A Past Returned

by TacoTues4Eva

Monday Dec 26 d

“You have used living beings as your plaything for the last time, Himmerish!” Twelve voices intoned from Sunset’s body as she floated into the large chamber. It looked as if the room reached more than several stories as three walls were lined with balconies consisting of three seats, a large full length ornate mirror and a doorway leading somewhere. A quick glance showed that at least three of the mirrors were black while the other reflected everything from their reflective surface. With a wave of her hand the mirror all changed from reflective to showing various throne rooms or other offices looking to be of an official capacity. All of them including the three darkened mirrors.

“I won’t let a petulant child ruin all I’ve strived for!” Himmerish snarled, “Guards!”

“You will face what you have done by yourself and accept your punishment by yourself. All those who conspired with you shall receive their own punishments depending on their crime.” The voices from Sunset stated, once again waving her hand toward the door where everyone was trying to crowd through and created a barrier keeping them out, yet still be able to hear and see everything.

“You have done so much wrong, Himmerish. You were once a kind, loving man which we are saddened to see fall so low. Yet your crimes can not be forgiven so easily as you have broken almost every law set in place at the founding of Kandrakar. You have committed crimes so heinous it sickens us to even think of them.” The voices said sadly, Sunset noticing that there was an audience gathering in many of the mirrors to see what was going on.

“All I’ve done is for the betterment of Kandrakar!” Himmerish screamed as he threw a bolt of lightning at Sunset who batted it right back at the man making him scream in pain and drop to his knees, smoking a little.

“All you have done is for your own good and ego. How do you explain attacking royalty from not one, but multiple planets?” The voices asked. “How was killing a prince or princess, your own child even, good for the sake of Kandrakar?”

“I won’t sully the pristine halls of Kandrakar with barnyard filth like you!” Himmerish snarled, forcing himself to his feet. He threw a large ball of fire toward Sunset, who with a wave of her hand created a wave of water out of the molecules in the air that made the fire fizzle out upon contact.

“We guess you need a lesson in the elements, Himmerish.” The voices sighed, another wave of Sunset’s hand causing portions of the man’s body to erupt in flames for several seconds burning away the tattoos on his body which were actually runes linking him to the core of Kandrakar so he could control everything within the fortress. With another wave, more water was formed above Himmerish, falling on top of him, drenching him and putting out the flames. “There is fire and water, would you like more lessons?”

“I won’t let you win!” Himmerish hissed out in pain, more of his clothes gone showing heavy scarring on his body.

“You have already lost. The sooner you admit that, the sooner this can all be over.” The voices warned.

“I will wipe out every single planet with you filth on it, just like I had done to that stupid planet I wiped out before!” Himmerish growled out, clenching and unclenching his fist in anger.

“Let’s not forget the poor children you have manipulated, mentally and physically tortured, and killed in your pursuit of claiming total control of a power you have no true understanding of.” The voices stated.

“Die!” Himmerish screamed, throwing his hands out and making several crystalline golems rise from the floor only to have them be cut down by blades of wind.

“Air.” The voices said, “Only two lessons left.”

“You can’t do this to me! I’m the Oracle of Kandrakar!” Himmerish ranted, the look in his eyes growing more intense and more insane by the moment.

“You were never a true Oracle. A true Oracle would have protected those who needed it.” The voices replied. “Do you have any regret at all for the pain and suffering you have caused? Any regret for the lives snuffed out because of your hate filled decisions?”

“I regret nothing!” Himmerish raged, as Sunset once again raised her hand and slowly made a fist as shards of crystal sprouted from under Himmerish’s feet slowly encasing his entire body as he screamed and raged until they covered his head, cutting off his rants.

“Earth, and finally, Quintessence.” The voices said, throwing out both hands as energy arced like lightning and striking the crystal. Of course quintessence wasn’t the only spell she was using, as she was using magic from both Kandrakar and Equestria to do what needed to be done. “Himmerish, former Oracle of Kandrakar, you are hereby sentenced to live out the rest of your life in this crystal experiencing all the pain you caused others first hand. You will feel everything that your victims felt from their viewpoint and live their lives in your dreams until you have either finally repented for your sins or you perish.”

Sunset shuddered inside her mind, not really anticipating how brutal the spirits were going to be, but she agreed that it had to be done. Giving the man trapped in the crystal one last look, she let the spirits use her body to send the crystal deep under Kandrakar where only the new Oracle will be able to get to it. With a wave of her hand the barrier blocking the archway into the chamber fell and a large group of people, her friends and family as well as the guards and Luba and Tibor entered. They all started to speak at once until Sunset raised a hand silencing them.

A sad smile crossed her lips as the guards kneeled down realizing they were helping a monster while Tibor and Luba shifted nervously. First thing was first though, Nerissa needed to be punished for her crimes as well. “Nerissa, you and your group of guardians step forward.”

“What’s going on?” Cassidy asked in fear as Nerissa stepped forward and kneeled before Sunset with a resigned look on her face.

“I know I have committed crimes against Kandrakar and willingly accept my punishment.” Nerissa said, a glow forming next to her leaving Elyon standing there.

“Please, I don’t want to have charges against Nerissa brought up!” Elyon pleaded, getting a small smile from the woman.

“Be that as it may, Nerissa, you have committed several crimes at which your punishment shall be carried out immediately. You are hereby stripped of the title of Guardian and from this moment on you will become the new Oracle of Kandrakar.” The voices said, getting a few gasps of surprise and a shocked expression on the woman’s face. “You won’t be alone, the rest of your team aided you in your endeavors and shall also be stripped of their titles and be granted the title of Oracle as henceforth there will be a council of Oracles with checks and balances to prevent a tyrant from gaining sole power over Kandrakar. Nerissa, the second part of your punishment is you must tell your son who you are and spend time with him, get to know him.”

“Thank you.” Nerissa cried, tears running down her face as she looked at Sunset in gratitude.

“Luba, you and Tibor are hereby removed from your post and reassigned to Overseers of Kandrakar and will help weed out the leftover corruption and work on distributing the crystal hearts to each of the delegate worlds and start the guardian corps as was originally intended.” The voices said, getting nods from both Tibor and Luba.

“Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie, step forward.” The voices said.

“What is it, darling?” Rarity asked nervously.

“You five have committed crimes against one of your own. While she will face her own punishment for her transgressions against you, you five will also receive punishments of your own. You will have a choice between ridding yourself of the link to the Element of Harmony you represent, or you will accept the small portion of the Element here within me to not only unlock your full magic, but also be charged with helping to bring balance to the world once more. Know that this doesn’t mean you will all of a sudden be magical experts, but you will have a potential for magic that will grow along with you.” The voices explained.

“That doesn’t seem much like a punishment, but ah will do my darn best to help bring balance to the world…whatever that means.”

“I’m not giving up that easy, I’ll not only bring balance to the world, but make it twenty percent more awesome!” Rainbow Dash declared while pumping a fist into the air.

“Darling, I may not know how to bring balance to the world, but I will do my best.” Rarity said, nodding her head with determination in her eyes.

“How can I refuse to help bring magic back to the world and make everything super duper better?” Pinkie Pie sang out.

“It might be scary, but with my friends by my side I know we can do it!” Fluttershy said, her voice gaining strength as she talked.

“Then when we finish here, you five will be granted the parts of the spirits that reside within.” The voices said, waving a hand creating several flashes of light leaving behind Irma, Taranee and Hay Lin aw well as the human Twilight Sparkle. All of them looked confused, though kept quiet when Sunset held up her hand in a motion for them to be quiet. “Irma, Taranee, Cornelia and Hay Lin. You four have stumbled multiple times, but you have grown and persevered where you were designed to fail. You will be granted a chance to resign your position as guardian though you will retain your eternal gift if you plan to retire. Those of you who stay on will be given actual training that you should have had from the beginning.”

“I’m keeping my power, I know Sunset won’t be giving up hers and she’s going to need her family there to support her.” Cornelia said, getting a smile of approval from Sunset.

“No way I’m giving up my powers, you aren’t getting rid of me that easy!” Irma chirped out, though she had a look of confusion as she wasn’t sure what was going on. Not that most of the others really understood it.

“I’m sorry, girls. There is no way I can tell my parents about magic. You know I’ve been wanting out for awhile, the only reason I didn’t just quit is because you are my friends and I didn’t want to leave you to do this on your own.” Taranee sighed, “I need to think of my parents and my brother though, what would they do if I just disappeared if something happened to me on one of those other worlds?”

“It’s fine, Taranee, child of fire.” The voices intoned, a hand reaching out and Taranee’s battery glowing bright orange before floating from around her neck and into Sunset’s waiting hand. “It was anticipated, but we wish you the best of luck and we will always be there if you need us.”

“I can’t quit, I mean it’s like a family legacy!” Hay Lin cried out, Yan Lin moving to her granddaughter's side to hug the girl.”

“Twilight Sparkle, please step forward.” The voices said,

“Sunny, is that you? What’s going on?” Twilight asked.

“Twilight Sparkle, you have a passion and fire that burns brightly for everything that you do. Would you like to add to that fire by becoming the new fire guardian? To protect Kandrakar and your sector of infinity?” The voices asked.

“I…yes! I accept!” Twilight cried out in excitement getting a smile from Sunset as the battery floated to her, making her body glow orange momentarily as she caught it.

“And lastly, Sunset Shimmer. Your punishment will be to look after both groups as you will need their help. You will always be powerful, but the power you have had as of late was granted by the full power of the Spirits of Harmony and the Spirits of Kandrakar. When we release the transformation the Spirits of Harmony will go to their element bearer and the Spirits of Kandrakar will return to their place here. Quintessence will always be there for you from now on with guidance if you need it, but here on out you will only have your own power to rely on including your Quintessence and power granted by your Equestrian mother Princess Celestia.” The voices said.

“I understand.” Sunset’s sole voice said, a sad tinge to it. It felt so good to have all this magic flowing through her body and she knew she would miss it.

“Then good luck to all of you.” The voices minus Sunset said before five lights shot from Sunset and entered the five girls from Canterlot who were the human version of the element bearers.

“Sunset, are you okay sweetie?” Susan asked as she caught the teen as her body slowly floated down and returned to normal as a shower of golden particles exploded from her.

“I’m fine…mom…just…” Sunset said softly right before falling asleep in the woman’s arms.

Author's Note:

I wanted to thank Sunny Scriber for once again doing such a great job proof reading because no matter how much I try to find all the mistakes I still manage to miss a bunch of them. I also want to thank him for all the advice on improving my writing and scenes in the story to make it better as well as writing the descriptions for the girls new transformation. I also want to thank HarmonicPriest for all the help and story ideas he has given as well as the awesome omakes that can be found in the comment sections of Tuesday Dec 20 d, Wednesday Dec 21 d, Thursday Dec 22 b, Friday Dec 23 c, Saturday Dec 24 j and the newest one on Monday Dec 26b as they are awesome! Thank you both very much!

I also wanted to thank HarmonicPriest for the suggestions on materials to use in making Susan's bracelet from the metals to the gems and the newest addition of alternate covers.

Comments

[Theresa]

Hopefully those that stupidly supported that jerk will think about how their support of that monster hurt a lot of innocent folks and Equestria will rejoin the worlds and become a better place for it. Considering twilight and friends can't do it all.

[TacoTues4Eva]

11515991
They will have a lot to think about and ultimately several will be losing not only their position, but they will also be tried on their homeworld. As for the sealed off sectors, including Equestria, they will be rejoining and Sunset forced a connection to the worlds so they could view everything going on as well as Celestia experiencing it first hoof. Luna maybe a little reluctant to step foot on Kandrakar, but things will turn out better for al involved.

[Efadd]

Finally, Harmony on Kandrakar

[TacoTues4Eva]

11516040
Eyup.

[HarmonicPriest]

11515970

It's a shame Spike missed the target with his overpowered letter addition, but that miss turned into a critical hit onto Neighsay, welp at least in death he was sorta validated, it was non-pony that spelled his doom ... quite literally I might add.

I probably should stop escalating Twilight's meat addiction, it already reached levels of "The Exorcist" mixed with Flutterbat...

Nah this Flash Sentry is channeling 97% of the magnificent bastard known as Ciaphas Cain and 3% of Jack Sparrow. It is ... volatile mix ... for his would-be pursuers that is...
Besides it's Shining Armor's fault, he chose to pursue a pony counterpart instead of trying to murder a human one, which is one that has bigger chances with his sister, is it any strange that Harmony chose to protect pegasus in this scenario?

I mean it would end badly for Shiny if Twilight would catch her hacker-wanna-be brother, but the fact that he had a meeting with Gympie is punishment enough.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dendrocnide_moroides
This plant is evil ... like all things that Australia produces in nature's department.
I mean even standing meter away from this plant without hazmat is enough to get skin rash.

Stabby is always a good option ... especially when you can summon Stabby the Roomba. Truly an unbeatable summon.

Shame that all this epic army has gone to waste ... oh well there are always some other places to bomb into oblivion ... like Zambala ... or Westeros ... Well those two are tempting enough.

---

Well paint me white and call me Rarity darling, a double chapter.
I didn't see that one coming.

Oh, so Phobos and Cedric aren't enriching the local atmosphere with their molecules ... shame that...

... okay that idea with the trojan horse is a good one ... but how does Himmerish know what Trojan Horse is? He doesn't strike me as dimensional history passionate... or a language geek...

So many big apologies and Sunset enters an avatar state ... still this will not release you all from group therapy.

So judgment has gone onto infinite dimensions tv... hmmm...three darkened mirrors, I guess those are villains?

... well this is just prolonged execution without a chance for repentance, he's to set in his ways to change. There would be a chance for that if he would experience that without filter that are his experiences and hatred ... oh well agonizing death is still agonizing death...There is just a small issue that both Sunset and Luna can't get closure out of using asshole entrails as skipping rope. The best princess is especially deserving of such a thoughtful gift.

... emmm what are Nerissa crimes? Except for Elyon's kidnapping that is but that is more against Meridian than Kandrakar...
Well either way this punishment is too cruel, paperwork not from one but from multiple worlds...

I don't get the part about punishing Rainbooms ... mostly because what they did was "not cool at all" but it was far from a criminal act, and last I checked assholery is not a crime. Besides this is more under parents' or teachers' jurisdiction, not under semi-divine authority. Oh well "Might makes Right" and all of that...
Well, Pinkie has the right idea.

...Teranee is resigning?! That ... well ...

Twilight as the new fire guardian ... on one hand it fits (Especially with Princess Twilight Rapidash episodes, still thinking that she has a Kirin in a close ancestry as an explanation for those), on the other, that means chances for stable Midnight transformation just became zero...oh crapperoni, Twilight might manifest Telepathy like Teranee... the countdown to doom has begun.

Sunset's judgment, the same problem as with the rest of Rainbooms, also she suffered enough so this judgment and punishment (even if totally lenient) is just bad taste on the spirit's side.

There is also one issue that might be another psychological blow: this entire debacle with Sunset being an avatar for this short time might have "reseted" her connection with Kandrakar Heart, and possibly her "Will's guardian form" might have been erased. This could be treated as Sunset closing one chapter of the book ... or she might start thinking that she killed part of herself...
But that is just a theory.

And now it's time for a well deserved week long coma , channeling that much power , and such unstable visit on Astral Plane must have left a big toll on Sunny , no question about that.

[TacoTues4Eva]

11516068
It truly is, but if anyone deserves it besides Blueblood, it's this prick. I love that Spike was the cause of it too.

Maybe just a little more escalation.

I can't think of who Cain is, but I've always loved Jack. And I suppose it is Shiny's fault so I can see the Elements helping him along more than Belledadny giving him a wish.

It would have been amusing though. Thanks for the link, I never heard of the plant before but I'm s glad I don't live anywhere near it. I break out too easily with poison ivy or poison oak, I don't even want to imagine what this thing would do to me. A very nice punishment for Shiny though.

A fearsome summon indeed!

True, such a wonderful army...perhaps send them after the Jem movie-verse.

Yep, only one part left for this part of the story.

Nope, though maybe should have done that lol.

Ummm...internet? Nah, lol I guess I made a mistake there but it was the only thing I could think to describe it. Unless he was mucking around on Earth during that time. Maybe having the guardians of the time going up against the false gods.

Nope, they aren't getting out of it that easy.

Yep, though the three darkened mirrors were the sealed worlds including Equestria.

He is suppossed to be seeing every bad thing he did from other's point of view and feeling all of the pain they felt. Every single one. And he was cause for a whole planet being destroyed. That might take awhile. Though Luna might have enjoyed playing jump rope.

Pretty much just that, kidnapping Elyon. Most of the punishments were actually rewards and what they deeply wanted. Just some of them like the Canterlot girls was feeling regret for what they did so the Spirits made it seem as if they were being punished to aleve their guilt a little as well as being a little cheeky in doing it as the spirits was a little effected by Sunset's snarky side a bit. The paperwork for Nerissa might actually be a little cruel.

Yep, there was a time in the comics she wanted to quit I'm pretty sure and I'm pretty sure there was an episode of it too, so seeing that her parents would not very likely accept magic that easily I handed her position off to another T to keep SITCH going.

I'm still debating about the Midnight thing as I really like that look, maybe it could be from one of her experiments. i do like the Twily Rapidash scenes lol and I can't arue that theory as it is pretty sound. This change was actually last minute though as I really do not think Taranee's parents would ever be ok with this and the parents will be coming together to discuss what is going on in the next part of the story.

As for Sunset's judgment, she would have lost most of the Spirits power sooner or later as I was originally going to have Sunset barter with them to give powers to the Canterlot girls. It just happened a little different as I made some changes since I needed to finish this part of the story soon. They did call it a punishment as a pat of her does still feel bad from her previous years as a bully. It isn't as large a part of her as before, but still a little one. She does have one more gift the Spirits of Harmony blessed her with though she won't know unless she uses the mirror portal.

Now that I haven't really thought about as you are right, with the need for a new Heart it kind of resets them. Though their control and magical awakening will stay the same, except for Sunset who was supercharged thanks to the spirits, their forms will be reset with no access to their stage two forms at first though they will earn them in the next part of the story most likely. That does leave the problem of Sunset losing Will's form as the power will be reset and I don't see why she would keep that form unless it is some kind of subconcious thing. So in the end it might actually cause more therapy, or as you said, see it as closing the chapter of her old life for real and actually fully accepting her new life.