoke after her cheeks were once more fully amber.
“I would like to say farewell to both Cipher and Stinger, but other than that I am happy to be moving towards our next destination. However, instead of keeping to the roads now that we have Celestia’s permission, why don’t we go via train?” I asked my partner who considered my words and after a few moments of shared silence agreed with them. “Good. Let’s get going.” I chirped out as I pulled my partner along with me.
Sunset didn't even bother to pretend that she didn't enjoyed the feeling of me by her side as we trotted back into Stinger’s house. I could faintly hear Stinger conversing with both Rebound and Gentle Breeze. However, that conversation quickly ended when I pushed open the door to the common room where every pony was. Their eyes quickly found themselves focused on the connection that Sunset and I shared through our connected hoofs.
“Congratulations!” Cipher immediately exclaimed as she quickly moved forwards, her wings raised only to falter as a ring of flames appeared around her. Before I could even admonish my partner I, Cipher had beaten me to it. “Yes, I know hooves off the Princess, I would, however, like to point out that I for one was not interested in the dear Princess of Love. I instead helped her see if you felt the same as she did. So, if anything you should be thanking me, instead of worrying that I am going to steal her away from you.” Cipher resounded with a roll of her eyes.
I could tell my partner had a frown on her face even without seeing it. She had already decided on what happened, now she was receiving information that conflicted with the worldview that she had already carefully constructed. Instead of lashing out, she instead turned to me, a questioning glint echoed in her emerald eyes. I simply nodded. It was the truth after all.
“Thank you…” Sunset’s words were colored with her confusion. She really was adorable if not emotionally stunted in matters where anger and hatred could not apply. The ring of flames that had surrounded Cipher was smothered allowing the changeling still in her Pegasus guise to continue to move forwards.
“You're welcome, Sunset Shimmer,” Cipher said as she stopped before us. “I will take my payment in the return of-.” Thankfully Stinger put an end to his sister’s escapades before the current calm would have been broken.
“You said you were going to congratulate them and nothing more.” At her brother's words, Cipher paused, frowned, and then sighed.
“Fine. Congratulations on finding each other. Take it from an emotivore your feelings towards the other are delicious. There is so much that they are nearly overflowing.” That was a statement that I was unsure how to take. Thankfully Sunset didn't seem to know how to respond to Cipher’s words either.
“Thank you? I think?” I finally responded after a few moments of awkward silence. “That aside, both Sunset and I would like to thank you for your hospitality,” I said with a slight bow of my head. I didn't care if Sunset thought that I was too good to give my thanks to these two. I was going to properly thank them. Even if she would rather I not.
Thankfully Sunset made no mention of my actions instead she muttered her thanks as well. Pointedly saying Stinger’s louder than Ciphers. Cipher didn’t seem to care if anything she seemed almost amused how even now Sunset didn’t like her. How Sunset was still wary of any sort of trick that she may pull. Sunset may have been one of the furthest ponies from being called gallant, but she was currently putting her hoof in the ring.
“We are planning to leave in short order.” Sunset informs the two guards who had been watching the entire proceedings. Gentle Breeze and Rebound nodded at her words.
“We are ready to leave as soon as the both of you are ready.” Gentle Breeze simply spoke.
“I don’t suppose we can go somewhere with a beach?” Rebound immediately followed up with a grin splayed across his muzzle. “I have been meaning to spend some time working on my tan.” Only for his grin to falter with the ensuing silence that greeted his statement. “Everyone’s a critic.” He mutters out, acting almost ashamed of his actions. Considering the way that the two disguised changelings were simply watching him with clear amusement, I doubted it was genuine.
Sunset just rolls her eyes at his antics before silently looking toward me once more. She once more awaited my next action. Contently beckoning to move forth at my own leisure.
“Unfortunately, I don’t believe that Hollow Shades has many beaches.” I hesitantly offered to the guard pony who tilted his head at the name of our next destination.
“A shame that I shall have to wait to once more conquer the oceans and rightfully claim them for Equestria!” Rebound jested with a small smile. “Should you require either my or Gentle’s assistance in preparing for the next leg of your trip, you need only ask.” With that offer expressed, Rebound fell silent once more.
Sunset just levitated her saddlebag and the bag from the room that we had slept in. Otherwise, she was silently waiting. Her gaze flickered from the siblings to the guards and me. Yet even with her desire to start moving towards Hollow Shades as quickly as possible, she wasn't attempting to hurry this along.
Was there something that I was missing still? Or perhaps she was simply refusing to accelerate our departure due to the fact that I had yet to properly say farewell to both Stinger and Cipher. It didn't matter either way in truth. Giving Sunset’s hoof a light squeeze, I stepped forwards.
“Rebound, Gentle Breeze, if you wouldn't mind waiting outside, we will be along in a few moments.” At my words, both of the guards that Celestia had ordered to watch over myself and Sunset gave a quick salute before making their way outside. Turning to the two changelings still in their pony guises, “I just wanted to say thank you for everything that you have done for not only myself but Sunset as well.”
Cipher and Stinger both nodded at my words, an easy grin quickly setting upon both of their muzzles. “Until the next time we meet, I wish you all the best in your endeavors,” I say with a matching smile on my lips.
“Just be sure to write to me all the juicy details between you and your shining knight.” Cipher chuckled while Stinger rolled his eyes at his sister's antics. I gave her my word that I would inform her of some details, but it was after all a Princess's prerogative to retain the juiciest secrets of her relationship. Otherwise, I gave Cipher a quick hug before making my way back to Sunset’s side.
“Shall we?” She questioned her gaze kept on the Sun high above. I simply nodded as we fell into step with one another. We were quickly joined by Rebound and Gentle Breeze as they fell into step behind us. Once more Sunset was fine with walking beside an Alicorn without complaint. Was it due to the fact that it was me that she was next to? Or was it something else entirely else? It would be something to further consider.
“So have you given any thought to getting to Hollow Shades via the train?” I asked as we cleared the edge of Wingston.
“There isn’t a stop from Canterlot to Hollow Shades so if we were to catch the train, we would need to board it while it is moving…” Sunset pauses as she looks at the two royal guards who were still right behind us, having heard Sunset’s less-than-legal plan. “Which is why we should not do such a thing.” Sunset continued despite every pony here knowing what she had intended.
“Look I know you don’t exactly want either of us to be here, but we aren’t exactly going to let you take the newest Princess all around Equestria without any adult supervision.” Gentle Breeze gently reminded Sunset, who thankfully didn’t glare back at the elder Mare.
“Exactly we are here to bail the two of you out of whatever stupidity the two of you get yourselves into.” Rebound continued all but contradicting Gentle Breeze’s earlier words. She glared at the pony that was her partner, but he continued on unhindered. “After all it's not like we are spying on you-.” Wrong word choice, really wrong word choice. Immediately my reflexive thoughts were proven true as Sunset interrupted Rebound.
“You are here to spy on us.” Her emerald eyes all but flashed with the rage that she let freely flow, heating the air around her. Even as I placed my wing on her side she didn’t stop. “You keep saying you’re here for the both of us but that isn't the truth of the matter. No, in truth you’re not here to spy on Cadance, you are here to ensure that I don’t do anything to her on Celestia’s behalf.” Her words dripped in malice as her voice began to grow in volume.
Damnit Sunset. Everything was going so smoothly. Rebound just shrugged at my partner’s accusation. What do I even do to de-escalate the situation here?
“That could be true indeed.” Immediately Gentle slapped Rebound with her wing. “That said it is not.” He swiftly continued under both mine and Gentle’s glares. “I personally don’t think that the Princess who is next to you and is the one who has you on a leash has anything to worry about from you.” There was once more silence after Rebound made his statement. I could only stare at him.
Was he suicidal? Did he realize that Sunset was able to go horn to horn against Celestia herself? I knew he could be stupid, but this was something completely else. Sunset was going to murder him and depending on the heat of her flames, I was going to have to help bury his charred remains. Finally, after what felt like an eternity of waiting, I could feel Sunset slightly move under the crook of my wing.
She wasn't erratically jolting forwards, and I didn’t even feel the heat grow in temperature. Instead, all I felt was the small movement of her head and horn lightly scraping into my feathers. It was almost as if she was soundlessly laughing. Which did not bode well for any pony.
“You hear that, Cadance?” Sunset slowly chuckled out, her words flashed like honed daggers, as she slipped out from under my wing, her eyes ablaze with emerald flames. The flames all but dripped from her eyes as they fell to the grasses below her. Incinerating the greenery, the moment the liquid flames found purchase upon their blades. “You have me leashed.” She hisses out, the words that slip from her mouth barely sound like words. Instead, they sound much more like curses.
I couldn't move a single feather. I was all but frozen in place as if I was petrified by a spell, but I knew it wasn’t any spell that did this. It was the raw anger of the Unicorn before me, all but reshaping reality through her rage.
“My descendant be wary of the Demon.” Yes Umbrum, I knew that Sunset was in the process of blowing a fuse she was after all right beside me. Why would Umbrum say that? He usually only spoke with me outside of my dreams to warn me if I was in danger. Not to tell me that Sunset was acting strange. Was I currently in danger? From Sunset of all ponies once more?
The spell that I had been caught within was swiftly broken. Once more I looked at my partner. Enshrouded with anger, yes, but I couldn't feel the temperature matching the intensity of her flames. It was hot, but not to the normal degree of heat when she normally raged. Was she pretending? No Sunset wouldn't do that. She only attempted to make herself angry when she was terrified.
“Sunset are you alright?” I hesitantly asked my partner who was silently still crying tears of emerald flames. Sunset just glared at me, as the temperature began to rise at my question.
“He is right. You have chained me.” She growled gesturing a hoof at Rebound who was attempting to do his best to blend into the surrounding air. “Princess Celestia couldn’t do it.
P̶̤̋́̽̆̑͆̌̄̐̇̕ͅr̴̬̭̘̼̅̕i̸̛̭̙̠̥͙̪̜̫̭̯͔̭͇̓̽́̎̾͆͋̍͂̌͜ņ̶͖͍͚͚͖̯͇̩̱̥̈́͆̋̆̐̇̇̚͠c̷̤͚͆͛͊̀͋̚e̷̜͔̗̯̝͔̖̝̍̋͗͑͜s̷̡̛̱͕̺̠̮͇̥̥̻̫͖̖͊͒̏͒̏́̓̐̍̓̚s̷͓̝̍͂ ̸͙͎̪̖̲̬̖͕͐Ţ̶͕̺̺̰̮̞̬͙͆̍̈́̉̅̑̅̇͐̂̿̌͜ͅw̶̙͖̞̟͎̹̞̺͔͎̭̲͌͒̂̓̆͑̐͝ì̵̢̢̧̤̪͖̺̬̟͙͚̬̘͚͇ļ̷̡͚̘̟͙̺̙͉̅͘i̵̧̧̗̘̥̘̩͐̅ͅģ̸̜͔̗͈̻̥͐̅̒h̵̨̗͍͍̜͉̣̝̙͇̬̀̈́̈̎̑͋̒̀͗͝͠t̷̡̘̠̓̽̈́́̈́̈́̽̈́̾̊̽̚ ̶̲̘͕̦̜͒̽̈́̎̐̓͋̏̅̌̂̓̕͠͝S̶̨̡̮̫̫̲͙̳͓̅̅̇̉̓̓͜p̸̡̨̝̘̌̉̃̑̄̈́̈́̄͝͝ą̶̡̬̄́̋̊̊͘r̴̢̟͖͚̜̤̰̤̺̪͎̬̎͗̇̏͋́̿ķ̵̡̱͔̞͇̬̭͎̠̻͕̅͋̓̈́̅͛̊̀͗̋̚l̴̦̖͈̜̠̥͙͕̝͈̲̜̭̲̅̇̄̏̌̄̉͛͑͗̆̾̋̕͝é̷̪͖̳͔̖̳̻͎͂̈́́̂̈́̃̎̒̽́̕̕͝ ̵̳̮͉̰̫͇͛̓͋̊̅̉͌̀̔̃͋̈́́͘͜c̴̨̨̡̪̘͈̙̜͇̹͋̄̀͊͆̅̑̇͝o̶̧̯͓̮̼̠͇͈̗̹̊̍̑͒̈́̒͆̋̿̇̆͑͑̋͘ͅų̴̣͇̪̱͔̼̝̳̣̖̱̆͛͌̄͗́̓l̶̯̒̉͛̔͗̍̈́̂̇̋̇̕̚̚̚d̸̠̼̆̆̾̉̒̑̓͆̐̎̄́̿͝n̶͓̈́͛͂̌̈́̽̋̇̌͑́̕͝'̵̧̢̨̛̯̯͖̦̳̣͇̱̩̆̈͑͂̅͋́͒̄̿̕͘ť̶̡͚̤̹̫̦͖͉̰̤̙̥̳͒̓ ̴̭̭̞͇̪̺̳̰͒͋̑̈͛̂́͘c̵̫̭͆̏̈́̕a̵̢̤̱̲͉͚̺͐̏̍̆g̴̨̣̼̪͕͖̜͉̃̊͋͜e̸̛̫͙̥̟͔͇͈͈͚̿͗́̽͌̓̅̍̕̕͝ ̴̢̱͙̱̪̖͂͆̋͂͑̈̕͝ͅm̸̧̜̪̯͙̯͚̻̼͋́̾̉͜͝͠è̷͙̖̱̹͚̣̱̺̙͎̬͛̂.
Yet you somehow could.” Her very words distorted the very fabric of Equus around her. I couldn't help but flinch at the taste of iron that quickly began to flow through my mouth. I couldn’t even feel the pain other than in an oddly abstract way. I realized that I was injured in some way, yet I was unable to identify how.
This was bad. If I was impacted to this extent how harshly would a normal pony be harmed? Glancing towards both Rebound and Gentle Breeze, only to see the two of them writhing in agony on the ground. I made my way quickly over to them casting what healing magic I could to help ease their suffering.
“Sunset stop!” I demanded from my partner who was living up to both Umbrum’s and Discord’s depiction of a demon. After all, she had simply muttered a few words that I couldn't even comprehend, and this is what happened. “I haven’t put a leash on you, I haven’t chained you! We are partners! Us against the very world itself! That’s our deal!” I declared with a finality that managed to get through to Sunset.
Sunset paused, her still-flaming eyes found mine. Perhaps it was the bloodied tears that were filling my vision, or even the panic that coursed through my entire body, but she thankfully stopped. A bone-chilling flood of icy air, billowed from her as the flames that clung to her eyes were extinguished. A shell of ice attempted to form around her, but it was quickly reduced to steam dissipating in the air.
“What did I do?” I could hear Sunset whimper as she stared at me. Her eyes were a pale sickly cyan that had traces of emerald running through them. They were quickly filling and flowing with now liquid tears. She hesitantly held a hoof out. We were but a scant few hoof steps away from one another, but I could feel the distance swiftly growing. The newly formed gulch between us slowly severed the connection we had forged. Something was horrifically wrong with Sunset and Celestia was no longer here to fix it. If she could at this point.
Less than an hour ago we were embraced in each other’s hooves, passionately kissing. Yet now it appeared that Sunset was farther than she ever was from me. Across this divide between the two of us, I could see her resolve harden. Fear flashed through me as she retracted her hoof. Oh, sweet Celestia no!
“What are you thinking of doing?” I couldn’t help but yell out. Hoping that she wouldn’t do it was whatever she was planning. I could see her mouth widen into a wretched failure of a smile. One that promised no warmth, no care, no love. Instead, one that forewarned devastation. I felt the flickering of our newborn relationship within my heart.
A cyan string fluttered ethereally in the air, tethered between us.
“I’m sorry, Cadance. It’s for your own good.” She whispered out on the opposite side of the illusionary gorge, which only grew larger as she took a step back. Sunset please don’t. Yet my un-whispered wishes fell upon deaf ears as Sunset Shimmer was enwreathed by flames. That quickly dissipated, leaving nothing but ashes where she once was.
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I just realized what she is...and you have saying it entire time...demon. the demon sunset went back in time.
Damn, every time when Cadance manage to draw a... decent pony from the pit of wrath and madness that a Sunset, someone surely blurt out something that triggers Shimmy and young princess again forced to start from the square one.