> Supernova
>  by NightCoreMoon
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Prologue: Twilight Snaps
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

/x/x/x/

“And when I destroy this scroll,” Starlight Glimmer growled. “There'll be no way for you to change it!”

As the unicorn tore the parchment in half, severing it completely, Twilight felt her heart sink, plummeting into the depths of her stomach. Still, one last smoldering ember of hope remained that she could still be reached. Spike clung to her back, offering a sympathetic squeeze.

“Starlight, you're right!” Twilight pleaded, stepping closer. “I don't know what you went through! But I do know you can't do this! I've seen where this leads, and so have you!”

“I only saw what you showed me!” Starlight snapped, turning towards the race. “Who knows what'll really happen?”

“I've seen it a dozen times!” Twilight replied, fighting the urge to prepare a lethal magic blast. Her horn was stayed by her desire to find the spark of goddess inherent in every pony, even the ones who have committed grave atrocities, somewhere deep inside of them. “Things don't turn out well in Equestria without my friends!”

Starlight said nothing to this. She merely stood there, watching the race as a cone formed in front of the young Rainbow Dash. The wind gently rustled her mane, and she looked pensive for a moment, as if reconsidering. But then her face darkened, and her horn began to glow.

“Equestria will manage.” She said, before blasting Rainbow out of the sky.

“NO!” Twilight screamed, tackling her. But it was too late. Rainbow’s back legs could be seen almost comically sticking out of a nearby cloud if not for the context. The trio fell through the sky.

“What have you done!?” Twilight shrieked, heart tearing into pieces. Spike clung to her neck and screamed as they fell.

“I took away your friends!” Starlight gloated. “And your cutie marks!”

“You don't even fully grasp just how badly you just ruined everything!” Twilight screamed, rage fueling her. She angled her wings to fall parallel to the grinning unicorn. “That rainboom did so much more than just give us out marks, it gave me Spike!”

Starlight’s smile faded into a look of pure confusion. “What?”

“I never would have hatched Spike!” Twilight growled through grit teeth, angling closer to Starlight. “The shock of feeling the rainboom happen caused a surge of magic that made me hatch a dragon egg at my entrance exam, right now. Right now I'm failing the exam! I could drag you there and show you.”

“I didn't know...” Starlight’s face visibly paled. “I didn't know!”

“You never bucking asked me!” Twilight cursed, tears streaming upwards with the current. “The first thing Celestia ever had me do when I got into the school was was take care of Spike! That's how we met! That's how he joined my family!”

The ground was now rapidly approaching.

“Why didn't you just lead with that!?” Starlight exclaimed, horn beginning to glow. “Ripping a family apart is way worse than-”

“Worse than what?” Twilight cut her off, vitriol and bitterness dropping off her teeth. “Ripping a friendship apart? Enslaving ponies in a cult? Kidnapping and brainwashing and psychological torture? I didn't think I had to play the family card to reach you, you... you psychopath!” She spit the last word, before smacking Starlight with her hoof.

A moment later she teleported, a teal snap replacing her in the air, reappearing a split second later on the ground. Twilight closed her eyes and teleported herself, reappearing right next to the unicorn, who was rolling her jaw.

“I thought maybe you would listen to reason!” Twilight roared. “I thought you were just a sad and misunderstood filly who had a rational and logical reasoning behind your slow descent into a tyrant. I thought I could help you, shape you, reform you like I did with my friends and I for Nightmare Moon.”

Starlight’s eyes widened. “Wait, that was you?”

“Of course it was us, you ignorant tunnel minded fool!” Twilight glared at her with the anger of a thousand suns. “Like Fluttershy did with Discord. Like I did with Sunset Shimmer. I thought you weren’t evil to the same degree that Queen Chrysalis and the Sirens and Lord Tirek are.” Twilight trembled with pure unbridled fury. “But I guess I was wrong.”

“I'll fix it then!” Starlight pleaded. “I could find the pieces of the scroll and-”

“You had better,” Twilight threatened, stalking towards her. “Or else I don't know just what I'll do to you.”

“You should have told me you stopped Nightmare Moon!” Starlight argued, defensively. “And Tirek... and the lord of chaos... and the changeling queen. You never told me that your friends did all of that.”

“Its national news, you ignorant idiot!” Twilight cried, flinging her hoof to the side. “But obviously cutting contact with the outside world was your biggest thing during your fascist regime. But were you too blind and driven by retaliation after we took you down to look at any newspaper at all?”

“I was upset!” Starlight exclaimed. “I grew up alone and friendless, and I finally had something good in my life, and you all ruined it!”

“The map sent us! Your actions forced the hoof of the Elements of Harmony. It wasn't my fault that you were doing something evil and wrong and your actions caught up to you and you had to face the consequences of holding an entire town hostage.”

Starlight shuddered. “I'm sorry-”

“Save your apologies for when you fix this. Come on, Spike, let's go speak to Princess Celestia. She can help us...” Twilight turned around to see Spike hunched over on the ground, grabbing at his stomach. His scales emanated golden dust, and he was crying.

“Spike!?” Twilight cried, galloping to his side. “Spike, what’s happening?”

“Twilight? I...” he gulped. “I don't feel so good.”

“Spike, everything's going to be fine!” Twilight lied, adrenaline coursing through her veins. Her heart pumped heavily, but felt it as if it was inside another pony’s body. Her own words felt hollow leaving her mouth, echoing in her ears. “Celestia will fix this, she’ll know what to do!”

Spike crawled into Twilight’s awaiting forelegs, face twisting and contorting in pain. He placed his head to her chest and started to sob. “It hurts...”

“I know, Spike...” she whispered, holding him close. Her tears slipped down her fur and onto his head. “But the pain will be all over soon, okay?”

He gently nodded, grip weakening. Twilight began to be able to see through him, so she clenched her eyes shut.

“I don't wanna go...” he murmured, sobs slowly ceasing. His grip failed entirely, and he simply fell against her.

“I know.”

After a few more moments, he said one more thing before dissipating entirely.

“I love you... Twilight.”

And then he was gone.

Twilight opened her eyes and frantically scrambled her legs around.

“Spike!” She called, voice shaking, eyes searching the forest around her. “Spike, come back!”

Bile rose up in the back of her throat as the truth tried to settle in, but she refused it.

“I love you too!” She called, pulse slowing to a crawl. Each beat of her heart shook in her ribs like an earthquake, dizzying her, throwing her equilibrium completely off.

“I love you, I love you, I love... please come back.”

She fell to the ground, vibrating with sobs.

“Spike, please. Please come back.”

In her mind flashed all of the images and memories she had of the baby dragon. Hatching him, naming him, reading to him, living with him, studying with him, the first day they were in Ponyville together, their adventures over the course of their life here...

“Please.” She croaked. “Come back.”

In her subconscious mind she knew the dangers of time magic abuse. Destroying the timeline one experiences themselves will eventually cause them to fade away. This was all in the theoretical physics books written by Professor Sugar Cane, a colleague of hers in Canterlot.

She knew it was only a short matter of time before Spike would be gone. But she didn't realize it until it was much too late.

“I love you...”

It would be impossible to tell exactly when Twilight snapped. Whether it was the moment the scroll was torn, the moment Rainbow’s destiny was stolen, seeing Spike disintegrating, feeling him disappear, or hearing That Voice, it didn't matter.

They were all dead anyway.

“Twilight, I-” Starlight began. However, whatever the rest of the sentence was going to be was cut off by being tackled, then she found she could no longer say anything as two large blunt objects were being pressed into her throat.

Twilight’s eyes showed no emotions whatsoever. Her hair was an unkempt mess, and a stream of constant tears soaked the fur on her face. She glared down, a shadow from her bangs passing down over her face. Her jaw was clenched, but her mouth was closed.

Starlight’s eyes tracked down the alicorn; her wings were aflare, agitated. She followed Twilight’s forelegs down to just out of her own line of sight underneath her muzzle. She also realized she could no longer breathe.

She tried to move the hooves choking her, but to no avail. Twilight now had the strength of the earth ponies, after all. Starlight began to punch Twilight’s legs, aiming for the weak points. But alas, even the weak points were too strong.

Considering the oxygen to her brain was cut off, one could forgive Starlight for being slow on the uptake for realizing she could use magic. Quickly she let off a quick blast into Twilight’s face, and took a deep inhale.

“What are you-”

She was cut off again by blunt force trauma, this time to the forehead. But more specifically to a specific part of her forehead. Before Starlight could realize what had happened, she felt it again.

And again.

And again.

And then finally she put it together that she was being hit in the forehead by Twilight’s hooves.

She felt her head get battered to either side as the strikes came in from different angles. A jolt of electricity shot through her body, which could only mean one thing.

“My- horn- crazy- bitch!”

She sputtered between punches. She stopped feeling each hit, growing numb to the sensation. Eventually she grew too weak and dazed to do anything other than lay her head to the side. After a few moments that felt like hours, Starlight watched as a pale pink horn went flying off into the trees.

Logically she assumed it was her own.

Once this was done, the pressure on her neck resumed. Starlight didn't fight back.

“This is for Rainbow Dash,” she heard, echoing. The fluid that began pooling into her mouth from her nose tasted strongly of copper, and was the only thing primarily occupying her brain.

“This is for Applejack.”

Starlight was vaguely aware of one of her legs being broken. The feeling was strange, but not painful.

“This is for Fluttershy... this is for Rarity...” as the voice continued, more of her limbs were broken, the bones shattering into pieces. “This is for Pinkie Pie... this is for Sunset...”

A spiderweb pattern of bright lights appeared in Starlight’s vision. A blood red circle surrounded it, the blackness of the edges of her vision closing in, obscuring everything. And then she was no more.

“And this is for Spike.”

Twilight violently yanked on her hooves, breaking Starlight’s neck in the process.

Twilight stared down at the broken, lifeless body before her for only a moment before turning to take off in the direction of Canterlot. She stumbled once, faceplanting onto the ground, but got right back up and resumed her journey.

She wasn't in control. Nothing felt real. Spike was gone. Starlight was gone. Her friends were gone. Everything was meaningless. The Elements... if Equestria needed a new destiny, they needed a new hope.

Sunset Shimmer.

Sunset could be that hope.

If only Twilight could make it in time to change anything.

/x/x/x/

Celestia took a sip of tea.

“You want me to do what, now?”

The Princess looked across the table at her star pupil. She levitated her cup back to its saucer, and placed upon the doily. She contemplated which cake to partake in next, but ultimately decided on a cucumber sandwich instead. After all, she had a figure to watch.

“I want you,” she said, cautiously, and between bites. “To abandon your studies for the time being. And.” She sternly interjected, holding the last piece of her sandwich up, stifling the protest. “I want you to read some tomes from the forbidden library.”

A moment of silence hung thick in the air.

“We... have a forbidden library?”

Celestia popped the last bite into her mouth and winked.

“There are a lot more ancient mysteries in this castle than just that mirror you keep harping on me about, Sunset Shimmer.”

Sunset’s jaw hung low as her eyes unfocused. After a moment she shook her head back and forth before eyeing her mentor with suspicion.

“What kind of tomes...”

Celestia sighed and looked out the window. “I'm sure that you're familiar with the Legend of Nightmare Moon?”

Sunset shrugged. “Yeah, I was a little filly once. I had a childhood filled with nightmares about the evil mare in the moon. And I know the song... She’s living in the past but you won’t last without the proper care...”

Celestia nodded and completed the lyric. “With a royal farewell, and an animate spell, you won't have long to prepare.”

“Wow, I... didn't know you listened to pop music.”

“I govern over the entirety of the equine populated regions of Equestria. Pop music finds its way to me. It might even intrigue you to know that I also fancy the Fifty Shades of Hay trilogy.”

Sunset snorted before covering her mouth and drawing back up. She let out a small apology.

“Anyway,” Celestia continued, looking back to her charge. “Back to books, there are a few things that you must know within the next few years. As you know, the Summer Sun Celebration is coming up. Nine hundred ninety-”

“Does it have to do with the millennial festival?” Sunset asked, excitedly leaning forward in her chair. With too much gusto, unfortunately, as she nearly went careening forward into the table. With a quick spell to level the chair she found herself back on level ground, grinning sheepishly.

Celestia gave her a melancholic smile. “There are many things I will have to ask of you in the coming years. And while I cannot speak of the mirror, out of matters for national security and magics great and powerful hailing back to my own mentor, Star Swirl the Bearded... I do entrust you with tasks far more important.”

Sunset’s pride swelled, as did her awestruck grin. “Yes, Princess!” She said, clapping her hooves together. “Right away, where should I begin!?”

As Celestia drew in a breath, something crashed in through a window, landing in a heap near the table.

Sunset had jumped down in front of Celestia, lowered and with a magic blast ready to fire. She was ready to go before the figure stood up and extended her wings. Half of her facial fur was charred completely black, contrasting the pale lavender of the rest of her coat.

“An alicorn!” Sunset breathed, standing fully.

Celestia breezed past her, rapidly approaching the newcomer. She froze in her tracks, however, as she saw golden dust emanating from this pony’s fur.

“Explain,” Celestia said, sitting down, trying to ignore the bloodstains on the alicorn’s hooves. “Please.”

“I'm Twilight Sparkle...” she said, voice devoid of emotion. “In another timeline, I controlled the Element of Magic, alongside my friends Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie on the rest of the Elements of Harmony. We stopped Nightmare Moon, Discord, Queen Chrysalis, Lord Sombra, Sunset Shimmer, and Lord Tirek. Luna was reformed by the Elements. Discord was eventually reformed by Fluttershy. Chrysalis kidnapped and impersonated Cadance- uh, Mi Amore Cadenza. Sombra was forced to be destroyed. Sunset went through the mirror against your wishes and attempted to take over the world and Equestria but was stopped by my friendship and becomes an ally to Equestria. Tirek successfully convinces Discord to help him but betrays him, all of the Princesses transferred their power to me and I defeated him. Wait... I became the Princess of Magic after completing Star Swirl the Bearded’s unfinished spell then building on it to undo it because it switched the destinies of all of my friends. The reason my friends and I control the Elements of Harmony is because a few minutes ago Rainbow Dash in Cloudsdale was supposed to perform a sonic rainboom that gave my younger self a boost that hatched the dragon egg. I named him Spike. Rainbow is loyalty, and she desires to be a Wonderbolt. Applejack is in Fillydelphia but her family is in Ponyville and her destiny is as a farmer, she’s honesty. Rarity is in Ponyville and she’s generosity and her destiny is as a seamstress. Fluttershy is in the forest below Cloudsdale and she’s kindness and she takes care of animals, Pinkie Pie is on the rock farm in the San Palomino desert and she’s laughter and her destiny it to make ponies happy. There's a unicorn in Sire’s Hollow who forms a cult and steals the cutie marks of ponies, she’s the strongest unicorn I've ever met, named Starlight Glimmer, and she is responsible for stopping all of this from happening because my friends and I stopped her. Hi Sunset, you don't know me but I know you, and please don't give up on friendship. But Princess, in the mirror is another world of bipedal creatures called humans, and it's Sunset’s destiny to go inside and befriend the counterparts of me and my own friends and stopping the dark magic within, such as the Sirens who have been trapped there since Star Swirl banished them. There isn't anything else I can tell you other than it’s been an honor serving you on behalf of all of Equestria...”

Twilight saluted as her wings slowly disintegrated.

Celestia stepped to her and pulled her close to her own chest, silently weeping.

“Thank you for your service, Twilight Sparkle...”

Sunset stepped to the side of both of them, placing her hooves on their shoulders. She was confused but willing to offer support.

“I killed the Starlight from my world...” Twilight confessed, resolve cracking. “I watched my Spike fade away and... and I just lost it...”

“It's okay,” Celestia soothed. “Your sorrow and anguish is understandable... and I'm sure that by now you know that I've done equally terrible things, if not much more so.”

Twilight then began sobbing, latching firmly onto Celestia as her body became translucent.

“Where will I go!?” She wailed. “Will I go to Tartarus? Will I just disappear? Will I get to see my Spike again? My Shining? My Cadance? My Rainbow, my Applejack, my Rarity, my Fluttershy, my Pinkie... my Sunset?” She was blubbering and sniffling, choking on her own tears, and otherwise falling completely apart. “My mommy and my daddy, my Luna, my you?”

Celestia kissed the top of her head. “I'm sorry, my little pony, but... I don't know.” she whispered.

Twilight’s rear legs began to disappear.

“Can't you save me?” She pleaded, clutching tightly.

“Time magic is beyond me...” Celestia tried to rub her back but found that she could no longer make any physical contact with Twilight. “But I can stay with you until the end.”

Twilight nodded, only having the front half of her body visible.

“I wasn't ready to die...”

“None ever are,” Celestia said. “And even fewer expect it.”

Twilight opened her eyes and looked to Sunset, who was crying herself.

“You are so much more than you will ever give yourself credit for,” she said, forelegs fading out of view. “And Sunset, I... I never had a chance to say it but I loved y-”

/x/x/x/

“-ou...”

Twilight blinked and looked around the vast empty darkness surrounding her.

“Hello!?” She called.

The sound echoed.

“Spike?” She asked.

“Y̵̛̛ǫ̷̛u̡͟͠͝r̴̶̀͢͡ ̕͞t̕͞͞i͏̴̢̧̡m͝͏è͟͠ ̨͠h̢̧̀͠a̡̢̛͝ş̶͘̕͟ ̢͟n͏o҉̀͟t͏̀͞ ҉̴͞ỳ̡̛͘͜e̴̵͜͠t̡́͜ ̨͟c̵͝o͡͞͡͝m̷̨͜é͞͏,̸͟ ̨̛͞m̴̵͢͢y̵̴͠ ̷̵͘͞ć̴̡͞͏h̷̸͜͏i̢̨͜͟͟l̕͜͠d̴͡.̸̕̕͘”

Twilight snapped her head around as the disembodied voice came from everywhere and nowhere at once.

“Who are you?”

“I҉̷ ̢͠a̸͟m̴̡ ̨͢҉t͟h̶é͜ o͏̶̧ń̸͞e̴͞͡ ̴͝͝w͏h͢o ̶̢c̸ŗ̡͘e҉̴a̕t̶e͜͜͞d̷́ th̀͜ę͟͟ ̴̛͟w̶ór̡l҉͝d.̵̀͠ ̴̡̢T̸͏͞h̡ę҉ á͠͞l̡͟p̴͠h͏͝a ҉̀͜ą͠n͠d ̷͟t̷̀̕he̕҉͡ o͞m̕e̷ģá.͝ ̵͡҉T̛͟͝h̴̛e̵̡ ͠u̡̕͝n̕d͜y͘in̢҉g ҉̡m̴o̡͡r̢̢t͏̡al͟͢͡.͘͡ ̷Th̡́͢e͏͠ ̵͢i͏ń̶̡f̕͜i̸n͜͟i̵̢t̷̷͞e̵҉.̧́͝ ́͜Í ̷͝a̢̨͜m̢ ͠͠aļl ̸͏͢a̕͢n̷̢̡d̶ ͘͝no̵҉t͟hi͞ng̴̴̸.͏͞ ̡͏Į͢͟ ̡̀a̸͘m̕ ̧t̷͝he ͟o̸͟ne͟ ̧͟wh͝o̕ c͞r̢̛e͟͞a͘t̕e̴d̴́҉ ̢͞ý͢͜o̶͝u̶. ̸͢͢A̴͞nd́ ҉Ì̶ ̵͟h̢a͏vę p҉̸l͏̡a͜n͟s̨ ̴̸͘f͠ó̧҉r̷͟ ͟͏̸y̕͜o̸̸͟u̸ y̴͢͞e̡̡͞t.͢͡”

Twilight swallowed, but her heartbeat still remained firmly in her throat.

“What do you want me to do?”

No answer.

“...hello?”

“S̡͠l̸̛e̛҉ȩ̴p̸̨.͟ ̵͏Y͝ơ͠ú̷ ͝ha̡̢͟v̨͢͠e͢ h́a͘d̨ ͝a̴͜ ́͜p̵̸h́y̸̴͝s̴͞͝i̷ca҉̀l̨͘l̵҉y̸͡ ̨͏a͠nd̡͠ e͘͡m̢̀́ot̶̨͜i̛͟on̛a̶l͢͝l͏͘͠y̸͞ ̕͜e̴x͠h̨̕a̵̸u̧s̀͢t͡i̢n̵ģ̶͢ ͞d͏̴a͝ý̕͞.̴̛ ̨͢S̸̶̡l҉͝ee͏p͢,̨ ͟a͜n̷͘͠d̛ ͟͝͞r̴̶͟e̶g̡͏a̷̛iņ͝͠ ͏y̵o̷̕͠uŕ͟͞ l͢ǫ̶s̸̛t͡҉ ̀͢s̡̀t̶̀r͏e͢ng͝t̡h̶͢.̵̵͟ ̀I̡͢ ҉̶w̴i͟͠͝l͘l̴̕ ͢͟͡è͟n͏̵́ş͜ur̵̀ȩ͞ ͘͡y͞o̴̵͞ú̧͞r̸̶͞ ̶d͞r̶͟è̢́a͏̵m̸͝s̴͘ ̵̷̵ą̵r͠ȩ ̧҉p̡͘͏lȩ͢a̧sant́.̷̶ ͝͞F̸o̢r̷͜͠ ̧͢wh̨͘҉è̴̷n̷̛͞ ̴͘͟y̕͞oú̵͜ a̴͜͡w͢a̷k̷͘͟e̛n҉̡͞,̢̧̀ ̨̢th̡͟͞e̶̡r̛e̶ ̛w͏́i̸̸̢ll̛ ͟͟b̵̶e͢ ̷͜mu͟҉͢c͢h͘͝ ͟f̴͜o҉͢r̵͜͏ ̡͘͞y̴̕͞o̧u̶̧͝ ͏́t͡ò̢ ̷̀d͠ǫ̡.̸ ̶̸B̛ut͠ ́f̢r̴̨e҉t ̴n̢o̕t,̨̡̕ ̸͞l̀́it̢̨tl͘e҉҉ ̕͟͡ǫ̛͜n҉͠e͠.̵́͠ ̕͢͡Y̡̧͝o͟u͜͞ ͟w̴̕͝i̧͢l̡ĺ͟͠ ̧͠be͝ ̛ha̵p̧̧͢p̴̴y ̶̷a̛g̸ai͟͞n͟.̷ I̶͟ p͜r̀o̵͠m͏̕ì͝se̛͢ ͏̡y͞o̴͝ù̢̡ ̛͡ţ́ha̵̢t̡͝.͢͠”

Twilight pursed her lips before sighing.

“Okay...” she said.

A second passed. A century passed. Two millennia passed. One thirtysecond of a millisecond passed. Twilight couldn't tell. But eventually she did fall asleep.

And when she woke up, Spike was there to greet her.

...well, sort of.

/x/x/x/

Celestia took a sip of her tea.

Sunset ate a cucumber sandwich.

Celestia sighed. “Well,” she began. “I suppose this means that Operation Supernova has officially begun.”

Sunset somberly nodded and sipped her own tea.

“So, uh...” she began, cautiously. “About that mirror-”

“Drink your tea, Sunset.”

She did as commanded. Still, Sunset couldn't shake the alicorn’s words. She said it herself, destiny dictated that she belonged in that mirror. And by Celestia she would do it. Eventually. She just had to play her cards right...

/x/x/x/
> Chapter 1: New Beginnings
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

/x/x/x/

“Hey, uh... Klutz- er... Butter...shy?” Cried a tiny pegasus filly with rainbow-colored hair. “Or uh... Flutter...fly? Shutterby? Yellow coated pink haired filly! Hellooo~!”

She buzzed along through the forest, grumbling about her loss in the race and the fact that Hoops refused to acknowledge that bolt of magic. She was more concerned about the whereabouts of the young filly who started the whole race thing, but only by a slight margin.

“Hey, please don't be dead!” She called before slumping her shoulders and sighing, buzzing wings propelling her forward. “Oh man, mom is gonna kill me if you're dead... and then dad’s gonna bring me back and then kill me again. And then your parents are gonna want a piece of The Dash too.”

Out of the corner of her eye she could see a golden glow off in the trees. She gasped and proceeded to glide towards it, hoping it was that little filly. Or- even better- something totally super awesome!

By the time she made it into the clearing, the glow had dissipated, leaving only some thick and vibrant dust. Weirdly enough it was roughly in the shape of a pony laying down, but it quickly settled.

“Aw man...” she muttered, crossing her forelegs.

“Shhh. It's okay...” Came a quiet and timid voice. “You can come out... Everything's okay... There's nothing to be afraid of.”

“Oh thank Celestia,” she muttered to herself as she sought the source of the voice. Her search was short as through two of the trees, there sat the missing yellow filly, surrounded by some birds, rodents, and... weird bug things with pretty wings. Rainbow briefly shook her head to either side. They were weird bug things with colorful wings. There, that was cooler.

“Rainbow Dash?” She asked, standing up as the animals suddenly huddled behind her. “Is that you?”

Rainbow blinked and fluttered over, gingerly landing on the ground. Typically she reveled in attention but the peers, leers, and jeers from the animals were... unnerving, to say the least.

“The one and only!” She answered with a flourish, though slightly halted. “I'm, uh... heh... sorry about knockin’ ya down here. Thrill of the race and all.”

“Oh, it's okay,” she answered, before turning to address the animals. “She's a friend, you don't have to be afraid of her. She's nice.”

“Whoa!” Rainbow yelled, surprised. “Did you just get your cutie mark!?”

“What?” She asked, before looking down to see her flank’s new decoration. “Oh my goodness! My cutie mark! Yay!” She jumped up and down in glee, her smile so large her eyes were closed.

“So what happened?” Rainbow asked, excitedly leaning in. Her wings flared out. “What’d ya do?”

“Oh, I didn't really do much,” she murmured, blushing slightly. “All the animals just got scared of a flash of golden light, and when it was gone I told them it would be okay. And, um... I think they understand me.”

“‘Didn't do much’?” Rainbow quoted, jumping in place. “Talking to animals is, like, the coolest superpower ever!”

The blush deepened as the filly looked back at Rainbow under the veil of her hair. “Thank you, Rainbow...”

“And also that means you're the youngest filly in camp to have her cutie mark. You're gonna be the most popular pegasus around! Heh,” she flipped her mane. “Besides me, of course.”

“Oh, most popular?” She shrunk back at that. “Oh, I don't know about that... I hope not.”

“Why not?” Rainbow asked. “That would be super cool!”

“Oh, I'm sure it might be for you, but for me... it sounds scary. All those other ponies looking at me, talking to me... acknowledging my existence... eep.”

Rainbow stepped over and slung her foreleg around the filly’s shoulders. “If you don't want the spotlight, I’d be more than happy to take it off your hooves.” She swiped her other hoof as if she were an equipology teacher pointing out a giant ancient historical landmark of great significance. “The Dash and The... um...” she blinked. “The... what nickname do you want?”

The filly looked down at the ground. “My name is Fluttershy, by the way...”

“I knew that!”

Fluttershy looked at Rainbow in a way that clearly indicated she could tell that was a lie.

“Alright fine, I only know what the bullies call you,” Rainbow admitted, rubbing the back of her head. “But I'm not gonna call you that because those guys are a bunch of jerks. Look, don't tell anypony else this, but... a while ago, I was once the slowest flier in the competitive circuit.”

Fluttershy gasped. “But you're so fast!”

“Only because my parents are so supportive. And very loud. And a little annoying but they mean well. And also I’ve got the work ethic and drive to be the best. And I'm pretty aerodynamic...” Rainbow trailed off before adopting a more prideful stance. “But anyway, I had to work my flank off to climb my way to the top. So I know that potential is there for anypony who wants it hard enough. So being mean to those who are slow isn't cool, and it won't help them be better fliers themselves. Hoops, and Dumbbell, and Score, they’re all just jerks who only care about themselves. They didn't even check to make sure you were okay after the race!”

“Oh, yeah!” Fluttershy said, gasping in realization. “Who won the race?”

Rainbow sighed and laid down on the ground. “I don't know or care, I lost. Some magic bolt shot out at me and knocked me out of the sky.”

“Oh, I’m sorry...”

Rainbow shrugged. “Don't be. Not like it was your fault.” She stood back up and stretched out her shoulders, flapping her wings. “Besides, I don't need to beat them in a race to prove that I'm the best. All that matters to me right now is that you're safe... how did that happen, by the way?” She asked, looking up at the clouds. “That was a really long fall.”

Fluttershy grinned as some of the weird bugs came out in a cloud around her. “They saved me.”

Rainbow blinked. “O...kay?”

Fluttershy put a hoof out and one of them landed gently on it. “I don't know what they're called, but they're just lovely, and so beautiful.”

Rainbow glanced at Fluttershy’s flank. “And they’re on your cutie mark, too. When we get back I'll help you figure out what those are called. Even though I hate reading.”

“I would appreciate that, Rainbow,” Fluttershy said with a warm smile. She closed her eyes and turned her head to the side, giggling lightly. “I feel these creatures will be very important to me in the future.”

Rainbow blushed slightly before turning away. “Yeah, yeah... it's not like I like them or anything. I just figure that now that we’re friends I should do stuff you like even if I might not like it. Just as soon as we get back.”

Fluttershy’s face froze. “Oh...”

Rainbow looked at her, then up, then back at her, then up again.

“Oh, right, that's... gonna be tough for you.”

Fluttershy sat on her haunches. “I’m sorry.”

“Don't be,” Rainbow said, shrugging. “I’ll carry you.”

“Can you do that?”

Rainbow strode over and bent down. “I’ll try.”

Fluttershy tentatively put a hoof out, and draped herself over Rainbow’s back. This threw her off balance and the two toppled over in a heap on the ground.

“Okay, that won't work...” Rainbow grunted, righting herself. She put a hoof out and pulled Fluttershy up. “Aw man, this is rough.”

“I can stay right here while you go back up and get help from a grown-up,” Fluttershy offered. “If you're okay with that.”

“I'm not leaving you alone down here,” Rainbow said, literally putting her hoof down. “We either go together or I don't go at all.”

“Then what do we do?”

Rainbow put a hoof to her mouth in though. “Well, we could walk to the west of here until we find the reservoir. My dad works there, and he can make sure we get back to camp safe.”

“You'd do that for me?” Fluttershy asked.

“Sure, why not?” Rainbow asked. “I can’t really leave you alone here without feeling bad for abandoning you, and I never abandon a friend.”

Suddenly a quick shadow flashed above their heads, and all of the animals ran off.

“What was that?” Fluttershy asked, cowering.

Rainbow stepped forward and flared her wings out. “Who’s there!?” She cried. “I know altai-kwan-do!”

A figure dived out of the treetops and into the ground, wings flaring out much larger and wider than Rainbow’s own. Same blue color, though. The mysterious figure stood up; he was a pony, clearly a pegasus, and he wore a long white silk scarf.

Rainbow gasped. “Wind Rider!?”

His long, sleek, jet-black mane flowed behind him as he flashed her a shining smile.

“The one and only,” he said, bowing and giving her a wink. His voice was rough and rugged, like hot coffee flavored with butterscotch. “And who might you two adorable little fillies be?”

“I'm Rainbow Dash!” She cried, jumping in place. Her eyes were full of stars.

“And I’m... um... Fluttershy...”

“I’m sorry,” he said, bowing his head apologetically. “I... didn't quite catch that.”

“She’s Fluttershy,” Rainbow said. “She’s... shy.”

“Aw, that's okay,” Rider said, stepping over to her and lowering his head to the ground. “I ain't gonna bite ya, sugarplum.” He leaned back up and proudly displayed a silver badge on his chest. “I work for Princess Celestia herself. Equestrian Black Ops, second division. You can trust me.”

Rainbow’s jaw dropped. “So...awesome!!!”

Fluttershy stood up and inched closer to Rainbow. “Not that I’m not glad to see a grownup right now,” she said, suspiciously. “But it's awfully convenient that you showed up right when we needed a big pony. What brings you to this part of the forest?”

Rider blinked before chuckling. “Now where’d a  cute little filly like you learn the word convenient? Anyway, the Princess heard that there was some unexplained magic goin’ on and that somepony was missin’. So, she sent the fastest Wonderbolt in the military out to figure out what’s what. Does that answer your question, sweetheart?”

Fluttershy looked down for a minute, hair covering her eyes, before looking back up, grinning and blushing.

“Yes, sir,” she said, standing more confidently and no longer leaning on Rainbow. “Do you mind if I ask you if you can take us back up to the clouds?”

He turned and sat his haunches down. “Only if I can ask you young mares some questions about that weird magic I mentioned. I'm sure that's a yes, right? Go ahead and climb aboard.”

She did so, and Rider turned to Rainbow expectantly. “You comin’ too?”

Rainbow flapped her wings and began to hover in the air. “I appreciate the offer,” she said, giving him a cocky smirk. “But I think I can keep pace with you.”

Rider chuckled once more. “You got guts, kid. I like that. Now come on, let's get you two back home.”

/x/x/x/

“Oh, what I wouldn't give for just one bite...”

A young blonde filly with an orange coat sighed as she rested her head on the windowsill. Her room in the luxury Manehattan apartment gave her an excellent view of the streets and the distant speck that was her definition of home: Ponyville.

Or, at least it used to be. It was home enough in her heart that it ached to return, but she’d decided to abandon the simple life of a farmer. Ever since hearing a schoolmate discussing the multiple fine intricacies of the upper class, she set her sights on a better and more civilized life with the Oranges, a high-profile family with close relation to her own.

“Applejack?” Came a lilting voice from outside her door. “I'm coming in, darling; are you decent?”

“Yeah,” she said in her country bred accent before screwing her eyes shut and shaking her head to either side, before co-opting her faux transatlantic one. “I mean, yes Aunt Orange. I am quite decent.”

The door swung open as a mare with a creamy coat and dusky orange mane done up in a tall and graceful style glided in.

“Oh good,” she said, brightly. “You're awake early, as always.” Her tone of voice grew slightly more neutral, and her eyes creased with concern. “Are you feeling well, dear? You seem terribly upset... are you still embarrassed about yesterday?”

Applejack sighed. “No, Aunt Orange, I... simply am experiencing a bout of homesickness. Typically at this time of the season, Grandmother Smith and Macintosh harvest the red delicious trees. Father harvests the greens, and Mother...”

Aunt Orange nodded and stepped over to her niece. “Ah, yes,” she said. “Buttercup always spoke of her exploits on the farm in her letters. I do miss my sister dearly...”

Applejack leaned into her. “I do as well...”

Aunt Orange wrapped a foreleg around her. “Do you desire to return home, dear? You know that I love you so, and I do so enjoy your company, but I simply loathe to see you unhappy.”

“I’m not unhappy,” Applejack said. “I have made my decision. I simply must make peace with my choices...”

Aunt Orange leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. “Why don't you and I spend a night on the town?” She suggested. “Just us girls?”

Applejack smiled melancholically. “That does sound like fun.”

“Oh, Marmalade,” came a masculine voice from outside the door. “Do I hear plans being made for a mares’ night out?”

“Uncle Orange?” Applejack asked, looking over her shoulder.

“You do indeed, Zest,” Orange Marmalade said, responding to her husband. “I trust there have been no last-minute changes to our schedule?”

He strode over and nuzzled her ear. “No, dear,” he said, reveling in the touch. “I was, however, hoping that at least some of our free time today could be spent... alone.”

“Oh my,” Marmalade whispered, hiding her laugh with a hoof. “Aren't you feeling devilish today?”

Applejack failed to hide an exaggerated roll of her eyes at the display.

“Gross...” she murmured, prompting her uncle to laugh.

“Perhaps one day you'll find romance to be a bit more to your tastes, Applejack,” he said, patting her shoulder with a hoof. “Then maybe you won’t find it so gross.”

“No! I changed my mind, Aunt Orange, send me home!” The young filly joked.

The three laughed in unison, as all thoughts of homesickness vanished as if into thin air.

Who needs Ponyville anyway?

/x/x/x/

“Who needs you anyway!” A unicorn filly exclaimed indignantly as she shoved a large boulder off of a cliff. She turned away and huffed, turning her nose up and sauntering in the opposite direction.

“Well clearly my horn is just broken!” She cried. “I get dragged all the way out here to the middle of nowhere right when I need to be working on the costumes. Oh, why oh why did I volunteer for this stupid play?”

She harrumphed as she kicked at a pebble. After a few steps she caught up to it and kicked it again. She repeated this process a few times, falling into somewhat of a rhythm.

“Kick two three four kick two three four... well, at least I won't be bored on the walk home.”

As the back of her mind occupied itself with kicking the pebble, the forefront absorbed the world around her. Cumulus clouds hung low in the sky, and the earthy scent of the rocky biome filled her nose. If she squinted, she could just barely see the outskirts of Cloudsdale on the horizon.

Absentmindedly she began to hum, before she suddenly found herself sprawled out on the ground.

“What in the name of Celestia-”

“I'm sorry!”

The young unicorn climbed back to her hooves and beheld a small pink earth pony filly who was in tears for some reason or another.

“Are you okay?” She asked, annoyance forgotten in favor of comforting this pony who was clearly having a bad time of things. “You hit me at quite a high velocity.”

The earth pony’s face contorted in confusion. “What's that mean?”

The unicorn facehoofed. “It's a fancy word for speed. But is everything all right? My name is Rarity, what’s yours?”

She sniffed. “Pinkamena Diane Pie.”

Rarity blinked. “That's quite a mouthful... do you mind particularly if I refer to you as Pinkie?”

She shrugged.

“Very well then, Pinkie. While I can't say that I'm completely fine with random ponies careening into me at random, I can tell there was no malicious intent in your actions. As far as that goes, I don't harbor any resentment towards you. However, I am most concerned as to why you look so upset.”

Pinkie looked away as if in shame. “I ran away from home.”

Rarity slowly nodded. “And why might that be?”

Pinkie sighed. “My big sister went to school in Manehattan and my Granny Pie died. Life at home is just so sad, and I just couldn't take anymore. I looked at the sky and made up my mind that I was just gonna run, and... and then I got lost... and that made me sad. And scared. So I kept running. I'm sorry I hit you, I couldn't see through the tears.”

Rarity stepped forward and embraced Pinkie, holding the filly close to her chest.

“It's okay, I’ll help you. I'm sorry to hear that your sister went away and your grandmother passed away, and that you're sad, but I can help you find your way back home again. Take care of one problem at a time, that's my motto.”

Pinkie stood stock still. “I would really like it if you did that, but why would you do that for somepony you just met? I could be a changeling monster pretending to be a pony or something.”

Rarity chuckled. “You could be, but you aren't. I know that because if you were, then you would have invisible wings right where my hoof is. It's a trick I learned from Kevin, the changeling who lives in Ponyville.”

Pinkie’s brow furrowed. “Kevin?” She asked. “What the heck kind of name is Kevin?”

Rarity shrugged as she stepped back. “Some kind of changeling name I guess. I didn't ask him, and nopony I know really knows much about him. He mostly keeps to himself. But enough about Kevin: I'd feel simply awful if I left you all alone here in the middle of nowhere. Why don't I escort you back to Ponyville and help you find a grown-up who can take you back home?”

Pinkie pursed her lips and kicked at a rock on the ground in contemplation. After a few moments, a small, relatively unnoticeable but grateful smile graced her face.

“I'd like that... Rarebear.”

“Rarebear?” She asked, cocking her brow in amusement.

“You gave me a nickname, I just thought maybe I'd do the same... is it weird?”

Rarity nodded. “Not at all,” she answered as she began to walk. “I like it. Bears are wise and strong. And very big. Have you ever seen an ursa before?”

Pinkie shook her head as she followed. “I've never even seen a regular bear before.”

“That's a shame, they really are quite majestic. Me and my friends Applejack and Cheerilee went to the outskirts of Everfree one day and saw one in the wild... oh no!” She cried as she glanced down at what used to be her pure white coat.

“What's wrong?” Pinkie asked.

“Oh, that's just perfect. I’ll need to take another bath today... I'm all dingy and brown.” She sighed. “Oh, what’s the use... I’ll just get dirty again later.”

Pinkie shrugged. “I don't mind. Rock farming is dirty business. So what's the Everfree?”

“A ghastly place,” Rarity replied with a shudder. “It's forbidden, and it's scary, and it's dangerous. That's all I know. Now come on, it's a ways to go yet. Do you know any songs for the road?”

Pinkie put a hoof to her lips in thought. “Well... I know ninety nine boulders in the field. I'm not sure if you know that one.”

“How does it go?”

Pinkie took a breath and held it before exhaling and starting to sing in monotone. “Ninety nine boulders sit in the field, ninety nine boulders in the field. You take one down, roll it around, ninety eight boulders sit in the field.” She bowed slightly. “And then you count down.”

Rarity grimaced and offered a fake smile. “That sounds... lovely. But, do you happen to know any by Sapphire Shores?”

“Who?”

Rarity’s shocked gasp was loud enough to have frightened a nearby flock of crows.

“She's only the most fabulous pony in all of music! My friend Vinyl has all of her records. Maybe one day I’ll show you them. I can't let any of my friends go without knowing who she is, or at least giving her a try!”

Pinkie blinked. “I'm... your friend?”

Rarity laughed and placed a hoof around her traveling companion and new friend. “But of course!”

Pinkie smiled hard enough to show her teeth at this, and for a split second, Rarity could have sworn that she saw Pinkie’s mane curl slightly.

But it could have just been a trick of the light.

/x/x/x/

“I’m sorry I wasted your time...”

A small lavender unicorn filly slowly dragged her hooves out of the atrium, failure weighing heavily on her shoulders. Her eyes shined with unshed tears that were just waiting to leave the building before unleashing in a torrent, but she refused to cry in front of the judges. They'd already seen her fail to hatch the dragon egg; the inability to keep composure in the face of hardship would just be pathetic icing on the three layer cake of shame, disgrace, and humiliation.

Behind her the judges furiously scribbled away at their clipboards, as she heard two sets of rapid hoofsteps approach her.

“Twilight?” Asked the stallion, his azure coat filling her peripheral vision. “Are you okay, dear?”

“I'm fine...” she lied, continuing to trudge her way to the door. “I just wanna go home.”

“Why don't we go get an ice cream on the way?” Suggested the mare, purplish gray, on the other side. “You... seem like you'll need it, honey.”

“I don't deserve ice cream,” Twilight sighed, pushing the doors open with her hoof. “Ice cream is for ponies who do well and don't fail their entrance exams because they aren't good at magic.”

The two stopped as their daughter continued forward through the doorway, twin slabs of heavy oak slowly swinging shut behind her. The stallion took a deep breath and turned towards the judges, opening his mouth before he felt a hoof on his side.

“Vel.” He warned. “We can't just walk away as things are.”

“Yes, Night, we can. We can and we will. Yelling at them isn't going to help anything, okay? Getting thrown out of the building will only make Twilight feel worse. We need to be there for her and help to encourage her to find other ways to get into magic. Maybe find a nice trade school, or get into magic theory?”

“A dragon egg!” He cried, motioning towards it, the unassuming lump of purple just sitting there, silently mocking him. “They expected a child to hatch a dragon egg! That’s ridiculous! That's insane! I couldn't hatch a dragon egg and I'm a grown stallion. What kind of bullsh-”

“Night!” She snapped, gripping his ear in her magic. “This is Princess Celestia’s School For Gifted Unicorns, not Crimson Clover Junior High. Of course it’s going to be harder than what either of us went through at that age. Now, instead of complaining, we have a heartbroken little filly that we should be supportive parents to through this rough patch. Don't you remember what you did when Shiney didn't make Buckball tryouts?”

Night sighed. “Yeah... you're right, Velvet. As always. Let's just go.”

Velvet nodded sagely as she let him go and went through the door, frowning at her little Twilight’s slumped shoulders and dragging tail off down the hallway.

“That poor girl tried so hard to get here... it doesn't seem right that she gets turned away right here.”

“You're right.”

Velvet snapped her vision around at the incredibly familiar and regal voice from the other end of the hallway. Before she’d even fully registered who it was or that her husband was already prostrated, she bowed to the ground as Princess Celestia herself approached.

Down the hall, Twilight gasped and turned around, before moving to hide behind a nearby pillar. She would have been fully obscured from view if not for her tail sticking out and vibrating as she cowered.

“It certainly isn't right that such an intelligent young filly gets turned away at the door because she didn't pass one particular test of one particular school of magic.” Celestia and her small entourage stopped before the two citizens. “You may rise. Night, Velvet, good to see you two outside of the royal observatory and the high school buckball games.”

“Yes, Princess,” they chimed in unison as they stood back up again.

“It's an honor to see you in person today,” Velvet said with a hesitant glance behind her. “Although I do wish it was under better circumstances-”

“Nonsense,” Celestia interjected with a dismissive hoof wave. “I have other students in attendance who failed to pass this test. To be honest, this test is more of a grace under pressure type of situation more so than actually hatching the egg... Sunset, my apprentice here, also failed to hatch it.”

“Barely...” Sunset grumbled, falling to her haunches. “Let me at it again, that thing’ll be sucking its tail by the time you lower the sun.”

Night furrowed his brow. “So what does that mean for our Twiley?”

Celestia gave a cursory glance and head nod to Sunset before returning her focus to the question at hoof. “I always make it a point to speak to the parents after a situation such as this. I trust that either of you have met any of the Lemon clan at any recent events?”

“Ah yes, Lemon Zest.” Velvet nodded. “She was the caterer at the last Yearling convention. Lovely mare. Has a brother in Manehattan.”

“The very same,” Celestia affirmed as Sunset crept around their conversation and off towards the filly. “They have a daughter, Lemon Hearts, and she is the most recent addition to my attendance here. I believe she’s around Twilight’s age, and she didn't do nearly as well on the written portion of the entry exams... not that she did poorly, I simply mean that Twilight did exceedingly well. Not just for her age.”

“So there's a chance that she could still attend?” Night leaned in so far the mares were surprised that he didn't faceplant.

“Well...” Celestia sighed. “There is a simple matter of scholarship appeal. You see, because she did not pass the hatching, legally she cannot attend at the same rate as everypony else does...”

As the trio began to discuss financial plans, Sunset approached the wiggling navy tail that was sticking out from behind a pillar.

“Hey there... Twilight, is it?”

Twilight peeked out from behind the pillar at this mare she didn't particularly know. She had seen this mare before, though. Goldenrod coat, messy two toned scarlet and cadmium yellow mane, ice blue eyes that pierced one’s soul, cutie mark in the shape of the sun. She was in regular attendance at this school alongside Twilight’s own foalsitter Princess Cadance.

“Uh... um... yes...”

Sunset pursed her lips. Had this filly ever spoken to another pony? She slowly exhaled and made her face form a pinched smile. Clearly if this little filly had the power and potential to become yet another Princess of Equestria and defeat some alternate timeline version of Sunset, a significant portion of raw power must reside inside of her tiny lavender frame, so caution must be taken. Also, little fillies had a penchant for easily hurt feelings.

“My name’s Sunset Shimmer,” she said after a short time. She slowly, gingerly put her hoof out. “I'm Princess Celestia’s personal student. I heard you might be joining the school?”

Twilight looked down at the ground, scuffing it with her hoof. “You heard wrong... I failed the exam.”

Sunset fought the urge to rudely roll her eyes and tell this filly to quit throwing herself a freakin’ pity party already, partly considering that it wouldn't be conducive to a positive first impression, and partly because Celestia was watching.

“What, psshh, the dragon egg?” Sunset waved her hoof. “Forget that dumb thing. We all take the test and you don't see that many dragons running around, do you? Celestia told me- now, this is super secret Princess business, so don't go telling everypony this, but... she said that it's just to see if ponies will cry at the first possibility of failure. Did you cry?”

Twilight rapidly shook her head to the side so fast her face blurred.

“Well that's good!” Sunset felt disgusted by the sheer amount of bravado and false charm she put into her guise, but hey. It was necessary. “The judges all probably think you're strong in fortitude.”

“But they all looked disappointed in me...” Twilight sighed. “I know you're just trying to make me feel better. But I understand, I'm just not strong enough to do what's needed to go here.”

Sunset mentally facehoofed as she felt her soul leave and immediately return to her body through sheer willpower.

“You know,” she said, a sly thought creeping into her mind. “I'm pretty sure that it isn't even a dragon egg at all. Dragon eggs usually come in multiple colors. That one’s just purple with purple spots. I think that it's just a painted rock.”

“No, it's not a rock...” Twilight brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. “I probed it with a simple heat signature test, and to double check I ran it through an X ray field. And in case I did those wrong, to triple check I moved it around with my hoof. It was filled with fluid at a similar viscosity to amniotic fluid. And besides, what little we as ponies know about dragons is filled with enough inconsistency that relying on any commonly held conceptions would be insincere science. That's why I didn't consider the color to be of importance during my ascertainment. But it doesn't matter, I didn't hatch it.”

Sunset blinked.

‘What in Tartarus...? This kid’s a flippin’ genius. Even I never thought to do an X ray field test when I went. How am I supposed to compete with- wait a minute.’

“Okay, so I guess that it's not a rock. So that just means that when I failed it's because I didn't make it either.”

Twilight snapped her head up. “When you failed?”

Sunset nodded. “Yup. Like I said, we all take the test. Myself included. And uh, well, do you see a dragon in my saddlebags?”

Twilight actually craned her neck to look, prompting a small chuckle from Sunset in spite of herself. After her check was complete, Twilight nodded.

“Well, there you go.” Sunset place a hoof against her chest in a flourish. “If the Princess’s very own personal student didn't hatch the dragon egg and I’m still the top dog here, then I think a little filly like you will be just fine. Besides, there's more than just the egg hatching. Celestia had me proofread your essay, and it was really good.”

This was, of course, a lie. Sunset had no idea what the essay was like. There were much more important things to have her do for Celestia to bother pawning off something as simple as doing a tier two spellcheck spell on. But if this tiny little filly said things like viscosity, insincere, and ascertain at the drop of a hat, surely her written exam would have been phenomenal at worst. And besides, it isn't like little Twilight would be suspicious of a tiny insignificant white lie like that.

Right?

“What was my essay about?”

Sunset’s heart clenched.

“You don't believe me?” She asked.

Twilight sighed again. “Even if you didn't hatch the egg, surely there was a different magical test that you went through. Like earlier this month... when a growth spell cast on a vine completely destroyed the west wing of the school. I couldn't do that either.” She turned and pointed her horn at a nearby potted plant, causing her to avoid Sunset’s brief smug smile at the mention of her earlier accomplishment. Some sparks fizzled out as she grit her teeth, but nothing happened. After a few moments of straining, she gave up and fell to the floor. “See? I'm just bad at magic.”

Sunset tilted the plant so she could see inside. It was a basic little fern, and it was indeed untouched by magic. However...

“This is made of glazed terracotta, Twilight. It's an aluminosilicate, it's immune to magic.”

“Alumino...what?”

Sunset chuckled. “Aluminosilicate. It's a specific kind of mineral that's in clay and the crystals lining the castle walls and down in the prison catacombs. It's immune to magic, that's why it's protecting Canterlot and kept our unicorn prisoners back in the olden days. Here, try casting the spell but aiming it directly at the plant.”

Twilight frowned but decided to humor Sunset. There was nothing to lose after all. She set her hoof on the ground and aimed her magic tendril directly at the plant, making sure to avoid the clay. She strained and conjured the specific field warps to allow rapid onset photosynthesis to occur. Her horn fizzled and sparked and she was right on the cusp of giving up...

“You can do this, Twilight...” Sunset muttered.

“No...”

‘I’m so lucky to have you as my foalsitter!’

‘I’m the one who’s lucky, Twilight!’

‘You're a princess! I’m just a regular old unicorn...’

‘You are anything but a regular old unicorn!’

“Sunshine, sunshine...” Twilight’s teeth clenched so hard it felt as if her jaw would tear clean off. “Ladybugs awake... clap your hooves and... do... a little... SHAKE!”

She collapsed on the floor in exhaustion, panting heavily.

“Oh my gosh...” Sunset murmured.

Twilight looked up and gasped.

The fern had doubled in size and grown an extra leaf!

“I did it!” Twilight cried, jumping up and down in place. “I did it, I cast a spell!”

“You sure did!” Sunset cried, laughing. “You just did a growth spell on your first go... it took me a few months before I did my first one with those results... wow.”

Her laughter faded from pride to nervousness. If she didn't even have her cutie mark yet and was already able to do that well on a fairly complex spell on her first try, what chance did Sunset have in the long run?

Unless...

“That really is incredible, Twilight...” Sunset glanced behind her as she realized she’d caught the trio’s attention. “I knew that you could make it grow a little bit, but those are seriously amazing results. In fact... you've got a lot of raw power in you. So, uh. Whether you make it into this school or not, I am as Celestia’s pupil technically allowed to have an assistant for my studies.” She bit her lip. Now or never. “You’ll have to ask your parents permission first, of course, but... Would you care to be my assistant, Twilight?”

Twilight gasped. “Are you asking me to be the assistant to the personal student of the Princess?”

Sunset blinked and slowly nodded... and then she was immediately deafened by the repeated screeching of the word yes.

“I’m... gonna assume that at least one of those yes’s is for me, right?”

By this time, Night, Velvet, and Celestia had arrived to the scene.

“What’s happened?” Night asked. “Twilight, are you okay?”

“She doesn't seem like she’s snapped.” Velvet looked to Sunset. “What did you say to her?”

Celestia’s eyes were glued to the plant. “Sunset, did she do this?”

Sunset nodded.

“I did it!” Twilight screeched. “I made it grow bigger! I can do magic! I'm not a failure! And Sunset asked me to be her assistant! ...oh.” She stopped jumping around for a moment. “Mommy, daddy, can I be Sunset Shimmer’s assistant? Pretty please?”

Her parents looked at each other, then Sunset, then Celestia, and after her approving nod they turned to their daughter.

“Yes!” They cried in unison.

“Yes, yes, yes, yes, YES!!!” Twilight continued as she jumped around the hallway.

As the family huddled, Celestia took Sunset aside.

“Are you sure you're ready for the responsibility?” Celestia asked. “Didn't you just tell me the other day that personal relationships were useless... that the most important thing in life is to be the best?”

Sunset shrugged. “I figure I can learn a thing or two from her. And besides, I figure if she’s gonna grow up to be the savior of Equestria, the safest place she’ll be is right by my side. Right?”

Celestia’s face was impassive for a few moments before she began beaming.

“I’m proud of you, Sunset... I believe you'll do well with the opportunities given you. In time, you may yet discover the secrets of that mirror.”

Sunset shrugged again as the filly before her danced joyfully. Badly, but she was happy.

“Eh. It's just a mirror...”

There was no point needling Celestia about it. It had stood there for a thousand years, and it will stand there for a thousand years yet. Right now, discovering its secrets would do nothing. Much more important was ensuring that she could learn as much as she could from Twilight.

Then and only then would she resume her conquest.

After all, once she eventually became an alicorn, she would have all the time in the world to ascend the throne.

Not like she’d ever have to share it with anypony else.

/x/x/x/

Sire’s Hollow was a dot on the map, massively overshadowed by its neighbor Manehattan. To most ponies, it was a podunk little pit stop one made during a trip to Hollow Shades, and only for those who felt too unsettled by the hometown of batponies to sleep. However, the citizens would claim it was a wonderful place to live.

For some, it was a wonderful place to visit every once in a while.

Stormy Flare counted herself as some. Some days she would come visit her overbearing but still well meaning sister, and her nephew. Some days such as today.

However, today was not a day for visiting family. Well, not expressly so. Stormy had a mission today... a very important mission concerning the fate of Equestria. It was one she couldn't divulge much information for as the leader of Equestrian Black Ops, first division.

Still, embarking on her mission without so much as popping in to see her sister would result in a dozen passive aggressive guilt trip letters every day until she took time out of her busy schedule to come again. And Stormy sure hated taking time out of her busy schedule almost as much as she hated receiving passive aggressive guilt trip letters. Much less a dozen of them every day.

“Stormy!” She cried, rushing out to embrace her Wonderbolt of a sister. “It's been so long!”

Stormy pat her sister’s back. “Yes, it sure has, Stellar. Almost an entire month.”

“I'll have a pot of coffee put on. Do come in, come in, make yourself at home. Never mind the mess, I’m campaigning again. Sunburst! Come say hi to your aunt Stormy! Please excuse him, his little friend is over.”

“Little friend?” Stormy asked, making her way to the kitchen table. “Ah, to be young again. Do you remember when you and I and Firelight had our little gallivants?”

Stellar froze in her tracks. “Yes...” she murmured. “I remember. Here you go.”

“Thank you, Stell... oh, it's a bit hot.”

Two sets of hoofsteps came running down the stairs as a colt and filly made themselves present.

“Hi aunt Stormy.” Said the colt, who adjusted his glasses.

“Are you Sunburst’s aunt?” Asked the filly, who turned her head to the side. Her pigtails rustled cutely.

“I am indeed,” Stormy said, nodding. “And, little filly, what's your name?”

“Starlight Glimmer!” She said, sticking her chest out.

Stormy dropped her coffee, and the mug shattered everywhere.

Celestia’s orders had been to find a pony named Starlight Glimmer, an evil unicorn who was plotting to develop a cult and steal the cutie marks of ponies, and bring her to justice by any means necessary. Even including lethal force.

This... obviously complicated matters.

“Hello Starlight Glimmer...” she murmured absently. “Would you like to meet Princess Celestia?”

/x/x/x/
> Chapter 2 Part 1: [Chapter Title TBD]
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

/x/x/x/

A moderately-sized office sat quiet. An even score of desks arranged in arrays of four by five sat against each of three walls. The fourth was occupied by two large dark oak doors in the center, with a large black chalkboard on either side. Each board lay scribed in chalk with names and locations. No windows filled the room; instead, an ugly tan wallpaper attacked the eyes, drawing them down to the dingy maroon carpet. An old crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, drenching the environment in a sepia tone.

Most of the desks were occupied by a smattering of ponies. Most were pegasus, but some unicorns and earth ponies were present. There was one bat pony quietly sleeping in the corner, head slumped over a pool of saliva. The clacking of typewriters, the turning of pages, and a few muttered whispers filled the air. Many of the stallions wore bowler hats, suits with suspenders, horn-rimmed glasses, or some combination of the three. The mares for the most part wore the same, save for a few wearing professionally-styled dresses cut prim and proper.

The smell of mothballs, resin, and ink hung heavy and oppressive. Yet despite the dreary, suffocating atmosphere, everyone was smiling. On the back wall read the words Equestria Black Ops, and underneath bore the following text: “Fidelitas, fortitudo, caeser: et cognoscetis veritatem et veritas liberabit vos.”

Suddenly, the doors slammed open before, commanding the attention of all the ponies within.

“Stallions, gentlemares... thestrals... drop everything,” Celestia declared, using a smaller though no less commanding version of the Royal Canterlot Voice. “I am now initiating Operation Supernova! This is not a drill. Flare!” The Princess ordered, pointing a wing. “You have family in Sire’s Hollow, correct?”

A middle-aged mare with a yellow coat and blazing orange mane stepped out from behind her desk. She wore a violet blazer. The few dozen other ponies around her snapped to attention at the unexpected interruption.

“Yes, Princess...” she answered, voice formal and retaining its composure, though tinged with an air of suspicion and dread. “My sister. Is she-”

“Nopony is in danger at the moment, Director.” Celestia scanned the faces, formulating her strategy as she strolled forward. She only had at most a few minutes to get the ball rolling on her plans. However, they had been developed for nearly a millennium now, and a few minutes was all that she needed. By the time she had finished her first sentence, the full speech was already written.

“Through time magic beyond my comprehension, I was visited by the next Pillar of Sorcery. An alicorn, a Princess, from one possible future. She is now dead, by what I can safely assume to be via time paradox dissipation. Before she died, she informed me of the best candidates to wield the Elements of Harmony. She also informed me that the timeline she comes from is ripe with successful defenses of our great nation. I also received a grim warning. Our nation’s safety, and the safety of the world, will be massively endangered by a cult leader in Sire’s Hollow. Her name is Starlight Glimmer. She is an incredibly powerful unicorn, with the ability to harness Star Swirl’s unfinished spells. She is extremely dangerous. Ensure her complicit arrival in Canterlot, capture... or demise. Failure will not be tolerated.”

The mare unfolded a wing and saluted. “Yes, Princess. Time frame?”

“ASAP. Stop for nothing. Dismissed. Deputy Director!”

As Director Flare nodded and zoomed out the door, leaving a blast of air in her wake, Celestia merely stared down the next incumbent. The breeze sent a dozen scattered papers flying through the air, and rustled the loose manes of all those with long hair. Celestia herself was unaffected as the fluidic miasma composing her coif obscured her vision for a moment.

“At your service, Princess,” drawled a powder blue pegasus stallion, offering a deliberately slow though still respectful bow. His ivory silk scarf scraped the floor before he casually threw it over the back of his shoulder to rest on his dark green wool-lined jacket. “Got any dragons need slaying?” He joked.

“Search and rescue of two grounded pegasus foals,” she answered, refusing to acknowledge the jest. Now was not the time. “One named Fluttershy and one named Rainbow Dash. Location is below Cloudsdale, below Junior Speedster Flight Camp. Surely as Captain of the Wonderbolts you know where that is. Prime directive is returning them home, secondary is contacting the parents and getting me an audience with them by whatever means necessary, and tertiary is inquiring about the magical phenomenon known as the ‘sonic rainboom’ as well as any residual temporal magic. Objectives clear, Rider?”

Rider merely offered a lazy salute and a smirk before sauntering out the door. As he passed by, he noticed Sunset sitting beside Celestia. He winked at her before unfurling his wings and taking off. Sunset merely blinked after him.

“Chief Ops Officer!” Celestia commanded.

A fairly young stallion started hovering in the air, white and orange mane up in a flashy style, cream coat impeccably clean.

“Fire Streak, reporting!” He asserted, trying to hide a small, excited smile. “Where do ya want me, Princess?”

“There's a rock farm in the San Palomino desert,” Celestia said, striding to the one seated pony in the back corner who was still analyzing paperwork. “The Pie family owns the plantation. I have them looking after a stone dragon egg. This information will remain classified. One of them goes by the name Pinkie. Bring her here by whatever means necessary.”

“Yes, right away Princess!” Streak called as he turned and flew.

The deskbound stallion finally looked up, noticing his company.

“Celestia.” He rasped. None of his features were able to be called distinguishable or unique. Beige mane, taupe coat, grey eyes; save for a pair of glasses, he looked as generic as could be.

“I need you to return to Ponyville, Agent K. Find a foal named Rarity-”

“I know her.” he said, cutting her off. “I can get her to see you easily. Parents are very lenient and she loves Canterlot. Won't be a problem at all. In fact, I have the makings of a plan, provided I can get proper clearance from Doc.”

Celestia blinked before clearing her throat. “Goldenrod is in his office.”

K began ambling his way across the room. “This will delay my report on Project H another day.”

Celestia nodded. “I have obtained additional intel on the project in your previous absence, and will brief you once this particular mission is complete.”

K rolled his neck, drawing a satisfying though borderline unnatural crack. “Looking forward to it.” He said, voice completely devoid of emotion. As he walked by Sunset, a short flash of green magic swirled around his tail.

“As for the rest of you,” Celestia began, regally striding around the remaining ponies. “I need all of you to begin writing reports on a list of guards that patrol the following locations. The forbidden library. The mirror. Discord. Mi Amore’s residence. Gate seventeen A to Tartarus. The border to the frozen north. And... Sunset Shimmer’s bedroom.”

“What!?” Sunset cried, defiantly standing. “Is this because of what Twilight said about me?”

Celestia closed her eyes and sighed. “It is for your protection, Sunset Shimmer, as well as for my own peace of mind. Mainly. However, I cannot ignore the warnings of an alicorn touched by time magic. Your destiny is that of disobedience and conquest. Or, it was, before you became aware of that path. We must have a more in-depth conversation on the subject, as clearly my destiny is to fail you as my student. I will not fail this time, nor will you stray. However, a series of great evils is to befall us in the coming years. I must ensure that your guards are up to the task of keeping you safe.”

Sunset bit her lip and sat back down on her haunches, eyes downcast.

“Yes, Princess...”

Celestia placed a protective, maternal foreleg around her charge’s body.

“And as for everyone still in this room. Security clearance has now officially been moved from indigo to ultraviolet, and the punishment for information leaks has followed suit. We have not had an execution in Equestria for nearly seven hundred years. I hope to go for at least another seven hundred on that record. Am I clear?”

A cacophony of “Yes, Princess Celestia!”s rang through the air.

“Very well. Dismissed.”

Immediately afterwards, the office became a flood of activity and noise. More paper flew about, and it became impossible to discern any individual sounds. The sleeping batpony finally woke up and slowly blinked, smacking his lips at the sudden burst of activity around him. Celestia turned and left, and Sunset followed soon after. The heavy oak swung shut behind them, sealing the volume off as well.

“...what about Applejack?” Sunset asked once the echoes fell away.

“Fillydelphia is a big city,” Celestia remarked. “It will take a stallion who knows his way around it. And I know just the stallion.”

The two walked in silence as they exited the building and set upon the cobblestone path through a garden. The fresh air was a welcome change from the mustiness of the office. Birdsong assailed their ears as the sun beat down its radiant warmth. In the distant sky, one could see a blazing yellow contrail headed northeast, a forest green one headed northwest, and a smooth orange one headed southwest. Celestia closed her eyes as she basked in the rays of her handiwork, while a darkness settled in over Sunset’s.

“Does something trouble you, my student?”

Sunset pursed her lips and huffed. “Oh no, not at all, just... some alicorn from another dimension crashed through a window, covered in blood and burns and glowy dust, told us that I’m gonna turn just as evil as friggin’ Sombra and Tirek and Discord and the Queen of Bugs herself, said a bunch of lowly farmers and dressmakers become the Elements of Harmony, the most powerful unicorn in Equestria might destroy the universe, oh yeah and Twilight’s last words were that she was in love with me. EVERYTHING’S HUNKY DORY!”

By the end of her rant Sunset was yelling, and found herself alone. She turned around to see Celestia sat on her haunches, face pensive. Sunset cocked her head to the side.

“What, it's all hitting you, too?” She asked, putting a hoof out.

Celestia opened and closed her mouth a few times before pressing a hoof to the bridge of her nose, taking a deep breath, and sighing. “Did you just yell out sensitive information in the middle of the gardens, insult the entire race of changelings, and suggest the working class aren't suited for bearing the Elements... all in the same sentence?”

Sunset rolled her eyes. “Oh please, nopony’s around, they are literally parasites, and it doesn't take all that much effort to plow a field or sew a dress or feed a cat. The Real power is in magical studies and the military. That's what needs to be powering the Elements. I don't see some backwoods rednecks stopping evil any time soon.”

“Except they did!” Celestia snapped. “Twilight the Alicorn and Rainbow Dash the Wonderbolt were on an even platform to the farmers, seamstress, and animal caretaker. All six of them stopped Discord, all six of them stopped Sombra, and all six of them saved my sister from Nightmare Moon! How can you say that you don't see it happening when it did! When there was evidence right before you! Sunset Shimmer I don't believe I've ever been more disappointed in you. What say you?”

Sunset was stunned, caught open-mouthed. But not at the reprimand for her audacity.

“The Luna of the legend of Nightmare Moon is... your sister?”

Both were quiet for a few moments as Celestia reeled back. She wiped at her eyes and moved forward to her charge.

“Yes. I had to use the elements to banish my own sister. I locked her in a prison of that monster. I had to look her in the eyes and seal her away. I had to do this because I had to cast aside my own personal feelings for the good of the world. That choice has haunted me every day and every night for nearly a thousand years now. Every time I raise the moon it’s wrong because that isn't supposed to be my job! It's Luna’s job, but she isn't here so I have to do it no matter how much it hurts!”

Sobs racked her body as her neck fell and her mane descended, shielding the Princess from the outside world.

“And now, it's almost time for her to come back, and the only pony I trust enough to help me bring her back so I don't have to wait another century is too immature to look past simple classism and xenophobia and too irresponsible and flippant about national security.” She looked up at Sunset. “This is why you aren't ready for the mirror. All you seem to care about is yourself... I've failed you already.”

Sunset clenched her jaw and tore her gaze away.

“I...” she grunted. “That isn't fair. That isn't fair to hold against me! You know what I had to do to survive before you found me!”

“No, Sunset, listen-”

“No, YOU listen, Princess!” Sunset took a step forward. “Everypony loves you! They always have, and they always will! You're the one true reigning sovereign, and you've been that way forever. You were trained by Star Swirl, taught by Clover the Clever, and given power by the Creator herself. You've lived in the palace your whole life, been waited on mane and tail, never had to go to sleep at night worried you'd get jumped, never woken up from a lucid nightmare with bite marks on your neck because a changeling ate your good dreams, never had to eat a meal that you got in a fight over, scared that it would be your last for a long time...”

Sunset hiccuped as tears continued to stream freely.

“So how DARE you judge me for thinking of myself!? How dare you judge me because I don't think highly of the stuck-up snobs, the bakers and the dressmakers who didn't help a starving, dirty, hypothermic little filly when she was all alone? And how dare you judge me for not caring about your security when your definition of security is whether the citizens know what the next impending doom is specifically going to be, and not just having a roof over my head and a warm bed to sleep in and a hot meal and a place in society for once in her life? Nobody has ever cared about me... so how dare I care about myself when nobody else will...” 

Celestia raised a hoof, then set it down again. She contemplated for a moment before stepping forward and pulling the unicorn into her embrace.

“I care about you, my dear...” she cooed, bending her head down to caress her sobbing ward. “I know I will never comprehend the suffering you endured before I found you. And I apologize that my criticisms of your behavior came across as personal attacks, for that was never my intention. I... I let my feelings interfere with my judgment. I should not have done that. But I mean what I said, in that taking our citizens and security for granted is unacceptable for one destined to join me one day in governing this nation. I do regret the tone I used, the words I chose, and the timing in which they came. In planning for the warnings given us by Twilight, I have forsaken the responsibility that you also now shoulder, the burden of knowing that destiny wills you to the path of darkness. I must take better care to consider your feelings in the future. Can you forgive me?”

Sunset nodded, and fought to get her breathing under control. “Yes Princess,” she managed to say before coughing a few times. “And I’m sorry that I was disrespectful... I let my emotions control the words that came out of my mouth, and that kind of behavior isn't befitting of your personal student.”

Celestia closed her eyes. “It's okay, Sunset. This only means that I must be more diligent in considering you, and addressing your behavior in a way that's impartial and takes your past into account.”

Sunset smirked at this for a moment, before sniffling twice. “I would appreciate that, Princess. And in return, please tell me what I can help with in saving Luna... saving your sister... when the time comes. Are there any tomes or scrolls in the forbidden library you wish to assign me to help?”

Celestia pulled away and searched Sunset’s eyes. All she found was sincerity and care, without a trace of malice or cunning anywhere. These were the eyes of a poor, lost, broken filly seeking solace in the only pony to ever give her a chance. Celestia caressed her cheek with a wing.

“The stars won't align for another few years, but I will absolutely allow you to help to whatever extent you wish. For right now, however, we need the bearers of the elements. Twilight awaits us. She should be failing her exam right now. Will you be joining me?”

Sunset nodded, and the two mares began to walk towards the School for Gifted Unicorns. Sunset lagged slightly behind, and turned her head slightly in order to keep her face out of Celestia’s view. A smug grin crawled across her face.

‘I think I played that pretty well,’ she mused. ‘Got some intel, got some brownie points, and now she feels indebted to me. Like, doing me the favors of learning classified information about the Elements is an atonement for being insensitive? Heh.’

Celestia opened the doors to the hall, and Sunset arranged her face so as not to reveal the gloating going on inside of her mind.

“That poor girl tried so hard to get here... it doesn't seem right that she gets turned away right here.”

‘She’s always been a sucker for a good sob story.’

“You're right.”

/x/x/x/

Fluttershy’s eyes were screwed shut and her legs were locked in place around Rider’s neck and barrel. The wind bit her ears and pulled at her mane and tail. Her wings struggled to stay folded. Her pulse thundered in her ribcage.

“You okay there, sugarplum?”

And she was loving it.

“Yes mister Rider!” She cried, trying to shout through the pressure differentials. “I've never gone this fast before! This is so much fun!”

“Fast? This is nothing!” Rainbow cried, flying upside down over the two. “Just wait til’ I'm strong enough to carry you and I'll show you fast!”

Rider chuckled at this. “I gotta say, kid, you sure are keepin’ up. With that attitude I bet you could be a Wonderbolt some day.”

Rainbow shrugged. “Eh, maybe. Wouldn't wanna make any of you jealous though.”

“Ohoho!” Rider cried, craning his neck and squinting as Rainbow stuck her tongue out. “Watch it there little lady, keep in mind I just got the record for the Mustang Marathon this year. You think you got what it takes to go that fast for that long?”

“Pfff, puh-LEAZE, you give me the time to train and I could go twice as fast for twice as long and look twice as cool while doing it! Just, uh, just as long as random magic bolts don't shoot out of the sky and hit me.”

“Magic bolts, huh?” Rider asked, dropping slightly to catch another thermal updraft. “That's oddly specific.”

Fluttershy leaned slightly over. “She says that a shot of magic knocked her into a cloud during the race. I didn't see it because I fell.”

“I didn't see who did it,” Rainbow said, punching her hooves together. “But if I ever find out who did, they're getting pounded, big time!”

Rider cocked his head to the side. “You know, kid, back when I first joined the academy, there was a pyrotechnics accident. A firework whizzed right past me in midair, almost clipped me. It coulda damaged my wings, but luckily I didn't get hurt from it. I never did find out who did it, and for a while I was upset. I didn't let it go. I thought, how could somepony be so goshdarn irresponsible and reckless and not even own up to it? But eventually, I figured, fate was smilin’ on me that day. And if I was destined to get crippled that day, surely there was a good reason for it. You seem in pretty good shape though. At best, the silver lining is, you learn a lesson. Sometimes stuff that you don't expect happens, and sometimes you lose a race or two because of stuff you can't control. Best you can do is improve yourself so next time something like that happens, you can shrug it off, get back in, and win the race anyway. Think you can do that, kid?”

Rainbow grimaced and exhaled, before sighing. “Yeah, I think so. I'm still a little mad.”

“Oh yeah, you can be mad,” he replied. “But don't let that anger make you bitter. Use that anger next time you're working out and you wanna give up. Use that anger to do just one more rep, just one more lap, just one more kilo on the rack. Use it to improve yourself instead of just wallowing around in self pity and woulda-shoulda-coulda-beens.”

Rainbow looked pensive for a moment before a slow grin crossed her face. “Yeah... just one more. That's good advice. You're pretty smart... for a stallion!”

Rider mock gasped as Fluttershy giggled. “Oh, consider me burned! Well, Rains, how’d you like to eat this stallion’s dust?”

“I’d like to see you try it, old man!” She teased.

Rider angled his wings and started to accelerate. Fluttershy’s laughter faded away to a nervous eep as she tightened her grip around his neck. In her peripheral vision she could see Rainbow doing the same. Her pulse increased just as the two racing hotheads sped up.

And, again... she was loving it.

/x/x/x/