Sunset Shimmer has decided to return to Equestria, however the minute Sunset Shimmer returns, she learns that Equestria has been taken over by various villains. Will Sunset and her companion be able to save Equestria.
Sunset Shimmer has decided to return to Equestria, however the minute Sunset Shimmer returns, she learns that Equestria has been taken over by various villains. Will Sunset and her companion be able to save Equestria.
Sunset Shimmer gazes at the portal that was slowly revealing itself near the statue. She had so many memories of her time in this place. She slowly turns her head seeing the place that she once called home. It was funny because it wasn’t really her home, so much a school. She remembered the first time she came to the school, she was full of hatred and thirsted for power. She became the leader of the school by force and used others for her own personal gain. Sunset realized now that what she did was wrong. She was glad that Princess Twilight managed to see the good in her. She looked at the stone sign that was near the school.
Canterlot High….
Sunset sighed as she looked at the darkness that the windows gave Sunset. It was like it was abandoned, but it was after hours. A lot has transpired throughout the last five years since Sunset has first set foot in the school.
Sunset set her bag down for a moment and removed her jacket. She sat down for a few minutes to take in what she was doing and why she was leaving all this world’s wonders behind.
She looked back upon the memory of the human version of Twilight. How one misunderstanding was overtaking it? Eventually, Sunset Shimmer had bumped into another girl. One who looked exactly like her, however she was scared of her own shadow. The pony Sunset had just met her counter-part. If word got out that there were two Sunset Shimmers, then there would be questions. Sunset couldn’t allow the confusion to spread anymore. That was why she was leaving. Sunset knew she would miss this world and took in every moment she experinced.
“Sunset Shimmer wait” Sunset opened her eyes seeing that the voices were getting louder.
“Gees how did they find me” Sunset held her bag and jacket as she realized whose voice that was.
Suddenly, Sunset was tackled by the party planning queen, Pinkie Pie. Pinkie Pie was soon joined by her four friends. Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash. Pinkie was staring at Sunset Shimmer, who was down on the ground.
“You were going to leave us without saying goodbye” Pinkie felt she was on the verge of tears.
Sunset felt horrible. “No, I wasn’t. I just didn’t want you guys to think that I was ditching you for good”
“Look Sunset, don’t you think there is any other way to convince you to stay” Rainbow Dash said
“No Rainbow Dash” Sunset sighed “You know how weird it would be if Canterlot High had two Sunset Shimmers. It would throw everything out of whack”
“I guess we understand” Applejack took a moment as she took her hat off to think out the situation.
“Yes, I guess that would be weird” Fluttershy looked away for the moment.
“Just be careful Sunset and say hi to the other Pinkie Pie for me” Pinkie Pie giggled
Sunset peered at Pinkie Pie strangely before Sunset herself was hugged by the rest of the Mane Five minus Twilight.
“We’re really going to miss you, Sunset” Rarity sang as the group unhinged from Sunset Shimmer.
Sunset looked over at the portal in sadness then to her friends. Sunset wished she could stay longer. If it were up to her, then she would have stayed forever. This place made her feel like she belonged, yet she wasn’t going to risk the safety of this world. She sighed for a couple of minutes before walking into the portal.
“I hope she knows what she is doing” Rarity worried
“I am sure Twilight and her friends will be happy to see her” Rainbow Dash scoffed as she tried not to cry.
Sunset closed her eyes as she entered through the portal leading back into Equestria. She looked at her backpack, which turned into a saddle bag. Sunset Shimmer tried to take her first steps into Equestria, only to fall on her face. She groaned while she rubbed her face. She then looked at her hoof. “Oh yea, I am a unicorn again. Still need to get use to that”
Sunset struggled to regain control of her unicorn body. It was as if she was putting on an old pair of shoes. She had been so use to her human form that she forgot she originated from Equestria. She hoped that Twilight and her friends would have a warm welcome waiting for her.
“Hello, is anyone here?” Sunset exclaimed as she looked around trying to explore the hallways of Twilight’s castle.
Sunset saw many holes in the castle. “Maybe Twilight is remodeling. Twilight, are you around?”
As Sunset continued to explore the halls, she found evidence of larger holes and a fight that ensued. Sunset’s fear grew more as she saw the color of the sky wasn’t its normal blue color; it was more of a reddish orange.
“Hello, is anypony around?” Sunset traveled through the halls until she was able to find the entrance of the castle.
Sunset witnessed the horrors that were happening in Ponyville. Sunset used her magic to turn herself invisible to survey the situation.
“MOVE IT” a Changeling soldier roared “PUT YOUR BACKS INTO IT”
Sunset saw the horrors of Earth Ponies being in chains. Everypony that lacked wings or a unicorn horn were moving supplies along. Sunset Shimmer didn’t know what was going on. Where was Twilight and her friends, where were the Princesses? Sunset saw unicorns moving carts just like the Earth Ponies, however Sunset soon noticed a strange looking device on the head. The device was shaped like their horns as Sunset clearly saw. Upon further investigation, Sunset saw that the device inhibited unicorn of using their magic.
“This isn’t the world I once knew” Sunset said
“HEY, WHO IS THAT?” A Changeling guard quickly noticed the now visible Sunset Shimmer “Oh no”
“GET HER” A group of Changelings started to go after her.
The unicorn ran inside hoping to lose the Changelings that were slowly trying to capture the unicorn. Sunset hoped to have the upper hand, but due to her lack of practice with her magic, there was so little she could do.
“AHHHHHHHH” Sunset ran off seeing that she was at a dead end. “OH no no no no no no”
“We got you now, unicorn. Now surrender or we will get rough with you” One of the Changelings smiled
Sunset knew her ulimate decision. She would have to fight the changelings, but she would go out kicking and screaming. She lit up her horn with magic preparing to fight the changelings to her last breath.
Suddenly, the Changeling in the middle turned rogue in the form of him using his magic on his brothers and sisters. Sunset looked shocked as she saw the changeling fighting the others.
“What are you doing unit 426” The commander of the Changelings
“Like you said, I’m just following orders. Defeat my enemies so a new dawn would come to pass.” Unit 426 spoke before knocking out his commanding officer with his hoof.
Sunset stared at the Changeling for a moment before seeing he was offering his hand to her. “Look, I don’t have a lot of time to explain myself, so pleases come with me?”
The unicorn had some objectives about going with the Changeling, yet why would he knock out his squad. Sunset took his hoof as they began to go together as a team.
“WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE” A voice roared forward seeing a door had opened. Sunset and the Changeling both heard the voice of the creature. They then saw a stream of green fire staring to incinerate towards their path.
“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH” Sunset and the Changeling screamed before they moved away from the fire stream.
Why did I pick today to go back to Equestria? Sunset thought as she was confronted by a dragon. “Wait, a dragon? SPIKE, it’s me Sunset Shimmer”
Spike, who managed to come out of the room dressed in a red robe as he stood a bit taller than he once was. The Changeling looked at Sunset and Spike.
“Sunset Shimmer?” Spike trying to recognize her.
“It’s me alright” Sunset Shimmer smiled as she gave the dragon a hug. She knew he and this changeling would properly explain what has transpired since she was gone.
“Umm, can anyone explain to me why I am tied up to a chair?” The Changeling found himself bound to a chair as he stared at the dragon, who was glaring at him in total distain.
“You think I am going to trust you just like that, Changeling?” Spike growled looking at him. “I don’t trust anyone of you. This world has gone downhill and you bug creatures are to blame for this.”
“Just to correct you, I am only part bug.” The Changeling corrected him.
“Would you like to be a real firefly?” Spike threaten the Changeling, but Sunset Shimmer stopped Spike.
“Spike, he saved my life. I am sure he is entitled to some level of trust.” Sunset held her hoof out.
Spike looked at him, “He deserves to be in that chair. His kind played a role in the takeover of Equestria.”
“Spike, can you tell me what has happened?” Sunset looked at the dragon. She needed answers as to how her world has turned so rotten.
Spike looked at Sunset. A lot has happened since he last saw her. He wished he had her joy. His joy faded away when the takeover of Equestria took place. The dragon sighed as this would require a long winded explanation.
Every pony in Equestria was living in peace. There wasn’t anything really going on as far as war or an enemy that needed to be fought. I thought this peace would last forever, however that all changed one day.
What happened? Sunset looked at Spike. How was the peace in Equestria disturbed? She knew Equestria was far from perfect, but what type of creature could take it over in such a short period.
It was a group…..A group calling themselves the Council of Villains. They are a group that gathered together to take over this world. They were tired of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna’s rule. So, one pony gathered them all up to overthrown the world. They consisted of either ponies we have fought or allies to the hooded leader.
This leader gathered them together knowing full well that Equestria couldn’t prepare itself for the full on assault that this leader had planned.
This leader must have been crafty. This leader was so crafty as to attack Ponyville, Canterlot, Cloudsdale and the Crystal Empire all at the same time.
At the same time? Sunset Shimmer was shocked that the villains must have planned this whole event for years.
Let’s start with the Crystal Empire.
Spike used his fire to create a lifestyle model of the Crystal Empire. Sunset saw how this empire looked. Twilight described in her letters how amazing the Crystal Empire was and all its wonders. Sunset Shimmer never really got a good look at the city due to her last visit was more of taking Twilight’s crown and plotting a serious scheme against Equestria. Sunset saw the new Crystal Empire blanketed with snow and ice. She saw the crystal ponies moving a lot of crates and boxes. Sunset gasped seeing how dark the main castle was. It wasn’t the pure color that Twilight told her about. It was pure black and sinister looking.
“Sombra had returned to the Crystal Empire to invade it. Shining Armor and Princess Cadence did their best to thwart his plans, but Sombra had help with some cold hearted friends.” Spike said showing Sunset the image of Sombra’s forces.
“The Windigos,” Sunset recognizing the creatures from her time reading the tale of how the three pony tribes came together. She couldn’t believe those foul creatures of the northern wind returned to stir up trouble in the Crystal Empire.
“Shining Armor and the Princess couldn’t stand the cold. The Crystal Heart shattered before they could get it to a safe place. Twilight was devastated when she heard about the fall of the Crystal Empire.” Spike looked away remembering how painful Twilight’s cries were that day.
Spike told Sunset how Shining Armor tried to protect Princess Cadence, but Sombra easily ‘defeated’ Shining Armor. Sunset didn’t want to hear Spike go into it even more. Princess Cadence was sealed in a dark room by Sombra. He felt that she was much too valuable to simply destroy. The Crystal Empire was the first to fall, despite the simultaneous attack on the other cities.
Sunset Shimmer looked at Spike. She needed to hear what else she had in store. “Please continue.”
“Cloudsdale was the next to fall. Rainbow Dash was heartbroken to hear about it. The Pegasi had heard the plea from Canterlot, Ponyville and The Crystal Empire. The Wonderbolts were set to go, but something took them out of the skies; an attack that was accomplished by three waves of enemies. The first was the traitorous bat ponies lead by Vladmir Batonstein, Luna’s trusted general in the bat pony army. The second was the dragons, led by Diego. The last wave of attacks on Cloudsdale was a group similar to the Wonderbolts called the Shadowbolts.”
Sunset felt the weight of Cloudsdale’s grieve as it felt like she was hit with a ton of bricks. She saw the new Cloudsdale was many Pegasus bond in their homes. The Shadowbolts watched over the Pegasus, making sure all the Pegasi were kept in Cloudsdale. The unicorn noticed a ground of Pegasi being led by a few Shadowbolts into the mountains. She was curious as she looked at Spike, who didn’t want to talk about where the ponies were being led to.
“What’s that?” Sunset looked at the Pegasi.
“That’s for the dragons. They were offered compensation in their efforts of the invasion of Cloudsdale.” Spike looked at Sunset with hesitation.
“Why do the dragons need Pegasi for?” Sunset felt very confused.
“Let’s just say the Dragons don’t have to worry about starvation.” Spike shivered. He hated how his kind was using the ponies like their own personal kitchen.
Sunset held herself seeing older colts and mares were in the group. “Apparently, the leader of the Shadowbolts spared the younger ones and only took the weak and sick.”
Sunset shuttered and looked away as she recently learned the faces of those who went into the mountains. She felt terrible for these ponies that she had been away for so long. How many lives would she save if she had been in Equestria sooner?
“What of Canterlot and Ponyville? What happened to Twilight and the others?” Sunset growled. The unicorn knew that Twilight and her friends didn’t just sit there and do nothing.
“Canterlot was the next to go. The leader wanted to take care of the two royal sisters. This leader set Tirek free. The Centaur proceeded to absorb everypony that residing in Canterlot. I am not sure how the leader took out the two royal sisters, but Princess Celestia…..Princess Luna.”
Sunset Shimmer rushed over to Spike trying to comfort him. She could sense that Spike was heartbroken when the Princess Sisters fell in battle. She hugged him as she rapped her hooves around him. “It’s okay Spike. Just finish up. I want to learn what is happening here and how Canterlot looks.
Spike blew a flame revealing that Canterlot had a swirling cloud to it. It had looked darker than the Crystal Empire. Sunset looked over at Spike. She was hesitance to know how Ponyville was taken over. “….And…..Ponyville,”
Spike blew a flame showing that it was the same expect for the fact that it had been overrun with Changelings and machinery that Sunset Shimmer was curious about. “What is that?”
“Oh, the robot ponies,” Spike growled “Those machines are of the Flim-Flam Brother’s creation. They were invited into the group for the soul purpose of creating these monstrosities. To create beings that would do the work of ten ponies combine. They were also created as the police of the new Equestria. Most of them are stationed in Ponyville, but they could travel faster than any normal Pegasi.”
Sunset witnessed the machines and Changelings working together upon stopping a pony uprising. She gulped as she looked down at herself. How exactly was she going to take back Equestria with those things walking around. She was in over her head on this one.
“You don’t think we have tried getting our world back to the way it was. Many have tried in their attempted. Twilight and her friends hoped to make a return someday, but they were stopped upon their exit from Ponyville.”
“Spike, tell me what happened?” Sunset worried.
“An old friend of ours” Spike showed her broken shards of a ruby.
“The Dazzlings?” Sunset raised a brow “But, we stopped them in the mirror universe. How did they come back here?”
“It’s Dazzle” Spike corrected her. Sunset raised a brow while Spike broke it down for her. “Adaigo was the only one there. Aria and Sonata didn’t go with her for some reason. She was the one who captured Twilight and her friends. I am not sure where they are now. I am sure this leader of theirs would have destroyed them.”
Sunset stared down. She couldn’t believe this was all going on under her nose. “How long has this been going on? How long have I been away?”
“It’s been three years since this has happened. Three years and no hope have come to Equestria’s dawn. There is nothing much I could do at this point. I am the last member left of the resistance. Everypony has either surrendered or failed in their attempts to bring back the world long lost.” Spike looked down.
“Twlight….” Sunset spoke softly. “I am sorry, I wasn’t there to save you or everypony we knew.”
Sunset glared as she turned around. Her horn lit up seeing the Changeling pulled to her. “This is your fault. WHY WHY WHY COULD YOU HAVE LET ME HAVE MY MOMENT OF PEACE. WHY DID YOU TAKE IT AWAY”
Spike looked at Sunset and then at the Changeling, who was hesitating on answering Sunset’s questions. The unicorn saw no point upon getting mad at him. She put him down and walked away to let out some steam.
“Sunset, I may not understand what you are going through.” The Changeling used his magic to break out of the bind. He walked over towards her. “But, I understand why you are angry.”
“You…..HAVE” Spike was about to chastise the Changeling, only to have his body sent flying a few inches away as the Changeling looked at her.
“I decided to betray my Changeling kind because I don’t want to live this way anymore.” the Changeling spoke. Sunset and Spike were shocked by his statement.
“I have lived under this world over a few years now. I liked it before the change, before millions of Changelings had to give their lives to enslave the ponies. I was told by our queen that we would have a large room of land where the Changeling army would roam free. I didn’t think we would enslave these ponies in this way. I saw foals being taken away from their parents, foals that don’t have parents anymore, foals that blame us for infecting the world with our greed.” The Changeling stomped around. “I just wanted the Changelings to live in peace with the ponies. Everything would be equal between us. No more hate, no more war, no more battles to be fought and no more lives would have to be sacrificed. Just live in a world where Changelings and Ponies could coexist together.”
The Changeling continued. “Much like you two, I want this world to change to what it uses to be, where ponies roamed free. I didn’t want all this war and death. So, I will glad to betray my own brothers and sisters for this.” The Changeling lowered himself to the ground and cried his eyes out. Sunset looked at Spike, she felt kind of bad that she grilled on him for what his kind did to the ponies.
“Hey hey, no need to cry, we both can think of a plan of stopping this ‘Council of Villains’,” Sunset pulled Spike and the Changeling to her. “We just need to stick together and hopefully we can return the world to the way it was. It will just be me, Spike and…….”
Sunset hesitated when she looked over to the Changeling. “I didn’t catch your name”
“Oh I am Changeling grunt number 2746194….” The Changeling went on and on about what number he was.
“Can we just call you something shorter?” Both Sunset and Spike deadpanned. They didn’t feel like remembering the long name that the Changeling was giving them. They needed a shorter name to call him. Sunset was sure this creature had a name.
“Ummm, I really like my name to be Blue Jay. Like the pet robin I had when I was just a little hatching.” Sunset and Spike stared at the Changeling who was smiling about the pet robin he had named Bluejay. "It was too bad that alligator was hungry for lunch."
“Well, Spike and Bluejay, together, we will stop these villains and take back Equestria together.”
Spike looked over at her. “How exactly are we supposed to do that?”
Sunset still looked optimistically with a smile upon her face. “I have no idea”
A lone unicorn races to the throne room of his master. His master told him to report whenever an anomaly happened in Equestria. Such an anomaly was sensed in Ponyville. The unicorn felt it was time for him to tell his master on his recent discovery.
“My lord, there has been a strange presence that I picked up. You told me to inform you whenever I picked up on something strange anywhere in Equestria.” The unicorn bowed before his master.
The cloaked villain smirked as he turns around not revealing the true nature of what it was. “You were right to come here. I too felt the strange disturbance. Tell me more about this anomaly?”
“Yes, my lord. It came from Ponyville. The source came from the castle of Twilight Sparkle. It didn’t tell me what exactly it was. We believe some ponies or beings might be taking residence in the castle.”
“Tell that Changeling Queen to swarm the castle. I want nothing of that castle to be remaining.” The villain roared
“Yes, your majesty.” The unicorn bowed his head before racing to his position to give one of the generals the orders from the leader.
“Hmmmmm, I wonder who is returning to dethrone me? It doesn’t matter. They will soon be captured and it won’t matter.”
“There is no pony in this land that will stop my reign.” The villain grinned and started to laugh maniacally.