> The Phoenix and the Headstone
>  by Francium Actinium
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> The Substitute
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rushing through the streets of Canterlot as fast as she dared without drawing unwanted attention, Twilight Sparkle hoped her fears were unfounded. The text she had received was brief. Twilight herself had been busy after hours in her private laboratory at Crystal Prep, collating the final pieces of data she had been gathering over the past three years for her personal project, but the moment she received the message she knew something was up. The data could wait. She didn’t even care that she was now winding her way to a cafe she had never heard of, past foreign and unknown buildings and street names which on any other day would have given her anxiety attack. No, all that mattered was finding out what was hurting her one and only friend.

Risking a glance up, she felt a rush of relief when she noticed the name of the cafe, its sign hanging cheerfully out into the street. Part of her was irked by how the building wasn’t actually on a corner as the name might imply, but she discarded that thought. She had greater concerns. A bell jingled playfully above her as she entered and looked around for her friend's distinctive hair. After a longer moment than she would have liked, every other patron in the shop stopping to stare at the new arrival, Twilight spotted her quarry hiding away in the far corner of the shop. Skirting the counter, and not noticing the shocked stare the woman behind the counter gave her, she made her way over quickly and slipped into the cubicle across from her friend.

Instantly, Twilight knew there was something really up. No smile greeted her. No cheery hello. No loving and affectionate hug. Hands cradled a large, full, but cold mug of Earl Grey before her. No movement was made to acknowledge her arrival. With anyone else, Twilight would have not dared, but this woman was different. She gently took the woman's hands in her own, ignoring the cold mug that interfered with the action, but this finally got a response. The larger hands slowly took Twilights own and gripped them tightly.

“This world is… horrible.”

Twilight remained silent. She didn't know what was going on and she didn’t want to say the wrong thing, as she frequently did in difficult social situations, so her mind told her to wait and observe until she understood the situation. She wouldn’t screw this up. This woman was far too important to her.

“My first-ever class. They all looked at me like I was a monster or a ghost. I didn’t even do anything. I barely talked to them. I had a girl faint at the sight of me. How can the world be like this? It’s not even their fault… she… that poor girl...”

Twilight’s heart cracked when she heard a sob break from her friend's lips. She squeezed tighter and got a reciprocal response. Only one possible cause crossed her mind. Twilight wasn’t unaware of how cruel children and young adults could be. Even in her final year at Crystal Prep, she was still an outcast. No friends. No support. Still bumped and tripped in the corridors. Her bag hidden or her lockers lock filled with glue. Or…. no. Twilight suppressed those dark thoughts. She had one friend, right in front of her, and that friend needed Twilight right now.

“What happened?” Twilight asked. ‘Keep it simple Twilight’. ‘Listen and observe’.

Finally, her friend moved. Her beautiful eyes lifted to look into Twilights own, shining with tears.

“What didn’t?”


***---***---***


“I don’t know who she is, Lu, but Cinch promises me she is the best. Or will be the best when she finishes her training.” Principal Celestia quickly shuffled papers around on her desk, rifling through the various stacks. “And hearing those words from that old bat makes me believe she might just be. Cinch doesn’t use the word ‘best’ lightly.”

“I guess we don’t have much of an option. No one else is available until tomorrow at the earliest.” Vice Principal Luna sighed, donning her formal jacket with haste. “When did Cinch say she would be here?”

“Any minute now,” Celestia replied. “I’d greet her myself but I still have these exam board documents to scan and send, and I need to begin preparing for remembrance. And I need to dig up Harshwhinny’s lesson plans so know what lesson plans to give this woman.”

Unlocking the office door Luna turned back to Celestia “I’ll be back once I’ve got her settled in. If she is as good as Cinch implies then we shouldn’t have anything to worry about. She is training at Crystal Prep so that certainly says something about her skills.” Celestia only gave a vague nod and a wave of her hand in reply so Luna decided to leave it there, and head down to meet their guest.

She bustled through the empty corridors, everyone in their Form rooms, creating a background rumble that was unique to the school environment. She flung open the impressive main entry door to Canterlot High, hoping she would have a moment to collect herself before the woman arrived. She cast her gaze around and felt her heart stop.

“Hello. You must be Vice Principal Luna.” The woman held out her hand, and only through rote action did Luna manage to reach forward and take it in her own. The warm flesh under her skin almost burning like fire. Such a terrifying contrast.

“Y… Yes.” Luna managed to stutter back. “Yes. It’s lovely to have you here. Thank you so much for coming in on such short notice.”

“It’s not a problem at all, I can assure you. I was passing by and not only does it get you out of a bind, but this will also be a great experience for me too.”

Luna walked back inside, guiding, but she couldn’t tear her eyes away. Those eyes. So bright. So cheerful. So unique. So empty. Haunting.

“Yes, I hope it is.” She found herself replying. “Ms Harshwhinny has an Upper Sixth-Form registration group, so you should find the first period an easy one. They are all beautifully well-behaved.”

“That is good to hear.” That smile. That laugh. The way her hair always shone.“I will have to get used to unruly teens at some point but I’m quite happy to be eased into it.”

“Quite,” Luna responded, doing her best to remain professional on the outside while suppressing her internal horror. “It’s this room just here.” She gestured. “I will head in and introduce you first then…”

Ring…. Ring…

Damn it! Why now of all times Celestia! Luna cursed internally.

“My apologies. It's the Principal, I have to answer.” Luna smiled, doing her utmost to keep her face pleasant and welcoming. “Just a moment.” She flicked the answer button. “Vice Principal Luna speaking.”

“Luna, we have a problem.” Celestia’s voice was panicked. Far more than Luna had heard in awhile. “I need you back here right now.”

“I have a problem of my own. You need to…”

“Please Luna. This is really important” Celestia begged.

“Two minutes and I’ll head straight up.” Luna replied, before hanging up.

“If you need to go, don’t let me keep you.”

Internally, Luna screamed. Externally she allowed a brief grimace to cross her face, before wiping it and turning back around.

“Thank you,” Luna said, keeping her voice as level she could. “I’m afraid I will have to leave you. Just head in and let them know you are standing in for Ms Harshwhinny. I will be back as soon as I can with the lesson plans. Until then, Personal Study will have to do, but I will be back as soon as I can.”

The woman just nodded with a nervous smile. “Okay, thank you Vice-Principal. I hope it's nothing serious. I guess you are having one of those mornings.” She added with a smile, as she entered the classroom and shut the door behind her.

“You have no idea…” Luna muttered under her breath, turning to ‘walk’ back to Celestia's office.


***---***---***


The classroom was filled with excited whispers and curious chatter.

“She’s never this late. Something must be up.”

“Maybe someone rearranged all the plaques in the trophy cabinet again, and she is rearranging them all before she comes here.”

“Messing with someone's OCD isn’t funny!”

“If it gets me a free period I reckon it's worth a little hassle.”

Fluttershy cast a dark look across the room at the girl who had made the callous remark but she bit her tongue and returned to reading the veterinary entry exam book she was studying, rather than snapping at the immature teen. She had learned over the past three years that such jibes back only drew the attention to her and that was something she didn’t want. Rainbow wasn’t exactly a bully, but she wasn’t passive either.

Fluttershy felt her heart clench uncomfortably. It's not her fault. It's not her fault. Fluttershy repeated in her head. It's not her…

But it was. It really was. And Fluttershy could never forgive her for it.

The sound of the opening door and a gentle laugh caught her attention. It was hard to pick out why Ms Harshwhinny would be laughing over the now quite raucous banter happening around her, but she was here now and that meant her impromptu study time would have to end. Taking her time as not to damage the book, Fluttershy heard the room go quiet; as expected at the arrival of the teacher and slipped the bookmark in between the pages before folding the tome-like volume and slipping it into her backpack. She looked up towards the desk at the front, and her world stopped.

It couldn’t be. It just couldn’t. Literally could not be.

The entire room had stopped. No one breathed. No one moved an inch.

“Good morning everyone. If you would all take a seat. As you may have noticed I am not Ms Harshwhinny, I’ve been told she has taken ill but should be back at the beginning of next week. Until that time I will be standing in as your form-tutor. My name is,”

She heard it, but Fluttershy didn’t believe it. A glance around suggested that no one else did either. But what their eyes were showing them was evidence to the contrary.

Fluttershy barely registered her automatic response to her name being called out. That voice. She had heard it in so many different ways. 

Anger. Smugness. Gloating. Fear. Regret. Hope. Happiness. Pleading. 

Broken.

“... Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash to the Principal’s office now please.”

Fluttershy blinked and looked around. Almost every eye was on her. Either her or the girl across the other side of the room. Fluttershy caught Rainbow Dash’s gaze. At that moment, Fluttershy saw so much in her old friend's eyes. Shock. Fear. Pain. Grief.

It suddenly registered to Fluttershy that her name had been followed by an instruction. Like a machine, Fluttershy grabbed the strap of her rucksack and stood up, while Rainbow did the same, gingerly looping the strap of her satchel over her shoulder. Together they walked to the front of the classroom, neither once taking their eyes off the woman behind the desk at the front of the room. Rainbow Dash clumsily opened the door and Fluttershy slowly followed her out, shutting the door as slowly as she dared, never removing her gaze until the door clicked shut.

“Shy?”

“Don’t call me that!” Fluttershy spat, whipping round to face Rainbow. To her surprise the girl took a step back, such was the venom in her words.

The two shared a long look at one another, Fluttershy seeing the fear and pain in the athletic woman's eyes, while her own vicious anger slowly faded to pain and finally turned to numb shock.

“That was…” Fluttershy gulped. “That was her. Wasn’t it?”

“I don’t know,” Rainbow replied, her voice barely above a whisper. “Come on. Celestia clearly knows more than us, she wouldn’t have called otherwise.”

When Rainbow grabbed her hand, Fluttershy’s instinct was to yank it away, but the way she took it: the power and care, the strength and precision, it was almost like the old Rainbow was back. Just for a moment. Fluttershy let herself be led away by the hand, a guilty part of her enjoying the firm guiding touch of her old friends… no, her old girlfriend's body.


***---***---***


The office door banged open. Rainbow Dash stumbled in, dragging Fluttershy in behind her. Both stopped when they saw the full office and chairs around them. Celestia watched their eyes dart from chair to chair, taking in their friends.

Old friends, Celestia had to remind herself. Oh, how things have changed.

Since there were no more seats, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash stood. Looking around with a mixture of confusion and deep sadness, Celestia herself was finding it very hard to keep herself composed. If she had known, she would have turned the woman away in an instant. It would have broken her heart, but it would have been worth it to save the girls before her, even the whole school, from the pain. Now though, it was too late, and by the end of the second period, everyone in the school would know, and there was almost nothing she could do to stop it.

Behind her, Luna leant against the large oak desk, her prim and crisp Vice-Principal facade fracturing just a little in the face of… well, for her it was more personal than even the girls before her knew, if not in the same way.

“Is it her?” Applejack’s unmistakable country twang cut through the silent room.

Of course, the honest girl would have to ask her, Celestia sighed internally. She glanced up at the monitor on her desk, its contents currently hidden from everyone except Luna. She took a deep breath, then spun it around. The gasp and singular squeak that came from the assembled girls wrenched at her heart.

“It is,” she confirmed, wringing her hands before her. “I know you never worked out exactly how the time difference worked between there and here, but she was slightly older than you anyway.”

“What?” Pinkie Pie gasped, her usually bouncy pin hair hanging as straight as a ruler.

“By about eighteen months.” Celestia finished. “It would seem this worlds version is older still. Early twenties.”

“So that is,?” Rarity whispered. “That is…?”

“Yes.” Celestia watched the realisation settle on every girl before her. “That woman is this worlds’ Sunset Shimmer.”


***---***---***


Lunchtime came, but Sunset found she had no appetite at all. Slumped on a well-worn sofa in the empty staffroom, she prodded at her box of salad picking out the few bits of chicken she had thrown in, but not feeling up to eating anything more.

The morning had been a disaster.

The two girls in her form that had been called away returned after about twenty minutes; along with Vice-Principal Luna. Any other day the disturbance would have been a mild irritation, breaking her flow, but today anything was better than the way the entire class stared at her. She’d pressed on regardless, ignoring the tension that gripped the whole room until their return. She had been handed the lesson plans for the day, and with a forced smile, the Vice-Principal had wished her luck, before casting a long intense look around the classroom. Whatever message was being conveyed in that stare, Sunset wasn’t privy to it, but at least it made a minor improvement to the tense atmosphere.

For the next sixty minutes, Sunset did her best to continue their lesson on Business and Enterprise, but when the bell rang, she felt an immense sense of relief. Everyone silently packed up their books and left, many giving her long, sad, even scared looks as they passed.

In the five minute gap she had, Sunset skimmed through the various other lesson plans for the day, learning Ms Harshwhinny seemed to teach a variety of subjects, which mainly focused around either Sports, History or Business; an interesting mix if Sunset said so herself, and was about to start writing the first set of notes on the board when a massive crash sounded from outside making the door rattle.

Opening the door revealed a mid-teen girl scrambling to pick up all her items that had spilt from her open bag, her apple-red hair a mess around her shoulders and she hurried to pick up her belongings. For a moment Sunset figured it was just an accident, but a glance up revealed three sniggering boys, all with looks of satisfaction on their faces.

“How do you like it, Miss Bloom.” One of the boys sneered. “You’re lucky, you deserve worse.”

If Sunset wouldn’t tolerate one thing, it was bullying, and this was about as clear cut as it got. She did consider approaching the boys herself but being a Substitute she knew she wouldn’t hold the clout or power required to properly deal with the situation. In an instant, she spotted at least five distinguishing features about each of the boys to help identify them to Principal Celestia later so she could deal out an appropriate punishment, before kneeling and picking up an open lunchbox and its contents. The girl seemed to register her help but didn’t acknowledge it, still stuffing things back into her bag, which; Sunset noticed, was heavily used and torn in abnormal ways. This blatant abuse made her blood boil.

“Are you alright?” She asked the girl, standing up and holding out the lunchbox. “No cuts or bruises?”

“Ah’m fine.” The girls' reply was very timid, an indication of just how regular this abuse was for her. She didn’t look up but leaned out to take the lunchbox. “It… was an accident.”

“I don’t know how things work in this school, but where I work, I do not allow students to come to harm. I will be reporting this to Principal Celestia.” Sunset replied, trying to sound supportive but serious. Realising this was only making the girl more nervous instead she asked. “What is your name?”

“Apple Bloom.”

“That is a lovely name. Mine is Sunset Shimmer, but since I am standing in for Ms Harsh Whinny you’ll have to call me…”

Sunset stopped. At her name, the girl had looked up. She could visibly see the colour drain from her young face. Her eyes darted around examining every point on Sunset’s face, while she simultaneously seemed to shrink beneath Sunset’s stunned gaze. A long moment passed where the young girl locked her red eyes on Sunsets own until the girl dropped to the floor like a cut-string puppet.

Putting her salad down, Sunset took her head in her hands. She’d had the reaction time to catch the girl before she hit the floor, and thankfully at that moment another teacher had arrived, clearly sensing a disturbance. Rather than being her saving grace however, the woman had taken on the same shocked expression the girl had worn. Without saying a word she had picked her up and begun carrying her away to what Sunset assumed would be the Nurses office, leaving her with the girl's bag.

The bag in question rested beside her. She had been planning to take it straight up to Celestia so it could be returned, but then she remembered she had a class to teach. The second lesson had been just as tense, if not more. Halfway through, one girl burst into tears for no reason that Sunset could discern. Not one to judge when she saw real pain, she had suggested she go to the nurses' office and allowed her to leave. Her third period had been much the same, just without any crying.

What was going on, Sunset asked herself. Sure, Crystal Prep wasn’t a normal school per se, but Canterlot High couldn’t be what your average high school was like. The world wouldn’t function if that was the case.

The click of the handle announced an arrival, but Sunset didn’t look up until she felt a weight beside her.

“Afternoon Miss Shimmer.” Principal Celestia settled next to her, her voice relatively calm, if a little weary. “Thank you for your help this morning, both teaching and that little incident. I have seen to it that those responsible will be suitably punished for their actions.” Why did it sound like that would make no difference at all? “I’m sorry you had to see that too. It must have been rather disturbing.”

“You could say that ” Sunset added wryly. “It's just… I… It's not…” She stopped herself and gathered her thoughts. Something was up, but she had no idea how to approach the subject. She didn’t want to seem rude or angry. That wouldn’t bode well for her report back to Cinch, or her future prospects if at her first school she made students faint. But how to even ask the question?

“Sunset… I mean, Miss Shimmer.” Celestia spoke up. “I’m afraid I have something to say. It will explain why everyone here is behaving so strangely, but it won’t change how they look at you even when you know.”

Sunset looked up at the older woman, though she was only old compared to Sunset herself. “What is it?” She asked slowly. “What did I do?”

“You have done nothing wrong. I can assure you of that.” Celestia clarified after a moment. “Your handling of the incident of Miss… Apple Bloom was very quick and to be commended.”

“But she fainted.” Sunset cut in. “She looked at me and fainted.”

Celestia gave a long, pained sigh, her eyes closing as if stealing herself.

“You have an… uncanny resemblance… to a young woman who used to attend this school.” She continued. “A very bright, and very kind, a very caring young woman. The girls in your Form room this morning, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, as well as Apple Bloom and several other students had a strong… history with her.”

Sunset sat and listened intently, an unpleasant feeling growing in her stomach.

“This young girl left an impact on the entire school, for those around to have experienced it, and even those who didn't know about her. Famous might be a way to put it, even if I don’t feel that is entirely appropriate.”

“Are you holding out on infamous?” Sunset added without thinking.

To her surprise, Celestia gave a sad smile. “To begin with, yes, that would have described her aptly. But now, you could use the word legendary, and not be far from the truth about the effect this young woman had on the world.”

“You keep saying ‘had’.” Sunsets’ voice cracked. “You don’t mean she…”

“She is no longer with us.” Celestia finished quickly.

A great pain crossed the Principals face with those words. Sunset could see the effort the woman was exerting to not break down before her. Tight fists, taut muscles, and her eyes staring determinedly forwards. Was this what everyone felt when they saw her? That level of pain and anguish? Poor Apple Bloom had been overwhelmed by the sight of her. Just what did this girl do?

Before she could ask, the bell rang, shattering the tense and pained moment. Celestia gave another long sigh, getting to her feet.

“I hope that helps with the rest of your day. I’m sorry to bear such news to you, but I feel its better you know.” She picked up the bag at Sunset’s feet. “I will deliver this to Apple Bloom. I am not sure we can have a student faint twice in one day.” She gave a shallow smile. “I am free at the end of the day, should you wish to speak more, but I also understand if you want to leave as quickly as possible. I did ask Abacus if you were free for the whole week but if this is too much I understand and I won’t make you stay.” With that Celestia closed the door behind her, leaving Sunset alone once more.

‘I look like a dead girl’, Sunset felt a tear run down her cheek. Death had always pained her, but to hear about someone so young, someone so clearly loved and cherished, Sunset’s heart broke. She wanted to stay, she wanted to cry but she couldn’t. Wiping away the brimming tears, Sunset forced herself to stand and with a long shuddering breath, opened the door.


***---***---***


Twilight couldn’t take it. She slipped out of her seat and moved to embrace Sunset, the older woman openly sobbing in their secluded corner of the shop. Sliding her arms around her back, and under her arms, Twilight pulled Sunset so she rested her flowing fiery locks on Twilights shoulder and began to stroke her hair in what she hoped was a soothing manner. Sunset grabbed Twilights arm, her fingers digging painfully into her skin, but Twilight ignored it, focusing on soothing her friend and holding her close.

Eventually, Sunsets sobs turned to shallow, hitched breaths before she turned to embrace Twilight fully, even if the angle was a little awkward.

“Thank you Twilight. I… I needed that.”

Twilight smiled gently. “You’ve been there for me so many times. Now it's my turn to help you.”

Sunset smiled back, her red eyes looking a little brighter. “I guess it is. But Twi… that's not all. Something else is going on.” She wiped her eyes on the back of her sleeve, then pulled out her phone.

“What do you mean?” Twilight asked confused as Sunset tapped on the screen of her device.

Sunset swallowed, turning the phone around towards Twilight. “Look.”


***---***---***


Afternoon break was in session, something Sunset was immensely grateful of. Just another period and then this day would be over. But until then, she just wanted to get away from the school, and the unnerving stares she received wherever she went. Could she blame them? Sunset couldn’t really feel angry towards the pupils. Seeing someone you thought was dead would certainly be shocking enough without that person trying to teach you. There was something else though, something underlying the shock in their gaze that she couldn’t place. Comprehension? Understanding? Something almost curious.

Setting that puzzle aside, Sunset headed out through the large front doors of the school, noting the much fresher building facade and even the railings looked much newer than the rest of the school. Something had needed renovating. She turned right and followed a series of small signs that indicated the way to the schools’ garden, located in a small wood next to the school. Sunset had noticed most of the students flooding out to the sports fields and track on the diagonally opposite side of the school. Perfect for a few minutes of privacy.

Enjoying the act of exploration and the small hidden unknown she would soon find, Sunset made her way down a small gravel path, noting how the bushes and shrubs on either side were lightly trimmed, looking wild and free but still allowing unhindered access. After a minute the path opened up into a small circular clearing. Around the perimeter, flower beds edged in stone bloomed with colourful plant life, with the occasional stump, plant pot and boulder to break up the profile. In the centre, a large rockery rose out of the earth, succulents and smaller plants cascading down its sides. At its apex was a fountain of fiery orange leaves from a plant that Sunset didn’t recognise, with something nestled between its stems.

Sunset’s happy curiosity drained away as she drew near. Set behind a glass pane, leant up against an ornate, carved stone, lay a picture of a teenage girl that was unnervingly familiar, and made all the more unsettling by the words beneath.


Proof that people can change, no matter their history.


The fire in our hearts, the light of our lives, always,


Sunset Shimmer


If it were not for the admittedly badass leather jacket, Sunset could have sworn she was looking at a photograph of herself. Her eyes, nose, lips, even the way she stood proud, and carrying the aggressive triangular orange electric guitar felt crazily similar. The only thing that told her that this wasn’t her was just how unfeasibly long her doppelgangers hair was, reaching down to the back of her knees, and how she had a pair of cats ears poking out the top of her hair. If this was how this girl looked on stage, it was unique, to say the least.

Wait.

Sunset reread the epitaph. Then again. And again. There was no way they would have put another girls name under the picture which meant…

“Ahhhhgh!” Sunset wheeled around to see a green-haired girl in muddy jeans and a very washed out looking jumper staring at her with terror, hands clamped over her mouth. Neither moved for what felt like an age to Sunset until, “Su… Sunset?” The girl whimpered, unable to take her eyes off the woman before her. “Is it… how are you… are you real?”

“Who is this?” Sunset demanded, standing aside and pointing at the photograph. “Who is this girl?”

“Sun… Sunset Shimmer.” The girl stammered back. “Sunset. It’s me, Wallflower. Do you remember?”

“No! Who is she?” Sunset grabbed the picture and held it up in front of the terrified girl. “This girl right here.”

“Sunset Sh… Shimmer.” The girl cowered. “Her name is Sunset Shimmer. From Equestria. Wait… they destroyed it. Unless…” the girl turned her brown eyes to Sunset. “You’re taller. You’re older. You’re…”

Both women jumped as a bell rang in the distance. Sunset shoved the picture into the girls' arms and ran as fast as her shoes would allow back to the school, leaving the stunned and terrified Wallflower alone.


***---***---***


Twilight didn’t even know where to start. She stared at the screen. The rock garden, the fiery flowers, the photo and epitaph of the girl, a spitting image of Sunset herself. The only difference was her age, Twilight reckoned she had to be seventeen at most, four years younger than the woman across from her. And she was dead. Taking a steadying breath, Twilight pondered what to say. She still wasn’t certain what the problem actually was, that had Sunset in this state. Maybe problems was a more accurate choice, but it wasn’t like this could be fixed or solved. Twilight believed that the human mind was just a biological machine, highly complex and intricate, but a machine nonetheless, yet how did one deal with learning that you not only looked exactly alike but had the same name as a dead girl? Or how to deal with everyone looking at you like you were a ghost.

The tinkling of the doorbell made Twilight look over her shoulder. Two girls entered, both with white skin, under a soaking wet umbrella. The younger one had pink and lavender hair, cut surprisingly short and held back in a single ponytail, while the olders was vibrant indigo and curled perfectly to her hips. A bold statement but that wasn’t going to help her support Sunset.

“Are you going to go back tomorrow?” She asked, hoping to eke out a little more information. “You could ask to teach different classes and have someone else cover. At least that way you wouldn’t get on the wrong side of Cinch. This Principal, Celestia, she seemed pretty kind, I am sure she would let you. This must be a really difficult situation for her as well.”

Sunset’s grip tightened. “I don’t know Twilight. It's frustrating that Cinch is a factor to consider in all this, but she is. She alone got me into this position, way ahead of my years. But I am also pretty sure if I disappoint her she won’t hesitate to drop me. You know how she is.”

Twilight just nodded in response. “I guess that means, go back tomorrow and…”

“Twilight?”

Standing beside her, looking down with bewilderment was the white-skinned, indigo-haired girl she had seen only a moment ago. She clutched her umbrella tightly before her, seeming to not believe what she was seeing.

“Yes?” Twilight replied slowly, trying to be polite. “Can I help you?”

“Oh, yes, no, I mean…” the girl stumbled over her words, looking shy and uncomfortable. “I just mean… It’s good to see you again. What brings you too…”

The teens' voice trailed off into silence as she spotted the girl huddled in Twilights arms. At that moment, Sunset decided to sit up to see what was going on, causing the girl to take a step back.

“Sunset… I mean, Miss Shimmer.” the girl gasped.

“You know her?” Twilight asked.

“Yes I…” the girl began, but she was interrupted by the arrival of the younger girl.

“Rarity, they didn’t have any blueberries left, so I ordered you…” the girl began.

Smash.

Both smoothie pitchers filled with strawberry red liquid shattered on the tiles as the girl dropped to the floor like a stringless puppet.

“Sweetie!” The girl, Rarity, gasped, dropping to her knees and grabbing the girls hand. Sweetie lay on the floor in the spreading pool of red juice, trembling from head to toe, her eyes tightly shut, taking short sharp breaths. Twilights were not like this but Sunset had read enough about them to know what was happening.

“She is having a panic attack.” Sunset stood and moved to block the girl from the eyes of the entire cafe that was now watching with horror. “Please keep your distance. Rarity, do you know what to do?”

“Yes…”

“Then do it,” Sunset ordered.

Gently Rarity cradled Sweeties head, stroking her hair, despite the red juice that soaked into it and began to gently sing to her. It wasn't quite what Sunset had expected, but if it worked, it worked.

Eventually, Sweetie’s shaking subsided. A minute or so after that her eyes opened.

“I deserve to die too…”

Rarity gasped, but turned it into a cough, pulling the girl close. “Don’t say that Sweetie, please don’t say that.” Rarity pleaded, gently rocked the girl in her arms. “I’m here, I’ve got you. I love you Sweetie Belle. I love my little sister so much.”

Twilight and Sunset shared shocked glances.

“I should go.” Sunset stood and made to walk around the sisters on the ground but Rarity grabbed her hand.

“Please. Please stay.”

“Seeing me just gave your sister a panic attack. I don’t think that is wise.” Sunset replied dryly. “Principal Celestia explained to me what is going on. If this is the effect I have one people, I’d best not be here.”

Rarity looked shocked. “She… she did?”

“If I hadn’t seen the small memorial in the school gardens I wouldn’t have believed just how close it was, but yes, she told me about the girl who died, how I look exactly like her, and how I somehow share the same name.”

Rarity blinked slowly. “Yes, just right. I’m sorry, this must be a horrible shock to you.”

“I’m more concerned about your sister at this moment.” Sunset took a deep breath. “I still feel I should leave. I don’t know what that girl did but whatever it was, it certainly made a deep impression on the entire student populace.”

A sad smile crossed Raritys’ face. “Yes. That she did.” It then dawned on her that there was another girl present, the one who had drawn her attention in the first place. “Wait… Twilight, you know this woman?”

“I do know her,” Twilight replied. “How do you know me?”

Rarity suddenly looked like a deer caught in the headlights.

“I just… you know… she said your name.” Rarity pointed at Sunset.

Twilights’ eyes narrowed calculatingly. “No. No, she didn’t. One person with the same name is statistically very likely. A doppelganger, again very rare but certainly not impossible. Having that same person also have the same name is highly improbable. Meeting someone who knows that person and myself while knowing my name despite never having met me is getting out of improbable and entering absurd.”

Sunset put a soothing hand on Twilights’ shoulder. “Come on Twilight… it’s not that big a deal.” Twilight turned and gave Sunset a flat look of ‘really?’. “Fine, okay, it is absurd.” Sunset relented.

“Rarity?” The three women looked down to the girl in Rarity’s arms, who was looking up at Sunset and Twilight with confusion. “Why is Twilight here?”

“Two people! Two!” Twilight pointed. “Something is going…”

“Twilight… please, you’re doing it again.” Sunset warned. “Just sit… okay? In fact, let's all sit.” She concluded against her initial judgement.

Rarity helped Sweetie Belle up and settled her across from Twilight, taking the seat next to her. Sunset was about to go and buy both girls replacement drinks when the woman behind the counter suddenly appeared with exactly that.

“Mrs Cake, please, It's quite alright.”Rarity held up a placating hand.

“It’s quite alright dear.” the plump woman replied. “Carrot will be out in a moment with a mop, though if you girls are getting back together again, I fear we will need to double up on our building insurance.”

Rarity gave a nervous laugh. “I don’t think that will be necessary.” She waved her hand. “Thank you very much though. I’m sorry for the trouble.”

“As I said, it’s quite alright.” Mrs Cake smiled gently at both white girls before returning to the counter. True to her word, a slender gentleman appeared a moment later with a bucket, mop and dustpan to begin cleaning up the mess on the floor.

Sunset sat down beside Twilight, and across from Rarity. Sweetie Belle still stared at Sunset like she was a ghost or apparition, but seemed to be stable enough, one hand clinging to the sleeve of Rarity’s designer raincoat.

Sunset leant forward slightly and looked Rarity in the eye. “So. Why did you want us to stay?”

“And what is going on.” Twilight cut in, but Sunset silenced her with a look.

Rarity pondered her answer for a good minute, sipping daintily on her fresh strawberry smoothie. She was about to speak when Sweetie Belle spoke up.

“Could it be the other them?” She asked her sister quietly. “Princess Twilight always said…”

Rarity placed a finger on her sisters' lips. “Shhhhh, Sweetie. I need you to be quiet for a while okay? This is very… delicate. We need to be very careful about what we say.” She looked over to the neutral gaze of Sunset and the suspicious look from Twilight. “I am very sorry. This is, almost three years of very intense and personal events, and I am not certain I should even be telling you this. Any of it. It may be best if you didn’t know.”

Twilight huffed. “How can we know that unless you tell us?. You clearly know a lot more than…”

“Twilight. This isn’t some scientific puzzle or hidden discovery.” Sunset snapped at her. “You can’t force this. You saw what happened. Let them say it in their own time. In their own way.” She gave her friend a firm look.

In an instant, Twilights frustration and anger crumbled, her face now very nervous and ashamed. “I’m sorry. I just… I got…”

“It’s okay Twi.” Sunset smiled. “It’s another one of those. Well, I hope it is.” Twilight nodded slowly in reply and settled back, still looking like a recently disciplined child, one hand rubbing her arm through her uniform.

“May I ask.” Rarity hesitated. “Is that a Crystal Prep uniform?” Twilight nodded slowly. “Well, that means you must be incredibly intelligent. Crystal Prep takes only the best of the academic crop.”

“Twilight here is the best of the best.” Sunset smiled proudly. “Best student the school has ever seen.” The words of praise made Twilight shrink more into her seat, her cheeks tinted red, a small smile on her face.

“So that would make you…” Rarity began, looking back to Sunset. “Are you at Canterlot University?”

Sunset shook her head. “I am technically at Manehatten, but yes I am still a student. A few more months and I will finish my Masters. But I am spending most of my time working at Crystal Prep as part of my training.”

“Your masters?” Rarity gasped. “I know it's impolite to say, but you don’t look a day over twenty, yet you are just finishing a masters degree?”

“I’m twenty-one, but thank you.” Sunset couldn’t help but let slip a small grin. “And yes, I am two years ahead.”

Rarity looked between the two girls in shock. “That is incredible. You both are.”

Both girls shared a shy happy glance, Sunset reaching over to squeeze Twilights’ hand. Rarity almost let out a squeak as she watched. It was both endearingly cute, making her romance senses tingle, and simultaneously creepily similar to a love that had come crashing down.

Rarity bit her lip hard. ‘That was a poor choice of words darling’ she scolded herself.

“So, Ms Rarity,”

“Rarity is fine darling.”

“Very well Rarity.” Sunset continued. “So, what can you tell us both about the first Sunset Shimmer?” She asked, eyeing the girl before her.

Again Rarity sat pondering for a good minute. Sunset wondered if she would say anything at all, or if she was trying to concoct some elaborate but believable lie, but that didn’t seem to fit her character from what Sunset could read. Beside her Sweetie Belle sipped on her smoothie, looking less scared than she had done previously, however that tension was still there and her eyes, they looked so pained and broken. It then struck Sunset just how different the sisters looked. 

They were definitely sisters; their skin tone, their slender fingers, the shape of their faces, their eyes. Rarity though carried herself almost like an older woman, her mannerisms and nurturing treatment of Sweetie Belle, they were motherly. Yet Rarity looked barely older than Twilight: maybe Upper-Sixth? Was this just how she was? Or was this behaviour forced on her by circumstance?

Sweetie Belle, on the other hand, she was skittish, nervous, tense. Horribly, she reminded Sunset of an abused child, afraid of every action and every move, scared it would provoke an angry response. Her hair was cut almost aggressively short, and was uneven too, in vast contrast to Raritys’ own silken, flowing locks. Given Raritys’ sense of style and fashion, Sunset was surprised she didn’t have hair like her sisters, or at the very least cut cleanly, yet she wore the same designer labels as her sister which would imply this was a choice of her own.

“Sunset Shimmer,” Rarity began slowly, jolting Sunset from her thoughts. “Our Sunset came from somewhere far away. When she joined the school she was like a fish out of water, barely understanding even basic concepts about technology and social interactions. But this didn’t last long. In a few months, she went from this strange outsider too, well, a manipulator. None of us could see it at the time, at least not at first but by the end of her second term, she had cemented herself at the top of the school hierarchy. By the end of the first year, she had used social manipulation and her very rapid grasp of technology to create rifts in the student body. By the middle of the second year, she practically ruled the school with an iron fist in a velvet glove.” Rarity paused, looking up at the ceiling for a long moment before continuing. “She was smart, not just book smart, or a quick study, she was everything. No offence my dear,” She turned to Twilight. “But she might have been just as smart, if not smarter than you or most of those at Crystal Prep.”

Sunset and Twilight shared a long, knowing look, which Rarity saw but couldn’t decipher.

“Anyway, that was how it was. With everyone broken into their own little cliques, Sunset Shimmer ways able to control the school, by adding a little bit of mistrust here, some dangling threats and the occasional bit of blackmail.” Rarity gave a long, painful sigh.

“Why didn’t your principal do something about it?” Twilight cut in angrily. “Get her removed or give her detention at the very least.”

To Twilight's’ surprise Rarity let out a small giggle. “Detention only works if the person considers it a punishment, Sunset would consider it quiet time to do more scheming in her head, and getting her removed from school would require substantial evidence, of which there was not even a whisper. Sure, everyone knew that Sunset Shimmer ruled the school, but beyond that, there was nothing tangible. Do you now understand what I meant when I said she was smart?"

After opening and closing her mouth several times, Twilight sat back in her seat and folded her arms, seemingly defeated, or at least understanding.

“This can’t have lasted though.” Sunset mused. “The way you look when you think about her, it was like she was a sister to you.”

Sweetie suddenly looked away, her hands balled into tight fists, her breathing shallow. Rarity slipped her arms around her sister and pulled her close, kissing her hair and cooing in her ear. Sunset and Twilight looked at one another, clearly, that had been a poor choice of words. When Sweetie had calmed down again, Rarity looked across at the red-haired girl.

“Yes, she was.” She replied tears in her eyes. “She was and we…”

Rarity bit her lip and looked away, blinking the tears from her eyes. She took a deep breath and looked back to Sunset and Twilight.

“Anyway darlings, that is when things began to change. Another girl, transferred, to the school. Perhaps it was because she thought no one would challenge her, or because she figured she could just bide her time and manipulate her over time like everyone else, but Sunset ended up on the back foot. This girl was incredible at making friends and fixing all the small problems that had kept the school divided. Sunset tried, in a very rushed effort, to discredit her, but it wasn’t enough. In one week, Sunset fell from the top of the school to rock bottom. All her power gone, all her carefully crafted deceit exposed. And just as quickly as she arrived, this girl left.”

“What stopped this other Sunset from just resuming her methods and taking back over the school?” Twilight asked slowly. “If she was that smart, that intelligent, surely…”

Rarity held up a hand. “The girl that came in, she was just as smart, just as intelligent, but more importantly she was kind, caring and she did something that no one expected her to do.”

“Which was?” Sunset and Twilight said together.

“She gave Sunset a second chance.” Rarity smiled, holding up her hands to stop the tirade she knew was coming. “Trust me, I was just as shocked as you, and she asked my friends and I to look after her and help her…” Rarity trailed off again, her voice cracking, tears swelling in her eyes again. Beside her Sweetie was looking ready to cry too, her smoothie long since abandoned. “But I’m afraid… that will… have to wait.” Rarity wiped her tears away with a finger, doing her best to smile.

“Will you be teaching at Canterlot High tomorrow?” She asked Sunset, standing up and helping Sweetie Belle to her feet.

“I… yes,” Sunset replied.

“Would you mind getting there early, say seven-thirty?” Rarity asked. “I believe there are some people you should meet.”

“Sure,” Sunset replied slowly.

Rarity smiled sadly. “I shall see you there then darling.”

Without another word she took Sweetie by the hand a led her from the cafe, the younger girl never taking her eyes off Sunset until the door closed behind them with a merry jingle.

“Well, that was…” Twilight began, but she couldn’t find the right words to convey her thoughts.

“Vexing?” Sunset offered.

“Yes, vexing.”

The two girls sat in silence for a while, both lost in their own thoughts.

“Her sister called me ‘Princess Twilight’...” Twilight mumbled. “And she said ‘the other them’.”

“I wouldn’t read too much into it Twi.” Sunset sighed, stretching. “There was something very… perhaps it’s better to say she was traumatised, and Rarity was also affected very deeply.”

“I’ve never had anyone I know die before,” Twilight whispered. “No one I was close too anyway. Is that what it always feels like?”

Sunset didn’t reply, a knot tightening in her chest. She knew, but she wasn’t about to tell Twilight. She was also certain that this younger Sunset’s passing wasn’t by natural causes. Or perhaps it was, it would explain the shock and pain. Even friendships couldn’t stop cancer.

“I’ll give you a lift home Twilight.” Sunset stood, grabbing the two abandoned smoothies and taking them to the counter.

“Can’t I stay at yours?” Twilight asked tentatively, blushing.

“Any other night, I might have said yes.” She ran a gentle hand through Twilights’ purple hair. “But I don’t think you want to be around me tonight. Besides, you know your parents aren’t that keen on me.”

“They will come around, I know it,” Twilight replied, optimistically, leading Sunset out the door and into the darkening night.

“I am sure they will,” Sunset replied.
> The Headstone
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The morning was unseasonably cold. The thin veil of snow that had settled on the grass out front of Canterlot High now crunched under Sunsets boots as a layer of ice crystals, with morning dew clinging to spider webs glinting in the rising sun.

Sunset drew her leather jacket around herself against the cold, glancing down at her watch to reveal she was ten minutes early. She looked up expecting to see no one, but to her surprise Rarity was standing by the strange horse statue out the front of the school, wearing a fashionable ski jacket, white with purple highlights to match her perfectly, with a matching satchel slung over her shoulder.

“Good morning Miss Shimmer.” Rarity smiled softly as Sunset approached. “Did you sleep well?”

“Not really,” Sunset replied, making Raritys’ smile falter. “Lovely jacket you have though.” She added, moving the conversation on. “Where did you get it?”

“Well, I got the fabric from an online shop, being a speciality item and all. The lining came from another old coat of mine. The exterior was too worn but I couldn’t let the silken lining go to waste and the buttons I saw in this little thrift store off the main square.”

Sunset found herself looking stunned at the young girl. “You made this?”

“But of course. I want to be a fashion icon when I am older, and there is no better way to practice than making my own stunning ensemble.” Rarity replied with a wild grin. “Why, do you like it?”

Sunset merely nodded, scanning the coat for a single imperfection, but she found none.

“I’m glad to hear it. It is its first outing and it's nice to make a good impression. Why I made a beautiful leather jacket for Sunset, it matched her to a tee, she always wore it when it was cold…” Rarity suddenly stopped, her eyes wide like she had just been stabbed through the heart.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes… just… painful memories.”

Sunset let it slide, not wanting to worry the girl more than necessary. Scanning around she examined the school and the surrounding area. Cars rolled past on the road out front, birds flitting from eve to eve on the houses opposite.

“How many people are coming,” Sunset asked.

“With any luck, Four.” Rarity replied. “In fact, here comes one now.”

Sunset saw a familiar pink haired girl appear from around the corner of the school building. Wearing a long green skirt and matching green hat, thick white tights with pink boots to match her hair, the girl stopped dead when she caught sight of Rarity and Sunset. After a wave from Rarity, she finally approached, keeping her head tilted so her long hair covered her face.

“Morning Fluttershy.” Rarity held out a surprisingly formal hand, which Fluttershy took slowly in both her own. An understanding seemed to pass between them both, until they both embraced tightly, both squeezing the other with a tightness that Sunset knew only came from a deep, personal connection.

“Morning Rarity.” The girls' voice was just as timid as it had been when answering the register. Fluttershy glanced up at Sunset and gave a nervous smile. “Hello, Miss Shimmer.”

“Sunset is fine.” She replied, holding out her own hand.

Fluttershy eyed it warily for a moment like it might suddenly disappear. Slowly she reached out and shook Sunsets hand, her grip just as timid as her voice.

An awkward silence reigned again, Fluttershy avoiding Sunset’s gaze, while Rarity fidgeted with the buttons on her coat.

“Do you think the others will come?” Fluttershy asked, her voice barely audible.

“I think so.” Rarity replied but wasn’t forthcoming as to why.

Sunset was tempted to leave them for a moment and head back to the small garden, examine the picture and the epitaph once more. Her plan was discarded as she spotted a red truck pull up in front of the school. The door banged open and out clambered a blonde-haired girl in jeans and thick green chequered jumper. The snow crunched under her heavy leather boots, very practical and almost opposite to Raritys’ stylish ensemble. She stopped short of the small group, her eyes flitting between them, an unusual pained, perhaps reluctant, smile on her face, the tassels of her knitted woollen hat swaying in the breeze.

“Howdy.” the girl said stiffly, stuffing her hands in her jeans.

“Applejack.” Rarity replied politely but she didn’t hold out her hand.

Fluttershy merely smiled at Applejack in acknowledgement.

Deciding she should at least be civil, Sunset offered her hand. “Hi. Sunset Shimmer, but Sunset is fine.” After eyeing it, just like Fluttershy, Applejack eventually shook her hand. In contrast to Fluttershy, Applejacks’ grip was firm and strong. If the truck and industrial level boots were any indication, Sunset expected the girl was used to manual labour and probably only using a fraction of her strength.

As she pulled back her hand, Sunset heard Applejack whisper something like ‘Apples and Pears!’ with a tone of shock. What that meant she had no idea.

“So. What have you told her?” Applejack asked Rarity, ignoring the fact Sunset was right next to her.

“Applejack, manners.” Rarity hissed.

“What? Are we just cookin’ for one, or is the whole family gonna come over.” The blonde girl replied, with Sunset only just catching what she meant.

Rarity rolled her eyes. “We… we will see who turns up.” She finished, as if reluctant to use the girls' odd analogy.

Tapping her boot slowly in the snow, Applejack eyed Rarity. “Ah see. And any sign of that faithless good-for-nothin’? Or is she still runnin’ from her problems?”

“Applejack!” Fluttershy squeaked.

“Oh come on Shy? It’s true. Besides, ah thought you’d given up on her.”

Fluttershy took a couple of steps back, positioning herself just behind Rarity, looking anywhere but at the irritable woman.

“Going for brutally honest are we now Applejack?” Rarity chirped. Applejack glared at Rarity but seemed to think better of retorting.

Sunset looked between the three of them with surprise. “Any particular reason you’re biting each others heads off?” She rhetorically. “Or is this how kids behave when they don’t attend a Prep school?”

Rarity and Applejack looked at one another, their expressions falling. Applejack looked away, kicking the ground with a boot, with Rarity giving Sunset an apologetic smile.

“No, this is…” She began, only to stop and stare into space. “You know, I’m not sure what it is anymore. Too much has happened for me to be able to put it in simple terms.”

“Ahm sure the Princess would have a word,” Applejack added wryly. “Did yah ask her to come?” She added after a moment.

“I did, but I never got a reply.” Rarity replied sadly. “Honestly, I’m not sure if she ever wants to return.”

A penny dropped in Sunsets mind. “Rarity, who is this Princess? Yesterday, your sister said Princess Twilight. Unless she is leading a seriously secret double life, the Twilight you met yesterday isn’t a Princess. Is there another girl with a similar name.”

If Rarity could go paler than she already was, Sunset was certain her body managed it.

“Oh, uhhh… yes, but, uhhhh, she is…”

“From abroad.” Applejack finished for her.

Sunset nodded suspiciously. “Uhuh. And the Princess part?”

“That part is true… she is a Princess where she is from.” Rarity smiled sheepishly. “Quite a shock when we found out, but she had a crown and everything.”

Sunset wasn’t sure why they would lie to her, but somehow a Princess randomly attending this school seemed a little far-fetched. ‘You’ve just discovered your share the likeness and name of a dead girl at a school you were only teaching at my pure chance’ her brain reminded her. Damn.

All four women were distracted by a bus pulling up out the front of the school. The doors opened but it took a few seconds for a girl to clamber carefully down from the bus, a satchel slung over one shoulder while she supported herself on a crutch with the other. Sunset recognised her rainbow coloured hair instantly from the day before but was pretty sure she hadn’t been limping. As the girl got closer Fluttershy gasped and rushed to her side, the other three going wide-eyed.

“Rainbow?” Fluttershy stammered, her hands reaching out for the girl but stopping short of making contact, as if holding herself back at the last moment. “What happened?”

Rainbow looked up at the assembled girls to reveal a heavy black eye, with cuts down the same side of her face. She turned away from Fluttershy with a grunt. “Gilda.”

“That hussy is still givin’ you beatin’s?” Applejack admonished. “Ah thought the police had put a stop to that?”

Rainbow shook her head but said nothing.

“During form, you and I are going to go and see Principal Celestia and file a report with the police.” Sunset moved forward to Rainbow’s side. Taking the girls face in both her hands she gently tilted it up to examine the bruise and cuts. “When did this happen? These haven’t been cleaned or seen too.”

“I got it, okay.” Rainbow pulled away roughly, standing up and dropping her crutch. “I’m just fine. See…” Rainbow’s leg gave way and she topped forwards. Sunset lunged to grab her and managed to prevent her from hitting the frozen ground.

“Applejack. Under her other arm. We’re going to the matron’s room. Your school does have one right?”

“Yeah but…” Applejack began until Rainbow shoved her off and with the swing of her good leg, lunged free of Sunset, dropping to the ground with a grunt.

“I told you, I’m fine. Just leave me alone.” She hissed, pulling herself up on her crutch.

“No, you’re not.” Sunset tried again to lift her up but Rainbow swiped at her with the stick, almost falling over again. “What is wrong with her? She was fine in class yesterday.”

“It's her way of atonin'” Applejack replied bitterly. “She’s been letting stuff like this happen ever since Sunset…”

“Shut up!” Rainbow screamed. “You keep your lying mouth shut!”

“Oh come on Dash!” Applejack yelled back. “It's bucking obvious and the whole school knows it. Why do you think no one tried to help you or gets involved.”

“You…!” Rainbow yelled but never finished as she swiped at Applejacks legs with the crutch, this time lunging forwards, but the blonde girl simply stepped back and Rainbow topped to the floor once more. She forced herself to her knees again with a hiss, glaring at Applejack. She made to stand again until a pair of yellow hands slipped around her middle. 

Fluttershy hugged Rainbow tightly, burying her head in the girls rainbow coloured hair, a faint muffled sobbing cutting into the air. Rainbow slumped to the ground, beating the snow with her free fist.

“Damn you Shy.” She moaned. “Damn you.”

Fluttershy didn’t reply but kept clinging to Rainbow while her sobbing continued. Sunset watched, confused and stunned. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Rarity bite back a sob, wiping her tears on the sleeve of her coat, while Applejack stared down at the two fallen girls, a deep sadness in her eyes that Sunset couldn’t ever remember seeing on a face so young. All five women waited in the snow until Fluttershy helped Rainbow Dash to her feet. Fluttershy took a step back once Rainbow was stable, yet the athletic girl took a long steadying breath and held out her hand towards the demure teen. Fluttershy made a little gasp but took Rainbows hand.

“I’ll let you take me to the matron,” Rainbow started. “After this is over.” She shot a firm look at Sunset. “Got it?”

Sunset nodded, still shocked. It was blatantly obvious but she knew this strange display of vastly different feelings and moods was only scratching the surface of a very old and very complex relationship between these four girls. She had met plenty of adults in her short working life and encountered those background grudges or spoiled friendships, hidden under the surface but never forgotten. Those people however were nearing the end of their careers, with decades of friendships and broken partnerships under their belts, not girls still in their teens.

“Looks like I missed a party.”

Sunset jumped a foot in the air at the pink-haired girl who had materialised beside her. She stared around at the others but they seemed not to be shocked in the slightest at the new silent girls' arrival.

“Morning Pinkie Pie.” Rarity gave the girl a gentle smile and wandered over to give her a soft hug. “How are your sisters?”

“Same as always. Maud is tough, Limestone is angry and Marble is… she is still rolling.”

A sad smile graced Rarity’s lips. “I guess we should be happy for what we have got.” she replied squeezing the pink girl tighter before holding her to arms length. “Your hair is lovely, very glossy. Have you been straightening it?”

“No.”

Given that the girl's hair was ruler-straight, Sunset didn’t know if she was lying or it was kept that way by magic. Given her newfound knowledge somehow the latter didn’t seem that outrageous. Pinkie proceeded to gently hug Fluttershy, Applejack and finally, after a long pause which seemed to include an entire conversation by staring match, Rainbow Dash.

“So, now we are all here. Where to begin.” Everyone turned to look at Rarity. Her eyes were bloodshot and her nose was a little too red to just be cold, yet she stood tall and defiant. “You are familiar with the social site MyStable?”

“I loathe it but, yes, I am,” Sunset replied.

“Did you ever hear about a profile by the name of Anon-a-Miss?”

“I have. It is used as a very dark example of the dangers of social media, anonymity and online safety.” Sunset replied bluntly, crossing her arms.

Rarity visibly grimaced and went stiff. “Yes, that exact one.” She coughed and continued. “How about a gas leakage at a school?” She gestured to the building behind them.

“You mean it was this school? Gas explosion in the middle of your end of year ball? Destroyed the front of the school?”

“Something like that.” the fashionista replied. “And perhaps, a musical showcase that turned into a battle of the bands?”

Sunset raised her eyebrows. “The one where someone set of so many fireworks during the final performance it lit up the entire sky?”

“Again, something like that, but it seems you are aware.” Rarity gave a small smile. “All of these events have someone in common. Or perhaps it would be better to say, a group of people in common.”

“You mean aside from the school?” Sunset looked around. “You five?” She asked.

Rarity nodded. “Close enough. The rest of the school that was around do know, but to be more precise I mean Rainbow, Fluttershy, Applejack, Pinkie Pie and myself, along with Princess Twilight, and… Sunset Shimmer.”

“Princess?”

Everyone turned. Rainbow Dash swore, Fluttershy shrieked, and Sunset jumped again.

“Twilight! What are you doing here?” Sunset gasped, rushing over and picking the one thing she knew would make Twilight pay attention. “You’ll be late for school!”

Twilight ignored the shocked looks from the girls behind Sunset and continued. “Already been there. Ran into Cinch in the parking lot. Told her I was spending the day doing field research.” The girl reached into her pocket and pulled out a small hand-held device with two small antennae. “Seems the readings are going down though which is a shame.”

“Twilight?” Sunset replied, still trying to wrap her head around what was happening. “You followed me?”

“No, I just worked out where you were teaching.” the purple-haired girl replied simply. “There were only three schools you could have detoured to yesterday when you were called in as a substitute, and since one was a primary school, and the other was a specialist arts college, it was logical you would be teaching here. Though I suppose it could have been the collage with you teaching music but they would usually call in a specialist for something like that...” Her train of thought petering into silence.

“But Twilight…” Sunset began, only to stop herself. In this mood, there was no way she was out thinking Twilight, not to mention she had bigger issues now. “Look, I appreciate you coming to see me but you need to get back to school.”

“Does she mean Principal Cinch?” Sunset heard Rainbow Dash ask behind her. “The witch at Crystal Prep?”

“Witch?” Twilight sidestepped Sunset, to glare at Rainbow. “She is not a witch! Yes, she is hard and unwavering, but she keeps everyone at Crystal Prep in line and their education is all the better for it.”

Rainbow gaped at Twilight. “Wow, you’re way different than the other you.”

“The other…” Twilight started but Rarity stepped in between the two girls.

“Darling, it’s lovely to meet you again.” She intercepted Twilight’s glare and smiled back in what she hoped was a disarming fashion.

“Rarity?” Twilight seemed to have not noticed she was in the group. “Uh… Hello.”

“Likewise.”

“Ah hate to interrupt,” Applejack called from the back, not sounding sorry at all. “But time’s a-wastin' and we don’t want to havin’ this conversation in front of the whole school.”

Fluttershy visibly shuddered at the idea.

Rarity sighed. “She is right.” She gave Twilight a sad look. “I’m afraid this isn’t going to be pleasant.”

Twilight looked from Rarity to Sunset and back. “You mean worse than yesterday?”

“What happened yesterday?” Applejack cut in again.

After a steadying breath, Rarity replied. “Sweetie Belle and I went to Sugarcube Corner. We ran into Sunset and Twilight, and Sweetie… she had another panic attack.” Rarity finished with a pained expression.

The aggressive expression on Applejack’s face dropped away like a stone. “Oh… damn, I’m sorry Rarity. I really am. Apple Bloom fainted yesterday and all…”

Now it was Sunset’s turn to grimace. She knew that name. “It was me. She fainted in front of me.”

Every girl present, aside from Twilight, gasped.

“Now I know why she wouldn’t say a single word.” Applejack managed to say after a long tense moment. Behind her, Fluttershy began to sob.

“Sunset…” Rarity began. She glanced to Applejack and Rainbow Dash, who was comforting Fluttershy, then briefly at Pinkie Pie before she turned back to a very worried looking Sunset. “There were three girls behind the Anon-A-Miss Mystable page. My sister, Sweetie Belle, Applejack’s sister Apple Bloom, and, while she wasn’t a sister by blood Rainbow Dash was practically family to the third girl, Scootaloo.”

Sunset watched as Rarity forced the words from her mouth, her fists clenched, her bottom lip wavering.

“Over the course of nine months, they revealed secrets about every student in this school. All except one. Of course, everyone blamed the one person who’d had nothing revealed about them for their exposed secrets. Secrets that started reasonably benign, but gradually grew worse and worse. All the while, this individual was threatened, bullied, and… and… abandoned.”

Behind Rarity, Fluttershy slowly sunk to the floor, openly weeping into Rainbow Dash’s arms. Pinkie Pie looked like someone had sucked all the fun out of her entire life, while Applejack looked ashamed, silent tears running from her eyes.

“What… what happened to him?” Twilight asked, her eyes darting from Sunset to the girls before her.

“Her.” Rarity clarified, with a pained smile on her face. “She had pulled herself out of the darkest hole I’ve ever known someone to escape from, she became a beacon to all of us… only to fall even lower, but this time with no one to help her out.”

Sunset watched Rarity’s gaze as she turned and looked up at the school building, her eyes streaming in the rising sun.

“Sunset Shimmer leapt to her death off the roof of this school. Only then did everyone stop believing she was Anon-A-Miss.”


***---***---***


It took a while for everyone to gather their feelings together into some semblance of normality. While the five girls dealt with the pain in their own way, Sunset and Twilight had retreated away from the school building to Sunset’s car. Beside her in the passenger seat, Twilight simply stared into space, clutching her coat with one hand and her inhaler in the other.

Sunset meanwhile continued to stare at the roof of the building. Now she knew why Sweetie Belle had her panic attack. Now she knew why Apple Bloom had fainted. She was the spitting image of a girl they had driven to suicide. She’d never met the other girl, Scootaloo, but she wished to the sun that she would never have to cross paths with her.

Part of her was worried about trying to explain why she couldn’t teach at CHS to Principal Cinch. A small part of her chastised her for even worrying about something like that at a moment like this, but Sunset was almost certain it would be best if she never returned to this school. A bad or difficult conversation with Cinch was nothing compared to the pain she had put the school through yesterday. ‘It's not your fault’ part of her kept trying to remind her. ‘You couldn’t have known’. That was true, but it also dawned on her just why it hurt the other students. They may not have been behind the page, but she could only surmise that they had spread secrets about each other, making the situation worse, trying to out-shock one another with the craziest or most embarrassing secrets. Yet worst of all, they had been the ones to bully and shun a teenage girl to the point where she believed her life was no longer worth living. In a way, they were just as responsible as Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo.

“I’m going to delete my account.”

Sunset jumped slightly as Twilight spoke.

“It’s not like I use it much anyway.” the lilac girl continued. “I never ever want to see or hear about anything like this ever again.”

Sunset took Twilights hand. “Twi, that's not necessary. I mean, sure you don’t have many friends on there but I am certain they will have taken steps to ensure something like this never happens again.”

“I doubt it. Studies have shown that large corporations are very slow to respond to individual cases or issues. Only when a problem affects them directly or could cause financial disruption do they…”

A strange ticking was coming from somewhere. Twilight reached into her jacket and pulled out the small device she had been holding earlier. The small meter at the top was bouncing back and forth like crazy, the ticks sounding more and more like a Geiger counter.

“Twilight!” Sunset called, but Twilight ignored her, leaping out of the car and sprinting across the carpark, the device held before her like a compass. Sunset followed suit, leaping from her seat and sprinting after her. She rounded the corner, sliding to a halt only for her mind to stop.

Twilight stood before her, back facing towards Sunset, her streaked purple hair up in its bun on the back of her head, the pleated dark purple kilt of Crystal Prep peeking out from under the puffy blue down jacket she wore to keep out the cold.

Twilight also stared right at her, hair falling down in a curtain that was swept back over her shoulders, wearing a short purple skirt with a star on it and a button-up blouse, while she shivered from either cold, rage or shock as she stared from the Twilight Sunset knew to the five girls who were stepping back from the rearing horse statue in alarm.

Sunset approached cautiously, looking over to Rarity as if to say, ‘Well, an explanation would be nice!’ only to get a shocked and sheepish shrug back, which seemed to indicate that Rarity was both surprised at the appearance of a second Twilight and was also very worried about that exact occurrence.

“Princess Twilight.” Rarity eventually called. “I… you didn’t tell me you were coming.”

“I am not at the beck and call of a bunch of teenagers playing hero.” The new Twilight replied curtly. “Is this why you called me here? Because you found the other Twilight? You were very vague in your message. Didn’t want to hold that diary for longer than absolutely necessary?”

“No… yes... I mean…” Rarity stammered, taken aback by the aggressive and venomous words of the small girl before her. “She wasn’t supposed to be here… I messaged you about…” Twilight followed Rarity's slender pointing finger and looked like her world had fallen out from under her.

The girl, the Princess, slowly walked towards Sunset, totally ignoring her doppelganger, until she was just a few feet from a very shocked Sunset. Ever so slowly, the young girl reached out her hand up to Sunset’s face. Too stunned to move, Sunset let the girl touch her skin, her cold fingers making her gasp slightly only to warm as the new Twilight pressed her palm to Sunset’s face, her thumb gently caressing her cheek. Tears began to stream from her eyes, and suddenly Sunset found herself in a crushing embrace.

“I’m so sorry Sunset!” Twilight wailed. “I failed you. I failed you utterly. I’m so so sorry…” She continued to weep uncontrollably into Sunset’s chest, her words of pain and sorrow lost in her tears and agony. Slowly Sunset wrapped her arms around the Princess, confused on so many levels, but if this catharsis helped her at all, Sunset would endure the awkwardness.

Eventually, Twilight stopped sobbing, her pain reduced to hitched breathing. She slowly extricated herself from Sunset and stood back from her, her eyes red and puffy.

“I’m… I’m sorry about that.” She whispered. “I just… I never got a chance to…”

Sunset gave the girl a supportive smile. “It’s okay, I… I think I know how you feel. Though, I can’t say I’ve ever met someone who was the spitting image of my mother.”

Twilight’s mouth made a silent ‘oh’, but she said nothing.

Both girls were distracted by a sudden burst of ticking. They turned to watch Twilight, Sunset’s one, standing next to the statue, device in hand, passing up and down the stone base. The little device zinged and clicked as she paced around it, all sadness forgotten, a scientific focus in her eyes.

“This is the anomaly?” She spoke to herself, confused. “This thing?” Sunset watched as Twilight came to a halt before the statue’s school facing side.

“Ah wouldn’t touch that if I was you.” Sunset heard Applejack call, but Twilight seemed completely oblivious.

“Is it some form of radiation? Some new kind of element? A release of unknown particles?” Twilight reached out her hand towards the statue.

Slam.

Twilight toppled hard to the ground with a cry of shock, the Princess bowling her over and shoving her away from the statue. Both girls slid to a halt in the snow, the small device coming to rest a few feet away, still clicking frantically.

“What the hell was that for?” Twilight yelled at the Princess who was slowly pulling herself to her feet.

“Don’t touch it, whatever you do, don’t.” the Princess replied. “I can’t tell you what or why just, don’t.”

“I’ve been tracking strange emissions and particles for almost three years.” Twilight shot back. “That is the source, right there!”

The Princess gave Twilight a long stare. If meeting a nearly identical version of herself was shocking or scary, the girl didn’t show it, instead, she turned to look at Rarity with a firm expression.

“How much do they know?”

Rarity fidgeted. “Not much, I guess? They both know now that there are copies of people, I guess that is all, apart from that device she has.” Rarity pointed.

Princess Twilight stared down at the device in Twilight’s hand “You said you’d been tracking something, for almost three years?” The Princess asked. “When did it start?”

Twilight gripped her arm nervously. “Uh, it was near the end of my first year. Got three spikes on some old measuring equipment I happened to be testing. At first, I thought it was broken but then I got several other small spikes until there was a massive surge one night.”

“The fall formal.” The Princess muttered to herself. She seemed to contemplate for a moment before asking, “Did you get any other readings?”

“Yes, about nine months later, there was a gradual increase in readings. Slowly building and building until there were several more massive spikes, with another final one that caused the machines to max out one evening before it dropped back down to the same background level as before.”

“And The Dazzlings.” The Princess looked around the assembled group. “So, what was the plan? Fill them both in on everything? Let even more people know the secret?” All the other girls looked at Rarity who seemed to shrink when she realised she was suddenly at the centre of attention.

“I… I didn’t have a definitive plan darling. It was more, start and see where things went naturally. I mean, Sunset has a right to know why everyone was reacting so strangely, doesn’t she?”

Twilight turned to glare at Rarity. “I told you all, in no uncertain terms to never discuss this again with anyone else. We are exceptionally lucky that the authorities bought the story about Sunset, and the Dazzlings, and... the first time I came here.” Twilight stopped for a moment, a shadow passing across her face before she took a long breath and continued. “You are not ready. Humans are not ready. I told you this.” Princess Twilight turned to Sunset and Twilight, a resigned expression on her face. “I’m sorry about all this, but it is best if you try and forget what you’ve seen and heard. If this version of me is anything like I am then I know that is going to be very difficult but please,” she fixed her opposite with a pleading stare. “Please, some things are best left alone. I know every instinct you have is wired to learn, just like it is with me, but I can say from personal experience, you may not like what you find and you will end up regretting it.”

Twilight gulped. After a moment she nodded slowly.

“Please keep true to that.” Princess Twilight gave Twilight and Sunset a firm and comforting smile. “And, while you are at it, please destroy this,” she indicated the small device. “And any data you have on your readings. There are things out there who would do anything to uncover this secret. You will be safer if you know nothing more.”

Again Twilight nodded. Seemingly satisfied, her counterpart turned to Rarity with a grim expression.

“Give me the book.” She demanded, holding out her hand.

Rarity took a step back. “Twilight?”

“Give me the book!” The Princess snapped. “I know you have it on you, I can feel it. Now please, give it to me.”

“But… the portal…” Rarity stammered. “With it gone…”

“I know and it is for the best.” Twilight glared at each girl in turn while Sunset and Twilight watched, bewildered. “Give it to me. At least that way you also won’t have another reminder.”

Rarity didn’t move. She just gave the Twilight before her a pleading look, silently begging her but the Princess’s expression remained unmoved. The white girl turned and gave the girls behind her the same pleading stare but none were forthcoming. Applejack looked away, shame written all over her face. Pinkie Pie responded with a thousand-yard stare like her mind was off in another place entirely. Fluttershy’s eyes were once again streaming with tears, while Rainbow Dash defiantly looked away, her own eyes silent rivers of pain.

With a hitched breath Rarity unclasped her satchel and with trembling hands, withdrew a heavy bound tome. Sunset spotted the gilded golden edges to the spine, the thick hardback face depicting an elaborate symbol of a fiery yin and yang, caught in the heart of a blazing sun motif. But the dark brown and red that stained the pages and cover of the book were what drew every girl's attention.

Ignoring the gasps and distressed moans of grief, Twilight carefully took the book from Rarity’s shaking hands and clasped it tightly against her chest. For a moment she stood shivering in the cold, the hairs on her bare arms rising against the frosty wind that blew through them all, holding the book like it were a loved relative. With one final look around at everyone present, the Princess let a faint smile grace her lips, the hard and pained mask slipping just a fraction.

“Twenty-seven mooons.” She spoke softly. “From the next full moon, it will be another twenty-seven until the portal opens again on its own. I hope you have all made strides to redeem yourselves by then.”

Without another word Twilight turned and walked towards the statue, only to walk straight through the solid stone at its base. There was a flash of rainbow light, the surface of the stone rippling like water and she was gone.

Sunset didn’t know what to think. What to feel. So she didn’t do anything. She kept a firm hand on Twilight’s shoulder, the younger girl making twitches like she wanted to rush forth and follow but Sunset kept her grip firm.

Tentatively Rarity crunched through the snow and reached towards the statue, only to lay her palm flat to solid and unyielding marble. Her composure broke. Rarity collapsed to her knees screaming in anguish, her hands sliding slowly down the cold stone, curling up in a ball at the foot of the prancing horse.

A noise behind her caught Sunset’s attention. She turned to see a gaggle of students stopped at the corner of the school building, staring at the sobbing girl on the ground and the others standing around in the snow. Sunset expected them to start whispering or to even pull out their phones, but not a single one did so. Instead, they all looked pained, guilty and resigned. A few spotted her looking at them and jumped but their shock was short-lived, slowly they kept advancing keeping their distance and heading into the school itself.

“Rarity…” Fluttershy managed to squeak, kneeling next to the sobbing teen. “We need to go.”

“Yes… yes, we do.” she managed to sob back. Slowly she pulled herself to feet, brushing the snow off her coat and leggings. She lay a lingering hand on the base of the statue before tearing herself away and heading towards the school. She paused, looking back at Sunset and Twilight. “I’m sorry, that is it.” She wiped more tears from her eyes. “I will see you in class… Miss Shimmer.” with those final forced words she turned and marched herself inside.

Without a word, Applejack and Pinkie Pie turned and followed, though with the farm girl keeping a deliberate distance from the pink-haired teen.

“Take her to the matron,” Sunset ordered as she spotted Fluttershy and Rainbow heading away from the entrance and round the side of the building. “I will be checking up on you later Miss Dash.”

Rainbow’s shoulders fell, giving a resigned thumbs up without turning around, Fluttershy helping her hobble away through the snow.

With only Twilight at her side, Sunset steered the girl by her shoulder back across the grounds and to the car park. She unlocked her car and clambered inside, with a confused Twilight copying her. Once both doors were shut both, they sat in silence, watching as more and more students made their way towards the school to start the day.

“Sunset...” Twilight began. “Is it wrong of my mind… all I can think about… she walked into the statue? And she looked exactly like me? Does that mean that Multiverse theory is true? Does…” the girl petered to a halt when she caught the broken expression on Sunset’s face. “Oh… right… I’m sorry. I should have…”

“Honestly Twilight, if you hadn’t been thinking about that I would’ve been more worried,” Sunset responded. “You use it as a coping mechanism. A way to avoid thinking about all the bad things that happen. Someone knocks you down in the corridor and you just redouble your efforts on that assignment that is due in. Someone steals your shoes and you just walk home barefoot so you can start on that night's homework.”

Twilight gaped at Sunset, only to draw up her legs and wrap her arms around them. “Yeah… I do.” There was an awkward pause both women lost in their own heads.

“Sunset?”

“Yes?”

“You said ‘I think I know how you feel’.” Sunsets breath stopped. “Did you lose your mum like that?”

The fiery haired woman stared out the windscreen, her hands clenched tightly on the steering wheel.

“Yes.” She replied after a long pause. She heard Twilight gasp and felt hands grip her arm. “I was seven.” She continued, preempting Twilights inevitable question. “I was dropped home and found her in the bathroom.”

“Why?” Twilight asked. “She had you, a daughter. She got you into music. I’ve seen the photos on your desk. You looked so happy together.”

Why indeed.

Sunset knew Twilight would have no idea what torrent of painful, guilty and unanswered thoughts she had unwittingly unleashed, but it didn’t make it any less painful. Nor did her own knowledge that it was one simple word that would encompass everything, yet answer nothing. Closing her eyes, Sunset did what she needed to end the torrent, that rushed through her. All Twilight saw from the outside was a shudder and a long, steadying breath.

“Depression.” Sunset wiped her eyes on the back of her sleeve. “Even now people are not really aware of it. Fourteen years ago, it was still not really understood and had greater social stigma.”

Sunset heard Twilight open her mouth but it seemed the teen realised this wasn’t the right time to press for information.

“I’ll take you back to Crystal Prep.” Sunset sat up and started the engine. “I’m sure they can cope for half an hour without me. Meanwhile, I want you to remember where every bit of data you have on this project is so tonight we can destroy it all.”

“What!” Twilight gasped. “No, we are not…”

“You promised!” Sunset snapped back. “You saw her walk through the statue. You saw the pain in her eyes. The blood staining that book. I don’t care what this proves. I don’t want you getting involved. Dark things happened. Terrible things and I know you Twilight. You won’t be able to cope with it.”

Twilight’s mouth worked but no sound came out. Eventually, she turned away and stared pointedly out the window, away from Sunset. Sunset didn’t mind, it saved her from having to keep justifying it to herself, or keep thinking about what she had just seen. Maybe this Princess Twilight was right, maybe some things were better left alone. With a final glance to the statue and another to the roof of the school, Sunset put the car in gear and drove away.
> The Fire
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

With relief, the young woman turned off the engine and lent back in the driver's seat. She hated it but getting her licence had finally meant she could be independent in a way that using a scooter just couldn’t compare too. Her instructors had just considered it standard learner jitters and that it would pass in time. It wasn’t that though. Being behind one and a half tonnes of steel scared the teen for a different reason, and driving in morning rush hour traffic just made it worse.

Her breath steady again, Scootaloo lent over to the passenger seat and carefully picked up the bouquet of red and yellow tulips, making sure not to catch them on anything as she clambered out of her small car. After confirming the clunk of the central locking, she began her slow, nervous walk towards her destination. Forcing herself to look up from her feet, a habit she had gained shortly after it had happened, Scootaloo gazed around the street she hadn’t set foot on in over two years. Not much had changed which surprised her in a way, yet the lack of change also began to bring fear and pain back up to the surface of her mind. Feelings that she had only begun to take control of in the last year.

Six months of being little more than a husk that barely ate or drank. Six more months running, sleeping rough and stealing to survive. Three months in hospital having been stabbed in an alleyway for taking from the wrong people. A whole year unable to decide if she was angry that the blade hadn’t killed her, or relieved that she’d saved her limited number of friends and family from even more pain.

Tears began to swell in her eyes, but rather than clamping down on them, trying to force the negative feelings away, she let them come taking steadying breaths and gently wiping them away. Hiding from what she had caused, what she had done, wasn’t the way anymore.

Her eyes now clear, Scootaloo stopped to gaze upon her old school, standing on the pavement out front and taking in the u-shaped structure, painfully aware of its three stories and tall roof, topped with the stained-glass dome, the horse still prancing majestically upon its plinth. Slowly, Scootaloo advanced towards it and laid her hand upon the marble plinth. The fact that right here, beneath her fingers, a gateway to another world would form. A place of magic, where friendship was a spectrum coloured laser weapon, and where a Sunset Shimmer had been born, never to return home.

Scootaloo’s fist clenched against the cold unyielding surface. She didn’t know exactly when the portal would open again, but if her rough estimates were correct it would be only a couple of months away. While recovering from her stab-wound, Apple Bloom had come to visit. It had been a painfully awkward reunion, but the girl had relayed an event that had transpired right where she stood if Apple Bloom was to be believed. Twilight Sparkle had come back through and taken Sunsets journal from Rarity, severing the tie that kept the portal open, and so preventing the girls from having any chance of contacting Equestria. Scootaloo wasn’t sure why but hearing that had sent a fresh wave of pain and despair through her while she lay in her hospital bed. It was like someone had slammed a door in her face, having just permanently barred her from entering their house again, not giving her a chance to explain herself.

Explain.

That was simple enough. Sure, her logic had been flawless at the time, but to this day she knew she’d never considered the consequences, never looked past the benefits it brought her and her friends, to the black hole she had pushed Sunset into. Scootaloo was never sure if the pain and emotional toil she had, and still was, experiencing could make up for what she had caused, but she knew until her dying breath she would never forget. Whether that was enough, that wasn’t for her to decide.

A long shuddering breath ran through her before Scootaloo turned and walked towards the stairs that lead up to the large double doors at the front of Canterlot High. As she neared the top she spotted something. A significant dent in the handrail that ran up the stone steps. Horrible images flashed through her mind of what had caused it. She wasn’t even sure if that was the reason, but her mind couldn’t deny the dark connection that was there.

Scootaloo took another shuddering breath but focused to lay the flowers gently on the steps. If she had known where Sunset’s grave was, she would have gone there, but she had never found out and didn’t dare to ask someone who might know.

“Scootaloo?”

The girl turned quickly to see a face she hadn’t seen in a long time. She was taller, much taller. Her signature coloured hair back in a ponytail rather than the free curtain of old. The way she held herself, taller and straighter, no longer the meek, gangly teen that Scootaloo remembered but now a young woman. The jeans and tee-shirt were also not what she remembered, far more practical and functional than the dresses she used to wear, and accompanied by a large satchel bad draped over one shoulder.

“Fluttershy,” Scootaloo answered, realising she had been staring.

“What are you doing here?” The girl asked.

Scootaloo pointed to the flowers that she had lain. “I just… I’d never been able to visit her grave. I wanted to pay my respects. This seemed the only place that made sense.”

“She doesn’t have one,” Fluttershy replied, her voice colder than Scootaloo expected. “Her ashes were returned to Equestria.”

“Oh… I didn’t know.” Scootaloo gulped.

“If I recall, you all but severed ties with everyone involved,” Fluttershy replied, a little more kindly. “I wouldn’t expect you to have known that.” The yellow-skinned woman looked the teen up and down. “I heard you were stabbed? Some kind of fight in an alleyway? Is that true?”

Scootaloo was glad to hear more of the compassionate Fluttershy she remembered in those words. It seems she was at the very least willing to be civil with her once more.

“Fight would imply I actually had a chance.” Scootaloo grimaced as the memory floated to the surface. Fluttershy’s gaze hardened, making Scootaloo look away uncomfortably. “I’d been stealing from a shop over in the industrial district. Turned out they had links to drugs and various other illegal stuff. I don’t know if they thought I was a police informant or just a druggie trying to get a fix, but they cornered me and… well you know the result I guess.”

Fluttershy had turned pale, her hand to her mouth.

“Sorry.” Scootaloo grimaced. “I guess it just doesn’t scare me to talk about it. I was so numb at the time that I just didn’t care.”

“What about your aunts?”

“I ran away,” Scootaloo admitted with a long sigh.

“May I ask why?” Fluttershy asked tentatively.

“Lots of little things.” The orange girl ran her fingers through her hair. “The way they looked at me. How they kept trying to make me feel better. The way they hung on my every groan and sigh I made. Like, I know why they were looking back. They were trying to be supportive. I just… I just didn’t feel like I was worth supporting.”

Scootaloo stood shocked as Fluttershy pulled her into a crushing embrace.

“Please tell me that has changed,” Fluttershy whispered.

“Most of the time, it has,” Scootaloo answered eventually.

“And the rest of the time?”

Scootaloo sighed, wrapping her arms around Fluttershy in return. “Therapy.” She mumbled.

Scootaloo expected Fluttershy to release her, but the woman kept holding onto her, her fingers tight, clutching at her back, while she pressed her head into the teen’s neck. After a few minutes, she finally let go.

“I feel two years is enough self-imposed isolation.” She gave Scootaloo a stern but supportive look. “I know Apple Bloom has started talking to Sweetie Belle again. Rarity and I, we… well, we couldn’t stay apart after what happened.”

“You mean when Twilight came back and took the Journal?” Scootaloo asked.

Scootaloo noticed that Fluttershy suddenly looked apprehensive as if weighing something up but she still responded with a gentle nod.

“Yes. We were all there. I mean, not Sweetie and Apple Bloom, but the rest of us. It was… painful, but thinking about it, it did seem to spur everyone on. Or at least, let us get on with our lives.”

The two girls shared a sad smile, Fluttershy fiddling with the strap of her satchel, Scootaloo shuffling with her hands in her pockets.

“I’m afraid I need to get going,” Fluttershy said into the silence. She flipped open her satchel and pulled out another set of flowers, these a mix of exotic shapes, much fierier in colour and shape than Scootaloo’s tulips, but laid side by side they created an impressive little display of colour. She stood back to admire them with a soft smile. “I expect the others will be adding to it later today.” She said to no one in particular. “They’ve won’t have forgotten.”

“Where are you going now?” Scootaloo asked.

“I have lectures at Canterlot University. I’d come in the evening but I am due at the Shelter for a meeting. Someone recently gave a fairly large donation so we are going to decide how best to use the funds.”

“That's good.” the orange girl smiled a little. “So, I guess I will see you around?”

Fluttershy nodded slowly. “Yes. I am glad things seem to be improving for you. I hope we will run into each other again.” With a gentle wave, Fluttershy turned.

“Fluttershy.” The woman looked back at Scootaloo’s call. “Do you know… do you know when it will open again?”

Fluttershy cast a glance towards the statue with a worried expression.

“The next full moon.” She replied after a long silence. “If what the Princess said is true.”

She turned back to the flowers draped on the steps. Only to wish she hadn’t. In her mind's eye, they were now blood, dripping down the tiers of stone. It took a lot of effort to not kick them aside, but that would be highly disrespectful to Fluttershy, and Sunset. Her positive mood scattered to the winds, the teen began her slow walk back to her car. 

Yet…

She didn’t know what she would say. She didn’t know if it would make her feel any better or anyone else for that matter, but seeing as the next opportunity wouldn’t happen for another two and a half years after this one…

Scootaloo made up her mind. 


***---***---***


Twenty-seven moons. Twenty-seven months. Eight-hundred and twenty-one days and four hours, with just two more to go. Twilight Sparkle stared apprehensively out the train window, not really seeing the darkening world flash by as the sun set on the horizon. She had tried her best to forget. She had even destroyed all her data just as the other her had said. ‘Only after Sunset begged you’, her mind interjected. Well, regardless, she had done it, as much as it pained her. Or she thought she had, until she came across a small external hard-drive under one of the heavy metal filing cabinets, discovered as she emptied her personal laboratory at Crystal Prep in her move to Manehatten University.

She knew that Sunset would be very cross with her, for keeping the data and for what she was doing right now. Thankfully she had prior commitments so Twilight’s plans on how to sneak out of the shared apartment they both rented, saving a little on the costs of living in the massive coastal city, hadn’t been necessary. Somehow it didn’t feel right that Sunset had seemingly forgotten what had happened, yet it also made perfect sense. Who would want to remember?

Twilight was jolted from her thoughts by her change in velocity as the train began to break, the tannoy bursting into life to confirm their imminent arrival at Canterlot Park Station. Rather than heading to the centre, Twilight had realised it was faster to get off just outside the city and then board one of the university busses which happened to go right past the school, as it wound its way from the student housing on the cities edge to the various campuses dotted at its core.

A short jump down, a brisk walk to the barriers, and finally she was out into the evening air. She quickly located the bus stop she needed and was glad to see a double-decker already waiting. Despite the late hour, the station was busy with busses and taxis with a steady flow of cars streaming in, with most of the travellers of university age. A ticket later and she clambered up to the top deck and sat right at the back of the bus. She wasn’t entirely sure why. Perhaps she was worried she would be found out or discovered, but she wasn’t doing anything wrong, at least not legally. Still, her gut squirmed and she found herself double-checking her inhailer was still in her raincoats inside pocket.

Her foot tapped nervously as the bus set off through the night, the smattering of other passengers chatting away, some sleepy, others excited for a night out. The occasional loutish shout made her flinch, but thankfully no one looked her way.

The bus lurched as it came to an abrupt halt outside a trio of large tower blocks, modern affairs built of red brick and selectively rendered to break up the profile of the imposing structures. Twilight idly looked up to peer into the illuminated rooms, some occupied by students with pyramids of beer bottles stacked against the windows, others by families having their evening meal.

“... Twilight?”

Twilight looked around at her name. She scanned the seats before her but no one seemed to be looking specifically in her direction. It was probably someone else. It wasn’t like Twilight was a common name but the odds weren’t that outlandish. The purple girl dropped her head back against the glass as the bus pulled away, making the glass vibrate against her head. It tingled.

“She’ll be there, despite what the Princess said.”

“You think so?”

Careful as not to be seen, Twilight looked around and tried to pick out where the conversation was coming from. The voices weren’t familiar but the conversation and the timing were far too convenient. She peered down the aisle and spotted a pink head, peeping out from above one of the seats, and beside it was a very unique spectral flurry.

“I’m certain. Maybe her Sunset got her to follow through on destroying her research but if the Princess is anything to go by, she will be there. Her curiosity will get the better of her.”

“I don’t know. We barely met her and…”

“Shy…” The tomboyish voice cut in, only to stop. “Ah, whatever. Doesn’t really matter I guess.”

Twilight sat back in her seat, shrinking low. Rainbow and Fluttershy if her memory was correct, and it usually was. They had to be heading to CHS as well. Well, now she was in trouble. There was no way she could get off the bus at the same stop, she would be recognised instantly, and she couldn’t get off before as they’d see her as she descended the stairs, even if she kept the hood of her raincoat up.

A short while later when Fluttershy’s delicate hand pressed the bell, Twilight ducked down again in her seat and only emerged again once the bus had started moving. She peered into the darkness and did her best to remember the turns and corners the bus took so she could retrace the route, but the darkness and drizzle now gently falling from the sky made picking out any key landmarks difficult at best. Twilight rang the bell the moment she spotted the next stop under the yellow glow of its street light and leapt down the steps two at a time. The bus driver called after her, something about taking it easy. Twilight ignored him, sprinting into the gathering darkness as the rain began to fall in earnest.


***---***---***


Rarity stood a short distance from the statue. Being too close felt wrong like she was intruding on someone's private space. Her gloved hand clutched at the large white and blue umbrella that shielded her faux fur coat from the worst of the weather. Usually, getting one of her custom creations caught in the rain was the cause hysterics on the part of the young woman. She didn’t really care about that now. Her eyes were fixed on the base of the statue, waiting. She wasn’t even sure what she was looking for. The portal might already be active, and she just couldn’t see, but still, she didn’t approach. Beside her under the umbrella stood her sister. She was better, overall. The nightmares had stopped, mostly. She was regrowing her hair back to its previous flowing form, and Rarity no longer caught her staring into space while pressing the tip of her fountain pen hard into the face of her thumb.

The white woman swallowed.

“Rarity?” She looked down into her sister's eyes. “What is going to happen?”

“I honestly don’t know Sweetie.” Rarity replied, placing a soothing kiss atop Sweetie’s head.

“Do you even know if she is coming?”

Rarity shrugged. “I don’t know.” ‘And if I did, I am not sure I could be here’, her mind added.

“Rarity?”

“Yes Swee... oh.” Both girls watched as two formed appeared out of the gloom. Only when the pair had stopped in front of the sisters did Rarity relax. “Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy. It’s lovely to see you again.”

“Hello, Rarity.” Fluttershy reached out for a hug and Rarity accepted. “It is good to see you, and Sweetie as well. I like your hair, Sweetie. Yet another stylistic change?” She asked, letting go and looking down gently at the younger sibling.

Sweetie shrugged with an awkward smile. “Yeah, something like that.” After a moment she accepted the hug Fluttershy offered her, feeling nervous but the soothing strokes that Fluttershy made through her hair helped the worries ebb away.

Rainbow Dash stood off to one side, waiting. When Fluttershy let go of Sweetie, Rarity turned to her with a smile, but Rainbow could tell it wasn’t the same smile she’d just given Fluttershy. It didn’t look forced, like she was not happy to see her, more strained like something wanted to tug the corners of her mouth the other way. It didn’t surprise the athletic girl.

“And how are you Rainbow?” Rarity asked. Her arms moved up as if to make for a hug only to fold across her chest instead. “I heard you are earning yourself quite a name amongst the university sports teams. Soccer, athletics and now climbing.”

Rainbow Dash smiled at her old friend, at least her praise seemed full and untainted. “Yeah, I don’t think I am the best at anything specific, but I think they like the fact that I can pick up any position or distance and be able to give a dedicated player a run for their money.”

“She came second the other week in a speed climbing event too,” Fluttershy added, a hint of pride in her voice. “Her first event too.”

Rarity noticed the smile that passed between Rainbow and Fluttershy was something she hadn’t seen for a while, but still, her social eyes saw the underlying rift was still there. ‘I doubt it will ever fully close’, her mind added only for her to chastise herself. Things couldn’t go back to the way they were, but they could be healed, she reminded herself. Yes, it had been a key point in their lives, but it didn’t define them.

The sound of a truck drew their attention. Rarity could recognise that battered old wagon anywhere even before the doors were thrown open and its owner clambered out. Applejack still wore her trademark Stetson hat, a thick and heavy chequered jacket made her look even stronger than she already was, while her muddy jeans and boots sealed the stereotypical farm-girl aesthetic. After a moment the rear door open and two smaller figures clambered down. One Fluttershy recognised instantly as Scootaloo, her style very similar to that when they’d run into each other in the weeks prior. While the other was clearly Applejack’s little sister, Apple Bloom, though that was more by dint of expectation than actual recognition.

Gone was her curtain of rosy red hair, now cut back to a rather masculine spiky style that was unkempt and messy, by design or from lack of attention the girls couldn’t tell. The raincoat she wore was heavily used, muddy and a little oversized, while her jeans and boots were much like Applejacks.

As the girls drew nearer, Applejack having to coax her sister forwards, Rarity noted the determined yet worried look on Applejack’s face, while Applebloom showed signs of severe anxiety and worry. Scootaloo, on the other hand, looked resolute, if a slightly nervous.

“So I guess this is really happenin’?” Applejack sighed with resignation.

“It is.” Rarity smiled and approached Applejack opening her arms. After a second Applejack gripped Rarity in a very strong hug, making the fashionista squeal as she was lifted off the ground. “Applejack! Put me down this instant!”

“Just wanted to check if you’d changed is all. ”Applejack set Rarity down, the farmer giving a wry grin, but she seemed happy all the same.

Rarity rolled her eyes, scoffing. “Trust you to still behave like a child.” Straightening her clothes, Rarity turned to Applejack and Scootaloo who’d both run up to Sweetie Belle and joined in a three-way hug. “What did Apple Bloom do to her hair?” She whispered.

“She still refuses to have it long.” Applejack whispered back. “She still doesn’t want to see ‘that’ face in the mirror.”

Rarity bit her lip. “Sweetie did that too.”

“Seems like she got past it.” Applejack replied, indicating Sweetie’s long hair.

“Not completely, but her sessions have helped a great deal.”

Applejack didn’t respond, only watching the trio before them with sad eyes. “I hope what happens tonight helps and doesn’t make things worse for ‘em.”

“So, what is going to happen?”

Rarity shook her head, scattering her thoughts to bring her mind back to Rainbow’s question.

“We don’t know.” Rarity replied with a shrug. “I would dearly love to know how this evening will pan out but I just don’t know.”

“It will be up to the Princess,” Fluttershy added after a pause.

“Speaking of,” Rainbow looked around into the darkness, but the rain and down-lights from the street lamps made identifying anything in the darkness near impossible. “What about the other Twilight?”

“What about her?” Sweetie asked. “You don’t think she will be here too?”

“If she is anything like the Princess, I’d bet my best boots she will be here. Somewhere.”


***---***---***


Twilight ducked down in the bush she was crouched in at the sound of her name. She was already uncomfortable, her lanky body more made for the research lab and libraries than crawling through the mud, but she would endure it. For science. For Sunset.

The small measuring device in her hand flashed away, indicating pulses that it was picking up from the statue nearby. Twilight looked down at it, a guilty knot in her stomach, but after she had found the backup of her research she couldn’t go on without rebuilding her equipment. In secret of course. If Sunset had discovered what she was doing, Twilight dreaded to think what she might do. Kick her out of their apartment. Tell her parents. Get the university to retract her scholarship? Part of Twilight rolled her eyes at her ability to devise insane results to her every action, but her name hadn’t become a verb for nothing.

The small device in front of her went crazy. The needle redlined and the small tri-coloured LED she had fitted instead of the Geiger ticker turned solid red as well. Looking up Twilight could see even from her obscured hiding spot a flash of white light illuminate the front of the school and cast the four girls standing nearby into sharp relief. It only lasted for a second before both the light faded away and her device relaxed, the light now glowing purple to indicate elevated ambient radiation, and the needle hovering just off the yellow which told her there were still small spikes of energy being released.

Twilight crawled forward in her bush as far as she dared, her glasses dripping with rain as she peered into the gloom towards the statue.


***---***---***


All seven girls stared at the figure that approached them. No, figures. As they approached, Rarity recognised Princess Twilight Sparkle, but she was much taller than she remembered and far more grown-up than the lanky teenager she remembered. Rather than fifteen or sixteen, Twilight could easily have passed for Thirty, and she was certainly dressed more adult. She wore a form-fitting raincoat that somehow made her look both active yet alluring, slimming jeans and functional yet still fashionable boots. She gripped a very large Umbrella above her head that was patterned with what Rarity recognised as the symbol that had been on the dress she had worn the first time they had met. Twilight’s gaze roamed across everyone present, her expression reserved and formal. She didn’t look angry or upset, but neither was their that spark of excitement or curiosity that Rarity had seen the last two times she had met her. Her eyes stopped on Rainbow Dash, widening for a moment, but that was all before her gaze moved on.

Pulling her eyes from Twilight’s cold and muted reception, Rarity examined her companion. Taller than the other girls and looking like she might be in her mid-twenties now, the woman’s hair was a similar shade to that of Twilight’s and even had the same twin tone stripe, but hers was teal and violet instead. Her large light purple eyes were a similar colour to Twilight’s skin too. Rarity couldn’t help but wonder if she was looking at Twilight’s younger sister. The woman wore form-fitting jeans with stylish tears at the knees and thighs, while all they could see of the top half was a black puffer jacket with purple trim and toggles, the hood pulled up to protect her from the worst of the weather. Rarity also noted how she kept having to check her balance as if she were dizzy. ‘She was a quadruped just a minute ago’ she reminded herself.

All six stood in silence, waiting and staring, no one willing to make the first move. The only person moving was Apple Bloom, and that was only so she could hide behind her sister as if using her as a shield against Twilight’s gaze.

“Evening everyone.” Twilight eventually said, her body relaxing a little. “I’ll admit, I was expecting to see all of you here tonight. Where is Pinkie Pie? Has something happened in our time apart?”

“Twilight… we…” Rarity stammered. “No, Pinkie is away with her work, that’s all.”

Twilight nodded slowly. “I see.”

Rarity took a step forward, forcing Sweetie to move and hide behind Fluttershy. “It’s good to see you again.” She managed to say, despite her voice wavering. “Really it is. You look… much more mature than when we last spoke. I must say it is a striking sight.”

Twilight stuck out her arms and checked out the clothes she was wearing. “Hmmm. Interesting. The portal must have...” She trailed off, then looked down to the woman beside her. “I’m sorry, everyone, this is Starlight Glimmer, my personal student.”

Starlight held up a nervous hand and waved. “Hi.” She smiled before glancing to the Princess. “Like that?” She asked. Twilight nodded slowly with a slight smile.

“Personal student. You must be very skilled in magic then.” Rarity held out her hand in greeting, which Starlight shook, a slight look of confusion her face as she did so. “A princess would only choose the best.”

“Yeah, I’m pretty good.” Starlight replied. “Still got a lot to learn though.”

“Well, I am certain Twilight will be able to help you realise your full potential. Just like she was helping…” Rarity stopped herself, shrinking back from Twilight a fraction as she realised her words.

The change in Twilight was abrupt, shuddering, her breath uneven. “I… Do you…” She began, trying to find the right words. Her eyes moved from Rarity to the three teenagers hiding at the back of the group, Scootaloo standing defensively in front of Sweetie Belle, while Apple Bloom continued to hide behind her sister. “You three do realise who she was? What her life was like? How much pain she had suffered?” Twilight advanced on the trio, who shrank back and the Princess stared them down, her face tight and set with anger. “Do you?” She demanded.

“Now hold on here!” Applejack marched forward. “Ah know they did wrong, but ‘ave you any idea what they have all been through since? You don’t just get to turn up and lay into ‘em. They’ve suffered enough.”

Twilight stopped. She turned to face the farm girl, a cold mix of disbelief and shock on her face. “They’ve suffered?” She hissed. “They have suffered?” Twilight mouthed wordlessly, trying to formulate some kind of response that didn’t just involve screaming.

“Yes.” Applejack snapped back. “Months or barely functioning, months of therapy. Scootaloo even got stabbed. Yeah, they did wrong, but I’d say two years of pain is at least some way to payin’ for their mistake.”

“Are they going to have foals?”

Applejack’s mind stumbled. “Pardon?”

“Children.” Twilight corrected. “Are they going to have children?”

“Uhhhh…”

“Yes!” Twilight snapped. “They can have children. What about a home? Do they get one of those?”

“I guess so?”

“Yes, they do. Do they get to have a family?”

“Yeah, but ‘ah don’t see…”

“Sunset gets none of those!” Twilight screamed. “She lost her family, raised in an orphanage. She won’t get a new family, she won’t have a special somepony, or foals, or grandfoals, or a home, or graduate or be able to go on holiday, or see her old friends, or go to the Grand Galloping Gala, or attend the Summer Sun Celebration, or anything anymore because she is dead! She is gone!” Twilight turned to the three teenagers who were backing away from the irate Princess, terrified. “Yes Sunset did wrong, yes she strayed from the path, but she found her way back. Celestia herself admitted to me that she failed Sunset and that she was waiting for her to come home so she could continue to tutor her, to help her reach her potential, to become the first Magus in centuries, to even become a Princess! But you… you… you had to get jealous, you had to get petty, you had to get manipulative. You had to...”

Twilight stopped cold, her mouth making short sharp movements as if her mind kept trying to say different words all at the same time. She glared at the three girls before her who were now cowering away but unable to step back, pinned in the mud by furious anguish that spilt from Twilight’s lips. Yet, as the three terrified girls watched, something changed in her expression. Comprehension? A memory resurfacing? A puzzle piece dropping into place? Slowly Twilight turned, her eyes coming to rest on Rainbow Dash.

“Twilight… darling… just… take a minute and...” Rarity fumbled, resting a tentative hand on Twilight’s shoulder, she tried to steer the Princess away from her sister and her friends but Twilight wouldn’t move, shrugging off Rarity’s hand and turning to face her instead, her steps like those of a cornered animal.

“Why?” Twilight screamed into the night. “Why did you abandon her? She was your friend. Why didn’t you take a minute, why didn’t you all take a minute? What in Equestria could compel her to turn her back on you all? Where was your generous soul?” She poked Rarity hard in the chest, making her stumble back with a splash. “Where was your kindness, or sense of honesty, or seeing how she was no longer laughing,” Twilight stopped, her hands balling into fists, eyes turning back to Rainbow. “And where was your loyalty?”

Rainbow Dash felt like she’d been kicked in the chest. She hadn’t thought it possible, but right there before her, soaked, shaking, tears lost the rain that ran down her face, was something she never thought the Princess capable of.

Hatred.

“Twilight…” Rainbow dash started. “I…”

“You what?”

“I’m…”

“Go on,” Twilight whispered. “Say it.”

Rainbow bit her lip. She tried looking Twilight in the eye as she said it, but her eyes drifted to the sodden ground, too scared to see the woman's reaction.

“I’m sorry.”

“Say it again.”

“I’m sorry,” Rainbow repeated a little louder.

“Sorry for what?”

Rainbow bit her lip, one foot grinding into the mud, a wave of strange anger swelling inside her.

“Are you going to tell them or should I?”

Rainbow’s eyes shot up to meet Twilights, the anger being overwhelmed by fear and guilt. She tried to speak, but she couldn’t. She couldn’t yell to tell Twilight to stop. She couldn’t whimper, begging her not to. Her mind was caught in a trap of her own making. A small squeak was as much as passed her lips.

“Rainbow Dash was the reason Sunset was here at all,” Twilight gritted her teeth.

“That was you?” Applejack’s voice was numb.

Everyone turned to stare at her. Surrounded on all sides, Rainbow considered running. It would have been easy enough, even if Applejack could go for longer, she’d just have to hide and…

“Well?” Applejack prompted.

A deep breath shuddered through Rainbow. She nodded.

Smack.

Rainbow stumbled back, Fluttershy catching her before she toppled. Getting her footing, Rainbow felt up to the impact on the side of her face, and the four thin grazes caused by Rarity’s long nails.

The fury and pain in Rarity’s eyes vanished. “Oh Rainbow! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to…”

“Leave it.” Rainbow pushed her away with her free hand as the other covered up the cuts on her face. “I deserve far worse.”

“But I… just let me…”

“Leave it Rarity!” Rainbow yelled. “I fucking deserved it!”

“Rainbow Dash?”

Rainbow froze.

“What does AJ mean?” Scootaloo continued. “What did you do?”

It was as if the colour was washed from their faces as Rarity and Applejack turned the three teenagers behind them. Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo all stared at the older girls, with confusion and anxiety.

“You mean you didn’t tell them?” Twilight was suddenly the centre of attention, but she didn’t care in the slightest. No one replied. Applejack looked like she wanted too but couldn’t formulate a decent response.

“I’m the reason Sunset was at the school.” Everyone now turned to Rainbow Dash. Her arms hung limp, her head down, rain dripping from the tips of her hair to the floor below like tears. “I… She…” Rainbow turned to Scootaloo. “No, what you posted. It got me in a lot of trouble with the team. It risked my place. Of course, I figured it was Sunset so… I told her to meet me behind the school.” Rainbow took a deep shuddering breath, swallowing hard, but she couldn’t finish. Her shame and guilt pulled on her neck like a noose, strangling any attempts to explain her actions but it wouldn’t come.

“She’d set up an ambush for Sunset.” Twilight’s words cut across the group like a sword. “Sunset said she never saw you, but it was easy for her to complete the puzzle. From what I was able to glean, no one was ever caught for it, but the coroner identified that not all her injuries were from her jump.” Twilight shuddered, barely able to look at Rainbow. “You do you know if it weren’t for you, she would probably still be with us? What they did,” She pointed to Sweetie, Applebloom and Scootaloo. “It was wrong, misguided, ignorant, but you… you were malicious.”

Fluttershy gasped, hand to her mouth, tears streaming down her face. Rarity looked like a ghost, somehow her white complexion lacking its usual life, traded for a blunt and cold shade. Applejack’s shocked eyes didn’t even blink as he stared rainbow down in disbelief.

“You know… the whole time I’ve been furious at them.” Twilight whispered, her voice barely audible above the patter of rain on mud. “But It wasn’t them, not really. What you did, you might as well have pushed Sunset yourself.”

The tension snapped. Rarity and Sweetie Belle screamed as Rainbow let out a roar of anger and pain, lunging towards Twilight. Applejack leapt forward to try and block her but slipped in the mud, tumbling over and knocking Fluttershy off her feet. Starlight made a motion with her hands only to look shocked as nothing happened. Twilight took a single step back from Rainbow’s fist, but she was too surprised to run.

Rainbow’s roar turned into a yelp of surprise and pain, her arm being deflected downwards while her other arm was brought round behind her. She slammed face-down into the mud, a firm knee pressing into her back while she gasped in pain, her arm now being held behind her in a painful arm lock.

“From what I have heard tonight you should be serving time.” The voice had Rainbow freeze like stone. “But if what I saw last time and the cuts on your arm here are any indication, you need just as much help as the girls in front of me.”

Rainbow’s mud splatter face turned enough so she could look behind her. Her heart both soared and plummeted, rending it in two.

“Sunset!”

Everyone looked up to see another figure dashing through the rain. It slid to a halt looking shocked, and then very sheepish.

Carefully, Sunset rose to her feet, keeping Rainbow Dash’s arm pinned behind her, pulling the woman to her feet. “I knew you couldn’t stay away.” Sunset’s voice was bitter with disappointment. “Did you really think I could forget this?” She gave Twilight a knowing look, a small sad smile on her face. She looked down at the girl she still held in her grip. “Do I have to keep you like this or can I let go?”

Rainbow Dash didn’t reply but she slumped in Sunset’s grip. Slowly she released Rainbow’s arm letting the girl walk a short way out of the surprisingly large group that was now gathered at the base of the Wondercolt statue.

“Princess.” Sunset turned to the royal Twilight, giving a slight bow. “You’ve grown up a lot since we last met.”

The Princess stared at Sunset for a long moment. Twilight wanted nothing more than to hug the woman before her and never let go, but she knew they weren’t the same person, even if she looked, sounded and smelled exactly the same. With great effort, she replied, “So have you, it’s good to meet you again.” She swallowed hard and forced herself to look at her doppelganger. “Hello again, Twilight. Still getting into trouble I see.”

“I’m not in…” Twilight began to say, but one very raised eyebrow and firmly crossed arms from Sunset had her stammer to a halt. “Yeah… I guess I am.”

Everyone stood, unsure what would happen next, the rain continuing to fall harder and harder. Sunset noticed her Twilight was shivering, the coat and dress she had selected having been suitable for Manehattens weather as she left, not the torrent falling from the sky.

“I don’t know about you but I think we should get out of this weather, one way or another.” Sunset’s eyes moved from the Princess and Starlight to the statue’s base and back again. “I also think this is far from over.” She continued, her meaningful gaze locking on each person in turn, indicating that her words were not just a passing thought.

“It’s one in the morning.” Rainbow Dash said, her voice drained of its usual flare. “Where could we even go? Even I am not stupid enough to suggest we try and hold such a conversation in a night club.”

“I… I have an idea.” Scootaloo raised her hand nervously like a child at the back of the classroom. With every eye suddenly on her, she faltered. “I, uh, I mean, there is the new Hungry Horse on that development they just finished. I know it’s twenty-four-hour. We could go there.”

“A fast-food restaurant isn’t the kind of place for such a delicate matter.” Rarity replied, her tone strained.

“New establishments on such development sites tend to take a few months to build a customer base.” Twilight cut in. “Being new, we can be assured it is clean, and given both the hour and its recent opening I would say that the chances of there being any other patrons are very low. Food, warmth and relative privacy. Exactly what we need right now. It’s also a short walk away, so no need to get a bus or drive.”

Deciding to overlook Twilight’s encyclopedic knowledge of business development, Sunset clapped her hands together progressively. “Hungry Horse it is.” She called, cutting across Rarity’s retort and giving Scootaloo a supportive thumbs up. “Good idea.”

After a moment, Scootaloo gave a happy shrug. “Thank’s Sunset.”

As the group slowly followed after Scootaloo, Sunset walked up behind Rainbow Dash and push a firm hand on her wrist, pulling her to a stop.

“Given the delicacy of the situation and the additional complications around Princess Twilight,” She began, her voice even and low, dangerously so. “I will hold off reporting what you did to the Authorities, for now. Also,” Sunset tightened her grip just a little. “If you do not take steps to change how you are ‘repenting’, I will be forced to inform your coach.”

“Are you blackmailing me?” Rainbow asked, shocked.

“I suppose I am,” Sunset replied. “I know from personal experience such acts can lead too, and,” She turned stepped round to face Rainbow properly. “I doubt they could cope with losing yet another friend.”

Rainbow had gone as white as a sheet. “Wait what? Do you mean what telling the cops would lead to or… you know…” She finished awkwardly, glancing at her arm.

“Both.” Sunset replied. “Right now, the only thing stopping me from calling them right now is the fact that two of our party and the girl in question don’t appear to be from this world. What you did…” Sunset took a long steadying breath. Rainbow could only imagine Sunset was screaming at her inside her head, but no words crossed her lips. “Turn yourself in.” She finally whispered. “You save everyone else here from a lot of very difficult questions, you get a punishment that from what I can see you think you deserve, and the three young girls ahead of us might just be able to piece their lives back together. If you don’t,” Sunset locked eyes with Rainbow. “I will be informing them.”

Rainbow stared back into Sunset’s gaze. She got the distinct feeling that she was very lucky to still be standing, or even breathing. The look in the woman's eyes was, well, a mix of very dangerous and scary emotions. All of which, deep down, Rainbow knew she deserved.

“Do you know what will happen?” Rainbow asked eventually.

“No, I do not.” Sunset replied shortly.

“Are you going to tell them?”

“No. And just so we can get through this evening, I don’t think you should either.” Sunset responded flatly.

“Do you realise you are being just like her?”

That comment took Sunset by surprise. “Pardon.”

“Social manipulation? Blackmail? Talking people into doing things for you?” Sunset was surprised that Rainbow didn’t sound angry or aggressive. It was calm, even melancholy. “That is what made her so good at being bad, when we met her. A word here, a half truth there.”

“You think I’m manipulating you into doing something bad?” Sunset asked rhetorically.

After a moment, Rainbow shook her head, sending droplets of water flying from her sooden fringe. “No. I may not like it, but it for something good, and it’s entirely my own fault.”

There was a long pause where the only sound that could be heard was the hammer of rain and two uneven breaths in the damp air.

“So. Are you going to do it?” Sunset prompted.

“Can I have a couple of weeks to sort stuff out?” Rainbow asked, biting back a sob.

Sunset gave a slight smile. “I can’t see why not. From what I’ve heard tonight it may well be necessary. But, in the long run, I think this will change things for the better.” Sunset gave Rainbow a final reassuring smile. “I think talking to Fluttershy might be a good start. I am pretty sure she would know someone you could talk too."

Leaving Rainbow to ponder that last comment, Sunset followed after the others towards the restaurant.
> The Ashes
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunset’s eyes gently travelled around the large group that had taken over the back corner of the new restaurant. Like Twilight had surmised, the place was both spotless and deserted. They had taken the teen behind the counter by surprise when they entered, distracting him from the game he’d been immersed in and sending his phone clattering to the floor. After an awkward minute when everyone else waited for someone else to order food, Sunset had been surprised when Scootaloo stepped up to the counter and greeted the boy with a wave. Eleven discounted meals later, and the revelation that this was where Scootaloo had taken a part-time job to supplement her college stipend, everyone had settled themselves around a long laminate topped table, overhung by dazzlingly bright lights that made Sunsets' eye want to water. Twilight had made some comments about the lack of understanding around installation and lumen values of LED lighting, only to shrink back when everyone stared at her with bemused, even amused, looks on their faces. The upside to this though was it had scattered a semblance of normal life amongst everyone present and took the edge off the oppressive feelings that still hung in the air.

A slight edge.

From her position at the head of the table, Sunset cast her eyes across the girls before her, and they were girls right now. Confused, scared, vulnerable and unsure of what was coming next. Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, in particular, looked stunned. All of them with a similar wide-eyed expression, staring at the food in front of them with hints of disbelief, sadness, even a small amount of hope, and in a way, Sunset could understand why. Until this point, they believe it had been their actions that had driven their Sunset to do the unthinkable, yet now they knew that, while their actions were far from guilt-free, they could at least feel a little lighter knowing it wasn’t what they did that had become the tipping point for the young woman. This, however, Sunset knew, would be little consolation, especially now that they knew the blame had merely been shunted over to someone else. Someone they had all looked up to in their own ways.

Speaking of which.

Rainbow Dash sat back from the table, eyes locked on a point far away that only she could see. One hand idly stirred her tub of ice cream while the other rested in her lap, her hand clenched into a tight fist. It was shaking slightly.

Letting out a long breath, Sunset admitted to herself that she just couldn’t let the girls actions go unpunished, and while part of her wished to just forget everything she knew and move on she knew it wasn’t the right thing to do. Given when the events took place, Sunset suspected Rainbow and those involved would be tried as teenagers, not adults, limiting their punishments somewhat. While she wasn’t certain she liked that, she also didn’t want to see the girls’ life go to waste, especially when she clearly regretted her actions, enough to self-harm and jeopardise her place on her sports teams should that have been discovered.

Sunset’s eyes widened.

“Rainbow, could I have a word please.” She asked, standing up and gesturing to the Ladies toilets.

Rainbow merely stood without a word and traipsed slowly after her, eyes not leaving the ground, and followed Sunset through the doors and into the bathroom. With the doors shut behind them, Sunset turned and held out her hand.

“Can I see?” She asked, her tone implying what she meant.

Without argument, Rainbow placed her hand palm up in Sunsets own and let her tug up her sleeve. Sunset raised Rainbows arm to inspect it closely. Dozens of white scars littered the inside of Rainbows arm, from just above her wrist to just short of her elbow. Sunset found herself gasping at just how many there were, which made Rainbow flinch and look away. While most looked shallow, some were clearly thicker and deeper, and several had uneven edges like Rainbow had been shaking as she made them.

“What about the other one?” Sunset asked, gently letting go and tugging the woman’s sleeve down for her.

“The same,” Rainbow muttered quietly.

“Anywhere else?”

“One on my inner thigh, but that’s all.” She added.

“Now tell me about Gilda.”

Rainbow’s gaze snapped up. “Pardon?”

“When we first met, well, out of school, you were on crutches. If I recall, one of your friends mentioned that name, and that it wasn’t the first time it had happened.” Sunset continued, walking around and leaning against the line of sinks, placing herself between Rainbow and the exit. She didn’t expect her to try and run, but Sunset still attempted to look more casual and at ease, trying to lead the woman into thinking this was more of a conversation than an interrogation. “The cuts and bruises had also not been seen too or cleaned. Am I right in thinking this was by choice?”

Rainbow’s eyes widened, her mouth hanging open slightly, her eyes taking on a shimmering edge.

“A way of… repenting I assume?” Sunset asked, keeping her voice kind and soft. “You couldn’t bring yourself to tell people what really happened, but you also wanted to be punished.”

Rainbow looked away, tears now brimming in her eyes, nodding slightly.

Sunset swallowed, taking a deep, slow breath. She knew she couldn’t imagine how the young woman was feeling. While Sunset had in the past felt the same desire, she had always managed to prevent herself, her logic and strong will beating out her pain and sadness. At some point though Rainbow had succumbed to her guilt. ‘Unsurprising really’, Sunset noted with a lump in her throat. How many nights, had she fought the urge. How many months had she spent nursing injuries only to let herself get hurt again just to try and feel the same outside as she felt inside?

“Rainbow,” Sunset started, doing her best to look the other girl in the eye, even if the woman’s gaze wanted to look anywhere but directly at her. “I know that you know this, so I apologise for repeating it,  but you can get help. There are people who can listen. I know that you don’t feel you deserve it, but I also know that your old friends would be devastated to lose you as well.” She waited a moment to see if Rainbow had anything to add. With no response forthcoming, she pressed on. “People make mistakes. Horrible, terrible mistakes. But I also believe people can learn, can change, and can make amends for them. If not entirely, they can in part.”

“How?” Rainbow’s hands clenched into fists. She shook, staring at the perfectly white tiled floor, her body sagging and shuddering. “Twi… Twilight is right. I may as well have pushed her. I don’t deserve to even be alive. How the fuck am I supposed to make up for this?” Her head snapped up, her gaze piercing into Sunsets. “How?”

Sunset stood, raising her hands placatively, but she couldn’t conjure up any kind of reasonable response. Telling Rainbow to calm down wouldn’t do more than aggravate her, and any suggestions would get batted aside or seen as inadequate, which in many ways most would be.

“Tell me about her.”

Rainbow’s eyes flickered with confusion. “Huh?”

“This girl, from what I have been able to gather, was me from an alternate universe,” Sunset replied, really hoping this gamble would pay off. “It’s not like I’ve ever had this chance before, or ever will again. So, tell me about her.”

The tangent seemed to be working. She still looked upset and stressed, but the anger in Rainbow’s body was fading, replaced by memories and feelings long suppressed.

“Well, uh…” Rainbow started. “Sunset was from a place called Equestria, and she was...uhh.. a unicorn…”


***---***---***


“What do you think they are talking about in there?”

The Princesses question took everyone by surprise. Silence had reigned since Sunset and Rainbow had departed, everyone soundlessly tucking into their meals, more out of a desire to do something rather than actual hunger.

“Ah don’t think ah want to know,” Applejack added after a moment's thought, a hint of anger in her voice. Who that was aimed at, Twilight couldn’t tell. “We… we all messed up. Astronomically. Hearin’ what Rainbow did…” Applejack paused, trying to find the right words and crushing the chicken nugget in her hand to a fine paste in the process. “If I’d have known at the time, Granny Smith help me, I don’t know what I’d have done.”

“I should have said something,” Everyone turned to look at Fluttershy, the once timid girl staring forward with a grim determination. “She didn’t tell me, but afterwards, I realised. Words and phrases, being late home or to the cafe where we’d meet, she’d been talking to people. I just didn’t see it in time.”

“Don’t blame yourself Fluttershy.” Rarity rested a soothing hand on her shoulder. “Applejack and I, even Rainbow… something felt off. To start with I was so angry. The things that were coming out, so personal and intimate. It didn’t seem to match anyone but poor Sunset.” Her eyes drifted to Sweetie Belle who winced, looking away. “If only I’d been more observant and questioned things, perhaps I might have realised one culprit lived under my very own roof.”

“You wouldn’t have had to even look if we had just talked.” Scootalloo’s words silenced the group. “And I don’t just mean Sweetie, AB, and I talking to you three about how we felt, but at any stage, we could have stopped, or any of you could have questioned what was happening, or Principal Celestia could have begun questioning students, or got the police involved, or something!” Her voice kept rising, pain erupting to the surface like a volcano. “How could I have been so stupid, so selfish, so… so…”

“Cruel?” Sweetie Belle offered.

“That and so many other things.” Scootaloo dropped her head into her hands. She didn’t feel like crying, she’d done enough of that already. This was anger and fury at her own actions and the haunting pain of knowing nothing she ever said or did would make up for them.

“Why didn’t you believe her?”

The question made everyone stop. Eyes slowly drifted to the end of the table where Starlight now sat, the colour draining from her face. She took in their expressions. Shock, surprise, confusion, thankfully no anger.

“I mean,” She pressed on, trying to find the words. “You say it now like it was obvious, but there must have been something that kept you from seeing the truth. From what Twilight has told me, Sunset was reformed by all of you, even against your better judgement and she became one of you. So, what made you abandon her?”

Starlight had sat through some awkward silences in her life. This, however, was possibly the most painful she’d ever felt. Not a word left anyone’s lips, yet she was sure she ought to have put everyone present on suicide watch. ‘Given that is exactly what they caused that shouldn’t be a surprise’ she reminded herself. Even the Princess looked as if she’d been gutted and strung up to die. The only person present that didn’t was the other Twilight, though this was replaced with a very nervous and worried posture as she tried to shrink into her seat.

“For me,” Everyone looked to Applejack as she forced herself to speak. “Between the secrets being so personal,” She shot a pained glance at Apple Bloom. “It was her history. We knew she could lie. She’d been so good at it before Twilight came along. Some of the things that happened then, even though I was her friend, I couldn’t let go of what she did. Not just to me but everyone else, and when she started beggin’ and cryin’ and pleadin’ with us, I just couldn’t shake this feelin’ that it was all a ploy.” Applejack shuddered, her breathing ragged. “But lookin’ back, it should have been damn obvious. She didn’t have much to gain and had so much to lose.” The woman looked up. “I’m guessin’ that you all felt similar?”

Another pained silence followed, a few nodding their heads after a moment or looking away in shame.

“Did none of you forgive her?” Princess Twilight's words sliced through the group, striking right to their hearts. “I mean truly forgive her?”

“She’d terrorised us all for over a year.” Applejack replied bitterly. “As much as it was impressive to see her fall overnight to a rainbow laser, that kind of pain doesn’t just leave ya.”

“It didn’t help that you just left either,” Rarity added nervously. “You came, you beat her and you left, leaving us to pick up the pieces.”

Twilight's eyes flashed dangerously. “The portal was closing. I couldn’t risk getting trapped here. I barely made it as it was. There wasn’t much else I could do.”

“But when Sunset started using her book and you had a reliable means to come see us, see her, you didn’t.” Rarity retorted, feeling her anger rise. “You came, defeated the Sirens, and left again. In fact, I can’t recall a single time where you came just to see us. To see her. To just check on us without some world-ending crisis forcing your hand.”

Twilight bit back on her anger. “I’m a Princess, an Element of Harmony, a Teacher and a Mentor,” she replied in a voice of forced calm. “I have responsibilities. I have my own friends and family back in Equestria.”

“You have friends here too.” Rarity yelled standing up and leaning over into Twilight’s face. “Or more accurately, you had.” She hadn’t meant for it to come across like that, but the moment the words left Rarity’s lips she realised that she meant it. “Thanks to you abandoning Sunset to us, we had to work out how to take care of her, how to fix her reputation, how to find her a new place to live, how to get her to change all her horrible habits, how to not resort to threats or manipulation to get what she wanted. She wasn’t just fixed like you seemed to assume. It took all of us months to get her to the point where you saw her during the Siren incident and I can assure you it was not an easy road. Maybe, when you have magic to help you, people change just like that, but not here, and to see all that effort, care, affection and trust thrown back in our faces, what did you expect to happen?”

Starlight sat stunned, guilt squirming inside her. She knew that part, that long road, the one she still walked. Beside her, she felt Twilight's rage and fury, even if from the outside she seemed calm. Be it by magic or by just how much time she spent with her, Starlight knew Twilight was one wrong word away from erupting.

“She expected you to do her job for her.”

Twilight snapped around, hell-bent on unleashing her fury upon that voice. How dare they accuse her. How dare they assume they understood, how dare…

“You’d just been made a Princess, correct?” Sunset asked, standing firm and watching Twilight’s furious face melt into one of horror and guilt. “You didn’t feel ready, did you? A whole new world. Celestia’s previous student. Learning that you were a replacement, a second choice?”

Twilight managed to take her eyes off Sunset to stare at Rainbow Dash in disbelief. “You told her?”

“Everything.” The woman replied simply. “Everything I knew, and everything Sunset told me.”

“I’m not going to pretend to understand all of it.” Sunset pressed on before the Princess could snap back. “But assuming what Rainbow has told me is true, this other Sunset started all these events mere weeks after you’d ascended. Again, I won’t presume to understand everything but I can make a strong guess that you weren’t ready to have something like this happen. It also didn’t help that you really would have been trapped, so I understand why you left too. Your responsibilities at home really did outweigh those here, but that didn’t mean you should have neglected them.”

Giving Rarity a firm stare, Sunset forced the woman to sit down again before resuming her own place at the other end of the table next to her Twilight, while Rainbow went and sat nervously next to Fluttershy.

Resting her elbows on the table and weaving her fingers together, Sunset took a deep breath, closing her eyes. It was insane, but short of every girl here, herself included, hallucinating, this was all real. Even if it wasn’t, the emotions were, and those needed sorting or these girls would break all over again. She knew she was hardly the best person to talk to, but no one else would be willing to listen. ‘You wouldn’t if you hadn’t seen everything for yourself’ her conscience reminded her. She rubbed her eyes, trying to soothe herself, and ease the tiredness from her mind. Everyone was tired, emotional and stressed, but it would most likely be now or never to close the book on this chapter of their lives.

“You all made mistakes.” Her statement was met with a numb silence, everyone shrinking slightly, the Princess included. “Some more than others.” Her eyes flitted up and caught the eldest woman’s gaze which hardened, though her eyes remained pained. “These mistakes cannot be fixed. They cannot be undone. The best thing you can do now is to learn from them. Some might suggest trying to atone for what has happened. I would say consider it, but given that, no matter how much you worked and gave, I doubt it would ever feel like you’d done enough. It might be better to not try at all. Life isn’t a set of scales, weighing the good and the bad. That’s up to you though.” Sunset’s gaze came to rest on Rainbow Dash, who quickly looked away.

“All this said though,” Sunset continued. “I still don’t get something. Why did you all decide to come here tonight? What did you expect to gain from it? From what I see, most of you are now acquaintances at best, and bringing all these memories and feelings back up just hurts. So what did you expect?”

“I can tell you what I didn’t expect.” Applejack growled. “To learn that one of us lured Sunset into a trap.” Her eyes flashed darkly. “What AB did was bad, I ain’t gonna pretend otherwise but Twilight is right.” Her eyes turned to Rainbow. “What she did,” Applejack pressed on, pointing an angry finger. “Was malicious, and just plain evil.”

“Hey!” Fluttershy retorted, moving to shield Rainbow from Applejack’s anger. “You can’t pin all this on Rainbow. None of this would have happened if your sister hadn’t got jealous.”

“Oh and if we continue down that line of reasoning, they wouldn’t have gotten jealous if we’d been more attentive to them, huh? We kinda had our hands full dealing with Sunset, so don’t go blaming us for not having the time.”

“You should have made time.” Fluttershy snapped back. “I made time to help at the shelter, and to go to all Rainbow’s events, and still do my homework, and everything else I had to do, and I still set aside time for Sunset, even after everything she did to me, and you all know she did far more to me than to the rest of you.”

“Yeah, and? While I had to look after an entire farm with Big Mac, and do all my school work, and look after Apple Bloom. Cos that's so much easier.”

“Girls, we all had our obligations. This isn’t going to help us.” Rarity cut in. “We were still teenagers and I know that I didn’t have everything quite as I would have liked. But we made a decision to help Sunset, we had to stick by that.”

“Why did we agree to help her?” Applejack roared. “She tried to kill us! Literally tried to kill us! She turned into a flying demon and had spent the previous year breaking up our friendships, blackmailing, backstabbing, humiliating, abusing and bullying everyone in the school. Need I go on? People like that don’t deserve a second chance.”

“Everyone deserves a second chance,” Fluttershy replied.

Applejack let out a pained laugh, shaking her head. “No Shy, they really don’t.”

“Why not?”

“Cos I’d still have parents if that were true!”

Starlight could tell that Applejack had gone too far, though she could also tell that the bomb hadn’t quite yet dropped. Shock and confusion were the main expressions to be seen, tinged with apprehension. The only girl who didn’t share this was Apple Bloom, who’d eyes widened, narrowed, then pushed herself up from her seat and slammed open the doors and sprinted out into the rain.

Without a word, Scootaloo pushed herself to her feet and sprinted after her. Sweetie Belle gave Rarity and glance, the elder sister merely sighing. In silence, Sweetie lent over and grabbed Apple Bloom’s raincoat before quickly following her two friends out into the night.

“Care to explain that?” Sunset finally said after a few minutes.

“It is really not anything to do with you.” Applejack replied coldly.

Sunset raised an eyebrow. “Me? No. The other Sunset? Yes.” When Applejack looked away, Sunset sighed. “If you want to get something out of this mess, you need to come clean. All of you.” She shot looked around at everyone who was still left, gauging their responses. “From what I’ve been told, you won’t get another chance at this for another two and a half years. You’ve all changed dramatically since I last ran into you all, imagine how much has changed since you first met Sunset?”

“Given Sweetie and Scootaloo just ran after Apple Bloom, I would suspect that, whatever this is, they will know about it soon, and since Sweetie Belle will no longer keep a secret, I will find out soon enough.” Rarity gave Applejack a firm stare. “This isn’t supposed to be pressure, but merely a fact and I think you’d much rather tell us your version than us get it third hand.”

Applejack and Rarity glared at one another. Starlight suspected that this was something that used to happen regularly, even to be expected, between the two of them judging from just how casual yet intense this action seemed to be.

“Fine.” Applejack relented. “But this never leaves the room. Understand?”

With a nod from everyone present, Applejack sat back in her chair and closed her eyes. A good minute passed before she spoke. “Y’all know how my parents died?”

“Car crash.” Rarity said quietly.

Applejack nodded. “And do you know who caused it?” There was no reply to this question. “‘Two men in their mid-thirties with previous driving convictions’,” Applejack added as if quoting from a news article. “Now, that’s not unheard of course, people reoffending. But you know what gets me? These two in particular, age fifteen and sixteen, steal a car and end up crashing it into a petrol station. Cos of their age and family situation, they get an eight-year suspended sentence, community service and can’t take their driving tests until the eight years are over. That’s chance one. Then, aged twenty-three and twenty-four, six months before their eight years are up, they steal a sports car at knife-point and take it for a joy ride. That ends when they crash into a police roadblock injuring two officers. The result, they get fourteen years behind bars for combined Grand Theft Auto and Assault with a weapon, but they only serve eleven years. That’s chance two. Now aged thirty-five and thirty-six, a year after their release, and despite being under surveillance by the police, steal a truck filled with electrical goods, and try to make off with it.” Applejack stopped, taking long slow breaths, both hands gripping the tabletop. “They ran a red light and hit my parents' new truck side on, killing them instantly.”

Applejack took a long steadying breath. Everyone else looked everywhere but at one another, a grim silence swallowing their voices.

Sunset, pressed the palms of her hands into her eyes, rubbing them slowly. Princess Twilight, looked extremely pained, while her human counterpart stared forcefully at the table in front of her. Taking a deep breath of her own, Starlight couldn’t help but feel exceptionally lucky. This world sounded brutal. Sure it didn’t have manticores or super-powerful evil artefacts, but it was very rare for ponies to be killed in accidents, or for there to be crime of any kind. ‘Except the world ending catastrophes and perhaps Changelings,’ she thought.

“I guess that explains why you still run that old truck after all these years,” Rainbow muttered.

No one else said anything, another stunned and deep silence gripping them all.

Starlight nudged the numb Princess beside her. “Twilight, could I talk to you?” she asked quietly.

Without a word the Princess stood up and followed Starlight out into the night, walking more like a zombie than a person. The rain had eased up a little but it still made a racket against their hoods and forced them to huddle close.

“Why did you bring me?”

Twilight looked up, confused.

“Why did you bring me?” Starlight repeated. The princess gulped, shying away, a scared filly not a princess and immortal magical being. Rubbing her forehead with her palm, Starlight decided to do what she did best and leap. “It’s not just another lesson, it can’t be. You could have taught me all this back home, though how you’d match the anxiety level and the awkwardness I don’t know.” Twilight seemed to brighten a fraction at the small joke, leading Starlight to press on. “Showing me what can happen? No. They might look like our friends but they aren’t. Our friends are way older, have dealt with far more and, I would really hope, aren’t so easily disillusioned.” Before her, Twilight shuffled nervously, avoiding Starlight's eye.

“You’re scared,” Starlight mumbled. “Scared of their anger. Scared of how they see you.” She looked up at Twilight who instantly turned away.

“I failed her…” Twilight sobbed. “I abandoned her, I forgot about her. I let other things get in my way.” Twilight grabbed Starlight in a crushing hug, weeping into her shoulder. “It was so easy to go see her, just put the book in and I can go visit. So I never did. I kept putting it off. I solved other problems first. I read what she wrote. I wrote back comforting messages and told her it would be alright. That the truth would win out in the end. That I trusted her and she just needed to give them time. I never ever ever thought she would … would…”

Words failed her, Twilight's wails echoing into the night. Starlight clung to her, stroking Twilight's damp hair, doing what she could to soothe her friend but she knew it was just a token gesture.

“I kept, I kept telling myself,” Twilight hiccuped. “That it was their fault, that they were responsible, but if I’d just come to see her even once, she might, she might still be alive. She was right, their Sunset was right. I’m a horrible pony. I don’t deserve to be a princess. I don’t deserve to have so many amazing friends. Sunset was better than me. She was smarter, easier to talk too, more creative, more approachable. She was Celestia’s first choice and now she’d gone because I was too frightened and petty and intimidated and oh Starlight, I miss her… I miss her so much…”

Twilight slid to her knees, bringing Starlight with her, crying out years of pain and guilt that had been dammed up in her heart. Starlight stayed with her, huddled in the rain bathed in the yellow glow of the street lamps, both of them slowly being soaked to the bone.

“Twilight?” Starlight muttered after a few minutes.

“Yes?”

“I have an idea.”


***---***---***


Sunset watched, her heart clenching as she glanced through the window at the two girls now huddled on the ground in the rain. Luckily only she could see them, all the others facing the wrong direction, though she suspected they wouldn’t have gone outside to help either way. Everyone around her was lost in their own little world, doing what she hoped was some deep self-reflection. Beside her, her own Twilight fidgeting nervously, clearly not having expected her scientific expedition to go this way.

“So you rebuilt it?” Sunset asked casually, making Twilight sit bolt upright. “You might as well come clean. It’s not like you can talk your way out of this.”

Twilight briefly looked like she might try and make a run for it, or hyperventilate until her shoulders slumped and she physically deflated.

“I found a back-up of all my files when we moved my lab from Crystal Prep.” She muttered, one finger playing with her bangs and avoiding Sunsets eye. “I know what you said. It sat on my desk for weeks. I kept telling myself to just throw it out the window but I couldn’t. A whole new universe Sunset. Think about it! Actual, literal beings from another world. A world with science so advanced they see it as magic!” She stared up at Sunset now, her eyes wide with yearning and hope. “I can’t let this go! This will change the world!”

“Twilight, you can’t,” Sunset began, but Twilight spoke over her.

“Think about it Sunset, please, just for a minute,” Twilight begged. “Medicine, food, energy, transport, space travel, computing and so much more! We could advance by decades, even centuries!”

“Twilight,”

“I know we’d need to be careful, but if we tell the right people…”

“Twilight,”

“If everyone in the world knew we were not alone, I’m certain that…”

Slam! “God damn it Twilight, please stop!”

Twilight recoiled from Sunset, the anger in her eyes terrifying the bookish woman, looking to where Sunset had slammed her fists down on the table. Sunset continued to breathe heavily, her eyes narrowed furiously on her friend.

“Look around you. Look at them, Look at us. Do you honestly think we are ready? And I am not just referring to those present. Humans can’t even agree on the date, let alone the kind of collaboration that would be required to deal with an entirely new species. Can you imagine what their knowledge would be used for? Forgetting all that, we managed to talk one of their kind into killing herself! How do you think that goes down for the first of interplanetary relations?”

Twilight tried to Stammer back. “I know I get excited but please Sunset, at least consider it? If we just...”

“No Twilight. Please,” Sunset’s eyes transformed from angered to anguished in an instant, “Please just drop it. For tonight, please. I can’t be dealing with you too. I knew you’d come here, and in a way, I’m not angry. Your desire to learn and better yourself is part of why I love you. Your optimism and drive to fix and do better, even after years of people treating you as a pariah. But not everyone is like you, most people are not. Just, look, look what a group of girls achieved by not talking and communicating. Look where we are right now, all slumped around some random take-away at three in the morning, still dripping wet and feeling like we’ve been emotionally abused, and some of us literally have been.”

Twilight let out a shocked gasp as Sunset stood and embraced her in a crushing hug. “A month from now, maybe two, then we can talk but right now is not the time,” Sunset mumbled into her ear, a few tears running down her cheeks. “Please, I can’t take any more of this.” Twilight felt Sunset’s weight bare down on her, as the woman’s legs began to give. Eventually, Sunset slid to her knees, Twilight being dragged with her, the older woman clinging to her like a life raft, the walls she had set up holding back her emotions crumbling. Twilight hugged her dear friend back, even if she felt awkward and uncomfortable she didn’t dare break away from Sunset. She knew that much.

No one else moved. Glancing around, Twilight saw the pain in their eyes, like they were looking down at their sobbing, begging, pleading friend, and they remembered how they had ignored her and cast her aside. Internally, Twilight kicked herself for letting her curiosity get the better of her, on so many levels this night. If she had just thrown that damn drive away. If she had just not got the train. If she had just not revealed herself.

Sunset cried until she finally pulled herself to her feet. It could have been a few minutes or an hour, Twilight didn’t really remember. The elder woman stood shuddering slightly, wiping her eyes with her sleeve, gulping down lungfuls of air and trying to neaten herself up.

“I think that’s it.” She said to the room at large, her shoulders slumping “I can only cope with so much mediation.”

“You mean, that’s it?” Rainbow asked slowly, a hint of desperation in her eyes.

Sunset sniffed and rubbed her eyes. “Yep, that’s it.” She looked over at Rainbow, “I knew why Twilight came, and I know why I followed, but the rest of you, I’m still none the wiser about what you actually aimed to achieve here.”

No one answered again, everyone looking at everyone else for an answer. With a long sigh, Sunset turned to them all with a sympathetic expression. “Yeah, it’s going to feel like you got nothing out of this. No big fix or quick solution. And I also know damn well you know there isn’t one. As I said, this is going to be will you all for the rest of your lives in one way or another. I also know that you know that there is help out there. Some of you think you don’t deserve help,” her eyes flitted to Rainbow Dash who gulped awkwardly. “But unless you want to cause other people harm too, I suggest you take it. It will and could quite literally be a tough pill to swallow, but it does get easier. I promise.”

“Are you going to explain how you know that?” Applejack asked, raising an eyebrow.

“No. We’ve had enough outings for one day, or night. Speaking of which we all ought to be heading home.”

A gentle chime cut through the air, Rarity retrieving her phone from the pocket of her coat. “Sweetie Belle says she and Scootaloo found Apple Bloom. Seems they will be spending the night together at Scootaloo’s apartment.” Rarity held out her phone to Applejack. “That is the address.”

“You could just text it to me you know?” Applejack replied flatly.

Rarity’s face turned guilty. “I… I deleted your number.”

“Is that so.” Applejack let Rarity hang for a few seconds then took the phone off her and typed in her details. “There.”

Looking down at the new information on her phone. “This isn’t the one I remember.”

“I got a new number.” Applejack replied giving Rarity a slight grin. “Though I’m intrigued as to how you know that.”

Rarity’s guilty face flushed slightly. “Your numbers, all your numbers,” She added. “Are just stuck in my head. And the muscle memory for the number pattern is ingrained too. I deleted them because it hurt to see your names when I looked down my contacts list. But I knew if I really needed to I could recall them one way or another.”

“So, what was stopping you from just texting my old number?” Applejack grinned at Rarity's put-out expression, puffing up her pale cheeks in indignation, and muttering something under her breath.

Sunset couldn’t have described how she knew, but she was certain that things had just taken a step forward, even if it was in a strange way. Rather than interrupt the moment with a supportive or motivational line, she let the feeling hang there, quietly emptying her tray into the bin provided and laid it in the provided stacking area. Without a word everyone else copied her, the group slowly filling out into the night air. The rain had eased to a drizzle, which meant they could drop their hoods. As a whole, the entire group seemed just a fraction lighter in their spirits, and even if it didn’t last Sunset did believe that ultimately tonight would have been of benefit to all of them. ‘Hopefully, they can pass this all on to that girl that couldn’t make it, Pinkie’ she hoped to herself.

“Where about Princess Twilight and her friend, Starlight?” Fluttershy asked, looking around. “They were just outside the door last time I looked.”

“They could be anywhere.” Rarity sighed. “It’s not like we can call them either. Neither of them will have a phone.”

“Should one of us wait?” Rainbow suggested.

Rarity pinched the bridge of her nose, sighing and then fighting back a yawn. “They could have gone back through the portal for all we know. I can’t keep going much longer, and I still need to drive home.”

“You can all go.” Everyone turned to look at Sunset. “Twilight and I arrived by train and we will have to work out somewhere to stay, or find somewhere to skulk until the first train back to Manehatten.” She glanced down at Twilight. “Did you actually have a plan to get back?”

“Skulk at the station,” Twilight replied sheepishly.

Sunset rolled her eyes and turned back to the others. “It’s late, and you all need to get home. I know you're all adults but that doesn’t mean you're not at risk on your own. Fluttershy and Rainbow? I take it you two are together?”

“If by that you mean travelling, then yes,” Fluttershy replied, her tone a little cold.

“And in the other sense?”

Fluttershy and Rainbow shared a confused and pained look. “It's complicated.”

‘I bet it is’ Sunset thought to herself. “What about you Rarity? I know Applejack parked out the front of CHS.”

“My car is a few streets from there.” She replied.

“Walk back together and then give Rarity a lift to her car.” Sunset directed to Applejack. “You can swap numbers on the way.” She added with a cheeky grin, getting a raised eyebrow from Applejack and another huff from Rarity.

Without another word both pairs turned in opposite directions and vanished into the night. Sunset noticed Rainbow look back over her shoulder at her but Sunset just waved back. Applejack and Rarity walked a little further apart than was normal but given the evening they’d all had, Sunset was glad they had taken her suggestions without any complaint. It was an odd end to an even odder evening. ‘Except it still isn’t quite over’, she reminded herself.

Beside her, Twilight watched both pairs go nervously then looked up at Sunset. “So, uh, want another ice cream?” She asked an embarrassed smile on her face.

Shaking her head, Sunset slumped down on the wet bench behind them and flopped back in it, staring up at the clouds above and savouring the drizzle that landed on her face, cooling and soothing her mind. This was all just so, well, she didn’t know what it was. And not just weird but painful, painful in a way that Sunset hadn’t felt in a long time. She was surprised she had kept her composure as long as she had. Too many things this night brought back dark memories that she had managed to soothe and erode over time to manageable sizes, but it didn’t mean she no longer carried them. That image of a red bath was never going to leave her mind. Talking to Rainbow Dash in the bathroom had taken a lot of willpower and self-control as a result, and even now she resisted the urge to grab her own wrists to check they were unmarked, that phantom fear and feeling returning to her skin.

Sunset felt Twilight shuffle up beside her and lean into her, her small frame fitting neatly against her own. She lifted her arm and draped it gently around Twilight’s shoulders, pulling her close and leaning into her warmth.

“You said you loved me.” Twilight's words made Sunset’s heart skip. “Did you mean it?”

“Of course,” Sunset replied, doing her best to keep her voice level.

“What kind of love?”

Sunset’s mind stalled. Did she have to ask this now? Of all the times. It didn’t help that Sunset herself didn’t even know. ‘Well, you need to tell her something’ part of her responded, ‘and quickly.”

“Sunset?”

One hand moved up to Twilight’s cheek, turning her to face Sunset. Their eyes locked, teal and purple reflecting off one another. Sunset felt Twilight freeze as her lips pressed against Twilight’s forehead and damp hair. She smelt of blueberries and rain.

“Sunset?”

Sunset’s head snapped to the left. Standing just a few meters away was the princess and her friend, both somehow a lot drier than they should be and wearing completely different clothes. Both were staring at the pair on the bench in surprise. Sunset, however, saw a clear difference in their expressions. Where Starlight’s surprise was one bordering on amusement, the Princess looked like she had just been stabbed in the back.

“Yes?” Sunset replied, doing her best to keep her Twilight close.

“We have an offer for you both.” the Princess continued, doing her best to maintain her composure. “We heard from Rarity and Applejack that you both had quite a few hours to wait until you can catch your train home. We wondered if, in that time, you would like a short trip to Equestria?”

Sunset’s jaw dropped. Beside her Twilight sat bolt upright, already leaning out of her seat.

“There is a time dilation difference between our worlds, which would give you enough time to sleep and then spend a few hours with us before coming back. The portal will remain open for another sixty of your hours, so you would be at no risk of being trapped on our side. That is if you both want too?”

Sunset and Twilight looked at one another. Twilight had gone from incredibly nervous to bouncing and rocking in her seat, her eyes like saucers, biting her lip and not even needing to utter a word to let Sunset know what she wanted. Sunset’s own heart pounded, reasons for and against rushing through her head like opposing trains.

“Are you sure it’s safe?” Sunset asked slowly.

“Absolutely.” Princess Twilight replied. At least she seemed confident in that. Beside her, Starlight looked a little nervous, even worried, but Sunset could see why.

Before she could talk herself out of it, Sunset stood up and moved towards the pair of them. Holding the Princesses gaze, Sunset tried to see past her offer and wonder what else she might have to gain. She could be kidnapping her, keeping the one Sunset she knew for herself but even by her own standards that felt ludicrous. Only one thing made sense.

“You want to see her again don’t you,” Sunset muttered slowly. “It’s not really me you want, it’s her.” The way the Princess looked down confirmed Sunset’s logic. “Well, at least you aren’t so heartbroken and crazed to not be capable of telling us apart.” Sunset’s eyes flitted to Starlight who gave an honest shrug, perhaps being embarrassed by her mentor's desires. Sunset could see both sides, but if anything weird was going to happen, it would be today.

“And in return, Twilight here gets her wish to see and experience a whole new world.” Sunset continued. “And I get?”

“A chance to get to know the amazing mare that was Sunset Shimmer,” Twilight replied. “I don’t know if it will help, but I hope it will help you see both the similarities and the differences. Show that while you are both exceptionally similar, you are two unique and distinct people.”

Again, Sunset examined the two women before her, using her teacher's mind to try and spot the lie, or see the half-truth, but there didn’t seem to be one. A muddled path or misunderstood thought, but no obvious deception or deceit.

Still, something gnawed at her.

“No.” she answered, wincing at Twilight’s gasp beside her. “No thank you.”

“Sunset! What are you,”

“I said no Twilight.” Sunset snapped. “I can’t take any more of this. I can’t think straight. I’m tired, upset, drained and taking you there too, right now, feels like a bad idea too. You’re just as tired and stressed as I am and I know what happens when you end up like that, I’ve seen it enough times.” Twilight’s mouth opened and closed like a goldfish gasping for air, trying to reason and formulate a compelling response. “See, if this was in the lab you would have let off a string of balanced reasons for and against by now.” Sunset stared at Twilight, pressing her point home until Twilight slumped.

“Thirty months, and it will open again.” Starlight cut in. “And again, and again. This won’t be your last opportunity.” These words seemed to placate both Twilight's, the Princess looking like she was having to put off indulging in a guilty pleasure, while the other looking determined and calculating, planning her future moves carefully.

After a long silence, Sunset took Twilight's hand and began to steer her way.

“Wait!” the Princess called. “Please, just a little longer.” She begged quietly.

“I’m sorry Princess, but I’m not her.” Sunset replied, her heart aching at her own words. “I can’t replace her, and I won’t, for your sake and her memory.” A thought crossed her mind. “Go back to the school, when we first met there was a beautiful memorial in the forest, it might still be there. You might find it helpful.”

Without another word Sunset forced herself to turn and marched Twilight away into the gloomy night.
> The Phoenix
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Leaning back in her leather chair, Twilight twirled the small device in her fingers, it’s anodized casing shimmering in what little of the setting sun filtered between the blinds on her office windows. The drone of the air conditioning and the gentle hum of airflow in her custom computer were the only sound in the building as, yet again, she was the last person to leave. Eyes flitting to the clock on her desk she sighed, her time for making a decisive decision rather than a rushed one, slowly ticking away.

She knew she needed more. The data on the drive before here wasn’t enough to prove what she and Sunset had seen almost exactly two and a half years ago, or two and a half years before that. The question was, did she really want it?

Yes. Obviously.

Her scientific mind screamed to learn more about something that could well change the course of history and usher in a new era for the whole world. She knew she could do it. Even alone she knew she could find out what she needed, though it would go a lot faster if she had help, and that was where her doubts had begun to surface.

Sunset had always called her an idealist, seeing the best that anything could ever provide to the world, helping millions in the process. Sunset, her parents, what few friends she had, all told her this was a positive thing, something to be cherished and proud of. However, mere months of working in the real world had put great strain on her utopian visions.

Two years was all it had taken for Twilight to take the head of an entire research division, smashing aside gender stereotypes and hierarchical structures in the process. However, those who had stood tall on those structures and had benefited from them, despite their comparatively lacking skills, were none too pleased. Outside her own small sphere of influence, the world continued to both simultaneously amaze and disgust her. Rovers, probes and even talk of humans leaving earth for the first time in half a century. A continually rising number of people living in poverty or being homeless. New leaps in treating cancer thanks genetic engineering. Businesses, more concerned about their profits than their carbon footprint, making decisions to benefit stockholders who already had absurd quantities of money. The detection of gravitational waves with matching observations by telescope. Acts of terror, killing hundreds, under the guise of peace and truth.

Twilight’s gaze hardened, glaring out the window to the setting sun beyond. Part of her was terrified by the fact that, somehow, she was the person that would have to make this decision, while also being glad that it wasn’t left in the hands of someone else. She knew her own limits, her own flaws, her own biases. She didn’t pretend she knew something she didn’t have a clue about, unlike a lot of the world. Politicians pretending to be scientists. Insurers pretending to be doctors. Bankers pretending to be engineers. Those with the real knowledge and understanding having their life's work ‘taken under advisement’ by someone who, in her opinion, didn’t deserve the level of power and control they clumsily wielded.

Twilight blinked, then smirked at her train of thought with a sad smile on her lips. Oh how angry she was at times, but at least she could see it now and stop her mind spiraling out of control, catching it and dispersing the storm her consciousness could create. That was the problem with a mind so good at solving problems, it wanted to try and solve those that were completely out of its control.

The fading of the computer's airflow tipped Twilight off to the end of the simulation before the message flashed up on her screen, prompting her to reinsert the device that had danced between her fingers. Millions of lines of computation were summed up by the single line of text at the bottom of the screen. Twilight read it, sighed sadly, saved the results, pocketed the drive and shut the computer down. Grabbing her coat, Twilight stared around her office. Her awards, her master's degree, her doctorate, the various photos of her family and friends. She spent so much of her life in this room. In a way, it was sad. The click of the light switch and the room was plunged into darkness.


***---***---***


Sunset was the last person out of the cafe. In the eight years since she had last been inside not much had really changed. The upholstery had been replaced, fresh paint applied, the menu had been amended to include the various new fads and remove the new range of problem foods that seemed to exchange places every few years. Sugarcube Corner was still run by the same couple, and they had even recognised her, though she knew this wasn't because of her but of the girl who had started all this.

It was a strange moment that still happened from time to time. Someone calling out her name in the street, turning to see an unfamiliar face and then trying to take a guess if the person in question was after her or her displaced unicorn doppelganger. It wasn’t common, but it happened enough that Sunset could never really forget about her mirror self.

Unlocking her car, and swinging into the driver's seat, Sunset pulled out her phone and checked her messages. There were a few but not one she had hoped to see. With a long sigh, she set the device in its cradle, clipped in her seatbelt and checked her mirrors before reluctantly pulling out into the basically non existent night time traffic. She had wondered if she would need to set up her sat-nav to drive those last few miles but somehow, after so many years, she could remember the route as if she drove it every day.

‘What will I find?’, Sunset thought as she drove, tuning out the radio as it ran through the evening bulletins. She’d asked herself this question a lot over the last few months. She knew it was a stupid question to ask. She had no control over the answer, and ultimately it didn’t matter. Things would be as they would be, a lesson hard learnt many a time, at yet still that lesson never stuck.

People liked to believe they were in control of their lives, but the absurd amount of random chance meant that living was like steering a car with the accelerator jammed on. If you kept going straight you were fine, letting the road guide you and avoiding the obstacles in your way, but steer too hard or take the wrong turn and things would become either very difficult or you would meet a sudden end. In a way, you hoped you ran out of fuel before you ran out of road.

A part of Sunset smirked that she still referred to the amount of power in her car as ‘Fuel’ despite the fact that over eighty percent of vehicles were now electric. Some things changed, while others stayed the same.

Speaking of which.

Turning off the radio so she could focus, Sunset pulled up and carefully parked opposite the school where all this… pain, confusion, surprise, hope… had begun. Glancing out the windows she could see shapes standing around on the lawn under the yellow glare of the street lights. There had been some basic landscaping done around the rearing horse statue, shrubs and a rockery helping to blend it into the rolling grass out the front of the school.

However, climbing out and swiftly crossing the road, Sunset could see that the statue remained identical to when she had last laid eyes on it, weirdly so. Over the past two and a half years, Sunset’s belief that what she had seen didn’t require magic to be true. Both science and science fiction could come up with dozens of alternatives that were far more believable to her than ‘magic’. Yet the perpetual look of the statue put a thorn in the side of that view, though Sunset was sure she could find multiple competing theories if she desired.

What had definitely changed though were the girls, now women, who had, for better or worse, pulled her into this painful yet eye opening story. In great contrast to the rain-soaked and windy night thirty moons ago, the evening was pleasantly warm with a gentle breeze tickling the green leaves that canvased every tree, bush and plant. The lush grass was soft under their feet as Sunset approached the eight girls that stood around the base of the statue.

Rather than nervous and scared, most of them seemed oddly calm, perhaps even a little disinterested. The three girls who had started all this sat on a new bench that looked across the front lawn of the school, all three looking surprisingly content. Apple Bloom swung her foot back and forth, a nervous tick perhaps, but her hair was now full and flowing while her light smile towards Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle was genuine, if a little muted. Scootaloo’s hair was jazzed up in a way that Sunset doubted she would have done if she still felt the need to hide herself. Lastly, Sweetie Belle looked tired but happy, chatting away with her friends after what Sunset suspected was a hard day's work.

A new face, or more specifically a new hair colour, drew Sunset’s gaze. The bubblegum pink, candy floss esque display launched off the top of an equally pink skinned woman who wore a blue short sleeve top, with white leggings and a ruffled pink skirt, finished with blue lace. It looked more like a party frock than something would wear on a daily basis, but that single thought reminded Sunset of who this must be, and that this was someone she had actually met before, even if she looked very different. At that moment Rarity spotted her approaching, drawing the attention of everyone. The pink haired girl spun and when she locked eyes on Sunset her eyes widened, her body tensing for a moment, gaze flitting back and forth between her friends and Sunset. It dawned on Sunset that it had been five years since they last met and that time was incredibly short.

Slowly, as if worried that approaching then both might scare Sunset away, Pinkie Pie approached, her eyes tinted with both joy and sadness. Stopping a few feet away, she said nothing, seeming trying to memorise Sunsets face, or perhaps compare it to the one she knew. Eventually she relaxed and settled into a small smile.

“Hey Sunset.” Her voice was far squeakier and higher than Sunset recalled. Infact, everything about the girl seemed to have lifted, not just her great volume of hair. “How are you?”

“I’m alright Pinkie. You certainly look much brighter than when I last saw you.” Sunset smiled, doing her best to be upbeat and energetic.

“Uhuh, everythings much better.” Pinkie replied with a nod. “We all know this is gonna be weird but I mean, we’ve had time to think about the bad stuff and come to understand it and it's part of us now so we can move on. We’re never gonna forget but that's fine, that's how it should be.”

Sunset smiled, approving of Pinkie's openness. “I didn’t expect you to be so direct.”

Pinkie looked a little guilty for a moment. “Sunset was direct and liked it when people were direct and honest with her. I guessed you’d be similar.”

“You guessed right.” Sunset smiled and held out her hand. Pinkie shook it firmly and slowly then the pair moved to join the others.

Sunset hadn’t been certain what to expect of the other girls but she was comforted by what she saw. Rarity looked far more radiant, while her summer shorts and long shirt seemed to be a departure from her previous ensembles, she appeared content rather than apprehensive. Applejack chatted softly with Rarity, her clothing style not having changed one bit, while her hat was even more battered than the last time Sunset saw her. Their conversation didn’t seem forced at all, a great step forward in comparison since Sunset saw them last. Lastly, Fluttershy and Rainbow stood side by side, Rainbow resting her head on Fluttershy’s shoulder, both arms around her waist while Fluttershy rested one hand on Rainbows hip. They seemed to have flipped, Fluttershy now standing tall and full of a gentle confidence while Rainbow seemed shy and nervous, literally being supported by the woman beside her. All eight paused at Sunset’s arrival, turning to look at her with a variety of positive and kind expressions.

Unsure of what to say, Sunset just smiled at them. Her eyes eventually came to rest on the statue once more. “Any idea how long until it opens?” She asked.

“It should be midnight as usual, give or take a minute or so.” Rarity replied, moving to Sunset's side. “How have you been?”

Sunset Shrugged. “Fine overall. Some good things, some bad. Just general living I guess.” Rarity didn’t seem entirely satisfied by that answer but she didn’t inquire further.

“Will Twilight be joining us soon?” she asked instead.

“I’m not sure.” Sunset replied. She stepped forward and laid her palm flat to the marble base where the portal would form. It felt warm, unnaturally so. “She has been acting, well, more and more withdrawn the closer today got, spending more and more time working. Staying after hours and only getting a few hours sleep, getting worse the closer we got.”

Rarity opened her mouth raising her hand, then paused. “Darling, may I ask, are you both...?

“We're not together, no.”Sunset replied. “If this,” She gestured around at the school behind her. “Hadn’t happened then, maybe, but this changed her.”

“How’d ya mean, changed?” Applejack asked from over Rarity’s shoulder. “No offence intended, but outa all of us, I’d have said she had the least involvement. What could ‘ave gotten to her that made her act so out’a character?”

Sunset turned to the now assembled group, everyone present having crowded around her, anxious to hear what was going on.

“I am not certain but given her past focus when related to… these events,” She finished, “Then I’d be willing to bet it’s been about the data she gathered. Problem is, she has never told me what she found, not enough detail for me to understand it beyond her belief that magic is an as yet undiscovered area of the electromagnetic spectrum. Though I am now wondering if that was just a cover.” She paused to let the others mentally catch up. Apple Bloom and Rainbow Dash were the only two who looked a little confused, but the rest seemed to be with her. “Aside from this, I have no idea what she has been doing. I know the place where she works has some serious supercomputers for doing analysis and simulations, and, given Twilight is department head, I would be willing to bet she has gained permission to do her own research on the side.”

“So, what does that mean for us?” Fluttershy asked clearly. “Princess Twilight was highly academically gifted in many ways, so it stands to reason our version is too. Surely that is a good thing in the long term if we can discover magic for ourselves?”

“Not all magic is good Shy.” Rainbow Dash sighed. “We all know that first hand. And if it isn’t magic, think of all the stuff in this world that could be used for the better but is also abused. Wasn’t there an article in one of your magazines recently about them struggling to get nuclear material for medical use? I’d kinda forgotten that was a thing as to me nuclear stuff is either in a reactor or in a bomb. But it goes to show the same thing can be used for both good and bad.”

Sunset tried to reply to that statement but like everyone else, she failed. After a moment of silence Fluttershy steered Rainbow over to the bench and settled her down, pulling her close and stroking her hair soothingly.

“Rainbow still has a rather... tainted view of herself and the world.” Rarity whispered to Sunset. “But she will be alright with Fluttershy to support her.”

“Are they...?” Sunset prompted, giving Rarity a knowing look.

“Yes they are. Not married or engaged but I believe it's more a matter of Rainbows self confidence and self-esteem than them not being right for eachother.” Raritys’ smile faded a little. “Though she is right. Consumed by magic, Sunset tried to kill us. There are many people who might end up doing the same if given the power, or warped by it. Though I admit that is entirely speculative and based on anecdotal information at best. Hopefully Twilight has something better.”

Sunset could only nod in response. Settling herself down on the warm grass she pulled out her phone once more to check for messages, but it was still blank.

“Where are you Twi?” Sunset whispered sadly. She flopped back on the grass, looking up at the darkening sky, only to sit up again as a thought crossed her mind. “Rarity. When I first visited, there was that memorial to Sunset. Do you know if it’s still there?”

Rarity looked lost for a moment. “I don’t know. I would have thought so. Though it may not have been tended too for a while.” They both turned to look at the edge of the forest where the track would have been, but there was no sign of it. The pair made their way over to the edge and scanned the tree line. “It seems they stopped maintaining the forest.” Rarity sighed sadly. “Why would they do that for something so important.”

“It’s been long enough that there is no one left at the school who would remember, or could be something as simple as budget cuts. The education system has been strangled the last few years in so many ways.”

Rarity merely nodded at that as Sunset began to search. It didn’t take long to find the overgrown gravel path but forcing her way along it proved much more difficult, with Sunset resorting to snapping and bending back branches and arms with her hands. Rarity forged along behind her, ignoring the branches tugging at the fabric of her shorts, ducking under the low hanging branches as they worked their way forwards.

“Principal Celestia doesn’t seem like the type to let something like this happen.” Rarity commented.

“She doesn’t work here anymore.” Sunset replied, snapping a particularly large branch in half. “Nor does Luna. I ran into them both at an educational conference a year or so ago. Celestia side stepped into overseeing the education of children in long term hospital care throughout Canterlot, while Luna retrained in psychological therapy. I believe both were influenced by Sunset, though it's hard to say for sure. Though they still act as temporary heads when needed.”

The pair abruptly emerged into the clearing with surprise. The circular clearing was just as immaculate as the day she had first seen it. The bushes were denser, the shrubs hardier and in the height of summer the flowers in full and spectacular bloom. Sunset’s eyes immediately flicked to the apex of the stone in the centre of the clearing. There still stood the framed picture of the other Sunset. The wooden frame, the glass and the picture itself unmarred by time, rain and heat.

“How? Who?” Rarity muttered behind her. “All these years someone has been tending to this?”

“Wallflower Blush.” Sunset whispered, noting a small path leading off the far side of the clearing.

“Pardon?”

“It will be Wallflower Blush.” Sunset repeated. “The girl I met on my very first day here. She came here during the afternoon break and, well, we had a moment.”

“I remember her.” Rarity replied, pacing respectfully around the clearing. “She had always been on the edge, been different, quiet. When Sunset passed away, her life actually improved. People willing to give her a chance and include her. I think it improved the school as a whole in a way, even if it was rather undone by how my sister and her friends were treated.”

Sunset eyed the new exit path on the far side for a moment but decided now wasn’t the time to go on another adventure. Checking her watch she was surprised to see it was now well past eleven. “We’d best get back. None of us know how accurate this portal is.” Rarity nodded to her silently and the pair turned to make their way back, only for Rarity to stop and turn back round, pulling out her phone.

“What are you,” Sunset began as Rarity lined up her phone and took a few pictures of the clearing in the dying light.

“I don’t want this to be lost.” Rarity replied firmly. “This place matters. If it is Wallflower who is tending to it then I don’t want her efforts to slip away. I don’t want to forget what happened. I don’t want to forget who Sunset was. This place is as much Sunset as anywhere, a circle of beauty and light in the darkness. Still resisting, still fighting. Even to the end she hoped someone would come and save her. It didn’t happen before, but I can make it happen now in some small way. I just wonder what that person feels now.”


Sunset stared at Rarity, noting a sudden wave of anger in the womans’ voice, her fists clenched. After a moment she relaxed and turned back to Sunset. “Let’s go.”


***---***---***


When Sunset and Rarity emerged from the trees they could instantly tell something was wrong. Everyone was standing back from the statute in a semicircle all staring at it fixedly. Breaking into a sprint the pair rushed forward to see the normally pristine surface at the statues’ base warping and flickering. Flashes of light emanate from the marble while it twisted and shifted, a sinister hum resonating around them.

“Sunset!” Sunset turned to see Twilight, her Twilight, holding a sledgehammer and looking very scared.

“What did you do?” Sunset yelled, storming across to her and grabbing her by the shoulders. “What the hell did you do!”

Twilight visibly shook in her grip, her lilac eyes wide and scared. “Nothing! It… it wasn’t me!”

“You’re the one with the ten pound hammer!” Sunset snapped back. “Tell me!”

“It just started all on its own.” Sunset turned to Applejack, relaxing her grip slightly. “She turned up, intent on smashin’ it and while we were in her way it just started doin’ this.”

“Twilight?” Sunset stared into her friends’ eyes, searching for any hint of a lie but found none.

Finally relinquishing her grip, Sunset turned back to stare at the base of the statue. “How long has it been doing this?”

“Dunno. Maybe five minutes?” Applejack replied.

Sunset looked down at her watch. Eleven-thirty. The portal let out a sudden bright flash and a sound like arcing electricity making everyone leap back. She could feel the ground humming and a strange smell was filling the air.

“Twilight.” Sunset called. “Any idea what is happening?” She turned to look at her friend who seemed very nervous. “Well? You studied it before. Any ideas?”

Before Twilight could answer there was an almighty crack and Rarity was flung backwards across the grass.

“Rarity!” Sweetie Belle screamed but her run across the grass to her sister was cut short by another crack that sent Rainbow Dash toppling over.

Twilight and Sunset leapt back only for Applejack and Pinkie Pie to be struck as well. Fluttershy let out a whimper of comprehension, turning to look at the statue before she too was lanced in the chest by a fifth arc.

“What is she doing?” Sunset heard Twilight hiss beside her.

“What?”

“The Princess. It must be.” Twilight snapped back. “What the hell is… No! Look!”

Sunset followed Twilights’ outstretched hand to see a gleaming purple line of energy linking Rarity to the portal. In succession, Rainbow Dash was linked by a shimmering blood red arc, the point of contact dancing across her torso. Applejack and Pinkie Pie shuddered on the ground, each linked by orange and blue to the portal, with Fluttershy, who had managed to force herself up off the ground, with a glistening pink arc.

Before the portal, Sunset watched as a ball of white energy began to gather, growing and shimmering in the darkness, and casting flickering, shifting shadows across the courtyard. Fluttershy managed to get to her feet, despite the arc pushing and pulling her off balance. With obvious effort she made her way over to Rainbow Dash and pulled her up too.

“Get closer to the portal.” Twilight called. “It will make this easier.”

“Make what easier?” Scootaloo asked, as she helped Pinkie Pie to her feet.

“The magic transfer.” Twilight replied. “The Princess. She’s taking it all.”

“You said you didn’t know.” Sunset snapped at her.

“I don’t. I am making a best guess.” Twilight shot back angrily. “Now shut up and let me think.”

With help, the five women were settled in a semi-circle before the portal. The ball of white energy continued to grow while the marble base kept shimmering and twisting. Sunset Stood to the side, glaring at Twilight as she scrolled and tapped frantically on her phone. She then plucked a small memory drive from inside her fleece and stuck it into the bottom of her phone.

“Twilight? What is that?” Sunset asked warily.

“My research.” Twilight answered curtly. “No, I didn’t delete it!” She snapped, cutting off Sunset’s next question. “Well, I did, but when we were moving I found an old backup and I just couldn't stop myself. And don’t you start getting at me! I knew I shouldn’t, and I still feel awful, I don’t need you adding to that.”

“Then what can you tell us?” Sunset asked. “What is going on?”

“The end.”

Everyone stopped. Sunset felt a shiver run down her spine at the voice. An impossible voice.

“It is an end, and a beginning.” The voice continued. “And a chance to say goodbye.”

They all looked up as one towards the voice and there she was. A white shimmering spectre, her hair glistening in gold, her skin a swirling fog, her eyes and lips smiling down sadly at the girls on the ground before her.

“Hello everyone.” Sunset Shimmer spoke, her voice echoing and distant, yet painfully distinct. “It’s been a while.”

No one said a word as they looked up at the figure before them, her four hooves floating off the ground but standing firm in the night air. Her hair was the same though, her fur the same tone as her skin, her eyes somehow the same shape, that mischievous but loving glint in her eye remaining.

“Sunset.” Sweetie Belle stammered. The woman fell to her knees. “Sunset, I’m… we’re… so,”

“Shhhh, it’s alright. You don’t need to say anything.” Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo all stopped. Sunset looked down on them, a small, sad smile gracing her lips. “You’ve all grown to be better. You’ve all done everything you can to make amends. All of you have.” Sunset looked around the other girls all clustered on the grass, until she noticed Twilight and Sunset off to one side. “Huh, so that is what I look like. I’m liking the jacket, though I could never justify to myself wearing real leather.” Sunset grinned as she looked her counterpart up and down. Glancing across, she smirked. “And you must be this worlds’ Twilight. You look more professional and less manic than I imagined.”

“Thanks?” Twilight replied with confusion.

Sunset grinned and then looked down. “What’s with the hammer?”

Twilight instantly looked away. “She was going to try and smash the portal.” Fluttershy replied.

Sunset winced. “Thank Celestia you stopped her. That would have ended badly.”

“How badly?” Twilight asked tentatively.

Sunset pondered the question for a moment. “Hmmmm, given the energy that is in me now, multiplied by the thaumic constant, using Entropy’s Explosive Examiner, I’d say… something like a one megaton explosion.” Sunset let everyone's jaws drop before she laughed. “Nah, I’m just teasing you. It would have bounced straight off. You’d need way more than that to destroy the portal. I did always wonder what would happen if someone crashed a truck into the statue. It wouldn’t have yielded at all.”

Twilight let out a huff of indignation, but everyone else laughed or smiled, albeit nervously.

“Twilight?” Shimmering Sunset looked up at her with a sad but firm gaze. “When this is over, destroy that drive. Ah,“ She held up a glimmering hoof as Twilight made to respond. “No buts. Partly because you should have done as your Sunset said years ago, but mainly because once this is over,” She gestured to the lines of energy connecting her to the women on the ground. “That there will be no magic left in this world for you to analyse or even use.”

Again, Twilight made a move to counter but a tilted head and firm stare was enough to make her shrink back.

“Sorry.” She muttered.

“So long as you learn.” Sunset added with a more positive smile.

“So, when will it end?”

The spectral pony looked up at her human counterpart. “Midnight. The portal will open fully, the spell will finish and the portal will invert, pulling all the magic through with it and back to Equestria.” pony Sunset smiled sadly. “By the look of your watch, it’s only a few minutes away.”

“Then what is going on here then?” Twilight gestured. “Why are you like… this?”

“Because the Princess rushed ahead.” Sunset rolled her large teal eyes, a slight irritation to her voice. “The magic is bottlenecking on this side because it has nowhere to go, which is why I am able to pull this off.”

“And this is,” Rarity prompted.

“Imprints.” Sunset looked around at the five girls she was connected to. “My imprint on all of you. Both magical and non-magical. The events of the Fall Formal, the Dazzlings, and the time we spent together as friends.”

“But that means you’re not…” Sweetie Belle petered out.

Sunset shook her head. “No, I’m not ‘me’. I’m not Sunset Shimmer. I’m gone. But enough of me remains in you that I can be here now. Does feel a little weird being a pony here though. I’d have thought I’d come back human...” Sunset suddenly let out a bark of laughter which rolled into a long cackling laugh. “Hahahah, Phoenix! Phoenix indeed Celestia. Phoenix indeed.” She grinned, her mane shimmering as she shook her head.

Sunset suddenly looked straight forward, eyes wide and scared. “It’s coming.” She stared around at everyone with a slight desperation. “All of you, you were my friends, and you still are. I’m sorry I wasn’t always the best person, the best friend. But you have all come such a long way and I am so proud of you all. Always remember, no matter what happens, friendship...”

A flash of light rushed from the portal, enveloping Sunset in a blinding light, and, she was gone.

Everyone was left standing in the darkness, lit only by the streetlamps and the full moon above. Beside her Twilight let out a small sob, as Sunset stared at the void where her other self had been, her final words snatched from her lips.

Rainbow was the first to start crying, then Fluttershy until all eight girls were gathered together on the grass arm in arm, hugging one another as they all wept for their lost friend. Twilight broke out into silent tears beside her so Sunset turned and pulled her close, letting the smaller woman press herself against her while Sunset stroked Twilights’ hair to soothe and comfort her.

Eventually the huddle broke apart, everyone wiping tears from their eyes and gasping for breath. Rainbow clung tightly to Fluttershy while Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom rested their heads together, breathing deeply.

“Let’s go home Twilight.” Sunset whispered gently in her ear.

“But… but… what… about the others?” Twilight stammered, her breath still uneven.

“It’s over.” Sunset replied, realising the relief and exhaustion she heard in her voice. “Let them be.” Then a thought crossed her mind. “Where is that drive.” She felt Twilight stiffen. “Twilight?”

After a moment's movement she felt the small device being pressed into her hand. Breaking off from Twilight she held up the pen and stared at it. “Is this the only copy?”

“No, the results are still on the network at work.” Twilight replied quietly.

“Which by now means there will probably be backups elsewhere.” Sunset muttered to herself. “But,” She looked back to Twilight. “If what the other me just said is true, none of this will work anymore anyway?”

Twilight looked stumped for a moment. “Uhh, I don’t know.” Sunset raised her eyebrows. “Honestly, I don’t.”

“Then what was with the sledgehammer?”

The pair turned to a puffy-eyed Rainbow Dash who now stood, glaring at Twilight, pointing at the massive tool on the grass.

Twilight opened and closed her mouth several times. “I…” She began. “I decided that…” Suddenly, Twilight turned and sprinted away into the night.

“Hey! What the,” Rainbow Dash and Applejack made to run after her but Sunset held out an arm.

“Forget it.”

“But she,”

“I know where she lives, I know where she works, I know where she likes to hide.” Sunset sighed. “I’ll deal with her. Not that I think it matters anymore. If I recall from what was said when talking to the Princess last time, this world doesn’t have any magic of its own. With it all gone, all of Twilights’ work falls apart.”

“And if it doesn’t?” Applejack asked pointedly.

Sunset stared into space before looking up at the starry night sky above her, not a cloud in sight. She didn’t want to do this. She knew it would hurt them, but this needed to finish. Seven years of her life, never truly being able to move on… They needed it to end as much as she did, even if they didn’t want it to.

“I’m out.” She said frankly. “I can’t have this hanging around in the back of my mind. I need to get Twilight off this and to stop obsessing over it. You all have a chance to bring some proper closure, a good happy ending to all this pain. Over seven years of it.” She stared around at everyone present with pleading eyes. “Take what you can, be happy with it, don’t worry about every problem, don’t try and fix every issue because it will just keep tearing up your insides until you feel like you can’t go on anymore. You all have enough of your own problems to focus on and get through without adding more.”

“Sunset!” Rarity gasped, tears still streaking her face. “How can you… after what… you can’t just…”

“I’m not her!” Sunset snapped. “I am not your Sunset. I may look like her, I may sound like her, I might even behave like her but I am not her. In the same way that image, that imprint, wasn’t her, neither am I. I have my own life, my own issues, my own goals and hopes and dreams. I know it’s easier said than done, I know it’s difficult, but you can’t let this define your life. You need to move on, take the parts that made you stronger and the lessons you have learnt. In fact,” She paused, recalling the memory. “I am sure some of you know this already… ‘Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, and Wisdom to know the difference’.”

“So you’re gonna run away?” Apple Bloom asked nervously.

“Just like Sunset?” Sweetie Belle added.

“Just like we ended up doing?” Scootaloo sniffed.

Sunset let out a long sigh. “Yes, I guess I am.” Bending down to grab the sledge hammer, she turned around towards her car, then paused, turning back with a slight smile. “You know, I am no magical expert, but if magic can open portals to other dimensions, can help cleanse people of evil, facilitate and cure mind control, what is to say it can’t do even more amazing things?” All eight girls stared at her. “Just a thought.”

With those final words, Sunset turned back to her car and left them all standing there in shock. It felt as if she was driving a knife through her own heart, leaving them, abandoning them, but she couldn’t keep living with this any more. She was also certain that their Sunset, their friend as she had asserted with her final words, wouldn’t have wanted them to keep suffering for their past mistakes. Hopefully, they would understand that sooner rather than later.