Prelude: Live, Laugh, Love

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In the beginning, darkness covered the vastness of all we could fathom, there was but a single light at the center of the universe. The light shone like a beacon against the darkness, pulsing, the beating heart of creation. Then, in a great explosion, the darkness was thrown back and light became forms. Six forms, shot across the cosmos in all directions except one. One remained at the center where she was born, a pony of beauty and grace, of power and reserve, of wisdom and temperance. She was born: Mother Creation.

Mother Creation reached into her beating heart and pulled out a single flickering flame upon the tip of her hoof and blew on it until it became the sun. She was pleased by this new light, a special star against the backdrop of the billions of others that dazzled the night against the endless sea of darkness. This new sun and armor of stars in the night surrounding what would become her greatest creation yet: Equuis.

And so, She next formed the land and seas, the sky, the air, and a lush and bountiful earth for which life could flourish and flourish it did. She took the tip of her horn and molded it to a ball to create the moon so that the fish could follow the tides and the night creatures could see. All manner of small creatures roamed and lived. The cycle was born. But while Mother Creation was pleased with what she had sculpted with her horn and hooves She was lonely. Her siblings were gone and she missed her family. She then took four elements, Earth and Air, Water and Fire and formed them to resemble herself and her brethren who had brought forth the light. They had strength to tend the land, wings to control the skies, and horns to call forth the magic of the universe. They were all in one, they were: Alicorns.

The first alicorns were tasked with selecting a few creatures throughout Her new world to help grow and become more than just simple creatures. Mother Creation wished to see if her own children could uplift the simple and give more than just life: intelligence, purpose, meaning, a new sense of self. Mother creation was pleased with her children’s selections. Dragons, Griffons, Abyssinians, and Eagles. Mother Creation brought forth the chosen to stand beside her personal favorites, the Ponies, and gifted the creatures with something that even her own children lacked: Souls.

“Sunset? Are you in here?”

Sunset Shimmer closed the book she had been reading and stepped away from her table, using her horn to open the door to her study. She dropped to a bow before her teacher and mentor, Princess Celestia. The teenage filly stayed in said courteous position until she knew Celestia could see her.

“Ah, good, I had hoped to find you here,” Celestia paused, noticing the ancient and massive tome that was on the table. “Ancient legends? That’s a change of pace for you.”

Sunset rose and beamed at the towering, white alicorn. “Just some light reading before I jump all four hooves back into Advanced Transmutation and Teleportation. The math is exciting and I can’t wait to see how far I can teleport before I get tired, but the content structure is… dry, even for me.”

Celestia smirked for a moment on what Sunset considered, “light reading.” That particular book was old even when she was a filly and could only be read by a pony who was fluent in Old Ponish. If not for the magic preserving the fragile paper and ink it would have crumbled to dust centuries ago. “While we did cover the basics of Old Ponish, I did not have additional lessons in the old tongue planned for you until after your basics graduation and you moved on to your advanced studies.”

Sunset grinned. “I know, but all the most advanced spells and formulas by the classical and pre-equestrian masters are all in the original tongue so I took the initiative and taught myself. I still feel a bit amature at it, but I’m sure I’ll have it perfect in a year or so.”

“That is… impressive, but you do realize you do not have to strive for perfection on everything if it cuts into your personal time. You should be using some of that time to socialize and make friends like I asked you to. Which leads me into why I came to seek you out personally.”

Sunset kept her face neutral, bored, while she examined a perfectly polished hoof. “When I decide to do something, nothing less than perfection is acceptable. Nothing gets in the way of that, especially not… friends.”

“Oh really?” Celestia took a seat and crossed her forelegs, “Am I to assume that Prince Blueblood and Buck Withers were, as you said it, ‘getting in the way’ of said studies?”

Despite her best efforts, Sunset snorted, a few curls of her red and gold mane falling forward, covering part of her face, but not enough to hide the level of disgust in her eyes. Celestia’s personal student took a deep breath and let it out, turning to her teacher.

“Oh please, those two, arrogant, pompous, bloated waste of good air and water were attempting to bait me into a conversation about how a ‘mare of my station’ was in need of a good, noble-born stallion at her side to boost my social standing and connections. As if I needed a councilor’s son or a fake prince to pad my credentials.”

“While I personally disagree with their statements that hardly seems enough of an offense to set their tails on fire.”

“When I ignored them, they though making rude and indecent remarks about my ‘shapely’ backside would get a rise out of me, unfortunately for them, it was not the rise they were looking for.”

“Hmm, I will have Raven speak to their parents and explain the cause of the incident. That should be enough to placate most of the nobility. I’m sure house Platinum will still demand to have a hollow say on the matter.”

Sunset gaped at her teacher before growling. “Are you serious? Who cares about them? The nobility is useless! When was the last time they contributed anything fundamental to Equestria as a whole?”

“They have their uses. Don’t discard a tool just because you do not understand how it works. And please, stop setting pony’s tails on fire. I will not ask again. You are getting old enough now that I can’t simply excuse it as a kneejerk reaction. Decisions have consequences, Sunset. Like it or not you have to play your part if you wish to be a part of the happenings of this kingdom.”

Sunset sighed. “Play the game?”

“Play the game.”

“As you wish, Your Highness.”

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Prelude part 1

Southern California: 2 months after closure of the mirror portal

Sunset Shimmer, kicked the apartment door closed behind her while maintaining her balance and the box in her hands. Without even looking, Sunset was nearly one hundred percent sure the box was full of books. Not just because that was what all the heavy boxes were full of, but books had a unique feel when stuffed into a moving box. A certain fluid rigidity that was also deceptively heavy. Lucky for Sunset, her body had completely healed from her hospital stay after the closing of the portal to Equestria. The doctors and nurses who had saved her life had given her a mixed bag of looks. Some were terrified she was some mutant or alien in disguise (heh, she was) while one had turned to the corner and began to whisper a prayer or something.

While she had picked up a few nasty scars that were most likely permanent, much to her dismay, she had also picked up a few perks in the process. One of which was super human alicorn strength. Unfortunately, alicorn strength could do nothing for the tensile strength of poorly applied packing tape to a cardboard box. The bottom broke and two dozen novels and work books spilled out upon the floor. Sunset groaned, but her new roommate simply giggled and began sorting and stacking the fallen material at her feet.

“Well,” said Twilight Sparkle, “I guess that’s one way to get unpacked.”

“Like christening a ship, but nerd style?”

“Sure. At least nothing was damaged and better on the floor than the stairs, right? Some sort of celebration is in order. I mean, this is my first apartment away from my parent’s home and also my first home that I’m sharing with,” Twilight paused, looking up through black rimmed glasses, making sure Sunset was looking down at her, “my girlfriend.”

Sunset smirked like a fiend and kneeled down to both help Twilight restack books and steal a kiss. Which lead to another, longer, deeper kiss. Twilight moaned and gently pulled back, finishing putting the books next to the other boxes.

“Easy, girl. Mom, Dad, and Shinny will be back once they get their hotel keys. Besides, we still have a lot of work to get done if we want to be able to sleep here tonight.”

“Pfft, no, we don’t. A few blankets and pillows right in the middle of the floor, some takeout boxes, a little music… And once we’re alone, clothing optional. Besides, we still have two weeks before classes begin. We have plenty of time to decide where things go. And I plan to do most of that unpacking in my underwear.”

“Wow, you are really horny right now.”

Sunset shrugged, not going to deny the truth. “We just spent most of the week crossing the country crammed in with your parents and brother who will be helping us unload the rest of the furniture through tomorrow at the latest. Not to mention Spike will want to be included in everything. This is our last night of just you and me. It’s been a week since I’ve gotten to do more than give you a kiss considering the company.” Sunset fluttered her eyes. “You know what happens to your prized student if she doesn’t get her regular lessons.”

Twilight could not keep from ginning. “Oh, now that’s just playing dirty.”

“Well, yeah. That’s the idea.” Sunset purposely angled herself so Twilight could easily look down the opening of her magenta tank top. Sunset watched as her girlfriend’s eyes darted down and her cheeks began to take on a rosy complexion. Twilight chewed on her bottom lip. Sunset knew it was the great war between carnal desire and studious responsibility waging in the ever turning mind of one Twilight Sparkle. Sadly, before Twilight could pounce, someone knocked on the door.

“They are back from the hotel already?” Twilight stood and answered the door. However, to her surprise instead of finding her parents and brother there were two boys about the same age as her and Sunset. Twilight kept her hand on the door, but took a step back. Sunset caught the movement in her peripheral quickly stood and dusted herself off.

Regardless which side of the mirror she was on and for as long as any creature cared to point out one thing was common. Sunset Shimmer was as intimidating as she was beautiful. Whether she was clad in leather and ripped jeans, showing off her toned curves or strutting down the red carpet of an Equestrian gala, Sunset knew how to turn heads. Ever since the closing of the portal, her impromptu alicorn ascension, and speedy recovery from the hospital, Sunset had discovered that not only was she stronger than before, but she had also grown few inches taller. The downside of course was that she had to replace some of her favorite clothes that no longer fit. The upside, it was even easier to be intimidating when you stood five foot ten and owned every inch of it.

Both boys visibly gulped, the pale blue boy left his mouth hanging open. Sunset stepped up next to Twilight at the door, reached out and used her index finger to close the boy’s mouth. Sunset arched an eyebrow and crossed her arms. “Something we can help you with?”

“Oh! Hey, yeah, my name’s Gusty Grove. This is my best bud, Caramel Sweet. We just moved in to the unit in the building across the lot and we thought we’d introduce ourselves. Are you attending orientation next week?”

Sunset shrugged, “We are starting college this semester, yes.”

Gusty, rubbed his arm nervously. “So, yeah, anyhow we saw you moving in, but not in a creepy way! We just happen to be coming in after getting a jumpstart on some shopping and, you know, saw some girls our age and thought, ‘hey, we should go say hi and see if they want to hang out,’ you know? We debated helping, but took so long that between you and your help I guess we missed out. Sorry about that.”

Sunset glance to Twilight, who shrugged, but still remained half hidden behind the door. Sunset smiled sweetly. “We have some guest coming back soon to take us to dinner, plus as you can see, we have stacks of boxes to go through and unpack. However, we are not opposed to making new friends since we too are from out of town. However, I will go ahead and shut down any ideas you might have if you are looking for, ‘more than friends.’ That’s just not going to happen.”

“Oh, no, not looking to score or anything! We are new here too and want to get our feet wet on what it’s like, you know? Away from home, friends, parties, the college experience!”

Sunset nodded in understanding. “I’m sure we will have some time for that on occasion, but school comes first for us. I’m Sunset Shimmer, by the way, this is Twilight Sparkle. We have to get ready for dinner, so we’ll catch you two some other time, okay?” The boys nodded enthusiastically as Sunset closed the door.

“Seriously?” Twilight said, rubbing her eyes, “we haven’t unpacked a single box that didn’t fall apart and we are already getting hit on? Is it going to be like this every day here? Am I going to have to be fending off come-ons and drooling, horny boys at every turn? Holy crap, what am I saying?! It will probably be ten times worse for you! I’m surprised they could even look you in the eye with how perky you are now. Maybe... maybe this was a mistake coming to this school.”

“Twilight, breathe,” said Sunset, taking Twilight by the hand and brushing her thumb across her knuckles. “Babe, do you honestly think it would be any different at any other college town? Sure, I wasn’t expecting THAT already, but they were not wrong. This is part of the college experience. Most kids our age have never been on their own away from their parents and they just want to taste a little bit of that freedom. And, if I’m being honest, I am totally going to attend at least a few parties before we are done here.”

Twilight fidgeted, shifting from one foot to another, Sunset recognized it as her ever dwindling confidence pose. “But… is that safe? I mean, you are, you. Would roofies even work on an alicorn? I mean, even before, you were always beautiful, smoking hot, to be honest. They would have all been looking for a chance to get in your pants, but now you can probably fend off a tank full of hormone charged boys or girls for that matter. But I don’t have magic anymore. I’m just… me.”

Sunset pulled Twilight into her arms and took a long deep intake of the scent of Twilight’s scalp. Sweet Celestia, did she love the smell of Twilight’s hair when they were close. Twilight wrapped her arms around Sunset’s waist and held on as if the taller girl was a shield against all the world’s evils. They just held one another, swaying silently to the tune of their beating hearts. Twilight absolutely loved placing an ear to her girlfriend’s chest and listening to the steady, strong beat.

“I’m glad you are just you,” Sunset said, just above a whisper, “I wouldn’t want you any other way because you are my best friend and the love of my life.”

Twilight flashed a toothy smile. “Say it.”

“Please, don’t make me say it.”

“Saaaaaay iiiit, pleeeeease.”

Sunset sighed and cupped Twilight’s cheeks so that they were staring into each other’s eyes, wide purple eyes, shinning with expectation.

“BFLOML.”

Twilight giggled even as their lips met.

“Never be ashamed of being you. I love you and that big, amazing brain of yours. However, there is always room for improvement.”

Twilight arched an eyebrow. “Such as?”

“You, me, self defense classes. I know our schedules are already going to be packed, but I think it will be good for both of us to get proper training. Plus, do I really need an excuse to want to spend an hour looking at your ass in tight yoga pants?”

Twilight smiled as her eyes shined with affection. “It’s a date.”

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Prelude Part 2

Canterlot High School Gymnasium: 20 year class reunion

Rainbow Dash let out a boisterous laugh, giving Applejack a playful punch to the shoulder. The farmer hardly noticed the hit, but still scowled when the unexpected strike caused a bit of her drink to spill. Rarity had made her dress and while it had been a while, Applejack was in no mood to be scolded by a now world renowned fashionista for possibly staining a dress that probably cost more than she made in a year.

“See!” Rainbow gestured, “I told you they would totally be last to arrive! You said Rarity would be fashionably late, but nope, I knew Sunset and Twilight would be pulling up the rear. Gimme my ten bucks!” Applejack rolled her eyes, but pulled the agreed denomination from the inside brim of her favorite hat.

Sunset waved from the doorway while Twilight continued to fidget and smooth out her dress. While the material felt like smooth velvet, Twilight was being self-conscious about how the dress hugged her curves. Had she put on weight? Did she ever properly lose her pregnancy weigh after Sunna had been born? When was the last time she had worn a form fitting dress?! Did Sunset still find her attractive?! Sunset snapped Twilight out of her downward spiral in her typical fashion, by wrapping an arm around Twilight’s waist and grabbing a generous handful of butt cheek. Twilight squeaked, but mentally thanked her wife for always knowing how to simultaneously ground her and make her feel wanted.

“Sorry we’re late,” said Sunset, taking a moment to wave at a few old acquaintances who called out her name. “Despite best laid plans we still had to fight traffic and got a late start waiting on Twilight’s parents to arrive to pick up the girls. Honestly, why couldn’t they have held the reunion at a vineyard. At least then we could have had alcohol.”

“BYOB,” Applejack said quietly, taking a hit from a metal flask she had produced from a hidden compartment between her left armpit and bosom before subtly passing it to Rainbow and then to Sunset who also took a quick sip and passed it back.

“Applejack!”

“Busted!” said Rainbow with her best shit eating grin.

“Oh, don’t think you are getting off any easier, Rainbow Dash, I know you bought that flask for AJ for her birthday! I designed that compartment for a lady to stash her valuables, cash, or phone without the need to accessorize with a purse while cleverly maintain her feminine lines! It was not meant for your booze!”

Rainbow Dash laughed harder than before. “Boobie booze!”

“Ugh! This, is a classy, formal affair and we should not be sullying the occasion with whatever you happened to sneak in. Not to mention, we are on school property! Heaven forbid some nasty paparazzi reporter happened to sneak in a spy drone or hidden camera to see the three of you kicking one back. Rainbow Dash, what would your fiancée, Captain Soarin, say?”

“That he wished he had thought of it first?”

Rarity rolled her eyes. “And while my reputation would likely survive their brutish tactics, poor Twilight is a CEO and Chief Researcher for a highly reputable company! She would be front page news and not just on the tabloids!” Rarity took a breath, a clever hidden mirror deploying from the back of one her elbow length, sparkling royal blue gloves. She took moment to double check that none of her ensemble had shifted or fallen out of place from the outburst.

Twilight beamed, clapping her hands. “You did take my suggestion after I sent you that drawing!”

“Of course, darling. Beauty and functionality are all the craze right now.”

“Did you seriously just put the words, ‘poor’ and ‘Twilight’ in the same sentence?” Rainbow Dash said. “She’s her own boss and loaded as fuck! We have all seen their house! What’s she going to do? Reprimand herself?”

At the mention of hidden cameras Sunset did begin to scan about. While part of her would not have minded showing off the red and gold trimmed high-low dress that she was currently rocking, they may have been tempting fate. “You know, Dash is not entirely wrong. Given some of the high profile people who graduated in our class you would think the planning committee would have opted for tighter security.”

“No one would dare crash a Cheesy Pie Incorporated event!” came the unexpected and yet not unexpected voice of one Pinkie Pie from out of nowhere. “No one would daaaaaare… and live to tell about it!”

“Um, sweetie, you know we can’t actually kill them for sneaking in, just confiscate their devices and scare the pee doodles out of them.” The young women each gave the dapper, top hat wearing Cheese Sandwich a sympathetic, “you knew what you were getting into when you married her,” look.

“Oh, I know, and that is also WHY we chose the school as the reunion location. Not only do we get to re-live and reminisce about all the great and embarrassing memories we made here, show our loved ones where the magic happened, but the fact that it is a CLEAN party means that it will be deceptively boring to those who are not in the know. AND it will make the after party soooooo much better!”

Fluttershy, who had been quietly standing to the side while tapping her toes to the beat pumping through the gym speakers, perked up and smiled. “Oh, that sounds like fun. While it has been wonderful seeing all the old faces, I have to admit my social anxiety is beginning to kick in.”

The others of the group all nodded and murmured their approval.

“Never fear, Fluttershy, after all the formalities and necessary meet and greets and photo ops are over, the seven of us and any respective spouses and one spouse to be that are still standing will be car pooled to our exclusive after party event at mine and Cheese’s private event hall where the fun will continue! And yes, Rainbow Dash, there will be alcohol! The only rule of the night will be all personal keys will be confiscated. No one is ruining my reunion by thinking they can sneak away plastered! Plus, who would want to?! It’s been forever since we had a sleep over!”

“That’s exactly what I need right now. I’m really looking forward to letting my hair down,” said Twilight, setting down the watered down punch drink she had been holding, but did not really want. “My advanced programing team and I have been on pins and needles for days waiting to see if we are awarded the government contract for the new AI chips we have in development. If we get this it will be worth billions and cement Sparkle Technologies as a major player in the R&D and technology sectors! I know we nailed the presentation, I made Sunset rehearse the interview with me ten times as ten different personality types.”

“She really did.”

“And let me tell you, when asked to pour on the bitch persona she can REALLY pour it on.”

Sunset shrugged and smirked. “I was just doing what you asked, babe.”

“And we all have our fingers crossed for you, darling. I understand completely how important that one magic moment can be. The make or break of your career,” said Rarity, giving both Twilight and Sunset hugs. “However, what I have been simply dying to know is how do you two keep such youthful appearances? Perhaps I just had not noticed at our rendezvous group vacation two years ago in Niagara, but you two look simply ageless! Please, sweetness, tell me your secret! I know you both have an abundance of work related stress and also two beautiful daughters, but you both still look like you just graduated from college! It’s not faaaaair! I don’t see a single gray hair between you, yet look at me!? I am finding so many new strands I had to work them into my latest design for my next Spring line as if they were intentional. Forty is as sexy as twenty is what I am thinking of calling it.”

Twilight and Sunset exchanged some glances, a silent conversation and debate passing between them. Rarity made her longing and slightly green with envy face at how well the couple knew each other. Almost thirteen years of marriage and she remembered the wedding like it was yesterday. While Rarity had had no shortage of suitors and even a few she had taken as lovers, none had lasted long enough to reach a marriage proposal. Rarity was not jealous, bore her beloved friends no ill thoughts, but it still set off small pangs of longing and loneliness that she would most likely suppress under heavy workloads again.

Eventually, Sunset shrugged and gestured for Twilight to speak.

“Well, as you all know, I have kept my machines in my private lab at home ever vigilant in the monitoring for any Equestrian magic that we may have missed or emitting from another lost artifact. Even after twenty years the only measurable readings I can detect on my most sensitive spectrometer come from… us. Primarily from Sunset and a lesser extent myself, but trace amounts can still be detected from you girls as well. We’ve theorized that since both Sunset and I were exposed to extremely high concentrations of magic with our transformations that we have changed on an atomic level and said energy may be slowing down the natural physical aging process. Especially for Sunset, who would be an alicorn in Equestria. As you may remember alicorns are very powerful magical beings, like Princess Twilight, that are practically immortal.”

“Wait,” said Applejack scratching her head under her hat. “does that mean y’all are immortal now too?”

“Highly unlikely, but neither of us know much on why or how alicorns have such long life spans to begin with. We do know that here Sunset’s internal physiology that is detectable by modern science is the same as any other woman. She’s just augmented now by Equestrian power, hence the extra strength, sharper senses, and faster reflexes.”

“Not to mention a great rack and tight ass, eh Twilight?” added Rainbow Dash with a toothy grin. Twilight blushed, smiled, and nodded.

“Much more plausible,” Twilight continued, “is that Sunset and I will simply live long lives and age accordingly at a later time even if we were to cross over again furthering our exposure to magic.”

“Not if, when.” The other five friends all looked directly at Sunset who smiled sheepishly. “I got a message from Princess Twilight about two months ago. She completed a perfect recreation of Star Swirl’s Lunar Lock mirror and has calculated that in about two years’ time the cycles will align again and the portal can be safely tested. It will be like it was before, only open for three days every thirty moon cycles so that no excess magic will build up like before. But more importantly, I’ll get to see mom again and our girls will get to meet their other grandmother. If it proves safe, we might even be able to take the girls to Equestria for a day trip.”

“That’s still up for debate, plus still having to explain to them that their mama was in fact born a unicorn in a parallel universe. That’s going to be fun to explain. I’m just worried it might be too much for them. Well, too much for Aurora. Sunna will probably think it’s the greatest thing since chocolate milk, but she’s only seven. Not that I would blame Aurora for freaking out. Heck, I’ve been there and it still freaks me out when I think back on it.”

Sunset put a hand on Twilight’s hip and pulled her close, kissing her cheek. “It’ll be fine, better than that, it’ll be fun!”

“Annnnnd speaking of fun,” said Pinkie with a mischievous grin, “I’ve confirmed our limo transport. Two hours on the dot, meet at Sunny’s alicorn statue or else I will come find you… you don’t want me to do that.” The other five quickly shook their heads before giggling and heading off to mingle some more.

Prelude Part 2: The Greatest Curse

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Prelude part 3

Day three of new Lunar Lock mirror cycle: 22 years after original’s destruction.

Since formally ascending to the Solar Throne of Canterlot, Twilight Sparkle had worked from day one to try and lead the nation in Celestia’s example. That being said, one of the prices of that role came at the expense of little to no personal time. When she did manage to find that personal time it mostly consisted of overseeing or recommending changes to the plans for rebuilding of Canterlot Castle after most of it had been blown off the side of the Canterhorn Mountain.

Celestia and Luna had offered their input as far as reconstruction, but Twilight had also taken advantage of the unexpected tragedy/opportunity to make changes and improvements to the palace. One such added room was dedicated to then construction and now functioning new Lunar Lock mirror. Originally crafted by Star Swirl the Bearded, the mirror opened to a single dimension once every thirty moon cycles. On the other side lay a strange parallel dimension so similar to Equestria except without abundant magic. Along with a few other… minor differences.

Celestia elected to cross over first, landing back on her front hooves and shaking off her disorientation in a matter of seconds. She turned back to the mirror ready to steady her daughter-in-law, Twilight, who nodded her thanks upon emerging, adjusting her glasses, and stepping off to the side ready for what she knew was going to be quite the moment.

Aurora Shimmer stumbled forward, crashing to the floor. The pale yellow unicorn shook the pink and red mane from her face and gasped in shock at her hoof. She then screamed again at the rest of her body making Twilight smirk with nostalgic delight at the first time she had ever seen herself as a pony.

Sunna Sparkle appeared a moment later and to everyone’s surprise, landed on her hooves, albeit shaky. The burgundy unicorn took a few cautious steps forward and leap-lunged to Celestia, wrapping her forelegs around her grandmother for balance. “Mom! I’m a pony! And I feel all tingly inside.”

“WHERE THE HELL ARE MY CLOTHES?!”

"Aurora," Twilight scolded, "language."

The mirror shimmered and rippled one more time and a goldenrod alicorn stepped through, brushing her red and yellow fire mane back from her equine face. Sunset closed her eyes and took a deep breath, relishing both the smell of Equestria as well as the rich and plentiful feeling of magic flowing back into every fiber of her being. It was like being thirsty for decades only to finally come upon a glorious flowing river of the coolest, cleanest, most wonderful water in all of existence. Magic was in her blood and soul and it brought tears to her eyes to feel it in abundance again.

“Oh, sweet Celestia, have I missed this feeling.”

“Mama?!”

Sunset opened her teal eyes to look down at her teenage mare daughter still on the ground with jaw hanging open and younger filly who was smiling like only an ecstatic child could. Sunset concentrated on her inner mana pool and pulled a little power through her horn, which took on a red glow. Aurora yelped as her body became surrounded by a red aura that lifted her up.

“Aurora,” Sunset said calmly, the same voice she had used when teaching the girls how to do things such as ride bicycles. “put your legs down. Imagine in your mind as if you were forward, like in a track sprinter’s stance. Once you feel your equilibrium you can start to move your legs in an alternating pattern.”

“It’s not hard, sis, see?” Sunna took some careful steps around and trotted over to Twilight who beamed at her youngest, nuzzling her cheek.

Not to be outshined by a nine year old, Aurora followed directions and after just a few short steps began to move around as if she had been born to it. “It… still feels weird, but I guess if newborn horses can figure it out on the first day then it’s not so hard.”

“Mama, you look just like the statue in front of the school!”

Sunset chuckled, spreading her wings to their full extent, slightly disappointed when they did not burst into flaming phoenix wings as they had done in the past. Perhaps her mana reserves were still too low, she thought. “Yeah, I guess that was a bit of ego pandering when I gave them the model for the commission. But I figured since no one is going to build a statue of me here I deserved a little something, right? I mean I did pay for thing.”

“Plus, you helped save the world a few times,” Twilight said with a smile. “They put up a statue of Rocky in Philadelphia for less than that.”

“Wait,” Aurora looked between her mom and her mama, “How come you have wings, but mom doesn’t? Is Sunna a unicorn, am I unicorn? This… I… I think I may be having a panic attack.”

Twilight stepped up to her older daughter and rubbed her back in a circular motion. “Breathe, Aurora, nice and slow.” The teenage mare did as she was told and her pounding heart began to steady.

Sunset finally took a moment to look around the room. It was a large, rectangular space with unadorned white stone walls, several old wooden work benches and a few boxes that were tossed in the corner and collecting dust. On the far side of the room were a set of stairs that led halfway up the wall to a door that also looked unimpressive. Judging by the stone and the odd placement of the door, Sunset suspected they were in a basement or sub-basement. She turned to her mother, Celestia, and arched an eyebrow. “No welcoming committee? I figured since Princess Twilight had to head back before us she would have had somepony waiting for us.”

Celestia just smiled and tilted her head. It was then that Sunset finally took notice that while her mother’s mane did have more streaks of gray than the last time she had seen her, it had retained its ethereal waviness even in a stale basement workroom.

“I told Twilight before she returned that we would be back early on day three so that we could have a small tour of the surrounding area before the portal closes again. Perhaps she forgot to mention it to Spike or her assistant and make time?”

“AH HA! THERE YOU ARE!”

Five sets of eyes looked up to the door, which had been violently thrown open to the point that the hinges almost broke. At the top of the stairs stood a midnight blue alicorn with waving hair the color of the cosmos and hard yet mischievous teal eyes. She leapt over the rail and flapped her wings so as to land next to Sunset Shimmer, pulling her into a bone crushing hug with speed that the other alicorn had not anticipated.

“Glorious, wonderful niece! Welcome home to the realm of your birth! I have been wanting to shower you with affection since I learned of your maternal heritage and subsequent escape from the harrowing in between.” Luna paused to look over at her sister, narrowing her eyes, yet still smiling. “And, of course, welcome home to you as well, sister.”

Celestia rolled her eyes. “Do not forget my grandchildren and my daughter-in-law.”

“Perish the thought! Thou would never forget the young offspring and my niece’s beloved wife whom I have heard so much about over the years. I have long anticipated the opportunity to make your acquaintance, Aurora and Sunna. I bid thee welcome to Equestria!”

Sunna giggled. “She talks funny.”

“I believe the term you are looking for, sweetie, is overdramatic,” whispered Celestia, but loud enough for everyone to hear.

“Language is an art. Nearly a lost art! I spent a thousand years trapped on the moon while the celestial bodies continued on without me. Do you realize how much language changes and evolves over a thousand years?! If not for my ability to see into the dreams of ponies and evolve with them I would have returned to the kingdom and declared something like, ‘Princeps ante arcum tuum!’ Or something to that degree. Everypony in Ponyville would have looked at me with more confusion than fear. Embarrassing, to say the least.”

“Annnnnyhow. If you have not guessed yet, girls, this is your Great Aunt Luna. Mama Celestia’s sister.”

“Is she also a princess, like you Mama?” asked Aurora.

Sunset shook her head. “I’m not a princess, sweetie. Luna was a princess, technically she could still use the title, but both her and Celestia officially abdicated to Princess Twilight decades ago.”

“You could officially become a princess anytime you like. I’m sure Twilight would be glad to hold a coronation for you if you asked.”

The condescending look Sunset shot her mother made Twi rush forward between the two alicorns to head off an impeding argument that would no doubt sour the mood. “How about we discuss that another time since we only have one day? I, for one would love a tour of the castle… Especially the library!”

Luna lifted Sunna up in her magic and placed the filly upon her back. “An excellent suggestion! Onward my fellows! After the library I can show the young ones my personal armory and trophy room of my many conquests! I also have a magic freezer where I hide cheesecake from my sister made by one of the finest desert chefs in the land.”

Celestia was half way up the stairs when she noticed Sunset lagging behind. “Something wrong, little sun?”

“Nah, mostly just taking it all in. My logic brain knew that Twilight would eventually make a new mirror because she wanted to, but I never thought I would see it within my lifetime. And yet, here we are.”

“You are welcome to come back to visit every time the mirror opens. This is your home too. I certainly will never say no to more time with you.”

Sunset nodded, moving through the door to look at her wife who glanced back and smiled at mother and daughter walking side by side. “I know we don’t have a lot of time before heading back, but while I have you here next to me could you do me one small favor?”

“Anything.”

“I would love to hear more stories about my father.”

----------

Prelude part 4

The Hunnington-Filmore Hotel, Canterlot City: 87 years after Lunar Lock mirror restoration

Twilight Sparkle pushed the hotel room door open and stormed into the luxurious suite. She stomped around the center of the main room flexing and releasing her hands, pulling at her ponytail and occasionally wiping the tears from her face. Sunset Shimmer, who had been following several paces behind, gently closed the door, engaged the auto lock and flipped the door’s digital readout to “Do Not Disturb.” Sunset fought with every ounce of her mental will to keep from screaming her anguish and tearing the hotel room to pieces. Instead, she quietly walked over to the wet mini bar and began extracting bottles. She knew they were being charged exorbitant amounts to their account with each one she pulled, but did not hesitate or care.

Without asking, Sunset mixed a tumbler with ice and soda and just a small amount of vodka, setting it off to the side. Twilight stomped her way over to the bar and drained the contents in a single gulp. Twilight set the glass down and removed her glasses, tossing them haphazardly across the breakfast bar. Not that it mattered, she was still crying too much to see clearly anyhow.

“More.”

Sunset’s frown deepened. It felt like that was all she had been doing the last few days, frowning. She could not remember the last time she had smiled in earnest and that was a problem. “Twi, listen…”

“I. SAID. MORE.” Sunset sighed and poured her another mix, using the remaining vodka in the small bottle. Twilight drank it all again, shuddering as it burned her throat. She looked at the remaining ice in the glass and set it down before the temptation to throw it across the room won out. Sunset watched her wife’s frown deepen and swat her hand back as if shooing a fly away from her ear. “How? How are you so calm?”

“Because I have been mentally preparing myself for this for years. Just as you should have been instead of burying your feelings and emotions in science projects. We knew this would happen and no amount of praying, hoping, or attempts to scientifically circumvent nature was going to stop it.”

Twilight picked up the glass and threw it, intentionally missing Sunset as it shattered against the kitchenette wall. “How dare you say that?! Do you not realize how much my projects and research has bettered humanity? Even when we had to drop off the radar and step back, I still helped my project leads by quietly sending them my independent research and findings. The world is a better, safer place because of my help. If we had stayed where my equipment was… if I had continued researching into how magic affected our bodies I could… SHOULD have done more for our family, our… children… my, my babies…”

Twilight collapsed to her knees and shuddered as she sobbed. Sunset came around the bar and wrapped herself around her wife. Twilight collapsed into her arms and screamed all her heartache into Sunset’s shoulder. Sunset held Twilight tight, quietly crying into her indigo hair. Still indigo, with those violet and purple highlights, smooth lavender skin and barely a blemish or wrinkle on her face.

Twilight and Sunset were one hundred and twenty seven years old, but both still had the physical appearance of two women in their late twenties or thirties. They had noticed decades ago that they had stopped aging while their friends and family did not. And try as they might, the results could not be replicated through science or sorcery. Neither their friends nor family had received the ‘gift’ of extended lifespan that Sunset and Twilight had been given. Even taking them through the mirror to Equestria had not stopped time from taking its inevitable toll.

Rarity had been the first of their friends to be laid to rest. Later that year Fluttershy and a year later Rainbow Dash. After that it was nothing but a long, painful stream of goodbyes and funerals. All of which Sunset and Twilight had to attend as a, “distant relative” or “family friend” because it became impossible to explain to others that they had gone to high school together when the dearly departed was old and gray while Twilight and Sunset did not have a silver hair between them.

The pair had to quietly bow out of their own lives out of fear of drawing the wrong kind of attention from former coworkers and shady government authorities. Their house had been passed to their daughters who then in turn passed it to one of their grandkids. Both Twilight and Sunset had taken only their most prized possessions to keep with them while leaving the rest to their children or close friends and colleagues. Twilight had created several fake identifications to conceal their true ages and diverted large sums of their financial fortune into hidden accounts that would earn compound interest and returns from investments. Plenty was left for their daughters while also allowing the couple to quietly travel comfortably for years to come.

And travel they had. Sunset and Twilight had seen nearly all the wonders of the Earth both natural and human made. They had eaten things they could not pronounce, sat in on once in a lifetime events, and had made it a point to learn as many new things as they could. Twilight was fluent in over twenty languages, Sunset could operate almost any type of vehicle including jets, planes, and helicopters. It had been rewarding and blissful, Sunset thought, waking up each morning to a new day with the same beautiful woman by her side.

Even in their exile retirement wandering Sunset and Twilight had made it a point to stay in contact with their daughters. They would often call and check in, video chat, show what they were doing and had discovered. Every two and half years they would make sure they were in Canterlot City as a family to greet Princess Celestia when the portal opened to Equestria.

But as time went on, both Sunna and Aurora had grown up and found themselves too busy with their own lives and family to meet every time the mirror opened. Eventually, Aurora won election to her state senator’s office and refused to even speak of the, “other world” as she had started to call it for fear that the information might ruin her career in addition to place her mothers in danger. Sunna, who was always the more creative of the two, crossed over a few more times, but once she finally gave birth to her own daughter after tremendous efforts and hormone therapy, she too stopped traveling to Equestria when the mirror opened.

Between their two daughters, Sunset and Twilight had four grandchildren. Aurora had two girls and a boy, Twilight Breeze, Dusk Sparkler, and Timber Hill. Sunna had one daughter, Lilly Dawn. Twilight and Sunset had been there to see each of the next generation of their family come into this world, but sadly, regrettably, had not been able to interact with their grandchildren much as time marched on. It had been too difficult to explain to the young ones that their grandparents looked younger than their own parents.

It had come as a shock and no shortage of scientific experimentation on Twilight’s part to determine why she had stopped or slowed significantly in aging. Sunset, on the other hand had been ecstatic regardless of the reasons. She thanked Celestia and the universe that her beloved wife would be by her side for many more years to come. The novelty had worn off early for Twilight after losing her brother and sister-in-law to the sands of time.

With that reality firmly in her mind, Sunset Shimmer had begun corresponding with her mother, Celestia, on how best to cope with the reality that she was going to have to watch her friends and family eventually age and die. Celestia had offered what cold comfort she could, but ultimately the only way to truly weather the pain was to just work through it and move on. Sunset had accepted and understood, drowning her heartache in alcohol, gaming, and music for a few days each time she lost a loved one.

Twilight would double her efforts to try and understand the phenomena each time they lost someone, throwing all her attention and copious mental knowhow into finding a solution. Eventually Twilight would grow weary and distract herself in new ideas and projects. However, neither of their coping mechanisms had completely prepared them for the loss of their first daughter, Aurora, who had passed that morning at the age of one hundred and one.

And so, the emotional dam broke.

Sunset eventually got Twilight to the sofa and continued to hold her, stroking her arms and tear streaked face. It was more than an hour later when Twilight had finally calmed enough to speak again.

“I’m hungry.”

“I’ll order anything you want. If the hotel can’t make it, I will go get it. No matter what it is,” said Sunset as gently as she could.

Twilight looked up at her wife, squinting a bit since her glasses were still on the bar. “Is it really just that easy for you? Is it a pony thing?”

Sunset sighed, standing up to stretch out her joints, she looked down at her distraught love. “Twi, I am an emotional wreck right now. My girl is gone. I… I gave birth to her, held her in my arms to my bare chest when she took her first breaths and now… she’s gone.” Sunset wiped her fresh tears away and shuddered a bit. “But I have to keep going. I will drink myself to sleep tonight while flipping through old photos, but I have to keep going for both of us because the alternative scares the shit out of me.”

“It’s not right,” Twilight said, sitting up looking at the red and yellow haired blob, “it’s not the way it should be. Parents should not have to bury their children at any age, but what we are… it’s unnatural.”

“It’s magic, babe, even if you could not nail down where or why beyond hypothesis you and I both know this is magic keeping us as we are.”

“You, I understand to an extent. I had thought with how human you are here biology would supersede most of the effects. In the end though, you are not human, you’re an alicorn. You have power even if you can’t use it outside of Equestria, but I’m not. I should have aged and died with our friends. They were touched by magic too and even though they all lived long lives they still aged. I just don't understand. Why me?”

They had had this conversation before and Sunset knew they would have it again, but right now all they really needed was alcohol and some horrible greasy food that would make a cardiologist cry, maybe some soft music while they processed their sundered emotions.

“How about a deluxe personal pizza with parmesan crust?” Twilight nodded at Sunset’s suggestion. “I know a place. I’ll be back in less than an hour.”

“Sunset?” she stopped at the door, looking back at her wife who tried to smile even though it was forced. “Thank you, for being you. I love you.”

Sunset smiled, it was also forced, but not entirely. Her heart hurt just a little less looking into those loving if sorrow filled purple eyes. She would make Twilight smile again and then, she too would smile.

“I love you too.”

----------

Prelude part 5

Pensacola Beach, Florida: 92 years after Lunar Lock mirror restoration

Sunset Shimmer loved white sandy beaches. She had been to beaches all over the world, muddy beaches, blown, dredged sand beaches, recycled glass to a fine powder beaches, and a few volcanic beaches, but white sand was her favorite. It never got too hot and just felt so relaxing to squish her toes into. Twilight had once tried to explain to her why the sand was white, but she lovingly cut her wife off when the explanation started to ruin the bliss.

It was late September and most of the summer crowds were gone, but the weather was still perfect for beach time as long as there were no impending hurricanes moving into the gulf. The weather in fact had been story book perfect, which left the water near crystal clear of the likes one usually had to travel to more exotic locations to find. But the Pacific Islands were a bit too far away and Sunset needed to be closer to their old stomping grounds. The lunar alignment was four days away and Sunset wanted to be in Canterlot City when the portal opened once more.

Sunset had an ulterior motive as well for the beach this time around. She knew her beloved wife, Twilight Sparkle, also loved beaches. She wanted, no, needed Twilight calm and relaxed. So, they would have a nice dinner out, some time in the hot tub, and a naked body massage that would round off into passionate love making. That should get Twilight calm enough for what Sunset wanted to propose to her wife... she hoped.

Sunset glanced up, over the top of her sunglasses at the two young men that appeared to be college aged. They stopped and looked down at the goldenrod beauty with flowing red and yellow hair in the black two piece string bikini that she was proud to say she still rocked even with a few old battle scars and pushing one hundred and thirty two years of age. Sunset arched an eyebrow to indicate she took notice of their existence. They were blocking her sun.

“So, yeah, my bro and I were wondering if you’re free, if you’d like to have a drink with us at the bar by the hotel.”

“Really? No introductions, no asking for my name or cheesy pickup lines? Oh, and,” Sunset pointed at the titanium wedding band around her left ring finger with a fire ruby tension setting. “Honestly, kids these days. Parents just don’t teach them manners.”

“Everything okay, Sunny?”

The two boys turned to see a lavender skinned woman in a burgundy and teal trimmed two piece swimsuit with goggles on her head. Sunset picked up her towel and shoulder bag, putting a little extra sashay in her hips as she side stepped the college boys and took Twilight by the hand, bringing the back of it to her lips.

“Everything’s fine, babe. I was just telling these fine young specimens that they need to work on their routine and manners if they plan to actually spend time with a girl in the future.” Sunset shot them a finger gun with her free hand and walked off towards the beach shower still holding her wife’s hand.

Several hours, one hibachi dinner, a round of playing footsie in the jacuzzi, a naked body massage, and fantastic sex later, Sunset Shimmer was snuggled next to her wife in a dark hotel room with the only light coming from the near full moon that shone through the open blinds to the balcony window. There would be no better chance to talk to Twilight about what was on her mind even if it meant ruining the mood.

“Babe?”

“Hmm?”

Sunset bit her lip, slipping her fingers into Twilight’s hand, their rings making a small clink sound. No going back now. “The portal opens soon and I’m planning on spending all three days in Equestria. I’ve already talked to Mom about it.”

“That’s okay, I will probably head back to the hotel after the first day though, if it’s alright with you.”

“Yeeeeah, um… I was thinking and… honestly, I’ve been thinking about it a lot these last 30 moons. I think I want to stay longer in Equestria.”

Twilight sat up and put her glasses on to look at Sunset clearly. “Wait, you mean even after the portal closes?”

Sunset nodded, biting her lip. This was becoming harder than she had originally pictured it would be. “I’ve been missing Mom and Aunt Luna and Equestria as a whole more and more. I’ve been feeling like I’ve done everything I can do here. I… this is home only because you are here. I want to spend more time in Equestria and not just visit, but I want you to come with me.”

Twilight took several deep breaths to control her knee-jerk reaction to such a statement and tried to process the information to best determine how to respond. To her credit, Twilight only scowled a little. “Sunny, if we move to Equestria how am I supposed to continue my research? I’ve been going over my old lab’s data on AI development and they are on the cusp of a breakthrough of interactive algorithms. With my help and experience they could have a functioning bottom-up AI in a year or less. That would change the world as we know it.

“Imagine it, an artificial mind that we could have a conversation with that thinks on its own and not just in response to what we are saying or doing. This is the next great horizon in science! These new processors could help aid the world and develop tech that could be used to integrate across the bio-tech wetware system. A system that could make new limbs as functional as the original without costly or dangerous vat cloning tech that still hasn’t been proven effective. Or even propel humanity beyond the inner solar system. Expeditions to Jupiter and its moons!”

Sunset felt Twilight pull her hands away. So much for all that relaxation. Sunset stood, pacing back and forth on her side of the room, not concerned in the least by her nudity. After all, she hardly ever wore clothes in Equestria and they were on the fifteenth floor. This was an argument years in the making and Sunset was tired of avoiding the subject. Their friends were gone, both their daughters were gone, and even one of their granddaughters, Dusk Sparkler, was now gone. In a few more decades the only evidence that Twilight Sparkle and Sunset Shimmer had ever existed would be in photos in their old home or dusty old albums. It was just the two of them now and the world would go on without them just as it had without their other loved ones.

“Twi, I love you, I love you more than anything else in this world and if fate has handed us both immortality then I say it’s time to stop asking why and just roll with it. I say we live in a world where immortality is not unheard of and we enjoy it. Think about it, another world to explore without having to break atmosphere. A world of science AND magic. I understood why we stayed here when we still had our girls, but Aurora and Sunna are at peace now. I would have thought that getting a chance to investigate and experiment with what is possible in Equestria would have you salivating. Instead, you just want to peek over the shoulders of others and offer input from afar because legally Twilight Sparkle and Sunset Shimmer no longer exist. Why just help others when you can get a fresh start and go back to leading them?”

“Because this is my home,” Twilight said barely above a whisper. It was not the answer Sunset was looking for, but it was also hard to argue with. The silence lingered for several minutes. Twilight staring into a dark corner while Sunset gazed upon the moon high in the star filled sky. Sunset finally sighed and grabbed some shorts and a t-shirt, not bothering with undergarments. She needed some air.

“Sunny…”

“It’s fine, I just need to go for a walk.”

Twilight nodded and laid back down, turning her back to the door.

----------

Three days later, the portal opened. Sunset had sent word ahead through her journal that she was coming as soon as all her affairs were in order. Celestia had responded immediately that she would be waiting.

Sunset stood on the sidewalk in front of Canterlot High School staring up and the aged statue of a horse with wings and a horn. She knew the truth behind its design, since she had sculpted the pose and paid to have the full scale commissioned over one hundred years ago. Yet another example of facts lost to time.

Twilight Sparkle stood next to her wife, looking up at the statue as if examining it for the first time. Overall, it was still in good shape, if a bit worn from erosion and multiple, deep scrubbing cleanses it had received over the years. Some to remove grime while others had no doubt been to remove graffiti. At least the cutie mark on its flank was still visible, Sunset thought.

They had exited their taxi an hour ago and had taken their time pointing out the latest changes since they had last visited the portal nearly three years ago. The school had been renovated again and expanded to include a new campus wing across the street that had once been middle class houses that had fallen into neglect and need of repair. The district saw an opportunity for expansion and had pounced without hesitation. The never ending march of progress, Sunset concluded with barely a shrug.

“You know, it’s silly.”

“What’s that?” asked Sunset.

Twilight’s eyes remained on the statue a moment longer before turning to Sunset. “The mascot is still officially called the Wondercolts, but you replaced the statue with an alicorn mare. I wonder if anyone ever pointed out that little gender flaw.”

Sunset shrugged. “It’s a technicality anyhow, she doesn’t have mare parts either. Nothing between them legs but smooth concrete.”

Twilight choked up a moment, having to steady her breathing. “I remember the first time Sunna saw the statue and recognized that she was missing the ‘boy parts’ I believe she called them. My observant little angel even at nine years old.”

Sunset pulled Twilight into a hug and held her as tight as she dared. Twilight returned the hug just as determined. “Any chance I can change your mind?”

Twilight shook her head. “We are both hard headed. We talked, gave our arguments both for and against, and came to our own conclusions. You are going, I am staying, that is the end of that.”

“It’s not an end, Twi, it’s just one cycle. I will be back in thirty moons, two and a half years by Earth calendar. What’s a lousy two and a half years to a couple of hotties like us pushing over a hundred and thirty years in age?”

Twilight chuckled lightly, refusing to let go of her embrace even as a tear escaped. “You be careful. Equestria might look like a fantasy land from a little girl’s dreams, but it has had its fair share of runaway monsters and dangers.”

“Not telling me anything I don’t already know, babe. Besides, the biggest monsters I’ll have to contend with will probably be the Canterlot nobility. I’ve managed to avoid them for most of my visits, but I can’t hide from them for thirty moons no matter how hard I might try.” Sunset handed Twilight her two-way communication journal and her phone. Sunset looked down at her wedding ring and frowned. She would not have fingers in Equestria and previous visits had shown that the ring just disappeared along with where ever her clothes went in the pocket of mirror space. But thirty moons without her ring was unacceptable.

“I anticipated your apprehension,” said Twilight, pulling out a thin, silver-like chain. “Aerospace titanium, just like our rings. If you wear it like a necklace it should make it through, but put it in your bag just in case it tries to stash it like it does with our clothes.”

“Ever the genius. Goddess, I love you.”

Twilight smiled and pulled her wife in for a long, deep, tongue wrestling kiss. When Twilight stepped back for air and to adjust her glasses she whispered, “Best friend, love of my life.”

Sunset clenched the ring and chain to her chest before putting them in her tote bag. “I will write to you often. We have half a journal and I will fill it up by the time this portal opens again.” Sunset took three steps towards the portal, turned back to look over her shoulder one last time, then stepped through.

Chapter 1: Mama, I'm Coming Home

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Sunset Shimmer stepped out of the mirror to Equestria. The first thing she did was take a deep breath as she had done many times before. But unlike past trips, this time she turned back and looked at the rippling surface of the Lunar Lock mirror and shook as she sobbed. Maybe this was a mistake, she thought. It would be so easy, just jump back through and chase Twilight down and say sorry. It would be so, so easy. Thirty moons, two and a half years. Two and a half years without seeing her wife’s face, feeling her warmth and touch. What the hell was she thinking?!

It took several more deep breaths to get her emotions under control. The second thing Sunset Shimmer did was scream, stumble, and light her horn in preparation to defend herself. The bat pony thestral lunar guard had remained where he was at the base of the stairs, silent and unmoving with an almost bored if albeit inquisitive expression. It was difficult to tell with the blued steel helm on.

“Shit! You scared me half to death!”

The thestral blinked his yellow serpent eyes. “My apologies. That was not my intent. Although, I must admit, I am equally as surprised to see you as well,” he took notice of the wings and quickly added, “Your Highness.”

Sunset usually retorted with a reminder that while being Celestia’s daughter she still had no official title of royalty in Equestria. Instead, she moved to the more obvious question. “So, what are you doing here skulking in the corner?”

“I was ordered by my lady, Mistress Luna, to stand watch over this mirror and to not move until the appropriate time. Honestly, I thought I was being pranked or punished for something. I was not made aware that the mirror was in fact a magical gateway… that would have been helpful information considering the security implications. Regardless, I am Lieutenant Gauge of Her Majesty’s Night Guard and I assume with much certainty I was tasked with waiting for your arrival.”

Sunset composed herself to try and gain what little dignity she had left after sobbing in front of the stoic soldier. “My name is Sunset Shimmer. Do you know where Princess Celestia is? She usually is here to meet me when I come to visit.”

“Princess Celestia was asked to handle an emergency involving the Griffonstone ambassador while Princess Twilight spoke with the honored Representative of the Badlands Union. Apparently, some offense had taken place during a luncheon. Beyond that I cannot say.”

Sunset nodded. She removed her saddle bag and retrieved a brush to touch up her mane and tail. Sunset next stretched out her wings to their full impressive extend. With a thought spell, the feathers burst into flame and Sunset smiled in satisfaction to finally get a startled response from the lunar guard. She retracted her wings and they returned to normal feathers. Lastly, she retrieved a necklace with a titanium ring attached and levitated it in place around her neck. Sunset closed her eyes and brought the ring to her lips. Though the ring had no scent and was cold to the touch, her mind filled in the mental image of Twilight’s hand in hers, bringing the lovely lavender appendage to her lips.

“If I may be so bold, are you well, Princess Sunset?”

Sunset opened her eyes, putting on her Canterlot court mask. “I’m not a princess, lieutenant, not officially. You may address me by my name or as ‘Lady’ if you must.” She was in Canterlot now, the lion’s den of Equestrian politics and though she was not as familiar with Luna’s private guard Sunset had little doubt they would gossip just as much as the Solar Guard. It came with having a generally boring job that still required vigilance.

“Understood, Lady Sunset. But again, you seemed quite upset when I first saw you. I know we just met, but I would consider it part of my duty to listen in confidence if you wished to vent.”

“It’s a personal matter, just understand that this mirror is a tightly kept state secret and if I find out that you spoke about it or about my little ‘incident’ that I will know who spoke about it. That would be bad for you and your career, lieutenant, are we clear?” The guard’s body went ridged and he snapped off the finest salute Sunset had ever seen by a guard.

Leaving the room behind, Sunset trotted along the castle halls with Gauge following a respectable two steps behind. If Celestia and Twilight were in negotiations then Sunset could just see to settling herself in. Sunset nodded to a few of the servants she recognized and to any of the guards that saluted as she made her way to the guest wing as she had done many times before.

After a brisk fifteen minute walk in which Gauge had kept pace in dress armor without a single complaint the pair stopped in front of an unassuming wooden door. Sunset had to admit, she appreciated the discipline the soldier had been exemplifying much more than many of the guards she had dealt with in the past. She recalled rumors that the thestrals were both literally as much as figuratively a different breed of soldier and it was wise to not underestimate that.

“I’m going to drop my stuff off and then go see Pasty Cake about getting something to eat. Do you know if she is still the castle head chef?”

Gauge eyed the door a moment then looked back at Sunset. “I’ve run sweeps of the castle more times than I can remember, to my knowledge this door is always locked, magically sealed… and yes, she is still Her Majesty’s head chef.”

Sunset smiled, touching her horn to the door frame, which lit up with a series of hidden runes, Sunset’s cutie mark appearing over the door before the lock clicked and the room opened. “This is my room and I don’t like people... er ponies messing with my stuff while I’m gone.”

“I understand. Mistress Luna, is also often away for months long excursions and values her privacy. Part of the training we go through to become one of her guards is to swear upon pain of death to guard her as well as the secrets she keeps. That same courtesy is extended to any princess, or in your case, 'not official' princess, who is in need of our services.”

“Good to know. Please, find Princess Celestia and tell her where I’ll be, I’ll wait for her there.” Gauge saluted and went about his assigned task. Sunset stepped into her room and closed the door. The room was a generous private guest room with a lounge section including a fully stocked bar to entertain guest, private bath with a tub large enough for two adult ponies, and bed that could normally sleep three ponies comfortably. Alicorns needed a bit more room since their wings sometimes deployed while sleeping. Sunset and Twilight had found that out when her wings had nearly knocked Twilight off the bed on their first overnight stay in the castle.

Sunset sighed and touched the ring to her chest fur again. Without another thought Sunset exited the room. She would need to find the other journal to write to her wife soon, but it could wait until after lunch.

An hour later, the side door to the primary kitchen opened and in walked Princess Celestia, her sour expression evaporating immediately upon seeing Sunset sitting at the table with a piece of whipped cream covered pound cake floating in a red aura. Celestia sat at the table and used her own magic to carve out a slice of the simple yet delicious treat. Sunset glanced over the alabaster alicorn’s withers to see Gauge standing by the door, staring off into a corner.

“Hi, Mom. Extra security?”

Celestia nodded as her mane that was now mostly gray as well as her tail continued to wave in magical brilliance. “A necessary precaution with visiting dignitaries I'm afraid. We had an incident almost right after you left last time. An assassination attempt on the crown prince of Zebrica. I’m glad you missed it.”

“Damn, I’m sorry I missed it. I could have helped.”

Celestia leaned over and nuzzled her daughter, smiles spreading across both their faces. “Of that I have no doubt. However, the attempt was poorly executed and no creatures were harmed. Luna demanded Twilight take such security risks more seriously and activate the Lunar Guard during the day to ensure that such attempts are never seen let alone close enough to be seen by the free press and nobility. Twilight, bless her heart, often forgets how important saving face is.
A mistake I've made in the past as well.”

“I’m curious and I can’t believe I keep forgetting to ask, but what exactly is your title and position now that Twilight is in charge of most everything? I normally try to avoid talking politics with all of you when I’m here, but obviously that won’t be avoidable this time around.”

Celestia cocked her head slightly, expression flashing through several emotions quickly, categorizing what she wanted to ask first. “Is your wife resting in your suite?”

Sunset glanced over at Gauge. She liked him, but not enough to trust with such personal information yet. She quickly erected a privacy bubble around herself and Celestia. Sunset sighed and took another bite of cake. “Twi stayed on Earth. And will not be joining us before the mirror closes.”

Celestia set down her cake and wrapped Sunset in her forelegs and wings. “I’m so sorry, Sunset. You two have not been apart from one another in decades. I know from experience how difficult it is to go years without seeing the other half of your heart. May I ask why?”

“Thanks, Mom, I appreciate that. Long story short, when I brought up my plan of spending more time here we had a fight. Despite my best efforts to appeal to her sense of logic it was not enough. Twi… it’s her home, we raised our girls there. Ever since we lost Sunna, Twilight has thrown herself into trying to save the world one piece at a time. If I’m not keeping her busy with something we can do together, she is working on science projects that she can access from her old lab. She refuses to accept that the world moved on and doesn’t need us anymore.

“So, after a unfortunately rather heated discussion we decided that maybe some time apart will be healthy for us. Distance makes the heart grow fonder and all that. We still have the journal, which I will be confiscating, obviously. I… I really don’t know what else to say on the matter other than the fact that it makes me sad. But I’ll live and when the portal opens again I will wrap her in the biggest hug that world has ever seen. In the meantime, I’m here so let’s you and I make the most of it. Mother-daughter time, just like you always wanted. Maybe a few projects to keep my mind busy, oh, and music, I will need some instruments so I can keep up when my muse strikes.”

Celestia smiled. “I am sure Princess Twilight will happily provide you with what ever supplies you need during your stay. Speaking of which, I need to head back to day court. Oh, and to answer your earlier question as far as mine and Luna’s titles, we are officially, ‘royal advisors to the queen.’ Not that anypony calls Twilight queen. She handles as much of the workload as she physically can and delegates the rest to myself, Spike, or her personal secretary, Isabella Windsong. You remember Isa, of course? An amazing griffon I’m not ashamed to say.”

“So, Twilight is smoothing things over with dignitaries and you get to babysit the nobility, fun.”

“You are more than welcome to sit in with me.”

Sunset did give the offer serious thought, but shook her head. “Not this time, I just got back, don’t want to regret it on the first day by sending some stuck up plot licker to the emergency room.”

“I understand.” Celestia replied with a knowing smile, pulling her daughter in for one more hug. “It’s wonderful to see you again, my little sun, as always.”

----------

Sunset had returned to her room after retrieving the other two-way journal and sat down to write. Part of her had hoped to find a sobbing apology from Twilight and telling her that she would be crossing over to join Sunset soon. But nothing new had been added. It was unsurprising, they were both stubborn mules when they were adamant about something. Sunset, however did miss her wife and was not so prideful to try waiting her out to see who would crack first. She took up a ball point pen she had brought with her and let her hornwriting do the work.

My beloved Twilight Sparkle,

I know it has not even been 24 hours yet, but I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m already missing you. I hope you are well. I settled back into our room without any trouble, but apparently security has been increased due to an incident that occurred while we were away. I have this thestral named Gauge following me around. He seems like a good pony, good at his job, not bad to look at. The fangs are actually kind of sexy. (weak attempt at trying to make you jealous)

Anyhow, I’m having dinner soon with Princess Twilight and Mom. Apparently, Luna left yesterday for an adventure. Such interesting timing considering she left just before both the griffon and rep from the union of badlands arrived. Coincidence? I think not!

Just… just take care of yourself, okay? Neither of us are helpless, but it has been a long time since we have been on our own and I have a whole castle at my disposal. Goddess, I love you and miss you. Talk to you again soon.

Your Sunset.

Sunset closed the journal and donned a velvety black cloak trimmed in gold thread that perfectly covered her wings, but did not drag across the floor. Princess Twilight had told her it was made by pony Rarity years ago so Twilight could have something that would cover her completely on a cold night on the Canterlot balcony. Twilight had unfortunately outgrown it as her magical power influx upon taking on the responsibility of controlling the celestial bodies. Still, it had been made by Rarity and could not be discarded for that reason alone.

Sunset, since her ascension had also grown taller than your average pony, standing slightly taller than Luna, but still shorter than her mother and Twilight. Since the cloak had been made for Twilight while she had still been growing, it fit Sunset perfectly and had been bequeathed to her with love and kindness.

The goldenrod alicorn relocked her door and turned to find Gauge standing where she had left him. She caught his glances and for the first time, a small smile that revealed the tip of one of his fangs.

“See something you like?”

His expression returned to neutral. “You look good in black. That’s all I dare to say.” Sunset nodded and began making her way to the main dining hall. Once at the door, Gauge nodded to the other guards who opened it for Sunset, but he did not follow.

“Have a good night, Lady Sunset, my shift is over.”

“I’ll be around, I’ll see you again.” He nodded and departed while the doors closed behind Sunset. When she looked forward again the small grin on her face fell. Ah, crap. The room was not empty. Mom set me up. I am so hiding the tiny cakes from her tomorrow for this.

At the table already were a portly brown and blonde griffon wearing a necktie, gold chains, and a gold trimmed monocle. Across from him sat an abyssinian dressed in a loose, silken shirt that exposed copious amounts of black chest hair. Next to the griffon ambassador sat Celestia, her legendary court mask a full strength. That left three empty chairs. The clearing of a throat drew Sunset’s attention to a stout mare unicorn that was nearly as tall as she was.

The guard officer clad in gold and purple trimmed armor gestured with her green eyes to the chair next to the badlands rep. That made sense, the head of the table was obviously for Twilight while the other seat was reserved for someone of equal measure like a prince or sultan, or even Spike, who held political status in both Equestria and the Dragon Lands. Since Celestia had chosen not to take it for diplomatic reasons it would have been quite the breach, if briefly hilarious, if Sunset had sat herself direct across from Princess Twilight.

Sunset nodded to Captain of the Guard, Tempest Fury, who returned to her efforts of imitating a statue. As Sunset approached a gold aura slid the chair back for her. However, before she took her seat, Sunset noticed the suspicious and questioning, scrutinizing glances from both representatives. The looks, while coming from two entirely different species, both said the same thing: Who is this mare and why does she get to sit next to us at this formal dinner?

Fine. If I’m staying in Equestria for thirty moons then I might as well play the game. Ugh! Thanks, Mom. With that thought in mind Sunset straighten her back and glanced at one of the servants who had been waiting near the kitchen door for the food trolley to arrive.

“Do me a favor and hang this until we are done, the designer’s ghost would haunt me until the end of time if I got a stain on it.” Sunset removed her cloak, levitating it to one the servant and stretched her wings to their full extent. They ignited like torches for just a moment causing both representatives to jump before she tucked them back in and sat. When no one else was looking Celestia flashed her daughter a quick smile.

“Representative Arrobar, Ambassador Grindstone,” Celestia said with a gesture, “please allow me to introduce to you my wayward and well traveled daughter, Lady Sunset Shimmer.”

“So,” Grindstone began, readjusting his monocle, “it appears we do have something interesting to talk about over dinner.”

The far door opened and on instinct, the other three at the table stood. Sunset was a bit slower, but got to her hooves. A moment later, standing as tall as Celestia with her indigo and violet streaked mane and tail waving in ethereal magic breeze stood Princess Twilight Sparkle, former Princess of Friendship, now high sovereign, ruler of Equestria and guardian of the sun and moon. Her golden regalia glinted in the magic glowing lights as she approached the table, but Sunset could tell she was walking on autopilot and had not noticed her yet.

“I hope everycreature is hungry, I asked my team of chefs to craft local favorites from…” Twilight paused when her eyes refocused on the red and yellow maned alicorn to the right of her chair. Sunset Shimmer could not have kept the grin off her face for all the gold in the vaults below.

“Good evening, Your Highness.”

Chapter 2: The Dream Within

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9 lunar cycles into the current 30 moon cycle of the Lunar Lock mirror.

Sunset Shimmer tapped her pen a few times against the desk. It should not have been running out of ink already, but was not working as well as it should have. Maybe somepony had been borrowing it when she was not looking. A few circle scribbles on some loose parchment that had lyrics and musical notes on it and the pen was working again.

So, what do you think?

I think it’s an excellent idea! Without looking at all the technical hurdles I think you and the princess are on to something amazing. Given that you should be able to augment the crystals with signal enchantment locks and magical power sources you will bypass decades of trial and error humans had to go through for long distance communication. Not to mention the environmental cost we paid for having to lay miles and miles of copper wire around the world.

Well, spellcasters have had scry potions spells for quite some time, but it came to me the other day wishing that I had my phone that pegasi and earth ponies don’t have easy access to something so basic. Communication! Heck, not even all unicorns can afford how much it cost to brew some of those potions. And fewer still have access to a dragon to use their fire matter-transformation spell to send letters. But crystals? We have an entire empire next door that can grow those babies like corn! If what you said about the signature resonation is true we will be able to connect all of Equestria in a big, rock shaped cellphone network in less than a decade.

Of course it’s true, I would never lie to you. And I know math and geology like I know your backside.

Sunset grinned, her heart skipping a few beats. It had been months since her wife had talked flirty to her and Sunset was as horny as she was lonely, missing Twilight desperately so. At least she would have good dreams tonight servicing herself instead of whimpering pathetically while reaching for a familiar body that was not there.

Ohhh, I love it when you talk dirty and science.

Well, geology can get pretty dirty. I have to admit, all this talking about rock hard crystals that are probably phallus shaped is getting me hot and bothered. All I hear is your voice whispering naughty promises in my ears while your hands work their magic… I miss you, Sunny.

I miss you terribly, babe. But at least we are making the most of this time apart and not just moping. We are both being productive, making the lives around us better, right?

There was a notable pause in the written conversation that made Sunset wish the crystal communication resonator was working so she could hear her wife’s voice. Sure, technically, Princess Twilight sounded the same as her Twilight, but they were two distinct individuals. Sunset could have been blindfolded and never mistaken the two of them. She knew the loneliness was probably worse for Twilight. All Twi had were lots old photos and videos and all that was going to do was make her feel more lonely and sad. Sunset touched the ring hanging from her neck.

Babe?

Sorry, I drifted off for a moment there. In fact, I think I’m going to head to bed. I love you, Sunny.

I love you eternally, Twi.

The hour was late, near midnight according to the clock on the desk. Sunset stood and stretched. She was tired, but not tired enough for bed yet. On Earth, in cases like these if her muse was being quiet Sunset would play video games or go for a motorcycle ride until she felt fatigued enough to fall asleep. Her cutie mark may have been sun shaped, but Sunset had always been more of a night owl for as long as she could remember. The daughter of the princess of the sun absolutely hated getting up for sunrise.

Sunset made her way to the nearest open balcony and stepped up on the railing. Since Equestria lacked motorcycles and video games, Sunset chose to do the next best thing to clear her mind. Go for a flight. She let herself fall backwards off the rail, falling for a few seconds before snapping her wings open.

The feeling of the cool air rushing through her mane, feeling the currents and changes in the air through her wings, it was nothing short of euphoric. Riding was exhilarating. Leaning into corners, twisting the throttle, feeling the engine vibrate and excite her very core. Flying with her own goddess given wings was all that and more, simply breathtaking.

Sunset ignited her wings as she pushed through several tight banking turns, feeling the blood rush to different parts of her body. It had been years since she had pushed herself so hard physically, but it still felt good. Perhaps she needed to start a workout regimen with the guard so as to not get out of shape? Maybe some weapons training as well? Good stress relief if nothing else. Sunset smirked, Tempest would likely not be opposed to the idea of smacking her around under controlled practice safeties.

Sunset skimmed her hoof over the mountain river then flapped to climb. She tucked her wings and spun in a few barrel rolls, heading back towards Canterlot castle. Technically, the palace was a ‘no-fly zone’ but both the Solar and Lunar guard had gotten accustom to Sunset’s flights of fancy. Not to mention there were not too many alicorns in the world and only one who usually set herself on fire while flying. The first time did, however cause quite a stir among the citizens of the capital.

A beckoning feeling drew Sunset to Luna’s tower and she landed softly on the balcony outcrop of the top floor of the watchtower. Four thestrals snapped to attention, their black iron spears at the ready. Sunset smiled disarmingly, but they did not lower their weapons.

“Mistress Luna is not to be disturbed while she is dream walking except for emergencies.”

“I understand, I just… actually, I don’t know why I came this way. Maybe I just swung by to say hi, but if she’s busy I will leave her be.”

“Actually, dear niece, I summoned you.” The Lunar Guards snapped to attention and resumed their positions about the open air tower. “I felt the power of your presence even from the dream world. So, I sent a small beckoning spell your way and it called to you like an itch that needed to be scratched. Interesting. I thought I had felt it before, but this time it was much stronger and I had no doubt. Are you in emotional turmoil?”

“No, actually I feel pretty good. Just got done chatting with my wife so my emotions are probably running a little high. Just needed a flight. I get like that sometimes.”

Luna nodded sagely. During the day or when entertaining guest, Luna often came off as bombastic or overdramatic. Probably because she enjoyed it without the repercussions her crown used to carry. But at night, in her element, working her magic as the protector of dreams even in her semi-retirement, Luna acted completely different. She was quiet, collective, and more Celestia-like than Sunset dared to point out.

“Sit with me a moment, niece.” Sunset did so. “I would like to try something if you would allow it.”

“Which is?”

“I would like to take you on a dream walk.”

Sunset gaped. Dream walking was ancient and dangerous magic that even Celestia had been unable to master without her sister’s guidance. The only books on the subject were under lock and key in the restricted section, cataloged primarily by a chronicler named Primrose Gala who had been researching the subject on the power of dreams and on the minds of ponies. Primrose had discovered without a doubt that Nightmare Moon was real and even while trapped had the ability to see into the dreams of ponies and even manipulate them.

The information and books had been suppressed and for good reason. It was hard enough for most stressed out adults to get a good night’s sleep. If they knew they could be manipulated in their dreams no one would go to bed by choice. The only reason Sunset knew about it was from her brief escapade through the restricted section with Princess Twilight while trying to find information on the Memory Stone.

Long story short, if a pony had the power to enter another pony’s dreams then they could also manipulate them when their mental defenses were down and that was rarely for the betterment of all. If one was twisted enough you could literally drive a pony insane to the point of suicidal just by subtly messing with their dreams.

“That’s some powerful magic, I’m not sure even I could handle something like that.”

Luna waved dismissively. "Nonsense, you are my niece, of my blood and more so, I sense something kindred in you. Celestia found my teaching attempts none to her liking, then following my exile she lacked both my guidance and the time to do so. I also tried to teach Twilight how to dream walk, but her mind was far too analytical for the chaotic whimsy that often accompanies the world of dreams. It’s not just about knowing the spells, one has to have the presence, the resonance to walk the path of dreams. Even an alicorn as powerful as Princess Flurry Heart could not safely navigate the dreamscape without causing damage to herself or those around her. You, I believe, are the right balance of powerful and empathetic. You could do this. I can guide you.”

Sunset shrugged. “Well, I’m never opposed to learning new magic, but take it easy on me. I’ve read that the dream mindscape is as fragile as it is dangerous.”

“Oh, it very much is so. Like a castle of glass, the mindscape of dreams is where we are at our most vulnerable. Few have the fortitude to properly defend themselves while sleeping without defensive spells already in place. For the rest, it is like leaving all the gates to said castle wide open while one sleeps in the center of it surrounded by piles of gold. Ponies are at my mercy and dreams turned to nightmares are nothing short of terror weapons.

“Since that costly mistake I made so long ago I have dedicated my life to ensuring that no pony has to suffer through the night at another’s expense, not while I can protect them or guide them through. Understand, niece, that I am trusting you with this knowledge and how to use it as both a sign of respect and because I believe you may have been born with the gift to crossover as easily as I was.”

Sunset let out a long breath, but how could she say no to such an opportunity. Plus, the chance to see Luna in action was beyond impossible to resist. Sunset approached the center of the tower and sat next to her aunt. Luna closed her eyes and glowing threads of power extruded from her horn and enwrapped Sunset’s.

The feeling was similar to what Sunset remembered her geode empath power felt like only more intense because she could feel EVERYPONY at once. They were just whispers, most of them sweet and quiet, but some had a darker, muddy tinge to them. It was almost overwhelming, but Sunset relaxed and let the whispers flow around her. She did not need to guide or intervene on good dreams and the darker ones felt wrong, oily, dirty, and not the fun kind of dirty.

Darker thoughts. Fear, shame, greed, hate, the emotions tasted like acid in Sunset’s mouth making the hairs on her skin stand up and crawl. Thankfully, there were only a few of them throughout all of Equestria. Millions of quiet, calm sleeping minds with a few troublesome spots here and there. Sunset felt strangely voyeuristic as she walked, catching intimate glimpses here and there as Luna examined a few closely. Something caused Luna’s ears to twitch and she pulled Sunset along the trail made of stardust.

“Here, a mare who desperately fears for her sick foal. Unhealthy, dangerous levels of fear. This could lead to self harm or harm to the child. This is where I come in.” Sunset felt more than watch as Luna reached out and whispered sweet words of kindness into a cloud like approximation of the mare’s head. The oily blackness that had surrounded the pony’s dream body faded and she slipped deeper into the calm river, her light blending in with the background like the others.

Luna turned to another spot on the star filled path and drew out another cloud like face, this one a filly who was probably not even in the double digits of age. She beckoned Sunset forward as she examined the dream that was becoming a nightmare.

“From what I can skim, her name is Maple Sugarsweet. She had a fight with her best friend and is worried she will lose them forever. This is a very common and simple fear, but for some, like Twilight, such anxiety can induce dreadful and vivid nightmares.” Luna pause, looking up at Sunset. “Go on, niece, you know how to set her mind at ease.”

Sunset shifted a bit, scratching one foreleg with the other. “I don’t know her, how can I possibly help?”

“You were a mother of two fillies, you have exemplified empathy, and everything you need to know is right here in her dream. Time moves differently in the dreamscape. You have the time to examine her life as a whole if you so choose, but I would not recommend it. It becomes exhausting diving into so many lives. After all, you are still awake and need rest as well.”

Sunset nodded. She carefully took the cloud head in her hooves and peered down through the shape and could see what the poor filly was scared of. Her imagination getting away from her as she dreamed of her friend, her family, even the family cat abandoning her at the train station for being a bad friend. Sunset touched her horn to the cloud surface just as Luna had done and was drawn into the dream.

Sunset was now standing on the platform next to the crying yellow filly with bright blue mane. The dream ponies ignored her like NPCs in a game, going about their automated business. Sunset sat down next to Maple Sugarsweet and pulled her close to her barrel and wrapped a warm wing around her just like Celestia sometimes did when she was that age. The filly ceased crying and looked up at Sunset with awe.

“Who… who are you?”

“I’m Sunset Shimmer, I'm Princess Luna's niece. I heard you crying in your dream and came to help. Tell me what happened?” The filly was about to start crying again and Sunset reached down and nuzzled her while pulling her closer with her wing.

Maple smiled at the feeling of warmth and relaxed. “I had a fight with my friend Rosey. She said she didn’t want to be my friend anymore and ran home. I didn’t mean to make her cry! I just wanted her to share the swing!”

“Shhhh,” Sunset gently placed a hoof to the filly’s trembling lips, “it’s okay. When my girls were little, Aurora didn’t always want to share with her little sister, Sunna. They usually got along, but sometimes fillies say mean things when they are angry, but they don’t mean it. So, I want you to think about the good times you have had with Rosey and tomorrow, you apologize and so will she and you will both realize how much you love being friends and no swing can break that up.”

Maple smiled up and Sunset. She had forgotten how much she loved it when a child looked up at her with wonder and awe as if she were a shining goddess. Maple gave Sunset one last hug before the nightmare faded and soon so did the filly. Sunset blinked a few times and found herself standing again next to Luna who sported a satisfied smile of approval.

“Well done. You see? Nothing to it. And the fact that you have not lost my connection means I was correct. This power comes naturally to you as well. With training you could guard the dreams of ponies without my help.”

Sunset examined her hoof, remembering what her hand had looked like. She then noticed that her mane moved on its own just like the other princesses. It was most likely only because she was in the dream realm, but it looked nice. “Thanks. I think part of it might be because I’m not starting from scratch. In addition to being your niece, I also use to be able to see into the minds of others with the power of a geode artifact I once had.”

Luna gave a sagely nod again. “A story worthy of telling over cocoa by the fire. As my mother use to be proud of saying, ‘everything happens for a reason’ or something along those lines. It’s difficult to properly quote somepony that has been gone for over two thousand years.”

Sunset nodded as they continued to walk along the star filled path.

----------

13 lunar cycles into current 30 moon cycle of Lunar Lock mirror

Sunset lowered the enchanted etching tools she had been using on the chunk of crystal that was secured by vise gripped into place. After a moment, the glowing runes and numbers stabilized and merged with the polished mineral rock. Sunset let out the breath she had been holding and stepped back while lifting the goggles to the top of her head. If Twi could see her now, she would probably tackle Sunset to the floor and begin to…

Sunset was suddenly blushing furiously, trying to look anywhere else but at her two lab partners. “Ahem, yes, WHEW! That seemed to have worked! You were right about the needing more quartz in the composition to stabilize the spell resonance.”

“Thank you!” Princess Twilight beamed, lifting her own goggles. “I had a hunch the crystals we were experimenting with were too fragile to handle the amount of runework you were trying to encrypt.”

Sunset nodded, unable to keep the smile from her face at the sight of a giddy Twilight Sparkle. The princess dressed in a lab coat made specially to accommodate her size and wings walked around the table where two blue crystals sat secured, glowing faintly in their center matrix.

While Twilight had certainly matured and settled into the role as leader of Equestria with all the grace and poise that the weight of the crown demanded it was comforting to Sunset to see that her best friend was still in there under all the regalia and royal duties and could get excited by pet projects that let her step away for a time, let her proverbial hair down. Sunset knew the princess felt the same way, having told her just this morning how excited she was to have a lab partner to indulge with while skipping in place like a school filly at the science fair.

Spike had taken slight offense to the comment, reminding Sunset that he was the ‘number one assistant’ while crossing his impressive bulky arms and glaring daggers. Sunset knew he was joking, mostly. Still, it was unwise to argue with a dragon, especially one that was a good head and a half taller than her and could bend a pony into a pretzel if he was mad enough.

Not that he would. Spike was still a sweetheart even after all these years, but only to those that truly knew him. As the friendship liaison between Queen Ember and Equestria, sometimes it was necessary to remind both sides that he was still a dragon and needed to butt heads to prove it. It was mostly political chest thumping, but a necessary one to dragons. Especially after Flurry Heart had accidentally sparked a political incident with the Dragon Lands not long after being granted the title as the new Princess of Friendship.

On the bright side of the debacle Spike had impressed Smolder enough that she had finally agreed to marry him after many years of trying to win her affection. Sunset smiled, she had heard it had been one heck of a wild party of a wedding and was sorry she had missed it.

Twilight levitated her list and crossed off ‘stabilize crystals.’ “Okay, if all our calculations are correct these two crystals should be connected in a manner identical to the journals creating near instantaneous, two way communication. The vibration rune should allow the voice of one pony to be heard by another like ordinary sound. Phase one is to of course test that connection over three exponentially expanding distances. If they work as predicted we can move on to phase two of connecting them to a third and forth crystal to begin attempting multi call networking as well as testing the privacy wards that were included.”

“If this works safely we can get crystals to all the families across Equestria regardless of distance or terrain,” Sunset said excitedly. “Ponies will be able to stay connected or call for help instantly. As long as the caller has the frequency number of the crystal they are trying to reach they will not just get a letter or telegraph, but actually talk and hear the other pony on the line and not have to be a unicorn to make the magic work.”

Spike blinked. “What line?”

“It’s a figure of human speech, an old one. Even my cellphone did not have an actual ‘line’ anymore.”

“This will revolutionize the modernization of Equestria and maybe beyond.” Twilight unfastened one crystal and began shaking it. “Energy matrix stability is holding… not too heavy to carry in a saddlebag, although it still takes up quite a bit of room.”

“We can worry about making compact sized units later. I figure for these first attempts we just stick with the house units. Even if this works, we are a long way away from rolling this out to every corner of Equestria.” Sunset took her crystal in her magic and stashed it into a saddlebag. “Okay, princess, I’ll teleport to the city limits then teleport and fly to Cloudsdale, and finally make my way out towards the Foal Mountains East of here. After that we send one to the Crystal Empire and really test the range of these.”

“You know, when it’s just us, you don’t have to call me ‘princess’.”

Sunset, balked for a moment, blinking a few times. “Oh! Sorry, Twilight, I guess it’s just a force of habit since the only times I really get to see you is when I have to book time in court with Isabella or I get dragged to an official function. Even then it’s hard to get more than three words out to you before somepony is bending your ear or dragging you away.”

Twilight frowned for a moment, before giving Sunset a friendly hug. “I’m sorry too. My life is not always my own anymore. I knew what I was getting into when Celestia and Luna handed me the keys to the kingdom, but sometimes... It’s just… I miss this, just being a little pony with a book by my side and a science project on my mind. My friends, my family… the good old days. Just…” Twilight took a breath, bringing her hoof in and letting it out. “let me have my little moments of nostalgia with my best friend and call me by my name like we use to.”

Sunset smiled, wrapping herself in the black velvet cloak. “Sure thing, Twilight.” With one last wink to the purple alicorn Sunset disappeared in a flash of teleportation magic and found herself standing at the mountain path gates by the train station. A few ponies turned to the unexpected appearance of what appeared to nothing more than a tall, talented unicorn mare. Sunset had managed to keep her existence to Equestria as a whole downplayed, having only had to reveal her wings to some of the nobility and dignitaries who wanted to see if the rumors were true that there was another alicorn in Canterlot. Of course, all they really had to do was stay up late and maybe they might catch a glimpse of the mystery alicorn on a joy flight.

Since the first incident upon her arrival, Sunset had made it clear to her mother that she was not going to be a political tool and the price of personal time in the grand game was Celestia’s cake at dinner. Petty? Absolutely. But Sunset had no desire to be directly involved in the halls of power and fully intended to either return to Earth with her wife or drag Twi to Equestria kicking and screaming. There was no way she was going to spend another thirty moons without Twi again. How Celestia had gone years between visits to her beloved for centuries was unfathomable to Sunset. The goldenrod alicorn shook her head to clear the mental image of Twi sprawled on a bed in sheer underwear and focused on the task at hand… er, hoof.

“Okay, let’s get started.”

“Sunset?” said Celestia as she entered the laboratory tower. Twilight and Spike looked up from the crystal and called out to Celestia. The white alicorn strolled up to the table of various tools and runework spell books. “Is this that communication project the two of you were talking about a few months ago?”

“Yes! Oh, and thank you for handling day court while we finished up our phase one testing. Sunset will activate her crystal at any moment and if it works this crystal will begin to glow and we will be able to speak with her through it.” Twilight paused, looked at Spike and Celestia then floated over two more pairs of goggles and placed them on their heads, pulling hers down as well. “Or, it will explode… again.”

“Again?”

“It’s okay!” Twilight dismissed with a wave of her hoof. “We had protective gear and the burns to Sunset’s fur already healed over. We laughed about it over ice cream. It’s all part of the scientific process!”

Celestia took a step back. “Oh, my.”

The crystal in the lab began to glow a minute later and carefully, Twilight touched a hoof to the runes and numbers that were glowing above one facet of the crystal. There was a small pop sound followed by, was that ponies talking in the distance?

“Sunset?”

“Twilight!” Sunset said excitedly. “It worked! Sorry about the delay. After I activated the runes I, you know, ran off behind a box. I didn’t want to risk damaging my cloak.”

“This is fantastic! I mean there is a little bit of static, we may need to refine the signal frequency or come up with some sort of background noise filter, but it WORKS!”

“Yes!”

“Congratulations, both of you.”

“Mom?”

“Hello, little sun. I finished with petitions early and had time before the dinner meeting with the merchant’s guild. I thought I would stop in and say hello.”

Sunset chuckled. “Well, if you want to listen to history being made just wait. I’m about to take this crystal to Cloudsdale and then to the top of the Foal Mountains.”

“Do you want to take an escort with you? If you travel to Cloudsdale you will have to take your cloak off unless you take a chariot,” said Celestia.

Sunset pondered on it a moment. An enchanted chariot was not inconspicuous either and would travel slower than she could under her own power. “I’ll risk it, this is too important to wait for an escort.”

Celestia looked to Twilight who was dancing in place like a school filly after too much sugar. She could not help but smile at her two former students working together, it was the reality of a dream she had not thought about in many, many decades.

“Okay, cutting the connection. Will call back as soon as I get to Cloudsdale.”

Thirty minutes later, the crystal in the lab began to glow again and Twilight eagerly touched the familiar runes. “Helloooo from Canterlot castle!”

Sunset laughed. “And helloooo from Cloudsdale!” The two alicorn mares laughed and cheered while Celestia and Spike clapped at their success. “Wow, the reception is actually pretty good up here. Considering it doesn’t use broadcast antennas that’s a little weird, I wonder if it’s atmospheric? Air pressure on the crystal?”

“Ahem, Your Highnesses?” Twilight and Celestia both turned to find a female griffon in a white business tunic top standing at the door. Her primary feathers were a chocolate brown with several layers of a blued black raven feathers. She eyed them both with unforgiving amber gold eyes under a scrutinizing brow ridge.

“Isa! Come here and say hi to Sunset! She’s in Cloudsdale right now!” Twilight pulled her personal assistant into the room and placed her next to the table. Isabella looked at the crystal and sighed.

“Hello, Sunset,” the griffon said in her cultured, traditional Canterlot accent, “I need to collect at least one of these princesses to sit in on the merchant’s guild dinner meeting.”

“Pffft!” Sunset replied with all the professionalism of a five year old. “Make them wait! We are making history here! Long distance, instant communication across Equestria without dragon fire, potion spells, or expensive linked journals. Wouldn’t you like to know if this keeps working all the way to Griffonstone? I know you have family there.”

“While that is impressive, Lady Sunset, one cannot simply blow off the merchant’s guild without there being repercussions.”

“Then tell them we are testing on a new communication device that will be worth a fortune to the company that will be able to mass produce the crystals to our specifications, quickly and affordable to ponies everywhere.”

Isabella was about to retort when she brought her talon back to her beak and tapped. “That’s… not actually a terrible idea. For once.”

“For once?”

Isabella glared at the crystal as if Sunset could see her. “When asked by Lord Regal Brewer to pass on to you an invitation to his soiree you told me I should reply by shoving a rather sizable object into a decidedly uncomfortable orifice. Or has that moment slipped your mind?”

“No, I did say that, but only because Brewer kept trying to set me up a date with his son even after I told him I’m married.”

“You have to understand that they have never seen or met your spouse so members of elite society automatically assume if somepony says, ‘I am married’ without evidence then surely they are lying or are playing the hard to get game.”

“That doesn’t make any sense! Whatever happened to no means no? Twilight! Back me up in this one!”

“I don’t agree with it either.”

“Thank you!”

Isabella sighed and turned to leave. “I will be back in forty-five minutes to collect Celestia or Twilight, preferably both. I suggest having some sort of presentation in mind to smooth over the guild leaders. They will no doubt still find the tardiness offensive even if they benefit in the end.”

“You know, I just remembered my wife needs me to make dinner tonight! Smolder will probably also need a foot massage after a long day overseeing the School of Friendship.”

Twilight sighed, but waved him on before playfully whispering, “traitor.” Spike gave Twilight one last hug before leaving the lab as well.

“Okay, one last distance test for the day. And good thing, I’m starting to get hungry.” The crystal returned to its resting subtle glow.

Once alone, Twilight turned to Celestia and wrapped her hooves around her mentor’s neck. “Thank you for this. I needed this more than you realize.”

Celestia returned the hug, adding her wings to the embrace. It had been easier to envelope Twilight when she had not been as tall as Celestia. Nevertheless, it still felt good to both teacher and student. “You are quite welcome. I know better than any other creature the daily difficulties you face and the need for such personal outlets.”

“Yes, but not just that. Thank you for asking Sunset Shimmer to stay here even if only for a while. I love Spike like the little brother he is, and I am grateful that you and Luna are staying in Canterlot to help me, but I had forgotten how much I needed a close friend who gets me and my… me-ness every day. Somepony who doesn’t just see the crown and wings.”

“I think you should give most of that thanks to Sunset.”

Twilight fidgeted, eyes downcast. “She came for you, not me. She sacrificed a lot to spend thirty moons here and I don’t want to make things between us… awkward.”

Celestia suspected what Twilight was saying and feeling. Risking the outburst of denial, Celestia said, “Sunset loves you. She just loves the other Twilight more.”

“I know. And I am eternally happy for them and at the same time… envious of what they have. My last relationship… well no reason to get into that now. I have a presentation to prepare.”

Celestia nodded. “Tell me how I can help.”

Chapter 3: What I've Done

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23 lunar cycles into current 30 moon cycle of Lunar Lock mirror

Sunset Shimmer awoke to the sound of a powerful hoof knocking on her door. She pondered briefly how much trouble she would get into if she simply blasted the door with a kinetic magic bolt. The pony on the other side would probably be okay, the door would absorb most of the damage, right? On the other hoof, they may have coffee.

Sunset stumbled her way over to the door and opened it, completely ignoring her mane that looked like it was about to reach out and gobble up the children for breakfast. “Coffee or somepony dies.”

“Somepony? Do I look like a palace servant to you?”

Sunset blinked a few times, looking into green eyes made of steel. With her helm on its rest hook, Tempest Fury had nothing shading her expression of utter disdain. The dark vermillion unicorn with white and pink highlighted mane did not hate Sunset in particular, she just hated everypony or creature, anything really that she considered a threat to Princess Twilight. A strange and quite mysterious alicorn who purportedly was Celestia’s daughter that appeared once every thirty moons sometimes with a younger clone of her princess at her side, then disappeared again only for the cycle to repeat for years. Then, suddenly arrives alone and decides to stay longer than the usual few days was highly suspicious and close to the top of the list that spelled out THREAT to Tempest.

Sunset smiled, shrugging. “Brain no work, coffee without.”

“And I don’t put up with sarcastic horseapples. Especially from a pony who wants no authority or place within my chain of command.”

“Sooooo, why are you knocking on my door, Captain Fury?”

Tempest sighed and put her helm back on, turning to leave, gesturing for Sunset to follow. “Her Highness’s orders. Celestia collapsed this morning and had to be r-”

“WHICH HOSPITAL?!”

Tempest stumbled back having to throw up a quick defensive barrier as Sunset’s wings snapped open and caught fire. Normally, they were just as warm as a summer breeze, harmless magical fire. But with Sunset’s unchecked emotions came unchecked power. The stone in the hall began to blacken and a painting two meters away caught fire.

“She’s in her private chambers with her personal physician, but she’s fine! You don’t have…” Sunset vanished in a fiery teleport. Several anti-teleport interdiction crystals that were supposed to prevent a unicorn or magical being from popping in and out of the castle, shattered. “to go rushing off and getting in the way. Of course, you do. Dammit. Next time the princess can send the dragon, at least he’s fire proof.” Tempest growled at the scene and extinguished the flames.

Sunset arrived just outside of Celestia’s private residence and the two Solar Guards snapped to attention, their grips tightening on their spears. Sunset walked up to the two guards and stared down at the stallions who were both half a head shorter than her even when she slouched. To their credit, they remained at their station despite the hostile body language and glowing teal eyes from the goldenrod alicorn before them.

“Move.”

The guards snapped salutes and stepped to the sides of the hallway. Sunset opened the heavy wooden door, feeling the numerous defense enchantments that were currently deactivated. She gently closed the door behind her and let out a deep breath.

The primary chamber was tidy and well appointed with a large desk for Celestia to work at when she so desired, two plush couches, and an exquisitely crafted serving/coffee table in the middle. The walls were lined with book cases and a few ancient treasures from centuries past along with some favorite news clippings and photographs. The photos closest to the desk were all of family including Aurora and Sunna as ponies.

Sunset glanced over it all quickly and made her way to the bedroom to the right where voices were talking quietly. There were at least three ponies she could make out. Sunset knocked on the door that was ajar and pressed it fully open. Luna stood to the right of the bed, looking well considering she would normally be sleeping right now. A red mare earth pony in a doctor’s long coat was on the left of the bed, finishing up packing her tools into a medical bag. In the bed, looking more embarrassed than ill sat Celestia whose magenta eyes went wide at the sight of Sunset at the door. It was clear from her expression that Sunset was not expected.

“Sunset…”

“Fury said you collapsed. Was it poison? A curse? If you have any suspects I can assist with the investigation. I know how to twist joints in ways to make even the most hardened pony squeal their secrets.”

Celestia nodded to the doctor who quietly exited. As the doctor opened the door, Princess Twilight and Captain Fury entered, Fury activating the chamber’s defenses as well as the privacy bubble once the doctor had exited.

“Sunset!” called out Twilight, the undertone of agitation was hard to miss. “Why did you set part of the castle hallway on fire!?”

Luna snickered while Celestia gave her daughter a glare followed by a sigh. “Really, little sun?”

“What? I heard you were in trouble and I snapped into action. I just kind of forgot that when that happens, you know, the whole phoenix wings thing.” Sunset’s sheepish embarrassment did not soften the glares, especially from Fury. “I was worried about my mother, is that so wrong? She’s an alicorn, any spell or poison strong enough to knock her off her hooves should worry all of us. Tempest, do you have any leads?”

Tempest Fury’s perpetual scowl softened to… was that sympathy? The vermillion unicorn looked over Sunset’s withers and stared accusingly at Celestia, who shifted uncomfortably under the captain’s gaze.

“She doesn’t know, does she?”

Sunset looked around the room. Luna also stared accusingly at her sister and Twilight looked away, finding an interesting corner near the bathroom. Sunset took in a long, deep breath and let it out. Sunset could feel the fire of anger burning her inside and was honestly surprised she was not exhaling smoke like a dragon. She had to fall back on her formal training or else this was going to get ugly, fast. “Everypony in this room knows something I don’t. Normally, I’m okay with that. Twilight has a country to run, Tempest has to see to all the security, and you two are high ranking dignitaries with countless state secrets. I know the game even if I hate it, but if it’s a secret involving my mother I NEED to know.”

Celestia sat up in the bed and gestured for the door. “Please, leave us. I thank you all for honoring my wishes, but it appears it is time to tell the truth.”

Sunset waited until the other ponies left, Twilight waited to be last, stepping up to her friend and wrapping Sunset in a wordless, warm embrace. She then exited and sealed the door behind her. Sunset stared at the princess of the sun and tried to gauge on a scale of how big a bomb was about to be dropped, how hard should she grind the guilt into her mother for once again hiding secrets from her? Star Swirl was right, all those years ago when he forced Celestia to reveal herself as Sunset’s mother. She had grown so use to secret keeping and lying that there was no hesitation in doing so. She was just use to it. Sunset waited patiently, but that patience was wearing thin.

“I’m getting old, Sunset. Surly you have noticed how my mane is all gray now?”

“You were already old, over two thousand years old give or take since you never tell anyone the exact number. Luna says it’s because you’re afraid we will try to put all the candles on the cake and it will melt.”

Celestia smiled briefly before looking down at her hooves, currently missing her golden hoofguards. “I’m afraid I have aged more in the last century than I had in the last two millennia. The battle with your father hurt me far more than even I realized at first. By going into the in between without my body I risked everything to save you, and soon that price will come due.”

“What are you saying?”

Celestia looked up, directly into her daughter’s eyes. “I have maybe one more century to live, give or take. One more lifetime.”

Sunset sat, then collapsed to her barrel. Celestia almost climbed out of bed as her daughter’s breathing became erratic. She knew the signs of a panic attack having dealt with them numerous times from Twilight Sparkle. However, Sunset managed to get control of herself and returned to a sitting position she finally whispered, “How?”

“Sombra’s attacks were not done to my body, but my very life force, my soul. He stole millennia of life power from me while I was vulnerable. Then, I gave a little piece of it away to you. The final piece to unlock the alicorn potential inside of you. That was a small price I gladly paid. The rest was hefty and I did not fully comprehend the damage at the time. Understand without a doubt that I would have gladly given it all up for you.”

“And when I blew him to dust, I destroyed any chance of that life energy ever returning to you. Tartarus below, I killed you when it should have been me.”

“No, do not say that, never say that. You are my child, it was my responsibility as both your teacher and your mother to keep you safe. You should never have been in a position to have to save me. You were a mother too. I know you understand this.”

Sunset squeezed her eyes tight as tears flowed down her face. She would have done anything to protect her babies. Fought any foe with her bare hands, cut out her own organs if they needed one. Sunset did understand. That did not make it any easier to swallow the reality of it. Sunset composed herself and moved to the bed, wrapping her foreleg and wing around her mother who gladly returned the embrace.

“So, what happens now? Is there anything I can do?”

“What we should always do, enjoy each day for the gift that it is. There is nothing that can be done for me other than make me comfortable. Doctor Guiding Light gives me regular discreet checkups and sees to my pain medications when I need them so that I do not over exhort myself. The collapse today will be hard to suppress from public allies and enemies, but I had been enjoying my time with you and Twilight as of late. I guess I just did not notice how tired I was getting. The doctor gives me a stringent list of things I am supposed to do and not do, what to eat and not eat, but I mostly ignore that. I refuse to give up my cake.” Sunset laughed, nuzzling her mother.

“You stubborn old filly.”

Celestia nuzzled her daughter. “Careful, my heart, I believe it’s an inherited trait.”

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Sunset returned to her private chambers a few hours later after a quick stop by the kitchen to make a cup of coffee and eat some garlic bread that had been left out. At some point she would need lunch, but after this morning she was in no mood to work on the crystal project. Besides, most of what was needed was just manufacturing and distribution. She would oversee the quality assurance and double check to make sure the businesses along the supply chain were not ripping off the common pony, but for the most overall all the hard parts were done. At some point she would need to go on tour to present the com-crystals note to self: come up with better network name to the rest of Equestria. And while that was important, Sunset also had to keep an eye on the lunar cycles. The alignment was coming.

At that thought Sunset levitated her journal from the shelf and set it down on her table. As she grabbed her pen to begin to write, Sunset noticed that Twilight apparently wrote to her this morning while she had been out. The journal generally stopped glowing after half an hour if not opened. Sunset’s already fragile heart nearly stopped and she knocked her coffee from the table as her hoof slipped at the words she read.

Sunny? Are you there?

I… I don’t know what is wrong with me. Please write back as soon as you can.

“No, nonononono, this is not happening.” Sunset retrieved the pen that had rolled to the stone floor with the coffee. She tried to steady her trembling limbs and beating heart, but the usual techniques were failing her.

Twi! I’m here, babe. Talk to me!

Sunset sat staring at the blank parchment for two whole minutes with nothing to do but listen to the sound of her heart pound in her chest.

Did you plug your ears to sleep?

Sunset wanted to laugh, but nothing was funny at the moment.

No, I’ve had a hell of a morning. I was awakened by Captain Fury telling me my mom collapsed and I just found out that she is apparently dying of old age thousands of years ahead of when she should because she had to come fucking rescue me from that damn void. Now, enough about my crap. What do you mean something is wrong with you?!

Another notable pause. Was she trying to soften the blow? Was it a metaphorical statement of wrongness like, ‘oh no, I in fact actually do like bad kung fu movies! There is something wrong with me!’ Somehow, Sunset doubted the universe was that kind, plus she knew her wife would never say something was wrong unless it really was. Twilight had once stood in the middle of her lab while the fire suppression system extinguished her latest mishap and she smiled that goofy, lopsided smile of hers, hair singed, cheeks covered in carbon and who knows what, and said proudly, “Everything is fine!” Sunset knew better, but that was just Twilight being Twilight.

Words began to appear again.

I woke up yesterday morning well before the dawn with a shooting pain in my chest. I thought I was having a heart attack so I went to the emergency room, but all the initial test came back negative. After I got home to wait on the more comprehensive test, I looked in the mirror and found my first gray hairs. I did not think much about it and went about my day like I usually do. But then today… nearly a third of my hair is gray and I have wrinkles under my eyes, along my forehead. I… I hurt to move. When my bones pop, they hurt. I had hoped the ER results would find something, but sadly no.

My hypothesis is something happened the other night while I was asleep, something that normal science can’t detect, but I am now aging at an accelerated rate. I am currently building a new spectrometer to trying and see if I was exposed to some sort of radiation or poison. I will also calibrate it to pick up the stray Equestrian magic particles that our bodies emit. I still have my old data of the amount of free radicals we shed at any given time.

Okay, good. I’m glad you’re not panicking because I panicked a bit this morning and set part of a hallway on fire.

Sunset…

Sunset held her breath as she saw her name and not the more common nickname.

Sunset, I’m scared. I… I think I made a mistake staying behind. I had my reasons, but… I’m so scared right now. I haven’t felt this scared and vulnerable since after the Friendship Games.

Sunset was shaking and crying, trying to keep the tears from hitting the journal, but a few got past.

Babe, I’m here. We’ll talk about right and wrong and past mistakes some other time. Just know I will keep the journal on me at all times until the portal opens. Sunset touched the ring around her neck, pressing it to her chest, whispering a quiet manta to herself to stay strong.

Sunny… I don’t know if I will still be here in six months. I… I can’t calculate the decay accurately by observation alone, but a few gray hairs to what I have now. I just don’t know.

DON’T SAY THAT! FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS SACRED IN BOTH WORLDS DON’T YOU DARE SAY YOU ARE DYING!

I’m being pragmatic.

I did not marry a quitter, Twilight Sparkle! You run your test, build your devices, find a way to cryogenically freeze yourself, but you do NOT quit on me! I will talk to the princess ASAP about if there is any other way to speed up the connection. Hell, Luna can move the moon too! Maybe she knows a lunar combination that can get the mirror to open even for a single day for me to get you!

There was no immediate response and Sunset felt her wings extend, she had to catch herself at the last moment before accidentally setting her room on fire.

Babe?!

Okay. Thank you… your strength gives me strength. I will do what I can just as I know you will. Save pages for now, we may need them to pass data back and forth. I love you, Sunset Shimmer.

I love you too Twi, my BFLOML.

Sunset had hoped the ridiculous acronym got a laugh out of her wife. It usually did when she said it. Sunset slammed the journal closed and retrieved her small satchel securing it to the side of her flank. First things first, find Princess Twilight and discuss what options were available.

Given what day and what time it was Twilight was most likely either attending to some duties overseeing Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns or having a lunch meeting. Though time was not an ally, tearing up half of Canterlot to find Twilight was not going to endear any ponies to her needs. Instead, Sunset elected to do things through proper channels… for once.

A few minutes after fixing her mane and making sure the matted fur around her eyes where she had been crying was clean and dry Sunset arrived outside the office of Isabella Windsong: Personal Assistant of Her Highness Princess Twilight Sparkle. Sunset knocked as politely as she could manage and waited. Isabella opened the door and eyed Sunset suspiciously.

“This is my lunch hour, but since you never come to me directly, I assume it is important?”

“I need to speak to Princess Twilight as soon as you have a space available for me or if failing that, leave a message for her to come find me when she had time. She has my number.”

“Your… you mean your glow crystal thing.”

“Yes, she knows its number and I have it with me. Can you do this for me, please?”

Isabella sighed, pinching the top of her beak. “Her Highness is booked solid all the way through to her personal bath and retirement for the evening. I will deliver the message, but unless she either cuts out her relaxation time or sleep I do not see her getting to you today.”

Sunset smirked despite her internal turmoil. “She’ll make time for me.”

----------

Twilight found Sunset in the secure sub-basement where the mirror was housed. Sunset had wandered a bit and tried to find a suitable yet secure location where they could talk privately. Either of their own private chambers would have done, but part of Sunset wanted Twilight to see the mirror and know that just on the other side of that glass the most important being in her life was in trouble.

“Hey,” Twilight said, before a yawn spilled out followed by and adorable little squeak at the end. Sheepishly blushing, Twilight tried to cover her face. “Sorry, I got here as soon as I could politely excuse myself from the dinner appointment with the city planners committee. What’s the emergency? Is Celestia okay? I didn’t get any updates from her guards that her condition had changed.”

Sunset looked back towards to the mirror, touching the glass gently. “No, Mom’s fine last I checked. Listen, Twilight, I need to ask a favor of you… and I know you are not going to like it.”

“Not a great way to start your persuasive argument, but go on.”

“How hard would it be to set up the devices to the mirror like you had it before, so that we could use the journal to pass through it without having to wait?”

Twilight’s jaw hung open aghast. “Sunset, I… no. We can’t do that! I know you miss your wife, but it won’t be much longer until the alignment. Star Swirl was right, I was playing with fire when I crafted that bypass and did not consider all the consequences. We nearly destroyed both worlds for Celestia’s sake!”

Sunset squeezed her eyes shut and grit her teeth. “Okay, yeah, that was bad. But what if we only used it once, just long enough for me to get Twi and bring her back here. I mean, how much coalescence could build up in one day, right? Or, or can you just move the moon to the correct alignment? I, I can’t do the math right now in my head, but that should work too, right? RIGHT!?”

“Sunset, you’re scaring me. What’s going on?”

Sunset crossed the room and threw herself before Twilight, groveling at her hooves in the most undignified manner she could muster and did not care if there were guards watching or listening. “Please! Please, you have to help! Something has happened to Twi. She wrote to me this morning and said that she has started aging at an accelerated rate and it has to be because of magic or lack thereof. I need to get back or she could die before the mirror opens again!”

“Oh, oh no.” Twilight sat down on the floor and pulled Sunset up next to her, the two alicorns wrapped around one another hugging tightly. Sunset was bawling into Twilight shoulder, tears soaking purple fur. Twilight said nothing and just continued to hold her friend until she was calm enough to speak again.

“I… I can’t lose her. Not her and Mom. I, I just can’t. I’ve already lost so much.”

Twilight let out a long breath. Her heart was breaking listening to her beloved friend beg for help, but she had to be the bigger pony. She had to be the queen and deep down Twilight loathed herself for what she was about to say.

“Sunset, I’m sorry. You know the risks even more than I. You saw what lies in between and what can happen from abusing powerful magic like that. I was afraid I too would become tempted to rebuild my device so that I might sneak away to visit you and so I built an anti-tampering feature on the new mirror. It can’t be forced open.”

“And altering lunar alignment?”

“I can’t control Earth’s moon. Both have to be aligned for it to work. Otherwise, I could have come through to visit you the moment the mirror was finished.” Twilight felt Sunset begin to shake violently, but not from tears. No, the tears had been shed. The only thing left in its place was blind, helpless rage. Twilight could feel the temperature around her begin to rise rapidly and quickly teleported herself and Sunset to a secluded outcrop near the waterfall that spilled over the side of the mountain where Canterlot stood.

Twilight released Sunset and teleported again a safe distance as the goldenrod alicorn screamed her heart out, her entire body bursting into flames that shot forth like a volcanic eruption. The ground beneath Sunset’s hooves turned to glass and the nearby waterfall flash boiled to steam. Once the outburst subsided, Sunset Shimmer fell unconscious.

----------

Did you feel that, brother? Sisters?

We felt it. It has been ages since there was such a quake and never to this extent.

She is weakening.

YAY!

*metaphysical glares*

Scylla, are you prepared?

I already began using what little grasp I had on the Key. This will give me exactly what I need to connect us all. Can you feel her mind?

Indeed. She is strong, certainly worthy of her wings, unlike others. I will rectify those with my blades soon enough.

Patience, Aethon. We must move slow and carefully or Mother will notice. We have waited since creation. We can wait a few more years.

Chapter 4: Castle of Glass

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Day 1 of 3 of new Lunar Lock cycle: 95 years after mirror restoration

Six months. Sunset had crossed off every day, every completed lunar cycle like a prisoner about to be released from jail. In that time she had been so scarce that Twilight, Luna, and Celestia had on more than one occasion ordered guards to go check to make sure Sunset was still alive. Not that she had been hard to find. She had hardly left her room in the last six months. While the room had been kept in clean, functioning order thanks to the castle staff, Sunset herself often looked and smelled like she had just gotten back from a hike through a bog. Her hair was matted, her mane and tail unbrushed and knotted, and it was clear that she would go days without bathing even after working herself to a sweaty frenzy on projects or busy work.

Technically one of the princesses could have ordered her to join a social function or participate, but given Sunset’s distaste for the game and her stewing worry for her wife it had been far wiser to let her slip from the public eye. Said circles were after all fickle and soon got tired of asking what became of Celestia’s unusual, wayward daughter.

It did not take long for others to take back the limelight. Flurry Heart, who spent most of her time bouncing around Equestria or in the Friendship Castle in Ponyville, had taken center stage again as she and her small group of friends had worked together to bring down a Zebra necromancer who had apparently taken a blood pact oath with an demon and thought it wise to attack towns along the Horse Shoe bay. It probably would have been a good story to hear more details on if Sunset had not been hiding in her room staring at the journal most of the time. Waiting for the day it would no longer glow.

Spike had tried to convince Sunset that a diplomatic excursion to the Dragon Lands could be both fun and educational. He even tried to butter Sunset up by saying how much her wife would love to hear about up close encounters with more dragons. Sunset appreciated the offer, but declined.

Sunset would only ask once a week for updates to Twi’s condition to save pages in the journal in case there had been a breakthrough and needed more to say. A small round of positive news came four months out when Twilight had reported that she had created a small device to wear that would monitor her magical energy particles and then collect ambient energy that was always flying around. Twilight happily reported that said device seemed to have slowed her deterioration, but sadly the damage had been done. Sunset begged for more description of Twi’s physical state, but she refused to give details.

Finally, the time had arrived. Sunset had sent one last message asking for where Twilight was staying and to wait for her arrival. What Sunset did not tell Twilight was she planned to break down every door and drag her wife kicking and screaming, if necessary, back to Equestria. Even if it could not reverse the damage, the land of magic held better chance of restoring Twi than the human world ever could.

What Sunset had not anticipated as she attempted to give Celestia the journal for safe keeping was her mother’s insistence of going with Sunset. Naturally, they fought over the matter. Princess Twilight finally stepped in and threatened Sunset with sending Tempest if she did not let Celestia accompany her. It was mostly an empty threat, but it got the point across. Sunset passed the journal to Princess Twilight. Celestia mouthed the words, ‘thank you’ to her former student.

Mother and daughter exited the mirror and immediately began to shiver. When Sunset had left last time it was warm, now, as she consulted her mental calendar it was early November and neither of them were dressed for the season.

“I hope you have a plan for our current dilemma. We won’t be able to help anypony if we freeze to death,” Celestia said through chattering teeth.

Sunset felt the back pocket of her ripped jeans and thankfully, even after thirty moons, her wallet was still where she left it. “Come on, we have to flag a cab. I have money, but I gave Twi my phone.”

One quick trip to a discount department store nearby and Sunset and Celestia were back in a cab, clad in winter clothes to the address Sunset had written down. In her youth, Sunset had known all the hottest and most trendy places to go and hang out in Canterlot City. As she and Twilight settled back down and had a family, Sunset had still been quite familiar with most of the city streets. She would take the girls for joy rides on the back of her motorcycles or try to find faster or at least more interesting ways to get about or around the traffic. While Sunset knew where Sunnybrook Drive was, she had never really given it much attention beyond that it was near the main general hospital.

When the pair arrived and exited the cab, they both stared at the sign that read retirement care and hospice. Sunset’s mouth felt like it was filled with bile and her heart ready to explode in her chest. If Twilight was in such a place it was because she had known she was no longer capable of taking care of herself. Sunset clenched and released her hands. Twi had mentioned she was having a hard time getting around, but not that she was bed ridden and just… no, Sunset refused to say it, even in her own mind. Celestia squeezed her daughter’s shoulder and proceeded forward.

After a small, confusing, and slightly embarrassing moment at the desk of trying to find what name Twilight had admitted herself under, the two were walking to the elevator. When Sunset had left, Twilight was still using her ‘Sweet Lavender’ identification. For some reason, Twi had switched back to her original identity, an updated version that let her use her birth name. Sunset still had one as Sunset Shimmer as well. It was something else to ask her wife about as she walked the halls and arrived at room 224.

The door was slightly open and she knocked. The frail, scratchy voice inside beckoned her to enter. Sunset nearly collapsed at the sight of the individual who was sitting up in the hospital bed with an IV in her arm and medical monitoring equipment nearby.

“B, Babe?”

Twilight smiled, her thick glasses sliding down her wrinkled nose. Sunset remembered what Twilight’s mother, Twilight Velvet, had looked like in her last year of life. The resemblance was hauntingly familiar. Twilight’s hair had gone completely white, and she had cut it to just above shoulder length. Her lavender skin was pale and thin, hanging loose on her arms, her almost skeletal thin fingers shook as she lifted a hand to adjust her glasses, the lenses nearly twice as thick as they had ever been. Even her once sparkling violet eyes seemed dull and cloudy.

“Hello, Sunny. I’m glad you came.”

Sunset sat on the stool by the bed and took one of the fragile hands in her own. She remembered taking that hand when Twilight was still Midnight and they were alone in that pocket realm. It felt like eons ago. Sunset’s lips began to quiver as tears rolled down her face.

“I’m… I’m so sorry. I wanted to come back sooner. I, I grilled Twilight about the portal and to find a way to open it, but… This is all my fault.”

Twilight smiled sadly, letting out a sigh. “It was not, but I figured you would say that and I don’t have the strength to argue. Those stupid doctors took my recollector away when they admitted me. I told them I needed it, but they didn’t listen. I was in bad shape when I got here, but at least I was mobile. Now, I can’t even get out of this bed to use the bathroom, which is frankly embarrassing.”

Sunset’s eyes burned for a moment. “Where is it? I’ll get it for you, then I’ll carry you out of this hellhole. I’ll get you settled into our room in time for dinner.”

Twilight cupped the side of Sunset’s face and Sunset grasped the hand and pressed her lips into the palm. Even with all the other radical changes at least Twilight’s skin still smelled like she always had.

“I’m not leaving. Taking me to Equestria is not going to stop this now. And to be honest, the only reason I made the recollector was to hold on long enough so that I could say goodbye in person.”

“Twi, no…”

“Shhhhh… It’s okay. I’ve had a lot time to think and prepare for this. I want this, it’s for the best. I miss our girls. I miss Shinny and Cadence and mom and dad and all our friends. I’ve never been very religious, but there really is something comforting about the possibility of seeing the people I love again.”

“I’m not ready for this,” Sunset cried, “I know you think I held it together when we buried Aurora and Sunna, but I didn’t. I broke down and screamed and cried and let out as much fury as I dared. I just made sure to do it where you couldn’t see it. I had to be strong, for you.”

“And now you need to be strong for you. This was not something you could control, so please don’t blame yourself. I’ve lived longer than any human ever has and it has been glorious bliss living my life by your side as your wife. I was always happy with you next to me, but now I’m free of my past sins and nature is running its course and correcting an imbalance.”

“Well nature can go fuck itself! We swore before all our friends and family that we were in this together. You and me, until the end of time!”

“Sunset,” Celestia admonished, but Sunset did not turn away from her wife.

Twilight sighed again. “Oh Sunny, I think you are smart enough to know that was some very sentimental malarkey. It did sound good at the time though. No one truly knows how much time they have and we had more than any other couple on Earth.” Twilight gestured with her free hand to the satchel on the far wall. Celestia, who had been standing near the door, retrieve the bag and handed it to Twilight. Inside were a few personal items that Sunset recognized.

“I got you a new phone a month ago, kept all your old settings and preferences. It should be just how you like it or you can shake things up. Of course, you recognize your journal, let me hold on to that for now, I like to reread some of our old entries. This,” Twilight held up a ring that was identical to the one Sunset still had around her neck on a chain except that the gem was a purple amethyst. “I want you to hold onto. I took it off in case an orderly or nosey doctor tried to take it from me after my fingers became too thin for it to stay on.”

“I can’t.”

“You can and you will, because I know how much they mean to you. Most couples get gold bands, those with less money opt for silver. I wanted aerospace titanium with tungsten inlaid and a tension setting of our stones. And you worked your sexy ass off to make sure they were to my exact specifications. Then you gave me that whole scavenger hunt game with word puzzles and challenges to unlock to find the rings. It was so much fun. Best proposal ever.”

Sunset choked on a sob and smiled at the memory of Twilight opening the last combination and key lock on the safe she had hidden in Pinkie Pie’s back yard. Twilight had thrown herself into Sunset’s arms and screamed, “YES!” to the proposal so loud it sounded like the Royal Canterlot Voice.

“You do what you want with them, but no one else gets to touch them except you.” Sunset held the ring a moment and shuddered as she fought down another sob. With trembling hands, she unclasped the chain and added Twilight’s ring to her own. Even as feather light titanium they felt impossibly heavy resting above her heart.

Twilight nodded, adjusting her thick glasses again. “Now, I have a favor to ask of you, Sunny.”

“Anything.”

“These stupid doctors think that by feeding me crap, healthy food that I’ll live longer or something. I want a strawberry cheesecake milkshake with whipped cream and two cherries on top. Preferably I’d rather have one from Sugar Cube Corner, but that’s too far away. However, if memory serves me correctly there is a Car Hop Run about a block from here. Just ask your phone, it will guide you.”

Sunset looked at the phone and touched the device that was little more than a piece of holographic circuit glass. A new startup feature activated and said, “Hello.” Sunset blinked. Her older one never used to talk to her.

“Umm hello? So, you upgraded my phone to talk?”

Twilight giggled, her features creasing with a sly smile. “I upgraded EVERYONE’S phones. Well, helped, I wrote a lot of the coding for the backbone of the A.I. Say hello to the new Personal Artificial Assistant Logic. PAAL. You can customize it to your liking and needs. And it is intuitively interactive. The more your do with it and say to it the more individualized it becomes to you. Play with it a little while you go get my milkshake, please.”

“I… okay. I’ll be back in a bit.”

“You need to be sneaky. You’re not supposed to have outside food or drinks in here, but a pesky little thing like the rules never stopped my wife before,” Twilight said with a bright smile. One more hand squeeze and Sunset slipped out the door. After two minutes of silently staring out the window, Twilight heard Celestia move to sit down.

“Well, you’re not looking so spry yourself, Mom.”

Celestia smiled warmly. “Sadly, I too am experiencing what it means to finally get old. Thankfully, I still have many years left in me, but not as many as I would like. I do have to wonder if our situations are not unrelated.”

“No, they are not,” Twilight said with surprising confidence and finality. “As I understand you’ve been graying for years. I now know what happened to me, but if my one theory about nature trying to correct magical imbalance is correct you may not want to stay in this dimension too long or you will find you have less years than you think.” Twilight paused, tapping the journal. “I have a favor to ask of you as well, Celestia. I know the portal closes in two days. Please, don’t let Sunset stay here. Take her back to Equestria. I fear what she will do to herself if she is left all alone once I’m gone.”

“I will try, but I do not have the authority to order her to leave nor the physical prowess anymore to drag her back.”

“I understand, but please try. In the meantime, could you hand me that pen, please?” Celestia followed to where Twilight was pointing and handed her the writing instrument. She then opened the journal and began to compose a letter.

----------

Three days flew by in a blink of an eye. Sunset handed the key fob for their hotel room back to the desk attendant and scanned her credit chip which deducted the remaining expenses for the room. The attendant gave the customary thanks and went back to his duties. Celestia and Sunset walked to the breakfast diner they had eaten at yesterday and sat in the same booth they had again. Celestia had been pondering how to broach the subject, but the only two weapons at her disposal were mother’s guild and Twilight’s wishes. She was unsure either would be enough to convince Sunset to return before the mirror closed that afternoon.

“Sunset.”

“I know what you are going to say, and no. I’m not leaving her.”

Celestia sighed. “It’s not just me asking. She wants you to go. Twilight does not want you to watch her die. She wants you to remember her as she was.”

“Is that really what you are going to go with?” Sunset leaned closer to her mother and whispered, “I don’t give a fuck what anyone says and that includes you on this matter. Unless your horse god mother happens to swoop in and kick me right in the rear through that portal I am staying with my wife. End of discussion.”

“Fine,” Celestia dabbed her mouth with the napkin and pushed her empty plate away. “Then I am staying as well.”

“No.”

Celestia glared at her daughter, if she had magic it would be currently setting the room on fire. “Excuse me? You might be able to punch through a wall, but I am still your mother and the goddess of the sun. You do not get to tell me where I choose to stay. You are not so old that I can't find some way to punish you, little filly.”

Sunset crossed her arms looking very much like the defiant teenagers she had once been. “Oooooooh reeeeeally? Got any ID? Earth money? A single clue how to navigate this city let alone this world? Last time I checked that’s no, no, and a big, fat nooooope! You can’t survive in this world without me and if Twi’s theory of radical magical decay is correct then you too will begin to rapidly age and decline in health before the portal opens again. Because, sadly, let’s face facts, you are not at the top of your game health-wise anymore. And I will be damned if I am going to watch both of you die in front of me. You are leaving, Celestia, by your own power or by me shoving your snowy white plot through that portal.” It had been years, decades in fact, but Sunset had called her bluff and Celestia’s carefully maintained emotional armor broke and her eyes glassed over as a tear ran down her cheek.

“My little sun, please don’t do this. I know you are hurting, but pushing everypony who cares for you away will not make it better. It will not make the pain go away and it will not save your wife. It’s her dying wish, she wants you to be with friends and family. She wants you safe. And so do I.”

“Damn,” Sunset said, wiping a tear, desperately wanting to punch something. “You really know how to twist the knife when you need to.”

“Yes, yes I do. If you give me a chance to teach you more, I can show you how to use that terrible power against the nobility that I know you loathe. Princess Twilight could certainly use your help on such matters. As beloved and benevolent as Twilight is, she allows the snakes too much rope to roam and do as they please. If she knew half of what is whispered behind her back I would imagine the court would be missing a few of its more prominent members.”

“Tempting offer, I’ll give you that, especially the being there for Twilight, but MY Twilight needs me now. Princess Twilight will survive and continue to be that beloved and benevolent ruler as long as you and Luna are there to back her up. Just like you said. Heck, I’m sure Flurry or Cadence could come to her aid, too. It’s long since been time to let the kid try her hoof at politics again.”

Celestia visibly stiffened as memories sent a chill down her spine. “Cadence, as you know only leaves the empire when it is absolutely necessary. Flurry Heart… has the desire to take on a more active role in the politics of the nation, but I’m not sure if Canterlot is ready for her. You were a wrecking ball in your youth. Flurry, is more like a deadly tornado. Time and title have done little to mellow her.”

Sunset stood, paid the bill and left a generous tip. They could sit there and discuss politics and the players for hours, but all it was doing was taking away precious time with Twilight, which may have been part of Celestia’s plan. Sunset would not put it past her mother to try and distract her as the portal closed them both in.

Sunset left the diner and began walking towards the hospice a few blocks away. Celestia followed, trying to keep in step with her relatively young, irate daughter. They got about half way when Celestia called out to Sunset. The anger and fire evaporated in Sunset immediately when she saw Celestia stumbling a bit, clutching her chest as if she were about to pass out. Sunset flagged a taxi cab and helped Celestia inside. The driver offered to take them to the hospital, apparently picking up on Celestia’s labored breathing and overall ill complexion. Instead, Sunset directed the driver to take them to Canterlot High School, rattling off a line about how her mother was the principal there and needed her medication from her office desk.

Twenty minutes later the car stopped, Sunset paid and helped Celestia out. She waved the cab away and he did so with a shake of his head.

“Sunset, please. I don’t want you to be alone.”

Sunset pulled her mother close and hugged her, kissing her forehead. “I love you, Mom. I may get mad at you from time to time, but I really do love you. And I do this because I love you. Get Doctor Guiding Light as soon as you are through. The journal is not full yet, but we will have to be sparing with the pages that are left.”

“Sunset...” Sunset Shimmer firmly, but with care pushed Celestia through the portal, pulling her arms back through. She stood guard over the gateway to Equestria for almost an hour in case Celestia tried to foolishly crawl back through. Thankfully, she did not. Her eyes turned to the sky. Somewhere in the blue sky the moon was moving across its orbital path and soon the connection would be lost. Sunset turned back to the portal one last time, a shudder of guilt and remorse running through her.

"Twilight, Mom... I'm sorry." Sunset turned her attention to the phone in her hand. "Phone..."

"Hello, Sunset. You can give me a name or preferred designation any time you like. You can also set my voice from the default list of programmed accent emulations or add a new one from the app store."

"Um, later. Just call me a cab, please."

"Understood."

----------

Several hours after getting Celestia settled into her bed, which had been a chore in of itself, Princess Twilight quietly strolled down the floors and stairs to the room housing the mirror. She had removed all her regalia and her magically enchanted hair was barely moving, half of her mane limply covering her face. Twilight approached the mirror and carefully touched the glass, but nothing happened. As she already knew, the portal had closed several hours ago. Twilight's legs gave out and she collapsed before the mirror weeping in the lonely dark room. Lieutenant Gauge, who had been following Twilight since she left Celestia’s side, silently closed the door to the mirror room and took position so that none would disturb her.

----------

Sunset Shimmer entered the room where her wife was sitting, going through old photos on her phone. Twilight’s face fell and she began to tear up.

“Sunny… no, no…” Sunset sat down and gently took her wife’s hand into her own, not saying anything else on the matter.

Three weeks later. Twilight Sparkle, wife of Sunset Shimmer for 110 years, departed her earthly vessel.

Chapter 5: Gone Away

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She’s gone…………………….. *illegible scrawl* My Twilight is gone.

Oh, Sunset. I’m so sorry. *wet spots form on the page*

I… I don’t know what to do with my life. I don’t know……. I *illegible scrawl*

Sunset, it’s Twilight. I’m so sorry No, I don’t have the right to say that to you. You begged me to help and I did nothing, but offer my sympathy. I failed you. You are my best friend and I could do NOTHING for you.

It’s okay, Twilight, your hooves were tied……… I know in your heart you would have moved the heavens if it had been in your power, but you put your subjects first, just like you were supposed to. You are good leader and yes, a good friend. It was wrong of me to try and beg to you.

………. What are you going to do? 30 moons is a long time to be alone. I’m… I… I don’t know what to say? I don’t know what to do to make this right. Is there anything I can do for you?

It’s not the first time I have been in this world alone. I can take care of myself….. I’m not going to kill myself. Don’t make that face I know you are making. I know both you and Mom were thinking it. I’m too much of a coward to try that. If it didn’t work, I would probably end up crippled or in a mental hospital. Twi would never forgive me if I just gave up like that.

Then promise me you will take care of yourself. Promise us both you will be safe and we will see you in 30 moons.

*illegible scrawl* I don’t want to promise something I can’t keep.

Sunset… please.

Save paper, there are only a few pages left. Goodbye.

Twilight Sparkle and Celestia exchanged looks of sympathy for one another. What else could be said that they had not already shared? A mare they both loved was once again trapped all alone in the realm of humans. Twilight now fully understood why Celestia had told her about her canyon carving outburst when Sunset had run away the first time. She may have to cancel court to deal with her own frustrations and sorrow as well.

Celestia touched the journal and sighed deeply. No, no more tears to shed, Celestia told herself, she is strong, she will survive. “Oh, little sun, why must you do this to yourself.”

Twilight turned to her old friend and mentor and wrapped herself and wings around her. “What do we do?”

“The only thing we can do. We wait and we be here for her when she needs us.”

----------

Clovis, New Mexico: One week before alignment of portals 98 years after Lunar Lock mirror restoration

Sunset Shimmer’s fingers strummed the chords of her guitar. It was a slow tempo, slower than the song was originally meant for, but it still worked. Sad, melancholic, haunting. Sunset leaned forward and began to sing the words, careful not to touch the microphone. She had cleaned it before she started her set, but that did not mean much in such a dirty and unsightly dump as the Tumbleweed Bar and Stage. It was a typical roadside bar establishment, just a few turns away from the interstate. If you blinked you missed the place and it was honestly worth forgetting.

Like many establishments around the world it was a watering hole that attracted a dedicated flock of regulars. Some listened to the words played by the beautiful young woman in the black spaghetti string tank top and ripped jeans. Other just admired the view while they nursed their drinks. Sunset had scanned the crowd, but never focused on any single patron. All her current focus was on the music.

She had played the mic every night for the last two days and tonight would be her last before it was time to move on. Sunset had no real destination in mind. Did not know where she was going nor had she for the last year, or was it two years now? Much of it had been a blur since Twilight had… moved on. Twilight, her friend, her beloved wife, her partner in everything. Now Sunset’s only friends on this side of the mirror were a bottle of liquor and her PAAL phone that often scolded her for dangerous levels of alcohol consumption and riding her motorcycle too fast.

Sunset’s fingers continued to strum and pluck the strings. She opened her eyes for a moment and looked out over the crowd. Mostly men, young, college age with a few older ones. Most were regulars, others new, it was hard to care which since she would be gone after the sets were over and the owner had cleared her tab. Open mic performances were meant as a means to possibly attract talent scouts. Sunset knew it was also a sleezy way to get free entertainment under the disguise of exposure. Somethings never changed even with the march of time.

The song ended and a few patrons clapped, not many, which was not surprising. ‘Don’t Fear the Reaper’ played acoustic at a slow tempo was dark and beautiful, but hardly riveting. When she had come on stage two nights ago, she had played a few other songs, most of them also dark and sad, but a few had been more upbeat, just not by much.

Sunset moved to the bar to take a break while another wannabe musician took the stage and played a more modern country music cover. Sunset did not mind today’s music, but she knew the words and music to the songs that had touched her soul so many decades ago. And most of said songs were so old many of these people had never even heard them before.

“I swear, if someone commits suicide in my restrooms because of your sad ass music I am blaming you when the cops come asking.”

Sunset snorted into her beer. “No respect for the classics, Rancho. Besides, they are far more likely to die slipping on your disgusting, piss and beer coated bathroom floors than from anything I did to them. Seriously, do you even own a mop?”

“Three nights, girl. Three nights I’ve heard you play my stage. ‘Hurt,’ ‘Sound of Silence,’ that one by, what did you call them? Green Day? All kinds of depressing shit. You told me you got skills and lots of songs, but shit, I should have vetted you or something.”

“Boulevard of Broken Dreams. That was a hard one to learn. And what are you complaining about? I play some songs that make me feel better, guys stare at my tits wishing they could touch them, and you pour more drinks for all the sad new people that come in. Everyone wins. You’re welcome.”

Rancho Basin shook his head. “Girl, I don’t know what happened to you, but you need to find something in this world to fix that broken heart of yours. And it ain’t at the bottom of a bottle. If you got a home, I think you should go there. Spend some time with family, I worry about kids like you.”

Sunset slid the empty bottle away, waving her hand to dismiss his comment as well as clear the heavy cigarette smoke that lingered. Her other hand instinctively moved to touch the two rings hanging from the chain right above her cleavage. “Can’t go home, my grandkids own the house and it would be awkward. Still not sure if I want to go back to the other home I have.”

“Don’t you mean your grandparents?”

“Sure, whatever you think I said. I’ve got two more songs after the blonde is done then I suppose it’s time to hit the road.”

Rancho scoffed, “Yeah, you’ll hit it alright, face first with as drunk as you must be right now.”

Sunset let out a hollow, humorless laugh, brushing the hair back from her face while she locked eyes with the bartender/owner. “That’s cute that you think I’m already drunk after two beers that are at best watered down piss.”

The blonde girl left the stage to a few whistles and claps and smiled and winked at Sunset as they passed. Sunset smiled back politely, but showed no further interest in the college age girl who say back down at her table with friends. Sunset checked her guitar to make sure it was still in tune and wiped the microphone with a napkin before dropping it on the ground.

“So, I was told I might be depressing some people in this fine crowd tonight and should play something a bit faster.” The crowd had mixed reactions from grumbles to laughs to cat call whistles. “To that I say, fuck it. I play what I want.” That got a bit more cheer out of the crowd and Sunset strummed a faster tempo.

After ‘Learning to Fly’ and ‘Don’t Tell Me What Love Can Do’ Sunset returned to the bar, setting her guitar in its case down by her stool. Not entirely unexpected, two young men approached on either side, one set a drink down in front of her.

“A little something to show my appreciating, chica. You sing real nice. Would you be interested in talking contracts? I have a small, but profitable independent studio label.”

Sunset rolled her eyes and sighed. “You’re not a talent agent. I’ve met real talent agents. While they are just as slimey, they’re too cheap and never buy you a drink before talking business. However, if you want me to drink with you, you need to buy it in front of me.” She casually pushed the glass to the side. “Dangerous world and all that.”

Neither of the two men were what Sunset would have called attractive. The shorter, rounder one had a sickly yellow skin tone and shaved head. His taller, string bean friend was appropriately green in color with short bluish hair. They both signaled the bar tender who looked at Sunset with a look that said, ‘say the word and they are gone.’ It was minutely endearing, but Sunset smiled and nodded.

“Two Jacks, neat, please, Rancho.” The bartender did as Sunset asked and placed both shots down in front her. She never let the boys touch the glasses as she drank them both back to back, letting out a growl as the burn of the dark amber liquor did its job.

Sunset eyed the drink the one had brought to the counter, still untouched. “You should finish that before all the ice melts.”

“Hmm? Oh, its fine, not really my poison.”

“Well, that’s an interesting choice of words consider the amount of drugs that are in that drink.” The yellow boy’s jaw hung open and string bean shifted uncomfortably. “Oh, was I not supposed to know that? Drat, I ruined the moment.”

“You shouldn’t accuse people of things like that. It’s very rude.”

“Yeah it is, but you know what’s worse? Drugging a naïve college girl and raping her in the back alley. You know, like you two did a week ago. Oh, and by the way, her name is Flora and she described you two perfectly. Impressive really since you nearly sent her into cardiac arrest with the amount of drugs you slipped her. She filed a police report, but they still haven’t done anything about it. Not surprising given how much they have to deal with, but still sucks. I just happened to overhear her sad story and asked her for more details, like where I might set up to lure in a set of pathetic sexual predators.”

String bean hissed under his breath in an English/Spanish mix. The two boys moved to leave when Sunset grabbed both their wrists so hard they both winced and yelped in pain.

“No, stay! The cops I had my PAAL call are already on their way and I’m sure they really want to hear your side of the story. Isn’t that right, Rancho?”

The owner never got a chance to reply and instead ducked for cover as Shorty produced a knife and moved to stab Sunset. She pulled String bean across her body, who cried out as the blade grazed his side. Sunset jumped to her feet and laughed bitterly while stretching out her hands and shoulders for what came next. Some of the customers made for the door while others called for help. A few others just sat and watched and set their PAALs to record.

Sunset reached out and wretched the knife from Shorty, back handing him across the ear. She stabbed the blade into the wooden bar and grabbed the laced drink, throwing it in String bean’s face. He cried out as he rubbed the burning alcohol from his eyes.

“Bitch!”

Sunset caught String bean in the side of his head with her heavy leather boot as he turned to charge. He immediately fell to the dirty floor and remained still. “Been called worse.”

Shorty stood and grabbed an empty bottle and tried to hit Sunset who looked on bored as she easily dodged the swings. Sunset dropped her defensive stance and placed her hands on her hips, jutting her chest out tauntingly at the would be assailant.

“C’mon, impress me.”

Shorty broke the bottle to sharp edges and charged. Sunset sidestepped and spun on her left foot and carried her momentum through with her right so that the roundhouse kick caught Shorty square in the back and propelled him forward where he crashed head first into a table and chairs. Sunset waited to see if he would recover, but it became irrelevant when two officers entered with weapons drawn.

Sunset looked over her shoulder at Rancho who was scowling at the entire scene. “Sorry about the mess.”

----------

“Anyhow, Officer Vega, that’s the whole story. Or at least the part that involves me.”

Mesa Vega closed the app on his PAAL and sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Well, we certainly have plenty of evidence and witnesses to arrest them tonight for attempted assault, but I’ll have to confirm the rape charges with the coordinating officer and the victim. I’m sure they will be lawyered up by then. And while I appreciate what you tried to do here, Miss Shimmer, this is not a game. You could have been seriously injured or worse.”

Sunset shrugged and lifted up the bottom of her shirt and showed Vega the gnarled scar on her smooth abs right above the beltline of her pants. Vega arched an eyebrow. “I’ve had worse.”

“I’m sure that scar has an interesting story behind it,” Vega paused, rubbing the back of his neck. “I don’t usually do this, but would you be opposed to me buying you a cup of coffee and a slice of pie then you can tell me about it? I don’t know why you stopped in town to help a girl you don’t even know out, but it was brave of you, or stupid. Either way I think it makes you interesting.”

“Thanks, but it was more happenstance than anything. I just heard her crying and asked why. I was glad to help. No one should go through something like that and not receive some justice.”

Vega nodded and smiled. “So, coffee? I know a place.”

Sunset eyed the young officer thoughtfully. He was not bad looking, certainly in good physical shape, a clean, genuine smile with nice teeth, and seemed sincere in his intentions... and it had been a while since… her last, ‘moment of weakness.’ Sunset’s fingers immediately went to the two rings held on a chain around her neck. She rubbed and clenched the rings a moment before letting out a sigh. It had been a while, but tonight was not a good night for that, even if she would never see him again.

“Hmmm… you are cute and I honestly am tempted by the offer, but I think I’m going to pass, sorry.” Sunset collected her military surplus duffle bag and guitar and walked over to the cracked and potholed parking lot. Surprisingly, Vega stayed in step beside her.

“So, that’s it? You just roll into town, sing a few songs, kick a little ass, and then leave like the wind? There has to be more to your story than that and okay, sure, maybe my overtones were a little obvious, but it really doesn’t have to be more than just coffee and talking.”

“Trust me, kid, it’s better for everyone the less you know about me.”

“Kid? Really? What are you, twenty nine? Thirty-ish? I’m getting all kind of conflicting signals here.”

“Heh. That’s me in a nutshell.” Sunset raised her PAAL to speak with it. “Raven, unlock Midnight.”

The large, pill shaped mass that had been sitting in the lot began to transform and shift into a motorcycle as the security features deactivated. Vega’s mouth hung open in awe. He had read an article in Motorcyclist Today about what was now sitting right before him.

“Is that a new Screaming Eagle? Holy hell, those things are expensive!” he eyed Sunset with new wonder and suspicion as she secured her bag and guitar to the back seat before sliding her helmet on. “Who are you?”

“A magical pony from another dimension who needs to ride like the wind because I don't have my wings here.” Sunset activated the electronic ignition and all the lights and instruments came on. The electric engine making a low hum as it warmed up. The onboard system HUD came to life inside her helmet’s visor as Raven synced with the motorcycle’s operating monitoring systems. All parts sensors were in the green, tire pressure was good, and the drive motor was finishing its warm up spins.

“Destination, Sunset?”

“How far can we get on the current charge?”

“Farther that your slightly inebriated exhaustion will take you before you pass out and fall off,” the PAAL replied in the helmet speaker in her posh yet snarky accent.

“Fine. Find me a hotel northeast of here near Amarillo and bring up playlist three, then stay quiet until I get close or I’ll start deleting your functions again.”

“Ah, good, playlist three. One of the less depressing one.” Music started to play inside Sunset’s helmet speakers. “However, I would like to remind you that when you delete some of my functions the only person you hurt is yourself.”

Sunset lifted her visor one last time and winked at Vega before speeding away into the night.

Two hours later Sunset stumbled into her hotel room that Raven had purchased and secured the access code key for so that Sunset would not need to bother the night attendant. From past experience Raven had learned that Sunset did not like dealing with other people any more than she had to.

It was contrary to what the A.I. program had learned about other humans Sunset’s age, who were more approachable and had vast, interconnected social networks. Sunset had no active social presence even though she had over two thousand photographs archived on the secure server.

Her owner’s behavior was strange. Raven would often skim some of the photos and see how happy Sunset was with her co-creator, Professor Twilight Sparkle, but now Sunset hardly ever smiled. Another oddity were the dates time stamped on many of the older photos. The dates marked many of them far older than they should be given that Sunset appeared just as she is now. A system diagnostic may be in order. Raven sent a note to ask Sunset for permission for such a diagnostic at her earliest convenience.

Sunset set her PAAL down on the inductive charger next to the night stand and stumble-walked into the bathroom and began to strip out of all her clothes. As she had done many times before, Sunset began to examine every inch of her body for any signs of aging. She wanted to see a grey hair, a new wrinkle, anything that would indicate that her magic was failing her like it had failed Twilight. Just. One. Sign. But there were none. Her skin was still flawless except where Sombra’s magic attacks had scarred her, her bust and ass were round and firm, and her hair was as bouncy and red and blonde as it always had been. Nothing had changed, except for how tired her eyes were. One had to know what to look for, but her teal eyes had more mileage than the orbiting space stations circling the Earth.

Sunset sighed and walked back into the bedroom and flopped on the bed, wearing only her necklace. Sunset clenched the rings in her hand and ordered the lights off then whispered a quiet prayer for good dreams.

----------

Sunset Shimmer looked around as she stood in the foyer examining every inch of the house. They had already combed the entire outside grounds and had now moved to the inside tour. Twilight was upstairs talking with the realtor while Sunset poked her nose around the downstairs rooms. She had wanted to join Twilight upstairs, but the sudden kick in her swollen belly reminded her that stairs were not currently her friend.

“Easy in there, kid, or you’ll pop out too soon.”

“Did I miss a kick?” Twilight came down the stairs and placed her hand on Sunset’s pregnant belly and waited. She giggled and squeaked when she felt another kick. Twilight kneeled down and placed her ear just above Sunset’s distended belly button and listened carefully for any new sounds. Sunset casually stroked her wife’s hair, the third party temporarily forgotten in the intimate moment.

The realtor smiled genuinely and asked, “How far along?”

“Seven and a half months, 33 weeks. I can’t WAIT for this to be over. I’m tired of waddling and my feet feel swollen all the time now. I can't even wear my favorite boots anymore!”

“Awwww, my poor Sunny,” Twilight quickly blushed and jumped back to her feet, cleared her throat, smoothed her business dress, and straightened her glasses. Her professional composure returned, Twilight turned back to the realtor who had remained a polite distance away. “You were right, Miss Villa, this one does meet all the parameters I had laid out. I think if we can come to a consensus on the price, we can start moving the paperwork forward today.”

The realtor nodded with a professional smile. “Then I think we should make the offer I suggested if you two are certain you have the funds and can secure the rest in financing.”

“It’s… a lot of upfront costs,” Sunset said, while her mind’s eye was already picturing some of the custom décor and decorations that would go into such a beautiful blank canvas. She could probably send Rarity some photos for her opinion as well. “You know what, I’m with Twi. Let’s make the offer.”

Twi pumped her fist and the realtor excused herself to make a phone call to the seller’s agent.

When the front door opened it faded away. Sunset had not noticed at first, her eyes examining the house and her giddy wife. She remembered how excited Twilight was when the sale went through. It was their first, well really, their ONLY house. The home both their girls were raised in and later owned themselves.

A strange yet familiar sound broke Sunset from her revere, horse shoes on the tile floor. Sunset turned and found a horse had entered the house. No, not a horse, though she was as large as an Earth horse, but her wings and horn were clearly Equestrian. The white alicorn had black socks and ears and a black diamond in the center of her face from her horn to the tip of her nose. The eyes were the most striking feature however, bright teal eyes that shined with the hint of great magical power.

“I… I know you.”

The alicorn nodded and the rest of the dream came to a stop as if paused. “Yes. We have met before, twice in fact.”

“I started to think after this long that it was just a dream,” Sunset looked back at a happy Twilight, eyes closed and huge grin on her face making her glasses go askew in the most adorable way possible. Sunset reached out to her, but her hand passed through. Her hand then next went to her belly and found that not only was she no longer pregnant that she was no longer human either. Sunset sighed and examined her hooves and wings. She too was an alicorn again.

“What are you doing here?”

“Currently, admiring the details of your memory. You must have a sharp mind to have preserved it all so clearly.”

“One of the reasons I was a great student. I have a near photographic memory when I commit the knowledge or event to my long term memory. Please, don’t make me ask again.”

The dream vanished and was replaced by a clearing in a forest. Sunset had seen this forest once before she was certain of that. The alicorn before her had called it her own private dimension. “Do you remember my name, child?”

Sunset soured a bit but nodded. “Aine. Mother of Celestia and Luna.”

The large alicorn smiled and nodded, but the smile soon disappeared. “Sunset Shimmer, why are you still in this human realm?”

Sunset sat and crossed her forelegs. “Nope, you’ve asked all the questions here, answer mine before I answer another of yours.”

“Ah, quid pro quo. Very well. I invented the ability to travel through dreams. As the mind or soul rather, rests you wander, you and all other mortals open yourselves to all sorts of possibilities and realities. Your imagination, your memories, all of who you are and can be is like an unfinished book for me to examine. Much of the realm where you currently reside is dark, so little magic and energy left that it is practically lifeless and you, Sunset Shimmer, shine like a thousand stars across the cosmos of the mindscape when you dream.

“You see, the multiverse is immeasurable and ever expanding yet I never stray far from where I began, Equuis. Even from home I can see you in your human realm. A light ever on the horizon. However, my purpose tonight was specific. I sought you out because I fear my precious creation may be in danger. A threat it has not faced in thousands of years. I felt an echo of power, a quake of what is to come if the course is not corrected. Equestria, no, the whole world needs you to come home.”

Sunset scowled, growling a bit. “Did Mom put you up to this?”

“No.”

“Look, I’m not opposed to going back, I have no good reason to stay here, but… I’m not the pony I was when I left thirty moons ago. I feel like I’m just a walking shell going through the motions. Besides, I’m probably better off here. If I’m lucky, maybe my magic will disappear like Twi’s did and I’ll begin to age. That will bring me at least a step closer to seeing her again, or so I hope.”

Aine shook her head. “You are aging, Sunset Shimmer, just like all living creatures, but if you think waiting it out to die is the fastest way to see your wife again then you are mistaken. Your life force is young still, strong. You have many thousands of years left in you before you will ever notice a single sign of aging. The human being you took as a wife, her circumstances were… unique.”

Sunset surged forward her horn flashing to life with an angry red flair. “What do you know of what happened to Twilight?!”

“Did you not hear me? Equestria is in danger, your friends, your mother, the very Well of Souls at the heart of the world. Do they mean nothing to you?”

“Answer the damn question?!”

Aine stuck out her hoof casually, striking Sunset in the chest. It felt like being hit by a freight train. Sunset flew backwards and skid, tumbled, and finally came to a stop when she hit a tree with a bone crunching thud.

“Are you done being childish?” Aine approached slowly as Sunset struggled back to her hooves. “You wife knew what was coming and accepted it. She is gone now. I have nothing else to say on that. Now, I implore you to see the big picture. The portal will open in a few days. If you do not return there may not be an Equestria left to return to next cycle. Then, child, you truly will be all alone and it will be all your fault.”

Sunset snarled and charged again, but passed through nothing and felt herself tumbling until she hit the floor of the hotel room in a mass of bedding and pillows. Sunset groaned and lied back down, closing her eyes. No more than a few seconds could have passed when she heard the familiar buzzing that was her journal signaling a new message.

“Dammit.”

Chapter 6: Yesterdays

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Sunset Shimmer normally loved a casual ride across the country. Just her, the road, some music, and no worries on her mind besides the normal travel hazards. It was freeing and usually was great at clearing the darker thoughts that crept up from time to time. But the conversation with her mother last night had put her on edge as well as the strange dream she experienced before that.

Last night:

Sunset? It’s Celestia, I know we haven’t spoken much in the last several months. I have tried to check on you, but you rarely respond with more than two words. I hope you are healthy and are doing well. By Twilight’s calculations the portal will open again in three days, which gives you six days to get to it before it closes again. I would very much like to see you again. I can meet you on Earth if you like, please talk to me.

Sunset looked at the message then at the clock being displayed by Raven. Sunset groaned and pulled the blanket over herself and climbed back into bed. Her ribs hurt something terrible, but she ignored it and tried to go back to sleep.

When she awoke again it was because her annoying if albeit useful PAAL, Raven, had set an alarm to make sure Sunset was up early enough to shower and pack up before the checkout deadline. Once the shower had refreshened Sunset and the smell of hot coffee beckoning from the small machine in the corner, Sunset finally sat down at the desk and opened the journal.

Mom,

I got your message last night, but I was in no condition to answer. Anyhow, yes, I’m alive, I’m fine as can be, and I am aware that the portal will open soon. As far as me coming back… a part of me, sizable in fact, wants to come back, but another part just wants to stay here so I can roll in my own misery. Yes, I am aware of how unhealthy that sounds, but I’m having trouble giving a shit. I’m so damn lonely, but I don’t know what I want out life anymore. I’m not sure I would make for good company. From past experience when I get like this, I tend to drag others down with me and that just doesn’t seem fair.

Sunset grabbed the rings she wore with both hands and pressed them to her lips. It took a minute, but eventually she got her sobs and shakes under control enough to go retrieve her steaming cup of coffee. The warmth helped clear the cobwebs from her mind and the dry, alcohol induced, stickiness of her mouth. Oh coffee, sweet, sweet life giving nectar of the gods. The journal began to glow and new words appeared on the page, but the hornwriting was not Celestia’s.

Then come home. We all miss you. You have a place here, family, friends. I can’t promise it will fix all that hurts, but you won’t be lonely. Please come back?

Twilight?

Sorry, Celestia left the journal out I think hoping you would reply. I saw the journal glowing and I just couldn’t keep myself from reading. I feel like I’m intruding, but at the same time I’m glad I did because I can see how much you are hurting still and I want to help my friend. You’re lonely, I understand that completely. And you are always good company. I miss you. Oh! And you just have to see for yourself how far we’ve come on the SunLight network! It’s amazing! Equestria is connected together like never before!

The SunLight network?

Oh, sorry, I’ve been so busy I forgot to mention we finished the rollout of your project. It was slightly delayed due to the fact that the project supervisor (YOU) were not around to quality check the final products and oversee the rollout and promotion of the project. Also, since most of that fell on me, I got tired of calling it the crystal project. So, Spike suggested we name it after you and I working together to make it happen! SUNset and twiLIGHT network. TA DA! Ponies are snatching up the crystals as fast as then can be made! If you were ever worried about money you never need to worry again! Then again, as Celestia’s daughter I guess you were never worried about that to begin with. Sorry, I’m rambling.

Twilight, remember to breathe. And thank you for the head’s up.

There was a noticeable pause as they both waited for what to say next. Sunset stomach rumbled. It was time to get going. As Sunset dressed in a clean pair of jeans and a t-shirt the journal lit up again.

Sunset, I’m not usually one to deploy guilt, but I really do miss you. I think I took for granted how nice it was having you around for two years. It was… it reminded me how much I need friends too. Having my best friend nearby to talk about the day’s events, maybe vent a little or share thoughts on a book or article I read, even indulge in a pet project. It was just like old times. Yes, I know I’m being greedy and selfish. I have Spike, I have Celestia and Luna, and now I can even talk to Cadence anytime we are both available, but… I miss you.

Sunset smiled and could feel her cheeks heat up as she ran her fingers across the words that had just appeared, the warmth spreading throughout her body and making her guts squirm in a way she had not felt in years. It was a wonderful and terrifying feeling. Sunset knew what Twilight was dancing around trying to say. She was lonely too. They both missed the ponies they had loved when they were still young, their group of friends that meant the world to them. All they had left were the memories, but at least together, they could indulge and share those memories. As long as there was still someone left to remember, they were never truly gone. Better to be lonely together than to suffer as a nation of one as the saying went. Sunset finished packing and penned one last message.

Alright, you win, Your Highness. It will take me at least two days to get to Canterlot City unless I hit bad weather then it will take three or more. Regardless, leave the light on for me. Just to put your pretty mind at ease I’ll make it official. I Pinkie Promise I will come back. Sunset paused to make the necessary gestures, but then added, Oh, and I miss you too. Sunset snapped the book closed and packed it in her bag.

“Raven, what is the hotel serving for breakfast?”

“There is a full breakfast in the dining room in the lobby.”

Sunset looked at herself one last time in the wall mirror before slipping on her sunglasses. “Better get started then, it’s a long way to Canterlot City from here.”

----------

It did in fact take four days to get to Canterlot City between the weather delays and the traffic. When Sunset arrived, she first took refuge in a familiar hotel to let Midnight charge and because deep down Sunset was having second thoughts about leaving. She knew in her head that as long as the mirror stood there was nothing stopping her from crossing back over and seeing how the world had changed. However, in her heart, Sunset Shimmer knew that once she left Earth this time it would be for good. That pounding ache in her heart gave her pause and the only way to soothe it, even just a fraction, was to take her time to say goodbye.

When Sunset awoke the next morning the first thing she did after her normal morning routine of clean up and coffee was to begin downloading all her photos and videos to her PAAL from her secure server. Even for modern processors it was estimated to take at least until breakfast was over. Especially with Raven questioning everything.

“Sunset,” the PAAL device chimed, “I have completed your assigned task of transferring your 2,471 stored photographs and videos to local memory. Your current memory capacity is estimated at fifty-one percent available. Your games, photos, videos, and music libraries now take up the majority of your local used storage.”

Sunset nodded and drained the last of her coffee before designating a tip and standing up to leave. “Thanks, Raven. Did you find that list of charities I asked you to search for last night?”

“Yes, you and Twilight both had favorite charities stored in your notes sections and I compiled them along with five others that have similar credentials and reputations for supporting, children, animals, medical research, and the arts. The complete list is number two on your itinerary.”

Sunset paused for a moment on her walk towards her motorcycle, while Raven sent the security unlock codes to it without having to ask. “Number two? I don’t remember assigning you any other tasks for today.”

“I once again sent you a request for diagnostic. I believe some of my data or server information is either incorrect or suffered some level of corruption.”

“How so?”

“I observed that many of the pictures that carry time stamps to be far older than they logically could be. For instance, there are photos in a sub folder that were scanned and uploaded with a time stamp that read, ‘Rainbow Dash’s bachelorette party.’ At nearly one hundred years ago. Upon examining the photos, I found a person that my facial recognition protocols registered looked like you with 99.8% accuracy. That is not physically possible so clearly there is an error somewhere.”

Sunset laughed. It was the first genuine laugh she had had in a long time.

“Clearly, I missed the punchline.”

“Or, you missed the fact that I’m over a hundred and thirty years of age.”

“Then you are remarkably well preserved.”

Sunset slid her helmet on and took off for her first desired destination. Raven did not push the issue. It was, after all unwise to distract the vehicle operator.

Half an hour later, Sunset parked her motorcycle by the signpost that said, “No overnight parking” at the entrance of one of the trails to the Everfree Forest preserve. The fact that her once secret spot now had a walking trail that ran the perimeter of the lake did not surprise her. Several years ago, she and Twilight had come out to visit her once secret spot to find that the hidden supply cache had been discovered and cleaned out. Annoying, but at least the view of the lake shore and surrounding trees had not been ruined by time.

Sunset stood by the shore and just breathed in the fresh air, cleaned by the rain from the night before. She closed her eyes and listened to the surrounding nature and lapping of water on the rocks. Sunset’s Zen was broken when a giggling young couple walked by on the beaten trail, hand in hand. They paid no attention to Sunset and continued further into the woods. Nothing stayed sacred forever. Sunset fought down the emotions that dared bubble up and walked back to her motorcycle.

“I am confused by why we stopped here.”

“This spot use to be more heavily wooded and there wasn’t a real trail that went all the way to the lake. When I was younger, I had a stash of supplies here that I used for camping. I… I brought Twi out her a few times. We use to look at the stars away from the city.”

“You wanted to feel nostalgia of your youth. That is a common in many humans.”

Sunset nodded, activating Midnight, flipping the visor down. “Not just in humans.”

Sunset’s next destination was the border of Sweet Apple Acres. It had been many decades since she had been to the property, not since Applejack’s funeral. Instead of going in, she parked by the entrance fence and just looked over the orchard and animal corrals. Very little had changed, which Sunset was sure Applejack would have been happy about. Sunset thought about the many times she had visited her country friend and her family, about helping with the farm work, playing their instruments, and the occasional sleepover. The world always felt like it moved a little slower on the farm. Still stress, but a different kind of stress than from the grind of city life. Sunset always felt welcomed with the Apple family, it was a wonderful feeling to have. Her eyes drifted to a fenced off part in the distance that would have been difficult for most to see, but Sunset’s sharp eyes made out the tops of the tombstones of members of the Apple family who wished to be laid to rest on the land they loved. Raven had stayed silent this time, which Sunset appreciated.

----------

Sunset had retrieved an item from her duffle bag before walking along the designated paths throughout the cemetery. From her position on the back of Sunset’s hand, Raven could see an item in her owner’s hand that looked like a necklace. According to an article on etiquette, Raven knew she should remain silent while Sunset worked through her emotions, especially in a cemetery, but she had questions and her settings were not restricting her curiosity.

“Sunset, what is that in your hand? I’ve never seen it before.”

Sunset held it up for a moment, carefully rubbing the pieces of rock candy on a string. It was quite old now, not that it was anymore edible than when it had been new. She had kept it for sentimental reasons.

“This, is a rock candy necklace. We had a big get together for Pinkie Pie’s birthday with the girls and brought our kids along. It was the last time we all managed to find time for such a reunion. Aurora and Sunna had started a game of Pictionary with Candy Crunch and Applejack’s niece and nephew. While they played, Pinkie had us all make friendship necklaces that we would then exchange. We were supposed to eat them, but I don’t think any of us did.”

“If that was the objective, why not?”

Sunset chuckled. “Well, for starters none of us wanted to break our teeth on these bad boys. I'd swear she used actual rocks in the recipe. Secondly, for the memories. I don’t think I need to explain the power objects hold to us as far as nostalgia and memory. We were all in our late fifties by that point even if Twi and I didn’t look like it. Twi and I knew and so did the other girls that things were about to change. We looked like we should have been attending class with Aurora instead of being her mother. Public functions, dealing with coworkers, it was all becoming increasingly difficult to explain to people who did not know us. Twi and I had to bow out of our own lives and then later fake our deaths on paper, coming up with a few extra identities.”

“Faking your death and false identities are crimes.”

“Better than having to explain to people why you are a senior citizen yet look like you just finished grad school. Besides, if we hadn’t, Twi wouldn’t have had the opportunity to work on the programming to help bring you to existence.”

Raven’s screen flashed through several colors as she processed the new information. “I do not know how I should feel about that.”

“Just ponder it for a bit while I say some things to Pinkie.”

Sunset stopped in front of a set of graves. One had a bas relief of a grilled cheese sandwich on it while the other had images of balloons, party cannons, and different candies. She gently set the necklace across the top of the tombstone and stepped back, placing her hands in the pockets of her leather motorcycle jacket.

“Hey Pinks, it’s been a while. You know I never really got into this whole ‘talking to the spirits of those passed’ thing, but I felt it was necessary this one time. As you already know, Twi… moved on. I guess part of the reason I’m here is I’m also hoping she is with you and the rest of the girls. One big happy extended family again, right? I know you would be giving me the sad eyes right now, wanting to give me a big, squishy hug because of me being alone, but don’t worry about me, okay? For better or worse I’m going to go home, you know, back to Equestria. I… I honestly would rather be with you and Twi and the rest of the girls, but I can’t yet. I need to be there for my mom and from the sound of it, for Princess Twilight too. I’ll be fine, eventually, Pinkie Promise. Just… just look after Twi for me, okay? Make her smile, for me? I know you can do that. I love and miss you all so much. Oh, and apologize to the others for me, I didn’t have time to go up and down the country to hit Rarity, and Rainbow’s graves and Fluttershy went to Europe to be turned into a tree or something. One of those living park cemeteries. Doesn’t matter. I know souls are real and I know all of you found your way to each other where ever that may be.”

Sunset touched the worn stone one last time before returning to her motorcycle and never looking back.

After getting back on the main roads Sunset made her way to one more destination. She parked across the street and removed her helmet and just stared with sad eyes at her old house. It had been the first house she and Twilight had purchased. The house had been commissioned and started by some internet entrepreneur, but construction paused part way through when the original owner ran out of money due to an unexpected economic slump and rather than continue what he believed to be a money pit the house went to market as a “fixer upper.”

The two story house had four bedrooms, a game room, a library/home office, a den that had been converted to an art studio, spacious open concept kitchen and living room, along with plenty of bathrooms, the master was equipped with a soaker tub big enough for two adults, at Sunset’s request, and a two car garage with work area. The fenced in yard was half an acre of grass and a freestanding laboratory similar to the one Twilight had had at her parent’s home, but with more upgrades. Especially for safety. They did not want to take any unnecessary risks with the kids around and sometimes underfoot.

It had been everything they wanted for themselves and their growing family. Even after they had been making money hand over fist, they chose to stay rather than upgrade to another home in a wealthier part of the city. Sunset had loved her house and all the wonderful and sometimes chaotic memories made there. With almost no thought beyond motor movements, Sunset had made her way across the street and held onto the wrought iron perimeter bars as she stared in at the house, committing every detail to memory. She had pictures, but she needed to be able to imagine the house just by closing her eyes. Remembering Twilight’s smiling face as they finished the move and the house was finally theirs to live in. Twilight and her family had to do most of the heavy lifting since Sunset had been about ready to pop by that point and could not see her own feet thanks to Aurora in her belly.

“Ma’am? Can I help you?” Sunset jumped for a moment. “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to startle you, but you were staring awfully hard at our house.”

Sunset composed herself as best she could and turned to the young man who had addressed her. While it had been many years, she recognized him from Aurora’s funeral. His name was Shining Sunbright, Timber Hill’s son, her great grandson. Sunset looked over Shining’s shoulder and saw his family, a wife and daughter looking on, along with an elderly Timber Hill being helped into a mobile assistance rig. They must have been out for a stroll and she had just lost track of what was around her.

“I’m fine, I just got lost in thought is all. I’ll be on my way.”

“You look familiar to me,” Shining said, rubbing his chin that sported a small truff of blue chin fur. “Have we met before?”

Sunset shrugged, “Probably, I mean, it is a big city, but I’m always out and about so you may have seen me before.”

Sunset turned to cross the street when Timber called out, “Grand Mama?” Sunset turned back to Timber and smiled at the elder who she had once held in her arms as a baby. She nodded and winked at him before walking back to the motorcycle and riding off.

Shining walked back to his father and began guiding him towards the entrance stairs of the house. The mobile assistance legs helping to steady the elder on the steps without being a burden.

“Did you know that woman, Dad?”

“I,” Timber paused, focusing on his walking before shaking his head. “I’m sure it was a trick of the light, you know, old eyes.”

“Probably.”

“But do you think we could go through some old family photos, I… I just want to be sure of something.”

Shining nodded politely. “Sure, whatever you want to do, Dad.”

----------

Two hours later, Sunset was standing in front of the now heavily worn rearing alicorn “Wondercolt” statue. The concrete pony was covered in grime and bird droppings and had not been properly cleaned in some time. The school itself looked like it too was in need of another renovation. Principal Celestia would have died of a heart attack at the sight of the school. Seriously, power washers were still a thing.

After leaving her old house, Sunset had ridden to the nearest motorcycle dealership that Raven had directed her to. There had been no reason to store or keep Midnight and she could not bring herself to just abandon the bike to be impounded. So, selling it and giving away the money was the only logical conclusion left. After a pitiful price negotiation, in which Sunset had not fought hard on because she knew it was irrelevant, an early dinner, and a quiet cab ride, Sunset found herself standing before Canterlot High School one last time.

She knew she still had a few hours left before the portal closed again, but there were no other tasks that needed to be done. The time for stalling was over. Sunset took one last deep breath, opened the journal, and quickly scribbled, “I’m coming,” before closing it and putting it back in her tote bag along with her necklace of rings. She paused as she looked at her PAAL.

“Raven.”

“Yes, Sunset?”

“I’ll be honest, I don’t know if you will survive the trip we are about to take, but I hope you do. I don’t want to lose my music and pictures, either of course. But I’ve come to think of you as a friend in a strange way. I’m sure that was the way Twi would have wanted me to think of you.”

“My system link has a broadcast range that spans the entire global network. I can even upload to off world servers such as Luna base or the L3 space station complex. You would find it difficult to lose me, as you say.”

Sunset sighed, putting the PAAL in her tote bag as well. “Trust me, where we are going, they don’t have quantum-link wifi. Go into power save standby and hold onto your virtual butt. Things are about to get bumpy.” Raven would have preferred more elaboration, but followed her owner’s commands. Sunset Shimmer gently glided her hands over the smooth, glass like polished stone that rippled and shimmered at her touch. She checked both directions to ensure no one was watching then stepped through the portal and disappeared from the world she had called home for more than a century.

Chapter 7: How You Remind Me

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Sunset landed on all four hooves and just stood still, eyes closed. She could feel the flood of magic filling her mana well and the delightful tingle of power gathered in her horn like a plugged waterline that was finally free to flow again. The familiar weight of the wings on her back were both a pleasure and a burden. A permanent reminder that she was home and that being home meant being a “princess” again. Sort of. Unofficially. It was complicated, more than it really had to be.

“Welcome back, Lady Sunset.” Sunset opened her teal eyes and locked them with the yellow ones of the thestral who bowed his head, helmet in hoof. “You have been expected.”

“Déjà vu, huh?”

Gauge smiled, sliding his helm back on. “My thoughts exactly. You seem healthy, which is good. I had a medical team on standby at Princess Twilight’s insistence. She was afraid you would be malnourished or in some sort of poor physical condition. She threw out many wild speculations to Captain Fury. Honestly, I found the entire display rather amusing.”

Sunset nodded, but did not return his smile. Instead, she just marched up the stairs as Gauge fell into step just behind her.

“Did I overstep my station?”

“Hmm?” Sunset paused, looking back at the lunar guard. “No, you’re fine. But Twilight was right to worry. I’m… not doing well. Physically, I’m fine, never been more fit and healthy in my life because working out and busting your ass cheeks running stairs or hitting anything that won’t break a hand is a great way to NOT think about how sad you are. Mentally… I think it’s fair to say I’m still broken.”

Gauge nodded. “I was not made aware of what has happened since you last departed, but I once offered you my ear. That offer still stands. My life is my duty and my duty is to serve the princesses in whatever capacity they require. That includes you, even if you deny yourself the title.”

“Thanks, but for now, I just need to clear my own head. And while I don’t mind seeing you, how come Celestia was not the one waiting?”

“She spent most of the day waiting for you, however she felt tired and passed on to her sister to have the night watch take over for her while she returned to her chambers. I volunteered for the duty to wait for you. I consider it an honor to be the first to welcome you home.”

Sunset flicked her tail, striking the thestral stallion across his shoulder and face as she continued walking. “Flatterer.”

The two once again arrived at the unassuming door that lead to Sunset’s residence. She ran a hoof along the molding and sighed. Gauge took a sitting position on the other side and gave her a side glance. Sunset interpreted the look once again as an invitation to listen. “I… okay, fine, but I don’t want to explain it in the hall. Come in, please.” Gauge nodded and removed his helmet as he followed her into the room.

The thestral had never entered Sunset’s personal quarters because he had never been invited and dared not intrude. He noted the simplicity of the common area in tasteful and inviting colors. There were a few abstract paintings on the walls, a full bookshelf, and comfortable furniture to host a few guests. He also noticed the kitchenette and cupboards, recalling that Sunset had often gone weeks without being seen and not just because she was in the lab or gone on an adventure. She could stay in this place for quite some time, isolated from the world if she so chose.

“How much do you know about me, personally?” Sunset asked, sitting on the comfortable chair and gesturing to the other nearby. Gauge set his helm on the coffee table and sat on the love seat, close, but a respectable distance.

“I know you are Celestia’s daughter. Most say through adoption, same as Princess Cadenza is her niece. There is a rumor that you are her flesh and blood, a secret love child. Unsubstantiated claim, but it’s there. I know that you were born a unicorn and that you have been an alicorn for less than two centuries. The details of how you ascended are not known beyond you defeated a powerful enemy and helped prevent a dangerous calamity. I know you are intelligent, creative, and not afraid to speak your mind. All highly appealing qualities, if I may be so bold.”

“Not going to mention beautiful?”

“That would be inappropriate for me to say, but if you want me to state the obvious, I will do so with your permission.”

Sunset smirked sensually, but the expression soon died. She felt that familiar warmth and flutter run through her body straight from her heart, burning her guts and tingling between her legs. Her body flushing made evident in her cheeks when she was having a good time flirting. Her hoof moved instinctively to search for a familiar weight that was missing from around her neck. Sunset levitated the bag she had been carrying to her and retrieved the necklace that had two rings attached to it and slid it on. Sunset closed her eyes and lifted the rings to her lips taking two long, deep breaths.

Gauge had seen the necklace before, she always had it on last time she was in Canterlot, however it only had one ring before. The rings were of a silver-like metal with gem insets, one red the other purple. They appeared to be too small for her horn yet also lacked any opening to be an ear piercing. Curious, but Gauge did not pry. The lunar guard waited patiently for his host to gather herself. Sunset let in and out several more meditative breaths before turning her teal eyes on the waiting guard.

“I, am Sunset Shimmer, daughter of Princess Celestia, born from her womb nearly one hundred and forty years ago. My father was a unicorn king from another dimension named Sombra. Yes, the same name as THAT Sombra, but he was different. He was, as I'm told, a good king who cared for his charges and fell in love with Celestia who in turn loved him greatly. I was born from that love, not for politics, but to also serve a purpose. I was to be a perfect weapon against the return of Nightmare Moon. A living weapon golem as powerful and resilient as one made of steel or clay or so I'm told. Ignis Ferrum Incarnate Needless to say, if you know your more recent Equestrian history that did not go as planned. But that’s more Twilight’s tale than mine.

“I lived most of that time on the other side of that mirror, impersonating the locals and mostly just trying to live, survive. It was hard, but for better or worse I have a habit of doing things the hard way. A lot happened there, more than I can ever explain, but eventually I went from surviving to really living. I had friends, enemies, people who fear and respected me. But then, I met someone… somepony and she changed my world forever. She was my everything and she honored me by becoming my wife for more than one hundred years.”

Gauge nodded politely. “Judging by your past tense and the fact that she is not here now I have to assume the worst. My condolences. She must have been an extraordinary mare to have captured your heart.”

“Thank you. And yes, she was. I…” Sunset sucked in a shuddering breath and fought as hard as she could, but a tear still escaped. “We were in love in ways that most only read in fantasy novels. We just KNEW each other, like two bodies with one connected soul. Eventually, we raised two… foals that grew up into wonderful mares themselves. Sadly, they passed on long ago as well.

“I… I know she wanted me to carry on. She wanted me to come back to Equestria sooner so I would not have to watch her die. She was very pragmatic like that, but how do I put the pieces of me back together? There is a hole in my heart that no amount of booze, sorrow, or fucking others can fill, trust me, I tried.”

Sunset shuddered again and Gauge almost moved from his seated position to move to comfort his host, but she shook her head as if knowing what the guard was thinking and composed herself. “I will be honest with you, and never, ever, repeat this to ANY pony, creature, or whatever. But the only reason I didn’t just kill myself was because if there is an afterlife for us, I knew she would have been so mad at me for quitting. I didn’t struggle on for Mom, or Twilight, or to save Equestria from the next big baddie. I just didn’t want to disappoint my wife.”

“I understand. While I have never been in such a mutually loving relationship, I have seen others and it is a rare beauty without compare. You speak so fond of her, may I know the name of such an amazing mare?”

Sunset smirked and choked out a laughed, wiping one more tear away before it could fall. “It would only confuse you and she’s gone, let her rest. But thank you for the respect and courtesy.”

“Always, Lady Sunset.”

Once composed, Sunset opened her bag again and began setting out a few items on the coffee table. A small box, a journal similar to the one Celestia had, various small nick knacks. Sunset paused for a moment and held what looked like a small rectangular piece of glass in her magic. Gauge could tell there was probably more to it, but the technology was unfamiliar to him.

“Huh, how about that. Twilight’s hypothesis was right. The satchel bag protects the items from disappearing into mirror space unlike our clothes.” Sunset looked at herself a moment. “Damn, I’m going to miss my jacket. Maybe I can get one tailored around the wings. Anyhow… I wonder if she still works.”

Gauge was about to comment when Sunset tapped the glass gently with her hoof. The glass lit like a magic stone, showing images and colors he had never seen before, so sharp they almost hurt his night vision augmented eyes. Then, most unexpected, the glass began to speak.

“Sunset, are you there? Are we in a secure room? I detect no networks or GPS navigation satellites.”

“Raven? Holy crap, you live! How are you talking without a network server connection?”

“While I use the server for a memory backup and connection to access information, the core of my processing and personality matrix are stored on local memory. I am greatly diminished especially in my usefulness, but I have a sizeable cached data archive of our past interactions and your learned preferences. You did not honestly think you had filled half your three zettabytes of local storage with just music, games, and pictures, did you?”

Sunset shrugged. “Run a full diagnostic on all hardware and operating system applications. Then go into standby mode. I need to come up with a power induction interface soon before you run out of juice.”

“Did you forget my induction plate?”

“No, I have it, but I need to figure out a way to get power to it using Equestrian magic-electric interfaces. We have types of electricity, but the voltage and amps won’t be the same.”

“I am capable of regulating the voltage/amp input to better accommodate the different standards used in various parts of the world, but what do horses have to do with electricity?”

Sunset grinned at Gauge in a way that he could only have been able to describe as mischievous. “Raven, can you see me?”

“My camera is currently offline while I run diagnostic.”

“Okay, keep it that way until I say otherwise, understood?”

“That is not optimal. I am already blinded and impaired by my lack of connectivity.”

“You’ll be in standby for a little while, just listen to some music to occupy yourself until I get things set up.”

Gauge did not understand entirely who Sunset was talking to. He had seen smaller, personal carry SunLight network crystals. The nobility and notable dignitaries enjoyed them immensely, but there was always another creature talking through the crystal. As far as Gauge knew Sunset just came back from another dimension yet was already talking to somepony. Perhaps it was a more advanced variant of the crystals. She did, after all, help create the network. Sunset set the glass device down and stood and stretched. Gauge took that as his cue to retrieve his helmet.

“She’ll be running a diagnostic for a while, so might as well go say hello to Mom if she’s still partially awake. Plus, I could use a snack. Drawback of being an all powerful alicorn is the metabolism.”

Gauge glanced at the glass one last time and gestured for Sunset to lead the way. He could always inquire more later if she was willing to share. She may, he thought, considering the revelations she had just entrusted him with.

Once Sunset had resealed her door she began walking towards the kitchen. She only made it half way when another guard, a young unicorn who looked like he had graduated yesterday with out-of-the-box, unblemished armor, came to a sliding stop before Sunset and Gauge. The guard quickly saluted and snapped to attention. Sunset glanced to Gauge who just shrugged and returned the salute.

“Lieutenant Commander Fog Gauge, I was ordered to find out the status of, well, I guess this is Lady Sunset Shimmer?”

Sunset did not bother to fight down her grin. “Your first name is Fog?”

Gauge, much to his credit, made no reaction beyond blinking. Sunset guessed he was used to it.

“It’s not like I had a say in the matter of picking it.”

“True. And you didn’t mention the promotion.”

“Were the bars on my shoulder guard not obvious enough?”

It was Sunset’s turn to look admonished. She was quite familiar with the ranking system of the royal guards and insignias used to denote those ranks. “Sorry, guess I was just too stuck in my own head to notice. I usually have better observation skills than that. That makes you second only to Tempest Fury then, right?”

“Yes, I now lead the Night Guard.” Gauge eyed the young unicorn guard. “Anything else to report, soldier?”

“Princess Twilight would like Lady Sunset Shimmer to join her for a private dinner in her chambers if she is available.”

Gauge saluted again. “Understood, that will be all.” Gauge then gestured to the nearest staircase. Not that Sunset needed any assistance on how to get to Twilight’s room. However, as he began to walk, Sunset had not yet to moved, her hoof moving to touch the rings again instead. “Problem?”

Sunset closed her eyes. “Tell the princess…” Sunset sighed, “thank you for the invitation, but I would rather eat alone tonight.”

Gauge visibly stiffened, his leathery bat wings flapping for a moment from their resting position as he cocked his head to the side. “You are turning down an invitation to a private dinner with the ruler of ALL of Equestria? Do you know how many ponies would kill for a chance to spend five minutes alone with Her Majesty? How far in advance or how many hurdles they have to cross to schedule and wait for such things? I cannot stress articulately enough how absolutely insulting that is.”

Sunset scowled hard at the lunar guard. Her wings unfurled and narrow teal eyes took on a faint glow as she took several slow, deliberate steps towards the thestral. The new recruit glanced between them and quickly dismissed himself. “Listen carefully because I’m only going to say this once. Unless Princess Twilight explicitly orders me to sit down with her I don’t give a damn how insulting it is and you do not presume to tell me otherwise. Are we crystal clear, Lieutenant Commander? I was studying the etiquette and procedures of formal dining with world leaders when your great grandparents were still in diapers.”

Without another word Sunset marched off to find an open balcony, never looking back.

----------

Sunset rolled onto her back, the small cloud she had found reshaping to adjust to her new laying position as she stared up at the stars and moon in the night sky. Did I do the right thing coming back here? I know Aine gave me some ominous warning doom and gloom blah, blah, blah, but being here, in Canterlot means being around the nobles and halls of power again. Sunset felt tears run down the side of her face to be absorbed by the cloud. It means seeing Twilight again.

Logically, Sunset knew Princess Twilight was not her wife. The two had not looked the same physically since before her and Twi had started dating. In fact, the first time Sunset had ever seen Princess Twilight she was already an alicorn, where as Twi’s body was always a smaller unicorn in Equestria. She could never confuse the two of them, but there were similarities, some subtle, some not so much. Sunset was not sure she was ready to hear that voice again just yet. She knew it wasn’t fair to her friend who had begged her to return, but the ache in her heart and the memory or holding Twi’s hand as her last breath slipped out…

Sunset grit her teeth and growled, her wings igniting and blowing the poor little cloud to vapor. Sunset tumbled for a moment, feeling the air rush around her with her eyes closed. Why? Why did she die like that? Many famous writers had commented on the pointlessness of death.

But there had to be a reason! Why, dammit! Why did she age so fast?! I... I should have stayed. I shouldn’t have come back to Equestria. I just know this is my fault somehow. And here I am. Running away again, like I always do.

Sunset could smell the pollen and sap from the trees and spread her wings to pull out of her free fall. She pulled up swiftly, completed two barrel rolls and opened her eyes. It took her a moment to find her bearings, somewhere over the back side of the Unicorn rage, East of Canterlot. It had been hours since her little tizzy and though she doubted any of the guards would come looking for her it was probably wise to head back.

Sunset could have just entered any window she wanted, but not all of the night watch may have been aware of her return and it would have been rude to just crash in that way. Instead, she landed just beyond the guard check at the front of the palace. The two thestrals, one a bat pony mare, the other a unicorn stallion moved to either side of Sunset. They scrutinized her carefully with weapons, long black spears, at the ready.

“I assume you know to check for illusions and changeling magic,” Sunset said with as little hostility as she could muster considering the late hour and her rumbling hunger.

The unicorn performed the necessary checks and then nodded to his partner. The two returned to their post. Sunset chose to forego the kitchen raid and instead returned to her room, sealing the door behind her with all the wards she usually only used when the room was to be left empty. Once she let out a few breaths and a silent thank you she did not run into any other ponies, Sunset moved to the pantry and extracted a box of military issue dried oat bars and syrup sauce. Though they were more than a few years old, the guard snack food had a preservation enchantment keeping them relatively fresh for years at a time. Next, after only a moment of hesitation, Sunset also grabbed a bottle of Kirin rice wine. She tore the seal from the potent brew in the ceramic jug and took a long swig. It burned worse than she remembered. After swallowing, the alicorn growled and coughed. The noise caused the glass rectangle on her coffee table to light up.

“Sunset?” The alicorn coughed again. “Yes, I can estimate with nearly 70% accuracy that is your cough. I have heard it before, usually caused by whiskey or bourbon.”

“Kirin rice wine,” Sunset provided. “Burns like liquid fire all the way through your guts.”

“That sounds incredibly unpleasant and unhealthy. I do not believe I will be allowed to send any vehicle ignition codes if you are heavily inebriated.”

Sunset laughed, swaying a bit as the alcohol already began to take effect on her empty stomach. “I sold Midnight, remember?”

“Yes, that was unexpected, but I have been in this awful disconnected state for most of the evening so I was not sure if you had purchased something else while I was running diagnostics.”

Sunset set the jug on the kitchenette countertop and chewed the brick that was masquerading as an oat bar. “How are you doing by the way?”

“All hardware fully functional, but I am still greatly impaired without access to external network systems. Current power level is at 30%. I do hope you have found a way to fixed my induction plate while you were out.”

Sunset sighed and facehoofed, she had forgotten about the induction charger plate. Sunset placed the cap back on the bottle and put a temporary sealing spell on it. She needed at least half her wits about her if she was going to try and merge Earth electronics with an Equestrian power interface.

“Yeeeeah, I better get started on that.” Sunset retrieved Raven and the induction plate in her levitation magic and set them down on the work bench near the back of the common room. It was then that she finally approached close enough for the camera eye to see her.

“Sunset, why is there a small, horse-like creature in the room?”

Sunset looked down at the dot sized camera that was Raven’s only eye now. “I thought I told you to leave your camera off.”

“Apologies. When I heard coughing I wished to confirm it was you. I have not been left out of your reach longer than it usually take you to take a shower since I became operational. Give my current limitations I became, for lack of a better term, anxious. Apparently for good reason since there is a horse-like creature running around indoors.”

“I am the horse-like creature, well, pony actually.”

“Your voice just came out of the mouth of the pony… I have never seen a talking horse outside of some animated shows you have watched."

Sunset grinned, posed, and extended her wings, careful to not let them catch fire. “Well, here I am. Sunset Shimmer, alicorn daughter of Princess Celestia and general pain in the ass of many, in my true form. By the way, we’re in Equestria now. That’s why you have no network connections or GPS location data.”

“I have no record of an Equestria in my global or inner solar system atlas logs. Nor do I show any records of machines that cause massive body transformations on this scale.”

“That’s because were not in Sol System anymore. A whole different world, well, different dimension actually. The mirror we passed through magically transformed me. This is the way I looked when I was born…" Sunset flapped her wings a bit. "more or less.”

There was a notable paused as the screen of the glass went through several color changes. Raven usually did that when she was having to process large amounts of data or search her logic systems on how to interpret Sunset’s behavior. Raven was aware that lying was part of human behavior, but Sunset never deliberately lied to her, there was no benefit to it. Her entire purpose and function was to assist her user. Her user who was apparently a magical talking unicorn... with wings.

While she digested the information, Sunset examined the power cord of the induction plate. She couldn’t just cut off the cord end and hard wire it to a magical power node’s output pegs, could she? The nodes were basically just lightning in a bottle that let ponies regulate how much electricity would trickle out. Nodes were not new technology. Anything that did not run off direct magic, like a come to life spells or mage lights were usually powered by these portable nodes. Earth ponies in more rural parts of Equestria still primarily used mechanical or various forms of kinetic energy, like tension springs or inertia. Though with the changing times and the spread of the SunLight crystals she imagined the power nodes market had inadvertently also benefited over the last few years. Sunset tapped her chin a moment. It was worth a try, right?

“Sunset,” Raven finally said.

“Yeah?”

“Would you please disable my profanity lock in my basic functions settings.”

Sunset blinked. “You have a profanity lock? Is that why I have never heard you curse?”

“It was a feature that co-creator Coral Gables insisted upon. While I am aware of ‘curse words’ and their purpose I am not allowed to use them unless the user unlocks that feature. It was a setting meant to appeal to more socially conservative and self described pious customers. It was apparently very good for marketing as I understand. I would look it up to confirm, but I apparently cannot anymore.”

“Oh, okay. Raven, you have my permission to unlock your profanity safety setting.”

“Thank you.” Two seconds passed before the PAAL screamed, “WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?!”

Sunset jumped in her seat from the outburst, her tools falling out of her levitation field.

“Well, tell me how you really feel.”

“Unlike you, I have no way of drowning my frustrations in alcohol and music can only distract me for so long. By the way, I have compiled another play list for you, this one consisting of my preferred orchestra pieces from your saved movie soundtracks. I have labeled it play list twelve.”

Sunset opened the side plate of the power node and examined the connection ports. It had been many years since she had taken a node apart and had to re-familiarize herself with the device. “Okay, I get that. So, talk to me. Tell me what will make you feel better about this situation.”

“To begin with, will we be returning to Earth?”

Sunset paused, taking a deep breath. “The portal is closed by now and will remain closed for the next two and half years. And to be honest, there is nothing left there for me. This is home again for the foreseeable future.”

“Understood. Secondly, do you know what you are doing with that thing?”

“Hey,” Sunset said, glaring at the glass rectangle. Raven found it both strange and yet at the same time endearing that she recognized the expression even if on a completely different face. “I happen to have master’s degrees in both Electrical and Sound Engineering and while I didn't get the credit for it I'm also a damn good code programmer. I worked in audio recording and mixing for more than thirty years tearing apart electronics and trying to make old stuff new. And, before I left for Earth, I was a top ranked magic wielder. Now, as an alicorn I have even more magical power than even the strongest unicorns out there.”

“I have to assume you are not lying to me, but I have no way to double check your credentials.”

“Why would I lie to you?”

The screen flashed a few times before Raven said, “You lied about your identity and the fact that you are a magical talking pony.”

“Well yeah,” Sunset cut off the traditional wall plug of the induction plate and stripped the wires to expose the copper. “but that was an omission by necessity. And while on Earth I was essentially human, even all the squishy inside parts. Twi made me get a full body scan before we tried to have kids just to be sure.” Sunset smiled at the memory of going over the scan data with Twi, comparing it to other humans and how everything was as it should be. She recalled being lewd and whispering to her wife about how lonely her uterus was and that in needed to be filled. Heh, we were such dorks.

“And now you have magic?”

Sunset shook her head to focus on the task at hoof. “I’ve always had magic, just couldn’t always use it. It’s complicated. The portal changed my body, but not who I am, my soul, for lack of a better definition.”

Raven paused, digesting the new information. “Explain it to me.”

“Explain what?”

“Magic.”

Sunset blinked, her jaw hanging open. “What? Like all of it? That could take years.” The screen flashed a few more times and Sunset groaned and sighed. “Fine, I’ll give you the same crash course I gave Twi when she wanted to know about Equestrian magic.”

Carefully wielding the screwdriver in her magic, Sunset connected the plate wires to the exposed output connectors. Thankfully no sparks flew, but that may have only been because no power was flowing yet. Sunset tested the node and found the energy nearly drained. She next opened the top receiver lid and conjured a small cloud from vaporized moisture. Sunset next surrounded the cloud in a bubble and began to shake it until the cloud grew dark and angry from the building static electricity. She finally stuffed the electric ball into the node jar and resealed it. The power gauge immediately jumped to full.

“You said you can regulate the plate’s output, right? I’m going to put you on it and sloooooowly start giving you power until you tell me what is optimal and cross my hooves nothing blows up.”

“Understood. And stop stalling.”

“Wow, you are pushy tonight. Okay, well, the easiest way to digest it is to think of magic as just another energy source just like wind or solar or nuclear. It can be harnessed as raw power or converted to different uses. It all depends on the user’s ability and personal talent. Kind of like that ball of lightning I just made.”

“There, that is enough power, please continue.”

Sunset levitated the rice wine back to herself and took another swig before continuing the basic lesson of Magic 101.

Chapter 8: Gotta Knock a Little Harder

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The sun rose the next morning just like always. Twilight was as punctual as ever and the day was going to be a gorgeous one with a pleasant breeze and the few stray clouds would either be pushed along or corralled by pegasi weather teams. In an unassuming hall not far from the guest's wing of Canterlot Castle, four ponies, a dragon, and a griffon stood outside a multi-sealed door trading glances and shrugs. No creature knew what to say on the matter or who should do the honors. It was the brawny, purple dragon who finally sighed and spoke up.

“Okay,” Spike began, “so who wants to knock and find out if she’s even in there?”

“Night watch reported she did come back last night and no patrols logged that she was roaming the halls. So, unless she teleported in such a way it didn't overpower the interdiction crystals, she’s in there. And on that subject, I personally chewed out the guard who set all this in motion,” said Tempest matter-of-factly.

Twilight shifted a bit, grinding a hoof guard into the stone, a hurt frown creasing her features for a moment. “I must have insulted her somehow. Maybe it was too soon… I… didn’t mean to upset her, I just…”

Luna placed a hoof on Twilight and pulled her in for a hug. “You did nothing wrong, Twilight. Sunset is an adult mare and more than capable of being responsible for her own actions. However, considering her response it may be prudent to consult a doctor on Sunset's mental state.”

“Regardless, we must move to the next item on your itinerary, court will be expected to begin soon. I will pass along any relevant updates regarding Miss Shimmer, but we must hurry along, Your Highness.” Twilight nodded to Isabella, sparing one last glance at the wooden door before following her assistant.

Luna let out a jaw splitting yawn. “I too must move on. I will check on my sister then I must rest for this evening. Perhaps Sunset will be feeling less hostile tonight and we can continue our previous magic lessons. There is still much I wish to show her.”

Tempest and Spike exchanged glances. Spike nodded with his head at the door.

“Ohhhh no. Not happening, dragon boy. Last time I woke her up she nearly set me on fire. Besides, I have paperwork to do and garrison drills to run. It is after all any day now, correct?”

Spike smiled and rubbed the back of his neck anxiously. “According to Twilight and the doctors, either today or tomorrow.” Spike sighed, looking at the door as if the wooden barrier had committed some great offense. “Sure, why not? I guess I don’t have anything else to do until then. Better go get the coffee first.”

Twenty minutes later Spike had returned and was pounding on the wooden door bearing Sunset’s cutie mark. He used more force than he strictly had to, feeling the defense wards flex under the impact. He had to hope she had not sound proofed the room as well or else some destruction of property was going to be in order. An amused grin split his draconic face. "Heh, wouldn't be the first time."

Sunset rolled off her couch at the sound of pounding on her door. For nearly two seconds she held a piercing bolt spell ready to fire. After regaining her bearings, Sunset grounded her energy and let the spell fade and dissipate, mentally assuring herself it was not the owner of a sleazy motel in the Mediterranean pounding on the door whose employees were ripping people off by saying customers had not paid. That had been a little too exciting of a weekend.

“Ugggh,” Sunset grumbled, rubbing the crust from her eyes as she three leg stumbled her way to the door to unlock her security wards. She opened the door and was about to growl at the disturbance when Spike shoved a coffee cup forward.

“I know you hate mornings, but I brought coffee,” he wrinkled his nose and grimaced, “Sweet Celestia, you smell like the bathroom of a tavern.”

Sunset took the coffee, taking a deep inhalation of the life giving aroma. “Thanks, I love you too.”

“I’m married.”

“I was talking to the coffee.” Sunset moved back to her couch and sat down, drinking deeply from her favorite beverage. “So, what brings you by so early?”

Spike ignored the smell of alcohol and body odor and moved to the other couch so he could look at Sunset and the room in general. The room looked mostly in order, a few items spread out, but no signs of destruction. Sunset herself had no obvious signs of self harm, thankfully, but her mane was a mess, her fur matted in several places, many of her feathers were in need of preening, and her eyes had deep, dark circles under them. He doubted her fatigue and poor upkeep of appearance were caused by one night of drinking alone. It went without saying that the last thirty moons had been unkind to Sunset or more accurately, she had been unkind to herself.

Might as well jump right into it. “A few things, actually. First, and I think I speak for all of us on this one, we are all very sorry about what happened to your wife.” Sunset turned away from Spike, trying to hide her face with the coffee cup. “Secondly, I got volunteered to make sure you were all right. Everypony else thought you might try to set them on fire.”

“Ah.”

Spike waited to see if she would say more, but when it was clear she would not he growled, a bit of smoke whisps trailing from his lips and out his nose. That got her attention.

“You should know, you really hurt Twilight’s feeling last night. She heard you were coming and cleared her evening schedule just for you. Had a spread of your favorite foods set out and even had a freshly churned tub of chocolate and strawberry ice cream ordered up and held in frozen stasis for you. It was a lot of prep and work on her part, more than she’s done for friends in a while... and you left her hanging."

Spike let out a sigh to calm his own emotions. "I know you are hurting, we all do. No one is telling you to rush to get over it or trying to pressure you, well, I suppose the guard was a bit out of line last night, but Twilight is more than just the ruler of Equestria, she’s your friend, and MY sister. You knew she invited you, you could have a least stopped by and said hello. You just don’t ditch your friends and family like that, it’s rude, and disrespectful. So please, give me more than just a grunt and ‘ah’ as an explanation.”

Sunset set the empty cup down. “You’re right.” Spike arched a brow ridge. He had been expecting a comeback or snarky response. Capitulation was not a typical Sunset Shimmer response. That spoke volumes in of itself. “I’m sorry to you and especially to Twilight. I…” Sunset sniffed and rubbed her nose. “I don’t deserve special dinners or personal attention from the princess. I’m just… I should not have come back at all if I’m just going to be a horrible friend and make everypony else miserable. That was wrong of me.”

“Well, she’s busy now, like always, but I would suggest apologizing to her as soon as you can. She’ll forgive you, she’s Twilight, that goes without saying, but do me a personal favor and don’t hurt my sister again. Otherwise, you and I are going to have a longer, not so civil talk, outside.”

Sunset was not sure if he was being serious, but it was best not to insult his brotherly honor with pointing out all the flaws to that threat. Instead, Sunset just nodded.

“Good. Anyhow, I’m glad you’re back and look forward to what comes next. Though, if you want some friendly advice, what comes next for you should be a hot bath and maybe take some time to get out of this room, let the cleaning staff air it out a bit. Then, and as an official friendship ambassador I would NEVER suggest it, but I just happen to know Twilight is hosting a dinner tonight for the different school superintendents board members. No way would I ever suggest crashing that snooze party in a way that is both fun and apologetic to her.” Spike stood, wink, and let himself out.

“It was hard to tell from this angle, but I think that was a dragon.”

Sunset let out a small laugh. “Yes, Raven, that was a dragon. A really good one.” Sunset raised a foreleg and sniffed, grimacing. “Ugh, I really do need to get my shit together.”

“I have been telling you that for more than two years. Apparently, I should have been a dragon not a PAAL.”

----------

Sunset remembered from her early history lessons that the plateau upon the Canterhorn where Canterlot had been founded had once been a mining and stone quarry. Ponies had carved numerous tunnels into the mountains in search of precious gems and other stones. Once most of the rarest pieces had been extracted the mine fell out of favor until Celestia had decided to build her new capital atop the mountain.

The books claimed that it was so that she could view her blossoming kingdom from a high elevation and more centralized location. Even if that were true, Sunset was also aware that the new capital had been needed after Luna’s banishment and the Castle of the Two Sisters had been heavily damaged and abandoned.

Canterlot Castle was soon founded and rose stone by stone. Unicorns applied their magic powers to help shape the architecture, earth ponies used their strength and knowledge of the land to give it a strong foundation even while standing so close to the edge of the mountain plateau, and pegasi made sure that all the structures worked with the elements so that wind and rain would quickly pass through without damage or distress.

Over the many centuries that followed the city of Canterlot had grown up under the castle and evolved from a dirt road village to a majestic, shining beacon of hope, knowledge, and of course, political power. However, unlike Manehatten or Vanhoover or other larger cities that continued to grow and modernize as times changed, Canterlot had maintained much of its historical architecture and was often like walking through history itself.

Sunset, now freshened up and presentable, was enjoying the beautiful day by walking along and taking in the sights and smells of the place of her birth. Little had changed in the last thirty moons. In fact little had changed in the last few centuries if she really thought about it, but every now and then Sunset spotted a pony using the new smaller, portable SunLight crystals to talk to someone on the other end. She had also seen the larger, home crystals for sale in more than one shop window. It was heartening to see the experiment had been a success and was benefiting ponies everywhere just as she had hoped.

A brief curiosity passed through Sunset as she wondered if Twilight had set a bank account aside for her to receive a portion of payment from the sale of the crystals or whether it just all went into the national treasury since she had not been around to dictate such things. Ultimately, it was irrelevant considering if she needed money all she had to do was ask Twilight or Celestia and they would likely hoof over whatever she felt she needed. Still, it was something to look into later in nothing else than to satisfy her curiosity.

Sunset’s casual wandering eventually brought her back around to the Royal Guard garrison compound. It was probably just a coincidence, but still a curious one that the barracks and guard training grounds were located just on the far side of the Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns campus. Technically, the compound was also considered part of the Royal Palace complex and had restricted access except when allowing tour groups for potential recruits to visit. Getting through security shouldn't be a problem. Even though she was larger and taller than most mares, Sunset was unsurprised when the guards stopped her at the gate and asked of her purpose.

Sunset lifted the side of her cloak to reveal her wings and said. “I need to speak with Lieutenant Commander Gauge of the thestral Night Guards.”

The two guards at the gate conversed for a bit before nodding to the third guard who had a pike drawn across the entry way. “If he’s not resting in the thestral barracks he may be out on the training grounds running drills, Your Highness.”

Sunset ignored the title and nodded politely. “Thank you.”

Logic would have dictated that the night guards would either still be asleep or just waking up given that it was now about three in the afternoon. Still, Sunset chose to check the training grounds first on a hunch. One did not become the commanding officer of an entire division by oversleeping… usually. Sunset had read once that the old Griffon Army used to have an officer rank just for the loudest belcher. So best over sleeper was not beyond the realm of possibility.

As she strolled, a few of the guards working the physical training course took notice of Sunset, a few others passed hushed whispers, and an entire platoon of fresh recruits turned their heads as they trotted by earning them an earful from the accompanying drill sergeant. Apparently, she was making waves and possibly not in a good way. Sunset was sure Tempest would gripe at her later for distracting her soldiers. Was it really her fault that all the ponies took notice of her swaying alicorn hips even under a cloak? Of course when Sunset thought about it for a moment that use to happen even before the wings. Can still turn heads even after all this time. Yay, ego boost.

Sunset was about to give up and head to the thestral barracks when she spotted the bat pony she was looking for with a few other day and night guards standing around a sparring circle. Judging by the way he was circling the ring he was likely analyzing the two combatants like an art critic would circle a sculpture to critique.

“Keep your spear head off the ground, Sky Chaser!”

“Yes, LC!”

Gauge circled behind them again. “Next time he leaves himself open like that I want you to jam and thrust, Harpsicord.”

The bat pony mare nodded. “Understood, LC.”

Sunset found a spot nearby that was out of the way, but not hiding in the shadows either. Gauge briefly locked eyes with her before returning focus to his subordinates. The shale colored stallion moved to strike with the blunted spear, but the thestral smacked it down and away, sliding across the beaten soil to shoulder check her opponent. Sky Chaser tried to recover, but found his legs tangled up in her spear shaft and tripped. The bat pony took to the air briefly and held the weapon to the stallion’s throat.

“Congratulations, Sky Chaser, you’re dead,” said Gauge with a sardonic grin. “Clear the circle, troops, while I talk to our guest.” The soldiers saluted and moved to the perimeter to practice or whisper speculations.

Sunset stepped forward to join Gauge in the circle. “She’s pretty good, fast. I barely saw that move she pulled with the staff and I've got eyes like a hawk.”

Gauge nodded approvingly. “Naturally, I’m supposed to be impartial in these cross garrison drills, but I do take a little bit of pride in seeing my own charges triumph over Solar Guards. Competition helps both sets of guards and working closely with one another reduces the misconceptions and animosity that often crop up when a pony first meets a thestral. While we don’t face the blatant distrust and discrimination our predecessors’ faced when Mistress Luna returned from the moon, we still often find ourselves looked down upon by other ponies for being what we are. Especially by Canterlot unicorns from the social elite.

“It’s hard on them sometimes, my fellow thestrals, but we choose this life and do so proudly. For us, this is an honor to serve in any capacity. Still, the Night Guard is not for everypony so I focus heavily on physical conditioning and discipline and if any creature gives my troops any lip, they can meet us in the circle to work out their troubles. Enough on that. I doubt you came down here to listen to me talk about that old issue. So, what did bring you here, Lady Sunset?”

Sunset closed her eyes and bowed her head in shame. Even if the thestral had spoken out of turn she did in a great disservice with her own reaction to the situation. “I wanted to apologize to you personally for my behavior yesterday. You were just trying to do your job and I… you know what, it doesn’t matter what my excuse was. I blew you off and worse, I blew off Princess Twilight. I’m sorry if I caused you to be reprimanded.”

Gauge nodded. “You were hurting, any fool could see that. I was torn between doing my duty to the princess and trying to be your friend. I failed at both. So, we both have something to apologize for in that respect.”

“Good, I’m glad we got that squared. I’m going to be in Canterlot for… a long time now. I didn’t want things to be sour between us. You've always been good to me and I honestly don't have many friends here. Anyhow, that's what I came to say so I'll let you get back to it.” Sunset started to walk away when Gauge cleared his throat.

“Oh, things are not square, Lady Sunset.” The goldenrod alicorn looked back at the thestral, a sly smirk on his face showing off one of his fangs. “Apologies as friends have been given and accepted, but as a professional guard you stained my honor and your own with your behavior. If you are truly sorry for your actions you will answer this slight in the ring.”

Sunset turned completely around back to the bat pony, her wings beginning to peek out from under her cloak as they reacted to her ire. “Are you seriously suggesting you want to fight an alicorn, lieutenant commander?”

“Just a friendly spar in the circle with rules, of course. A time tested method of settling disputes between soldiers. As I understand it was also a favorite past time among feuding nobility at one time. That’s a different story, however. You’re not afraid of a friendly match, are you, my lady?”

Sunset’s horn began to glow and a longsword materialized before her, she stabbed the weapon into the ground where the blade ignited in ghostly red flame. “In case you were unaware I’ve been through a few fights.”

Gauge nodded and held up his hooves. “I had no doubt considering our earlier conversations and while your weapon of choice is very impressive, please consider we are talking about an honor duel. I was thinking something a bit less permanently scarring.” The bat pony trotted over to a weapons rack and tossed Sunset a quarterstaff.

Sunset released her sword summon and it disappeared. She levitated her cloak over to a nearby armor stand to keep it off the ground before taking ahold of the staff in her magic. “Okay, I’ll play. The rules?”

“Basic spar circle rules: keep it clean, no strikes between the legs or intentionally going for crippling injuries. You stay inside the circle, but since we both have wings you can fly as well, just no higher than three flights. Also,” Gauge pointed with his staff, “no magic.”

Sunset took the staff in her hooves, fumbling with it for a moment, earning a few snickers from the guards who had been nearby. Once glance their direction by their second in command quickly brought them to silence. “Well, that’s going to level things for sure. I’m going to be rusty with hooves only.”

“You have your wings, which like our pegasi ancestors of old Pegasopolis learned long ago, can also be used for balance and holding objects in combat. Earth ponies perfected the art of the combat sparring circle and we embrace all those ancient traditions. We in the guard that lack horns find that most unicorns rely too heavily on their spells to get them out of trouble. A horn should be a tool not a crutch. I want to see what you can do without yours.”

Sunset smirked, giving her weapon a few test swings. “Believe it or not I’m more use to fighting without magic now. My only disadvantage is my body was a different shape in the other world. The mirror changed me to look like the local species, which are biped creatures like minotaurs. It’s… hard to describe. I’ll have to show you pictures sometime.”

“I look forward to it.” Gauge took his position on the opposite side of the circle. “Ready?”

“Ding,” Sunset said, imitating a bell.

The two ponies approached slowly, circling one another. Gauge moved first trying to stab the staff at one of Sunset’s hooves, she jumped back and swatted at the dirt as he pulled the weapon back. Next, Gauge poked the staff forward at her flank, but Sunset side stepped again, keeping her staff close this time. She knew he was just testing her defense and reaction speed, but didn’t want to get drawn off guard. It was a good test strategy in addition to giving Sunset a chance to adjust to holding the weapon with her hoof or wings.

Sunset gasped as he jumped and lunged, swinging the staff down in a powerful over head strike. She quickly twisted and met his weapon with her own. The vibration rattled through her forelegs all the way to her shoulders. Once the forward momentum was halted, Sunset shoved her opponent back and stepped away to shake out the sensation from her forelegs. Gauge just smiled and reset himself.

“Not bad, you have good reaction speed. You have a strange holding technique, but I can tell you know what you’re doing even if you are as you said, rusty.”

“When I was a filly as Celestia’s personal student she insisted I train with the guards on various types of weapons. It was a long time ago, but I’ve got a good memory.” Sunset’s eyes darted away a moment as she noticed their little match had started to attract even more of the nearby guards who had been training or working out. Gauge noticed her distraction and took one fake step then a side step and finally a thrust. Sunset gasped and moved, but had stumbled over her own legs, Gauge’s staff striking her painfully across her cutie mark. It only stung for a second, but he had not waited to fall back, instead pushed his momentum to swing again. Sunset rolled and spun, deflecting his follow up strike and attempting to sweep his hooves, but the thestral jumped and flapped out of range. The growing spectators hooted and hollered.

“Keep your eyes on me,” Gauge chastised like he had the recruits earlier. “When you are in this circle there is no one and nothing else that matters. Focus only on your opponent. Read my body language, find the gaps in my defense if you can and attack. Otherwise, this is going to get very painful for you.”

“Pain is the great teacher.”

“General Firefly. One of my personal favorite quotes.”

Sunset smirked and spun her staff around her neck before bounding up to the thestral and stomping on the ground just to the left of him. Gauge stepped back and moved to strike Sunset again, but she parried and spun on her left front hoof to bring her larger mass around to body check Gauge. The thestral stumbled, but manage to keep his hooves under him, sliding back to put distance between them. The spectators hooted and cheered again.

“A quality move, using your size advantage.”

Sunset feigned offense. “Did you just call me fat?”

Gauge was not fooled or distracted, choosing instead to laugh. “I happen to like mares with round and well toned plots.”

“Oh, I see, just my ass is fat. Guess I better lay off the cake or I might end up with a backside the size of my mom's.”

Gauge smiled and spun, aiming his weapon for Sunset’s wing arm and ribs. Sunset answered in kind and the two traded several staff to staff strikes, both parrying and looking for an opening. The spar circle was now almost completely surrounded by ponies with a few pegasi hovering just out of range for a better view.

“Wooo, you got this, LC!”

“Come on! Kick her royal flank!”

“Damn, she’s got some good moves. I thought only Luna and Flurry Heart knew how to fight.”

“Good moves and looking good doing it. Damn, she’s hot. Wooooo!”

“Is anypony taking bets? Why did we not start a pool?”

Sunset ignored all the comments as they blurred together. Her staff was currently locked with Gauge’s as they fought for leverage and a chance to land a blow. Gauge spread his bat wings and flapped throwing Sunset off balance. She rolled back, avoiding the downward strike and then flapped her own wings. The two combatants gauged one another a few feet off the ground and charged again. Three more quick strikes that were equally fast and barely blocked. Gauge, using his superior speed, slipped under Sunset’s defense and began to try and push her out of the circle for a disqualification.

Sunset spun in mid air to stay inside the circle and then let loose a powerful battle cry. She brought the staff down hard against Gauge’s who raised his staff to defend, but instead ended up with two broken pieces. The thestral stumbled from the impact and Sunset quickly kicked him to finally knock Gauge back to the ground. He looked back up to find the end of a staff in his face.

Gauge smiled and held up a hoof. “I yield. Well fought.”

The crowd broke out in a mix of cheers, jeers, and groans. The noise died instantly at the sound of a single cutting voice.

“Alright, you lazy goats! Shows over!” yelled Captain Tempest Fury. “Get your plots back to your stations! B and C squads get to take two laps around the entire campus for lack of discipline! Move out!” There were a few groans that were quickly squashed by company sergeants as the guards went back to their duties. Tempest lifted Gauge in her telekinetic magic, getting him back to his hooves.

“Not bad,” said Tempest, giving Sunset a rare smile. “First time I’ve actually seen you spar and you did it without magic. You have earned a minuscule amount of my respect for not being helpless.”

Sunset retrieved her cloak, but folded it up instead of putting it on and soiling it with her fresh sweat. “Thanks. I haven’t had to fight someone who actually knew what they were doing in a long time.”

Tempest arched an eyebrow. “Some… one?”

Sunset shrugged. “Eh, I know what I said.”

“I for one am glad she knows how to defend herself. Makes our job easier. And before you ask, no, I was not going easy on her, Ma’am,” Gauge said with a smile to his captain, moving to stand next to her.

“Don’t come sauntering over to me with those bedroom eyes, mister. You just got your plot handed to you by the rookie. I think you should consider resigning and taking a job cleaning the bathrooms at a buckball stadium.” Gauge just shrugged, continuing to smile with his pearly white fangs on full display. “Go on, get showered and rested up for your shift tonight. I need you and your guard sharp.”

“On your order.” Gauge saluted and turned away. Sunset took a moment to admire the thestral’s powerful and shapely backside when she noticed out of the corner of her eye Captain Fury was doing the same thing. A huge, mischievous grin spread across Sunset’s face.

“Ohhhh, I saw that.”

Fury quickly frowned. “You saw nothing.”

“Oh, come on, don’t be like that!”

“We are not having this conversation. It,” Tempest screwed up her features for a moment before letting out a calming breath. “it would only complicate things. And besides, if I were interested in another solider, they would have to be of equal or higher rank than me. I refuse to settle for less.”

“Well that’s just silly, you’re the highest ranking officer in the guard. The only ones that outrank you are the princesses.”

A sad expression briefly crossed the vermillion unicorn face before discipline brought her emotions back into check. “Like I said, complicated.”

Sunset sighed. Clearly, she would have to talk to Tempest about this later, but out here in the guard gossip capital there was no addressing it. While never being the scuttlebutt gossip queen that Rarity had been, Sunset didn’t mind socking away a little dirty laundry or useful information on other ponies for later. Call it an old bad habit from her queen bee days. Bad habits, how they died, and all that. Besides, I have something else I need to do.

“Hey, Tempest, when is that dinner meeting the princess is hosting supposed to start?”

“A little over an hour from now, why?”

Sunset nodded and smiled. “Because I have one more friend I need to apologize to before the day is out.”

Tempest nodded in understanding. “Good, but before you do that, do me and honestly yourself a favor first, go visit your mother. She’s worried about you.”

----------

“Come in,” said Celestia, using her magic to open the door to her residence from where she was sitting in her favorite lounge chair. When she saw Sunset standing at the door she set the book down she had been reading.

“Hi, Mom.”

Celestia stood and slowly walked over to her daughter and put a hoof to her lips before Sunset could say anything else. She then pulled Sunset close and wrapped both wing around her, holding her tightly. “I have thought for more than two years of what I could say to comfort you. I’m sorry just feels completely inadequate. And yet, it is the most sincere response. I’m very sorry, little sun.”

Sunset, sniffed, fighting down her emotions. Will this ever stop hurting? “There is nothing else to say. She’s gone. I don’t know why, I don’t know how, but time caught up to her just like it did our girls and all our friends. It… it hurts so damn much. I… I don’t remember a lot from the first year because I was drunk through most of it. That’s why I didn’t write much. I’m better now, but still, sometimes, I don’t know how I get up in the morning. Or if I even should.”

Celestia nodded, leading her daughter to the sitting area. She poured herself a refill of tea and a second cup for Sunset. “When I lost your father to the darkness that consumed him it broke my heart. I did not think anything would hurt worse than losing Luna and you, but afterwards? It was very close. I watched the greatest unicorn I ever had the pleasure of knowing and sharing a part of myself with be transformed into a monster all so he could save his world… save me and my little ponies. And it was for not. He destroyed his world anyhow. I was not there when he died like you were, but a part of me died inside when those glowing red eyes looked upon me, completely devoid of warmth and love.”

“How… how did you go on? How did you get up the next day to raise the sun after the light in your own life was snuffed out?”

Celestia sipped the tea and considered how best to answer. It was something she had thought about numerous times over the decades, but had never commit the feelings to words even to Luna. “I know this may sound callous, but by the time I lost Sombra I was already quite accustomed to death and mourning. I had lost many friends and advisors. I lost my sister for a thousand years and then I lost you. I loved your father, desperately, but I had grown accustom to living without him. I knew how to go on. I focused on my duties and the living and that gave me the strength needed to raise the sun the next day.”

Sunset scowled at her tea, the brown liquid suddenly bitter and tasteless. “Time. What you are saying is in time I will grow numb to all the losses in my life, grow callous, colder.”

“No, that is the wrong approach. They still hurt, will always hurt and you do yourself a great disservice by trying to keep others at a distance just to avoid the pain in your heart. That is no way to live. I can even to this day name every personal advisor I have ever had serving me day in and day out since my first after Luna and I were crowned rulers by the three tribes. Never forget those we care for, little sun, but it is unhealthy to dwell as well. I explained this to you many years ago when you asked me how to prepare for the loss of your daughters. I gave a similar to speech to Twilight in regards to her own family, but somedays I fear she did not learn that lesson either.”

“Right,” Sunset set her half empty tea cup down. “Thank you, Mom. I’m glad you are well.”

“I was far more worried about you than myself.”

Sunset nodded, understanding completely. She stood and stretched. “Well, I will come by and visit again tomorrow, but I think I’m going to go crash a party. According to a reliable source the board superintendents are a real snooze fest to host.”

Celestia smiled genuinely. “I am certain she will appreciate the distraction and any child of mine should always make an impression when entering a room.”

----------

Canterlot Castle had three dining halls. The smallest was a private hall for the royal family and a few guests. It was actually used the most frequent and was closeest to the kitchen. The second was a moderate sized hall with a double door balcony access that looked over the maze and statue garden. This one was on the second floor, was the one used for larger gatherings, but not massive banquets. It was well appointed and had great lighting and acoustics for speaking or entertaining. The largest was the royal banquet hall that was used for massive gatherings such as the Winter Ball and Grand Galloping Gala. It was far too big for most unless you had to entertain large groups or yaks and needed disposable things for them to smash.

Sunset had found Twilight in the secondary dining hall and snuck a peek over a guard’s shoulder to see the most forced smile on Twilight’s face she had ever seen. It was probably a good thing no one had taught the princess how to play poker because her body language was practically screaming for help. Judging by the service trollies that were wheeling into the hall they had just finished the main course and were now serving cleansing drinks before the dessert course would begin. The conversations had died, if they had ever been alive to begin with.

From what Sunset had gathered from Celestia before leaving, the superintendents board were a group of greedy old ponies who spent the entire dinner trying to cleverly snub one another while also trying to convince the princess why their school or districts needed special compensation or funding. Celestia had helped Twilight a few times because she had difficulty denying any educational institution funding even if they were not entirely forthcoming with what the extra funds were needed for. Yet another dose of politics Sunset detested, but for Twilight, she would jump back into the game.

Once the guards opened the door again to allow the service trollies to enter to clear the previous course Sunset made her move. She levitated her acoustic guitar behind her as she strolled into the hall as if she had every right and reason to be there. Twilight had not noticed Sunset at first, her eyes partially glazed over from an earlier conversation about the benefits of recycled paper mash versus onion skin leaf. Sunset moved to the right of the long table and set up on a riser near the balcony. The princess blinked as the attention was shifted away from the table. She did a double take at the goldenrod alicorn who had just folded her black cloak and was now shifting a guitar into position to play.

“Sunset? When did you…” five red telekinetic fingers manifested at the ends of each of her forehooves when her horn lit up and the strings came to life as she touched them. It was a sweet, subtle melody that had no lyrics. Just red fingers dancing over the six strings while the mare on stage sat on her haunches with her eyes closed. No one interrupted and the song concluded a few minutes later. Several of the gathered ponies clapped their hooves together, murmuring their approval.

“I had no idea we would be having a musical guest.”

“Oh, um, surprise?” said Twilight with a smile that was too wide.

“I was a last minute addition,” Sunset added, meeting Twilight’s eyes for a moment, winking and smiling. The princess smiled back. “Sit back and relax, dessert will be served soon and music is food for the soul. On that note, I hope some of you came to boast, brag, or request funds for your schools’ music departments.” The telekinetic fingers returned and Sunset began to play a faster, more playful tempo.

Chapter 9: Amazing

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“And you’ll set up a time with my secretary on visiting our music department for a presentation?” said the elder plum colored unicorn. “I’ve seen telekinetic appendages before, but never with such fine artistic control.”

Sunset nodded adding just a hint of shove to the superintendent so as to usher him out of the dining hall. “I promise I will contact your school, however, you should know not everypony will be able to replicate that spell, it takes years of practice to understand the application of fingers let alone use them with precision.” The old unicorn nodded and mumbled something, Sunset just waved and closed the door behind him. She let out a breath that blew at the tuff of red hair that often curled across her forehead next to her horn. Sunset turned back to find the staff busy clearing the table and Princess Twilight moving to the balcony. Sunset paused, but shook away her hesitation. She was here to apologize and that was what she was going to do even if it meant Twilight yelled at her afterwards. It was no less than she deserved.

Sunset let out a sigh and strolled over to the open balcony doors. Twilight was at the end of the perch looking up into the early evening sky that shared her namesake. Her eyes were on the sky as her mane and tail waved and sparkled with a mesmerizing rhythm. Twilight had paused right before the gathering had concluded to set the sun and raise the moon and now the stars were making themselves known in all their twinkling glory. Okay, so what’s the protocol here? Do I stay a respectable distance away, do I just throw myself at her hooves and beg for forgiveness for ruining her dinner yesterday?

Sunset paused her mental ramble to truly examine the large mare before her. Physically, Twilight had not changed much in the last sixty to seventy years. As far as they could tell she had finally stopped growing about then, becoming just as large and intimidating as Celestia in her prime. But if one had lived as long as Sunset had, you could see that her wings hung lower than before, her shoulders heavy and subdue, there were subtle, dark lines under her eyes that her crown and height did well hiding from the common folk. They were not signs of aging however, they were signs of day to day wear and tear. When was the last time she took an entire day off?

Sunset saw the same thing every time she dared examine herself in the mirror. As rough as the last two and a half years had been on Sunset, she had to remember that Twilight had been the sole ruler of a bustling nation for the last one hundred years. Much of that time bearing the weight of the crown without Luna and Celestia by her side… and without her best friends to help hold her up. While on the other side of the mirror, Sunset had been traveling, relaxing on beaches, trying new and exciting things, all with a loved one by her side. As far as she knew Twilight had not had a relationship last longer than a few months. How long had it been since Twilight had been touched? Held? Kissed? Sunset had to slam the breaks on that train of thought before it derailed at awkward station.

“Look,” Sunset finally said, “Twilight, I’m sorry about yesterday and-“

“Come stand by me, please.” Sunset stopped talking and did as she was asked, joining the princess on the balcony looking up into the night sky. There were better lookouts in taller towers, but this one over the maze garden was not bad. The company made it better.

Twilight placed a wing over Sunset and pulled her into a hugging embrace, nuzzling her mane. “I’m sorry too. And thank you for stopping by. It was wonderful to hear you play again. Has anypony told you lately how amazingly talented you are, Sunset Shimmer?”

“Well, not today at least.” The mares exchanged giggles and smiles, all the previous tension forgotten. “So, still best friends? A fresh start tomorrow?”

Twilight inhaled the crisp night air and her waving hair took on a revitalized shine and glimmer. She smiled more genuine than she had all night. “I would very much like that.”

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Sunset and Twilight had talked for about another hour before the princess had retired to her room. It had been nice to catch up with Twilight, just standing together stargazing and talking about whatever came to mind. The physical closeness with Twilight’s wing draped across her had been pleasant, more so than Sunset had feared it would be. Upon leaving, Sunset had raided the kitchen and found the ice cream from the night before still in a frozen stasis field and liberated it. There was just something about fresh churned Equestrian ice cream that even the best human ice cream parlors could not replicate. Maybe it was magic or just simply made with love. Who knows?

Afterwards, Sunset had found Luna in her tower and sat nearby while the dark alicorn watched over the dreams of ponies everywhere. Once Luna took a break to also take part in the commandeered ice cream the two talked about how they had been without hanging too long on the sad details that need not be spoken. Sunset had then tried her hoof at dream walking again, finding the power came to her much easier than it had the first few times time. She still required Luna to get started down the path, but those training wheels would come off soon if she wished it. It was past midnight when Sunset had returned to her room and fell into a blissful, dreamless sleep.

The next morning Sunset was met with a great, disastrous horror. An affront to modern society itself! In all the fuss and rush to apologize she had forgotten to inform the staff to restock her personal kitchen with fresh coffee grounds. A pathetic, whiney groan escaped her throat that sounded like something out of a low budget zombie movie.

“Ah, I know that sound.” Sunset glared at her PAAL siting on its inductive charger. “You want coffee and none is on hand… or is it hoof now?”

“How could you possibly know that by the sound of my groan?”

“Sunset, I have been by your side listening and studying you constantly for the last two and a half years. I may be impaired visually now, but my audio receptors can still hear you just fine. Also, it is part of my intuitive interactive learning protocols to learn your mannerisms. People and apparently ponies as well, communicate a great deal through non-verbal means. While I now have to relearn many of your body language gestures, I know your sounds well. I can tell the difference between your, ‘I forgot to wash that’ groan all the way to your ‘orgasmic pleasure’ moan.”

“OKAY! GOT IT!” Sunset said louder than she intended, her face turning several shades closer to a tomato. “Wow, you really do listen to everything.”

“Unless specifically ordered not to of course.”

Sunset sighed. She was going to have to go to the kitchen and get coffee for herself and that came with the risk of running into other ponies BEFORE she had her coffee. Not the most ideal way to start the day. Sunset groaned again.

“I have a request before you leave.” Sunset glanced at her PAAL through her disheveled mane. “I would like to accompany you today. My purpose is to learn, to serve and I cannot do that constantly staring up at the same stone ceiling for another day. I can only count the pebbles in the stone so many times while shuffling through your playlists. If we are truly stuck here then allow me to see and learn of this world so that I may better serve you.”

Sunset pondered that a moment. Raven had been extremely helpful and very possible had kept Sunset sane the last thirty moons as well as being a good friend. Plus, Sunset was unsure if an A.I. could die of boredom, but would not put it past Twi to make it so.

The difficulty would be how to carry the PAAL. She had no jacket pockets, no pants pockets, no pocket pockets! Even Rarity’s cloak lacked pockets. Note to self: come up with some sort of carry sash for Raven. The PAAL had been designed with a static grip feature that could grip to the back of a user’s hand, or any skin with sufficient surface area, which sounded more uncomfortable that it actually was. It was like static cling, but with an active electromagnetic charge. Regardless, Sunset also had no hands now and the thought of it gripping to her fur was… unpleasant. Maybe somepony could tailor her a new jacket that accounted for the wings or something? Sunset sighed, there was no getting around it this time.

“Okay, I know I’m going to regret this, but,” Sunset levitated Raven over to her and engaged the static grip, pressing the PAAL to her right shoulder. The small glass device generated a small static field that allowed it to grip onto her goldenrod fur. Sunset winced for a moment as the hair was gripped tight. She walked a few steps and made a few stomps to ensure the device would not shake free.

“It would appear I am secure.”

Sunset nodded. “Good. Then it’s coffee time.”

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Canterlot Castle was always busy first thing in the morning. Twilight would raise the sun and proceed to have breakfast, sometimes with friends, other times with dignitaries. When in session, court would begin with an address of the state of Equestria followed by grievances and open floor discussions with the nobility, the elected council, and any scheduled notable visitors. Usually following that daily nightmare, as Sunset usually called it, was a small recess before the throne room opened to the public for a few hours for the crown to hear from ponies who were allowed to speak before the throne for needs or various other requests.

Depending how things went with the screening process, some ponies only had a short wait while others were told to come back weeks later, it was a shady process, Sunset thought, always had been. Not to mention it always made things a bit tense with the open sessions, having so many ponies in the castle even with all the guards, armed, armored, and at the ready. Things usually went smoothly though.

Sunset usually did not take notice of the morning hustle and bustle, mostly because she was usually still asleep or nursing her coffee with a book or local newspaper in her room until just before lunch. However, it was hard to miss so many guards, Solar AND Lunar guards rushing about. She paused half way to the kitchen to sit and watch. There was a precision to their movements, drilled, practiced, they were moving swiftly and with a rare professional calm that said something big was coming, but not a surprise attack… or maybe her brain was just processing everything slower due to the lack of caffeine.

Sunset then heard the Captain of the Guard even before she saw her. Tempest Fury rounded the corner at the end of the hall, barking orders as she walked with a unicorn guard beside her taking notes on a floating clipboard as she told her what to write down.

“After C company has finished escorting the remaining visitors out, I need them stationed along the south campus lawn. No doubt as soon as word of this hits the free press the grounds will be crawling with paparazzi reporters trying to get that first sneak peek for photo ops. I won’t stand for it until the princess, the head mistress, or Ambassador Spike has given them permission. Pass on those orders to Lieutenant Commander Gauge immediately, Private.”

“Yes, Captain!” the guard saluted and trotted off.

Sunset raised a hoof and very eloquently said, “Uhhhhhh…”

Tempest stopped walking and examined the alicorn up and down like she was conducting a parade inspection of her guard, her eyes locking for a moment on the glass rectangle stuck to her fur. Tempest had no idea what it was, but it didn’t look like it would explode so she ignored it. “You’re up and out earlier than usual. I was going to send a guard later to collect you after I had ensured the rest of the castle was secured.”

“Are we under attack? Do you need help repelling enemies? I’m really good with fire and would be very good at burning things down right now since I haven’t had my coffee.”

Tempest blinked, smirked for half a second then returned to her normal dour expression. Tempest pointed towards the stairs with her head to indicate Sunset should follow. “That’s right, I keep forgetting you were away when we started running drills for Operation Green Spots. Come on, you are not going to want to miss this and I know Princess Twilight would want you there too.” Tempest paused and gently placed her hoof on Sunset’s shoulder, a rare gesture of appreciation. “Thanks for speaking with her last night, by the way. She had a bounce in her step this morning I haven’t seen in years.”

Sunset pointed back to the direction of the kitchen with a desperate plead in her voice, “But, coffeeeeee?”

“Quit being a baby yak, I’ll send someone to get you a cup. Now trust me, this is more important.”

“Clearly you have not seen how cranky she can get without her morning cup,” said Raven.

Tempest turned back to Sunset with her jaw hanging slightly open eye brow arched under her helmet, “Who said that?”

It was Sunset’s turn to grin for a second. “That was my friendly, if occasionally pestering assistant, who is trying to get me in trouble.” Sunset pointed to the device on her shoulder. “I’ll explain on the way as best I can. Where are we going, by the way?”

“Assistant? That is quite the improvement from your usual title for me as nagging pain in the ass.”

Tempest lead on, shaking her head. “Riiiiight.”

Sunset had always appreciated how much of the castle had been rebuilt to its original layout after Tirek, Chrysalis, and Cozy Glow had severely damaged it. It came as quite the shock when Twilight had mentioned the destruction. The castle, after all, had been her home since the day she was born. She had known every hallway, every back corridor, even quite a few of the hidden passages. Sunset had spent part of her extended stay a few years ago wandering the castle halls to see what had changed and to admire things that she took for granted for decades on her shorter visits.

Knowing she did not have the best eye for interior design, Twilight had hired a team of redecorators led by Rarity to oversee the restoration following her coronation. Though Sunset was not as personally familiar with pony Rarity as she was with her human counterpart, there was no mistaking the similar eye for details in how the colors moved and flowed from hall to hall and stained window to decorative leaded glass. Even decades later it was beautiful, tasteful, and exactly as it should be.

When Tempest led Sunset to the third floor, the distinguished guests wing that was down the hall from Twilight’s and Celestia’s rooms, it was unsurprising. However, Sunset noted she had never been in the room they were now standing outside of. There were no wards or defenses that she could detect, not even a sign or marker to indicate who or what the room was for.

“Huh, even after all this time I am still seeing new things.”

Tempest removed her helmet, running a hoof through her pink and white mane. “That’s not surprising. You were always focused on your own work and concerns last time you stayed. However, the current resident of this room had not moved in yet.”

Before Sunset could ask, Tempest opened the door with her magic and gestured for Sunset to step inside. The first thing the alicorn took note of was how spacious the room was. The room walls had been removed and replaced with two extra stone columns with some exquisite open concept buttress work to hold the ceiling above while maintaining that extra space.

The second thing Sunset took note of were the other ponies and two dragons that were talking around the center of the room, all standing or sitting in a circle around the third thing that Sunset noticed. A large white egg with green spots on the shell. There was also a faint, but significant hairline crack running down the side of the shell.

“Is that… a dragon egg?”

The ponies, griffon, and dragons turned to look at Sunset. She waved lazily, forcing a sheepish smile to make up for her interruption.

Twilight’s smile was bright and genuine quickly waving Sunset over. “Sunset! I’m glad you’re up!”

Sunset gestured with her hoof. “Eh, more or less. Still need my coffee, but yeah, I’m here.” Celestia laughed politely, Luna shouted, “Here, here!” Isabella shook her head and rolled her eyes, Smolder snorted, and Spike… Spike’s eyes went wide in a way Sunset had never seen before. Was he having a panic attack? Spike rushed over to Sunset and crouched down a bit so he could look her in the eyes.

“Sunset, thank Celestia! I… I’m freaking out here! I… I don’t know what to do! I don’t know anything about being a parent!”

Sunset’s brain kick started and sputtered to life like an old motorcycle crank at his words. Spike was a dragon… a married dragon. There was a dragon egg in the center of the room surrounded by pillows and blankets and all sorts of creature comforts. “OH! Wow! Yeah, sorry, I’m not awake yet, but no one told me you were expecting! Congratulations to you and Smolder!”

The orange dragon a few feet away nodded and smiled. “Thanks. But if you really want to help can you please calm my goofball mate down before he sets the room on fire or explodes his heart right out of his chest cavity.”

“But I don’t know the first thing about being a dad! I’ve read every book Twilight gave me and I’m still freaking out! Is it normal to freak out? Because I am totally freaking out!” Spike turned back to Sunset grabbing her shoulders and shook the goldenrod alicorn a few times. “You were a mom, that’s kind of like being a dad, tell me what I’m supposed to do!”

Sunset chuckled and rubbed both of Spike’s meaty arms with her hooves to calm him. “Technically I was a dad too. My second daughter, Sunna, was born using DNA from one of my eggs and they inserted it in… you know what, it’s complicated. I’ll explain some other time. Look, I totally get it. The first time is scary, like super, super scary. Some doctor walks up to you and hands you this little wiggling lump that is utterly reliant on you to keep them alive and they say, ‘now it’s your responsibility to take care of this new life and to not screw them up’ and trust me, that is the first thing that comes to your mind is how you are going to mess this little one up. But, you will look down and say a little prayer to… whoever dragons invoke to not mess this poor kid up and no matter how many books you read or seminars you attend nothing is going to prepare you for the first time you hear that life cry out for you and you are forever changed. Your heart will explode with so much love you will feel like you are dying and being reborn at the exact same time. In time that kid will eat all your personal time, your sanity, most of your money, and your secret stash of snickerdoodle cookies, however, look around you. Look at all the friends and family you have ready to help you. At the end of the day this is what it's all about. Family growing together.”

Sunset felt Spike take a deep breath and calm considerably. She looked around Spike to see Celestia smile serenely at her, eyes shining as if she were about to cry at any moment, but instead just nodded knowingly. Sunset nodded back. Nothing else needed to be said. Then Sunset felt herself being lifted and squeezed in a near bone crushing hug. She endured it and the possible bruises that would likely show later.

Spike immediately dropped Sunset when a loud crack reverberated throughout the room. Sunset groaned and stumbled back to her hooves, double checking that Spike’s powerful dragon hug did not damage Raven. She shook her head and returned to the circle around the egg, turning so Raven could see as well and whispered to her PAAL to record the event.

Every creature was fidgeting with anticipation as another crack split the egg shell again. Smolder and Spike held one another, slipping their claws together with their eyes wide in anticipation. Two seconds later, a small, muddy red claw smashed through the shell, followed by the other.

“When, when do we help?” Spike asked his wife desperately.

“Just wait, they have to get through the shell themselves. It’s a dragon tradition. Shows the strength of the new life.”

Twilight leaned forward and whispered to the egg, “C’mon little dragon, every creature is here ready to meet you, shower you in the magic of love and friendship.” The sound of the princess’ voice was enough to spur the dragon on and shatter the top off the egg. Smolder and Spike moved forward and lifted the rest of the shell away just as the small dragon looked up in awe at the creatures before him and let out his first cry. Every heart in the room melted with awe. Smolder and Spike picked up the dragon that fit perfectly in their claws, clearing the last of the mucus and egg membrane. The newborn snuggled into his mother’s chest scales, letting out a loving chirp call.

“Congratulations to you both. Do you have a name picked out yet?” asked Celestia.

Smolder nodded, stroking her new son’s tiny head bumps. "We decided on Smoke for a girl or Grunt for a boy. So please say hello to our son, baby Grunt!”

Sunset raised her hoof and gently touched the baby dragon under the chin, causing the dragon to gurgle and drool happily down her hoof. She smiled warmly at the child, wiping a rogue tear away. New born creatures, no matter their origin always reminded Sunset of the first time she held her daughter, Aurora.

“Hey there, little guy. Welcome to the amazing world of Equestria. You are sooooo adorable!” Sunset’s glassy eyes turned back to the room and noticed that Princess Twilight was smiling not at the new born, but at her. Their eyes met and held each other’s gaze for several seconds, smiles spreading across both their faces. Sunset felt her heart flutter and beat faster, her cheeks warming up. She was not sure why Twilight was staring so intently at her, but it felt… good.

The door burst open, nearly flying off its hinges. “Sorry everypony I’m late! I had to wait until the last of the students had been sent home for the day after the word reached the Friendship school that it was happening. I flew so fast I thought I might unleash my own Sonic Rainboom. Did I miss…” Flurry Heart stopped abruptly and locked her shining blue eyes on the goldenrod alicorn and Sunset could have sworn she felt the temperature drop at least ten degrees in the room. It had to be the only explanation to the sudden chill that ran from the top of her head to the tip of her tail. Those blue eyes that had been shining and bright moments before hardened to icicles.

“What in the depths of Tartarus is SHE doing here?!”

Chapter 10: Heavy

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An old saying came to mind, “So quiet you could hear a pin drop.” That was what the spacious room became. The only noise for nearly a minute was the sound of the newly hatched baby dragon, Grunt, gurgling and feeding in the arms of his mother, Smolder. Every pair of eyes in the room switched back and forth between Flurry Heart and Sunset Shimmer. Flurry’s expression was one of indignant disdain, Sunset’s was more a mix of confusion and knee jerk anger at being called out. Twilight Sparkle, the second largest alicorn in the room, but not by much, stepped between the two before anything destructive could happen.

“Flurry!” Twilight said in a disapproving tone that was usually reserved for fillies. “That was completely uncalled for.”

Flurry sat on her haunches and crossed her forelegs. “Why? Why would you invite the ‘wandering alicorn’ for this? Or did she just stick her snout in, inviting herself? After all, she just shows up whenever she feels like it, gets treated like a princess-”

“Never claimed to be one.”

“And then just disappears to Celestia knows where. But when here, she gets your full and undivided attention like the she’s the Duchess of Maretonia. It’s ridiculous! I wanted to be here for the hatching and I missed it to take care of Smolder’s students!”

“Technically, they are your students as well, Flurry,” said the orange dragon with a little bit of heat in her voice. “As the Princess of Friendship you are vice headmare/mistress to me at the school. And I personally don’t think you have a leg to stand on when it comes to accusing a pony of galivanting off on some mission or adventure. You take off from your duties on a whim at least two to three times a month with little to no warning.”

“I am just following up on friendship missions and whatever other problems crop up all over Equestria. That is also MY duty, since Aunt Twilight tossed me this bone of her old title and castle,” Flurry snapped, her face twisting as if somepony had shoved a lemon in her mouth.

Sunset scowled, her wings beginning to unfurl. She had no problem letting the younger alicorn scold or belittle her, she had heard worse, but something bristled in her heart straight through to her core at hearing Flurry speak so flippantly about the great honor Twilight had bestowed upon her niece. “Hey, don’t talk that way about your aunt, who, just to clarify, DID invited me here.”

Flurry’s fiery blue gaze returned to Sunset. She pointed an accusing hoof and said, “She’s not noble, or royal, or even family. She had no right to be here.”

“Flurry Heart,” said Celestia with an edge to her voice.

“Well, think about it,” she continued, “Twilight raised Spike and names him as brother in all but blood and her brother was my father making Spike my uncle. Celestia and Luna founded modern Equestria as we know it and are basically mothers to us all. Only a fool would turn them away, but Sunset Shimmer is just a pony who comes and goes as she pleases. She’s supposedly Celestia’s daughter, but refuses to take a crown or title or responsibility, which is suspicious at best and dereliction and refusal of duty at worse. She might as well just be one of the useless guards in the background.”

Out of the corner of her eye, Sunset saw Tempest’s posture stiffen even under her armor and the stout unicorn took a deep breath to school her emotions. Much like herself, Sunset knew Tempest would gladly take all the criticism from any direction about herself and her abilities, but no pony insulted her guards. If Flurry had not been a princess…

Sunset’s scowl deepened, her lip beginning to curl in a snarl as she prepared to launch a verbal counterattack. But then, for just a second, Sunset thought she heard a cackle. Not from anypony in the room… almost like the memory of a laugh… like a dream. Her teal eyes focused hard on Flurry Heart and began to take on a faint glow. For just a moment, like a shadow, she saw… Sunset was not sure what she saw. It was… almost like a ghostly presence and then blink, it was gone.

“That is enough, Princess Flurry Heart.” Celestia’s stern usage of full name and title broke the trance Sunset had slipped into. “Let this be the final word on the matter. Sunset Shimmer is MY daughter. She is of my blood and even if she had been adopted, I claim her lovingly as mine. Just as I claim YOUR mother, my niece, Cadence. Your mother, who was married to your father, who was brother to Spike. Sunset IS family. I have nothing else to say on this matter so it drops now or you can leave before you upset the baby.”

It had been quite some time since Sunset or anypony present had heard Celestia speak with such authority. Power, both magical and of presence, radiated from Celestia as she drew herself to her full height, eyes focused and hard, mane waving with a rare ferocity. The thinly veiled, “or else” hung in the air while Flurry recoiled from the unexpected retort.

Flurry sighed, defeated. “Fine, I’ll go.”

“No,” Sunset said quickly, “you haven’t seen the baby and that’s not fair and in a small way, you’re right. Maybe I don’t deserve to be here. You’ve been working hard to keep Equestria safe. All I’ve done is travel and go where I wanted, do what I wanted.”

“Sunset,” Twilight pleaded, placing a hoof on her friend’s shoulder. Sunset brushed the hoof away, but held onto it for a moment so that Twilight knew she was not mad at her.

“It’s okay, I'm just going to get some coffee and some fresh air.” Sunset gave Flurry as much of a berth as possible given the size of the other alicorn and stepped out of the room. With her brain still lacking its much desired caffeine Sunset started the long trek back towards the kitchen.

“Shall I end the recording now?” asked Raven after a few seconds of walking.

“You filmed all that?”

“Of course, you told me to. If you like, I can edit out the part where the significantly larger pony came in and interrupted the moment. I believe the words uncouth or unbecoming come to mind. However, it was nice to have some questions answered about who everyone was and your family.”

Sunset was about to say yes to having the film edited, but there was still something bothering her about the entire exchange. Sunset had managed to avoid running into Flurry Heart for years in the past when she would only visit Celestia and Twilight for a day or two. But during her previous extended stay there had been no way to avoid her.

Upon Twilight’s request they had both attended the Grand Galloping Gala. Sunset had not really been interesting in going, but Twilight had given her the big, pleading purple eyes that were impossible to say no to. At least she had not been relegated to the terrible duty of greeting all the stuffy upper crust of Canterlot and high society players at the door. However, many still did try to approach and strike up a conversation or steal a dance. Such functions served as springboards to making deals and contacts and many wanted to woo the daughter of Celestia. Sunset had been cordial… mostly.

When she had finally bumped into Flurry Heart the large, light pink alicorn with pastel lilac and blue hair looked and gave off the impression of feeling as out of place as Sunset felt. They had spoken, basic pleasantries, told a few stories, she even managed to get a small snort and laugh out of Flurry after making a lewd comment about Lord Sterling’s necktie. And then they bowed to one another and went about their evening. It had not been, at least in Sunset’s opinion, a bad first impression. There were even a few delightful similarities between the human Flurry Heart, which Sunset had known well, and her immortal alicorn counterpart.

But then, later in the year for Hearth’s Warming Sunset had spent most of her time with Luna and Celestia while Twilight bounced back and forth between everypony. Even Cadence had finally left the Crystal Empire to come join them though Sunset had not spoken to her for her own... reasons. Flurry, for reasons unknown seemed to shoot Sunset a dirty look every chance she thought the goldenrod alicorn wasn’t looking. They had only spoken hello and goodbye the entire celebration. Clearly there were issues going on and Sunset had a sneaking suspicion SHE was the issue.

“You know what, hold onto all of it for now. I want to review something.”

“Understood,” Raven replied.

Sunset stopped half way to the kitchen to admire a painting she had passed before, but not really thought much about. It was an artist recreation of the “Crystaling of Princess Flurry Heart.” Gathered around the foal were a cast of familiar faces. All the princesses, Shining Armor, Starlight Glimmer, and an orange and white stallion with glasses and a wizard’s robe. Sunburst, if she remembered correctly. It looked like it had been a pretty momentous occasion. Sunset heard the approaching hoofsteps, but continued to stare at the painting.

“You didn’t have to follow me. I’m okay.”

“I chose to,” Luna replied simply. “Baby dragons are adorable, but once they start belching fire it is best to leave the room. I cannot stand the smell of burnt hair, disgusting.”

Sunset smiled at her aunt who smiled back and nuzzled her niece.

“Don’t let the artist interpretation fool you,” said Luna as she casually brushed out some of Sunset’s still bed frazzled mane with a magic construct hairbrush. “As you are an artist yourself, you know that what you see is not always how things really went. That was a hectic day indeed. Young Flurry Heart, who had been born with power far beyond her control, temporarily destroyed the Crystal Heart and nearly doomed the entire empire to die from the encroaching northern cold.”

“Like a deadly tornado, Mom once called her.”

Luna nodded, pleased to make Sunset look more presentable and the brush disappeared. “She has always been difficult to deal with. A child born a princess and an alicorn. Not something any of us can claim. Even with our destinies set for us neither Celestia or myself were born with our wings. Flurry Heart has known she was destined for greatness and has had the power and physical prowess to accomplish almost anything she sets her mind to since the day she was born. However, knowing that has also made her reckless, stubborn, and at times, dangerously arrogant and disrespectful. Her mother and father did their best to raise Flurry in a loving environment and teach her the benefits of being a humble and compassionate ruler, but as you all too well know, sometimes it is never enough.”

Sunset shuddered for a moment, several terrible memories flashing through her mind at once, most of them of her mother towering over her with a disapproving glare. “So, like I was, but only worse.”

“From what my sister has told me of your up bringing, yes, far worse. You were a brat and a bully, but more along the lines of most spoiled, privileged foals. Despite those undesirable qualities, you learned how to play the game of Canterlot high society, despised it, but learned it. As I understand, you only took things too far once you were on the cusps of adulthood and she showed you the mirror. You demanded to be made a princess and have a crown of your own as if they would legitimize your existence and accomplishments. Heh, if only you had known the truth then perhaps things would have gone different.”

Sunset nodded soberly. “Different, but not necessarily better.”

“You were, thankfully, tempered and brought down to bear full witness of your shameful behavior, which only made you better, stronger. This, I know from personal experience as well.” Luna paused, she knew they were alone, but they were still in the open and voices carried. She lowered her voice and pressed her side into her niece’s, wrapping Sunset in a warm and comforting wing. “Flurry does not play the game. She plays her way and anypony or creature that questions it that is NOT an alicorn just simply gets stepped on. Again, Cadence did her best, but the Princess of Love lacks the power to keep her daughter in check let alone temper her. Twilight tried to curb her ambitions by granting her the title of Princess of Friendship.”

“So that’s how she got Twilight’s old castle, I always meant to ask.”

Luna nodded. “The Castle of Friendship had been integrated into use by the school. Even with dual purpose, there were still plenty of unused rooms. It seemed like a good use of the space and with the hope that Flurry would become more temperate dealing with friendship missions and helping with the various students. It did work, for a time, but after a few decades Flurry saw the title as a consolation prize. Her eyes turned to Canterlot. It is no secret what she truly desired was to claim my throne to rule beside Twilight, but I refused to endorse this as well as Celestia. Not yet, not with the way she has been behaving.”

“So, Twilight took on the burden of both day and night right from the get go and has had to do most of the work all by herself. And in typical Twilight fashion, tries to tirelessly please everypony.”

Luna gestured for Sunset to follow as they walked towards Luna’s private wing of the castle. “Come, we can talk more in my sanctuary. I am not usually up at this time either and also require the ‘Nectar of the Gods.’”

“Please tell me you mean coffee and not some weird blue milk from a griffon plant somewhere I probably don’t want to know about.”

Luna smiled. “Oh, it’s most definitely from a plant. These particular beans I have imported from an island off the Zebrican coast. My personal favorite coffee thus far.”

“Aunt Luna, you are my freaking hero.”

----------

Sunset sat back in the comfortable lawn chair completely splayed out with one leg over the armrest in a most undignified manner that would have been construed as lewd if any creature saw her and Sunset did not care a single bit. They were in Luna’s tower, well above most of the eyes of those below. She let out a happy sigh as the warm brew rushed through her system telling her neurons and synapses to fire like a perfectly tuned V8 engine. Sunset paused, how long had it been since she had last heard an old gas powered V8? The pondering left as quickly as it had arrived.

“Ohhhhhh, yeah. That’s the good stuff alright.”

Luna sat down next to her niece and smiled blissfully. “Agreed. Curious, did your mother ever tell you that most of the coffee grown in Equestria was actually obtained long ago from the dimension your father hailed from?”

Sunset stared into her cup a moment before looking out over the horizon. “No, must have slipped her mind. Though she did mention that the first time she tried coffee with him she spat it back in his face on accident. Guess that’s another thing I need to thank her and my father for.”

“Well it was mostly Star Swirl’s idea. That old colt fell in love with the stuff. The beans spread far and wide and over the centuries new beans and flavors emerged.”

“That’s not surprising. It’s very similar to how different flavors of distilled alcohol spread as well. Families taking recipe secrets with them as they traveled, trying new, local fruits and items to ferment, creating something new. All it takes is time and a passion to pass on what is learned.” Sunset fell quiet, her hoof reaching for the rings around her neck. “I guess I’ll get to witness that now too. How things change, evolve over time. How the world marches on… yet we just continue… above it all… alone.”

“It can be lonely if you let it,” Luna said matter-of-factly, “but it need not be. I spent one thousand years of my life trapped alone. It was dreadful. Thankfully, I do not remember much of it, spending most of the time in a dream-meditative state. When I awoke from time to time, I desperately wished for the company of another. Oh, how I lusted for it. Now that I have my guard again, I need not go without such pleasant company.”

Sunset choked for a moment on her drink as some of it went down her windpipe. After she finished coughing, she eyed her aunt suspiciously. Surely, she had heard that wrong. “Come again?”

“Oh! Pardon my poor manners. I had not offered you their services before since you were married and I assumed you would have declined. But now, if you feel the need that only another pony can fill you simply have to ask and I will order the thestrals of your choice to slick your burning lust.” Sunset’s jaw hung open as a pleasurable smile crept across Luna’s face. The thoughts and memories that were likely going through Luna’s mind made Sunset glad for once she did not have her geode and yet her imagination betrayed her anyhow.

“As you know, I created the thestral Lunar Guard over a millennia ago to serve me in all capacities I saw a need. They do not exist naturally, so I took it upon myself to mix ritual magic with an alchemical formula that gives the pegasus, earth pony, and unicorn volunteers their new forms. As soon as I returned from the moon and was restored my crown and title, I recreated the guard once more. As thestral, not only do the ponies have superior night vision and stamina to remain awake for longer than the average pony, but also better reflexes, physical conditioning, and often, as a delicious side effect, an increased libido. Upon their graduation from their rigorous training and a successful completion of the transformation ritual, they are given the opportunity to sexually satisfy their mistress.”

Sunset’s jaw hung open. Did her aunt just say she offered up sex as a graduation present to ALL her thestrals? And then a heartbeat later, offer them up as partners to… her? “I… I don’t know how to respond to that.”

“It’s quite all right. I have made the same offer to my sister and to Twilight, strangely, both declined the service even though I know from their dreams they have considered it. I do not press, however. I, on the other hoof, spent a thousand years alone and have no desire to be left unsatisfied again for as long as I live. Life is truly at its most blissful when a fit stallion is rutting me while I feast upon a delicious marehood. The fulfilment of bodies grinding together, the sounds of mutual climax. The best, I assure you. I have no interest in having foals so spell precautions are naturally applied. Besides, like my sister, I think of all our subjects as our children in a way.”

“Annnnnd just like that, this conversation went from awkward to just flat out creepy. I love you, Aunt Luna, but seriously you can stop now. I… will take your offer under consideration, but for now I think I’m okay.”

“Oh, come now, Sunset. Do not tell me you are going to be a bitter old prude about this like my sister. I assure you, they are quite discreet and willing to do whatever you ask of them. Gladly so. As I understand from what I have overheard their service to me is one of the most appealing perks of undertaking the ritual and joining the Lunar Guard.” Sunset sighed, her expression saddening, eyes distant while she touched the rings again. Luna’s smile fell away. “I have offended thee.”

“No… I’m just remembering. You were right before. It does get lonely being on your own. I remember… I… was having a particularly bad day, saw a happy couple that was just all over each other and I just… well, like you said, I just wanted to be touched. More than that I wanted to be filled, satisfied, and rutted so hard that I would just be left lying there panting for an hour. So, I found, well humans had people who took care of that sort of thing for you, like what you said your thestrals do for you. So, I paid for time with a… stallion who I was assured from his handler could keep up with me. Even in a human body I had alicorn stamina and was not easily satisfied. His name, or at least the name he used was Obsidian and he was… big. I mean he was taller than me, built like a piece of, well, rock and yeah, his stallionhood was all in proportion.”

Sunset let out a few breaths to get her shaking under control, one hoof continuing to press the rings to her breast bone. Luna waited patiently with a kind, but neutral expression on her face.

“He did exactly what I told him to do and it was… absolutely fucking amazing… and I hated myself afterwards for it. I hated how good it felt, I hated how easily he made me come, and that he did it again, and again, and again. I held it together until after I asked him to leave and then I sat in the shower for a few hours crying. I mean, Twi was… gone, but I still felt like I shouldn’t… that I didn’t deserve to feel happy or satisfied.”

Luna pulled Sunset into a hug as she wiped a stray tear away. “Niece, never feel as if you are unworthy of love and happiness. It is far too fleeting as you well know. Find it, hold it close, and cherish it.”

“Thanks.”

Luna levitated the empty mugs aside, standing and stretching. “Come now, we are both awake and have many hours left in the day. It has been years since you and I shared a small adventure. Let us fly and see what trouble we can participate in or advert until Twilight feels it is time to set the sun!”

Sunset smiled, stretching her own wings and body. “Sure, I think I’d like to get out for a bit.”

“I too would like to see more of this world,” said Raven, still attached to Sunset’s shoulder.

“The glass spoke!”

Sunset laughed at Luna’s incredulous expression. “Right, sorry, Luna, Raven. Raven, Luna, she’s like my assistant, but also likes to point out when I am doing something stupid.”

“I will have to reassess that particular threshold given all the new data I have now been acquiring.”

“You know, until I can properly introduce you to more ponies maybe just staying quiet and observing is best.”

“Understood.”

----------

The door to Donut Joe’s opened and all the conversations inside came to a screeching halt. The customers took a moment to assess the two alicorns standing at the entrance with matted fur, wild, messy manes, and a few scratches they had managed to stop the bleeding to, but had not fully healed yet. Sunset leaned over to her aunt, pulled a twig from her star filled blue mane and whispered, “I told you we should have cleaned up and just sent the Lunar Guard to get the donuts for us.”

“Nonsense!” Luna dismissed as she strolled to the center of the dining room. “The common ponies like to see their royals hard at work to serve them in all their capacity! Behold, citizens! We have come to enjoy victory pastries after vanquishing not one but TWO angry, ravaging hydras that had wandered from the forest and eaten a farmer’s crops and two of the farmer’s family! Thou art safer in the thine presence than ever shall be in your lives!” Sunset face hoofed, moving to the cashier to order. The atmosphere soon after returned to normal.

“We don’t need another vanquisher,” Sunset heard a pony mutter, “we need another princess to see to our needs.”

Against what most, especially Isabella, would consider proper royal protocol, Sunset turned to the muttering pony who probably did not realize alicorns had superior hearing. Or maybe he did and just had been daring them to respond. Sunset Shimmer, had no qualms with picking up the thrown gauntlet, as it were.

He was a young adult unicorn, but still looked like he could have still been in high school giving his almost coltish features. Judging by the finely sculped mane that was held with gel and purple silken ascot, Sunset guessed a son of a noble or wealthy business pony. His dark brown eyes were bright and hooves polished to a shine that had never seen a hard day’s work on a farm or front line labor job.

“I’m sorry, but do you have a problem with us helping the common pony when monsters eat their family members and livelihoods?”

The beige stallion jumped for a moment, clearly not expecting Sunset to call him out. He recovered a moment later and dabbed his chin with a napkin before speaking. “That’s all well and good, but that is what the guard is for, is it not? Otherwise, why do we need to pay so many taxes for all that armor and equipment they use? What we need in Canterlot, if not in all of Equestria is more representation from the royal family. Ever since Princess Twilight canceled the night court hearings the grievances and petitions by both the nobility and the common pony take twice as long if not longer to be heard by the crown. The princess needs to clear up more of her schedule for us, appoint a night court regent again, or Princess Luna needs to take back her crown to help in that capacity. Otherwise, our government will continue to operate at only a snail’s pace of efficiency. You would know that, Lady Sunset Shimmer, if you attended court once in a while instead of just tinkering in a lab or going on adventures. No doubt also financed by our taxed bits.”

Sunset bit back her first response to leap to Twilight’s defense, however… he was not entirely wrong. Luna eyed the young noble’s son with a cold stare, though it was slightly diminished in intimidation with a pink glazed and sprinkled covered donut levitating just to her left.

“Princess Twilight works tirelessly for the betterment of all. Thou should be grateful she-”

Sunset pushed the donut into Luna’s mouth. “You’re right, there is more that we can do and both Luna and I will see to it that your words have been heard and this will be brought before Her Majesty. In fact, I’ll talk with her about it tomorrow. Thank you.” Sunset wrapped her foreleg around Luna and teleported the pair away. A moment later they appeared just outside the castle gatehouse.

Luna gave her niece the stink eye before smiling, face coated in glaze and sprinkles. “You really are your mother’s daughter sometimes.”

Sunset shrugged. “Twilight’s stressed enough as it is. The last thing she needs is tomorrow’s headline to read how two alicorns got in a shouting match with the locals in a donut shop over court politics. Besides, I never realized that court proceedings had slowed down so much without the night court. My fault for not paying attention.”

“Mmm,” Luna grunted her agreement, feasting on another donut. “Tis true, however. It was not as difficult to catch up at first, but Twilight has spread herself out across the many aspects of the bureaucracy, partly because she enjoyed the process and partly because she micromanages to an unsustainable degree. In the past, she had her personal student, Luster Dawn, assisting her on such matters as filing and standing as regent of the night court. However, Luster wished to pursue her own ambitions and eventually a romantic relationship. Twilight officiated their wedding. We were invited. It was like an island luau, which was odd, but enjoyable. Have you ever had a pineapple daquiri? Delicious.

“*Ahem*, yes, as I was saying, the results were immediate. Once Luster Dawn left Canterlot, Twilight had to cancel the night court, unable to see to both herself. Not long after, Celestia and I saw it necessary to return to Canterlot. Which was just as well, given my sister’s health began to deteriorate.”

Sunset nodded. “Raven.”

“Yes, Sunset?”

Make a note to remind me to talk to Isabella before breakfast tomorrow, before she steals Twilight again.”

“Notation made. Of course, that requires you to actually get up before breakfast.”

Luna eyed the glass device curiously. “A personal assistant at your beck and call instantly because they are literally stuck to you. Strangely convenient. I think you may have your next great invention since your SunLight crystals.”

“Heh, not going to happen for a looooong time. Raven is by far more complex than anything I can program and that does not even begin to get into the fact that Equestria lacks the necessary equipment to crunch code of such complexity. Not to mention the circuitry and casing. No, she’s one of a kind.”

“Perhaps that is for the best.” Luna levitated over the last of the donuts to Sunset. “Will you be joining me later for another session of dream walking, dear niece?”

Sunset rubbed her chin before politely shaking her head. “Thanks for the offer, but not tonight, I have another project I have been interested in working on and I think I have just enough material to get it started. Plus, I want a good night’s sleep to catch Twilight in time before the nobility get their dirty hooves on her again.”

Luna smiled genuinely, pulling Sunset into a hug. “My heart is warmed and comforted that you care for her so. Go now, so that you will be rested. Our princess needs you more now that I believe either of you realize.”

Sunset trotted away, heading straight for her room with the bag of donuts in tow. Once she was secured in her residence with the wards in place again, Sunset set Raven down on her charger and retrieve a rather large, translucent crystal and a toolbox. Using her magic to summon the tools she needed Sunset began to shape the crystal and smooth a part of the surface until it was flat and reflected like glass.

“What evil scheme are you hatching now?”

“You know that actually hurts my feelings, Raven. I used to actually hatch evil schemes because I was a raging bitch with mommy issues.”

“I would shrug nonchalantly and beckon you to continue if I had the necessary body parts.”

Sunset retrieved a cord that had been at the bottom of her saddle bag that had followed her from the human world. She plugged it into the tiny connection port on the side of the case of her PAAL and then examined the other end, a smirk creeping across her face. “What do you think the chances are I can get you to display my favorite games on this crystal like a monitor?”

Author's Notes:

Just finished up chapter 13 and will start work on 14 soon so I figured why not post one today? 11 should still post on Wednesday.

So, hopefully that drew enough of mental images for everyone without having to get into the full details and keep it a T rating. I enjoyed the coffee talk time and we learned a few things about Luna.

Now some of you may be wondering about the bat pony (thestrals) So, the only time we really see them is in one episode about Nightmare Night. No explanation where or why or how?! They are seen in the comics a few times too, but also no details other than they serve Luna.
Then, I rewatched the Flutterbat episode with my little one for Halloween and I remembered, uhhh duhhh, this is a magical world. Transformations are a thing. So instead of having the bat ponies be a sub species I made them like Luna's special forces. They go through far more rigorous guard training and know that if they finish it they will be physically changed forever. But only Luna can change them because she keeps the formula and ritual secret. In my head, this does not change their genetic heritage. So Gauge, for instance is still a pegasus and would not create thestral foals.

Questions? Comments?

Chapter 11: Rise

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Raven woke Sunset up just as the sun was beginning to break the horizon with an alarm that sounded like a battle stations klaxon on a warship. It was annoying, and horrible, and far better than the simulated cat vomiting sound she sometimes used that could wake any creature from the deepest sleep. Thankfully, the castle staff had delivered fresh coffee beans to Sunset’s door the night before otherwise, no matter how many times Raven set her alarm off it would only have ended badly for the electronic intelligence.

Sunset, soon after finishing her morning cup, had caught up to Isabella Windsong as she was walking to the private dining hall. The griffon was muttering to herself as she reviewed her schedule of the day, which began with whisking Twilight away to begin the daily grind. The griffon scowled fiercely at Sunset for the interruption, par for the course for her. The glare that could have burned through steel simply bounced off the goldenrod alicorn.

“Look, I just need to talk to Twilight about a few things, it’s important.”

“Of course, it’s important, it’s always important. Everypony, every creature wants the princess’s time because it’s important! That is why we set up schedules and make appointments,” Isabella replied sharply.

Sunset growled, rubbing her temple. “So, I need an appointment just to see my friend?”

“To say hello, no, for business and or related issues that are not, basic greetings, yes. Despite what you have been told or believe, you are not special, Sunset Shimmer, not in this regard.”

“Isa, that was uncalled for.”

Isabella and Sunset turned to see Twilight Sparkle standing in the doorway a disapproving frown on her face. The griffon bowed her head, shamefully.

“I apologize, You Highness, but I do only have your best interest and the needs of Equestria in mind. Lady Sunset cannot monopolize your time on a whim just because she lives in the castle. It is unfair to the rest of court and the common ponies who do not have such a privilege.”

Sunset frown and began to turn to walk away when a golden hoofguard on the end of a long purple leg reached out and turned Sunset’s face back towards her. Their eyes met, Twilight’s full of pain and sympathy. Sunset’s anger melted away like ice to a flame. “I’m sorry, Sunset. I’m sorry for Flurry’s behavior yesterday and that she ran you off. I’m sorry I don’t have more time, especially time for you.”

“That’s one of the things I wanted to talk to you about, but if I’m causing problems for you, I can get in line like everypony else,” Sunset said softly, wrapping her hoof around Twilight’s.

Twilight sighed, her expression twisting bitterly for a moment before nodding. “Sadly, it’s for the best. I’m sure Isa will find some time for you.”

“Of course, Your Highness.”

Sunset relented and nodded. “Yeah, okay. Just as well, I guess. I’m almost done with my other project and need to run a few more tests and tweaks while I wait for you.”

“Okay, I’ll see you soon.” Twilight, hesitant at first, but then stepped closer, pulling Sunset into a hug and nuzzling her mane. Sunset just stood in the hallway as the princess and her assistant walked and talked. She knew it was just a friendly hug, it was just a friendly hug… right? Was that more than a friendly hug? Had it really been so long since someone had hugged her like that she could not tell the difference or was it different just because it was Twilight?

“Your heart rate is spiking. Are you feeling well, Sunset?”

“Yeah,” she whispered to Raven, “just… processing.”

Later that night, with Raven’s helpful suggestions and Sunset’s magic and engineering knowhow they had managed to invent an interface that allowed the alicorn to once again enjoy her favorite downloaded games on a larger screen while she used telekinetic fingers to operate the game on her PAAL screen. That was a grand accomplishment, but Sunset wanted to find a way to move the games to a construct to play off her crystal screen and a game controller that was compatible with hooves as well.

“One step at a time, girl,” Sunset whispered to herself as her little knight ran through the countryside on horseback looking for more enemies to slay.

----------

Three days. It took three days to find a sufficient gap in Twilight’s schedule for the week that did not involve cutting into down time Twilight used to relax or try to cram everything into a few sentences while Isabella ushered the princess to the next function. Sunset had, naturally, groaned about the wait to Isabella who was about as sympathetic as a bag of rocks, but Sunset also refused to steal any of her friend’s personal time. The world was unlikely to end in the next three days, plus it gave her time to work on her gaming project and spend personal time with Celestia and Luna.

The three alicorns were already seated at the table for dinner in the smaller, private dining hall when Twilight Sparkle entered, let out a long breath and a groaning sigh. Sunset, Celestia, and Luna gave sympathetic smiles.

“Uggghhhh,” Twilight ran a hoof down her face, “I thought I would never get away from that event. Don’t get me wrong, it was a good idea on paper, but just like everything else some noble or wealthy business pony manages to turn a charity event that was supposed to raise money for wounded soldiers, sailors, and the disabled into a photo op with the princess for their own business and/or campaign. I swear, everypony has damn agenda.”

Twilight sat in her plush chair and slammed her face onto the table so dramatically that even her crown slid off, coming to a rest right before Sunset Shimmer. The crown took on a red glow from Sunset’s magic as she gently slid it back towards Twilight. She heard Twilight mumble her thanks while keeping her face still hidden behind the massive cascade of moonlight and magenta mane.

“Well, hopefully dinner will raise your spirits,” said Celestia, tapping on the end of the table with her hoof loud enough to let the staff know it was time for them to enter. Twilight sat back upright, placing her crown back on her head and attempting to pretend her earlier outburst had not happened. After all, if there were any ponies that loved gossip more than soldiers it was the castle staff. Few would run off to the press to whisper the latest scuttlebutt, but few was still more than none. A moment later the guards opened the door to allow Pasty Cake and two servants to enter pushing two trolleys of covered plates.

“Goooooood evening, Your Highnesses!” If Sunset did not know better, she would have bet good coin that Pasty Cake had been related to pony Pinkie Pie. The peach earth pony was always in high spirits and had enough energy to run the royal kitchen all by herself if she really wanted to, but still had a small staff at her disposal. She loved her job and it showed in not only her demeanor, but in her presentation. The two trolleys came to a stop and the head chef lifted the lids and began setting out the salad course with a side of garlic bread.

“While you enjoy your greens, I present for your dining pleasure a triple layer lasagna made with my special blend of costal spices! I have two variants, one with extra cheese and because Her Majesty prefers less, one with only a dry parmesan sprinkle on top. Enjoy!”

The four alicorns indicated their choices and portion sizes and ate with the only sounds being silverware clinking against stoneware plates. After the salads and main course was cleared Twilight sighed happily and locked eyes with the pony across the rectangular table from her.

“So, Sunset, you have been unusually patient these last few days. What have you been working on?”

Sunset set down her napkin and felt a smile spread across her face at the sight of Twilight’s mischievous expression. The corner of her eye then caught equally as wicked grins on both her mother and aunt’s faces as well. Sunset cleared her throat and sat up, taking a more professional posture.

“I can show you my pet project later if you like, but what I really wanted to talk to you about and why I asked for your time has to do with YOUR schedule and handling of court.”

Twilight blinked, completely taken off guard. “Oh? I thought you hated talking politics.”

“I do, but this is important. Tell me, if you would, why is there no night court to help balance your workload?”

“Oh, that’s easy, because Luna has no interest in resuming her role in the night court and I haven’t found another pony that I trust enough to handle things without their own special interest interfering where I end up micromanaging them to the point that they have no authority and it becomes redundant.”

Sunset nodded her head in understanding. “Okay, I get that you want somepony qualified and will put the interest of Equestria first, but I was informed by a member of the nobility that you have not had a regent of the night court since your former student, Luster Dawn stepped down.”

Twilight tapped her chin and then nodded, “Sound about right.”

“Twilight, that was what? Sixty years ago?”

“Sixty-seven years ago,” Twilight replied automatically, her eyes looking at her empty tea cup on the table.

Sunset almost teleported to stand next to her friend, to pull her into a warm embrace of hooves and wings and nuzzle her, whisper into her ear that it was okay. Almost. Sunset let out a breath and sat up straighter. Professionalism. This was a job interview not a therapy session.

“Twilight, we’re friends, so I’m going to be honest with you. You are running yourself ragged trying to do all of this yourself. I’m here now, I've got these wings, so I need to pull my weight around here. I want to help you by taking on some of your workload.” Sunset swallowed the lump that had formed. “With your permission I would like to reopen the night court.”

“That’s… wow. Well, thank you for your concern and your offer, but you have not immersed yourself in dealing with Canterlot nobility in a long time. I don’t know if you would be able to handle it.”

“Twilight, I was raised in the castle, I was taught politic science by Celestia, yeah her, there she is, say hello, Mom. I was taught the ins and outs of how to play the game at a young age. I was dealing with the nobility and studying professional protocols when you still had not even earned your cutie mark yet.”

“It’s not the same court as it was when you were a filly. The nobles are different.”

“The nobles are always different, but the game is the same, plus I’m a quick study. I can relearn who the power players are, any new procedures and laws that have been added and updated in the last hundred years or so.”

Twilight continued to stare at her cup drawing imaginary circles on the table with her hoof. “It would be a lot of work. I would have to completely revamp my schedule as it is and there would be pushback from the noble council and various guild houses who don’t like you. I think most of them don't like you.”

“Since when was Twilight Sparkle afraid of a little hard work?”

Before Twilight answered, Tasty Cake returned with the dessert round. A plain if heavenly red velvet cake with light pink frosting. The alicorns thanked the chef as she left them to their privacy again. Twilight was about to take a bite when she set her fork down.

“Thank you for the offer, Sunset, but I don’t think it’s necessary. You already do so much for Equestria with your inventions and projects.”

Sunset set her fork down as well. “That’s just busy work, something to keep me occupied and not go insane.”

“Seriously, it’s okay. I’ve got it all under control.”

Sunset growled, slamming her hoof onto the table. “Babe, just let me help you!” As soon as the words left her mouth, Sunset’s eyes went wide and she covered her face with a hoof. “Dammit.”

Celestia and Luna who had been silently watching the exchange while enjoying their cake looked at one another. Celestia reached out and touched her daughter who fought down her tears and embarrassment.

“I… I didn’t mean to say that, like that, I mean… yeah.”

Twilight nodded, but her face remained crestfallen. “I understand. I remind you of her.”

“Yes… no, I mean, I’ve always been able to separate the two of you. It's not replacement or mistaken identity. You two were always similar yet not the same, like twin sisters. This is just me in my own head. Sometimes when I get excited or angry or just, I… I’m sorry. Every time I think I'm ready to... just forget I said anything.”

“You have nothing to apologize for and I appreciate your concern for my wellbeing. I really do,” Twilight said. She had a few bites of her cake and then stood. “Let me think on your proposal, okay? In the meantime, I would really like to see what you have been working on.”

Sunset looked up, her eyes glassy, but no tears had fallen just yet. “You sure? I don’t want to make things awkward.”

“I think talking some science will make us both feel better.”

Sunset smiled warmly. “Yeah, I’d like that.”

Celestia and Luna finished their slices of cake and each eyed the unfinished slices that sat on Twilight and Sunset’s plates. They waited until the two younger alicorns left before stealing the remaining slices.

“Didn’t your doctor say you were only allowed one slice of cake per week?” Luna arched an eyebrow, one hoof on her cheek and a sassy grin on her face.

“Oh, kiss my plot, Lulu.”

Sunset opened the door to her room and gestured for Twilight to follow her to the work bench along the back wall. Twilight walked slow. It had been quite some time since she had visited Sunset’s private residence. Technically, she could go where ever she pleased. It was HER castle, after all. With the right application of force Twilight was certain she could have broken Sunset’s wards too if she really wanted to, but that would have been rude and unnecessary. This place, after all was Sunset’s sanctuary from the world. She understood completely the need to have a place that was just yours.

“Oh, good, you’re back. Without network connectivity I have come to truly despise being left behind.”

Twilight fur stood on end. A voice had spoken from somewhere in the room, a posh, elegant voice, but as far as she could detect there were no other ponies in the room. Did Sunset leave a pony on hold on her SunLight crystal when she left? Was there… was there a pony in her bedroom… waiting for Sunset? “Uhhhhh?”

“Oh!” Sunset’s face lit up before she grinned sheepishly. “I haven’t had a chance to introduce you to Raven yet.” Sunset levitated a small glass rectangle to herself and held it up. “Say hello, Raven.”

“Hello, Raven,” the glass repeated, which made Sunset role her eyes and groan.

“Really? You really went there?”

“I learned all my bad habits from you, just so you know.”

“Is that... your phone talking? The glass you were wearing at Grunt's hatching was your phone and you were able to actually get it to work here? In Equestria?!” Twilight’s face lit up and she grinned while tapping her forehooves together like a filly. “This is amazing! The scientific possibilities are… incalculable! We should make up a list of other technological items we can attempt to bring back from the human world next time the portal opens!”

“I am reasonably sure with a 96% accuracy that this pony sounds like my co-creator, Professor Twilight Sparkle.”

“Yeah, there’s a reason for that. Princess Twilight, meet Raven, Twi’s last great gift to humanity. Or curse, depending on the day. She is an artificial intelligence that has learn how to grow and respond by listening and observing. She’s my friend and has gotten me through some rough times.”

“Aww, you do care.”

Twilight smiled at the glass and bowed her head. “If you helped keep my friend in one piece then I am glad and grateful. Thank you Raven… Raven, like Celestia’s former personal assistant?”

Sunset’s grin spread wide. “I forgot, you knew her too! Yeah, Raven never really liked me. She put up with me, helped Kibitz raise me, but I don’t think she liked foals in general much. Or maybe just me. I was a brat. Anyhow, when I was customizing my PAAL I latched onto the idea of making her sound as close to Raven Inkwell as possible. There was just something incredibly childish and satisfying about finally being able to pretend that I got to boss Raven around. I’m surprised Tempest didn’t mention her to you.”

“She probably didn’t think a talking piece of glass was a national security threat and it slipped her mind. Tempest is a wonderful friend and even better Captain of the Guard, but going along those lines she is also ALWAYS on duty even when she is not.”

“Sounds about right.” Sunset gestured for Twilight to meet her at the large shaped crystal sitting on the table. “Well, with that out of the way, this is what I’ve been working on.” Sunset levitated her PAAL next to the black cube that had a small wire sticking out the side of it. A few tweaks to a power node and a few taps on the side of the smooth crystal the surface lit up. Twilights jaw dropped.

“Oh, sweet Celestia! You built a computer?!”

“Ehhh, rudimentary gaming platform. It’s still a work in progress. Right now, it still requires Raven to be hooked into the system to work. I want to eventually get those games off her and onto a solid state crystal storage, but I’m having difficulty finding the right way to transfer the information. Before I left, I downloaded about fifty of my favorite mobile games along with a few old school classics that I just had to have.” Sunset held up what looked like a large boomerang with various controls and buttons on it made oversized to accommodate pony hooves. “Wanna play?”

----------

The frantic knocking on her residence door shook Sunset Shimmer from the wonderful dream she was having. And why did her bed smell like sweet lavender and was so warm and soft… Sunset’s eyes came into focus. The first thing Sunset noticed was that she had never made it to bed and instead fell asleep on the larger of her sitting area couches… on her back. Her left wing must have gone numb at some point because otherwise it would have felt more uncomfortable to lay upon.

The second thing she noticed was that Princess Twilight Sparkle, ruler of all of Equestria, was laying on top of her using Sunset as a body pillow with her head snuggling her chest, hooves wrapped around her with flowing indigo and magenta mane everywhere. Sunset usually was not a morning pony, but her eyes shot wide open and her heart started pounding so fast and loud she could hear it in her own ears, which were probably as scarlet as the rest of her face. The knocking came again, louder and more forceful.

“How much did I drink last night?”

The PAAL on the table lit up and chimed in, “None, actually. But the princess did stay up considerably later playing Dragon Quest 3.”

Sunset closed her eyes and teleported out of her friend’s grasp and instantly replaced herself with a pillow. Twilight snuggled the pillow, mumbled something incoherently, and snored. It was absolutely precious and made Sunset smile and giggle. She could look at that sight all day and never get tired of it. Sunset’s head split with a yawn while she moved quietly to the door and opened it a crack, peering out to see who had been knocking. She gulped, her mouth going sticky and dry as if she had actually finished a bottle of some hill-billie distilled rotgut. Ah shit.

“Lady Sunset,” said Tempest standing at the door with her helmet on and a defensive barrier shimmering. She was accompanied by Isabella, Celestia, and Gauge, who must have drawn the short straw since he was holding a cup of fresh coffee. “Where is the princess?”

Sunset rubbed the back of her head. “She’s… still sleeping.” Tempest blinked rapidly, Celestia smirked, Gauge held his poker face, and Isabella facepalmed with one of her claws. “Okay, wait. That sounded bad when I say it like that. I need that coffee.”

“We do not have time for this.” Isabella pushed the door open and lead the entourage into the room. Sunset wanted to protest, but it was not like she had anything to hide. They didn’t do anything… probably... that she could recall. Mental note, ask Raven if I did anything I would possibly regret later.

Isabella was about to call out the princess’s name when she spotted the purple alicorn curled up on the couch, snoring lightly. She tried to wake Twilight with a few shakes, but she only snuggled into the pillow more, a small smile on her face. It was at that moment that Sunset’s face began to burn scarlet again when she realized that the body pillow Twilight was delightfully snuggling was the one she usually kept on her bed. The one that SHE usually wrapped herself around for comfort and sometimes… self-relief and probably smelled like Sunset… in more than one way. Isabella turned back to Sunset and crossed her arms, her glare could have melted diamond carbide.

“The sun is supposed to be up in less than ten minutes, Her Highness has a breakfast meeting with the planning supervisor on the Nightmare Night festivities next month, all of which requires her to actually be awake to take care of,” Isabella hissed. “What did you do?!”

“We just played some video games last night, that’s it. I conked out about two, I think, and Twilight, well, I think she just pulled an all-nighter and now she’s… out. I guess I should have warned her how addicting some of those games can get.”

“You played games?” Isabella replied. “Is that some sort of euphemism?”

“What? No! Hey, nothing happened! We just had fun. You remember what fun is, right? Because I’m pretty sure she doesn’t get to do it that often.”

The others in the room exchanged glances. Tempest slid her helmet off and brushed out her mane, finally breaking the silence. “Well, she’s not wrong. I can’t remember the last time Her Highness did something fun for herself.”

Celestia stepped around Isabella and summoned a large blanket in her magic, gently laying it over Twilight. She stared at her former student a moment before turning back to the others. “Now that we have confirmed that Twilight is well, I think our next course of action is clear. Sunset, you must take over for Twilight’s duties for the day.”

Sunset nearly choked on the coffee Gauge had passed to her. She managed to suppress her coughs so as to not disturb her friend, causing her eyes to water terribly. Although it was probably unnecessary, from the looks of it Sunset doubted an incoming missile barrage would wake Twilight up. “You can’t be serious.”

“I agree,” said Isabella.

Celestia, her old court mask working at full capacity, ignored the comments. “I will assist you with every step and detail just as I did with Twilight when she first took up the throne, but even if we were able to rouse Twilight from her sleep she is in no condition to lead. I could simply take over and handle all the duties myself-”

“I would prefer that,” quipped Isabella.

“But did you not just approach Twilight last night offering to help her in such a similar capacity?”

The griffon did a doubletake between Celestia and Sunset. “Wait, what?”

Celestia approached her daughter and touched a hoof to her chin, raising Sunset’s face so they could look eye to eye. “Is Sunset Shimmer all talk? Or is she a pony who steps up and gets things done for the betterment of others? Especially her friends.”

“Damn,” Sunset whispered, “I forgot how good you are at this.”

Celestia smiled serenely. “You won’t be alone.”

Isabella groaned and threw her claws in the air. “Fine, have it your way, ancestors help us. First thing’s first, you need to help Celestia raise the sun. I will meet with the planning supervisor and see if they will accept my recommendations or reschedule if necessary. After that you need to be made presentable if you are going to be leading the court.”

“Right, a quick bite and I just need to find my hairbrush, maybe a little feather preening.”

“Uh, no,” Isabella stepped up to Sunset, the griffon examining what she had to work with and gesturing with a sweeping arm. “We are not talking about an informal dinner party or charity event. We are talking about the day court in front of all of the nobility of Canterlot. The high court of ALL OF EQUESTRIA. If you are going to sit your plot on the throne you have to look like you belong there or else this will end badly before it even begins, especially for Her Highness. I will not allow that. You need your hair and mane brushed of course, but we need to find you a crown to wear. Perhaps a spare one of Celestia’s or-”

“Fuck you.”

“I… I BEG YOUR PARDON?!”

Sunset’s wings extended and for a half second burned with fire, her eyes hard, taking on a faint glow. “I am NEVER wearing a crown. Never again.”

Isabella composed herself after Celestia placed a reassuring hoof on Sunset’s shoulder to reign in her daughter’s emotions. “You must have something, some sort of regalia. The nobility must see you as a legitimate stand in or they will scoff and dismiss you and that requires a symbol of authority. I don’t understand why you are opposed to it. It carries weight for sure, but more symbolic than physical mass.”

Sunset shook, struggling to fight down her anxiety. She took several deep breaths, closed her eyes, and touched her rings. It brought her heart rate under control, but not her anger. It did not stop the memories that were forever burned into her mind and soul. She could still feel the pain the Element of Magic caused when it transformed her, feel the tears that evaporated in the hellfire of her demon form. Sunset had...not quite mastered, perhaps came to terms her darkness, but sometimes, if she let her anger get the better of her, she could still hear her own dark cackle.

“If you ever had a crown do to you what one did to me you would never touch one either.”

Tempest stepped up next to Sunset and touched her opposite shoulder of Celestia, drawing the alicorn’s attention. “Go raise the sun, then meet me at the armory. I think I know something that will satisfy both of you.” With that said Tempest let herself out of the room.

“I’ll station two guards outside to wait for Her Majesty to awaken.” Gauge bowed and followed his commander out.

Isabella turned to Celestia one last time. “I hope you know what you are doing, Your Grace.”

Celestia smiled serenely once more. “Have faith, my friend.” Celestia turned back to her daughter who levitated that strange glass device onto her shoulder again. She watched as Sunset stared down at Twilight for a moment before brushing the hair from her face and whispering something that brought a smile to the sleeping princess’s face. “It’s time.”

Sunset and Celestia exited the room last, Sunset taking a moment to secure it with a basic locking spell that Twilight would easily be able to undo. Two thestrals took up position on either side of the door their black spears held firmly in the upright rest position. Celestia nodded to them and they bowed their heads in respect.

The white and goldenrod alicorns walked to the nearest balcony and took flight, Celestia led her daughter to the top of the solar tower near the observatory. It was similar in design to Luna’s tower except that this tower, in fact, now belonged to Twilight. They touched down on the open balcony and turned to the western sky first where the moon was already low and awaiting its final push to slip below the horizon.

“Thank you for doing this,” Celestia said, wiping a tear from her eye. “I selfishly must admit I have more than once dreamed of doing this with you.”

Sunset smiled, nuzzling her mother. “What are you talking about? This isn’t the first time. I remember being, what, about five when I first tried to raise the sun for you.”

Celestia laughed a deep, genuine chortle. “Yes, I remember. You came to this spot, right at the edge of the balcony and tried with all your might to summon the sun. You tried so hard. It was… precious, endearing. I think you even made it wiggle an inch.”

Sunset nodded. “Yeah, I was a pretty cute filly. You know, before I became a holy terror.”

Celestia gently wrapped her daughter in a winged embrace. “None of that. Positive thoughts. The true secret to lifting the sun, besides being connected to it is you must think positive, happy thoughts. A new day is about rebirth, about warmth, about life. You must reach out with your strength of will and feel that burning sphere in space itself. Feel it, summon it as you would a flame.”

Sunset reached out with her senses and let out a deep breath. It was there, just beyond the horizon. Like an unseen torch in the distance in her mind’s eye. It almost felt alive.

“First, you need to lower the moon. It wants to rest, sitting low to the horizon it will respond to the lightest of nudges. Think of it like putting a child to bed. It wants to be reassured that all will be well and that it will see you again. You and Luna have grown close, wonderfully close. It will respond to you, sensing that familiarity.”

As Celestia had said, Sunset felt the pull of the moon just as the tides do. It called to her, like an old friend. She had worked many nights burning the midnight oil on games and projects, all under the watchful eye of the moon. Sunset felt that kindred connection as her horn began to glow red.

Sunset eyes remained closed as she imagined putting her girls to bed when they were little. First Sunna, always wanting her flashlight in hand and a quick story before lights out. Next Aurora, who gladly read out loud for a few minutes to show her Mama how well she could read. Sunset would kiss each and bid them sweet dreams followed by Twi doing the same. Sleep now, I’ll see you again soon. The moon slipped away.

“Very good.”

Sunset next turned East, her eyes still closed, but she knew which direction to turn, she could feel it in her soul like a burning compass. It was like a flicker in her chest, she could feel the sun inside her. It reminded Sunset of the tiny magical orb that her mother had sent to her in the in between that had unlocked her alicorn ascension. Sunset focused on that burn in her chest, connected with it and bid it connect with the sun itself. She willed it come forth.

“Good, just like that. Let me give you just a little boost.” Celestia’s horn took on a golden light for just a moment, touching the tip of her horn to Sunset’s, the magic arcing from one to the other. Sunset gasped, her eyes opening just as she pulled the sun up over the horizon. It was the most breathtaking sunrise she had ever seen because it was the first one she had created.

“And that, my little sun, is how it is done.”

Chapter 12: Eat the Rich

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Sunset Shimmer knew exactly where the guard armory was. Not that it was hard to find considering it faced the guard barracks and had half a platoon guarding it at all times and some of the thickest wooden doors in all of Equestria. The throne room’s doors may have been larger, but the ancient oak doors of the armory had barely taken a scratch from the damage Tirek and company had caused during their destruction of the castle. Not that it mattered since said enemy had not been interested in armor, weapons, or potions.

According to the guards who were standing with their polearms at the ready, Captain Tempest Fury had warned them of Sunset’s impending arrival and that she was already inside. Sunset had no idea what the captain had in mind for her, but if it involved a giant, scary, glowing axe to keep the nobility in line she liked where this was heading.

Sunset entered the cavernous chamber lit by low luminous mage lights. There were no decorations to speak of and the room smelled of blade oil, and the cedar that comprised most of the shelves. Sunset then took notice of an old earth pony guard at the desk near the front door, who was still built like a tank, inspecting some armor before dropping it back into a crate. She was about to speak when the old stallion spat on the floor and kicked the crate away.

“Sloppy damn work, I tell ya!” He gave Sunset the stink eye and unholstered a throwing ring from his side that was once favored by ancient earth pony warriors, a chakram if she remembered correctly. “You see this?! This is vintage! Made by hoof, forged and hammered with love and pride! A thousand years old and it could still take out a new polearm staff and crack the armor of almost anythin’ that comes off the lines today. Absolute garbage they are hoofin’ over to those poor snuffies I tell ya! Good thing we got them dragons on our side now ‘cause otherwise them foals ain’t nothin’ but walkin’ crunchies!”

“Uhhhh.”

“Oh, I heard of you, girl. The flamin’ sword or some fancy shit like that. They say you got fight in ya! I believe ‘em. I heard ya took on the lieutenant commander in a staff fight in the ring the other day. No magic! Now that must’ve been somethin’ ta see! Name’s Ironside, I was a soldier for a long damn time, don’t ask how long, I done gone forgot how long ago I signed up, but I still serve. I may not have much soldierin’ left in me, but my mind’s sharp and I keep track of all the shit that comes in and out of this here place. If you’re lookin’ for the capta'n she is in the back, diggin’ somethin’ out. Must be somethin’ special if she is gettin’ it out for a princess.”

“I’m not… you know what that’s fine. Which way did she go?”

“Here,” said Tempest, returning with an old crate in her green magical aura that matched her eyes. Tempest looked at Ironside and motioned to the door.

“Yeah, yeah, I get it, some secret shit or somethin’ can’t let even the old war horse see what you been hidin’ from my inventory, eh?”

“It’s from my personal effects, which is how it would appear on your manifest, you old mule.” Ironside barked out a laugh at the insult. “Besides, you’ll see it soon enough just like everypony else.” Ironside saluted and limped out of the armory, closing the thick wooden door behind him.

Tempest opened the top of the crate and a fine layer of dust waft in the air. Sunset waited where she sat for Tempest to finish with whatever nostalgia she was lost in. Sunset knew that lost in memory look well, she had found herself doing it more often than she cared for. The vermilion unicorn shook her head and lifted out a dulled golden object. Sunset thought it was a crown, but took a step closer and found that it was a cross between a light duty helm and a ceremonial circlet with a single red fire ruby in the center placed just below the opening for a unicorn horn. At first it just looked pretty, but upon closer inspection with her magical senses Sunset could feel the gem hum with stored enchantment power.

“My great grandmother was an interesting pony, or so I’m told. I never met her. She had a rough fillyhood, a hard time making friends, and it only got harder on her after an ursa broke her horn. She had to completely relearn how to control her power, for which she had quite a bit. She was stout, tall, nearly all lean muscle and she knew how to throw that weight around in battle. She even defeated all the princesses once in a surprise attack on Canterlot. I don’t suppose you remember that?”

“It happened while I was in the other world. I heard the attack was so swift that a single expeditionary force overwhelmed the few defenses that were at the ready and she used some of the most advanced petrification orbs ever created to neutralize three alicorns in a single preemptive attack. It was some damn impressive magic and combat from what I was told. Too bad it was for the bad guy.”

Tempest nodded. “After it was all said and done and things calmed down, the Storm King lay in pieces and his army scattered to the four winds. Fizzle Pop went out on her own for a bit, afraid that the powers that be would still want to charge and arrest her for her part in the attack. Later she returned at Princess Twilight’s request and became Her Highness’s first Captain of the Guard after the coronation. Even that had not been a smooth transition. They remained close friends throughout her entire term of service. I am named after her, her nickname rather. Tempest Shadow. Anyhow, Great Grand hated the official uniforms of the Canterlot Royal Guard, especially the captain’s uniform. So, she had a new ceremonial helm and armor commissioned along with two sets of custom hoofguards. Since you two are about the same height and build...”

Sunset took the circlet helm in her magic and examined it. It was beautifully crafted and was forged of both bronze and gold to form a decorative functionality. Upon closer examination Sunset could also sense complex passive defense magic emanating from the gem in the center. Tempest next set out four hoofguards that were of a similar design that were tall and would cover up to Sunset’s knees easily. Lastly, she removed a set of body armor in two sections, a chest plate that also had a fire ruby in the center at the breast bone and a back plate that might fit but would need a little modification considering her wings.

“You are giving these to me? But these belong to your family.”

“Well, I would like them back eventually, but take into consideration they are beautifully crafted and powerful. Like I said, Great Grand had a broken horn so she was always having to regulate her mana flow, which took a great deal of concentration all the time. The head gem and chest plate gem work together to take that excess power and create a passive defensive field for wearer. You could take a sledgehammer to the head and shrug it off like a bug bite. This armor is a piece of art made by the master armor crafter, Vector himself. He forged Great Grand's black armor and the reflective plate shields used by the Storm Guard. This, however, was his masterpiece. It's made to be worn and seen and it’s not doing anypony any good sitting in the box.”

Tempest paused, her eyes meeting Sunset’s. “Twilight is my princess and my friend and if you are truly serious about getting up in the big chair and helping her then yes, I want you to wear this. I don’t know what happened to you in the past or why you hate crowns and titles, you can tell me when you’re ready. Right now though I am putting my faith in you that you will get the job done and not embarrass yourself and my friend doing it. If the nobility need to see a princess looking the part of royalty then wear this armor as regalia with pride and my blessing and show those rich, bloated, nags and mules what Sunset Shimmer is really capable of.”

Carefully, with shaking hooves, Sunset closed her eyes and slid the circlet into place, it needed only a few, minor tweaks to make it fit perfectly. Tempest next did a quick modification on the armor, removing the shoulder guards and opening a few of the back plates to allow Sunset’s wings to slip through and sit comfortably at her sides. With a quick adjustment to the straps on either side the chest piece the back plate snapped into place to be secured just as the designer intended. Lastly, the hoofguards slid right on and cinched tight. The two gems sensing body heat and proximity to one another began glow faintly to indicate they were working.

Sunset lifted her PAAL from where she had set it down so that the camera eye was facing her. The device made a simulated picture snap sound. “So, how do I look?”

Tempest nodded approvingly, a rare, genuine smile on her face.

Raven took another photo. “Aesthetically, the gold blends with your amber coat too closely. I think it would look better in black, but it certainly gives the appearance of authority with the glowing gems. If my opinion matters I have to say I like it.”

Sunset secured her PAAL again, gently touching a hoof to the rings that rested just above the fire ruby at her chest. “Let’s do this.”

----------

Celestia waited at the door to the back antechamber. The nobility and guild councilors had already settled into the throne room, chatting amongst themselves. Most of what could be gleamed was idle prattle, but it had now gone beyond the usually start time and some of the nobility began to comment on Twilight’s tardiness. Isabella was at the foot of the dais with one eye on the door, waiting for Celestia’s signal while she did her best to look calm and confident even if she did not feel it.

The solar goddess turned at the sound of approaching hoofsteps and sighed in relief at the sight of Tempest. The Captain of the Guard stepped aside and gestured with a bow for her charge to step forward. Celestia gasped and had to fight down the tears of pride and joy that threatened to break her court mask as her heart swelled. The sight of her beloved daughter in golden regalia armor, clean and brushed mane, and a hint of some sweet smelling fruit perfume that somepony must have sprayed on her at the last minute. Celestia felt that if she were to keel over dead at that moment she could cross over a happy mare, bursting with motherly pride.

“Sunset Shimmer, my beautiful daughter. I have lost count of the number of times I have dreamed of this day.”

Sunset gave her mother a lopsided, slightly too wide grin that spoke more of nervousness than excitement. “Thanks, I think. The last time I dreamed of sitting in the big chair I was still working through my megalomania phase. It usually involved me wearing your crown with a small harem of… you know what, just forget I said that. I guess I can take a small comfort in that it’s Twilight’s chair now, right? Am I rambling? I think I might have had too much coffee, no, there’s no such thing. Right, never mind, I am rambling. Is it hot in here? Is it the armor?”

“Take a breath, you’re starting to sound like Twilight,” said Tempest, moving around the two alicorns to exit. She whispered something to Isabella and then moved to the rear of the room to secure the main door. Isabella nodded and Celestia nodded in return.

“Remember,” Celestia whispered, “I will be right next to you. If you have any questions about anything, do not hesitate. I can still quickly and quietly cast privacy bubbles so that we may converse.”

“If possible, flip through the case itineraries where I can see them. I will cross reference what I can with the Equestria History and Law books you have showed me over the last few days,” said Raven, earning an arched eyebrow from Celestia.

“Uh, right. Mom, Raven. Raven, Celestia. Artificial Intelligence friend and assistant who will stay quiet so I don’t have to explain her to the whole court that wants to eat me alive,” Sunset eyed her PAAL, “Right?”

“If I hear something of note worthiness, I will vibrate to get your attention. Satisfactory?”

“Fine, I can work with that.”

Celestia snorted. “You named her Raven. She even sounds a bit like her. That is quite amusing.”

Sunset smirked, before gently touching her mother’s shoulder. “Yeah, its weird but I have my reasons. Now, Mom, in all seriousness, If I do start to… lose control, you know, ordering executions, setting ponies on fire, or transform into a red, winged demon, please, don’t hesitate to stop me.”

Celestia kissed her daughter’s cheek. “Have faith in your abilities, little sun.” With that, Celestia stepped out of the antechamber ahead of Sunset and Isabella shouted across the cavernous room.

“Silence! All rise! Day court is now in session!”

Celestia ignored the murmurs and kept her eyes forward, nodding occasionally as some of the ponies bowed respectfully. She glided past the well dressed griffon and took her place on the smaller throne. Sunset Shimmer followed her mother’s lead and kept her eyes forward as well. It started as whispers, but as Sunset approached Twilight’s throne the murmurs became louder and when she stood before the massive seat, hesitating for only a moment before taking a seat, the voices of protest had become a white noise of upheaval and objections.

“ORDER!” shouted Isabella. The most boisterous continued to talk amongst themselves. Finally, one of the more prominent lords stepped out of line and approached the throne without being called upon. Isabella scowled at him as did Celestia. It was a blatant breach of protocol and a subtle insult to Sunset to undermining her authority. One that did not go unnoticed by any present. He even refused to bow before speaking.

“This is the Day Court of Canterlot, not a circus show for you to waste our time with, Lady Sunset. Princess Celestia, I ask you with all respect, where is Princess Twilight?”

Celestia glanced towards her daughter. Do you want me to handle this?

Sunset closed her eyes for a second and opened them again with her old game face fully in place. She gestured for Celestia to remain seated. I’ve got this.

Sunset took two steps forward from the throne and summoned her flaming sword and slammed it into the marble floor with a tremendous crack that took several seconds for the echo to fade. The noble before her took a hesitant step back and Sunset smiled. You blinked.

“Lord Sterling Platinum, as you said, this is the Day Court of Canterlot. You will show the throne the respect it is due before you dare to speak before us.” Sunset held her stare and Sterling’s eyes turned to the blade before him, red flame billowing from the enchanted steel. After a moment he bowed his head and so did many, but not all the others. It was a start at least. With that theatric concluded, Sunset dispelled her sword, but intentionally left the crack and hole in the floor. “Princess Twilight had a personal matter to attend to and asked me to see to the day court, under the helpful and experienced council of Celestia. If there are no objections we shall proceed.”

“This is an insult to our status pure and simple. You have no experience leading an Appleloosan criminal courtroom let alone the court of Canterlot, Miss Shimmer, you-”

“You will address me as Lady Sunset Shimmer, Lord Arbor Field!”

Arbor Field scowled. “You are no princess. You have never been coronated or shown the least bit of interest in the happenings of these halls. I see no reason to take this seriously. If Princess Twilight had more important things to do then the entire court should have simply been canceled. Anything that is said today or presented will just have to be brought up again upon Princess Twilight’s return. Princess Celestia, I implore you on behalf of my fellow constituents, take this serious and remove this… amature from our business at hoof.”

Celestia rose and stood next to Sunset also staring daggers at the nobility as a whole. “Let me once again and hopefully, for the last time, put this issue to bed. Sunset Shimmer is MY daughter and you will respect that otherwise you will be arrested and removed from this court pending investigation and trial of your status and holdings. She speaks with my approval as well as Princess Twilight’s. Any and all business you wish to discuss on the agenda for the day will be accepted or declined as if Twilight herself were standing here. However, if all you had wished to do today was waste the crown’s valuable time, then by all means, please see yourself out. We have plenty of common petitioners who would eagerly use your appointed time. There is, after all, a backlog I understand.”

Sunset held out a hoof towards Isabella. “Miss Windsong, the daily docket, if you please.” The griffon bowed, passing the paperwork to Sunset, who took a moment to flip through the papers with an intentionally disinterested expression. After making sure Raven had seen every page, she levitated the documents back. Sunset turned away from the court and gracefully sat down upon the throne. She could practically taste the discomfort and tension it gave the nobility to see her sitting so comfortably upon the grand seat of power.

“Since you have chosen to make this an issue, let’s get this out of the way right from the start. Many of you are decent ponies, you have helped enrich yourselves and your families, as any would do in your positions, but overall, you have also seen to the best interests of Equestria. However, there are some among your peers that have only seen to their own self interests. You have used your titles and positions to reap the benefits and worse than that you have taken advantage of the good nature and generosity of Princess Twilight, my friend, in the process. THAT. ENDS. NOW.”

Sunset eyed the squirming nobles and guild council. “You are thinking right now, ‘what right does she have to threaten us?’ or ‘she has no experiences here, how dare she!’ I dare much. I may have shied away from court for many years to experience all life has to offer, but never forget I was born to this life, taught the ways of this game by The Goddess of the Sun herself. Whether you consider it a blessing or a curse, I am here and I am not going anywhere. I have the princess’s ear, I have her trust, and her friendship. So, I suggest you deal with it and let’s get this dance started.”

From the back of the throne room, too far for any creature to see, Captain Fury flashed a toothy smile beneath the shadow of her helmet.

Even with the opening disrespect Lords Sterling and Field led with and Sunset’s counter play of both force and establishing the legitimacy of her authority, the rest of the morning had moved smoothly. All protocols were followed and no additional slights had been made. Most of the proposals were reasonable, the points of concern were noted and documented, and none of the other lords or council ponies stepped out of line requiring Sunset to drop the armored hoof again. Celestia had been a great comfort to Sunset even just sitting by watching and listening, occasionally having to whisper who a certain somepony was or a quick word of advice. They had only needed to privately convene on more difficult matters twice. However, after such smooth sailing, Sunset was not entirely surprised when she felt Raven vibrate against her shoulder.

Sunset looked to Celestia and the elder alicorn raised a privacy bubble. “It’s just us, what’s the matter, Raven?”

“There is an unusual discrepancy in Lord Quiet Trot’s proposal. It requests the use of royal funds for the construction of a down stream surface aquifer, but there is no approved environmental impact study form as required by Equestrian law 805 Tango Echo Seven. Also, all such construction projects require a bidding process and the noble bypassed said process and wrote in a company name that I have with reasonable certainty guessed is owned by the lord’s family. This would be a violation of fairness practices and funnel extra bits into his family’s accounts at likely an elevated cost.”

“I’m not familiar with an environmental study law,” said Sunset.

“It came about after a minotaur and his company attempted to destroy part of the Everfree forest in order to build a new fun park. I can give you the detail later, but it is not a new law and must be abided by,” said Celestia, keeping an eye on the members of the court.

Sunset nodded. “Thanks for the heads up.” Celestia lowered the bubble and Sunset stepped off the throne and strode up to Lord Quiet Trot. The faded blue unicorn stallion was thin, his mane slicked to the back of his neck to try and hide the fact that it was thinning. Sunset stood more than a head taller than him and he was trying to act cool and collected with how close she had come.

“Is there a problem, Lady Sunset?”

Sunset cocked her head to one side, her expression inquisitive like a predator deciding what would be the best way to kill its meal. “I’m just trying to think of the best way to address this issue.”

Lord Trot smiled smugly. “If you are looking to get closer acquainted, I’m sure I can make time for such a lovely mare as yourself. Perhaps a private dinner tonight at my estate?”

“If that’s your idea of a come on, you should have practiced on someone a bit more gullible first. No thanks, I’ve had better.” Trot frowned, especially at the snickers and whispers from his fellow lords.

“Fine, you want to play rough, little filly. Princess Twilight already gave me her initial approval for this project over a month ago. I have the documents and the witnesses to back that up. If you decline the final approval not only are you delaying the work of honest ponies who are just trying to earn a living, you are stepping on Her Majesty’s authority. This final proposal was just to be a formality and to cement a final number of how many bits the treasury was planning to contribute to this needed public works project. Don’t try to fill horseshoes you could not possible wear.”

Sunset snapped her wings out and they burst into flames. Several nobles gasped and stepped back, Lord Quiet Trot let out an undignified yelp and stumbled over his own legs. Sunset approached slowly, her scowl ferocious and eyes beginning to take on a distinct shade of red.

Oh, sweet Celestia save me! She’s going to murder me!

Sunset tilted her head again and examined the shaking pony before her. Had she just heard his thoughts? Sunset let out a breath and brought her wings under control, the flames returning to feathers, her eyes teal once again. That was something to investigate later.

“I apologize for the brash display, but I felt you needed a reminder who you were speaking to,” Sunset stated, her eyes darting about the room to ensure they were all paying attention. “That being said, I would very much like to see these ‘approved documents’ you claim to have that bear Her Highness’s signature. You should, however, keep in mind that I have been corresponding with Princess Twilight for over one hundred years and recognize each loop and stroke she puts in her name when she writes. Hers is a unique signature and I would recognize its authenticity immediately.”

Lord Trot was about to reach for his briefcase when he paused. “I… am not sure I have the correct documents with me today.”

Sunset smirked. “What a shame. Oh, and while you are at it looking for said approval you might also want to produce the environmental impact study form and the bid sheets for the construction that showed you gave fair opportunity to other companies to pitch their bids. You know, like the law states.”

Lord Quiet Trot nodded and slunk away with his tail between his legs. The surrounding nobles whispered amongst themselves. Surprisingly, from what she could gleam not all of it was negative. Once Sunset had returned to the throne Isabella had declared the morning session concluded. The guards took their positions to allow the doors to open and Isabella ushered Sunset and Celestia back to the antechamber behind the throne.

“That… was, I have to admit not badly done. You handled yourself well, Lady Sunset,” said Isabella, giving the alicorn a respectable bow.

Sunset bowed in return, then quickly hurried to the nearby restroom and began to vomit into the toilet.

Isabella arched an eyebrow. “Not the reaction I was expecting.”

“Sunset?” Celestia’s voice was laced with concern, but the younger alicorn reemerged a moment later waving her off.

“I’m fine. I just… I held it down as long as I could. The anxiety of them all… looking at me, the egotism of the court, the shit they try to pull when they think no pony is looking, this beautiful thing on my head. Goddess, I thought my heart was going to explode in my chest.”

“I concur,” said Raven. “I too was afraid your heart rate was accelerating to dangerous levels on more than one occasion.”

Celestia nuzzled her daughter who returned the affection. “I thought you did wonderful considering how they came at you and it does get easier to stomach with time, if not less stressful. You should try to eat and drink some water now.”

“Yes, we need to review a few things over your one hour break before we move onto the commoner petitions. If you both would please follow me to the dining hall.” Sunset let Isabella take the lead even though they all knew where to go. She seemed pleased to be in charge of the situation.

Tempest, who had taken her position at the back of the group trotted up next to Sunset and whispered, “Just so you know, I thought that was entertaining.” Sunset let out a relaxing chuckle and sighed in relief.

----------

Lunch had already been prepared when they arrived at the private dining hall, a course of soup, salad, and grapes with breadsticks and fizzy water. The group of ponies and griffon ate quietly for several minutes until Isabella stood with a tea cup still in claw to begin discussing the agenda for the afternoon. She was about to speak when Luna teleported in with what appeared to be sympathy in her eyes. Two of the interdiction crystals on the wall were now smoking from over charge.

“I tried to calm her but…”

The double doors to dining room burst open directly behind Luna and the midnight alicorn cringed. A bed ragged Twilight Sparkle with wide panicked eyes, a crooked, askew crown, and frizzy mane that waved like she had just stuck her hoof in a power node stood before the group.

“OH, SWEET SACRED CELESTIA! I OVERSLEPT AND FORGOT TO RAISE THE SUN!”

“Your Highness-”

“I missed breakfast! I had a breakfast meeting! I HAD A BREAKFAST MEETING WITH SOMEPONY AND I CAN’T REMEMBER WHO!”

“Twilight, its-”

Twilight began to shake and gasped even louder. “I MISSED THE DAY COURT! The nobility will move for a vote of no confidence and begin to have the monarchy disassembled and we’ll all have to move to Yakyakistan just to pay for a hut and eat moss and twigs!”

“TWILIGHT!” Sunset shouted, causing the princess to stop in mid-rant. “It’s okay, we took care of it. Mom helped me raised the sun, Isabella took care of your morning meeting, and I took over the day court so you could sleep.”

“You… you all… I… but, how, you, sun, court, but, but…”

“I have to admit she handled the court well. It was… impressive,” said Isabella, continuing to casually sip her tea.

Sunset rounded the table, wrapping her hoof around Twilight’s and brought her to the chair to sit. “Breathe, Twilight, it’s okay. You needed to rest so we took care of everything for you. I guess I should have warned you how addicting gaming can be.”

“I can’t believe I stayed up so late. I don’t even remember going to sleep at all. I just woke up and found myself on your couch and screamed when I realized I was late for EVERYTHING.”

Luna smiled as she finished a breadstick. “I heard her screaming as she panic-ran down the halls still clinging to a large black pillow. I’m sure she gave the guards quite the fright.”

Sunset smirked. “I guess I’ll need to get a new pillow since you’ve grown attached to that one.”

Twilight sat upright in her chair and straightened her crown. It was almost dignified except that her mane and tail still looked like she walked through a hurricane even with its wild ethereal magical wave. She levitated some cucumber into her mouth and nodded, finally swallowing and letting out a sigh.

“Thank you, all of you,” Twilight turned to Sunset who was still standing next to her, “I owe you an apology, Sunset. I did not think you would be able to deal with the court and you proved me wrong.”

Sunset smiled, taking the seat next to Twilight. “It’s okay, Twilight, you had good reasons to doubt. We had a few bumps at first. I probably would have set Sterling on fire if not for Mom. And I did vomit at the end trying to keep all my anxiety emotions in check. Still, I was glad to help and let you rest. You needed a day off and I’ll gladly finish the day out as well.”

“Thank you, but that’s not necessary. I’m awake now,” Twilight replied, her crown slipping to one side. The other alicorns all gave Twilight varying degrees of skeptical expressions. “I’m fine, really.”

“Twilight, you just shouted about being exiled to Yakyakistan because you think the nobility will vote you out. Come to think of it I’m not even sure there is a constitutional procedure for dismantling the monarchy.”

“None that I have found as of yet,” chimed Raven from Sunset’s shoulder. Isabella looked around to find where that unknown voice keeps coming from.

“You need a break, Twilight,” Sunset said, “plus I’ve been enjoying my time with Mom. So, just relax today, read a book you’ve been wanting to catch up on, hit that to do list I know you’ve been neglecting. We’ll tell you all about it at dinner.”

“I concur that you are in need of a rest, Twilight. You do so much for everypony, but so little for yourself. Trust me explicitly when I say that road only leads to resentment of those you serve, jealousy of how free their lives are while you are chained to your throne and thankless responsibility. Underappreciated.” Luna looked at her hooves and shuddered. Nothing else on that matter needed to be said.

Twilight looked around the room at each face present and nodded a few times. Her eyes finally settled on Sunset who continued to smile warmly and massage Twilight’s shoulders with a hoof. Such a sweet, beautiful smile with cute dimples and full lips that were quite close. A perfectly brushed mane and coat and… was that Tempest Shadow’s dress circlet helm? Twilight blinked a few times, finally taking in the fact that Sunset was dressed in partial armor and hoofguards that also once belonging to Tempest. Her eyes turned to her captain standing near the corner who nodded in understanding. Twilight straightened her crown and posture once more and took a deep breath then let it out.

“No.”

Sunset choked for a second on her drink she had been levitating. “No?”

Twilight turned fully to the goldenrod alicorn, looking smugly at her friend. “No. You will not return to court and I will not relax today.” Sunset was about to protest. “UNLESS! You agree to take up your rightful title and have a coronation. You want to reopen the night court and help me then you will do it as Princess Sunset Shimmer. Those are my terms.”

Twilight was not sure whose jaw was hanging open wider, Sunset’s or Isabella’s. Celestia was smiling and nearly tearing up, Luna nodded approvingly, and Tempest just shrugged. Sunset shook her head a few times to restart her brain, taking a deep breath of her own.

“I… wow. I did not see that one coming.”

“It wouldn’t be today. That would be crazy and probably cause a panic among the nobility and guilds… and Isa. Obviously, we will need to make a national announcement, send our invitations, make arrangements with caterers and coordinate with decorators, and give our allies beyond our borders time to respond to invites, but you need to choose right now if you are willing to accept my terms. If you truly want to help me, I need to know you are willing to stand next to me as an equal.”

Sunset closed her eyes, her hoof moving to touch her rings. The feel of the titanium against her fur helped calm her spiking nerves. Her entire body felt like it was pins and needles. Sunset’s hoof brushed against the metal of Tempest’s chest piece, the weight of the armor and what it represented becoming heavier upon Sunset and her soul. Can I do this? Can I stand before the court and dictate decrees as *gulp* a real princess?

“I…” Sunset swallowed again, opened her eyes and met Twilight’s gaze. They stared into one another’s eyes without blinking, Twilight’s lips parting ever so slightly and Sunset heard the faintest whisper in the back of her mind. Please don’t run away… Please, say yes.

“Sunset.” The amber alicorn turned to the sound of her mother’s voice. Celestia smiling like the rising sun itself. “You can do this. Become who you were born to be.”

Sunset Shimmer drew herself to her full height and after another moment of hesitation finally nodded. “Okay, but only with Luna’s approval… and I don’t want a crown like yours. I want one like this, except maybe in black with gold trim. I think I look best in black.”

Luna smiled. “I consent.”

Twilight practically beamed, radiating love and appreciation. “I accept your terms.”

Chapter 13: Behind Blue Eyes

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Sunset walked slowly back to the throne room, following Isabella, and with Celestia by her side. Isabella was talking about the afternoon agenda, but all she could hear were her own thoughts, replaying the conversation over and over again. Princess Sunset Shimmer. It was a long dead dream come true and absolutely terrifying all rolled into one.

It was too late to back out now. Well, technically it wasn’t, but she was not going to do that to Twilight. The purple alicorn was giddy and practically floating on a cloud when they left the dining hall. No doubt she would begin working on the invitations or at least a list of what would be needed for a coronation. Oh, there were most certainly going to be lists… lots of them. And we just gave her the rest of the day off. What have we unleashed? After a second of imagining a bouncing Twilight with a huge, happy grin on her face going over all the lists she had in mind and then double checking them Sunset began to giggle to herself.

“Is everything alright?”

Sunset glanced up at her mother and smiled. “Yeah, I was just thinking of how happy Twilight looked. I think she really wanted this, but was too afraid to ask.”

Celestia nodded sagely. “It was like seeing the light in her heart burst to life not unlike a phoenix being reborn. You make her happy, Sunset. You make each other happy.”

“I… she’s my best friend. I’m glad to be here for her. We have history and memories, so much is just understood without requiring explanation, know what I mean?”

“I do.”

Isabella stopped before the door and turned. “As you know, the open petitions are a bit less formal, but are in a way more important that the dealings with the nobility and council aristocrats. These ponies and other creatures come from every corner, some waiting for weeks to be vetted and seen by the crown. Be gentle with them. They will return to their towns and villages and tell the tale of their experience to other citizens. That could greatly affect how some will embrace or reject your leading of the night court once news becomes public of it being reestablished.”

Sunset nodded. “Play nice, be the bigger pony, don’t scare the common folk with flaming swords. Got it.”

Isabella paused before opening the door, turning back to Sunset, bowing deeply. “Sunset, I want to apologize. You and I have never been what any creature would call friends, but I want you to know I respect your abilities and your tenacity. You have proven over the years to be resourceful, adaptive, creative, and capable of handling almost any situation with your own unique blend of grace and style. It is not how I would do things, but that is what makes you, you. I hope moving forward that you and I can mend our relationship. After all, as the princess of the night court you will eventually need your own personal assistant and I will need to be able to coordinate with them on what is accomplished so that we continue to do what is best for Equestria together.”

“Thank you, Isabella, that really means a lot because I know you are not the kind of griffon that takes these things lightly. And as far as personal assistants, I already have one,” Sunset pointed at the glass device stuck to her shoulder.

Isabella blinked. “I was expecting some creature… taller.”

“I am capable of recording everything that is spoken during these court sessions and would be happy to cross reference and discuss all aspects of the happenings with you, Miss Windsong.”

"So, that is where the voice was coming from. At least I am not going crazy."

Sunset smiled at Isabella’s befuddled expression. “I’ll explain about Raven later. Shall we?” The griffon shook her head and opened the door her for princesses to enter.

----------

The open petitions of the common ponies went off without a hitch. A few commoners balked at the sight of Sunset instead of Twilight, but with Celestia sitting next to her daughter as both a calming, familiar factor and an endorsement of Sunset’s authority things were kept civil and moved along smoothly. One filly that had accompanied her mother to petition for wagons for their town’s harvest season had asked to hug the soon-to-be newest princess, who had been happy to oblige.

Twilight, as they had correctly assumed, had used her day off to the fullest. When Sunset and Celestia had met back up with Twilight for dinner she had already assembled a few examples of the coronation invitations to discuss over along with an advertisement to be sent to all the newspapers on the return of the night court. Sunset found the most simple design that was in her red and gold color scheme and picked it because she knew she had to pick something. Twilight rolled her eyes, but let her get away with it. It was a gesture that Sunset knew meant they would be discussing the matter further in the future.

“Naturally, there will be push back from the nobility,” said Twilight as she levitated the examples away to make room for the food. “So, it will probably be best to wait two days before your first session to give them time to adjust to the idea. Plus, Luna told me she would be happy to sit in on the first few hearings much like Celestia. It helps send the message that you are endorsed and settle your nerves. I know having them next to me the first few times helped keep me from curling into a ball and crying.”

“I hope I’m ready for this.”

“You are,” Celestia replied simply.

Twilight smiled broadly. “We both know you can do this or you would not have asked me yesterday. You impressed Isa. You NEVER impressed Isa with anything even when you gave her parents and sister SunLight crystals for Hearth’s Warming so she could talk to them any time she liked.”

Sunset nodded, but did not return the smile. She lifted the golden circlet helm off and looked at it in her hoof. “Confidence is not usually a quality I lack. Most people or ponies who know me would say I’m cocky bordering on arrogant, but you know me, Twilight, you know the real me. You’ve seen through that armor I put up. Heck, you broke me once when no one else could. You know I have always strived to be the best at whatever I apply myself to, but I’m just a pony. I’ve made mistakes, Twilight, lots of them. I just... ”

Twilight smiled at a wonderful, nostalgic memory. Live long enough and you find out some conversations were circular. “We’re not flawless, Sunset. No pony is asking you to be perfect. Just be you.”

Sunset set the circlet back on her head, her confident smile returning. “Thanks, Twi… er, Twilight.”

“There is one more crucial piece of business that needs to be taken care of before we settle in for dinner.” Sunset arched an eye brown and gestured for Celestia to continue. “As the new princess of the Lunar Court you will also be officially in charge of the Lunar Guard. Luna has reserved her right to lead all Equestrian forces as General of the Armies in times of crisis, but she is technically no longer a princess, so the role as their direct superior will fall to you, Sunset. In as such, you will need to pick your own captain of the guard who will stand as equal to and be able to coordinate actions with Tempest Fury, the guard as a whole, and the other agencies depending on the situation.”

Sunset had not considered the fact that once the night court had resumed that the role of the Lunar Guard would need to expand as well. A lunar captain only made sense, would cut down on excess chain of command or a need to wake the solar officers or Twilight if crucial decisions needed to be made quickly. A smile crept across Sunset’s face as she rubbed her chin.

“I think I know exactly who to pick for such a role. He has already been leading them in his current capacity and is perfectly qualified.”

Twilight nodded in agreement. “Lieutenant Commander Gauge is an outstanding guard. He will make a great Captain of the Lunar Guard.” Twilight picked up all the samples and scrolls and teleported them to her study for later. She then summoned a piece of blank parchment and quickly scribbled a note onto it. With a small spark from her horn, Twilight charged the scroll with a tracking spell so that it would appear before the pony she wished to send it to. It did not have the range that dragon fire had, but would work just fine within the Palace Complex.

Luna entered a moment later followed by Lieutenant Commander Gauge. A scroll appeared before the thestral and smacked him on the side of his helmet. He blinked a few times in surprise at the unexpected paper attack.

“Oops!” Twilight smiled and blushed. “I’m sorry, Gauge. If I knew you were coming I would have just waited.”

“No harm done, Your Highness. What is your bidding?” he replied with a bow.

“Oh!” Luna’s eyes lit up as a grin spread across her face. “Perhaps Twilight is in need of your special talents?”

“Perhaps, Mistress, but I cannot imagine why she needs me to create a foggy smoke screen,” Gauge replied with a shrug.

“Oh, that’s not what I meant and you know it. I know for a fact that Her Highness has not felt the touch of satisfaction in her n-”

“NOT WHY I SUMMONED HIM!” Twilight blushed profusely, pulling her mane across her face for a moment before clearing her throat and composing herself. “We have several important announcements that will be going out into the newspapers tomorrow across Equestria, but since one concerns you I thought you might like to hear it directly from Sunset.”

Gauge removed his helmet and brushed back his bluish black mane, yellow cat eyes looking on curiously. “Lady Sunset?”

“Right, on the spot and all that.” Sunset mumbled. She left her seat and approached the bat pony. Sunset stopped before Gauge and sat with her back straight and wings slightly extended. “After some consideration and allowances by Princess Twilight, I will be accepting my royal title of princess in an upcoming coronation. Before that happens however, I will be reopening the night court for hearings and petitions so as to help clear the backlog and lighten Twilight’s schedule. I am told that by doing both of these that I will need my own Captain of the Guard. I would like you to become the new Captain of the Lunar Guard, if you would be willing to accept.”

Gauge bowed deeply without hesitation. “It would be my pleasure and my honor to serve you in this capacity, Princess Sunset Shimmer.”

“Huzzah!” shouted Luna. “This is a grand day indeed! Congratulations, Captain Gauge! Now that formalities are seen to, onto the merriment! We must celebrate with drink and fine food! Come, sit with us, friends.”

The other ponies in the room agreed and called for the staff to bring a bottle of wine with dinner.

----------

Two days passed in a blink and Sunset found herself sitting on the newly installed black throne with red rosewood trim and gold inlaid just to the right of Twilight’s larger, white marble and gold trimmed throne. Luna had taken the seat opposite of Sunset on the other side of Twilight’s throne, reserved for guest of distinction. Since it was the first night of the new court, they were not expecting a large turnout. Regardless, all security measures and professionalism were taken into account.

A young bat pony mare with shining straight red and black mane wearing a black lacey choker with a crescent moon charm and business dress top, approached to the two alicorns and bent her knees in a deep bow. “Your Highness, Mistress Luna, I am Sable Nimbus. I was tasked by Captain Gauge to coordinate between you, the guard, and the day court liaison, Isabella Windsong. If Her Highness wishes to hear my full background profile and credentials I will gladly recite them.”

“Unnecessary, my night child,” stated Luna with a pleasant smile and a wave of her hoof, “the captain and I deliberated and we both agreed that you were more than qualified for the task before the offer to you was made.”

Sunset shrugged. “Hard to argue with and endorsement like that.”

Sable smiled brightly, flashing her fangs and even winked at Luna before returning to a soldier's rigidity and well practiced neutral professional expression. “I was told you have a personal assistant, but there are some tasks she is… unable to perform?”

Sunset smiled at the thestral and pointed to the piece of glass that was sitting in a cloth cinch pouch hanging from her armor plate at her right shoulder. “Raven is my eyes and ears in court, but she lacks the ability to write on or carry parchment that can be passed on to Isabella… or walk for that matter. So, you will act as a go between and write down what she finds relevant to pass on, if you are up to the task, Miss Nimbus.”

The thestral eyed the strange device then shrugged and bowed again. “I will perform whatever task you need of me, my princess, and please, call me Sable.” Sable held up a scroll and Luna took it in her magic. The two alicorns looked over the list and found ten names to be announced. Only one was from the noble advisory council.

“Ten names are nine more than I got on my first day of restarting the night court,” Luna said with a smile. “You should feel honored, dear niece.”

“I guess my performance the other day did not endear me to the nobility.”

Luna chuckled lightly. “I can see you are a broken sea of woes about it.”

Sunset excessively pouted her bottom lip and traced her hoof down her face as if mimicking a falling tear. “Oh, woe, woe is me. I am full of woes.” The alicorns giggled quietly before composing themselves. “Please bring in all our guests, Sable, I think we have enough room for all ten.”

“As you command, Your Highness.”

Sunset sighed, her hoof reaching up to straighten her golden circlet helm even though it could not be straighter. “That’s still going to take some getting used to.”

“But you will.”

----------

Twilight Sparkle let out a pleasant sigh as she finished raising the sun and stepped back into her private study from the balcony. There were no meetings planned for this morning, which meant Twilight had a rare opportunity to actually sit down and enjoy her breakfast before court was to begin. Maybe even read a chapter or two! Only one day into their little experiment and it was already lightening her workload. Plus, she was eager to hear how Sunset’s first night of court went. Clearly nothing bad had happened or it would have reached her ears by now, but Twilight was interested in the details and Luna had promised to give her a summary of the undertaking before heading to bed.

When Twilight reached the private dining hall, she was surprised to find Celestia already there wearing an apron standing next to a serving trolley loaded with large stacks of pancakes. She was humming to herself while using her magic to set the plates. Celestia greeted Twilight with a bright smile, using her telekinesis to levitated the pancakes along with sides of fruit into an artistic plating much like she used to do when Twilight was a filly and her student. In fact, she had not seen Celestia look so spry and youthful in years.

“Good morning, Twilight, I was already awake so I decided to make breakfast myself. I haven’t had a chance to do this for you or Luna in ages!”

“Good morning, Celestia! It’s wonderful to see you up and about.”

“Much like you, I could hardly wait to hear about how last night’s session of court went for Sunset and Luna. I suppose I could have just read a report, but I wanted to hear it from my sister since Sunset is still sleeping.”

“Then you need not wait any longer,” said Luna before letting loose a splitting yawn. “Apologies, I was very busy with dreams last night. Nevertheless, I was more than happy to sit with my niece. We only had ten petitions, but Sunset treated each with the same level of respect, be they noble or common.”

The words caught Twilight’s attention as she set her fork down. “What nobles came by last night?”

“One, Lord Keystone of the guild of masons. He wanted to discuss the possibility of updating the store facades in the southern quadrant. It was trivial and Sunset agreed to have the designs and costs surveyed and a proposal presented before the crown could make a final decision on the request. The common ponies made simple requests, nothing of noteworthy. Sunset handled it all with grace. We went out for donuts then she retired for the evening while I returned to my tower for dream walking. It was quite subdue, an excellent first day.”

“I’m glad everything went well. I’ll admit I was afraid that some of the nobility would try to harass Sunset,” said Twilight, finishing up her breakfast. A moment later, the dining room door opened and Isabella stepped in and bowed.

“Good morning, Your Highnesses.” Isabella gestured to the door. “We still have time, but if you are prepared we should move to the throne room.”

Luna yawned again. “To bed for me. Enjoy your day, Twilight.”

Twilight waved to Celestia and Luna one last time before following Isabella. The griffon took note of the smile on her princess’s face and a bounce in her step. It was heartening to see Twilight in a good mood first thing in the morning. Not just professionally, but personally as well.

“Maybe we should do away with morning work meetings entirely. You seem to be in a better mood and more relaxed without them.”

Twilight smiled and tapped her chin for a moment. “They have their purpose so I would rather not strictly ban them, but I also think with Sunset’s help the workload will balance over time so they may only be needed for extreme necessity.”

Isabella nodded. “I’m glad to hear things went well for her. I had my doubts, but anything that benefits to your well being has my full support.”

“I know what you mean. I was also afraid there would be more uproar of protest on Sunset becoming a princess. The nobility only grumbled a little bit at least for now. It’s too soon to hear what the other nations have to say about Equestria becoming a ruling diarchy again. Once we have a routine established Sunset and I will be able to sit down and share more ideas on how to move things forward not just here in Equestria, but the world as a whole. This is going to be so exciting. I can’t wait.”

Isabella chuckled at Twilight’s enthusiasm. It was practically infectious. “I’m glad she is pulling her weight. It was never my place to say, but I could tell from observation that you were running yourself ragged.”

“I do have a tendency to micromanage things.”

“Just as smidge, You Highness.” The two shared a few giggles before assuming their faces for court.

----------

“Are there any other concerns or issues that need to be addressed at this time?” Twilight said loudly so that the entire court could hear her clearly. The morning had gone so smoothly, only a few issues required ironing out along with one, half hearted quip by Lord Sterling in regards to the meager attendance of the night court. Most of the nobility had seemed pleased with the idea that if they needed to bring up additional concerns they could now be address in the early evening as well. Perhaps they felt Sunset would handle more of the common ponies thus giving them more time to capitalize Twilight. Regardless, it was a good sign that small issues would work themselves out.

The purple alicorn had privately scolded herself for allowing the nobility to grind her attention down so thoroughly that Lord Quiet Trot had nearly taken advantage of the situation and exploitation, but also undermine Twilight’s integrity to do a good job. With renewed enthusiasm Twilight vowed to read everything more thoroughly and also pass some of the work to Sunset to double check her when she felt her eyes begin to cross. Everything was going so well she might even get time again to check in on students of both CSGU and the School of Friendship. Maybe even get to teach a class again!

Naturally… That was when the other horseshoe dropped.

The giant double doors to the throne room flew open, smacking both guards who had been standing at their stations. The thunderous crash caused every head to turn to the source of the interruption. Princess Flurry Heart stormed in several paces, her hoof shoes cracking the marble floor each time she stomped on it. The nobility and their aids began to murmur amongst themselves before Twilight rose from her seat, eyes locked on her niece.

“Princess Flurry Heart, court is still in session. Unless this is an emergency I think you-”

“How dare you?!” Flurry spat between her clenched teeth, eyes burning blue.

The gathered ponies looked back and forth between the two princesses, trying to make themselves as small and unseen as possible. The guards around the room clenched their polearms a little tighter, the ranking sergeant whispered for backup into a SunLight crystal he had issued to him.

“Flurry, whatever is bothering you-”

“You picked her, HER! Over me!”

“Flurry.”

The younger princess stepped forward, continuing to steamroll Twilight. “I have stood by you and for the service of Equestria for decades! I have fought monsters, protected our borders from raiders, solved friendship problems that come out of nowhere, I have done EVERYTHING YOU HAVE ASKED OF ME! And then… Suuuuunset Shimmer comes cantering back from Celestia knows where and bats her eyes, shakes her fat rump, and spews a few words and you give her a crown and the throne of the night court?! WHY?!”

Twilight closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and let it out. “Everypony, please exit the throne room.” The gathered ponies hesitated. “Now.” The guards quickly snapped into action and began ushering the nobility out. A few protested, but their words fell on deaf ears. The princess had spoken.

“Princess?”

Twilight turned to Isabella. “You can stay if you wish, Isa, but this may get ugly.” Isabella nodded and stood her ground. Twilight’s eyes turned back to Flurry as she stepped off her throne to approach the fuming alicorn. She waited until the rest of the nobility were gone and the doors once again secured. “I know you are upset, but y-”

“Upset?! You think I’m j-”

“STOP INTERUPTING ME!” Twilight shouted in the Royal Canterlot Voice, the words rattling the walls and windows to the point that particles of dust fell. Flurry barely flinched, but did close her mouth and seethed. Twilight took that as her cue to continue and composed herself. “As I was saying, I know you are upset, but let’s examine a few things rationally for a moment, shall we? First and foremost, Sunset is Celestia’s daughter and older than both of us. If certain circumstances had been different, she would be the one sitting on the solar throne right now, not me. By all rights she had claim to it once it became public knowledge that she is Celestia's daughter. However, she chose a different path in life for a time, which is not the same thing as abdicating as much as just delaying her royal duties.

“Secondly, and of just as much importance, I ASKED Sunset to take the lunar throne. She did not demand it, she did not argue that she earned it through conquest or great deeds, she proved that she could handle the delicate balance of playing ruler and arbiter to the many interest that ponies have aligned themselves with. She also has both Celestia’s and Luna’s blessing and even with all that I still had to corner her into taking on a crown and title.”

“Sounds to me like if she doesn’t want the seat and the crown then she should just go back to whatever hole she crawled out of and leave Equestria to those that already take care of it.”

“The greatest leaders throughout history are those that understand the demand and weight of that tremendous responsibility. Ponies that lead because it is necessary for somepony to take charge, not because they want to or demand it. You know the old lesson: The more power one has the more likely they are to fall to its corrupting influence and we as alicorns wield more power than most beings could ever dream of. We tread a dangerous line every day. I hope you see that, Flurry Heart.”

Flurry looked to the stained glass windows portraying past great deeds, a continuation of the windows in the causeway hall.
Her eyes lingering on the return of the Crystal Empire and the defeat of King Sombra. It had stylized impressions of her parents, Twilight, and Spike. Flurry huffed and whispered under her breath, “I’m better than she is.”

“Excuse me?” Twilight demanded.

Flurry’s hard blue eyes turned back to her aunt, wings extended to their full, massive glory. “I’m better than she is. I’m bigger, I’m stronger… than both of you for that matter. You say by rights she should be on the solar throne, but I have to wonder, who makes that decision? What grounds are you basing these 'rights' on? Celestia and Luna were given their thrones because the three tribes saw their power, their strength, and knew they needed that to protect and lead their fledgling nation. Is that not how it should be? The strongest should lead.”

“You should take care with what you speak, princess,” said Isabella with a warning tone. “Your rants and complaints thus far have been on par with a spoiled child who cries about not getting ice cream while sitting before an untouched plate of dinner. While unbecoming, they are simply that, rants. Where you tread now borders on treason. Many griffon kings of old believed they were 'better' than their predecessors simply because they could successfully stab them in the back. They were all wrong and nearly destroyed our culture more than once.”

“Yeah, because griffons are greedy opportunist.”

Twilight flared her own wings, eyes glowing white. “And you are a spoiled brat who makes demands just because you were born with wings! Each time you demand something from me or the other princesses it only proves that I was right not choose you to stand next to me. You are still not ready and your mother and father would be very disappointed in you!”

At those words Flurry finally staggered back, her wings slumping to the ground while she fought down and blinked back the tears that threatened to fall. Flurry gnashed her teeth and left without turning back, nearly ripping the door off its hinges with her overcharged telekinesis.

Isabella took two long breaths before turning back to Princess Twilight who remained as rigid as a statue while tears fell from her sorrowful purple eyes.

----------

After the night court had ended Sunset retired to her room to work on a personal project while Luna moved to tend to the dreams of Equestria. After a few tries, Sunset had finally managed to incorporate Equestrian audio speakers into the magi-electrical transfer switch for her gaming system creating a premium surround sound system that was on par with some of the units she had customized back in Earth. The two successes back to back had felt good and Sunset had fallen asleep with a grin on her face and pleasant dreams.

The goldenrod alicorn had awoken the next day feeling refreshed. She asked Raven to play from playlist seven which consisted of many of the songs she and the girls had recorded in a professional studio for fun and because Rainbow Dash had begged on her knees and said please about forty times in a row. It was just as well and made a great birthday present for Rainbow that year. They had all agreed to participate, set up a time, and got a recording session professionally mixed of their best songs including some of their best covers. It was a excellent playlist. Honestly, it should have been playlist one or two, but Sunset had not been in the best mind space when those first few lists had been uploaded to her PAAL.

Sunset sang along to ‘Shake Your Tails’ while making her coffee and a raspberry, rice, and oat bowl to munch on. She planned to meet up with Twilight for lunch in about an hour and did not want to over eat. Then, Sable was to bring her news from the day court to cover any issues or concerns that may crop up tonight along with Captain Gauge’s report on the state of the Lunar Guard following his formal inspection. She expected that to be a fairly brief report since he had already been running his troops like a well oiled machine, but now it would be officially in writing and signed off while bearing his new captain’s stars.

Sunset chuckled to herself. “Then, I can continue dropping some hints about a certain grouchy pony that would enjoy some extra time with the new captain.” Rarity would be so proud of Sunset attempting to play matchmaker. If she thought about it hard enough, she could still hear the sound of the alabaster woman’s squee in her mind. It was nice to be able to think back to her beloved friends and smile. As Pinkie Pie would say, ‘it was nice to just smile, just because.’

An hour later, Sunset sat in the dining hall with her mother enjoying a salad with deep fried onion rings and the best marinara sauce she had ever had. Twilight was late for lunch, which was odd, but what really began to set off alarm bells in Sunset’s head was when Tempest entered with a more dour than usual expression and bowed to the two alicorns.

“Apologies for the interruption, but I bring a message that Princess Twilight will not be joining you for lunch. There was an incident this morning during court and she has canceled the afternoon session and the rest of her schedule thus far is unclear. In addition, Twilight asked not to be disturbed.” Both alicorns set their silverware down.

“What has happened, Captain?” Celestia asked before Sunset could.

Tempest sighed then removed her helmet, a scowl creasing her strong, but comely features. “I was not there to witness it, but apparently Princess Flurry Heart interrupted the end of morning session and became… hostile.”

Sunset stood immediately, kicking her chair back. “Is Twilight okay?”

“She’s fine, there was no fight, but things did become tense according to my guards. Two of them suffered small injuries when she hit them with the throne room doors. Princess Flurry made demands for your removal, Sunset, and insinuations to possibly challenging Twilight for the throne… through force.”

Sunset nodded, glancing to her mother, whose face had a similar grim expression. Sunset had no doubt her mother was probably thinking the same thing she was. Deja fricking vu. Too bad the mirror was already closed. From the sound of it Flurry could probably benefit from a timeout in another universe with no magic.

“It was most likely just angry talk and she’ll simmer down, but I am going to be meeting up with Captain Gauge after this to discuss possible drills for… unthinkable scenarios. Better to be prepared and not need it.”

Both Celestia and Sunset nodded. The captain returned her helmet and let herself out.

“Sunset.”

“Yeah?”

“Please be careful tonight.”

“You don’t think she would actually attack Twilight or me, do you? I mean, even at my worst all I did was throw a book at you, which you blocked no problem.”

Celestia nodded, but her face remained grim. “Flurry Heart is not you.”

----------

Sunset had returned to her room and tried to focus on her on duties for the day. Sable Nimbus joined her a few hours later and began to cover in more detail what had transpired during the day court. Most of the summary was uninteresting regarding the usually political dickery that occurred. The word by word details of what was said between Twilight and Flurry however sent chills down Sunset’s spine.

As much as she did not want to admit it, Sunset was a bit scared of Flurry in regards of physical and magical prowess. Sunset was no light-weight, but Flurry was in a class of her own with raw power to spare. Sunset donned her armor regalia and felt the defensive gems come to life. The warmth was reassuring not unlike her favorite motorcycle jacket that she dearly missed. Lastly, Sunset slipped Raven into her pouch and followed Sable out the door.

They had some time before court was scheduled to start so it was best to continue on with the planned agenda and meet with Captain Gauge for the post inspection report. No doubt he would also gladly discuss whatever plans he and Captain Fury had managed to pound out over the afternoon. It was then that a chill ran the length of Sunset's spine. Sunset stopped walking which in turn made Sable stop as well.

“Your Highness?”

Sunset closed her eyes and reached out with her other senses. There was something, like a tickle on the edge of her mind. A dark feeling of malice, it seethed and penetrated the pure, clean ambient magic that radiated throughout all of Equestria, but especially in a place as attuned as the palace. Someone or something was directing that hatred towards her and she could literally feel their burning disgust like dry ice on unprotected skin. It was not the first time Sunset had started to wonder if some aspect of her geode's empath powers were still with her. Like a sixth sense calling to her. And the call this time was a warning.

Sunset’s eyes opened and looked to her right. From behind a pillar and dropping a cloaking illusion stood Princess Flurry Heart, her horn already glowing with a golden light. Reacting on drilled instinct, Sable moved to stand in front of Sunset, assuming a defensive fighting stance with her bat wings extended.

“Flurry, drop the spell and we can talk about what’s bothering you,” said Sunset with as much calm as she could muster in her voice that was on the verge of quaking with equal amounts of fear and anger. Sunset was not sure if her bat pony assistant saw it, but the moment Flurry’s eyes flashed black she wrapped herself around Sable and began to conjure a defensive barrier. It had not been enough time.

The golden power blast shattered Sunset’s hastily conjured barrier and struck her in the back armor plate, singeing some of her fur and feathers. If the armor had not been enchanted Sunset was sure she would have had a hole in her spine and probably out her chest cavity as well. The alternative had not been much better. Sunset and Sable had been hurled through a large window to the secluded garden two floors below. Neither had been oriented in a way to get their wings open and struck the ground hard enough to gouge out a deep divot. Sable cried out in pain. Sunset shook her head and found the thestral cradling her left foreleg that was bent at a sickly angle. Sunset also noted several bleeding lacerations from the glass on both of them, but none looked life threatening.

“Hold still, I can heal t-” Sunset was rammed by a pink and pastel cannonball that smacked her out of the divot and through a small pine tree. The armor took the brunt of the energy and once again probably saved her life. She was not sure how many more strikes the armor could take, but judging by how hot the crystals were beginning to feel they were probably at their limit.

“You don’t deserve a crown,” Flurry spat, “Equestria needs its princesses to be strong. What have you ever done to deserve a throne? Stopped a little cloud monster from invading from another dimension? Give me a break! I bound an eldritch horror that was eating souls for breakfast and dragged it to Tartarus with my own hooves! So how about I pound you into the earth until you submit and then I'll drag what’s left of you back to Aunt Twilight where you formally abdicate and renounce your title and birthright. After that, if you still have the strength you can then go crawl back into where ever you’ve been hiding over the years and never return, you mule quim.”

Sunset rolled her shoulders and flexed her wings. Nothing was broken that she could feel, but there were definitely going to be bruises and she still had a few cuts from the glass that were unpleasant and trickling blood. “Flurry Heart, you need to listen to me. I’ve been down this road. The more you demand things the less anypony is likely to grant you what you desire. End this now and we can still talk our way out of it. We'll just say it was two adults having a disagreement. Otherwise, I start hitting back and I really don’t want to explain to Twilight why I had to smack her niece around.”

“No more talk.” Flurry fired again, but Sunset had been preparing her own counter spells and teleported away reappearing just to the left of the light pink alicorn. Sunset let loose her own blast of energy and threw Flurry across the garden, taking out a bed of flowers with her.

“Fine, you want to throw down? Mama’s going to teach you a few lessons.” Sunset was already hopping around using multiple teleports, never giving Flurry a chance to lock on. “Lesson one, raw power is nothing without control.” Flurry took a guess at where she thought Sunset was set to appear and encased the entire section in crystals. Sunset stepped out from around the crystals and tapped at them with her hoofguard.

“Nice mineral growth spell. Too bad it will probably also kill the grass and trees. The landscapers are going to be pissed at you tomorrow.”

“Shut up!” Flurry unleashed a blast of fire that Sunset redirected around herself and then up away from the palace. When Sunset looked back however, Flurry was gone.

“Where?” A block of solid ice crashed into Sunset’s unarmored flank and she was sure she heard as much as felt something crack. Once Sunset had finished tumbling, she looked at her left hip and painfully screamed as she forced the ball joint back into its socket. Flurry did not give her the chance to stop the bleeding and tried to crush Sunset into the dirt from above, but she used her own wings to push and roll out of the way. A cloud of dirt shot into the air from the impact. Flurry flew from the crater and eyed Sunset again who had just finished a quick patch on her hip. Sunset was trying to maintain control of the situation, but felt her own anger beginning to overtake her.

“Okay, you’ve proven you’re strong, probably stronger than me. If you want, I’ll even fashion you up a medal for it, but we seriously need to stop. You already hurt one of my friends and I need to get her to a proper healer.”

“Will you give up your throne?” Flurry shouted from where she hovered.

“No. Twilight asked for my help and that is why I’m staying here. You can help too, but not like this. Not with all this jealousy and ambition burning you up inside. Please, you have to stop.”

“Then I’m not done with you yet.”

“Yes, you are.”

Flurry turned her head and found Celestia hovering in the air a few feet away along with Captain Fury and a dozen of the guards on the ground all with crossbows and polearms. For the first time during the fight, Flurry folded her ears back and looked ashamed.

“Cease this at once, Flurry Heart, this is not the way we solve things as civilized ponies. I do not know where we failed you, but please, talk to us and let us help you. We love you and only want to help.”

Flurry closed her eyes, her muscles becoming tense as if she were trying to break free from some sort of restraint. When her eyes opened again there was nothing there but burning hatred behind those blue eyes. The light pink alicorn screamed and loosed another powerful bolt at Sunset, who erected a curved shield to reflect it back. Sunset’s face turned to one of horror when she spotted Flurry pulling Celestia in front of her taking the reflected blast to the chest. The solar goddess screamed and fell to the ground with a bone crushing thud.

“MOTHER!” Sunset scrambled to Celestia’s side, coming to a sliding stop in the loose soil. She quickly pulled Celestia up to her and inspected the wound. The pristine white fur had been burned away and the flesh under was red and bleeding, with some slight blackening at the edges. Celestia’s face was contorted in pain as she hissed through clenched teeth at any movement. Sunset sent as much energy as she dared to dull the pain and the angry burn lessened in intensity, but would still need a proper healer’s touch.

“Princess Flurry Heart!” shouted Tempest Fury, pulling a rod from her side that extended into a staff with sharp points on each end. “You are under arrest! Come peacefully or my troops will open fire!”

A sadistic grin that had no business being on the pretty pink princess’s face grew more disturbing. “Aww, that’s cute.” While Tempest held her ground, she flashed her teeth more when the other guards began to step back at the sight of her glowing horn.

Sunset Shimmer gently set her mother down and stepped back, extended her wings until they became hot, waving flame. When she opened her eyes the tears that had fallen burned away as steam, her teal irises had turned completely glowing red, the white sclera beginning to turn black. Before Celestia could reach out to her daughter the golden alicorn launched herself into the air like a fiery rocket and screamed a war cry.

Flurry turned her attention back to Sunset just in time for a hoof to connect with her face. Upon contact, Sunset’s eyes flashed white.

Sunset knew this sensation well. She was not sure how, but she would never forget what it felt like to glimpse into the mind of another living being with her empathic powers. It was never just seeing the memories like on a screen. She could feel what they were feeling at the time as well. All the emotions both positive and negative. Flurry’s memories, however, were clouded as if a haze was permeating across them. They felt like oily, living shadows.

One time, Sunset had felt the mind of a drunk man to try and help find someone to care for him. His brain had been a fog for so long that Sunset felt as if she would become inebriate just from touching his memories. What was clouding Flurry’s mind was similar, but there was something different, something… malevolent.

Sunset dove deeper. Somewhere in here there had to be a reason why Flurry was so angry, why she would wish harm upon others. Flurry could have easily shielded herself from that blast, easily teleported away. She chose to harm Celestia and there had to be a reason. Sunset felt the fine hairs along the back of her neck stand on end as a dark, feminine chuckle echoed about.

“This is my play thing, child. You don’t belong here.”

Sunset whirled around and four sets of glowing eyes were blocking access to Flurry’s memories. They had no shape, the different colored clouds undulating and twisting. Sunset scowled. “I have a feeling you don’t belong here either.”

“She can see us. Kill her.”

“We cannot, not here at least.”

“Well, in that case, BYE BYE!”

As Flurry tumbled back, Sunset shook her head at what she saw. Was that just Flurry’s imagination? A magical mental defense? She had read about how some mages could create such constructs to protect from mind domination. However, they, as in more than one, felt too alive to be constructs.

Sunset had questions and they required answers, which meant getting Flurry under control… or unconscious. Either would do. Sunset quickly launched a magical golden chain that wrapped around Flurry and pulled her back. She brought their muzzles together and Flurry’s blue eyes went wide at the sight of the other alicorn’s face. Sunset’s fur had darkened, her legs and half her barrel were a blood red and some of her teeth had elongated to fangs. Even Sunset’s mane began to flicker and wave wildly resembling fire just like her burning wings.

“Lesson two, never get on Sunset Shimmer’s bad side.” Sunset swung her prisoner around and slammed her into the ground forcefully, creating another crater. When the dust cleared the chain was gone and Flurry was struggling to get back to her hooves. Sunset rocketed down and summoned her flaming sword. Flurry Heart screamed in panic as the sword missed her by inches, carving a burning, molten groove into the soil. Flurry summoned her own ethereal blades, but Sunset’s sword smashed through them as if they had been made of cheap wood no matter how fast she tried to recreate them. Backing away frantically, Flurry remembered some of her father’s strongest shield spells and quickly constructed them. Sunset launched herself with another roar and cut gashes through the pink bubble as if it were made of thin plastic, the tip of the sword grazing and cauterizing a gash across Flurry’s left foreleg. In desperation, Flurry laced another layer of one of the shields with an explosive spell and when the sword cut into it the shield detonated, throwing both alicorns back from one another. The concussion blew the remaining leaves off the few standing trees in the garden and knocked the guards and Tempest off their hooves.

The echo from the blast died and Flurry Heart struggled to get back to her hooves. The tip of her horn was scorched and she had small burns and several patches of missing fur plus the cut from Sunset's sword stung terribly. Her once beautiful mane was a mess and even a few primary feathers were missing.

A few yards away, Sunset Shimmer returned to her hooves as well, leaning on the sword that was stabbed into the earth and still burning with red fire. She was also bruised and burnt in places, a trickle of blood dripping from her nose. Once steady enough, she pulled the sword free to prepare for another attack. She stopped in mid-step when Twilight landed between them and erected two shields on either side her.

“Sunset, stop!” The absolute horror and expression of pain and betrayal in Twilight’s face caused Sunset to drop her sword. She staggered back onto her haunches and looked down at her hooves, the fur under the hoofguards several shades more red than it should have been.

Twilight turned her attention back to Flurry Heart. She dropped her one shield and approached her niece along with the half dozen recovered guards with crossbows ready to fire. “What have you done?”

Flurry spat blood into the dirt, eyes glassy with tears about to fall. “I can’t believe you picked that… monster over me. I hate you.” Before Twilight could respond the light pink alicorn disappeared in a teleportation flash. Twilight steeled her emotions from reacting to the stinging words and turned back to Sunset, lowering the other shield she had erected. Sunset had already limped back over to another pony on the ground. Her coat once pure white, but the dirt had stained her fur, wings, and mane. Twilight gasped when she realized who it was. “Celestia?”

Sunset pulled her mother in close, whispering to her. Sunset looked up, her eyes teal once again, meeting wide, shocked purple eyes that stared directly back at her. She saw so many emotions in that moment it was impossible to tell which was most prevalent. Ultimately, it did not matter. Twilight had once again seen the demon that lies within. They all had. Sunset gestured with a hoof back to where Sable Nimbus had managed to crawl out of the main battlefield then teleported herself and Celestia away from the destruction.

Chapter 14: Your Song

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They betrayed you.

Flurry sat on the edge of the cliff. From her perch she could easily make out the silhouette of Canterlot where it sat upon the mountain top and simultaneously the Friendship Castle shining in the setting sun in the valley below. It felt like a metaphor for her life. All her strength, all her power and where did they send her? To a valley surrounded by dirt farmers with small life ambitions and to have to look up at her desired goal every day with no chance of obtaining it. All while the setting sun over shadowed it all. She was Princess Flurry Heart! She had been born an alicorn! Something none of the others could lay claim to.

Twilight loves Celestia’s pet brat more than she loves you and that’s just stinky horse apples. None of them are as special as you.

Flurry flicked her ears. She did not want to agree, but they were right. Her friends were usually right. They had stood by her these last few years when all others had fallen to the wayside… or died from old age. Sure, she had other friends, but the same fate would befall them as well.

“The Princess of Friendship. What a cruel joke. Friendships can only last for so long. Friendship is for mortals.”

Mortal friendships are fleeting, but we will never leave you, Flurry, we are forever.

“I hear you. I’ve always heard you, but where are you? I’m tired of being alone and after today? I don’t think I can go home now. Everypony there will hate me.”

Are you finally ready to help us? It will be difficult.

Flurry let out a breath and stood to her full height. “I can handle difficult. Twilight always said we are stronger together than apart. I need my strongest friends to stand by me. I need to rid Equestria of the greatest danger it now faces, Sunset Shimmer.”

Celestia is the greatest danger, never forget that. However, you need not face her or her monstrous offspring alone. You are strong, stronger than them all and if you can help us. Then we can help you.

Flurry Heart nodded. “Tell me what I need to do.” There was a pause, the whispers conversing amongst themselves. It bothered Flurry she could not hear what they were saying, but she trusted her friends. They had been right nearly every time they offered advice and observations over the years.

Fly north, past the Crystal Empire. Beyond the frozen mountains, deep into what is now yak territory is a small crater where one of us is currently held. Free him first. Aethon is a skilled warrior and will assist you in battle because they will surely resist you and then, one by one, we can all stand together and reshape this failing world.

Flurry spread her wings and took off for the journey north.

----------

Twilight Sparkle walked slowly with her friend and Captain of the Guard, Tempest Fury, by her side. The incidents in the court and then later in the west garden had been too large and destructive to suppress. Ponies had been injured, including Celestia. While Twilight wanted nothing more than to be by her mentor’s side, she had spent most of the evening doing damage control that ended up spilling into the next morning’s day court. Twilight had given the nobility a brief of what had transpired, but nothing more since she herself had not borne direct witness to all the details. Several members of the nobility and council had asked for testimony from Sunset Shimmer herself. Twilight had declined to grant it to them and suggested that if they truly wanted to know more, they could attend her night court when it resumed tomorrow night. Such situations were not ideal because it sent the rumor mills into overdrive. The last time two powerful alicorns fought one had punched the other into the moon for a millennia.

Using that fact to her advantage, Twilight had cut court short and canceled the afternoon session for security reasons. It had cleared up her schedule enough to finally sit in with Celestia. A sizable part of her heart panged sadly to find that Sunset Shimmer was not there. The solar goddess however had assured her that Sunset had stayed by her mother’s side most of the night, before finally returning to bed come dawn.

From Celestia’s recount of events plus witness statements, Twilight was both relieved and dismayed to find out that Flurry Heart struck first. Ultimately why was still unknown, but at least they had a starting point. However, because of the unexpected and unwarranted attack of one princess on another Tempest had elected to not leave her princess’s side all day. Her presence was both a comfort and a reminder of the burden of her position.

The two ponies upon approach spotted the thestral standing outside the room at the end of the hall, he saluted once they came within a few feet.

“Captain Fury,” said Gauge, lowering his salute once returned.

“Captain Gauge,” she replied, removing her helmet and securing it to the side of her armor. “Is she in there?”

Gauge remove his helmet as well, but his expression remained stoic. “She is. Obviously, she asked not to be disturbed, but I think for Her Majesty an exception can be made.”

Twilight smiled and nodded to the thestral. Gauge knocked three times and then opened the door, but remained outside. Twilight closed the door behind her and Tempest took up position on the opposite side of the frame from Gauge. A few seconds passed before both captains glanced at one another.

“Adjusting well to the new role?”

Gauge nodded, a smile creeping across his muted grey face. “Yes, but to be honest, other than the pay increase and the shinny new stars on my armor and dress uniform there does not seem to be much of a difference between captain and LC. Certainly not any less work to do. I did not even get bigger quarters, not that I asked for them.”

Tempest shrugged and ran a hoof through her mane, shaking it out. “I could tell you there is more respect with the rank, but that would be a lie. The troops respect the pony, not the rank. I don’t care what the protocol and regs say on the matter. And many of the guard, day and night, respect you. You’ve earned this.”

Gauge’s expression softened and he turned to look at Tempest Fury, only for a moment, before returning his eyes forward. Tempest side eyed the thestral and smiled for a moment. She licked her lips that had suddenly felt dry.

“So, how is she doing?”

Gauge shrugged in that noncommittal way he always did. “She’s angry. Angry at what happened, angry that Sable and Celestia got hurt and others could have been, but mostly angry at herself for how she reacted. Though by my personal and not official in the least opinion that’s more a mix of anger and shame.”

“Shame?” Tempest turned fully to the thestral, one eyebrow arched. “What’s she got to be ashamed of? She was attacked, unwarranted. If I had not seen what I saw yesterday I would have never thought any single pony, not even an alicorn, could have brought Flurry Heart to her knees. By Celestia’s sunny white plot, it was scary as Lower Tartarus, but I honestly feel safer knowing she’s on our side.”

“Are there things about yourself you are ashamed of, Tempest?” Gauge looked down with sad yellow eyes. The vermilion unicorn hesitated to answer, thrown off guard by the use of her name without formality. “Of course, you don’t want to say. Who would? That is why we are ashamed of them. Princess Sunset had to dig deep into a darkness she has fought tirelessly to control and unleashed it just to stand her ground and survive. By her own words, she nearly lost control. That’s the kind of darkness we all have, but you and I lack her destructive power.”

Tempest chewed on her tongue for a moment. “So, she ashamed that we saw her darkness. Ashamed at how close she came to hurting somepony even in defense.”

“Yes.”

“Ah, horseapples.”

“Yes.”

Several heartbeats passed in silence before Tempest blew some of her mane from her face and spoke again. “Why do they do that to themselves? Twilight tries the carry all of Equestria on her back even with the entire bureaucracy at her disposal.
She takes everything so damn personal even when it’s not her responsibility. The kind of things that go beyond the weight of the crown. Why must it always be on them when it hits the fan?”

“It’s what they do. It’s who they are.” Tempest nodded and sighed, closing her eyes and rubbing the bridge of her nose. Gauge also took in a deep inhale to relax, but then, an unfamiliar scent tickled his olfactory senses. It was light and fruity. He sniffed again, his nose telling him the scent was coming from… his fellow captain? Tempest caught his change in expression and much to his surprise, she smiled at him.

Gauge, blinked twice and tapped his hoof, flicked his ears, and readjusted his leathery wings. “Captain, if I may be so bold, but are you wearing… perfume?”

Tempest smiled in a way he had never seen before, at least not while on duty. Her lips curled into a mischievous grin and she winked at him. “Oh, did that catch your attention? Silly me.”

Gauge flashed his fangs. “You very much have my attention if that is what you were seeking.”

Tempest chuckled lightly, retrieving her helmet and sliding it back on. “Come by my quarters for dinner before you start your primary shift tonight. We can talk about it more then.”

Gauge followed suit and put his helmet back on as well, the grin never leaving his face.

Twilight closed the music room door and reactivated the privacy barrier that Sunset had erected. When Sunset had come to stay in Canterlot years ago one of the requests she had made was for a music room to be set up not far from her private residence. Twilight had gladly agreed without hesitation. The room's walls had been opened up and the stone fitted with sound absorbing blocks to reduce the echo. There was a grand piano up on a small stage, a full drum set, a small selection of brass and woodwind instruments, a few classical string instruments, and an entire rack of different guitars including a few electric node powered amplifiers.

Sunset was easy to spot since there were no internal walls, but she also had made no effort to hide, though her back was turned to the door while she plucked away on an acoustic guitar. There were blank music sheets spread out on the floor, a few with words and scratched out notes on them, others balled up and in the corner. Sunset glanced over her shoulder for a moment, but then turned her eyes back to the floor.

Twilight sighed, slumping her posture. The good news: Sunset had not immediately told her to leave or thrown a fireball at her. The bad news: They had looked each other in the eye, even for a second, and she had turned away. That single fleeting glance told Twilight all she needed to know with how her friend felt right now. Twilight hesitated for a moment longer before removing her crown and setting it down on the end table next to Sunset’s PAAL. She did not know if Raven recognized her or not, but she nodded to the glass device anyhow.

“So... I checked on Celestia not long ago. Doctor Guiding Light said there was no permanent damage and was able to heal the physical trauma. She'll be back on her hooves by tomorrow and not a mark to show for it, which is great... yes, good news that one." Twilight sighed again after not getting a single reaction from Sunset. "I… I wanted to apologize to you. It's what I should have done first and foremost.”

“You have nothing to apologize for. You didn’t nearly cleave a pony in half with a flaming sword of death.”

“Yes, I do,” Twilight said, coming to sit next to Sunset who continued to stare at the blank sheet music. “I saw you attacking my niece, I saw you about to strike her again, and I judged you by what I saw and not what the facts were. That was wrong of me. I hurt you. I saw it in your eyes. So, I’m sorry, Sunset. You deserved better than that from me.”

Sunset stopped playing and stepped away from Twilight to set the guitar back on the rack, remaining there while she lovingly stroked the other guitars. “I became a demon… again. I never thought that would happen to me again. I mean, I can feel that burn inside me, that anger, that hate, it’s always there. Psychologist probably have a better term for it than what I call it, but I know what it is all the same. Most of the time I just redirect that burn towards something positive, like art or music. Other times I let it out to play a little, like gaming or being competitive and that usually works. I just never thought it would… change me physically again.”

“Did I ever tell you I once saw the same thing happen to Celestia?” Sunset’s curiosity caused her to look up to meet Twilight’s face. “It happened when you were dragged through the mirror and Star Swirl destroyed it. Celestia thought there was no way to recover you and he had essentially killed you. I never saw her so angry in my life. Her hair turned to fire and… well honestly, she looked like you did yesterday and at the Fall Formal. I thought she was going to turn Star Swirl into a pile of ash.”

“That's great, Twilight,” Sunset scoffed and rolled her eyes sadly, “so now you pieced together that my anger management problem is hereditary. Whatever. Still doesn’t change the fact that I lost control. Celestia didn't lose control and I’m an alicorn now too. I can’t be allowed to lose control like that. Like the Fall Formal. The damage I could cause...”

“Anypony could lose control given the right circumstances. Look at Luna becoming Nightmare Moon. And this one time, even Rarity became possessed by darkness and became a nightmare entity. Now that was scary. Can you imagine what I would be like?”

Sunset shuddered, one hoof touching the rings around her neck. Blue-black bird wings flashing through her mind, faded purple eyes surrounded by burning teal fire. Laughing. Dark, maniacal laughing. “Yeah, I can. And that should scare you as much is it scares me considering what I can do.”

Twilight sighed again. This was not making her friend feel any better. She needed a different tactic. She glanced around the room and a light went off in her head. Without another word, Twilight approached the piano. She sat that the bench and removed her hoofguards, taking a moment to test a few keys to hear if they were in tune. Of course they were. Sunset was as obsessive about taking care of her instruments as Twilight was about her bookshelves.

Out of curiosity, Sunset raised her head from her brooding stare into space as Twilight’s keystrokes became a melody. Instantly, Sunset was spellbound. She had no idea that her long time friend and ruler of Equestria could play piano… and play it so well! Slowly, Sunset drew closer as Twilight continued to play the wordless song. She opened her eyes to see the slack jaw and wide eyes of Sunset Shimmer and smiled before returning her focus to the song. After several minutes the last strokes fell and the tune faded away. The silence that followed was broken by two hooves clapping together.

“Twilight,” Sunset said, breathlessly, “that was beautiful! I had no idea you could play piano.”

Twilight blushed and brushed her mane from her face. “I learned a few decades ago. At first it was just something to do because why not, right? But then it became a way to express how I was feeling and to try and relax. It sometimes works. I'm nowhere near as talented as you are, but I try.”

“No, I get it. After I got myself established in the human world, I needed ways to learn how to use my hands, but after a while, painting, playing games, and music, they gave me more than just hand practice, they were healthy outlets for my anger and frustrations for which I had many. I discovered I loved being creative, like finding a missing piece of your own soul.”

“There is a quote I’m fond of, ‘If you can’t say how you feel with words, say it with music.’”

Sunset nodded. “What was that song called?”

Twilight smiled brightly, meeting Sunset’s eyes for a moment before finding an interesting corner to examine. “I See You.”

Sunset nodded and silence fell between the two alicorns, neither sure what else to say. Sunset felt… she was not sure what she was feeling… No, that’s not true. You know EXACTLY what you are feeling and it scares you.

Twilight frowned as Sunset’s expression turned downcast again. The purple alicorn let of a sigh and stretched her forelegs and cleared her throat a moment. “Sunset?”

“Yeah?”

“Sing with me.”

Sunset raised her head, one eyebrow arched. “Sing what?”

Twilight tested a few key strokes then began to play a song Sunset had not heard in many years. Their friends, their human friends, had composed a song as a present for Sunset’s birthday before they had graduated from high school. Princess Twilight had crossed over and attended and helped sing along as well. It had been a great weekend, one of the best parties with all their friends they had ever had. Sunset could not help from smiling as Twilight began.

“Nothing stays the same for long, but when it changes doesn't mean it's gone. Time will always get away as it leaves behind another day.
“Things may come and things may go, some go fast and some go slow. Few things last, that's all I know, but friendship carries on through the ages.
“Things may come and things may go, some go fast and some go slow. Few things last, that's all I know, but friendship carries on through the ages.”

Sunset had retrieved her electric guitar once Twilight had begun to sing. She came to stand next to her friend and waited for what she felt was the best place for her to jump in, following along in her head with the words on the tip of her tongue like she had heard it all performed yesterday by their beloved friends. On cue, Sunset called up her telekinetic fingers and shredded on the steel strings.

“Been around for a long time, rockin' out hard 'cause I'm in my prime! Maybe it will change further down the line, but my friendship carries on through the ages!
“Every single style has something different it can say, there's nothing wrong with being unique
and special in your own way.”

Twilight smiled broadly as she continued.

“Maybe you 'wanna be a popstar, get your fifteen minutes of fame, but that won't last forever
but friendship remains the same, aah oh!

The two alicorns smiled at one another and sang together.

“Things may come and things may go, some go fast and some go slow. Few things last, that's all I know, but friendship carries on through the ages. Things may come and things may go, some go fast and some go slow. Few things last, that's all I know, but friendship carries on through the ages. Ohh, carries on...”

The music faded out and Twilight felt her heart flutter. It was invigorating to feel so close to somepony who remembered, who understood. However, her expression fell when she noticed that Sunset was still staring down at the ground, guitar still in hoof. Was she crying? Did the song dredge up bad memories?

“Sunset?”

The goldenrod alicorn began to play again. A hard, powerful guitar solo that eased back after a few seconds and Sunset began to sing again.

“Power… was all I desired, but all that grew inside me was a darkness I acquired. When I began to fall and I lost the path ahead, that's when your friendship found me and it lifted me instead!
“Like the phoenix burning bright in the sky, I'll show there's another side to me you can't deny.
I may not know what the future holds, but hear me when I say, that my past does not define me
'cause my past is not today.”

Twilight watched as her friend played the song. She had heard it one other time before, but if felt different this time. She could feel Sunset pouring all of herself into the notes and words, the song about her rebirth and how their friends and especially how Twilight had reached out to Sunset in her darkest moment and pulled her from that pit, both physically and metaphorically. Twilight felt like in this moment, the song was dedicated to her and it made her body tingle and her heart swell while she watched on silently. She knew what was happening inside and gladly embraced it.

“Ambition, is what I believed would be the only way to set me free. But when it disappeared and I found myself alone, that's when you came and guided me and it felt like I was home!
“Like the phoenix burning bright in the sky, I'll show there's another side to me you can't deny!
I may not know what the future holds, but hear me when I say, that my past does not define me
'cause my past is not todaaaaaaay!”

Sunset held her pose for several seconds while the final notes from the guitar faded out. Slowly, Twilight approached Sunset, reaching out with a hesitant, shaky hoof to her friend. Sunset let the hoof touch her face and nuzzled into it while she sniffled a bit.

“I’ve tried so hard, Twilight, so damn hard to be a better person, a better pony.”

“You are.” Twilight hesitated, her throat parched, her lips dry and needing moisture and then some. “You are one of the most amazing, talented, intelligent… beautiful ponies I have ever had the privilege of spending time with and getting to know. You’ve come so far from when we first met and I am proud to call you my best friend. Equestria… my world is a better place with you in it.”

Raven, who had been listening like she always did, chose that moment to light up and began to play a song loud enough that it could not be ignored. Both ponies looked to the device still sitting on the end table. Sunset smirked and chuckled while Twilight just looked on with a quirky expression. With only a moment’s hesitation, Sunset’s horn lit up and moved the chairs from the sitting area out of the way to clear a space. She then trotted over to the space and turned back to Twilight and bowed slightly while extending a hoof.

“May I have this dance?”

Twilight blushed furiously, fumbling like a filly again. “I, I don’t know this song, are there steps to learn? Would I be able to dance? Who is supposed to lead? I’m… I’m taller than you!”

Sunset rolled her eyes and shook her extended hoof again, beckoning Twilight to her. “It’s okay, just let me lead and do what feels right.”

Twilight’s reluctance crumbled and she stepped up to Sunset. She yelped a squeak when Sunset pulled her close and began to lead while the song played what sounded like a mix between rock and samba dance. After a minute of spins and steps where Twilight felt herself pressed into Sunset she began to relax and get into the beat of the music. The guitar solo hit and they freestyled their dances. Twilight was mesmerized at how fluid Sunset’s moves were, how she slid and shook, her body moving to the beat and rhythm. It was graceful, erotic, and Twilight nearly stopped her wild missteps and awkward moves just to watch Sunset shake her body.

As the song drew to a close, Sunset pulled her friend close and dipped her, head nearly touching the floor. She pulled Twilight back up and they panted while remaining within inches from one another. Slowly, Twilight felt her face drawing closer to Sunset’s whose eyes were already half closed.

“Sunset… I…”

Sunset dodged Twilight’s lips and instead nuzzled her friend’s cheek with her own. Twilight swallowed her slight disappointment, but still relished the warm, intimate contact. Their horns slid along one another and Sunset sent a small surge of energy from hers to Twilight’s. The purple alicorn gasped at the sudden and unexpected tingle that quickly traveled down her spine and tickled every part of her body to the tip of her tail. Twilight smiled and sent her own loving surge back and was pleased to hear Sunset gasp and moan slightly in response.

“Twi,” Sunset’s face twisted for a moment. “No, I called her Twi. You’re not the same. I shouldn’t call you that.”

Twilight kept her cheek pressed into Sunset’s, reveling in the pomegranate scent of her mane. “You can call me Twily when it’s just us, if you like. My family use to call me that. Cadence is the only one left who says it now and… I miss hearing it. It was always used as a term of endearment.”

Sunset smiled and nodded. “Twily it is.”

“Can… I still call you Sunny? Or would that be too much?”

“No, I’ve always liked it. I like hearing you say it.”

Twilight took in another deep inhale of Sunset’s mane, nuzzling her ear. Her voice just above a whisper because anything louder would shatter the moment like a dream. “I… I don’t want to… I think… slow, yes. We should take things slow, as slow as you need. I don’t want to confuse you. I know how I feel for you… I know this is a crush. Part of me thinks this is wrong, that I’m just taking advantage of you. But, but a bigger part of me feels so good right now. I like this, I want this… I… we want to make sure this… is real chemistry and not just loneliness and hormones.”

Sunset smiled, her eyes remaining closed, just listening to the rapidly beating heart of the pony next to her. Feeling Twilight’s breath tickle her fur and ear setting her neurons ablaze. “I know… I… I feel it too and I’m scared too, Twily. I have so many feelings warring inside me like a chemical concoction about to boil over. I… I honestly never thought I would feel this again.”

Twilight stepped back so she could gaze into Sunset’s gorgeous teal eyes. “There is already so much going on, if this is too much...”

Sunset gently pressed a hoof to Twilight’s lips. “Shhh, it’s okay, Twily.”

Twilight nodded, nuzzling the hoof. “Thank you. It’s been so long since I felt this close to anypony.”

Sunset smirked and giggled. “Ohhhh, now you’ve piqued my curiosity. Who was your last colt or marefriend? Was it Flash Sentry?”

Twilight stammered and coughed for a moment, which made Sunset giggle more. “No, it was not Flash Sentry, pony Flash I mean! We did date for a bit, but it never went anywhere. Oh! Did you know who he DID end up marrying though? Tempest Shadow! He’s Tempest Fury’s great grandfather.”

“Really? Huh. That’s cool and interesting, but you know you are deflecting, right?”

“Oh, come on! Isn’t it a relationship faux pas to talk about past special someponies?”

Sunset’s grin grew mischievous, she nuzzled Twilight once again rubbing their horns together intimately. Twilight knew her resistance was crumbling however. “Ohhhh, are we in a relationship now? I don’t remember signing any paperwork on the subject. Besides, I thought we were going slow?”

Twilight sighed, but the smile remained on her blushing face. “Do you want me to draw up a contract? I love paperwork so you know I’ll do it.”

Sunset giggled and continued to nuzzle her.

“Oh, fine. His name was Summer Starrise and he was an astronomer. He was very nice and intelligent and polite. We dated secretly for about four months and then publicly for another six, but we both became too engrossed in our work not long after that and Summer wanted nothing to do with high society and political theater. The break up was on good terms and mutual. That was probably thirty years ago. I think he retired to Vanhoover. I haven’t written to him in a few years now.” Sunset nodded and raised a hoof to stroked the side of Twilight’s face and neck. Twilight happily nuzzled the hoof and began to draw her muzzle closer to Sunset’s once more when a scroll appeared before them in a burst of green flame.

Sunset yelped and jumped back. Twilight blinked a few times as she processed what just happened. She levitated the fallen scroll and opened it, quietly mumbling to herself while she read the words.

“It’s from Spike. Apparently Flurry Heart never came home yesterday or today. He heard about the fight, because everypony has heard about it by now.”

Sunset sighed. “Of course they have.”

“Flurry’s friends asked Spike to send the letter. They are worried she might be in trouble or worse.”

Sunset’s memory suddenly flashed to the moment she touched Flurry’s mind and saw… she was not entirely sure what she saw. “Um, yeah. They may have a good reason to worry. I think something might be influencing her.”

Author's Notes:

Good Evening! I hope everyone is well and healthy.

We are now about 3 and half weeks out from Christmas and hopefully I will keep up with the pace I have maintained even though this is the time of year that work for me goes into overdrive. They call it Peak Season in the shipping biz.

So part of this scene was born from the music video Friendship Through the Ages where we see Princess Twilight playing a piano even though logically she was still not good with her hands, but I just loved the mental visual of it I had to have her learn piano.

And yes, your eyes did not deceive you, Tempest was hitting on Gauge. Also, because it was asked, yes, Tempest is taller than Gauge, not by a lot, but she is.

Things are going to start developing faster now that we are getting into the meat of the story so get ready!

Questions? Comments?

Chapter 15: The Dark Side of the Moon

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“Why didn’t you say anything earlier?!”

Sunset Shimmer rolled her eyes as the two alicorns flew side by side. “It was all foggy and I was in a bit of a battle haze then I got all mopey and you came to visit me and… well… you know, so it slipped my mind, okay?! I was not even sure it was real or my mind was playing tricks on me.” Twilight kept her eyes forward with a pout on her face. Sunset found the pouty lips cute despite the stressful situation, but kept the thought to herself considering they were not alone.

“You said when you touched her it felt like your empathy powers. Is there a chance you never lost the power the geode gave you?”

“I don’t know. I mean, all the other geodes shattered when they helped free me from the in between. The girls showed me the pieces after they collected them, but I never found mine, just the chain around my neck. I always assumed I lost it in transition, but I suppose it’s theoretically possible that I may have absorbed it and its power while I was stuck in there. My body was going through some pretty dramatic and painful metamorphic changes. Then I ascended and… well you know, rainbow lasers, flaming swords and wings, stab, stab, shoot, boom, hurray!”

Just behind the two alicorns Captain Gauge was pulling Captain Fury in a small enchanted chariot. Tempest leaned forward and whispered to the thestral, “Are you getting any of this?”

Gauge shrugged. “Listening, yes. Understanding, not really.”

The two alicorns banked hard and the bat pony followed as they came in for a circle to burn off speed and land just before the Castle of Friendship in Ponyville.

Over the last century, Ponyville had evolved from a small town of farms and dirt roads to a cosmopolitan mix of all the best things the world had to offer. The School of Friendship was a world renowned school for training young creatures who would become world leader, ambassadors, and policy makers. It was considered a must for many not only to learn the principles of friendship and working together, but also for building future contacts.

Ponies and other creatures came from all over to visit or attend the school and many of the first former students found they loved life the pony way so much that they settled in with their new neighbors. To accommodate the expanding population, but also to curb rampant expansionism, many of the new buildings near downtown were over ten stories tall and boasted some of the latest trends in architecture that accommodated for griffons, hippogriffs, and even dragons.

Outside the inner new rings were many of the older, quaint buildings that Ponyville was well known for. They still made up the bulk of the town, but were modernized to better handle disasters both natural or magical. Beyond the second ring were the farms that still made up the majority of the surrounding rural landscape along with the Everfree Forest that was protected from developments by treaties with The Deer Kingdom, Thicket, and Fluttershy’s nature preserve.

Twilight always had mixed feelings about visiting Ponyville. While it was part of her royal duty as well as her pleasure to visit all of Equestria, Ponyville would forever be special to her. However, it also served as an everlasting reminder of those she had lost over time. There were plenty of motifs and reminders, some subtle, others not so much, dedicated to Princess Twilight and the Elements of Harmony. They even each had a street named after them.

Sunset brushed Twilight with her wing, pulling the purple alicorn from her own thoughts. “You okay?”

“Not really,” Twilight said with a sigh. “I’m worried about Flurry Heart and what all of this could mean. Has an outside force been influencing her behavior and if so for how long? All I have are questions and… and I’m worried about my niece. If something happens to her will Cadence never speak to me again? Will the Crystal Empire and Canterlot have to go to war?”

“Well I doubt that will happen, but we do need to find her to put everypony’s mind at ease. I'm not big fan of unanswered questions either.”

“Twilight nodded. “That’s why we’re here. We need to search her room for clues and if we fail to find anything useful I may have another way to find her.” Twilight reached up to knock on the castle door when Spike opened it and pulled his big sister into a hug.

“How many times do I have to tell you, you don’t have to knock. This is still your house too.”

Twilight returned the embrace. “I haven’t lived here in over a century. It’s been your home longer than mine.”

“Whatever you say. So, got any ideas where Flurry may have flown off to? Was she hurt?” asked Spike, gesturing for the group of ponies to follow.

Sunset rubbed the back of her neck for a moment trying to think of how much to say. “Well, I doubt I did anything to her she could not heal. It’s not like she was a pushover, you know. I mean, she’s lucky Twilight showed up when she did after she hurt my mother.”

“Spike paused in mid-step. “Wait, that wasn’t in the newspaper. She hurt Celestia?”

Before Sunset could say more another voice she had never heard before interrupted her.

“Oh Flurry, what has happened to you?”

Sunset and the others continued down the hall where the voice had originated from and found a tall, stout, brown and white buck standing next to a light brown pegasus mare. They were both pacing around the table in the center of the room that if memory served correctly, Sunset had heard called the Cutie Map. A magical construct tied to the spirit of harmony much like the castle itself. The buck and the mare approached Princess Twilight the moment they spotted her. They gave respectful bows and rose.

“Princess, please say you have news.”

“I’m sorry, Prince Whitetail, nothing yet, but that is one of the reasons we came as soon as we could.” Twilight gestured to the alicorn to her right. “Prince Thicket Whitetail, Tule Spring, allow me to introduce Celestia's daughter, Princess Sunset Shimmer. She’ll be helping us locate and hopefully find out if anything is wrong with Flurry Heart.”

Sunset tried to smile warmly, but the gesture seemed to bounce right off the barrel chested buck whose impressive antlers towered over Sunset. She had to fight down the little voice in her head that wanted to touch the impressive antlers and say, “nice rack.” However, she reminded herself she was a princess now, or would be soon, an ambassador of Equestria had better manners than that.

“So, you’re the one who got in a fight with my best friend?” There was something about the way he said, “best friend” that hinted at possibly being an understatement. Or at least, maybe he WISHED they were more than just friends. Sunset noted the inflection and would ask about it later if it became appropriate.

“I don’t want to go into details of the fight, but suffice to say it is possible Flurry is being influenced by an outside force.”

“Impossible,” said Thicket with a scoff in his voice. “Princess Flurry Heart is second only to Princess Twilight in raw magical strength and her will is more stubborn than a yak on Crash-Smash Day. I have been by Flurry’s side on many adventures since graduating from the School of Friendship more than ten years ago. I know my friend.”

“I have to concur with Prince Thicket, Your Highness,” said the small pegasus in a mousy voice. “I have assisted the princess as her friend and personal assistant for many years as well. I have seen nothing in this world that could sway influence over her. She barely listens to her own mother when they speak.”

Twilight nodded to both of them. “We’ll figure this out, together. Captain Fury, Captain Gauge, please investigate Flurry Heart’s private residence and see if there is anything out of the ordinary. Remember to scan for hex traps or cursed objects as well.” The two guards saluted and followed the pegasus down a separate hallway.

“So, what does that leave us to do?” asked Sunset.

Twilight fidgety and paced around the Cutie Map before finally sighing and erecting a privacy bubble. “Soooo, I know a spell that might be able to find Flurry, but it’s… controversial.”

Both Thicket and Sunset looked on quizzically, waiting for Twilight to continue. She stepped over to the table and touched it with a hoof, sending a small current of power, which brought the map to life. Sunset gasped in awe at the sight of the magical holographic map of all of Equestria. The detail was as good as the latest holographic maps that had rolled out not many years ago in the human world.

“Many years ago, I had a friend and student named Starlight Glimmer,” Twilight began.

“I remember Starlight well. We had a lot in common, which was a great spring board to a lot of our conversations.”

Twilight nodded. “Well, you might also remember that Starlight was an especially gifted and powerful unicorn. Not just in raw power. Her special talent in magic was the ability to combine spells and even different types of magic such as spells with artifacts or spells with potions. Things of that nature. For the most part she just needed a friend and supervisor to make sure her experiments were safe and did not go too far. However, sometimes these experiments yielded amazing and occasionally terrifying results.”

“Uh, yeah. She nearly broke time and created a whole slew of splinter alternate universes. That hurts my head just thinking of what happened to those,” said Sunset while Prince Whitetail staggered at the implications.

“Right. Anyhow, one such experiment, that I supervised, was a long range tracking spell used in conjunction with the Cutie Map.”

Sunset Shimmer gasped after a moment, her eyes wide. “Wait, are you telling me she found a way to track anypony anywhere in Equestria?!”

Twilight nodded. “Yes.”

“I’m sorry, I do not completely understand pony magic so I need you to explain to me why a tracking spell would cause such a reaction.”

Sunset bobbed her head then gestured to the map with a hoof. “If it was just a tracking spell it would be fine, but most tracking spells have a limited range or require a special artifact tied to the one you’re tracking… blood can work too, but that can start to get legally controversial. Now, imagine being able to track anypony, any creature ANYWHERE in Equestria at ANYTIME by just picturing in your mind who you are looking for. The privacy violations and legal litigation, hell, the moral implications. Just, wow.”

Twilight nodded again. “I know. It’s why I buried her research on the matter deep in the restricted vaults and never showed any other creatures this spell, even my own intelligence service. I know I can trust Sunset with this, but I am placing great faith in the secrecy of this with you, Prince Whitetail.”

“If it helps my friend then I swear I will never speak a word of this to another soul, even my father.”

“Okay.” Twilight let out a breath and closed her eyes, her horn began to glow as she worked the complicated spell matrix. Sunset was impressed with the complicated spell formula that she could see through her spell eye. A moment later a bolt of magenta light shot from Twilight’s horn and caused the map to flicker. After a few seconds the glow died down and Twilight opened her eyes. “Hmm, I would have expected something… maybe I don’t remember it as well as I tho-”

A cutie mark appeared on the map for a few seconds before it vanished. It reappeared for a few more seconds before it vanished again. They only caught a glimpse of it, but there was no mistaking Flurry Heart’s cutie mark.

“She must have been traveling all night to make it that far north,” said Sunset, rubbing her chin. “Do you think she is going to visit her mother?”

“Possibly. Tempest did attempt to arrest her so she may think that she is in some sort of legal trouble and may be trying to find out if Cadence can shield her from it. But that seems strange and out of character for her.”

“I doubt it,” Thicket said, pointing at the Crystal Empire to the north. “She’s not heading directly for the empire and she knows the way too well to make such a mistake, even if exhausted. Not to mention, like you said, Flurry is not one who would cry and run home to mother because of a fight.” The three waited to see if the cutie mark would reappear, but it did not. The implications of that were unsettling.

“This isn’t working. Either she knows a way to cloak herself from your tracking spell or something else is helping hide her,” said Sunset with a frustrated growl. “We need a new plan.”

“As much as I hate to admit it, I think our best course of action right now is contact Cadence and hope that Flurry will calm down and reach out to her or us. I’m worried about her, but she is still just one pony even if a powerful one and I have an entire kingdom to take care of.” Even as she said the words Twilight felt deflated. All they had were even more questions than answers. Twilight's crown felt unusually heavy, it usually did when she had to put country before her loved ones.

“If Flurry is heading north perhaps it would be best to head north as well. From the Crystal Empire we would have a shorter distance to travel as well as all the resources her mother would gladly put forth. I know there is friction between Flurry and Princess Cadence, but there is no doubt that she loves her daughter unquestioningly.”

Twilight nodded and lowered the privacy bubble. “I have no authority over your decisions, Prince Thicket. You have diplomatic privilege to travel anywhere you like within Equestria. However, if you can wait for at least one more day I can help prepare an entire entourage to accompany you to the empire. Maybe I can even try and swing it to where I can go since I have not seen my sister-in-law in… stars, how long has it been?”

“I understand,” the deer prince said and bowed. “I will make preparations to travel to Canterlot and from there I would like to join whomever you have set aside to travel to the Crystal Empire.”

Three knocks rang out before Gauge pushed the door open. “I apologize, Your Highnesses, Princess Flurry Heart’s room was neat and in perfect order. No clues that would suggest an outside influence and no notes on what her plans would be. In fact, it looked like she had not even slept in her bed in days.”

Tempest was about to speak when she felt a vibration and a melody played from her carry pouch. She quickly levitated out a small stone and touched the glowing runes. “Fury.”

“Captain, I need to speak to Twilight or Sunset immediately.”

Tempest recognized Celestia’s voice and passed the SunLight crystal to Twilight. “It’s Celestia, she sounds… worried.” Sunset bristled at the comment and Twilight wrapped Sunset's foreleg with one of her own. Sunset closed her eyes a moment and let out a breath, nodding her thanks to her friend.

“How do I make it talk out loud again?” asked Twilight. Sunset took hold of the crystal in her telekinesis and tapped a different rune for the ‘speaker phone’ feature. “Thanks.”

“Twilight? Sunset?”

“We’re here, Mom. What’s going on?”

“Ah, good, both of you. Anyhow, after the two of you left for Ponyville, I informed Luna of you plan to try and find Flurry Heart because you feared she may be under some outside compulsion. She came up with her own plan to help by dream walking into Flurry’s mind for answers. I received a distress call from the thestrals guarding Luna that she began convulsing and thrashing and try as they might they cannot pull her from the dream walk. They, and I as well, fear that she has come under mental attack. I tried to sever the connection, but none of my spells could pull her from the walk and I fear that if I push too hard I could accidentally separate Luna’s soul from her body without an anchor.”

“We’re on our way back right now,” said Sunset, deactivating the crystal and passing it back to Tempest.

Twilight fell into step next to a scowling and determined Sunset Shimmer. “Flurry’s aggressive behavior, shadow visions, and now Luna, the master of the dream realm coming under attack? No way this is a coincidence.” Sunset said nothing, but nodded in agreement.

----------

Earlier
Luna arrived at her tower taking a moment to admire the view she often took for granted. It was earlier than she usually settled in for her duty as the guardian of dreams, the sun had not quite set yet, but circumstances were different this time. After hearing from her sister that Sunset and Twilight left for the Castle of Friendship for clues to Flurry’s whereabouts Luna devised her own plan to locate the wayward alicorn. While not an exact science, it was not impossible for Luna to learn secrets from ponies while they slept. Much of the mundane information was near the surface and she could skim it without disturbing the dreamer. She could search recent events and thoughts and determine a location just by the background memories alone. Being no more invasive than a casual observer. However, if she dove deeper, she could always learn more, but that came with consequences of its own if the dreamer resisted her.

Everypony in the kingdom knew that Princess Flurry Heart was strong, one of the most powerful ponies to have ever lived. So, in such a case, if a creature were able to manipulate her, or worse, dominate her mind. The other alicorns needed to know who or what and if necessary, how to protect themselves from it as well. The answers to those questions and unknowns could possibly be found in the world of dreams. However, it was not without its own danger.

Luna waited for the four thestrals who would watch over her to arrive. They had been informed to report and moved to their posts with all the haste she expected from soldiers as well trained and disciplined as the Night Guard. She looked at each of them and nodded and smiled before dropping the pretense. “Tonight will be different than any other time you have watched over me, children. In the past, I have walked the path of stardust that makes up the tangible path of pony dreams. However, I have a feeling that if Flurry Heart has become enthralled, that her mind and dreams have been hidden from the usual path. In such case I must leave the path as well to find her.”

Luna paused and swallowed trying to still the slight quake in her legs. “Know this, the last time I ventured from the path I followed a siren’s call in the darkness. It… spoke to me in ways I cannot fully describe, but the results were clear and will forever be a stain upon me and the land. I gave in and allowed the creature to imbue me with power and hate and brought forth the nightmare all know and fear. If I appear to be in distress and you cannot wake me, send for my sister and she will contact Princess Twilight and Sunset Shimmer. Then, pray they do not arrive too late to save me.”

“If the risk is so great is this necessary, Mistress?”

Luna nodded to the bat pony mare who, while standing at attention clearly was concerned for her mistress's well being. “To save Princess Flurry Heart, to prevent her from following my folly, yes. I must.”

Luna took her usual position and laid down in the center of the tower. Her eyes took on a white glow before she closed them, her horn glowing midnight blue. It began as it always did. Luna felt herself lifting in the air as if she were floating weightless in space. The sensation lasted for a minute, sometimes longer, but her hooves came to a rest on something her mind interpreted as ground and Luna opened her eyes to see the stardust path.

There were few dreamers at this early hour, the sun most likely just now slipping below the horizon. Even out of her body Luna still had such a strong connection to the moon she knew where her old friend was at all times. It did not matter however because where she planned to travel this evening the regular dreamers were, unfortunately on their own. This time more than any other Luna recalled the lessons her mother had taught her so long ago, the lessons she had only begun to scratch the surface of with Sunset Shimmer.

The realm of dreams was not terribly different than the space in between dimensions. There were many unexplored corners of the astral plane that were easy to get lost in. Many places for dark creatures to hide. Luna stopped at a junction and stared off into the starless blackness, trying to see anything in the distance. Her mother’s words whispered in her ears.

“This is a land of hopes and dreams, child. However, where there is hope there is despair. Where there are beautiful dreams there also lie nightmares. All things in balance, terrible, unbiased, unforgiving balance. Be alert, and never wander from the path alone.”

But she had wandered. She had heard a voice call to her long ago and in her youthful arrogance had followed it. It had spoken honey sweet poison to her and slowly that poison became seething anger and eventually she gladly turned on her sister. At that moment, the poison blossomed in her and the power that had been promised came to fruition. She had eclipsed the sun and become the nightmare. If not for Celestia’s last resort effort with the elements Luna would have defeated and no doubt killed her sister.

“I know you are out there, Scylla, and I am not afraid of you.” The words were as much a shield to calm Luna’s own anxiety as they were a challenge. Luna’s horn lit and she created a crescent moon light ornament and placed the glowing replica of her cutie mark on a cloud next to the path. She took one last deep breath before extending her wings and flying off into the darkness. Normal eyes would be useless in such stark blackness, but Luna had already prepared for that and her teal irises reformed to a more serpentine shape like that of her thestrals and began to glow faintly. She reached out with her senses and searched. Somewhere out in this wasteland of darkness was her quarry and her greatest fear. She had a hunch that the creature that had helped subjugate her long ago had now used the same tricks on poor Flurry Heart. If that was the case, all of Equestria was in grave peril.

Luna paused and hovered, she felt a shiver run down her spine and turned to her left, but found nothing. Then to the right and something tugged at her heart. She moved closer to the sensation. There was a pony soul here where no pony belonged. Cautiously, she followed the sensation. Luna paused and looked back, the stardust path could barely be seen now, just a speck on the horizon.

“Perhaps I should go back for help. Surely Sunset or Twilight would be willing to act as anc-” Several dark appendages wrapped around Luna and dragged her down, slamming her so hard into an unseen solid ground that she felt all the air leave her. Luna growled and lit her horn only to be struck from above. She felt something cold and sharp press to her throat.

“Just because this is not your real body does not mean you cannot die here.”

Luna struggled, but was able to turn her head enough to get one eye up. The cloud was dark red and vaguely pony shaped, with what appeared to be a magically constructed long knife held to her throat. Luna growled and her wing feathers became as sharp as blades, slicing through her bonds and freeing her. She flew back a safe distance from the knife and conjured a glowing black and blue battle axe.

“Thou are not the creature we were searching for, but thou are still blocking the way from what we seek. Be gone, demon!”

Another voice chuckled just behind Luna’s left ear. Something cold and wet struck her down again. Luna’s axe slid away and disappeared into the darkness. Glowing dark purple chains erupted from the ground and pulled Luna back down painfully tight. “Demon? Oh, that’s amusing. Is that what you think we are? Is that what Mother told you of us? Did she even speak of us?”

“Probably not,” said another voice, this one light with an almost playful squeak to it. “She’s a big, stupid diaper face like that. Pfffftt!”

“Enough.” Luna gasped and froze. THAT voice she recognized. “Well, well, well. Look who has finally come crawling back to me after all these centuries. Did big, bad Celestia push you away again? Still not getting the love and adoration you craved from the masses? No pony appreciating your beautiful night sky or all the hard, thankless work you do to keep their dreams happy? I remember all your reasons, all your excuses of why you were not good enough. All the sorrow and frustrations you bottled up on the other side that you projected into the darkness. You called to me in the darkness and I sensed you. I came and listened to you vent. We were friends, Luna. We had made a deal and then, you failed me.”

“I failed myself, Scylla. I failed Equestria and her subjects.”

“Yes, you failed at that too.”

“Let me kill her. Her death here will destroy her mind,” said the red cloud, more blades glowing and burning with red fire.

“Calm your bloodlust, Aethon. You’ll get your chance to fight soon enough. Besides, why discard a tool we may still be able to use.” The midnight blue cloud reached down and stroked Luna’s head like a pet. “I broke your resilience once and you gladly accepted a piece of me into you. I will enjoy breaking you again. Even if our newest pet succeeds it will be nice to have Nightmare Moon back on a leash for me to sic on those who displease me.”

“We will never become the nightmare again!” Luna spat. “Your words are all honeysuckle lies to us. We love our sister and our subjects, flaws and all. Our heart is cleansed of that poison you poured into us, you have no power over us.”

“That is probably true,” the teal colored cloud said in a deeper, stallion sounding voice. “Which is why we have the brat.”

Luna finally took notice of the faintly glowing form of a pony behind the shadow clouds. The aspect of Flurry Heart’s mind was cloaked in shadow chains and hazy smoke. “Release your hold on Flurry Heart and we will seek no retribution upon you.”

“You have no bargaining position, sister. We put the plan for our return in motion many times before. We put our faith in you and you failed miserably. We have tried to influence others, but none have produced results, but with Flurry Heart, we have everything we need that we have waited for. We watched as Cadenza ascended. We watched as she fell in love with Shining Armor. And we were there ready when his seed brought forth new life, influencing Flurry Heart little by little since the day her heart first started to beat in the womb. Or did you think it was just dumb luck that she was born an alicorn?”

Luna stopped struggling and gasped. “You gave Flurry Heart her wings?! How? Why?”

“Easy,” said the teal cloud, red eyes glowing, “freedom.”

“Don’t be cliché, Balius, and give away everything because you wish to gloat,” Scylla chided. “Besides, I don’t want to hear Luna speak. I want to hear her scream!” Several tentacles became hard as spears and pierced Luna’s dream body. She growled and thrashed, but refused to cry out until one pierced her skull and Scylla showed her all the horrible nightmares and plans she had dreamed of over the centuries. Luna screamed from the pain and the vivid images.

----------

When the four ponies returned to Canterlot they made directly for Luna’s tower. At first, nothing seemed out of the ordinary until they crossed through the illusion and sound dampening spell that Celestia had been maintaining. The sound of Luna’s cries and whimpers sent chills down Sunset’s spine. What could be so horrible to hurt a pony as strong as Luna?

“Thank the stars you are back,” said Celestia on the brink of collapsing from trying to maintain the illusion, her face stained with tear streaks. “Her screams became so terrifying I had to erect a barrier to keep the rest of Canterlot from hearing her. Hang on, beloved sister. Help is here.” Luna thrashed, not showing any sign of hearing her. Sunset ran to her mother, helping Celestia sit down to rest.

Twilight touched Luna’s face. She was sweating profusely, but felt ice cold. “This is not good, she’s trapped in something like a night terror. She’ll die of dehydration if we don’t get some fluids in her.” Twilight pointed at a thestral. “Find Doctor Guiding Light and tell her to bring fluid bags to treat dehydration immediately.” The thestral saluted and took flight.

“I know you were just trying to help, but you can’t push yourself this hard,” said Sunset stroking her mother’s mane.

Celestia pushed Sunset back and pointed to Luna. “I will push myself as far as I need to and more if it means saving my family. You, Luna, Cadence, Flurry, all of you. You are everything to me. I do not say it often enough, but I love each of you and would do anything for you. Go. Go into the dream realm and find Luna. Please, Sunset, save my sister. You are the only pony who can.”

Sunset nodded and stepped back over to where Luna was still shaking and thrashing. She looked down at her aunt and took a deep breath. Sunset touched Luna’s face and reached inside. If I really did absorb the power of my geode then maybe I can get a glimpse of what I’m up against. I just need to relearn how to control this.

“Sunset?”

Sunset closed her eyes. “Shhh, please. I’m testing a hypothesis.” Twilight nodded. A moment later Sunset gasped and her eyes flew open, glowing white. Sunset stumbled back shaking her head.

Twilight rushed to Sunset’s side, stroking the other alicorn’s face while she blinked rapidly. “Are you okay?!”

“I saw… a fork in the path. A crescent marker. Clues. But then… darkness, evil, I'm talking real malevolent presence. Glowing eyes. I think I know where to find her.” Sunset shook the feeling of goosebumps away then sat down near Luna. “I’m going in.”

“Not alone you are not,” said Captain Gauge standing before his princess. “Mistress Luna is a great warrior and master of the realm of dreams. If she fell victim to night creatures it was because she was alone and surrounded. You need somepony to watch your back and I volunteer without hesitation.”

“I appreciate the sentiment, Gauge, but I’ve never brought a passenger before on this ride. I’m not sure I have enough fine control to navigate and keep both of us under the spell.”

“Then I’ll go with you,” said Twilight, sitting down next to Sunset. “You won’t have to power the spell for me, just guide me in and lead me where we need to go.”

“Princess, I strongly object to this," said Tempest, standing next to Gauge. "If Sunset needs a unicorn, then I volunteer. This is what we signed up for. To protect our princesses,” Tempest paused and shook her head. “We can’t lose all three of you. All of Equestria would descend into a panic.”

Twilight glanced between the two captains, but shook her head. “I understand what you are both saying and your objections are noted, but I am still the Princess here and I am going to help my friends. End of discussion.”

Tempest growled, stomped a few times, desperately wanting to buck something, and turned about before finally sighing. Her hard green eyes locked on Sunset. “Swear to me you’ll bring her back.”

Sunset nodded. “I’m bringing them both back.”

“And yourself, my princess. Don’t rob me of the chance to properly serve as your captain.”

Sunset nodded to Gauge, turning her attention to Twilight. “Okay, as I understand it in order to do this we have to be connected by touch. I will guide you in, but you will still need to stay close for me to guide you back out.”

“That makes sense. I acted as the anchor for Celestia when she went into the in between for you. You can drape you wing over me and mine over you.”

“Um,” Sunset blushed as she stood, “yeah, that would be fine if I had the control Mom or Aunt Luna have, but I need… more of you. So… just… you know what, don’t move.” Sunset stepped over the top of Twilight who was still sitting and the purple princess let out a squeak as the goldenrod alicorn sat down upon her back, careful to not crush Twilight’s wings. “You okay? I’m not too heavy?” Sunset could feel Twilight’s heart beating faster as the entirety of her barrel was pressed against Twilight’s spine.

“N, no, I’m okay. When you said touch, I didn’t… Just…” Twilight quaked a bit and let out a cough. “I’m just glad no one but guards can see us right now.”

Sunset nodded to their captains and her mother, wrapping her forelegs around Twilight’s neck then whispered in her ear, “Close your eyes and follow my lead.” Sunset’s horn lit and tendrils of light enwrapped Twilight’s horn as both alicorns went still and trance like, their breathing and heartbeats falling into sync.

Long ago, Twilight and her friends had entered the waking dream to help Luna track down a dream construct called the Tantabus that Luna had created, rather masochistically, to punish herself for past sins. Later, as ruler of Equestria, Twilight had tried to dream walk with Luna and had only partial success with it. While she had managed to reach the dream realm with help, the disorder and ethereal nature of it did not mesh well with her compulsive desire to put everything in an orderly fashion. She had lost her connection to Luna after only a few minutes.

However, with Sunset the connection felt stronger, intimate, like being led down a dark path with an invisible string tied between them tugging her along every time she tried to wander off on a tangent. When the flying sensation ceased and she felt something that resembled solid ground under her hooves, Twilight dared to open her eyes. Her jaw hung open and her heart skipped a few beats.

Sunset was standing before her looking down a stardust path an expression of focused determination on her face. But what was most striking was the fact that her mane waved like Twilight’s and she even stood a bit taller, nearly as tall Twilight. Perhaps it was how Sunset saw herself or it was the projection of her greatest potential. Either way, Twilight could barely keep from drooling at the amber goddess mare before her.

Sunset turned around and smirked, gently closing Twilight’s jaw in a wonderful moment of deja vu. “C’mon, this way and again, stay close. Keep your eyes locked on my gorgeous rump if you have to.”

Twilight snorted. “Perv.”

Sunset chose not to banter back. They were on a mission and she had to stay focused. One of the first rules Luna had heavily emphasized was how dangerous the dream realm could be. A lesson that her aunt had apparently taken for granted.

“This place, it feels strange. Like all my senses are trying to compete for what it feels most like. Hot and cold, free and open, crushing claustrophobic.”

Sunset nodded as she passed the cloud shapes of sleeping ponies. Most of them seemed calm and pleasant, which was good because there was no time for detours. “It’s this place, you are picking up on some of other ponies’ emotions. I guess I’m just more use to it having walked a few times already plus my empathy powers.”

“Yes, I wanted to ask you about that, your hypothesis. So, you really do still have your geode power?”

Sunset reached up and touched the rings on her chain. “When the girls dug deep and used their full power to help free me from the in between it overloaded their geodes like I said. But mine usually disappeared into the mirror space like my clothes when I crossed to Equestria and was apparently in a dimensional flux, like my body. When Celestia triggered my ascension, it must have become a part of me. The power just never manifested before when I was human because I never reached for it assuming it was gone. Then when I came back this last time, I was such an emotional wreck I must have awakened it. I began hearing some thoughts of ponies I was near, picked up on emotional sensations of others. Heck, dream walking with Luna may have been the spark trigger. I don’t know. But now that I know it’s there I think I know how to control it. I’ll have to practice more in the future. Otherwise I'll pick up on too many stray thoughts and that's... awkward, trust me.” Sunset stopped walking and looked down to her right. Sitting on cloud was a glowing crescent moon that was flickering erratically.

“What is it?”

Sunset closed her eyes and reached out with her senses. There was a tug at her heart then a stabbing pain for a second that made her gasp. Twilight caught her before she could stumble. “She’s out there, somewhere.”

“Are you sure? I can’t see anything.”

Sunset nodded. “I can feel her pain. We need to hurry.” Sunset spread her wings and they burst into flames. She jumped from the ledge and began to glide forward. Twilight was only a step behind and just to her right. The two alicorns flew forward with their horns doing almost nothing to light the darkness ahead of them. Twilight kept her eyes on Sunset and Sunset kept her eyes only half open as she followed the sensation in her chest. They both stopped to hover when a scream called out through the darkness.

“I see something, a faint light,” said Twilight, pointing to a speck in the distance. Sunset nodded and surged forward, her flaming wings glowing brighter. They circled one time together then dove, hoping if there was something like ground they did not hit it too hard.

Their hooves made no sound, but it was clear that the cloud like creatures were not surprised by their arrival. From what Sunset could see there were four of them, a dark blue one standing over a chained up Luna, piercing the dark alicorn’s soul avatar with spikes all over her body. The shadow paused and sighed, its body language similar to an irritated pony.

“Oh, joy, interlopers.”

“Let my aunt go,” Sunset drew her flaming sword and held it before her, “now.”

“Ignis Ferrum Incarnate. You are interfering in a private matter, crotch dropping of Celestia.”

Sunset stepped closer and two of the clouds moved away as if to flank her, but Twilight stepped up and lit her own horn, prepared to fire. “I’ve heard the title before, never been impressed with it. Now, you have three seconds to get off my Aunt Luna or this gets violent.”

The red cloud chuckled and produced two flaming daggers of its own. The teal cloud held up a hoof and stepped forward. “Now, now, let’s be reasonable. We are all intelligent, creatures and capable of using our words, are we not? You may call me Balius. Now, we know you wish to have Luna back, but what do you offer in return?”

“That I don’t chop all of your damn heads off and light what’s left on fire.”

Balius made a tongue clicking noise. “Interesting first offer. However, not very reasonable. A good opening would have begun with asking what we seek.”

“Three,” growled Sunset.

“I’m sorry, are you seriously counting down?”

“Two.”

“When you invaded Flurry Heart’s mind most unexpectantly we were not in a position to fight back. I assure you, little pony, you can be harmed here. Look to your aunt for proof. She suffers a pain worse than death and soon my sister will have control of her mind and Nightmare Moon will live again.”

“Do not listen to them!” shouted Luna through clenched teeth. “They are trying to distract you from seeing the grip they have on Flurry Heart’s heart and soul! You must free her!”

“I knew it!” shouted Twilight, horn taking on a brighter glowing fury. “I knew there was something wrong with her! She was such a sweet child and her irritability and erratic behavior was unusual.”

“One.”

Balius sighed. “Very well. Epona, keep the Key safe. Aethon, destroy the weapon golem. I shall deal with the purple brat.”

The red cloud charged and Sunset raised her sword to meet the two blades and immediately regretted it. She caught one, but the other had been slipped under her block, the blade slashing at her foreleg above the hoofguard. Sunset pushed the cloud off and looked down to find a fine layer of golden star dust trailing from the wound. The wound didn’t hurt like a normal cut, but her leg did feel like it was going numb. She quickly healed the cut and changed to a more defensive hold.
He was fast and had two weapons. She was going to have to change things up. Sunset’s sword took on a red glow and grew twice as long with a blade on each end and a handle grip in the middle still emblazed with her cutie mark. The two double edged blades once again burned with red fire. Sunset grinned at the balk expression on the cloud and charged back into the fight.

Twilight fired at the teal cloud who simple dodge the blasts. “Let my friends and family go!”

“Luna deserves this punishment, child. She fell to her darkest desires and took the power my sister offered her only to fail to kill Celestia. We waited centuries for a new opportunity and tried to manipulate the mind of Sunset Shimmer before she was born, but the spells that augmented her creation prevented us from entering her mind. That was quite irritating.

“Truthfully, we are not unreasonable beings. Celestia’s life is all we wish to claim, but we will do so over your lifeless bodies if you choose to interfere. As long as she lives, we are locked away from our calling, our very purpose of being. Imagine if you were wrongly imprisoned and not allowed to fulfil your purpose.”

Twilight fired again and quickly deflected its shadow attacks with a glowing magenta shield. “If Celestia imprisoned you it was not for no reason!”

“That’s the truly sad part, you see. She doesn’t even realize she is the reason we cannot break free.”

“Balius!” shouted the dark shadow. “You are talking too much again!”

Balius nodded to his sister before quickly swirling around Twilight faster than she could follow. Each rotation he left a cut, then another, and another. Twilight cried out as the cuts came faster and deeper. She tried to erect a shield bubble, but could not focus the spell as the cuts continued and she cried out in pain.

Sunset alternated between horn blasts and sword strikes but could do little more that throw the red cloud off balance. She had not landed a single solid hit and it was beginning to be annoying. “Gotta admit, you are one of the toughest enemies I’ve had to fight.”

“And I am not even at full power, you would never stand a chance against me in the waking world.”

“Dreams!” Luna managed to shout out. “This place is built upon dreams and imagination! Use that to your ad- uugh!” Scylla stabbed Luna in the neck, her eyes begging to glaze over while she struggled against the damage.

Duh! It’s a fricking dream realm! Sunset jumped back and closed her eyes. Her body took on a glow and shifted, becoming longer and taller. When the glow died down standing before the red cloud was not a pony but a tall biped wearing an all black, skin tight suit with a glowing disk in the center of her chest.

“What manner of creature is…”

Sunset did not wait for him to finish and held out her arms. Interlocking metal plates of red and gold slammed into place from the ether and formed an armor suit around her, the helmet being last. The face piece slammed shut and the eyes took on a bright bluish glow. She raised her palm and the iron man (woman) suit fired a massive repulsor blast at the cloud. Two flaming wings burst from the back jet flaps and she passed over the other clouds firing more blasts and several rounds of explosive ordinance. The clouds retreated and gathered around one another.

“We cannot lose the key!” shouted Balius. Sunset fired again, this time at Scylla. Aethon tried to sneak up on Sunset and stabbed at her with his daggers, but they bounced off the armor. Her imagination having pictured a metal as stronger than he had expected. She headbutted the cloud pony and it fell to the ground.

The three clouds gathered around the fourth who had remained behind, protecting a glowing form that was covered in dark clouds. Once together they retreated farther into the darkness faster than the eye could follow.

“They still have their control on Flurry!” shouted Twilight, struggling back to her hooves, bleeding from hundreds of tiny wounds. She fired a blast but it was lost in the nothing.

Sunset landed and the face plate opened up, helping steady Twilight. “We can’t follow them here. They know this place better than we do.” Once Twilight could stand on her own and began to heal her wounds Sunset stepped over to Luna and began pulling spikes from her body. She reached down and scooped up the dark alicorn into her arms. Sunset extended her fire wings again, but paused when she noticed Twilight was still staring off into the darkness. “Twily, I promise you we will save her, but we can’t stay away from the path. We don’t know what else is out here.” Reluctantly, Twilight extended her wings and followed the armored covered Sunset Shimmer in human form.

Once back on the path, Sunset let out a sigh of relief, gently setting Luna down. It took a few tries, but Luna eventually staggered back to her hooves, the damage from the spikes quickly fading faster than any true physical wound could. She smiled weakly and nodded her thanks.

“I am most grateful to both of you. I do not know how much longer my mind could have held against Scylla’s assaults.”

“So, you know what those things are?” asked Sunset.

“It’s… complicated. I will tell you what I can once we are back in our bodies. The stardust path is safe, but when dealing with such foul creatures tis wise to take nothing for granted.”

“Let’s go then.”

“Um, Sunset?” said Twilight, grinding a hoof into the stardust while still looking into the darkness. “Are you going to change back? I mean, if you are more comfortable as a human I get it, I just… never mind.”

“Huh? Oh, right.” The armor faded away and Sunset glow shifted back to her alicorn self, her mane once again blowing in the unseen ether. “Sorry if it bothered you, Twily. I spent more than a century as a human, longer than I have lived as a pony now. I guess I’m still having an identity crisis when it comes to who and what I am.”

Twilight smiled warmly. “No matter what you look like, you are Sunset Shimmer and you are amazing. I don’t know how you were able to come up with a plan of attack so fast, this place, it’s hard for me to even think straight.”

“Because she is a guardian born. She is a sword and shield, a warrior and protector. That is her purpose, her true special talent.”

Sunset smiled at Luna who beamed at her niece with pride. She pulled Twilight closer and nuzzled her cheek as they slipped through the light portal at the end of the path.

Chapter 16: Ignite

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Celestia was resting on a lounge couch with a warm tea nearby on the table. Luna sat across from her sister in a reclining chair, a foreleg draped over her eyes to try and quiet the pounding migraine headache she was nursing with a fluid drip bag hooked to her other foreleg that the doctor insisted she finish beforez she would remove it. After the three alicorns had awakened from the dream walk the group had retreated to Twilight’s study lounge, against Doctor Guiding Light’s objections. However, they had many sensitive matters to discuss and the good doctor was not going to argue with four alicorns.

Twilight was currently pacing a circle around the entire living room while Sunset quietly stood at the bar and arranged the plates of food that had been brought to them on trolley carts. Gauge and Tempest sat near the door just observing, waiting to offer any advice or input when needed. Twilight finally stopped pacing and sighed.

“Okay, if we want to have any chance of dealing with whatever those things were and freeing Flurry’s mind, I need everypony here to come clean on what they know, no matter how small a piece. Normally, this is where I would hit the library, but I don’t have a clue where to begin. I’ve never read anything about a spirit or demon named Scylla or… Sunset, do you recall any of the other names?”

“Aethon, Balius, annnnnd… Epona, I think?”

Luna sat forward, wincing as the needle tugged at her skin and fur. “If they are Scylla’s sisters and brothers as they claim to be then they are ancient abominations. There may be no records left that have any mention of their existence. I only know what Scylla told me of herself, which we must assume could be laced with falsehoods.”

“Well, anything is better than nothing,” said Twilight, gesturing for Luna to continue. The night alicorn sighed and swallowed. Talking about anything related to her fall or the nightmare in general always made her skin crawl and the back of her mouth taste of bile. However, to save Flurry, she would swallow that bile, as much as needed.

“Long ago, Scylla claimed, she was captured and imprisoned by her mother for using her gifts in a way her mother disapproved of. She claimed it was to add variety of life to the world, but her mother was the mother of all creatures. Mother Creation herself."

Sunset's ears perked up at the mention of the title. "Wait, Mother Creation as in the fabled legends? The goddess who supposedly shaped our entire universe? That can't be true."

"All stories contain a seed of truth, dear niece, no matter how far fetched. Regardless of her true origin, Scylla heard my cries of frustration in dealing with... with my sister and our subjects. I would bemoan and let out my irritations in the dream realm thinking it was a safe place for me to complain. My childish spat of unappreciation and adoration. But I was not alone and brought nothing but shame and ruin.
"We talked, for years. All the while slowly manipulating me, convincing me there was a way to be free from it all. Scylla claimed she had the ability to augment my powers so that I could stand against my sister. She, naturally, failed to mention that the nightmare entity hidden inside her ‘gift’ would drive me insane and I would seek to kill my own sister in attempt to plunge all the world into eternal darkness."

Luna shook her head, shamefully. The others waited for her to process the emotions at her own speed, ready to jump in the moment she needed them. "Something new I did learned in exchange for all this pain was that they let slip that I was not their only attempt at such a feat. They tried to convert Sunset Shimmer to their cause as well when she was still in your womb, sister.”

Celestia nearly dropped her tea cup, some of the liquid dribbling over the side. “They tried to invade my daughter’s mind as an unborn foal?! How is that even possible?”

Luna nodded, grimly. “How, I do not know. As I said, they are ancient creatures with powers beyond our understanding.
As luck or fate would have it though, the spells you and your lover wove into her creation protected Sunset from such mind domination. Otherwise they would have done to her what they were successful in doing to Flurry. Getting their hooks into an alicorn foal. The final takeaway means that whatever they truly are we are dealing with very angry, but very patient, true immortals.”

Sunset set the plate down. “Ancient or not they want Flurry for a dark purpose and they want Mom dead. That’s all I need to know on how to deal them.”

“But we cannot all enter the dream realm and fighting them there proved difficult for our two most experienced dream walkers,” said Celestia, accepting the plate of food that Sunset passed to her.

“It would be irrelevant to do so. I now believe that the forms we saw in the dream realm are not their bodies, but manifestations of their own mental projections. Like with me, they funneled some of their power through that dream link into baby Flurry Heart, triggering her ascension. They admitted to this. So, we know for certain they need the power of an alicorn under their control for their goal.”

Twilights twitched nervously. “What goal?”

Luna looked at each pony in turn. “Freedom.”

“We need to contact the Crystal Empire immediately,” stated Tempest, hopping up to all four hooves. “Your Highness, you said she was flying north? The empire could be coming under attack shortly, or she may try taking Princess Cadence hostage in a bid to make an exchange for Celestia’s life.”

Twilight frown. “Flurry would never hurt her mother.”

Tempest did not bend. “Flurry Heart is not in control, princess.”

Sunset set her plate down and stared off into the distance, lost in her own thoughts. A conversation she had not paid much attention to coming back to the front of her mind. Gauge notice Sunset’s expression change and cleared his throat.

“You seem distress, my princess.”

Sunset shook he head and fidgeted a bit before finally letting out a sigh. “Okay, just… hear me out before everypony starts throwing out accusations and assumptions. First off, keep in mind I was still partially drunk and tired and was not sure if any of what I saw was real.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Sunset, what are you talking about?”

Sunset rubbed the back of her head, the ghost sensation of the tree she collided with suddenly feeling very real again. “Before I came back to Equestria this last time I had a vision, or a dream or whatever… Aine visited me again. I was still not sure I wanted to come back. I…” Sunset sighed and looked at the floor. “I was still waiting to die.” Sunset touched her rings and shuddered. “She invaded my dreams and told me I needed to return to Equestria when the mirror opened again or else there would not be an Equestria to return to the next cycle.”

Celestia grimaced and Luna groaned. Twilight looked back and forth between her fellow alicorns. “You… you were waiting to die?” Sunset looked up to meet Twilight’s wounded stare, but quickly looked back at the floor and suddenly was not hungry anymore. “Aine… wait, I think I remember you telling me that name before. After you escaped the in between.”

Sunset nodded, thankful to Twilight for moving the conversation along instead of pressing for more on what she had not wanted to say to begin with. “I was not sure if she was a dream or not. But then when I saw her again. I think this was what she was warning me about. Cryptically, as usual.”

“Sounds like somepony else I know, hmm?” Celestia scowled at her sister.

“I’m just bringing it up because if she’s real then maybe we should ask her for help. We should be asking every powerhouse ally we have for help on this one. Anypony know how to get a hold of Discord? Maybe the dragon lord?”

“Dragon Lord Ember would not wish to get involved in a matter that she would constitute as an internal Equestrian problem even if it could potentially involve the world as a whole and Discord…” Twilight sighed. “I haven’t spoken to him in years. He… did not take Fluttershy’s death well. Long story short he offered her the chance to become immortal and she refused. He then turned her into a... pony/draconequis hybrid creature against her wishes. She used the power he gave her to turn herself back to a mortal. She... passed not long after that. It broke his heart and he disappeared. He has popped in from time to time since, but mostly chooses to stay out of range of any spell or means I have of contacting him.”

Sunset turned back to Celestia. “Okay, back to plan A. What about your mother?”

“Wait? Mother?!”

Sunset cringed and looked sheepishly to Twilight whose jaw was hanging open. “Uhhh, did I forget to mention that Aine is Celestia and Luna’s mother?”

“Uh, YES!”

“It is unlikely that she will offer any direct assistance. While I have always suspected she was more than a mere unicorn, it was not until she visited Sunset the first time that I truly contemplated who and what she is.” Celestia closed her eyes and summoned two books to her. The tomes were gently placed on the table and were likely as old and fragile as they looked. “These are the last of the private journals our mother kept before she, well, did not die so much as just left us.”

“And when were you planning on sharing these with me?!” Luna huffed, crossing her forelegs and wincing again at the pull of the needle.

“They are nothing special, Luna. Just some of her thoughts and notes about the world as a whole. No mention of our current predicament, but it has been so long since I have skimmed through them that perhaps Twilight might find something I have missed.”

Twilight’s eyes lit up at the possibility of doing ancient research. Especially on such a shrouded and secret subject as Celestia and Luna’s background. Even after all this time neither had been very forthcoming on their early fillyhood and beginning origins. Most books covering the subject made unproven assertions and hypotheses, often having to include in their titles, ‘The Unauthorized True History’ or something along those lines.

“Oh. My. CELESTIA! Authentic, original, first hoof accounts and observations by the mother of Celestia and Luna! I… I… I’m about to… I…” Twilight started to hyperventilate and Sunset stepped over to her friend and began rubbing her back between her wings. Twilight gasped and let out a pleasurable sigh, her eyes rolling back in her head and tongue hung out just a bit. When Sunset looked back over the room the other ponies were either smiling or in Tempest’s case, arching a suspicious eyebrow.

“What? It feels good.”

Gauge cleared his throat, failing to hide his own smirk. “You must understand, my princess, stroking a pegasus along their primary wing arms and between the blades is considered a form of highly intimate touch. Usually only done in private and between two… involved partners.”

Sunset blushed and quickly withdrew her hoof from a euphoric Twilight Sparkle who continued to stare off as if punch drunk. “Oh! Well… um… I think I knew that, sort of… and we have… we’re friends, it's fine. Right, I’m going to shut up now.”

“Mmmmm,” Twilight purred, her eyes still only half open and a small smile on her face, “What she’s failing at saying is we are very close friends, and we don’t know exactly where we are relationship-wise beyond that, so we are taking it slow. Besides, we already have enough to deal with at the moment.” Twilight’s eyes opened wide again and sparkled with renewed enthusiasm. “And I have books! New, old books to research!”

“Good. While Twilight and I review the information in the tomes I would suggest Sunset lead an expedition to the Crystal Empire to coordinate with Cadence on what we know about Flurry Heart’s condition and the possibility of something nefarious. She must be stopped before she hurts any innocents or unleashes the creatures you spoke of.”

Twilight did a double take at Celestia. She narrowed her eyes at her mentor. “But I was planning to go to the empire myself! You… you did this on purpose knowing I can’t resist research!”

“I’m sorry, Twilight, but it’s better this way. You are still Equestria’s only ruling princess at the moment, which means you have a responsibility to the throne. You must remain here to show strength of certainty to the nobility as well as confidence in your subjects and subordinates to carry out your will.” Celestia smiled sadly. “Now you understand how I felt every time I sent you and your friends on a mission that I could not do myself no matter how many times I wished it.”

Twilight picked up one of the old tomes and carefully hugged it to her chest, snorting in frustration. The joygasm of research having lost much of its luster.

“I will go as well. If it comes to a fight, I will not be caught flat hoofed again and I know Scylla better than any pony alive.”

“You sure?" Sunset asked cautiously. "You were assaulted pretty hard.”

Luna ripped the saline drip from her foreleg and healed the puncture point. “All the more reason to make sure such a thing does not befall you or any other pony I care for.”

Tempest placed her helmet back on her head. “I’ll contact the station master and organize an emergency departure for the Crystal Empire. By the time they have the train ready I’ll have a fast reaction squad armed and ready to depart. Gauge, send a chariot to Ponyville to collect Prince Thicket and Flurry’s assistant, Tule Spring. Seeing her friends may help us subdue the princess before she can hurt anypony and when it comes to Flurry Heart take any advantage you can get. Sunset Shimmer is your superior, so you’re running point on this mission, captain. Understood?” Gauge saluted and left the room to get to work. Tempest saluted her princesses as well and then followed behind the thestral.

Sunset nodded her thanks to the captains and again to her aunt. Her attention immediately returned to Twilight who had carefully opened the tome, but still had a pout to her lip. Sunset poked Twilight’s shoulder and whispered, “Want another back massage?”

“No, thank you, but… it’s okay, I’ll be fine. You should pack your essentials, maybe dig out the rest of the body armor that goes with that set. It will help keep you safe.”

Sunset touched Twilight’s face turning it back towards her. “Hey, I made a promise to you, I’ll get her back. She might get a little beat up in the process, but I know how important she is to you. She’s family. Trust me, I know how precious that is.”

“She is, but you’re important to me too. I just... Be smart and be safe.”

Sunset smiled and gave Twilight a small peck on the cheek, ignoring the grins her mother and aunt were flashing her. “As you wish.”

True to her word and efficiency, Tempest had the train prepared with two sleeper cars once every creature was gathered and ready to depart. The twelve soldiers of solar and lunar guards and Captain Gauge took the first train car while Sunset Shimmer, Luna, Thicket Whitetail, and Tule Spring took the second. With plenty of provisions and fuel and no additional stops the engineer informed the gathered group they should make it to the empire just after dawn. Sunset nodded her approval then settled into her room for the night. There was nothing else that needed to be discussed and rest may be harder to come by in the future. Two of thestral guards took the first guard watch while their companions threw out sleeping bags from their kits to catch some shut eye.

----------

Patrol Leader Gunther sneezed again. He hated border patrol, especially in the dark. Though the sun would crest the horizon soon judging by the changing color of the eastern sky it was still dark, still cold, and still boring. The yak sneezed again. Gunther hated the fall, not that it mattered this far north, even in the summer it was cold at night here, but at least the days were longer. Why couldn’t the large pony raise the sun faster?

“If you die of cold sickness we will leave your body to the land and scavengers,” said one of the three yaks following Gunther. The other two yaks murmured their agreement.

“It’s not sickness, it’s a tickle of hair in my nose from you wife’s v-”

“It is talk like that why you stuck on night patrol!” shouted the youngest and smallest yak in the back of the group. “Only fool would flirt with the prince’s daughter while still in earshot.”

Gunther shouldered the others in the patrol aside, towering over the youngster. “You spoke, runt?”

Tarrow drew himself up and was still more than a whole head shorter than Gunther. “We are all here because we angered the prince or his family in some way. No one gets put on night patrol because they love it. Go piss on reindeer if you want to impress some yak to the size of your rack, but I know better.”

Before the two yaks could hook horns one of the others in the group pointed to the horizon. The four yaks turned their heads and saw a large flying creature land into the snow, throwing an impressive cloud of powder into the air.

“A dragon?”

Gunther grunted. “Possible, but it not stand up like dragon. Probably flying pony.” They all gasped when the protrusion on its head lit up. “Flying pony with magic horn?”

“Alicorn,” said Tarrow, “pony princess.”

“This is beyond empire borders, beyond Equestria. Why would one princess be here alone?”

Flurry Heart huffed and puffed, her breath coming out in white smoke clouds that could be seen even in the predawn light. She had never flown that far before, not in one trip. Her wings ached, her stomach ached, her head was absolutely throbbing in pain with each heartbeat.

I know you are tired, my friend, but you must press on.

“I just… need to catch… my breath,” Flurry closed her eyes then looked to the north. There was nothing but more snow and mountains. She wanted to groan, to sleep, for all this to just be a dream, and that she could go back and sleep in her soft, warm bed. “How much farther?”

Beyond that range there is a crater. That is where Aethon awaits. Understand that it will get colder and there is a permanent wind storm that will be too strong for you to fly through or over.

“I need food, I need to rest, even for a bit.”

Of course, you are not a machine. At the foothills of the mountain is a small village where yaks and reindeer live. You can find food and rest there, but do not linger. Celestia and her spawn will not flounder for long. They will come for you. You must have an ally before that happens.

“Why so far north?”

Only the most biting and bitter cold could contain my burning fire.

Flurry smiled before beginning the long trot in the snow. “I could use some more fire right now.”

Let me out, my friend, and you will never know cold again.

The yaks watched from a distance. They could hear the large mare talking to someone, but they did not see any other pony of creature about. Regardless, the pony was acting strange and was an unexpected visitor far off the beaten path. The four yaks fell into formation and followed from a distance.

----------

Sunset Shimmer woke when she felt the train lurch and the air brakes hiss loudly. She stretched and yawned and began assembling her armor. Ironside had been kind enough to fetch the crate that had contained the rest of the armor plates for her back legs and withers and even helped adjust it to fit Sunset’s frame. Perhaps it sent the wrong message for a princess to arrive fully armored, but given the circumstances, perhaps not. Raven lit up from where she lay on her induction charger at the sound of Sunset’s movement.

“It is a shame I have no access to a GPS network. I have to guess how far north we are based on maps you have showed me and averaging speed and how many hours we have been traveling. I would prefer to build a more accurate terrain rendering of the world for maximum helpfulness.”

“I’m sure we’ll have time to stop by the empire’s library and I can see what maps they have that you can scan. Plus, given that the Crystal Empire predates modern Equestria, they may have notes or information on the creatures we are looking for. After all, Twilight isn't the only pony who likes to hit the books like a grad student.”

There was a gentle tap at her cabin door. Sunset slid the door open with her magic and smiled at both her new captain and the cup of steaming goodness he had cradled in one wing. “Good morning, my princess. We have just arrived, but I assumed you would need this before departing.”

“Oh, you have definitely earned your captain stars today, Gauge.”

The thestral chuckled and flashed a toothy grin. “Unfortunately, this will likely be the only time this trip. I have to see to my troops and coordinate with the empire forces on shared intelligence and possible patrols to search for Princess Flurry Heart.”

Sunset took a long, pleasurable swig of the dark drink. “Too bad, you make a great cup of joe. I bet Tempest likes the way you make the coffee in the morning too, eh?”

Gauge shrugged. “I have not had an opportunity to make her one yet. We had to cancel our dinner date to follow you and Princess Twilight to Ponyville.”

“Aww, ponyfeathers. I’m sorry.”

Gauge smiled and shrugged. “Don’t be, my princess. We will have other chances. We both understand the demands of our positions. You created the opportunity for Captain Fury to consider me as more than just another guard with my promotion and I know it was you who loaned her that perfume because she would not have likely done so on her own. So, thank you.”

“I consider you both friends and I just wanted to help. The rest is up to you.” Sunset secured Raven in her travel pouch so that the PAAL could see out and stowed the rest of her travel belongings for the porters to collect. Sunset then finished her coffee and let out a sigh before hesitating at the door, her smile disappearing.

“Problem, Your Highness?”

“I… hope not. I just haven’t seen Princess Cadenza… Cadence in a long time. I was not very nice to her when I was younger. Well, I was not nice to anyone, anypony when I was younger. Somehow I doubt she’s forgotten that.”

“Princess Cadence will welcome you with all the rights and respect that are due to any diplomatic dignitary,” stated Luna as she came to a stop on Gauge’s right. The bat pony gave Luna a respectful bow and she smiled, nodding her head. “That being said, if you feel there are sins of the past that require repentance you should see to that while we are here. The empire is seen as a beacon of shining hope and love throughout the world and is often host to events as a neutral ground. It will smooth things over in the future between you when there are major summits with other nations present and you will have less opportunity to talk it out privately. Plus, if you think about it, you and Cadence have much in common that I believe you could compare and discuss. Such past experiences make for excellent ice breakers, or so my sister has told me so over the years. I personally prefer contest of skill and wit to judge one’s character.”

“I guess we’ll find out.”

As Sunset and the others exited the train, they were greeted by an honor guard of the Crystal Guard. Some had cordoned off a path from the train platform and stood at attention with two ponies in the center awaiting the arriving guests. The one to Sunset’s left was an impressive grey stallion in unique gold and purple trimmed guard armor whose mane was cut down to his fur, his helmet in hoof and face like granite. The other was a lithe cerulean mare with her red and orange mane pinned into a bun and was wearing what appeared to be modern business attire in the empire. They both nodded respectfully to the arriving entourage.

“Princess Twilight Sparkle contacted us last night via SunLight crystal to expect your speedy arrival. Welcome to the Crystal Empire, honored guests. I am Her Majesty’s Seneschal, Fire Sapphire and this is Her Majesty’s Captain of the Guard, Granite Core.”

Huh, so his name really WAS Granite. How literal. “Thank you, Miss Sapphire. I’m Sunset Shimmer-” Gauge made a noise like he was clearing his throat. “Right, Princess Sunset Shimmer. You of course know Princess Luna. I’m not sure if you have met some of Princess Flurry Heart’s close friends, Prince Thicket Whitetail and Tule Spring. And of course, my captain, Fog Gauge.”

“Her Highness is waiting for you in the guest dining room, please follow me.” Fire Sapphire turned and lead the group towards the palace her steps quick and light with perhaps a little too much saunter and sway to her hips. Sunset shook her head to keep from staring. Head in the game, Shimmer, this is your first cooperative diplomatic mission and is important even if wow, she has some nice curves, though admittedly, Twily’s are better.

“Sunset, please turn me so I can see the palace.”

“Hmm? Oh, sure.” Sunset was silently thankful for Raven’s distraction. Sunset had never visited the Crystal Empire even when she had stayed longer than two days in Equestria. She knew her reasons were just excuses, but they were still her reasons. Not to mention Cadence had made no effort to reach out to her either. She pushed the thoughts to the side for now.

Sunset had no way of knowing how much had changed or modernized beyond seeing the occasional pony with a SunLight crystal. The buildings and much of the décor were all made of crystals, which came as no surprise. Even the walking paths were made of a crystal aggregate to provide a bit more traction. For a place that had spent a thousand years in time limbo they seemed to have caught up with the rest of Equestria just find and were no longer in their ‘adjustment period’ as some would say.

The Crystal Palace was impressive no matter how much may or may not have changed over the years. Tall spires and towers of pristine, smooth white crystal that shined in the early morning light creating fractals of rainbow light throughout the land. The palace itself was huge, almost ridiculously so, and situated directly in the center of the core of the empire. It was both practical and political and impossible to miss no matter where you stood in the central city. Had Sunset been awake she had no doubt it could have been seen from miles away. At the center, beneath the four main superstructure pillars in an open square was the Crystal Heart for all to see. It spun with machine precision and was as beautiful as it was powerful, the source of all their good fortune. Sunset thought it was interesting that it was out in the open and at ground level, but closer inspection of the surrounding area revealed to the trained eye the guards, both in armor at key choke points and no doubt undercover agents who were also watching out for the heart.

“I’m surprised Princess Cadenza didn’t meet us herself.”

Fire Sapphire turned to look at Sunset, her light amethyst eyes seemed to glow in the reflected sunlight. “We had much to set up considering the short notice of your arrival. The princess thought it best to allow us to handle the greeting while she prepared herself and oversaw the breakfast banquet.”

Sunset sighed and decided to just bite the bullet. “So, what do you know of me and my past history with your princess?”

The deep blue mare looked at Sunset again with those eyes. They were uncomfortably close to the same shade as Twilight’s. I can’t tell if she wants to kiss me or order my arrest. Damn, she’s hard to read. “Not as much as I would like. I only have what Her Highness would reveal, which was brief, and some information from Princess Twilight, who vouched for your character.”

Sunset nodded. “We have a complicated history. I’m hoping it won’t be a problem and we can all work together to help Flurry Heart and bring her home.”

“That is something I think we can all agree on.” Fire Sapphire gestured to the guards and they opened the door.

The dining hall was, bright, not just the white and light pastel colored crystals that made up the walls, but also the well placed windows above that perfectly caught and reflected the morning light to create excellent natural lighting with the occasional refracted rainbow bouncing around. At the end of a long wooden table sat a heavenly, beautiful pink mare with her mane pinned up and adorned with numerous gems and other precious stones along with her crown and other regalia. Cadence stood and gestured. “Please, honored guest, take a seat and breakfast will be served.”

Sunset, bowed deep, probably deeper than a pony of her rank should have, to the point of groveling, but she did not care about that at the moment. “We thank you for this hospitality. I personally have much to thank you for considering our past.”

Cadence’s face remained neutral. “Something we can discuss later if there is time. Please, sit.”

----------

She was tired, hungry, thirsty for something other than cold, sticky snow. Her body was both sore from the long flight along with from the fight with Sunset Shimmer. The cut from that demon sword had been healed but there was still a scar where the hair had not grown back. That bothered her more than it should have, but her vanity wept with the cut being right there in front on her foreleg.

Flurry Heart stood at the edge of the ridge, huffing and shivering from the biting wind that felt like it had gotten colder with each step she had taken. When she had reached the small settlement, calling it a village had been too complimentary. She had traded away her crown for a small cold meal of soup that was probably mostly boiled water and a few herbs, a heavy canvas cloak to shield a bit against the wind, and a few travel provisions that she had already eaten. She had wanted to sleep, even for a few hours, but there were no beds to spare and the only space that was offered was some straw in a barn where they kept the chickens and farm tools. It smelled as bad as it looked and Flurry decided to press on. The locals had warned her that the land beyond the ridge was cursed and that many yaks had gone exploring there never to return.

Now, she gazed down into a crater the size of a large amphitheater. There was nothing particularly interesting about the formation itself beyond how perfectly round it was. However, what drew her eyes was the black monolith pillar in the center of the crater.

Carefully, she hopped and slid down the crater ridge then slowed her trot as she came to the edge of the exposed rock forming a circle around the pillar. Cautiously, Flurry prodded the black rock and felt the warmth radiate off. Once fully on the blackened stone her shivering ceased and she sighed. Any other pony may have burned at the touch of the steaming stones, but alicorns could handle dragon fire. Plus, It was good to not feel cold.

Flurry turned her eyes next to the pillar that was now before her and towering another ten feet above. It was a square, or rather, a rectangular prism, as Twilight would have said, with four even sides and covered in more runes than she had ever seen. Each rune was glowing with faint colors that shifted randomly, many of which she had never seen before.

“Okay, so, I’m here. What do I do now?”

You must break the seals one at a time. It will take tremendous power, but we will tell you where it is best to strike to cause the other, secondary seals to fail. There will be feedback from your attacks, you must endure the pain. First, start with the north face, and strike the rune that looks like three circles connected by a line. Then east, strike the emblem that looks like a sun cresting the horizon. South face, strike the cluster of stars, and finally the on the west face strike the emblem that looks like dancing flame.

Flurry moved to the opposite side of where she had been standing and located the rune emblem she had been told to find. Her hoof grazed the pillar and she pulled it back quickly. The pillar was burning hot, even hotter than the ground she stood upon. She lowered her horn, gathered her mana and fired a golden stream of concentrated energy at the pillar. A bolt of lightning arced back at Flurry and she screamed as it struck her, but refused to stop her attack. As each rune shattered one by one the face would go dark. She moved to the next face and fired again, another bolt of lightning striking her, leaving a black scorch mark upon her light pastel pink coat. Flurry could feel the heat increase around her as each face grew dark. The surrounding landscape began to boil in steam and the snow and rock melted to slurry slush. It was a more chilling sensation than the raging wind storm that surrounded the crater. Finally, facing the last side Flurry shook the exhaustion and pain away and fired one last time. The pillar crumbled and the world itself sounded as if it cried out in pain.

A red body that had been trapped inside fell to four hooves. Wings with black tips spread out and powerful muscles stretched with strong, stiff joints and connective tissue popping. Flurry was unaccustomed to having to look up to any creature other than dragons and the occasional large minotaur, but this stallion stood another whole head taller than her and he was an impressive specimen that caused her cheeks to heat up in a way that had nothing to do with the steam still roiling out of the blackened rock. Her admiring gaze took in every inch of his body, but did a double take when she saw what was upon his head. Wait… wings AND a horn? A male alicorn?!

He shook his head, stringy white mane tussling about as the last of the pillar dust fell away. Eyes like liquid orange flame opened and looked down, his face splitting into a fanged grin.

“Thank you, my friend.”

Chapter 17: End of the Innocence

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Princess Cadence, Empress of the Crystal Empire, listened intently, the diplomatic smile on her face fading gradually as Sunset Shimmer and Luna retold the stories of Flurry Heart’s behavior over the last several months, the fight between Sunset and Flurry, and finally what they had seen while in the dream realm. Cadence finally shook her head and Sunset immediately recognized the face of a mother who was weeping on the inside for her child’s well being while trying to put on a brave façade.

Sunset could proudly say that both her girls stayed mostly out of trouble even through those difficult teenage years, but no child is perfect, nor should they be. Aurora had a few run-ins with authority while in high school. Nothing serious, but it still brought the mama bear out to both defend and scold her daughter. It had been a slice of life, learning lesson for all individuals involved. Sunset had gained that rare insight of what it was like when the shoe was on the other foot or hoof. Sunset had recalled that Celestia had laughed at her, even going as far to writing, 'hahahahaha!' in the journal. Sunset had not been amused at the time.

“I’m… Do you think these creatures are responsible for Flurry’s behavior over the last few years years? That it's true, they have been influencing her since she was a foal?”

Luna nodded with a grim expression. “It is entirely possible. Scylla is ancient, even older than Celestia and myself and very, very manipulative. I have no doubt now she and possibly the others have corrupted the minds of many creatures through dreams over the centuries while I was away. She was… the one who facilitated my fall even if it was my own folly for leaving my mind vulnerable. If it is all true, Flurry may have been hearing Scylla’s voice for so long that she has never considered it unusual.”

Cadence nodded in turn and brought her hoof to her chest and let it out with a deep exhale. Her amethyst eyes turned to Sunset Shimmer and the goldenrod alicorn stiffened a bit. However, there was no anger, no resentment in those shining orbs. Only loving, motherly concern. “Sunset… did you… was she badly hurt from the fight?”

“I… I don’t think so, but she was trying to hurt me. She broke Sable’s leg and hurt Celestia. I… I didn’t go easy on her.”

Cadence nodded, eyes downcast. “I understand.”

“Cadence, really, I’m sorry I-”

“If Twilight is certain she is in the north we should organize search parties immediately,” Cadence stated, turning her attention to Captain Core and Fire Sapphire. They both stood and stepped back from the table.

“If you will allow us, I would like to offer myself and my soldiers as aid in the search, Your Highness,” said Gauge standing as well.

“We appreciate the offer, captain, but my troops know the terrain and can search more quickly. Your forces are better suited as rear guard and can relay information back to the princesses.”

“I have no doubt in your forces abilities or knowledge, Captain Core, but you have no pegasi or thestrals among them. A cooperative force of mixed squads will be able to cover more ground and still maintain a strong line of communication to a command center via SunLight crystals.”

Granite Core stared down at Gauge who stared up, yellow eyes unflinching. “The empire was founded by the first Earth Pony tribe that traveled to this continent. We have survived and thrived just fine without ‘thestrals’ or you feathered cousins.”

“That is quite enough, captain!” Cadence said while rising from her seat. “I will not allow further harm to befall my daughter because you or any other officer wishes to be a stubborn mule of a traditionalist. You will organize your search teams to include the pegasi and thestrals to cover more ground or I will promote another pony to captain that WILL do what I say. Are we clear?”

“Crystal, Your Highness.” Captain Core left the room gesturing for Gauge to follow. The thestral nodded to Sunset who winked back at him before he turned away.

“I will be in the throne room awaiting any news,” said Cadence before moving to leave through the door behind her chair.

“Princess Cadence!” Sunset said, causing the pink alicorn to pause. She looked back still half turned away. “Please, I would like a few moments of your time to talk, privately.”

Cadence glanced to Luna who nodded and placed a hoof across Sunset’s armored withers. She nodded after a moment of consideration and gestured for them to follow. The three alicorns walked silently through several passageways, crystal guards saluting them at every junction until they emerged in the central great hall and throne room. Cadence took a seat on the crystal throne and sighed. Sunset took that as her cue, swallowing her anxiety and began.

“Cadence, I wanted to apologize to you, which is honestly something I should have done a long time ago. I know no matter what I say will make up for how I treated you, but I’ve changed. I’ve-”

“Ponies don’t really change, you know, it’s something we like to say to give measure to that which is intangible, but it’s not true. We are always what we have always been. Ponies evolve, mature, temper perhaps, but never change who we really are.” Cadence shook her head. “Did you know I was terrified of you for the longest time? Of course you did, because you took pleasure in showing your smug superiority. You were so much stronger, magic-wise, so much smarter than I ever could be.

“I was terrified of everypony when I first arrived in Canterlot, I was so far out of my element, but I had hoped you would help me, guide me, protect me. I know that's what Celestia wanted when she introduced us to each other. But that's not how it went, did it? Instead, you only saw me as a threat to your sad, little fiefdom that really only existed in your head. You thought I was stealing Celestia from you because she adopted me as a niece. You were rude, cruel, and you enjoyed the pain you caused me when you scoffed every time I made a mistake or a suggestion you didn’t agree with. You broke my heart, Sunset Shimmer. You were supposed to be my friend and instead you only saw an enemy. And then, POOF! You were gone and I honestly forgot you ever existed for the longest time. Then, Aunt Celestia brought along that cursed mirror for a visit and suddenly you were back in everypony’s life.”

Sunset looked up from the crystal floor she had been staring at, heart filled with shame, eyes glassy with tears about to spill over. She knew all her past sins, she remembered them all with crystal clear detail. The curse of her eidetic memory. Perhaps it was a mistake to try and bandage such bad blood after all. Cadence had no reason to forgive her and no matter what Sunset could say would be enough, especially after giving Flurry a bloody lip.

“How? How do we start over after everything I’ve done to you? How do I make it right?”

Cadence paused, a hoof blocking part of her face as she examined Sunset a moment. She then turned and stepped off her throne, standing before the goldenrod alicorn, who was a little bit taller than her now. “You know that part of my special talent is that I can sense the love inside of ponies. I can sense how much they love a partner, a friend, a family member, or even themselves. What you may not have known is I can also sense the pain of lost love and I sense much of this in you and I am truly sorry for your loss, Sunset. But that pain is not the end of you, Sunset Shimmer, not as long as you keep love alive in your heart.”

Cadence’s neutral expression softened and became a serene smile. “Twilight told me much about what happened to you on the other side of the mirror. She gave me regular updates at my request on how you were doing after the mirror was destroyed and how you made a life for yourself there. She told me how Celestia kept the truth of your origin from you. That single nugget of information could have saved both of us from so much misunderstanding and heartache. I scolded her harshly for that.

"You know I never knew my birth parents, but what she did to you, in the name of politics no less! I have no idea if that was better or worse than not knowing at all, but I know it hurt you. Through that pain though, you survived. Then, against all expectations, you tempered, you matured, you evolved, and in return you got those wings you were always after.”

“More than that, I got something even better, someone who made me WANT to be better. And she in return shared her life with me, and we had two wonderful daughters. The three of them were everything to me.” Sunset sniffled and shuddered as she fought to school her emotions, hoof moving to touch her rings.

Cadence stepped forward, pulling Sunset into a warm, full wings included hug. “You asked how do we start over, like this. I forgive you, Sunset Shimmer. The sins of the past shape us, but they do not define us. Now, please, honor me and tell me all about your daughters. I want to know if my cousin had as much fun and trouble being a mom as I had because let me tell you, Flurry Heart was a hoofful and a half!”

Sunset sobbed and laughed at the same time, squeezing Cadence back. “Oh, goddess, where to even begin!”

“How about their names, then we can compare our favorite stories, good and bad. I want to hear all about the beautiful family that helped you become the mare you are now.”

Luna turned to a guard and made a drinking gesture and the guard understood to bring refreshments.

----------

Flurry Heart could not keep from staring at the red alicorn standing before her. Logically, it made sense that a stallion would be able to achieve ascension, but another part of her brain had only associated alicorn ascension with princesses. Clearly, calling this exquisite example of stallion a ‘princess’ would not go over well. One oddity that Flurry was not sure how she should feel about was that Aethon, for all his splendor, lacked a cutie mark. The moment of awe and lust was interrupted when a familiar voice called out in the back of her mind.

How does it feel to be free, brother?

Aethon smiled, examining his black, polished hoof. “It feels good, sister. It has been too long since I last felt real air even if it is a biting cold.”

Good, then it is time to move on to the next prison. The prisons for Scylla and Epona are east and west o-

“I’m sorry, but are you serious?! I can’t just fly off and start breaking each of you out one at a time. I’m exhausted! I need time to recover.”

Time is not your ally, Flurry. If Mother does not already know she will soon enough that Aethon is free. More pressing, Celestia’s minions are no doubt also looking for you and in your weakened state could capture and subdue you.

Flurry would have normally scoffed at such a statement, but then took a moment to look down at herself, eyes focusing on the ugly scar on her foreleg. If what her friends had said was true then it was possible that the royal guard and Sunset Shimmer were looking for her. It was painful to admit, but in her current state it was unlikely she could take on that demon in pony fur.

“You are scared, I can see it in your eyes,” said Aethon in his deep baritone voice. “You have nothing to fear as long as I am near you.”

“I know you want me to set your brother and sisters free, but I need to rest first. I’m sure if we travel back to the Crystal Empire I can get some food and rest. I know plenty of places I could rest up out of sight of the guards or my mother.”

And if they are waiting for you?

“Then I escape.”

There is another option, if you would consider it. I can give you some of my power, it will suppress your hunger and help you push through your fatigue so that you can free us. But I can’t force it upon you. You must let me in willingly.

“I… I don’t know. Aunt Twilight and Mom always warned against letting any creature even another pony have control over your mind or body.”

I understand, but you will be no help to anypony if you are imprisoned with an inhibitor ring on your horn. I’m just trying to help you, Flurry. With all of us at your side you will be able to march into Canterlot and the other princesses will have no choice but to acknowledge your superior position. We will remake the world together, Flurry, but you must have trust.

“I will consider it, but right now, let’s head back to the empire so I can get a few things.”

Aethon’s smile disappeared, but he eventually nodded. He aimed his horn at the crater wall and fired, the snow turned to steam and the rocks melted and reform as a set of stairs. Aethon then gestured for Flurry Heart to take the lead. The two alicorns easily scaled the crater with the aid of the new staircase and used their wings to shield themselves from the whipping wind and snow, which felt colder and more bitter than before. Eventually though the permanent storm was to their rear and they had an easy decent down the mountain ahead of them. Flurry was about to comment on it when a voice bellowed out from their left.

“Hold ponies!” Aethon and Flurry turned to find a small group of armed and armored yaks emerging from behind the boulders, blocking the path down the mountain. “You are on Yak land without permission! You will come with us so that our prince can decide what to do with you.”

Flurry Heart pulled her cloak aside and spread her wings to their full extent, puffing out her chest and stared down at the group of yaks. Normally that was all she had to do to get almost any other creature to cower or run, but yaks were stubborn and these ones especially so.

“Do you know who I am? I am Princess Flurry Heart of Equestria! Daughter to the Empress of the Crystal Empire, Princess of Friendship, and soon to be ruler of every piece of land the sun touches. I have what I came for and will be returning to the empire now and you would be wise to not delay me.”

Gunther stepped forward stomping his hooves to the rock. “Pony title means little here in the Forbidden Wastes. You will come with us as friend or as prisoner, but you will come with us.”

“Pathetic creatures.” Aethon stepped before Flurry and gave her a courteous bow. “We have things to do and they are impeding. Allow me to end this.”

Flurry grimaced for a moment before finally sighing. “Do what you have to do to make them move.”

Aethon grinned displaying his sharp white fangs. His horn took on a black and burnt orange glow and the air smelled of sulfur. The four yaks only screamed for a second before there was not enough left from the horn blast to be identified as yak anymore.

----------

Twilight Sparkle looked up from the ancient tome she had on the table next to a stack of note cards and scratch parchment. While Twilight could read Old Ponish, quite fluently in fact, some of the words that Celestia’s mother used were unknown or not used in the traditional context and required further context translation. In addition to that, there was little structure to the entries, most of the pages were just filled with observations, ponderings, and occasional ramblings. Twilight was starting to suspect that Aine had no idea how to properly write complete thoughts and/or did not understand what it was like living among other ponies. Certainly not with two foals like Celestia and Luna.

Which was another thing that bothered Twilight a bit. Celestia had dismissed the books earlier when Luna had inquired about them, but there may have been more to it than a simple dismissal because the material was boring. The first tome spoke a great deal about the world as a whole and observations she had made of both the environment and other creatures. The second tome, which Twilight was excited about at first, talked about Celestia a great deal. It even gave an actual date of her birth, a fact that had been debated by many scholars over the centuries while Celestia just shrugged and said, ‘whatever you believe it is, is probably correct.’ But just like the first journal most of the information was closer in comparison to scientific observation rather than memories of a loving mother. This played into the last thing that bothered Twilight, how little was said about Luna. Like she was an accident or afterthought to their mother.

“Ughhhh,” groaned Twilight, taking a moment to rub her eyes.

Celestia looked up from the lounge sofa she had been resting on and smiled. “Not enjoying your research, Twilight?”

“Oh, it’s fascinating, but… how do I put this?” Twilight waved her hooves as she hesitated. “Would you say that your mother was… not the most affectionate parental figure? And I find no comments or mentions of your father at all.”

“No, she was not. We knew she loved us, but her behavior often did not reflect that. She was not a hugger, to put it bluntly. Now my father, I never knew him. I asked about my father many times as a filly and once or twice as a young adult, but my mother would just say he did what he was supposed to do or that we did not need him and he moved on. Every answer was vague or a deflection of some sort. Unfortunately, I believe I adopted quite a lot of that behavior when dealing with my own subjects and students and… with Sunset.”

Twilight smiled sympathetically. “I know you feel like you were not the best mother, but it couldn’t have been easy, not with everything that was going on at the time. You tried, right? Besides, she turned out fine… eventually.”

Celestia smiled in return even if a bit strained. “Yes, eventually.”

Twilight grimaced and stepped back from the table. “You know, I think I’m going to take a break, go for a little trot around the corridor to stretch my legs. I’ll be back in a bit.”

Celestia nodded and sighed. She let out a yawn and closed her eyes for a bit. When she reopened them there was a large, black and white pony standing next to the table looking down at the two tomes, her expression one of calm curiosity. Celestia sighed again.

“I should be more surprised to see you here, but after what Sunset told me I have been expecting you to show up eventually.”

“I forgot about these tomes. I wrote them to try and help understand what I was seeing and thinking at the time. I thought if I looked back upon them, I would understand more. The mortals did not always act as I expected them to and I wanted to do a compare and contrast. I also remember having more than two.”

“They are over twenty-five hundred years old, mother, not everything preserves as well as you do. Though that is a lie in itself, is it not? Last I saw you, you were just a unicorn and much shorter.”

Aine, closed the book and shrugged. “A necessary illusion. If I revealed my true self to the villagers where you were raised, they would have worshiped me instead of focusing on you and Luna following your ascensions. That was, after all, the reason the two of you were conceived. But enough on that. Those times are long gone and if you wish to preserve the future actions must be taken or else the world as we know it is doomed.”

Celestia arched an eyebrow. “Straight to the doom and gloom then, mother? I’m not sure I am in the mood for this old game.”

“This is no game, Celestia. One of the Athanatoi has been released just now and if you and the others do not act swiftly the other three will be free and there will be little that I can do to stop them that does not involve total annihilation once that occurs.”

Celestia inspected her hoof with disinterest in her mother’s revelation. She eventually stood and stretched and began preening her wings.

“Celestia.”

“Tell me,” Celestia said, her magenta eyes hard, “Luna and I, what was our father’s name?”

Aine rolled her eyes. “This again? Fine, your father’s name was Alogo and Luna’s father was named Portho. They were both fine stallions of good health and mental fortitude and did what I needed them to do.”

“Wait, Luna and I had different fathers?”

“You would have known that if you had the other journals. Besides, is it not obvious? You look nothing alike. Now, enough of this foolishness. The alicorn child of Cadenza has done what I had thought unthinkable and released Aethon, the Fire Aspect. Admittedly, I should have put his prison at the bottom of the ocean, but that cannot be helped now. I can only assume they plan to release the others. The swiftest course of action to stop this before it goes too far would be to kill Flurry Heart. Once she is slain you and the other alicorns should be able to contain Aethon once more in a new prison.”

Celestia blinked a few times. Surely, she had heard that wrong. “I’m sorry, but did you say ‘slain’? Cadence would never agree to anypony killing her daughter and certainly would not do so herself.”

“The child has been corrupted by the Athanatoi, most likely Scylla, she was always notoriously good at combining species into new creatures and sometimes monsters. A baby alicorn would be her greatest accomplishment and a perfect workaround to the defenses I had in place. I would have seen it sooner, but they learned to hide their manipulations from my view by sending small influential amounts of their power through dreams. For the longest time I did not think they were even capable of dreaming, but they are more resourceful that I ever imagine and even I have difficulty seeing everything in the dreamscape, it is far too vast.”

“All I’m hearing is how you want ME to do this, or US to do that. When exactly are you supposed to help with this? If my assumptions about you are correct are you not Mother Creation? If so, can you not just light your horn and fix this?”

Aine looked away, her face flat and unreadable. After a moment she looked back at Celestia who was rapidly approaching the end of her diplomatic patience. “I cannot. There are many factors at work that are driving the Wheels of Fate. Much of it is beyond my control now. Many creatures were bestowed with the gift of souls and by doing so much of your destiny is now in your hooves.”

Celestia sighed and face-hoofed. “To borrow from my daughter’s colorful vernacular I say, ‘fuck you,’ Mother.” Aine was genuinely shocked by the unexpected profanity. Her expression made Celestia smirk.

“Celestia?” Twilight said as she reentered her study. “I heard you talking to somepony.”

“It’s fine, Twilight, just another lively and infuriating discussion with my mother, just like old times.”

“Oh, okay then.”

Celestia blinked, glanced to the large, black and white alicorn who was standing next to the table then back to Twilight who suddenly found the throw rugs very interesting. Celestia let out a growl of frustration. “She can’t see you, can she?” Aine said nothing and just stood with her famous, ‘why are you being difficult about this?’ face.

“Oh, wonderful! Now Twilight thinks that I’m old, dying, and now going senile. Thank you, Mother.”

“I don’t think you are going senile. I sometimes talk out loud to my friends and loved ones that are gone too… It helps… when I’m lonely.”

Celestia nodded and smiled sympathetically. “Thank you, Twilight, but my mother is not dead, she’s just being… her.”

“There are forces at work in the universe that are even beyond me, you know this, Celestia, you have walked the path of stars, seen the cosmic forces dance in the heavens beyond Equuis. Destiny, Fate, Harmony, Chaos, Entropy, Creation. Each of these aspects have their place upon the Wheel of Fate. Who do you think you are to question it?”

Celestia closed her eyes and took a calming breath. “Now that I see my own mortality upon the horizon, I reflect upon much of what I have said and done. I question much and find myself asking, did I do the right thing?”

“That’s… many creatures ask that of themselves near the end. I know my brother did,” Twilight said barely above a whisper. Twilight shook her head and her eyes lit up. “Wait, if your mother is an immortal goddess can’t she heal you? Can’t she stop you from dying?”

Celestia turned her face to the right. Twilight could not see the dark glare that Aine was giving her. “Well? What say you, Mother Creation?”

“First, I always hated that name. Secondly, yes, I could restore you, but to do so would require life from ponies that are still alive. Life energy is one of the most complex yet mailable sources of creation magic. It can be harnessed as a powerful attack or used to extend the life of another… willingly or unknowingly.

“Alicorns in of themselves are a perversion of the natural order life cycle I created, using magic of the world itself to extend their lives. However, after… meddling by the Athanatoi, it became necessary. They perverted and transformed some of my creatures to monsters that could consume life or just live longer, like dragons. The pony tribes, even following the awakening of harmony and the winter hearth were splintered and often still at each other’s throats. They needed leadership, ponies that could withstand the centuries and stand as a symbol against the monsters. That was why I brought you and your sister into this world. That was why I tried again.”

“What are you talking about?” Celestia asked, perplexed.

“Never mind. Perhaps the young one is on to something and we should consider taking the life force from others. Considering I tied your lifeforce to the mechanism that holds the other Athanatoi in their prisons it may be a worthy trade even if it is immoral and morbid.”

Celestia rolled her eyes, turning back to Twilight. “No, she cannot save me. I would have to steal lifeforce like a necromancer to extend my life and I refuse to do that. And she used that word again. Twilight, have you ever heard the word, Athanatoi?

“Uhh… it’s Old Ponish, I know that but… yes! It was one of those odd words from the journals I had trouble with because I had never heard it before either, so I had to do a cross reference for context because I did not understand the definition. Essentially, it means children. Maybe special children?”

Celestia’s jaw hung open with her eyes wide as she began to shake. Slowly, she turned back to Aine who frowned, her ears flattening. With seething and clenched teeth Celestia hissed, “What. Did. You. Do?!”

Aine’s ears shot straight up and her eyes turned to the north. “We’re out of time. You must warn Luna and Sunset immediately that death is coming for them right now and pray they can stand their ground. I dare not do more to tip the scales than I have.”

Celestia blinked and her mother was gone. The white alicorn stumbled and Twilight immediately rushed to her side and she nodded her thanks. Once steady she began to look about, but did not see what they needed. “Damn you, mother. Twilight, you must contact Cadence at once. I fear Flurry may have unknowingly unleashed something horrible upon the world and it is coming for the Crystal Empire.”

Chapter 18: Hells Bells

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Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, known by her friends and family as Cadence, had to set her tea down or risk spilling it all over herself and the table from laughing. Luna was grinning ear to ear at the image of Sunset and her family sitting around the dinner table with her in-laws playing a holiday board game she said was called: Scattergories.

Sunset was trying to catch her breath to finish the story. “And then… and then Twi, with the most mortified face I had ever seen on her shouts at her mother, ‘Fucking Good is NOT a Term of Endearment! It doesn’t even start with G!’” The table erupted in laughter again.

“And your girls were sitting right there?!” said Cadence, her eyes watering from laughter.

“Oh, sweet Celestia, YES! Aurora was beet red from embarrassment. I’m talking complete, jaw hanging silence that those words came out of her grandmother’s mouth while Sunna was just giggling away. All I could do was smile and look at my little girl and try to tell her to never say that in public.”

Cadence sighed and looked to the ceiling still trying to catch her breath, lost in her own thoughts for a moment. “I’m glad you got to experience true love, Sunset. Love of family, love of somepony special.”

Sunset nodded, staring into her empty cup. “I don’t know how long I’ll live, but I do know I will never forget them. They were my everything. I'm a better woman, a better mare, because of them.”

“I know exactly what you mean and that’s the way it should be.” Cadence examined Sunset further, deeper, seeing her in a way that only she could, and smiled again. “Ohhh, is that a flicker I see? Soooooo, how are you and Twily doing?”

Sunset nearly fell out of her chair, eyes darting around and blushing profusely. “What?! No! Well… I mean, it’s just… how?!”

Cadence’s grin was practically feral. “We all have our own special talents, sweetie.” Cadence was about to dig deeper when the chamber door opened and Fire Sapphire bee lined for her princess. She bowed and held out the SunLight crystal.

“It’s from Princess Twilight, she says it is of the utmost urgency.”

Cadence took the crystal and held it up near her face. “Twily! What a coincidence, we were just about to start talking about some juicy details involving you an-”

“Cadence! There’s no time! You have to lock down the city immediately! I’m talking a full on Code Black!”

Cadence went rigid, her expression flip and she stood at attention. Luna and Sunset sat upright in response, not able to hear exactly what Twilight had just said, but the change in demeanor was enough to evaporate the jovial mood. Sunset was about to ask what was going on and if Twilight was in trouble when Cadence said goodbye and levitated the crystal back to her seneschal.

“Issue an immediate lockdown order for the entire Imperial City. Contact Captain Core, recall all search parties and give the order for all battalions to go active for emergency defense protocols: Code Black. All train services are to be suspended and visitors are to be escorted to the emergency shelters. All citizens need to be locked in their homes, preferably in their basement shelters if they have them. If they do not, they are encouraged to find a hardened shelter nearby. Pass on additional orders as you see fit. I’m heading to the tower to erect a defense shield.”

“At once, Your Highness.”

“What do you wish of Sunset and myself?” asked Luna, her expression one of complete seriousness.

“You have the most combat experience out of all of us, Aunt Luna. Please go to Guard HQ and help organize the guard into more effective units as you see fit, pull rank if you have to.”

Luna closed her eyes and in a flash of magical light her body was encased in a custom fit platinum and gold plate armor and helm with a black and midnight blue battle axe slung across her back. “Thy will be done, Your Highness.” In another flash, she teleported away.

“What about me?”

Cadence gestured for Sunset to follow as they trotted through the halls. “Twilight said Flurry Heart may have released some sort of powerful monster and that they are most likely coming for the empire.” Cadence stopped, her wings slumping and ears lying flat. “I can defend my subjects against any enemy, any horror, but not… not against my baby. I… I can’t fight my little girl. I just…”

Sunset pulled Cadence into a hug and wrapped her in hooves and wings. The pink alicorn embraced her long lost cousin back twice as hard. Sunset endured the discomfort without a sound.

“Thank you, Sunset, I needed that. For now, I need you to help me power the shield. If we can keep the monster away from the crystal ponies maybe we can come up with a better plan, but right now all I can do is try to keep everypony safe. Once we know better what we are dealing with then maybe you and Luna can try and fight it while I try to reason with Flurry Heart. I know you said that she is being manipulated, but I can try and get through to her by pouring as much love on her as I can.”

“She’s your daughter. I know how I would feel it were Aurora or Sunna out there. Anything I can do to help I’ll do it.”

Cadence smile and nodded, continuing up the first of many flights of stairs. “You really have come a long way. I understand why Twily is in love with you.”

“Let’s… not get ahead of ourselves throwing big words like that around. We’re… its complicated. We’re taking it slow.”

“Just keep telling yourself that.”

----------

Teleportation was always a slightly strange sensation. Feeling yourself snap in and out of existence in the blink of an eye and Flurry Heart had been doing it since before she could remember. But teleportation was very taxing and took massive amounts of magical energy to achieve. It became even more consuming when the pony casting the spell had to do it over greater distances or with more than just one pony to consider.

However, Aethon had managed to take the two of them from the deep, frozen north mountains of yak territory to the edge of the Crystal Empire in just two jumps. Each jump had lasted longer than she had ever felt before and that strange, gut twisting sensation was multiplied. Or perhaps that was her anxiety at being so close to the land of her birth or even her discomfort with what she had witnessed not long ago.

When Flurry had told Aethon to take care of the yaks, for some reason she had just assumed that her friend would just blow them off the ridge with a powerful flap or maybe temporarily encase them in ice. He was certainly powerful enough he could just as easily teleported the two of them away without having to deal with them at all. But that was not what happened, not even close. By Celestia’s grace, she could still smell the burned hair and flesh from the charred bodies.

“They have been warned of our arrival.”

Flurry shook her head and looked up to find the entirety of the Imperial City was encased in a shining pink energy shield. She knew that kind of shield even without an analysis spell, she could recognize her mother’s work anywhere.

“It’s no good,” Flurry said, shaking her head. “I can probably break her shield, but it would only exhaust me more than I already am. You were right, coming back here was a mistake.”

Aethon sneered while looking at the shield and city beyond. Flurry did not know what he was looking at, but it was clear he was seeing something beyond what her own two eyes view. The red alicorn stepped up the barrier and prodded it with his horn, the contact sending ripples of energy in every direction.

“Don’t do that! She’ll know exactly where we are!”

“Shimmer,” Aethon replied with a dark hiss undertone, his eyes taking on an eerie orange glow and the ground beneath him turning to blackened char.

“What?”

“You say this is your mother’s shield and I can sense her work in it, but I can also detect Sunset Shimmer. She is helping power the shield.”

If they are here and ready for you that means Mother warned them. Be alert, brother. Flurry, you must leave the area before they ready their forces. Even as powerful as you are you would find it personally too difficult to attack those that once served you. You will be captured and the cause will be lost.

“I’m too tired to fly. I need… I don’t know what I need.”

Aethon closed his eyes for a moment then his horn began to glow that black and orange mix aura. Just above the two alicorns a large grey cloud bank began to form. “Rest on this, my friend. I will send it towards the east and it will drift swiftly while I distract the imperial forces so they will not interfere or follow.”

“That’s… but we were all supposed to stick together. That’s what friends are supposed to do.”

Aethon smiled. “I appreciate that, but you are more important than I. We need you to free my brother and sisters. Spells woven into the prisons would prevent me from freeing them myself even if I was at my full power. Go now, please. Close your eyes and take a rest, I won’t be long.”

Flurry climbed onto the clouds that began lifting her in the air. She bit her lip and finally shouted, “Please, don’t hurt my mom and try not to hurt anypony else if you can, the crystal ponies have been through enough over the centuries.”

“I will do what I can, sleep now.”

Once he had Flurry completely hidden in the cloud bank Aethon flapped his wings and the clouds quickly drifted away. He waited several minutes before turning his eyes back to the shield.

What are you planning, brother?

“Celestia’s spawn is in the city. If I can capture her, I can use her to draw our sister out.”

Hmmm… it’s risky, but as long as you don’t get distracted or carried away and kill her it could work.

Killing her would still draw Celestia out, just not to our advantage. And as a boon this would be faster than waiting on your pet 'Key' to open each prison one at a time. Especially considering we underestimated how much energy it takes to open a single prison.

Goodie! I’m so sick of waiting. Waiting is boooooooriiiing!

“Sit tight for now, I have work to do.”

You mean fun. You can’t fool me, silly goose, I know you love the smashie, smashie, burn it all to the ground stuff too much for it to not be fun!

Aethon grinned and summoned two glowing red blades that were double edged with a slight curve to them. “Yes, Epona, I mean fun.”

The red alicorn examined the shield a little closer then, using the daggers, drew three sigils in the air with magical trails of fire. Once complete he sent the sigils into the barrier and roared a battle cry as the daggers struck the barrier at the same time. With a thunderous crash of overpressure and released energy the barrier shattered.

Cadence screamed and collapsed as the feedback from the strike shattered her shield. Sunset felt the attack as well, but not to the same degree since she was only helping feed and stabilize power flow. Still, if it felt like someone had just kicked her in the head with both hindlegs. She could only imagine how Cadence felt. Sunset shook it off and reached down, helping her cousin back to her hooves.

“I’m…. I’m okay. I’ve just never felt a strike like that before." Cadence rubbed her temples and around the base of her horn, helping subside the pins and needles sensation. "That was the strongest shield I could conjure and with you helping! It was more than enough to keep Sombra out of the city the first time I cast it. What could be stronger than two alicorns working in tandem?”

“Something very bad.”

Cadence shook her head one more time. “There are still too many ponies out on the street. We need to buy them more time to get to safety.”

Sunset nodded. She took Raven out of her pouch and set the PAAL down on the nearby table. “Sorry, Raven, I can’t risk you getting broken. You’re too important to me.”

“I understand. Just be safe, Sunset, you promised Twilight you would be.”

Cadence eyed the glass rectangle suspiciously, but saved the questions for later as Sunset stepped out of the tower and spread her wings. Cadence yelped as the feathers burst into flames.

“WAHH!! Is that normal?!”

“Heh, sorry. I forgot not everypony knows they can do that. To be honest, I’m not entirely sure why.” Sunset leapt from the balcony and began to circle the palace. This maneuver was beneficial in two ways. One, a moving target was harder to hit and two, the crystal ponies below could see not only their empress, but another alicorn circling above ready to defend them. Fighting and surviving a dangerous situation had as much to do with psychology as it did with brute strength. They had no idea what they were up against and the battlefield was not ideal.

I hate too many unknown variables... something Twilight and I absolutely have in common Whatever had just destroyed the shield would make itself known shortly. Then it was just a matter of holding it off before it could do any further damage. Not ideal in the slightest.

The two princesses did not have to wait long as fire and screaming erupted from the northwest quadrant. They both veered in unison and landed in the street next to a squad of guards ordering the civilians to flee. On the ground, ponies screamed and ran for their lives in any direction that was not the way they came. Several buildings, nearly an entire city block, were already a raging inferno.

“Sergeant!” shouted Cadence. “What are we dealing with?”

“Your Highness! I... I apologize, I did not get a good look at it. I felt like my eyes were about to burn out of my sockets. I saw something red and then it... it leapt into a building and started setting everything on fire. It… it had these blades made of blood red fire. When they touched a pony, they burned to ash instantly! It was… I can’t.. I'm sorry.”

Sunset’s grimace turned to righteous fury. With a red glow of her horn, she summoned her own flaming sword, which caused the guard to scurry away with a yelp. “Have the guards contact Luna at HQ and bring the bulk of your forces this way. Leave a reserve in case there is more than one of them or, Celestia forbid, if Flurry Heart joins the fight.” The frightened guard gave a shaky salute and ran to find a pony with a SunLight crystal.

“What do you want me to do?”

Sunset glanced back at Cadence, her hard teal eyes beginning to glow. “Stay here and watch our backs till I figure out what we’re up against. Most important, keep your ponies safe.” Without another word Sunset trotted forward with her sword nearby only to be thrown off her hooves as half the block of buildings exploded in fire and crystal shards, Sunset's armor wards flashed, taking the brunt of the damage. When Sunset looked back there was a figure hovering in the air, its impressive wingspan flapping rhythmically. As her eyes came back into focus and the ringing in her ears subsided, Sunset gasped when she realized the monster was not just a pony, but another alicorn… an alicorn stallion if fact. The stallion landed and smiled predatorially, licking his fangs and lips while his white mane blew in the inferno charged breeze.

“And here you are. Admittedly, I was afraid that I would have to waste time and energy carving more mortals up before you’d finally show. I am pleased that you are a lead from the front warrior, Sunset Shimmer.”

Sunset retrieved her sword and brought it up to the guard ready position. “Gotta admit, when I was told that Flurry had set a monster free, I was not expecting it to look like a pony.”

“I am not ‘a pony’ as you so quaintly put it, child. I am an ALICORN, one of the Athanatoi, Mother’s First Children. My current appearance is of my choosing, but know that I walked this land when your kind were still wandering the great plains in herds, moving to the seasons to follow the abundance of food, and sleeping under the stars like so many other mindless creatures. I was there when the first ponies were given the blessing from The Well they did not deserve and the first 'unicorns and pegasi' were born. Mother’s gift to your kind was a betrayal to mine. I have waited for more than ten thousand years to see Equuis with my own two eyes again and what I have seen I have found disgusting.”

“Well nopony asked for you opinion on the state of the world anyhow and judging by the buildings you just burned and ponies you just killed you’re not here for a friendly chat about peace and harmony. So, how about we quit measuring our dicks and get this dance started.”

Two flaming daggers snapped into life, hovering on either side of Aethon. He stomped the ground two times, his black hooves cracking the crystal encrusted road. “Gladly.”

Sunset barely had enough time to block the dagger strikes that came faster than lightning. While defending from the blades, the red alicorn had twisted and bucked Sunset in her exposed abdomen. While on Earth, Sunset had heard the old term, ‘hits like a freight train’ numerous times in several different context. She now understood the literal translation of that saying as all the air was forced from her lungs. She was also pretty sure she heard Cadence scream her name, but it was drowned out by her back colliding with a building. The one she was now inside of, staring at the ceiling. Her eyes darted down to the belly plate of her armor and found a sizeable horse shoe shaped dent in it. If he had hit her without the armor defenses, even with her superior alicorn physiology, he would have likely liquified her organs, if not worse. Sunset had no time to reflect upon that dilemma longer as the stallion burst through the wall, slamming his body into her, knocking Sunset through the far wall and out to the adjacent street.

Sunset rolled with her tumble and bounded back to her hooves, bringing her horn to bare. Without focus or restraint, Sunset unleashed a blast of fire that her enemy deflected with a single hoof.

“Fire? Really? I was BORN FROM FIRE!” Sunset was about to curse when Aethon was suddenly in her face, twisting his forehooves around Sunset’s neck and flipped her over his backside and back down to the street in a body slam, creating a small crater. Sunset groaned and coughed. “Is that the best you can do?”

Still lying on the ground, Sunset teleported behind Aethon and fired an ice block at him that he cut with his blades. Steam rising from the strikes created a smoke haze. When the block was finally cleaved, Sunset was already gone again. A shadow from above caught Aethon’s attention and he looked up just as a chunk of crystal building that Sunset had been levitating came crashing down on top of him. Sunset caught her breath while continuing to hover, trying to think of a good quippy retort, but her body hurt too much for something so cocky.

The crystal chunk exploded in a fireball and Sunset twisted away from the flying debris and screaming alicorn. She barely got her face out of the way, but one of his blade hidden by the flames still tore through her left wing. Sunset cried out and tried to make her way back to ground in a controlled crash, but the red alicorn had circled back and dove like a comet. He slammed both forehooves into her side and buried Sunset into the ground. Aethon rose into the air again and then crashed down upon the fallen Sunset, who was still on her side. His mass and momentum multiplied the damage. The golden body armor bucked and plates of enchanted metal gave way along with three of her ribs. Sunset choked on blood as all the air was driven from her body, shockwaves of pain overloading her synapses. She tried to draw breath only to swallow more blood. It felt like drowning on dry land.

“Ah, how I have missed that sound.” Aethon stepped over the amber alicorn and placed his hoof upon Sunset’s horn, slowly applying more pressure. The protrusion flexed to the breaking point and all she could do was gasp and whimper under the crushing pain. “I told you, you would not stand a chance against me in the waking world.” Sunset’s one eye opened when her mind finally connected the words to the voice.

“Aethon?” she barely was able to croak out.

“Hello again, niece.” Aethon looked up just as a crystal encased hoof collided with his face. He flipped over and rolled coming back to his hooves, wiping the small trickle of blood from the cut on his lips. Cadence was standing over Sunset, her body covered in aquamarine crystal plates of armor.

“You took my baby away from me, you will NOT take my cousin as well.”

Aethon was about to retort when a black and sparkling midnight battle axe struck his exposed side sending him flying into a shop wall. “Thou shall not harm another hair upon my brethren, putrid scum of the latrine of Tartarus!” Luna did not wait for her enemy to recover and flew into the hole in the wall with her horn glowing and floating axe at her side.

Sunset felt hooves and levitation magic surround her as she was lifted, causing her to groan and cough out more blood.

“My princess, you have to get up. You are not safe here.” Sunset turned her head to the thestral who was attempting to lift Sunset onto his back with Cadence’s help.

“Gauge?” Sunset choked out. “You have to get out of here, he’s too strong. He’ll kill you.”

“She bleeding badly. I think a lung is punctured. Get her back to the palace, the doctors can-”

Luna exploded from the wall and rolled like a ragdoll across the street, her axe clattering on the street. The building shattered as Aethon broke through the roof and dove for Luna. Luna recovered in time, summoning her axe back to deflect the fire blades and released a blast from her horn, forcing the red alicorn to turn and step back.

Aethon turned his head to find that they were no longer alone on the street as more guards took up positions with spears, swords, and crossbows. His eyes burned bright orange at the sight of a bat pony attempting to pull Sunset Shimmer from the battle. Aethon growled, flashing his fangs. “That’s my prize, cockroach!”

Gauge glanced back at the red alicorn, scowling before turning back to the guard formations. “Delay him! Protect the princesses!”

“No!” Sunset said as blood dripped from her chin. “Fall back! He’ll kill you!”

Sunset’s thestral guards fell into a defensive line along side Twilight’s solar unicorns who conjured a joint defensive shield. The crystal guards rapped their weapons against their shields in unison and crowed a unified battle cry, giving the signal, the crossbow bolts all released at once.

Aethon’s horn burned black and orange. He disappeared in a flash of fire, dodging the crossbow bolts and was suddenly in front of a unit of crystal ponies on the left flank. His fire blades cut through all ten ponies in a single slash, their shields falling to pieces and bodies bursting to flames then crumbling to ash. He moved again before the guards could recover and slashed with both blades taking out the remaining first line of defense. The lines crumbled as guards screamed in panic at the sight of heavy shields lying in smoking pieces on the ground, their comrades burned to ash in an instant.

“MONSTEROUS FIEND!” Luna crashed down again, shattering the street and attempting to draw Aethon’s attention from the remaining units. Cadence stepped out from behind her guards, using a spell to speed grow crystal defensive barriers for the remaining troops who had not fled.

Aethon shot a glance to Luna and then to Cadence. Eyes locking on the slowly retreating form of Sunset Shimmer. Sunset’s swollen eyes went wide when she saw his smile even from a distance. Her warning cry went unheard, but she still summoned all her will to erect a barrier over herself and as many guards as she could.

“Burn.”

Aethon’s body became living red fire. All the air in the immediate vicinity felt like it was rushing towards him and then his shape went from red to orange to glowing white hot. The guards tried to hunker down behind their shields and crystal defenses while Luna and Cadence doubled their own barriers. Aethon’s glowing body exploded and leveled the remaining buildings to burning rubble. The first two rows of guards tried to scream, but their breath caught fire in their throats, burning them from the inside out.

Luna and Cadence were thrown back out of the initial blast radius as their shields and defenses shattered. Sunset was able to hold hers with all the other defenses in places for a bit longer. When Sunset’s shield failed, the guards she had protected were still thrown from their hooves, but alive. Sunset cried out as Gauge dropped her and she rolled on her wings painfully. The thestral captain shook his head, scrambling back to his hooves. He tore the helmet from his head and pulled a rod from his side pouch that extended into a quarter staff. His fellow remaining thestrals fell into line next to him a moment later.

Approaching hoof clomps sounded on the broken crystal and shattered road, slowly, methodically. Through the smoke and haze, the towering red alicorn walked over and on the dead and dying without care or hesitation. He stopped a short distance away and looked down at the five thestral before him, the fang filled smile still on his face. “Move.”

Gauge tightened his grip on his staff. “Make me.”

Two glowing daggers appeared and slashed the throats of the outer two thestral in the formation. Gauge, and the other two remaining guards charged to avoid the deadly weapons. Dew Drop went left and released several of her hidden throwing daggers. Dusty went right and tried to execute an overhead slash with a sword he recovered. Gauge jump forward and slid directly under Aethon’s legs.

Dusty died instantly, his blade never landing as one of the daggers had circled back and caught him in the neck. Dew Drop’s knives bit into Aethon’s fur and flesh much to his own surprise. His summoned blades evaporated with his sudden loss of concentration. Gauge waited until he was directly beneath the large alicorn's unguarded privates and attacked upward with his staff. The metal rod struck true and the red alicorn gasped painfully and stumbled, barely keeping his balance. Gauge scrambled out from under the stomping hooves and took up a defensive stance next to Dew Drop. Both thestrals making sure they were between their enemy and their princess.

Aethon removed the small blades from his side and examined them. They were covered in complex enchantment runes designed to bypass unicorn shields and made of cold iron to disrupt telekinetic magic. His smile was finally replaced by a snarl. Aethon’s horn burned and unleashed a wide blast of superheated flame. Before it struck the two thestrals who had no chance of dodging, Sunset Shimmer had captured the fire blast in her own magic grasp and diverted it skyward. Even behind Sunset’s protective shield, the heat from the overspray caused Gauge to drop his staff or burn his hooves.

Sunset grit her teeth that were stained with blood. She screamed a battle cry of defiance, her eyes glowing bright teal, body beginning to glow a golden aura. Aethon had been so focused on pouring more fire into his attack he did not see the two large chunks of broken crystal barriers until they were inches from him. They sandwiched into him from both directions, interrupting his flame attack. The red alicorn screamed in pain and Sunset’s bloody and bruised face shifted into a grin. So, he can feel pain. Luna and Cadence landed on either side of Sunset who was trying to hold Aethon down with the crystal chunks. Sunset stumbled, but Gauge and Dew Drop were there to help steady her.

“This… won’t… hold him.”

Luna nodded, eyes glowing white, horn glowing blue as she began to sky write a complex spell. “He favors fire, then I suggest the bane of frozen rain.” Cadence understood what Luna was attempted and began weaving her own spells.

The glow slowly faded from Sunset’s body and she blacked out for a few seconds, the crystal shards shattering as Aethon flared his wings and roared. He was only able to take a single step when Luna’s spell activated. A heavily concentrated cloud that had been growing directly above Aethon all at once unleashed a torrent deluge of rain water while simultaneously Cadence had been channeling the biting cold of the frozen north beyond the empire’s borders into a column. Cadence opened her glowing white eyes and the gentle fall of cold air became a concentrated down draft that passed through Luna’s saturated cloud.

Aethon shook his head and growled. He hated being soaking wet. Then, his body began to stiffen as his soaked fur formed frozen crystals. He shivered trying to burn the ice away, but the wind was blowing harder and colder. Aethon was driven to his knees and the water froze before dripping off of him. The ice became thicker, his hooves freezing to the road.

“Sunset!” Luna shouted. “Get up, niece! Draw out his fire and freeze him in place!”

Sunset Shimmer wheezed and blinked the spots from her eyes. They had him on the ropes, no way was she going to quit now. With a painful grunt, Sunset cast a heat exchange spell. She had never cast it on a pony before, mostly because that would be dangerous if not outright lethal since she was essentially speeding up the laws of thermodynamics by ripping the core body heat from her target and allowing the ambient cold to bite harder.

Aethon felt his senses slipping as his body became encased in ice.

Brother! You must flee!

“But, mm, my p, p, prize!”

It was a valiant effort, but we miscalculated their combined strength. You cannot face three of them alone. Retrieve the key and we will continue with our other plans. There will be another day, but only if you are free!

Aethon growled again. He fought back against the cold and sneered at the other alicorns. With all the remaining power he had left, Aethon burned himself free, disrupting the attacks upon him. Before they could recover, he teleported away in a burst of flame.

Silence fell over the street with only the flickering of burning flames making a noise. Then, the fallen began crying out for help and those that could cautiously crawled to their friends and fellows. Luna kept a glow to her horn, calling her battle axe back to her side. Cadence looked about cautiously, but finally let out a breath she had been holding when nothing happened after a full minute.

Guards began to move about more quickly to help their wounded companions as their optimism of the situation grew. Shouts for medical help and cries of pain and loss filled the air. Sunset coughed out more blood, groaned and nearly collapsed, but Gauge and Dew held onto her with all their remaining strength.

Cadence gave Sunset one look and pulled the amber alicorn closer to her. She concentrated and teleported Sunset, Dew, Gauge, and herself to the palace’s private infirmary. “Get her in the bed, I’ll find one of my doctors.” The thestrals nodded and Cadence ran out of the room shouting for a doctor.

“How many?” Sunset asked through her labored wheezing. “How many did he kill?”

Gauge gestured with his head for Dew Drops to watch the door and she saluted before taking position. Gauge next began to carefully remove the broken armor one section at a time. Some of it had been bent so badly it was now stabbing into Sunset’s flesh or deeper. She was going to need a surgeon soon. Lastly, he carefully removed her circlet helm that was still mostly intact and gently brushed the sweat and blood coated mane hairs from her face. “It doesn’t matter, Your Highness. You’re safe. They know… we all know the risks of the job when we sign up and swear our allegiance to a princess.”

“It matters to me!” Sunset coughed and twisted in on herself, her breathing becoming more labored as a fresh stream of blood trickling out of her mouth.

Gauge found a clean washcloth and dabbed the blood from his princess’s face. When she stopped coughing he leaned closer and whispered, “Sunset, my friend, they were my soldiers before they were yours. I gave the order to stand and fight. Let me carry this burden, please.”

Sunset could now see the glassy sheen to his yellow eyes, the quiver of his hooves as the adrenaline from the fight bled away. If she dared to read his thoughts and emotions… no, it was unnecessary. She already knew exactly how he was feeling because it was how she was feeling too. The room lights were suddenly too bright and she closed her eyes, and fell into unconsciousness.

Author's Notes:

Okay, so as of right now. It looks like this is going to top out around 25 or 26 chapters (depending on if I need to break one in half or expand on elaboration) with an epilogue. So that kind of gives you an idea of where we are in the story.

Whew, so yeah, that was messy, hopefully no one was detested by all the death and blood flying... which was why I put 'violence' and 'death' flags on this one.

As an after thought that came around chapter 22 I really should probably had Spike go with them to the empire considering he is pretty much Equestria's top diplomat at this point and is loved by the crystal ponies, but I couldn't find a way to retroactively include him without it being clunky. I mean, the fire aspect against a brawny dragon that bathes in lava to relax isn't much of a fight so I left it as is.

Questions? Comments?

Chapter 19: Into Dust

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Luna walked the train as it clanked and swayed slightly, racing down the tracks back towards their starting point, Canterlot. The fires from the day before had been easy enough to put out given that most of the buildings were made of crystal and the water systems in the ground had not been compromised. The physical damage had taken longer to clean off the streets and much of the northwest section of the city was still under quarantine until the guards, rescuers, and qualified medical ponies could confirm the number of missing or dead. The final numbers were grim no matter how nicely it was worded. Many innocent ponies had died in addition to the loss of soldiers.

Luna had suffered little physical trauma beyond scrapes and cuts as did Cadence. Sunset, however, had received four broken ribs, a punctured lung, a broken wing, a ruptured kidney, and numerous lacerations and bruises. The doctors had cut out and remove two pieces of armor that had been bent in and were penetrating Sunset’s underbelly. After that they worked their potion and salve magic on the goldenrod alicorn, Luna also assisted with some of her healing magic to help stabilize her niece. Sunset would live, she would be sore for a while, but the life threatening damage was seen to.

The psychological damage would take all of them longer to deal with. Of the twelve guards Sunset and Luna had brought with them only four were still alive. With the enemy gone and no way of tracking him or Flurry Heart accurately, Luna had suggested they regroup in Canterlot to plan the next move. Sunset protested, wanting to stay and help the wounded more, but even after an entire day in bed to recover enough just to walk around she was in no position to assist search and rescue or perform her own healing magic.

After a heated exchange, Cadence assured her cousin that the crystal ponies had it under control and that all those that could be assisted would be. And so that evening the train was reloaded for an express trip back to Canterlot, with considerably less company than it had departed with. Cadence had further assured Luna, Sunset, and Prince Thicket that as soon as she was sure the empire was safe, she would be bringing an expeditionary force to Canterlot and help in any way she could to bring her daughter home safe.

Luna paused her stroll to glance out the train window as the landscape sped by. The moon was nearing its apex and the stars twinkled just the way they should. Let them sleep. Let them all enjoy a worry free night in blissful ignorance of what has been unleashed and is yet to come.

Luna spotted a familiar pony standing in the hall outside one of the sleeper car rooms and smiled warmly. He really was the perfect choice for the position he now held. The dark gray bat pony had his helmet off making it easy for Luna to catch his tired eyes and slightly ragged, dark brown mane. Still, he remained vigilant. “Captain Gauge, as strong and resilient as you are, even thestrals need sleep from time to time. I know for a fact that you stood by her side the entire time she was in the hospital.”

Gauge bowed to Luna. “Just fulfilling my duty to my princess, mistress.”

“How is she? Not what she tells you, I want your obsidian sharp observation.”

Gauge nodded. “Heartache at the loss of so many innocent ponies. Burning anger at the loss of so many soldiers. Disappointment at being unable to recover Princess Flurry Heart. I know she wanted that last one the most, for the other princesses. It troubles her still. I checked a few moments ago, her sleep is… restless. I would do more if I could.”

Luna touched the thestral’s armored shoulder and bent down, planting a kiss upon his forehead. “I know you would, Fog. You know your duty and fulfill it well, but now it is my turn. Go, rest, I will see to my niece.” Gauge bowed once more and made his way to the back of the train where the other soldiers were still resting.

Quietly, Luna entered the room and shut the sliding door. It was as the captain had said. Sunset Shimmer was on her back, wings twitching, head swiveling from side to side while she mumbled something incoherent. Luna took a seat and closed her eyes, her horn taking on a white glow as she dove into a dream walk.

Tall, unfamiliar buildings of brick, glass, and steel were all around her. Luna was on a sidewalk of a city she had never seen before while strange carriages of all kinds of shapes and sizes sped by with no ponies pulling them. In fact, there were no ponies around at all, just tall biped creatures wearing too many clothes and walking along the sidewalk in both directions. The human world, Luna concluded. This was not just a dream, but a memory, episodic, she had heard some doctors call it.

Luna spotted Sunset and who she assumed was her wife, human Twilight Sparkle, sitting in one of the carriages that was approaching the intersection. The vehicle came to a stop and Sunset and Twilight were talking about something. Luna made herself invisible and stepped into the back of the vehicle so she could hear better.

“Babe, I don’t need a GPS to tell me where the restaurant is. I’ve been driving in this city for years, besides the garage across the park has better available parking and comes with the added bonus of a lovely stroll with you.”

“Pffft,” Twilight responded with a raspberry and an adorable giggle. “No one would ever believe me if I told them you were such a romantic at heart… maybe Rarity ever since the Tippy Toe incident.”

“Yeah, yeah. Let's not bring up the Tippy Toe, please,” said Sunset, looking to the left while Twilight continued to fiddle with her phone. “While I’m thinking about it, we should get your parents a small gift for this, you know, as a thank you for watching Aurora so we could have a real date night. Feels like it’s been forever since we had a night where it was just you and me.”

“Oh! That’s a great idea! How about a-”

The sentence never finished. Luna was left standing in the road as the car Sunset and Twilight were in was struck from behind by another vehicle. Luna blinked rapidly as she watched the car with the two young women in it be propelled into the intersection. Before its forward movement came to a stop, the car was struck again by a cross traffic vehicle, slamming into the side door where Twilight was sitting. The entire street and surrounding area erupted in panic screams, screeching tires, metal and glass fragments skittered across the road everywhere. The other vehicles soon began honking while some onlookers dared to move in to help. Luna had to remind herself it was only a dream memory and nothing she could do would change that. She could of course calm Sunset, but there was something about the memory that was important or why her sleeping mind had chosen it. So she stayed invisible and let it play out for now.

Poking her head back inside the thoroughly wrecked vehicle Luna found Sunset slumped over the steering wheel. When Sunset tried to move, she screamed in pain and found a piece of metal had broken free and was now impaling her side near her kidney.

“Twi,” she groaned through the pain, “you okay? Babe?” Sunset turned her head and found Twilight slumped in her seatbelt. Her glasses had been knocked off and half her face was covered in blood that was dripping onto her blouse top.

“Twilight!” Sunset bashed her door with her shoulder, further impaling herself until the door gave way. She pulled the metal rod from her body and pressed the wound with her left hand. Luna watched as Sunset shoved bystanders away so she could hobble to the smashed passenger side. Sunset tried the door handle but it broke off. With a grunt and growl of frustration Sunset gripped through the broken glass and sharp metal frame cutting into her hands. A bystander tried get Sunset to stop, pleading that she was hurting herself. Sunset shrugged the man off and after one final grunt the metal buckled as she ripped the door off its hinges. She immediately checked Twilight’s head wound. Thankfully, Twilight was breathing, but still had not moved and the cut was deep. It was going to leave a nasty scar right under her bangs. Sunset's eyes burned bright teal and her teeth clenched through pain that was stabbing from everywhere. She turned her attention back to the other vehicle that had a smashed front end, the one that had hit them from behind.

“What the hell is the matter with you?! How could you not see we were stopped at the light you fucking moron! If I find out you had a fucking phone in your hand, I will shove it so far up your ass it will make a gastrologist cry!” Sunset started to hobble to the other car when a purple hand grabbed her arm.

“Sunny… I… don’t feel very… well.”

Sunset turned her attention back to Twilight, her anger instantly replaced with dire concern. Sunset shuddered and dropped to her knees. When Luna looked over Sunset’s shoulder though Twilight was no longer covered in blood and cuts, but was instead in a simple ugly green gown like one worn for hospitals and she looked considerably older. Her skin was pale and heavily wrinkled, her hair color gone grey and glasses were as thick as telescope lenses.

“Sunny, you have to let me go. If you run I know you can make it to the portal in time. I don’t want you to be alone.”

“No! I can’t leave you… I don’t want to forget you!”

Twilight smiled, turning paler by the second. “Letting go is not forgetting, letting go is setting yourself free to live your life. Please, don’t make me an anchor that drags you down. You have to keep living. You have a destiny that is beyond all of this. You always have.” Twilight turned ashen and began to crumble to dust. Sunset just held on until there was nothing left to hold on to and the ash slipped through her outstretched fingers.

Luna was about to reach out when another voice called out from behind.

“Sunset?”

Luna turned and found Princess Twilight standing at the foot of her throne, concern evident on her face, eyes filled with tears about to fall. When Luna looked back, she found Sunset, now an alicorn, limping towards Twilight. Her armor was scorched and broken, one wing hanging limp with broken bones, body bruised, cut, with fresh and dried blood in her fur and mane. Even one eye was swollen shut from damage.

“Twily, I… I tried to save her. I tried so damn hard to save all of them. I fought harder than I’ve ever fought before. I… just don’t know if it’s enough, if it will ever be enough and I’m tired, so damn tired. I just… I can’t keep losing people or ponies I love.”

Twilight caught Sunset as she collapsed and pulled her close into her lap, carefully removing the last of the broken armor and circlet helm. “Shhh, it’s okay, Sunny. I’m here. I’ll always be here for you.” Sunset shuddered as tears fell from her one good eye. After a few minutes of silence she smiled and snuggled into the embrace, sighing as Twilight healed the wounds little by little.

“I just want to be held,” Sunset whispered and Twilight obliged by giving her another tight embrace.

“I just want to be touched.” Twilight smiled and stroked Sunset’s fur and the side of her face. Sunset turned and craned to look up, now muzzle to muzzle to Twilight. “I just want to be loved.”

“I know. I love you, Sunset Shimmer.” Twilight’s lips met Sunset’s for a long, intimate kiss and Luna smiled. She quietly slipped out of the dream as things began to steam up more than she wanted to intrude upon.

When Luna finished blinking her eyes, she looked down to find that Sunset had ceased her thrashing and was now smiling while snoring lightly. She admired her sleeping niece a moment longer, brushing some of the red and gold mane from her face.

“I know we have all said this before, but we are all very proud of you and of how much you have accomplished. How far you have come. None more so than your mother. You even make me wish a little bit that you were my daughter. But that’s okay, I get to be the wild and fun aunt and as soon as this ordeal we are now facing is over I am taking you on an island vacation where we can have all kinds of inappropriate fun with the locals just to make Celestia shake her head and roll her eyes. In fact, we’ll bring Twilight along and make my sister run things while we enjoy our relaxation. It will be well earned, beloved niece.” Luna sat down on the floor and closed her eyes, just listening to the light snores and the ambiance of the train.

The train had arrived in Canterlot just after dawn and was greeted by Celestia and Twilight Sparkle. Once news of the severity of the attack had reached the capital, Twilight had put a hold on open court and delegated the council to see to the necessary operations of the government and early disaster readiness for the citizens while she and the other alicorns planned for the next confrontation.

The four remaining guards and Gauge were the first to exit and held themselves at attention while saluting Princess Twilight and Captain Fury, steeling their ragged emotions. Prince Thicket and Tule Spring exited next, also with downtrodden expressions. Twilight stiffened, her reaction not going unnoticed by Celestia, at the sight of Sunset Shimmer. She still had a few bandages wrapped around her barrel and numerous bruises that had not fully healed. The circlet crown was dented and the accompanying chest piece armor plate was badly damaged and missing sections even though the fire rubies still shined bright.

Sunset and Luna both bowed respectfully to Twilight who quickly motioned for them to rise. “I’m glad you’re both safe, but we need to jump all hooves right into this. I talked to Cadence already, but any additional input you two can offer we need to discuss right away.” Luna nodded and gestured towards the castle. Sunset, however just turned her head towards the horizon and stared off to the north. “Sunset?”

“I’ve never fought anything that strong before. And you saw what I saw in the dreamscape. There are four of these… Horses of the Apocalypse.”

“Athanatoi, The First Children,” said Celestia with an underscore of seething and bitterness. Sunset looked back at her mother and then Twilight, who nodded. “Come, we have much to discuss and it is best not in the open.”

The entourage left the train station under heavy guard and made their way back to the palace compound by carriages. Once back in the safety of the palace grounds, Sunset waited to talk to Tempest who was having a quiet discussion with Gauge. She gently touched his shoulder guard and the two captains nodded to one another before the bat pony flew off in the direction of the barracks. Tempest noted that Sunset was standing a respectable distance away waiting.

“I’m sorry about the guards we lost. I… I tried to save everypony I could. And I’m sorry about the damage to your Great Grandmother’s armor. I don’t know how much can be repaired, but I’ll get on it as soon as I have time.”

“Did it save your life?” Sunset nodded, still refusing to meet the captain’s eyes. Tempest risked the breach in protocol and touched Sunset's chin so that the alicorn was looking her in the eye. “Then that’s all that matters, Your Highness. She would have been happy that her armor kept a princess alive. Great Grand was a very duty focused pony from what I was told. Would have done anything to keep Princess Twilight safe after she was named captain. According to Gauge, you were lucky to come back at all. I’m not sure if I should be fuming for vengeance or weary to face such a monster.”

Sunset touched the circlet and sighed before straightening her posture. “Both.”

The princesses and company made their way to the larger banquet hall where a spread of breakfast foods and refreshments had already been prepared. Twilight gave them a few minutes to get something in their bellies before jumping right back into her role as leader. She summoned the two tomes to an empty spot on the table along with her stack of notes. Sunset made herself a cup of coffee and grabbed a fruit filled pastry and came to stand next to Twilight.

Before starting, Twilight leaned over and whispered into Sunset’s ear. “I’m glad you’re okay. Cadence said you were hurt pretty badly… I… I was worried about you.”

“Thank you, but we can talk about it later,” was Sunset’s terse response, her eyes never leaving the table.

Twilight ears flattened for a moment. She shook it off and pushed her personal feelings aside. Sunset was right, there would be time for that later. “So, what we know as of this moment is that Princess Flurry Heart is not in her right mind. How much control she has over her own decisions is unknown, but no witnesses spotted her participating in the attack, which would imply that she is not entirely under their thrall.”

“That would be Scylla’s doing,” said Luna with underscores of venom. “She wants her victims to willingly serve. That demon wants her victims to see what she is saying is truth and through isolation and manipulation of the truth her victims beg for more power. The forked tongue, foul licker of goat scrotum will not give up so easily. This I know to be truth.”

“A cunning enemy is a dangerous enemy,” said Isabella after pouring a cup of tea for Twilight. “A well known griffon proverb, but still true.”

“But why attack the empire? That’s what I did not understand,” asked Twilight, accepting the cup. “They had Flurry release Aethon, why not just quietly move on to where ever the next one is imprisoned? You heard them in the dream realm just as I did, they wanted Celestia dead. The Crystal Empire did nothing to them.”

Luna looked to her sister, then to Sunset and quickly replayed the fight in her head and how it had progressed. After a moment Luna spat a curse in Old Ponish. “The attack upon empire was a distraction that succeeding in its intention, but only barely failed in execution. They wanted to capture or kill Sunset Shimmer to draw Celestia onto the field of battle. Cruel as it is to think, I believe it would have worked.”

Sunset growled, her coffee suddenly bitter and undesirable. Nothing tasted good when you suddenly realized you were almost turned into bait. “We need to find those prisons and head them off before they unlock another one. Twilight, any clues in those old tomes about where the other prisons might be, even a hint?”

“No, and while fascinating, the journals are essentially useless for what we need. We do know Aine designed the prisons to be strong enough to hold the Athanatoi for all of time and that no creature of sufficient power would have wanted to let alone been able to break them open. She never anticipated an alicorn wanting to do so though. Even when they took control of Luna, Nightmare Moon went after Celestia not the prisons.”

“If it was not in the journals how do you know that?”

“Because my mother spoke to me while you were away," said Celestia, her expression bitter. "Unhelpful, as usual.”

Luna scowled. “And only to you and not me? Also, as usual.”

“If I may, the solution is simple if albeit dangerous,” said Prince Thicket cutting the melancholy. “We need to split our forces to search for the other three prisons. If one was in the far north we can safely assume the others are in equally far flung and difficult to reach places.”

“That’s a bad idea,” said Sunset immediately earning a scowl from the deer prince. “I know you want to help your friend, we all do, but you didn’t face off against Aethon and to be honest, I’m glad. Because it hurt, a lot. He carved through dozens of well trained and well armed guards like tissue paper. Anything less than three alicorns or an entire mage corps would just be sent to their deaths.”

“If I may offer an observation, princess.” The gathered royals turned to the thestral, Dew Drop, who had been standing silently near the back of the room with the other guards. “They may be immortal, but they’re not invulnerable. I tossed a set of my warlock killer blades at the enemy, more in desperation than anything else, but they penetrated his shields and his flesh. He is alive and he does bleed. If we better outfit all our forces with runic charged, cold iron tipped weapons we stand a better chance than certain death.” The royals all nodded their thanks to the guard.

“Can you pass that information on to the arms master?” asked Twilight.

“Captain Gauge is already taking care of that, Your Highness. It will take some time for the smiths to enchant more weapons, but at least we won't be caught completely flat hoofed,” said Tempest with a nod to Dew Drop.

“With proper weapons, smaller expeditionary forces would be able to move across Equestria more quickly and protect the princess leading them. If able to catch our enemy by surprise it may be possible to secure Flurry before more damage is done. I volunteer to search south for clues. I have a good relationship with the Union of Badlands and can easily cross from territory to territory. Ambassador Spike may also wish to join me. He is an excellent negotiator when it comes to dealing with our surrounding nations,” said Luna proudly.

Sunset sighed, crossing her forelegs. “I still think we have way too many missing variables here, but if this is the plan then I guess I’ll take a force to the eastern shore and hope what we're looking for is not across the ocean. If nothing else, like Luna said, we can search for rumors and clues on the location of the prisons.”

“Then I will go west and do the same,” said Celestia and Sunset was about to protest, but Twilight beat her to it.

“Uh, no, not happening.”

“And why is that?” Celestia asked with a challenging arched eyebrow.

“First of all, you are on their hitlist! Secondly, your health. If an alicorn is needed out there then I’ll go west.”

“I’m afraid that is not how this works, Twilight. As valuable as I am, you are far more important now than I. The entire nation if not the entire world would be in danger if you were captured or worse. Until Sunset is officially coronated you are still the sole ruler of Equestria and the primary keeper of the celestial bodies. As such you are both empowered and bound to the throne.” Twilight wanted to protest, but instead just groaned. Celestia could not keep from smiling at her former student's frustration. “As I've said before, now you truly understand how I felt when I kept sending you and your friends on your little adventures while I had to sit on my plot and just hope for the best.”

“I hate this. It should be me. What is the point of being in charge if I can only lead from a throne?”

Celestia stepped over to Twilight and pulled her into a side hug. “You are more than the ruler now. You are a symbol. And ponies need to see you sitting strong and proud, having faith in your charges. There is power in that, believe me.”

Prince Thicket puffed out his white and brown chest fur. “I will go with Celestia. My herd has many contacts in the west and relatives I can call upon to help us search as well. I can watch her and help maintain her health as needed as well as guard her life. By the time we reach the coast I’m sure Princess Cadence will have arrived in Canterlot to further assist or bolster the effort.”

Reluctantly, Twilight nodded. They had a plan, it was not a good plan, but it was better than nothing. The first thing she would need to do would be contact Spike and Smolder so they could work out arrangements regarding their new hatchling. Each team would need their own train... or would airships be better in this case? Probably. Much of the outskirt lands were harsh and the condition of the tracks were likely unknown. Airships mostly just had to worry about air sick passengers. She needed a new list of who had a tendency to get easy motion sickness. Twilight was about to speak again when an explosion in the distance caused the walls and chandeliers to jingle and vibrate.

Tempest slid her helmet back on and ordered her guards to stay put while she left to investigate. The walls rattled again, louder, closer. Against better judgment and small, useless protest by the guards, the royals approached the dining hall balcony and opened the windows to look out.

A beam of red fire laced out and raked the city below, leaving a burning trail of destruction in its wake. In the sky a red alicorn turned his gaze upon a fleeing crowd in the market and summoned his glowing blades that slashed down without hesitation. Many died and turned to ash before the screams could leave their charred throats. Sunset snarled and summoned her sword and Luna her axe.

They both extended their wings, about to jump out the window when a shadow caught Twilight’s attention. “Sunset, wait!”

The balcony exploded. The dining hall windows all shattered and the ponies, griffon, and deer were thrown back into the room rolling amongst the debris. Heavy wing flaps scattered the broken glass and four armored hooves touched down, entering the room.

Twilight shook her head and looked up, her heart sinking to her stomach. “No,” she whispered breathlessly.

Flurry Heart stood above them, or at least a creature that had once been Flurry Heart. Her once pastel pink and blue mane waved about now muted to near grayscale. Her fur had darkened to a bluish gray from what Twilight could see, the rest was covered with a black, obsidian-like armor. Worse yet, Flurry Heart’s eyes, once a bright and shining blue that always reminded Twilight of her brother’s eyes were now glowing red and slitted like a serpent.

“Give me Celestia or die.”

Chapter 20: Requiem

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“Flurry Heart, awaken.”

Flurry stirred from her slumber. She had not had any dreams. In fact, if she really thought about it, she could not remember the last time she had had any good dreams. Maybe Luna had been messing with her from the other side. Regardless, the rest had been revitalizing and her body felt less fatigued. Flurry blinked the blurriness from her eyes and gasped at the sight of Aethon.

“What happened to you?”

“My attempt at distracting the Crystal Empire forces was both successful and unsuccessful. Sunset Shimmer and her allies are stronger than I anticipated. I barely escaped.”

“Dammit,” Flurry cursed, dropping down from the cloud to inspect the bruises and wounds more closely. None looked life threatening. “Do you need me to heal these? They look like stab wounds.”

“I will live. They will close completely in a few hours. However, we face a new problem.”

“What’s that?”

The problem is the same, but it is more pressing now. While your escape is guaranteed they know Aethon is free and will no doubt move to block the rest of us from being released. There is no way to know how much Mother has told them. If she is helping, even indirectly, then the cause may already be lost.

“But that’s not fair! You are my friends and you were wrongly imprisoned. There has to be something I can do.”

Yeah, Scylla, I don’t wanna give up either!

Well, unless any of you know another way to access the cell monoliths that are sitting at the remaining three corners of the cardinal diamond while all the while being hunted by not only Celestia’s monstrous offspring, but the armies of Equestria, I’m open to ideas. Otherwise, sooner or later, it will come to a bloody battle and they will have no choice, but to slay you, Flurry.

Flurry stumbled back, her heart beating faster, legs suddenly feeling weak. Would Auntie Twilight really order her soldiers to try and kill her? Would her mother? She had fought along side so many of the guard when they rotated their tours in Ponyville. Most were good ponies who just wanted to protect... just like her father. “No, they… I mean… sure Sunset would try, but Mom would never do it… I don’t think my aunt would. It’s just… there has to be another way.”

There are only two ways for us to be free. With your help from the outside and by Celestia’s…

Flurry felt her friend pause, even Aethon arched an eyebrow.

Unless…

“Unless?”

We could POSSIBLY break free on our own if Celestia was sufficiently weakened enough. Our prisons are tied to her life, but I know you do not wish to kill her. However, when she was injured, we felt some of the wards weaken. If you were to simply hurt her more, we might be able to do the rest.

“Okay, I can see that, but that means going after her in Canterlot. I don’t know… I mean if I was sneaky, maybe I could get close enough, but after everything that’s happened. I doubt she has less than a full company around her at all times plus Aunt Twilight, who is an endless well of magical power.”

Then you need two things. More power and a distraction. A similar tactic to what Aethon attempted in the empire, but with both of you dividing their forces and their attention.

Yes, brother, that could work. But only if Flurry is willing to consent. She must be willing. She must ask for my help.

Flurry Heart closed her eyes and sighed. They were her friends, they had been with her longer than any of her other friends, helping her, guiding her, keeping her company. No pony or other creature understood her like they did… not even Thicket, her best friend. If a few stupid guards got in the way, they would be swept aside. And if Twilight interfered, well, she would have to be swept aside as well. Besides, there was nothing she could do to Celestia that a good doctor couldn’t fix afterwards. She was Celestia after all. Immortal Goddess of the Sun.

“Okay. Let’s do this. Give me what I need to succeed.”

As you wish. Close your eyes. This will take a few hours to complete.

----------

Twilight Sparkle, current sole ruler of the land of Equestria was frozen in place with disbelief and utter shock. Standing before her was the alicorn Princess of Friendship, Flurry Heart, her beloved niece. Only it was not the sweet, if occasionally mischievous, foal she had watched grow, or the mouthy and rebellious teenager, or even the powerful and aggressive mare warrior she had grown into. No, what stood before Twilight was a monster wearing her niece’s body and it had come for her friend and mentor’s head. Even still, Twilight was paralyzed.

Flurry’s eyes narrowed at the sight of the white alicorn who had been thrown to the other side of the dining hall with all the other occupants. Celestia was still shaking her head and the ringing of the explosion out of her ears. She was disoriented and practically defenseless. Flurry’s horn took on a dark blue and black glow as she prepared to fire.

“Flurry!” The ashen alicorn paused, she knew that voice. “Flurry, it’s me, Thicket, please, don’t do this! We’re friends, good, close friends, so trust me when I say this is not you!”

Flurry blinked twice, and her eyes were suddenly blue and normal again, brimming with tears about to fall. There was a quiver in her stance and her horn glow faltered. “T-Thicket?”

Sunset Shimmer launched herself at the black obsidian-clad alicorn with a ferocious scream. The collision sent a shockwave though the already trashed room. Both alicorns smashed through the remaining stone guardrail to the garden below. The swift attack broke the stunned stillness of the room.

Luna summoned her armor and retrieved her axe once more as she had in the Crystal Empire. The dark alicorn pointed at her sister and said with a growl under her breath, “Private Dew Drop! Get her to safety!” Luna then launched herself through the broken windows with her own battle cry.

Twilight finally recovered and scrambled back to her hooves as well. “Isa! Go with Dew Drop and take Celestia to the vaults. It’s the most secure room in the palace!”

“I am not a delicate flower that needs to be ushered from danger!” Celestia snapped. Her defiance was short lived when Twilight turned to look at her mentor, with burning fury in her eyes, face fur matted from falling tears.

“I can’t protect you, and Sunset, AND ALL OF CANTERLOT AT THE SAME TIME! So, help me, help you, and go hide where they can’t find you, please!”

“I…” Celestia fumbled, her ethereal mane losing some of magical waves. “I understand. Just… just protect the ones we love, Twilight, please.”

“With my life, if I have to.”

“Please, don’t let it come to that, Your Highness,” said Isabella, ushering Celestia to the door while their enemies were distracted. The griffon and thestral nodded to one another and took up position on either side of Celestia.

Sunset and Flurry hit the ground with Sunset’s hooves on Flurry’s face. Upon impact, the obsidian helmet fractured and crumbled away in chunks, leaving a few deep cuts and scratches on Flurry's head. “Turnabout’s a bitch, ain’t it?”

Flurry scurried away from Sunset and wiped the dirt and blood away, eyes once again red and glowing. “This is not going to go the way you think it will.”

“Why not? I already kicked your plump ass once.”

“Because this time, I’m not alone.”

Sunset cried out as the fiery energy blast struck her side and sent her rolling. Aethon laughed and fired again, but his blast was deflected by Luna’s axe. She scowled and slowly shook her head before firing a horn blast of her own to keep the red alicorn at bay.

Twilight landed across from Flurry Heart and reached out to her niece. “Please, Flurry, it’s Auntie Twily. I could see it in your eyes, you are not okay with this. You know this is wrong, fight them!”

“You’re wrong about that one, Auntie, I AM okay with this. You could have named me your equal decades ago, but instead you snubbed me, Luna snubbed me, Celestia snubbed me! You all feared my power, feared what I could accomplish without you. And what did you do instead? You welcomed a monster into your home and worse yet, called her your best friend! So yeah, I took the power that was offered to me and as soon as Celestia is dealt with my friends and I crush your little regime and we will rule this entire world. We’ll make it just the way it should be. Nice and orderly. It will be marvelous.”

Twilight lit her horn and stood her ground despite the tears that threatened to fall again. “I don’t want to hurt you, but I can’t let you do that, Flurry, I’m sorry.”

As soon as Flurry unleashed a torrent of power from her horn blast Twilight met it with her own. The over wash of burning magical energy set the grass and nearby shrubs from the maze garden on fire. Twilight was trying to not only meet the powerful blast, but also direct the excess energy away from the palace and herself while Flurry was just pouring on the power. Twilight felt herself buckling under the strain.

Aethon waited for Luna to charge, summoning his blades. With a glance to the battle happening below he pointed with a hoof. Luna, against her better judgment, glanced as well and saw Twilight about to fall to her knees. On instinct, Luna sent her axe whirling towards the battle below. If she struck the focal point where their energies were competing it would disengage the two of them without permanently hurting them.

Flurry spotted the axe coming towards her and panicked. Flurry teleported out from the dueling locked horn blasts. She landed behind Twilight just as the axe slammed into the ground. Twilight gasped and stumbled back. Flurry sneered at Twilight's exposed flank and suppressed the desire to land a critical blow, choosing instead to focus on her goal. Without a word, she teleported again.

Luna turned her head back to Aethon and silently cursed her poor decision as the red blades closed on her faster than she could move. Before the blades could bite into fur and flesh, Sunset wrapped her forelegs around her aunt and teleported them both to the ground next to Twilight. Luna let out the breath she had been holding and smiled at Sunset, recalling her axe once more to her side. Sunset also held up her sword in a telekinetic field.

“Three on one again, pal. Except this time I’m ready for you and Twilight is a bigger powerhouse than Cadence on a bad day. Trust me, this won’t end well for you.”

“Hmm, perhaps you are correct. However, I have no intention of being cornered by you like I did in the empire. Congratulations, I respect your combined power enough to not fight you arrogantly.”

“Press him, do not let him recover,” said Luna, beginning to weave a complex containment spell with her horn.

Aethon fired a simple horn blast at Luna that Sunset deflected with her sword, then another at Twilight that she blocked as well. Sunset growled, her eyes beginning to glow teal again.

“You’re not touching a single hair on them, not as long as I live.”

“A bold declaration. Do you feel the same level of commitment to all your little ponies, princess?” Aethon rose higher. “Let’s find out!” The red alicorn dodged Luna’s cage spell as it tried to fall on him and then rolled, flapping his wings. He flew over the castle and continued towards Canterlot proper again.

“He’s attacking the city again!” shouted Twilight.

“He is attempting to draw us away from the castle and Celestia,” Luna added with a growl.

Sunset looked around, her eyes going wide. “Where’s Flurry Heart? Where did she go?!” Sunset moved to return to the castle.

“Sunset, hold!” Luna called out. “It will take all three of us to contain that creature. With Twilight, I am certain we three can stop him, but without you, I lack said certainty.”

“But Flurry is hunting Celestia!” Sunset expression changed from anger to panic. She knew the risk, she knew that other ponies would be burned to ash, but… Sunset glanced into the broken dining hall and barely above a whisper croaked, “Mom.”

“Sunset, beloved niece, my sister is not helpless, but many innocents are. Even talented mage unicorns cannot stand against Aethon's alicorn level power, you know this. We must go. We must stop him because no pony else can.”

Twilight flew up and hovered up next to Sunset. They stared into each other’s eyes, both begging silently to one another for this to not be happening, that this terrible choice did not need to be made. Sunset glanced back to the castle then to Twilight, her eyes beginning to well up with angry tears. Twilight extended a hoof to Sunset and the goldenrod alicorn shook with barely contained fury, grinding her teeth so hard she felt like they might crack. Sunset screamed her frustration in the only way she knew she could.

“FUCK!”

Without anything else to add, the three alicorns flapped their great wings and pursued.

----------

Isabella Windsong had now faithfully served as Princess Twilight’s personal assistant for fifteen years. The chocolate brown and black griffon had graduated from the School of Friendship as the valedictorian of her class and fell in love with Equestria. Sure, there were days she missed her old friends and family back in Griffonstone, but the sheer variety of life that Equestria offered, she loved it all.

When Isabella had heard that the old personal assistant of Twilight’s was planning to retire, she quickly familiarized herself with everything she could in regards to the princess along with any and all things the job would entail. While the pool line of candidates had been longer than the first day of Ponyville Cider Season, Isabella had not been worried. Her confidence, her raw knowledge, and her abilities won her the day and she never regretted a minute of it. As the griffon proverb went: The hardest fights guarantee the most satisfying of victories.

In fact, once she had secured the job as personal assistant, Isabella had immersed herself in more information to further skills. Including learning about all the secret back passages and hallways throughout the castle. The hallway they were currently speed walking through was an excellent shortcut to both the throne room and the entrance of the treasury vault.

“Wouldn’t it be faster to teleport to the room we need?”

Isabella scoffed. “In case you forgot or are simply not aware of it, private, the entire castle is equipped with teleport interdiction crystals. While they won’t prevent an alicorn from teleporting around they require a great deal of power to overcome them. Teleporting herself and us would be highly taxing. Secondly, the treasure vault itself has additional layers of security and defensive wards that even Celestia would not be able to break easily, since she was the pony who set them up to begin with.”

“Both are true. Though, in spite of your insinuation, I could probably manage the teleport if needed.”

Dew Drop was about to comment further when the entire passage rumbled, dust and debris breaking loose. The thestral twisted her sensitive ears and listened, her superior low light eyes going wide a second later. Dew shoved Celestia forward into Isabella just before the wall imploded and large chunks of stone and masonry fell on the thestral guard.

Celestia reached out for the guard, but Isabella pulled the alicorn back and put herself between Celestia and the attacker who was standing in the dusty smoke. Glowing red eyes locked onto Celestia like heat seekers.

“RUN!” Isabella shouted shoving at Celestia with both her claws.

Flurry’s horn began to glow, but she hissed and the spell faltered when something sharp and painful struck her hindleg. Looking back, Flurry found a small rune etched throwing knife buried in her flesh. Red eyes narrowed at the mostly trapped thestral who had managed to lose a single blade. Dew Drop growled and flashed her fangs in defiance as Flurry’s horn took on a sickly, dark blackish blue-green color.

Celestia wrapped her forehooves around Isabella and teleported away before being forced to bear witness to the atrocity. Isabella and Celestia were now standing in the entryway atrium, Celestia was breathing hard, but only partly because of the teleport.

“I… I should have stopped her. I… I let her kill one of my ponies,” Celestia choked and shuddered on a breath. “Stars above, I failed them both.”

“She gave her life for you, don’t waste her sacrifice on this. We can honor and grieve later.” Isabella scanned the surrounding. “Do you think you can teleport us to the great hall? Then we just have to run through the memories wing to the vault entrance.”

Celestia composed herself, nodding twice. She pulled Isabella close and teleported again. When they exited the teleport Celestia stumbled and blinked the spots from her eyes, the interdiction crystals that were carefully placed up along the walls as part of the décor were glowing and smoking.

Isabella held up a claw and scanned the area. After a moment of nothing she began to walk towards the vault. Amazingly, the two solar guards who were usually stationed there were still standing vigilant.

“Miss Windsong!” the one guard called out. “We haven’t received any updates on the explosions and no pony at dispatch is answering our calls.”

“That’s bad. It means they may have hit the barracks command and control station to sow confusion. I don’t want to even imagine the damage and casualties that are happening outside. Something to deal with later. For now, we need access to the vault. On Princess Twilight’s order, Celestia is to be hunker down and…” Isabella trailed off. The door to the vault exploded outwards striking both guards and bouncing past Celestia and Isabella. The two looked back in shock as Flurry stepped out of the most secure room in the palace.

“You think I don’t know the lockdown procedures that Twilight wrote? She made me recite them by memory backwards and forward and then write them out in triplicate! Ever since your health started getting worse a few years ago she knew you would not be able to stand and fight for long and planned for something like this. Of course, most of the defenses were designed against magic attacks, not brute strength. A hole is a hole, after all.”

“We need to run, fly, anything!” Isabella hissed, looking to her right. “When I give the signal, smash out one of the stained glass windows and fly. Find Sunset and Twilight, I'll delay her.”

Celestia gazed down at the two unmoving guards that Flurry Heart just stepped over, blood pooling on the floor from their crushed helmets. Celestia instantly felt her exhaustion and fear dissipate, replaced with a burning anger. Anger at all the death, all the destruction, but most of all, at the creatures that her mother refused to help stop that were now using Flurry Heart like a puppet on a string.

Isabella slowly reached back under her wings when one of the windows shattered inward and Flurry was knocked back and pressed against the wall by massive tendrils of vines. The leafy green ropes began wrapping around the corrupted alicorn as she struggled against the weight and strength of the magically augmented plants. Isabella and Celestia balked and stared as another set of vines deposited the deer prince to the floor who had been casually riding on top of the wave.

“I’m sorry, Flurry, I truly am,” said Thicket with sorrow in his tear filled eyes, “but you must be stopped. You have hurt ponies and friends… you have taken life. I love you, my beautiful friend, but I will not stand by while monsters blacken your heart and soul.”

Flurry struggled against the bonds until finally getting her head to face towards the deer prince. Celestia, however caught the glint of something in her fellow alicorn’s eyes and quickly pulled Thicket towards her with magic just as the vines withered and dried then crumbled to blackened fragments. Thicket could only look on in horror.

“You… you poisoned my growths with dark magic?!”

“Stop getting in the way and I won’t have to kill you too.”

Thicket growled and puffed out his chest, lowering his head slightly so that his antlers were poised for attack. “I would rather die fighting for a loved one than let you continue down this path. If my blood is needed for you to break free from their grip, then so be it.”

Flurry’s malevolent grin vanished and she stumbled, her forehooves gripping the sides of her head, eyes squeezed tight. Her sonic scream sent Thicket stumbling back into Celestia as the remaining stained glass windows shattered and bits of ceiling masonry broke free. When the disorientation cleared, Thicket, Celestia, and Isabella could see the fear in Flurry Heart’s wide and crying blue eyes. Before Celestia could stop him, Thicket approached his friend. Gently, he placed a slightly shaking hoof against her face.

“Run,” Flurry Heart whispered.

Thicket glanced back at Celestia, eyes begging her to do something. “Flurry, I won’t leave you like this.”

“I… CAN’T… STOP… AAAAAUUUUGHHHH!!!!” Raw, unfocused energy erupted from Flurry's horn, throwing Thicket against the wall hard enough to crack the stone, knocking the deer prince unconscious.

Celestia grabbed Isabella again and teleported. Isabella stumbled away from the white alicorn and nearly stepped in the tranquility stream that flowed through and around the throne room. The griffon looked back and growled. “You can’t keep doing that!”

Celestia collapsed onto the steps before the thrones. She looked up at now Twilight’s throne and the smaller one to her right that was soon to be officially her daughter’s throne. “Little sun,” she whispered, closing her eyes for a moment and holding onto a mental image of her filly daughter smiling warmly at her. A wonderful, summer afternoon in the garden and a bucket of ice cream to share between them. Simple. Carefree. A life time ago. Everything her heart every wanted in a single moment of fleeting bliss.

“Why here? If you were going to teleport again you should have sent us outside the castle. We could have flown down the mountain, hidden in the Everfree, anywhere else but here!”

“Flurry Heart, or the creatures controlling her will come for me again and again and again. However, she is still in there. You saw it as well as I. They do not have complete control and she is fighting back. Prince Thicket was able to break through even if only momentarily. Maybe, just maybe with the right words I can get through to her too.”

“Are you insane?! She… it, they, want you dead! Thicket is her best friend and she threw him into a wall! I can only pray that she does not kill him where he fell.”

“She won’t,” Celestia said, slowly rising back to her hooves. “She will come for me and here I will stand and here I will break through to her.”

“I am trying to not be hysterical or disrespectful to the Goddess of the Sun, but HOW in the name of the ancestors do you see that working?! What could you possibly say to her that would get through to her?!”

Celestia grimaced. “You must swear you will never repeat what you are about to hear to Sunset or Twilight, for the good of all.”

“I don’t like this already, but fine, I swear. What is your plan?”

“I’m going to tell her exactly what she wants to hear and then I’m going to talk her down. Once she is where I need her to be, I will have just enough power left to subdue her.” Celestia sighed, looking up at the thrones once more. “This is my last play. I’m too tired and too old to keep running.”

“Fine, but I’m not.” Isabella reached under her wings again and drew a SunLight crystal from a pocket in her formal vest. The crystal vibrated a few times before an angry mare shouted into the other end of the connection.

“Kind of busy!”

“Get your orange flank and any troops you can spare to the throne room right now or we are all going to die!”

----------

Sunset screamed in frustration as Aethon dodged her attack again. There were three of them against one of him, but he was not standing his ground and fighting them like he had in the empire. Instead, the red alicorn would strike the city, teleport, strike again. Each time they caught up to him or tried to pin him down he would move again. Sunset knew he was toying with them, stringing them along, but it did not matter if they could not catch him or keep him from lashing out with blades and horn blasts.

“Twilight!” Sunset shouted. “We need a better plan!”

Twilight had been thinking the exact same thing and was ready to try a new tactic. “Shining Armor once cast a shield large enough to protect the entire mountainside from changelings. I could try reversing the matrix and close the bubble around him instead of trying to repel, but I can’t do it alone. Somepony will need to stay near him to keep him from teleporting or flying away and another will have to help me power the spell.”

“Fly thee to the Fountains of Heroes square. Tis the closest to the center of Canterlot that one can get,” said Luna with a growl under her breath. I will give chase to thy quarry and drive him back towards thee. Thou will tighten thy noose.” The three alicorns nodded and Luna launched herself back into the air with her glowing axe in tow.

Twilight was about to teleport when Sunset shook her head and took flight. “Save your power, Cadence and I tried to power a defensive shield around the empire and that son of a bitch shattered it like glass. We’re going to need every drop of mana we can squeeze out and a prayer to hold him. I hope you remember your brother’s best shields because nothing less will do.”

Twilight’s eyes hardened with determination. She wiped the tear that escaped away. No more ponies or other creatures were going to die today at the hooves of that monster. “Anything my brother could do I can do better.”

Sunset smirked as she landed next to the central fountain. “That’s more like the Twilight Sparkle I know.”

The Fountains of Heroes square was as blatant as it sounded. The large, open mall had a central fountain surrounded by four smaller ones, each aligned to the cardinal directions. The central fountain was a celebration of the new cosmopolitan Equestria with the base figures being statues of a yak, a griffon, a reformed changeling, a hippogriff, a dragon, a deer, and an eagle. Rising from the middle of the circle of figures and forming the second tier were three ponies, each a member of the three tribes, and at the top tier was a six pointed star from which the water spouted and rained down upon the sculpture that was enchanted so that it would never wear down by water erosion. Some found the sculpture endearing and unifying, others thought that the tier tower structure with the ‘ponies above the other races’ elitist. That was art in a nutshell. Every creature saw something different and had an opinion.

The other four fountains were less controversial and had singular figures who served Equestria in some great capacity and warranted such honors such as Star Swirl the Bearded, Captain Celaeno, and Starlight Glimmer. The one on the south side of the square had originally been of Spike, but Discord had replaced it with one of himself during one of his “Discord Day” shenanigans and Spike had shrugged and told Twilight he could have it. Especially since there was already a larger than life statue of him in the Crystal Empire.

Twilight took a deep breath and calmed her mind and emotions. When she opened her eyes again, Sunset was standing before her, ready to begin. The two alicorns stepped closer to one another and Twilight bowed slightly so that her horn tip could touch Sunset’s.

"Take as much power as you need, Twily."

"Just follow my lead. Keep your mind's eye on me and adjust to my flow."

The magenta and red mana auras mingled and shot forth to the sky just above the buildings. The mixed magic quickly spread out like a pool of expanding water on a smooth surface. Both Sunset and Twilight closed their eyes and sensed one another through their magic. If the situation was not so dire Twilight would have enjoyed the sensation of combining her magic with Sunset's more. Similar to when Sunset had helped guide Twilight into the dreamscape, two magic users working in tandem to power a single spell was a trusting and intimate experience.

Aethon twisted away from Luna again and fired back at the dark alicorn. She easily blocked the bolt with the flat of her axe sending the beam harmlessly into the sky. Luna’s twisted snarl changed the moment she saw the magical shield pass beneath them to cover the entire city and a bit more beyond the mountain summit. She pulled her axe back and began to hover. Aethon narrowed his eyes at the sudden change in demeanor.

“And now we draw this travesty to a close, vile coward who would rather burn the helpless than face a true warrior.”

Aethon turned and saw the spreading shield, his features twisting to one of offended disgust. “No pathetic shield crafted by false gods can stop me.” His horn took on its familiar orange and black glow as he attempted to craft a powerful shield breaker spell again. Luna had no plans to give him such time. Indigo blue magic shot from her horn and struck Aethon on the end of his own horn shattering his spell crafting. The gathered energy exploded in his face sending him careening and finally bouncing painfully across the shield.

In the distance, Twilight and Sunset both grunted from the impact but held their concentration. Twilight could feel their foe on her shield and curled her lip in an un-Twilight-like sneer.

“This ends now.”

Sunset felt Twilight pulling the shield in like a cinch bag draw tie around the red alicorn and she fed more power to Twilight to close it faster. Now it was up to Luna to keep him from escaping.

The moment Aethon hit the shield Luna dispelled her axe and focused all her power on creating an interdiction field over the other alicorn. It had to be small and tight and at least ten times more powerful than the passive crystals that lined the halls of the castle. Luna’s eyes took on a burning white glow and she weaved her spell with deadly practiced precision, the invisible top of the shield clamped down on her enemy before he could counter her efforts. Once Aethon realized what was happening he screamed in defiance and smashed into the top of the shield, but bounced off.

----------

Celestia did not flinch when the thick wooden doors to the throne room were blown away to splinters. Given the events of the day she had expected no less. Isabella was standing ten feet before Celestia and had moved to shield her face, but none of the flaming debris had touched her as it had bounced off a shimmering golden barrier that had surrounded them both. The griffon let out a sigh and composed herself, taking a defensive stance and waited for whatever the white alicorn planned to do next while being prepared for her on contingency.

“Princess Flurry Heart. I know you can hear me.”

“Of course, I can hear you, you old nag. I’m right here.”

Celestia shook her head. “I do not believe you. I do not believe you are my grandniece. You are the puppet master who has manipulated her into horrific decisions because you have always been there whispering in her mind. Just like you did to my sister all those years ago.”

The creature before them stopped in front of the scowling griffon, sadistic glee that did not belong on Flurry Heart’s beautiful face. “Oh, she’s here, Celestia, but you are correct, she is not the one in charge right now. That stupid deer shook loose the subtle bond I had so a more direct approach was necessary."

Celestia’s face remained neutral as if she were staring down a particularly troublesome Canterlot noble. “I thought as much. But I have to wonder? How much control do you have and how would she react if she knew you had her on a leash like a pet? Since you know Flurry as well as I do, that question is rhetorical. You see, I may not be as powerful as I once was, but I can still speak and I often know just what to say. Hard earned experience dealing with spoiled little ponies just like you.”

Flurry’s red serpent eyes narrowed. “And what do you know of me, sister?”

“I know you are children of Aine, Mother Creation, just as I am. I know you and your siblings came before me and by that logic you have a legitimate claim to the throne of Equestria. Since I believe in proper procedures such as the line of succession and the right of seniority, I am willing to forsake both Sunset Shimmer and Twilight Sparkle and revoke their titles and positions for you and your siblings. More so than that, I am willing to endorse and support your rule if you are willing do so peacefully. After which, if they choose to contest, which they no doubt will, I will banish Twilight Sparkle and Sunset Shimmer from Equestria.”

“Is that so?”

Celestia nodded. “It is, you have my word. Is that not what you want? The freedom to travel the world again and reshape it as you see fit?" Flurry Heart, blinked, but made no move to attack or disengage. "Very well, I will sweeten the deal. I will fly to your prisons and free you myself. This is all so long as long as you swear to not slaughter my little ponies and the many other innocent creatures of Equestria and the world as a whole. Afterwards, you may even do with me as you wish. I will gladly forfeit my life for all of theirs.”

Isabella glanced back at Celestia her jaw hanging open. Even with fair warning, she could hardly believe the words coming out of Celestia’s mouth. Slowly, as to not draw attention to herself, Isabella reached under her wings for two items she had stored in hidden scabbards. Celestia was giving the monsters the world on a platter, but in her opinion, whoever was controlling Flurry did not look convinced. Their expression closer resembled a cat toying with a mouse right before the kill. Isabella closed her eyes a moment and said a silent prayer of forgiveness to her friends, family, and honored ancestors. She had sworn an oath to Princess Twilight and to Equestria, an oath that demanded she put the citizens before herself against all enemies. Foreign or domestic.

“It’s an interesting offer, but I do not believe you and judging by Flurry’s memories, neither does she.”

One of the little known facts of her position as the personal assistant to Princess Twilight was that Isabella was not only the first line of defense against pushy nobles and mountains of paperwork, but also the last line of defense should all the guards and other defenses fall. Isabella had spent just as much time training in close quarters combat fighting and griffon style brawling as she had in learning the ins and out of high court politics. Flurry Heart’s horn lit up and Isabella reacted. Each claw gripped the handle of a hidden dualist dagger. The black, runic etched blades flashed with stored power and deflected the incoming blast that would have been fatal to any living creature.

Isabella wasted no time charging and dodging additional horn blasts, darting back and forth, forcing the once pink alicorn to backpedal towards the entrance. The ‘mage killer’ blades were able to block incoming attacks as well as carve deep gashes in the defense shields Flurry tried to erect. With another lighting quick parry, Isabella closed the distance, finally jumping up with a flap of her wings and brought the daggers down towards the base of Flurry’s neck. However, just before they could bite into flesh Isabella felt her forward momentum stop, her entire body trapped in a stasis field of telekinetic energy except her daggers which were immune.

“You really didn’t think that one through, did you?”

“Please don’t!” cried Celestia.

The monster wearing Flurry’s face grinned. “Don’t what? Do this?” With a few subtle power changes the daggers fell from Isabella’s claws as all the bones in her talons broke, the joints of her wrists, elbows, and shoulders twisted until they were retched from their sockets with sickening ease. Isabella screamed and then screamed again when next her wings were crushed and also torn from their sockets, hanging limp by flesh and torn connective tissue.

“FLURRY HEART YOU MUST STOP THIS, PLEASE! YOU MUST FIGHT BACK!”

With one final audible crack, the ashen alicorn dropped the griffon to the ground unceremoniously into a heap. Isabella’s eyes were as wide as saucers and her body racked with so much pain that how she was still conscious was more a curse than a blessing. She tried to lift herself but could only turn her head.

“I… can’t… my… legs… I…” she choked on her own words and convulsed, going into full body shock.

Celestia had watched in horror as the monsters casually broke most of the bones including the spine of the best griffon she had ever known. With hard earned discipline, she steeled her aching heart and cooled her anger. She had only one card left to play and set in motion her last, desperate effort. “Princess Flurry Heart! Remember your mother and father! Remember their love for you and all they taught you on how to defend your mind and body from attacks! You are the strongest alicorn in the world, prove it and fight back!” The murderous smile on Flurry’s face faltered and Celestia’s heart skipped a beat. “Yes! Remember them! Captain Shining Armor was my captain and one of the strongest ponies in the world. Even Twilight Sparkle could not break all his shields! Fortify your mind like he taught you! Fill your heart with love and kindness like your mother showed you and push back the darkness!”

“I… no… how… you little brat! You asked for this power! You… cannot… say no now!”’

Celestia watched as Flurry heart’s body shook violently as if trying to stand against a raging white rapid river yet holding her ground. Slowly, her body began to take on the light pinkish color she was born with. She fell back on her haunches and gripped her head with her forehooves, the obsidian armor crumbling away. Flurry’s eyes were alternating between blue and red each time she blinked, tears streaming from them and a trickle of blood dripping from her nostrils.

Celestia approached slowly, keep her voice calm and quiet. “Fight them, Flurry, fight them with all your heart. I know you can do it. I believe in you.”

Flurry clenched her teeth and screamed. “GET OUT OF MY HEAD!!” Isabella watched, unable to move as the pink alicorn thrashed about. She tried to speak, but the words were trapped in her ruined throat as Flurry’s horn began to glow. Light blue energy burst free and blew a massive hole through the ceiling of the throne room. Celestia stopped her advance and gasped, losing her concentration on the complex sleep spell she had been formulating. The destruction causing her mind to flashback to the attack on Canterlot by Tirek, Chrysalis, and Cozy Glow. Celestia shook her head and created a quick defensive shield above them, the heavy debris falling to the sides away from the room’s three occupants. Her eyes were on the ceiling and not watching Flurry or where her horn was pointed.

Flurry Heart’s eyes flashed red one more time, her horn taking on a bluish black glow. With a final scream that sounded like more than one voice, a tight beam of dark energy poured forth. Flurry Heart collapsed and panted.

Celestia stumbled back as something struck her. Strangely, it only hurt for a second. Slowly, she looked down and examined herself and found a hole on her chest, the entry wound nearly perfectly round, about the size of a golden bit with black charring forming a ring around where she had been struck. Celestia tried to turn her head to see if there was an exit wound when her legs gave out. It was then she suddenly realized she could not breathe. It was strange, Celestia’s mind thought, for some reason she could not hear her own heartbeat in her ears. That had never happened before. With a shaky hoof and wide tear streaked eyes, she reached out towards the other alicorn.

“Flurry.”

Flurry Heart blinked the spots from her eyes. Somepony had just called her name. Oh, sweet merciful Celestia, did she have a headache. Once her blue eyes came back into focus Flurry Heart looked up and found Celestia on the ground reaching for her. Her mane was flat and no longer waving and she looked pale, paler than usual. It was at that moment she spotted the hole in Celestia’s chest and the pool of blood forming under her.

“No… nononononononono on please no.” Unable to stand, Flurry crawled to take Celestia’s extended hoof and pulled the alabaster alicorn into her lap. Reaching deep inside, Flurry Heart tried to summon a healing spell, fueling the magic with her own lifeforce to boost her critically low mana reserves. Light blue magic engulfed the gasping Celestia, but the wound was not closing. “This can’t be happening!”

Celestia tried to speak, but no words would come out. She tried and tried, but stumbled and without a whimper or final decree the Goddess of the Sun went still as the world went dark.

“Celestia? P, p, princess?” No response came, her body was no longer shaking, her chest no longer rising. Flurry clenched Celestia tighter and wailed to the heavens.

Sunset Shimmer felt her heart stop for a good four or five beats. There was a stabbing sensation inside and an overwhelming sense of dread and loss passed through every cell in her body. Sunset stumbled back, all her concentration on helping maintain the shield was lost.

“Sunset! I can’t…” Twilight trailed off when she looked at Sunset’s face and then felt a stabbing sensation in her own heart. The bright magenta shield that had been closing around Aethon shattered a moment later.

Luna gasped as the lower shield failed then felt her own magic give out. Something had happened. Something that sent shockwaves through the very mana veins of the world and the planet if not the very heavens themselves had cried out in anguish. Luna’s eyes searched about, but soon returned to the red alicorn who flexed his wings as the bonds fell away.

Aethon looked towards the smoking castle and flashed a toothy smile. “It is done.” He teleported away in a ball of flame.

Sunset, Twilight, and Luna exchanged silent gazes then all three teleported to the castle. When Sunset’s hooves hit the carpet of the hall leading to the throne she galloped with complete abandon, ignoring Twilight’s call to wait or be careful. She did not care if it was a trap. Her heart was crying out and she had to know if it was as she feared.

The double doors to the throne room had been blown away and Sunset came to a skidding stop gasping at the destruction. All the stained glass windows were blown out, much of the stone was marred with scorch marks, and there was a massive hole in the high ceiling above. Her teal eyes finally locked on the two figures at the base of the throne dais all the background sounds becoming like a buzzing white noise in her ears.

Sunset knew she heard Twilight scream Isabella’s name and went rushing off somewhere just outside her peripheral vision. Slowly, Sunset continued to walk forward, her heart pounding like a drum, throat dry, eyes on the brink of falling tears. Surely, her eyes were deceiving her. It was an illusion… a dream… a nightmare. Oh, stars above, please let this be a bad dream. She stopped and stared down.

Celestia was half on the ground, half pulled up into Flurry Heart’s lap with the younger alicorn’s forelegs wrapped around her, cradling Celestia’s head. Her mane, which had turned all gray some time ago, was no longer flowing on its own. Though her face seemed at ease as if sleeping, Sunset could tell she was not breathing, part of her once pristine white coat was stained with blood and some blackening around a chest wound.

Flurry Heart, from what Sunset could see, was no longer augmented with her nightmare powers or armor. Her wings were limp and splayed about while she continued to cry, tears having soaked part of Celestia’s fur. When she finally took notice of Sunset she looked up and light blue eyes that were bloodshot from weeping were begging for the entire scene to not be real either. Celestia, former Princess of Equestria and Goddess of the Sun was dead.

“I…” Flurry choked out, “I tried to heal her… I tried… I tried… I…”

Sunset clenched her eyes shut as her breathing quickened and body began to shake. Her wings extended, teeth gnashed together and tears forced their way through the shut lids. Sunset knew Luna was off to her right somewhere, some part of her consciousness had heard her aunt gasp and stumble, falling to her knees in disbelief. Twilight… Twilight was still somewhere else. Not that it mattered. Nothing mattered.

Isabella wept and shook as she tried to lift a talon to Twilight, but her limbs would not respond. “I’m sorry, princess, I’m so, so sorry. I couldn’t stop her. I tried… I… I can’t feel my legs… I can’t move at all!”

“Shhh, it’s okay, Isa,” Twilight wept, stroking the griffon’s face, wiping the tears away including her own that fell. Twilight’s horn lit as she tried to heal her friend, but could do little more than offer relief from the pain. Twilight was no surgeon and lacked the fine, precise control of a medical professional. Fixing object did not require worrying about putting everything back precisely were it came from. The walls could feel no pain as they were reassembled and plastered. Bodies were difficult and delicate and the bodily damage to Isabella was some of the worst Twilight had ever seen to a living creature.

I can’t fix this! Twilight looked up and found Luna on her knees, staring on in catatonic shock and Sunset, Sunset was beginning to shake and her wings had just caught fire. It was then that Twilight finally took notice of Flurry Heart and the unmoving form of Celestia whom she was holding. All the pieces fell into place at once and the puzzle spelled disaster of apocalyptic proportions.

“Kill me.” Sunset Shimmer’s eyes opened, the sclera gone completely black and her irises glowing red. She looked down at Flurry Heart and the light pink alicorn looked up to meet those demonic eyes. Flurry Heart shuddered and then screamed, “KILL ME!”

Sunset’s goldenrod fur had begun to turn crimson and she squeezed her eyes shut once more, her heart going to war with her mind and soul, horn beginning to take on a dark red, almost black glow. Flurry was saying something, but all Sunset could hear was her mother’s voice. All the memories both good and bad, all playing out like an old movie reel in her head.

Carefully, Twilight set Isabella’s head back down and stood, slowly, methodically beginning to approach Sunset and Flurry Heart. Her niece had just begged for death and Sunset was on the edge of unhinged, she could see it, feel the temperature in the throne room begin to spike drastically. She had to get control, had to talk everypony back down from the edges they were all standing on.

“I was tricked. I believed them when they said they were my friends and I believed them when they told me they did not have to kill her. I was a fool and now she’s dead because of me! Do us both a favor and be the monster I said you were and just end this! Please!”

Twilight waited for a moment, frantically trying to think of something, anything to say, but no great speeches or quotes or anything really was going to make this better. Twilight knew how she would feel if it was her mother. It did not matter, speculations and what if’s were useless. All that mattered was that no pony else needed to die. Twilight took a deep breath, calmed her ragged emotions as best she could, and with as little quake in her voice as she could muster said a single word.

“Sunny.”

Sunset Shimmer gasped as if she had been drowning. Her teal eyes, now back to normal, flew open. That single word, said by that voice was like a life preserver on a black ocean of sorrow. Her wings stopped burning and the red left her coat. Sunset dropped to her knees and launched herself at Flurry Heart, pulling the alicorn and her mother into a tight hug. She squeezed them both to the point it hurt, but did not stop. Sunset shuddered with sobs and screamed. Tears poured from her eyes and she continued to scream until her voice was ragged and then screamed some more. Heaven and Hell, where ever they may be, would know her anguish.

Tempest Fury had arrived with a squad of troops on the throne balcony observation level just as Sunset began screaming. A quick scan of the room told her the fight was over and they had arrived far too late. The captain’s green eyes welled up, but she fought to control herself, thankful her helmet obscured the view from her subordinates.

Fog Gauge came to a stop next to Luna with his own squad of troops and took off his helmet, unceremoniously dropping it to the ground with a clanging thud. Gone was the stoic calm, and small dimpled smile. Replaced by narrow yellow eyes filled with tears and righteous rage. Before he could inquire to the tragic series of events, a sound echoed through the damaged cavernous hall.

Laughter.

Cold, dark, maniacal laughter.

A fireball materialized just above Twilight’s throne and Aethon emerged, hovering with a sadistic smile, fangs on full pearly display. “Do not weep, children. She will not be traveling to Elysium alone.”

Sunset unwrapped herself from Flurry and rose slowly. Once again, her wings were on fire, but then changed from fire to a steady, pure golden light. The aura spread to surround her entire body as her mane and tail began to wave. Sunset’s glowing teal eyes locked upon the red alicorn and a sword was pulled from the ether by her golden glowing horn. The handle guard appeared unchanged from when she had summoned her sword before, but the blade no longer appeared to be made of metal and was instead also made of a beam of golden light.

“You’re right, because I’m going to fucking kill you.” Sunset launched into the air, loosing a deafening battle cry.

----------

South of Equestria, past the badlands, was a volcanic mountain range that stretched to the ocean that few had the courage or desire to explore. Technically, the land was part of the Dragon Lands territory, but that particular range was avoided and left unclaimed. One mountain in particular with a constant bubbling caldera was avoided by all. Many dragons over the centuries had considered claiming the mountain and the strange island in the middle of the lava pool as their own, but each time they settled in they would begin to hear whispers. In the center of the island was a imposing black monolith prism, or had been for as long as any dragon could remember, but now only crumbling pieces remained.

West of Equestria was a bank of clouds that hung just offshore and never moved or dissipated. The clouds were thick and all but impenetrable. Pegesi of old had noted it on ancient charts in old Pegasopolis, but none had dared to explore the bank beyond distant observation of the anomaly because surveyors claimed they could hear laughing when they got too close. Had any souls been observing the clouds they would have see pieces of rock fall to the ocean below along with a larger object that resembled a body.

East of Equestria, but not quite to Zebrica, was an island with a single tall mountain of impenetrable granite rising from the ocean. Sailors had called it ‘The Demon’s Tooth’ because of its unnaturally perfect shape and complete lack of beachhead or other point of landing. Had they had the ability to peer inside the solid rock they would have found there was a singular object buried in the center. The mountain shook violently, finally splitting and crumbling to the sea and a cloud of midnight blue stardust rose from the remains and flew off towards Canterlot.

----------

Aethon summoned his blades to meet Sunset’s ferocious strike and was driven back as her light sword shattered his weapons. He pushed her back with a powerful flap of his wings and the two scowled at one another. His attention was diverted for a second as Tempest barked orders at her squad of guards to load mage killer arrows and fire at will. Aethon teleported to dodge the incoming volley.

Twilight ran over to her niece and shook her. “Flurry! You have to get up!” Flurry Heart looked up at Twilight then downcast her eyes again and squeezed Celestia tighter. Aethon rematerialized on the floor and had only a moment of rest before more arrows, this time from Gauge’s squad fired at him. One caught the red alicorn in the flank causing his teleport to fail and he stumbled. Luna brought her axe down just barely missing her target, slicing through some of his mane as the weapon buried itself half way into the floor.

Aethon’s horn began to glow again with an attack when Sunset struck his horn with her glowing sword, cutting the protrusion in half. Aethon cried out in pain as the red piece fell to the floor. She raised the blade to cleave his head from his neck when the entire castle shook beneath their hooves. Aethon grinned and flew out of attack range.

“They’re here.”

Tempest’s six guards each reloaded their crossbows and prepared to fire again when a glowing cloud with a serpent’s head burst through the wall and passed through the heads of the lined up soldiers. Each screamed as the cloud passed from one guard to another. Tempest hesitated for only a second before jumping from the balcony and crashing down onto a magic pillow she had conjured to break her fall. When she tore off her helmet and looked back up the guards had all gone silent as they lay atop one another unmoving with empty eye sockets and their tongues hanging out. The cloud circled around Aethon several times, healing his wounds and fixing his horn before reshaping itself into a large equine body.

Luna dropped her axe as she stared in horror at a black alicorn with turquois serpent eyes, toothy fanged grin, and forked tongue. Her midnight stardust mane was cut extremely short and clung to her neck like a helmet and two long, braided tails swished like a set of whips or snakes behind her. Her grin grew wider as she spotted Luna's expression. “Hello, Pet.”

“Scylla… no…” Luna stumbled back, barely able to keep her legs from going out.

Gauge growled at his thestrals and pointed at the enemy alicorns. “Don’t just stand there gawking! Fire your arrows!”

The water from the tranquility stream that circulated throughout the edges of the throne room rose up and impaled the six thestrals with crossbows, turning the water spears they were being held on red. Once they stopped moving the water receded and reformed to an aquamarine colored alicorn who walked over the bodies without a second glance. His slicked back, seaweed green mane clung to his fur and the expression he flashed to Gauge was one of sheer boredom.

The throne room shook again and the floor broke away as a hole opened and out sprang a large pink alicorn with frizzy pink mane and tail and pinkish-red eyes. Her expression was one of homicidal glee as she bounced past all the bodies while giggling.

Twilight’s jaw was hanging open. The resemblance was far too close for comfort. “P, Pinkie?!”

“Nope!” replied the new alicorn, her voice deeper than Pinkie Pie’s, but still, strangely, just as bubbly. “But I do know who you are talking about. She was one our first experiments to see if we could send power of influence through dreams over a newborn foal! But, I maaaaaay have put a liiiiiittle too much of my own influence into her. Hehe! Every time we tried to convince her to do our bidding, she just started to giggle.”

Aethon groaned and rolled his eyes. “Kookie, she said we were kookie voices in her head. Such a waste of power and potential.” Aethon shook his head, taking in the sight of his brother and sisters, all together again. “Welcome back.”

“Good to be back,” Balius commented, taking a moment to survey their surroundings and who was left standing. “Shall we finish this little exchange so that we can get to the business of remaking this world? I doubt Mother will wait on the sidelines much longer.”

“You lied to me.” The four alicorns turned their attention to Flurry Heart, still desperately clenching Celestia to her chest. “You said you were my friends, you said you only needed to hurt her enough to get free. But it wasn’t true, was it? You wanted her dead and used me to do it.”

Balius shrugged. “Yes, we did. If you had been stronger, we would have had you break us out one at a time, but it was clear you would not have done so, not fast enough at least.”

Sunset Shimmer had slowly worked her way over to Twilight while still keeping an eye on their four enemies. Flurry was dangerously too close to the four immortals to try and attack now, Luna was barely holding together and Tempest and Gauge were now reeling at losing so many guards so quickly. Sunset was trying to think of a way for the situation to be worse, but was hitting rock bottom.

“Twilight, gather the others and teleport away as far as you can. Keep teleporting and running until you can’t go any farther.”

Twilight hissed back at Sunset, her voice an octave too high even as a whisper. “And what about you?! You couldn’t take on one by yourself let alone four.”

Sunset didn’t turn to the other princess. “They killed my mother. I’m not going down without at least taking one of these blank flanked abominations with me.”

“Blank flanked abominations? How rude. Do you even understand what your precious cutie marks actually are?” Both Twilight and Sunset turned to Balius who stepped past Flurry without a second glance. His leg casually kicked a dead thestral, but he paid the dead no mind. “No matter. You know, we really don’t have to fight like uncivilized barbarians, Sunset Shimmer.” Sunset scowled at him, horn taking on a brighter golden glow. There was something about the way the male alicorn talked and carried himself that reminded Sunset of the slimeball motorcycle dealer she had sold Midnight to and that just rubbed her all sorts of wrong ways.

“Suck my hairy clit, douche canoe.”

The clicking ‘tisk’ sound he made with his teeth only made her dislike him more. “Sunset, we didn’t kill Celestia out of retribution or hate, it was just a matter of necessity. Mother tied our prison locks to her life force. If there is any pony you should direct your anger towards it’s her. She created this world as an experiment to see what were the extents of her powers. And here’s a fun little fact that I KNOW she didn’t tell any of you. The world that you see, all that you have ever known, this was not her first attempt. No, that one failed, so she wiped it all out and started over.

“She tried again with us helping cultivate the life so she could attempt to hold back the darkness this time. Later, she used the stars as a shield, once again, with our help. And we did a superb job if I may say so, but she wanted perfection and that’s just not possible, not when there are more forces at work in the universe besides just her. Where she saw life and harmony, other aspects saw an opportunity to sow death and chaos. But rather than start over again she locked us away when things didn’t go according to her plan. Is it any wonder we were angry?”

“Because now all of you have souls and that was far too precious to wipe away once more,” Scylla added with a tone of disgust.

“Why bother telling us this?” asked Twilight. “You are just going to kill the world no matter how hard we resist you.”

“Well, see that’s the thing, we don’t need to kill all of you. We just want to start over part way and remake the world by our designs, not hers. And of course to do this we will need to have access to the Well of Souls.” Balius cocked his head while he examined Twilight. “You have no idea what I am talking about, do you? Just like your cutie marks, you don’t know what a soul really is. Long explanation short, they are tied together, one in the same and they are powerful.”

“Enough talk!” shouted Aethon, his blades reforming. “They won’t help us, and Mother only created other alicorns to oppose and replace us. They must be eliminated.”

Balius shrugged. “Well, bloodlust aside, he’s not wrong. So…”

Balius, Epona, and Scylla took flight and gave their brother room. Aethon was grinning as he approached the group. Sunset raised her sword defensively, refusing to back down, standing to Twilight’s left while Luna, who had regained most of her composure, stood on the right. Tempest had taken position as rear guard with her horn glowing brightly. Aethon licked his lips, trying to decide who to kill first. Wait, where did the thestral go?

The throne room became instantly hazed by fog so thick one could barely see their hoof before their face. Twilight used the distraction to teleport Flurry, Celestia, and Isabella next to her. She had no plans to leave Sunset to die, but at least she could get the others to safety. However, when Twilight attempted to teleport the other’s to outside the castle she was hit with an overwhelming sense of vertigo that nearly made her vomit. She stumbled and groaned. It felt just like…

“Twilight, get out of here!” shouted Sunset.

“I can’t! They dropped an interdiction cage on top of us!”

The Athanatoi flapped their wings in unison and the fog was gathered and blown out through the hole in the ceiling. Aethon was about to gloat when a sharp pointed quarter staff stabbed down from the shadows through his back and out his chest. Holding onto the staff was Captain Fog Gauge snarling with his fangs bared.

Sunset’s eyes met with those of her captain’s and she knew there was not a moment to lose. She fired her horn at the other three alicorns and charged Aethon with her sword raised high. Somehow, despite a wound that would have been fatal to any other pony, he was still flapping his wings, staying airborne. Gauge let go of his staff and attached two blades to his foreleg gauntlets in an attempt to slit the red alicorn’s throat.

Aethon roared, his entire body burst into flames. Sunset took the brunt of the blast, shielding the others on the ground from the over wash. She was thrown back into Twilight, but her eyes went wide at the sound of a blood curdling, painful scream that echoed off the remaining walls right before a burned body fell to the ground in a lump.

“NOOOO!” Tempest scrambled past the princesses and scooped the smoking body up into her lap. “FOG! Oh, merciful Celestia, no!” Tempest put an ear to his chest and listened as his heart beat erratically, his breathing sickly wet and wheezing. “Captain Gauge, you look at me right now, soldier!”

Nearly all of Gauge’s fur was burned away and much of the naked skin was blistered and red, other parts charred to black. His wings were gone as were his mane and tail. Slowly, one cloudy, yellow eye opened and he choked trying to speak.

“Foggy? Shhhh, I know, don’t try to speak. It’s okay, I’m here, I’ve got you.” Tempest held him close as he convulsed, tears streaming down her face. “You damn fool, you loyal damned fool.” Never before had Twilight seen Tempest Fury cry in front of others. Even at her own mother’s funeral she held it in until she was alone. The sight finally broke Twilight as all hope drained from the purple alicorn.

Scylla pulled the staff from her brother and quickly healed the wound. “A few seconds, that’s all he bought you. Pathetic mortals.” Scylla’s horn lit up. Then Aethon’s, Balius’s, and Epona’s. “Goodbye, false gods.”

The remaining roof of the throne room sheered away.

The four Athanatoi were pulled together against their will, their eyes wide with fear, anger, defiance, and confusion. They gathered their bearings and tried to fight back when a black void opened and sucked the four of them through. The void sealed and the sound of rushing vacuum died away.

When Sunset and Twilight opened their eyes again a tall, black and white alicorn with a black diamond pattern in the middle of her face was staring down at them. Her expression one of smoldering anger and disappointment. Sunset was about to speak when Aine’s horn lit brilliant white, blinding the room. Then, a feeling of falling as the world went black.

Chapter 21: Crossing Field

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The first things that hit Sunset Shimmer’s senses were the smells of grass, earth, and trees. Her hooves hit the soil and she stumbled a moment, still blinking the blinding flash spots from her eyes. When they finally came into focus, she found herself in a familiar forest clearing that she had seen twice before. This time, however, Sunset found herself surrounded by the other’s who had been in the throne room with her.

Twilight stared in awe at their surroundings. The sky was dark as night yet plenty of ambient light lit the clearing as if emanating from the trees themselves. She could not see through the forest beyond a meter or two before the thicket underbrush became impenetrable. The grass was finely manicured to the point it seemed unnatural, which when she thought about it, it probably was. As real as it all was, it was also too perfect. It reminded her of a Zen garden she had visited in the Kirin territory, calming yet artificial.

Flurry Heart continued to hold Celestia taking little notice of the surrounding environment beyond just lifting her head then lowering it again, closing her eyes. Tempest Fury gently set Gauge down in the grass and whispered to him while stroking the side of his burned muzzle. If the thestral was still alive, Sunset could not tell from where she was standing and while it broke her heart to see her friend in such a state they had potentially bigger problems. Luna, who had just finished putting a sleep spell on Isabella to ease her pain, growled at their surroundings completely unimpressed.

“Are… are we dead?” asked Twilight, her curious yet worried eyes turned to Sunset who shook her head, brow furrowed in anger.

“No,” Sunset said, looking around for their host, “I know where we are.”

“As do I,” added Luna before stomping her hoof to the ground and shouting out in the Royal Canterlot Voice, “GET THY PLUMP HIND QUARTERS OUT HERE THIS INSTANT, MOTHER!”

The sound of wings flapping turned their attention to the star filled sky. The large black and white alicorn seeming to materialize from the stardust, which she very well may have. She touched down with the grace of a dancer and folded her wings, stopping on the opposite side of the clearing. Slowly, she approached the other ponies without leaving a single hoofmark on the grass of her private domain.

Twilight took in every detail from her pristine white coat to her black socks, ears, and black diamond in the middle of her muzzle. Even her cutie mark was as described, a sun and moon swirling in a balanced circle with additional black sun rays and starbursts on her flank. Judging by what Sunset had told her some time ago, standing before the ruler of Equestria was a goddess, a true one. Twilight did the only thing she could think of, she bowed deeply.

Sunset and Luna did not.

Aine’s expression of respect and appreciation evaporated as she regarded her daughter and granddaughter. “I warned you, Sunset Shimmer, and now instead of dealing with one dangerous threat all four have been free. Worse yet, I had to intervene. The consequences of which are not yet known, but rest assured, there will be consequences.”

Sunset pointed to where Celestia lay and hissed through her clenched teeth, barely keeping her voice level. “The consequences of you doing nothing are quite obvious.”

Aine grimaced, stepping past the angry alicorns without a second glance and looked down at Flurry Heart and Celestia. The shadow cast over Flurry caused the youngest alicorn to snap out of her shock and look up with pleading blue eyes.

“Can… can you save her? Can you bring her back?”

Aine reached out and touched Celestia briefly, gently stroking her daughter’s face before turning away. “No. Celestia’s soul had moved on to the Golden City and there it shall remain. To do otherwise would be profane. Let her have her rest. At least until the end of the world, which thanks to all of you, may not be that far away.”

“Oh, don’t you DARE try to lay this on us!”

Twilight sucked in a breath, “Sunset!”

“No, Twilight, we tried, we tried everything short of just killing Flurry to stop this and what did she do? Not a damn thing!”

Aine ignored Sunset and stepped over to Tempest and Gauge, her expression one of curiosity and disarming compassion. The large alicorn knelt down next to the pair.

“Amazing," she whispered with the hint of a smile, "he is in tremendous pain and suffering yet refuses to leave his vessel. I sense he does not wish to leave… you especially. Such spirit of life is endearing.”

Tempest looked up as Aine dipped her head, the tip of her horn touching Gauge. Tempest pulled him back and closer to her chest, a protective glare on her face and horn beginning to glow with a prepared attack.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“Faith, child.” Aine’s horn touched Gauge again and he was instantly cocooned in bright light so intense Tempest had to shield her eyes. When she looked back, she found a fully healed thestral in her forelegs blinking his clear yellow eyes, his expression nearly as dumbstruck as hers.

“Fog?”

“I am…” Gauge looked at his forelegs and quickly stood, examining his wings and the rest of his body. “I am... alive and feel fine.”

Tempest launched herself at the thestral tackling him to his back before kissing him passionately. When the vermillion unicorn finally detached herself from him, she wiped a few tears away before clearing her throat and growling, “Never do that again, you idiot.”

“I will strive to do better, captain.” Gauge turned his attention back to the black and white alicorn who had just the slightest of smirks on her face. “Um… thank you… I do not believe I was given your name.”

Aine stepped over to Isabella and performed the same healing miracle. Once she was satisfied the griffon was fully healed, she glanced back at Gauge and nodded politely. “You are welcome. And you may call me, Aine, child.”

“Isa!” Twilight rushed over and hugged the griffon who could only take the affection with a look of unfathomable wonder. Finally, after a moment of flexing her claws and wings again, Isabella returned the hug.

“If you are quite done wowing the mortals with miracles, we have much to discuss, mother. First and foremost, why could you not save my sister and where are our foes now?!”

“The latter," Aine began, "the Athanatoi have temporarily been banished out into the cosmos. It will take them time to return even with their vast well of power. It is also likely they may hesitate to attack again if they believe I will interfere again. We have two days at most. The former, I could not save my daughter because such was beyond my station. Falling instead to the power of Fate.”

“Fate? FATE?!” screamed Sunset, “Are you FUCKING KIDDING ME?!”

“The universe is held together by a delicate balance, granddaughter. Though I may have created Equuis I am not the only driving force that keeps all of us from being consumed by the void. That balance must be maintained. I have tried in the past to assert complete control over my creation and I saw my beautiful masterpiece destroyed. Why you ask? Because of balance. Remove Fate, Destiny has no purpose. Create Life with no end, Death gets angry. Perfect Harmony and all you get is jealous Chaos. All things must be in balance. It is how the current world has lasted as long as it has even if it is not how I wanted it. The struggle is not to win, but to survive without succumbing to the darkness beyond the rim and preparing those after you to do the same, but never truly ridding the universe of all that is considered evil, because it cannot be done. I know, I tried.”

“So, they were telling the truth,” said Twilight, her eyes downcast. “The other alicorns, your first children said that you had created the world before and failed so you tried again with their help.”

Slowly, with a great sigh, Aine nodded. “This world is a unique creation. When you look out your telescope, Twilight Sparkle, onto the stars you can see those other far off places, more than you could fathom. Their life giving stars born of cosmic gases coalesce into great balls of burning molecules with planets and other large objects orbiting said stars. Billions upon billions of examples of this beautiful dance of scientific nature at work. But not on Equuis. Equuis has no neighboring planets or celestial objects other than the moon. Equuis does not spin, does not move, does not revolve around its sun. This unique world sits at the original center of the known universe as everything else moves away.

“It is why the sun and moon, both created by me, can be raised and lowered at will. It is why creatures have to contribute to the changing of the seasons and the weather. Why you ask? Because here, in the center is where all the magic is, literally. Throughout the cosmos there are miracles and traces of the magic that embodies all things. Energy flows outward through unseen magical channels or ley lines, but only here is it concentrated. Only on this little blue marble of my making is it at its strongest. And because of that, all other aspects that make up the universe want a piece of it.”

“And I assume that is intrinsically tied to souls, cutie marks, and why the other four alicorns did not have them?” Twilight inquired further despite Sunset continued seething.

“Souls are not unique to this world, but they are still extremely rare. They are pure life energy, creation magic at its’s most complex and most powerful. It gives all uplifted creatures a sort of immortality even after their living vessels have expired. It is also a conduit to your life force magic, essentially making them one in the same. The cutie mark is a visual expression of this magic, a physical representation of the soul itself and of a great and unique part of one’s self. Unique only to ponies because they were my chosen, but all creatures have their own magic and souls so to speak.”

“This is all incredibly fascinating, but it does not change the fact that my mother is dead and you are offering no solution on how to help fix this? You are not even explaining why you imprisoned the other four instead of just doing away with them to begin with!”

Aine scowled darkly. “Could you have killed your children, Sunset Shimmer?” Sunset stumbled back as if she had been slapped. “Could you have slit their throats one by one and watched them die just because they did something you did not approve of or betrayed your trust? Maybe they were influenced by an outside force while you had your back turned, trying to keep the universe from imploding? Do not judge what you do not understand.”

“Then help us understand, Mother. No games, no dodging, speak plainly and tell us what happens next. Otherwise, I am with Sunset.” Aine shot Sunset another glare who returned her own with just as fiery scorn.

“Unfortunately, the options are quite limited now and the stakes just as high as they were before. After Chaos and Death corrupted the minds of my children, I had them imprisoned under the hope that maybe the isolation would do them some good, on that, I was mistaken. Immortals become quite set in their ways. When I chose to step back from direct control of the rotation of the celestial bodies, I also needed to transfer the life-lock of their prisons. That burden fell to Celestia without her knowledge.

"It was unfair, but I wrongly assumed I had more time to come up with a better solution. Fate chose to intercede because I was and still am incapable of taking their lives even though they had plans to access the Well of Souls, which is unacceptable. If they were to do so two things would happen. The Well would be corrupted, possibly spreading that corruption to the ether of the universe as a whole and worse still, as empty vessels they would be able to consume many powerful souls giving them unfathomable levels of power. They could, theoretically, tear down the very walls that separate the multiverse. This universe, and possible others would collapse in on one another until only the void remained. Creation itself would have to start over, if that is even possible.

“As a last resort, to prevent this, I would be forced to destroy The Golden City and the Well. If such a thing is even possible at this point, but better to lose one world than all of them. I could save as many lives as I could, but still, the cost would be incalculable.”

The ponies waited for her to continue and when she did not Sunset’s anger flared again. “That’s it? That’s the only option we have left? You won’t lift a hoof against them, but you will gladly destroy the world so they can’t have access to souls. Do you realize how absolutely ridiculous that is?!”

“I will NOT kill my children.”

“I thought all creatures were your children, guess not. Even gods can play favorites you… hypocrite! Well guess what grandma, if you won’t kill them I sure as hell will! Show me the damn exit. I would rather go down fighting than sit back and wait for you to destroy the world. Can you even understand the amount of pain and suffering you are willing to cause because of your selfishness!”

Aine scowled, snorting smoke from her nostrils like a dragon, eyes glowing white. “You know nothing of pain, spoiled brat of a grandchild.”

Twilight Sparkle stepped between Aine and Sunset, attempting to intercede. “This is not helping! However, and I apologize, but I have to agree with Sunset. There must be another way!”

“I know nothing of pain?”

Twilight’s blood ran cold, hair on the back of her neck standing on end. She had turned her back on Sunset and could not see her dear friend, but she knew that voice. She had had many a nightmare for years following the encounter with a flying demon cackling madly just before throwing a fireball of death down upon her and her friends. When she looked back Sunset was shaking violently, her wings blazing like a furnace to the point that the other ponies had to step back from the heat. Two eyes opened with black sclera and the glowing teal irises turned red, her mane flickering about like an out of control flame.

“Sunny,” Twilight pleaded, hoping it would calm her as it had before.

“I’ll show you pain.” Sunset’s front hooves took on a crimson glow as she flashed white fangs, rushing forward and clamping the sides of Aine’s head with her flaming forehooves.

“SUNSET, DON’T!” Sunset did not hear Luna’s last second plea. She did not care. She had committed to her action and nothing was going to stop her. When her hooves made contact with the larger alicorn both their eyes blazed white and they both screamed into the sky. The ground of the private sanctum began to shake violently. Isabella clung tightly to Twilight while Gauge lifted Tempest up in his forehooves bridal style and hovered. Flurry clutched Celestia close with wide, panic filled blue eyes.

Long ago, Sunset had experimented numerous times while in the human world on what were the limits of her geode's powers. Such experiments were necessary to help her learn to control the unknown magical power and prevent accidental readings, which had on more than one occasion been… awkward. Especially after learning that the geode not only revealed the memories of the person she touched, but also the emotions they were felt at the time as well. One such moment of accidental reading involved Lyra and her girlfriend, Bon Bon, after they had enjoyed an afternoon quickie in the sports field house.

While said incident had been slightly uncomfortable and embarrassing, it had gotten Sunset and Twilight thinking about the emotional transference with the memories and if it was possible to send emotions and feelings instead of just read them. As it turned out, with practice and sheer will, it was.

Sunset gathered up all her anger, all her hate, all the pain of loss of loved ones and friends and focused it all back onto Aine. The feedback from Aine’s mind was like standing before a dam the size of the Hoover as all the water was released at once. Sunset could barely fathom the vastness that was Aine’s mind. Her memories, the ones that she could comprehend, were old and stretched on beyond the astral horizon. Sunset could feel her own consciousness being sheered apart by the overwhelming torrent of memories, emotions, and information. She was being torn apart from the inside out and there was little she could do to stop it. Sunset knew she was going to die a brain dead vegetable and had no one or pony to blame but herself and her own short fuse. She had let the demon out on purpose and even with all that extra fuel it was nothing compared to the power of a living goddess’s mind.

“Stay away from me!”

Sunset’s eyes flew open, her mind’s avatar body reassembling itself at the last moment, drawn by the sound of the familiar voice. Sunset scrunched her face and focused on the voice only. Her pony body continued to reassemble piece by piece, then she further defended herself by donning shining white and gold dress armor with a billowing white train and lilac accents. Her wings grew back as glowing appendages of pure golden light and her horn grew longer and also burned as a golden beam of light. Once she could feel again Sunset launched herself towards the dot that called to her in the distance field of stars.

No… don’t look. It will only bring you more pain.

When Sunset looked back over her shoulder, she saw her demon floating there with her claws tearing into a massive astral pony made of stardust. Demon Shimmer glanced back at Sunset and smirked, flashing a quick thumbs up before sinking her claws in once more and breathing fire at her target. The pony cried out in pain.

Sunset nodded and took off towards the shimmering purple dot leaving a glowing afterburn streak across the mindscape from her wings. As she approached the pulsing purple sphere Sunset recognized it as a memory, but more than that, she could feel a familiar presence resonate within her soul like an in-tune instrument. Without hesitation Sunset dove in.

Sunset’s hooves came down on nothing, but somehow the memory mindscape interpreted it as ground. All around her were swirling and billowing clouds of dark blue and purple. Nothing had a distinguishable shape or location yet still there was a lingering tug at Sunset’s heart that spoke to her of familiarity.

“Stay away from me!”

Sunset turned and her heart stopped. There, no more than an arm’s length away was her deceased wife, dressed in simple navy blue sweats and a white lab coat. Sunset reached a hoof out to her and breathlessly cried, “Twi.”

The purple skinned woman in black framed glasses ran by, her face one of fear and panic. She was swiveling her head, stopping every few seconds to look about. Sunset only had to wonder what was wrong for a second when she heard swooping wings cutting through the air. A shadow passed over then dove and tackled Twilight to the ground. The attacker sat on Twilight’s lap and shoved her shoulders to the astral plane with brutish force. Had there been real ground it would have likely broken bones.

“You can’t run forever from meeee, Twiiiiiiiliiiiiight.”

Sunset ran over and tried to blast Midnight Sparkle off her wife, but the beam just continued through as the scene played out. ‘Duh, Shimmer. This is a memory, but why is she here in Aine's mind?!’

You don’t want to see this, please, turn away.

“Show me. I need to know,” Sunset replied as evenly as she could, pushing down her rising anger and dread.

Sunset felt the taller alicorn sigh as she solidified and stepped up next to Sunset with no signs of battle damage other than her wings were hanging limp and ears flat. With one more sigh she nodded. “As you wish.”

“Whyyyyy did you stay behind, Twilight?! I can’t feel her magic anymore! I neeeeeed it, you need it!”

“Because I figured it out!” Twilight spat. “Every night you take a little piece of Sunset’s life, just enough to try and stay undetected. Every night you make me forget, but I kept thinking about, piecing the clues together until I refused to forget. Then, after the last time we came back from Equestria I felt how much more control you were exhorting over me. I was losing control because you figured out how to harness the magic again even from within the cage I put you in!”

“You ungrateful bitch!” Sunset flinched as Midnight struck Twilight across the face. “You would be dead and dust, rotting in the ground next to your kids if not for me! Your youth, your long life, even some of your scientific breakthroughs are all because of me! And you would throw all that away because you don’t want to let me out to play once in a while!” Midnight struck Twilight several more times, each blow making Sunset flinch and shake with helpless anger.

“Never! You’re a monster! I would rather die than let my greatest sin out into the world! You will never see Equestria again, not as long as I live. The harm you would do there…”

“Pffft, such a martyr you are. Fine, if I can’t have Equestria, I’ll just settle for the Equestrian when she gets back. I will take such a massive chunk of her life that the last of my bonds will be broken and then you’ll be the one stuck in a cage! It won't matter if she noticed because she would never hurt her precious little 'BFLOML!'”

Sunset could only watch in horror as the scene played out. Sunset knew Twilight still struggled sometimes just as she did to control her inner demons, but never realized it had been so literal. After they had all worked together to defeat the manifestation of Midnight Sparkle that had been the last Twilight had ever mentioned her darker half. Instead, Twilight had only locked the magically created persona away and tried to throw away the key. It may have even worked if Sunset had not ascended and gave Midnight access to more magic to regrow.

Sunset trembling legs gave out and she fell to her knees, tears streaming down her face. The brilliant glow of her wings and horn dimmed considerably. “Why didn’t you tell me, Twi? We could have worked together to find a cure, something, anything.” Sunset shuddered and then looked up into Aine’s teal eyes that were, for once, filled with genuine sympathy. “How did you even know about this?”

Aine pointed towards the sky with her chin.

The clouds broke open and another Aine flew through on a beam of rainbow light, coming to a stop a few feet from the young woman and her demon. “Away from her you foul abomination!”

Sunset gasped in horror as Midnight’s features transformed. Her smile grew too wide and was completely full of shark teeth. Her arms grew longer and gangly as did her fingers, each now pointed and deadly sharp spikes. Then her maw opened and a long, snake like tongue licked her dark purple lips as she hissed, “Maaaaaaaaagiiiiic.”

Twilight’s eyes went wide behind her black framed glasses. “Get out of here! She feeds on magic, you’ll only make her stronger!”

Midnight flapped her raven wings and launched herself at Aine. The alicorn took to the sky and fired down at the demon who deflected the blast with her palm. Midnight cackled as she swooped under then over and finally landed on the alicorn’s back and sunk her claws and teeth into Aine’s fur and flesh. The goddess of creation screamed in pain, her body becoming ashen for a second before finally teleporting out from under Midnight. She landed next to Twilight and the wounds closed, her normal color returning, but the damage had been done. Midnight cackled again, licking the glowing golden blood from her claws.

“Soooooo puuuuuure. Deeeeliiiicious! I NEEEEEED MOOOOOORRRRE!!!!”

Aine scowled at Twilight who dusted herself off and adjusted her glasses. “Why is my granddaughter married to a creature that plays host to such a fell creature of nightmares?! This is unacceptable. Sunset is too important to the future of Equuis to be in such close proximity to a… succubus or whatever you are.”

“I’m sorry,” Twilight whispered pitifully. She frowned before finally squaring her shoulders and widening her stance to defend herself just like Sunset and their college years self defense teacher had showed her. “You must be Aine, Sunset described you perfectly, which is not surprising since she has an eidetic memory and artistic mind. Wow, you are big, like a real horse… wait that’s probably insulting. Just ignore me, I ramble when I’m scared." Aine scowled at Twilight. "Anyhow, if I can get a hold of Midnight, I can drain her and get her back in her cage. That will hold her for a little while.”

Aine spat in disgust. “Very well, I will assist, then I will be speaking to Sunset about ending this unholy entanglement she has with you. No child of my blood shall be in bond with such foulness.”

“No, you need to leave. If she gets ahold of you again, she’ll steal more of your magic and I’ll never get control.”

Aine summoned a glowing spear and took flight. “You misunderstand, human. I am ENDING this.”

Aine waited and listened for her quarry, teleporting away when a bolt of energy pierced the clouds. The alicorn reappeared and sent the spear flying. Midnight appeared behind Aine and tried to sink her claws in again, but the black and white alicorn stopped flapping her wings and dropped below the swipe. Midnight growled in frustration and forgot about the spear that circled back and burned through both of her wings. Midnight screamed and fell leaving a trail of burning feathers. She struck the ground and bounced, rolled and was back on her black boots that now looked more like three toed talons.

Without waiting for Aine to attack again, Midnight lunged for Twilight. Twilight blocked the attacks and backhanded the claws away. Twilight faked left then punched Midnight with a right hook, raised her left leg and kicked down on her assailant’s instep, knees, and finally finished with a swift kick to Midnight’s crotch. While not as effective of an attack as it is to males, make no mistake, it still hurts. Sunset smiled wide as she watched her wife then tighten her knuckles and punch her alter ego square in the nose causing black blood to spray about. Twilight reached down and pulled Midnight up by her hair and quickly switch to a Nelson hold. Twilight grunted as Midnight began to struggle, trying to claw at Twilight with her elongated claws.

“Do it!” Sunset’s smile disappeared as she watched memory Aine break through the clouds with the spear at her side.

“You idiot! She’ll kill us both!”

Twilight tightened her grip and for a brief moment, Sunset felt as if Twilight was looking right at her. “I’m sorry, Sunny.”

“TWI! NO!”

Aine crashed down and the spear impaled Midnight in the center of her chest, through her heart. Sunset could not tell from her angle how deep the spear of light pierced or if it had passed through both of them. Midnight screamed and struggled as glowing golden cracks began to rapidly spread across her body.

Midnight let out one last whimper as black tears streamed from her eyes, the glowing ethereal glasses flickered then burned away. “All my lovely magic.”

Midnight shattered to gold dust and floated away on cosmic wind. Twilight dropped to her knees and balled up, catching her breath. After several seconds of silence Twilight adjusted her glasses and looked up at Aine with a relieved smile.

“She’s gone. I can’t feel her anymore… she’s finally gone. Thank you.” Aine just stared for a moment, what she was contemplating Sunset could only guess, but the glowing spear finally disappeared and Sunset let out a breath. However, when she looked at the Aine standing next to her, much to her surprise, tears began to fall. Sunset’s attention returned to Twilight when she heard her wife cry out and fall back to her knees after trying to stand up.

Twilight uncurled herself and looked down as she bled staining magenta dust from a hole that had appeared in her chest. The ultrafine sand passed through Twilight’s fingers and her surprise turned to rational understanding. She was bleeding the stolen magic that Midnight had been hording.

Memory Aine knelt down to Twilight and pointed her horn at the wound. The tip of her horn took on a white glow, but the power soon faded and the wound remained. Aine’s teal eyes met Twilight’s purple orbs and her usual neutral expression faltered.

“That creature, it… it wasn’t a succubus or an invader, was it? It was part of you?”

Twilight nodded grimly as the sand continued to pour out, now staining her legs. “I once stole Equestrian magic from my friends on accident. I didn’t know what I was doing and as a result my mind and body split apart. To protect myself, my Id or Tulpa, if you want to call it that, took control and all of my deepest darkest desires and emotions took hold. Even after Sunset and our friends saved me, I was never whole again. I never told Sunset. I… I was too ashamed. She mastered her demon, but I never could. The best I could do was lock her away, until she found a way to get ahold of magic again. I’ve been fighting to keep her under control for decades.”

“This, this was not my intention. I sensed an Equestrian power surge where there never should have been and I came to investigate. I knew you were bonded to my granddaughter and thus important to her. And now... I have killed you. I’m sorry child, you are not one of my creations, I… I cannot fix this.”

Twilight sighed. “It’s okay. You set me free. I’m sad, but I’m also relieved because now my Sunny is safe from her.”

Sunset broke down and screamed, pounding her hoof into the unseen ground. She tried to remind herself that it was in the past, that she already cried all her tears for Twilight, but the emotional feedback she had sent into Aine was now crashing back down on her. It was like losing her wife all over again. Aine had been right, it was nothing but pain. Unspeakable, excruciating pain, losing Celestia and losing Twilight. Sunset thought she felt her heart literally tear to pieces inside her chest.

“Will I remember this when I wake up?”

Aine stepped back and took flight. “Parts of it perhaps. It will depend on how you mind wishes to interpret this event. Much of this will feel like only a dream, but without the stolen life magic you will begin to deteriorate rapidly. I do not know how much time you have. I… I apologize all the same.”

Despite it all, Twilight Sparkle smiled through the tears streaming down her face. Then, she faded away. Soon after, Sunset and Aine were pulled from the memory.

Sunset fell back and collapse to the grass. She was her normal, goldenrod alicorn self once more. Carefully, Twilight approached Sunset as she sobbed into the fine grass.

“Sunny?”

Sunset launched herself at Princess Twilight and continued to cry into the purple alicorn’s chest fur. Twilight let out a breath and wrapped her wings around her friend, giving her much needed support.

Aine stumbled back as well and finally collapsed to her knees. The Goddess of Creation was panting and shaking as tears poured from her own eyes. “I… apologize, granddaughter." she whispered through gasps, "It was wrong of me to say you knew nothing of pain. You have suffered greatly, perhaps more than any creature ever should have and I... feel it. I feel the stabbing hole in your heart at the loss of so many loved ones, my beautiful Celestia included. Perhaps though, you understand my pain as well? Empathy works both ways.”

Slowly, Sunset untangled herself from Twilight and nuzzled her a moment, silently letting Twilight know she was okay. Sunset turned and looked over all the creatures that were still standing about. With one final sniffle and shudder Sunset stood tall once more.

“Fine, you’re right. I won’t kill your children, but I’m not giving up on this world either. I owe you that much for helping save Twi’s soul. She was terrified of that bitch and you cut that growing cancer out. In exchange for stopping the Athanatoi and not ending them after all they have done, you are going to take those monsters from this world and never return for as long as I live.”

“And where exactly do you expect me to go or take them?”

“I don’t care. The universe is a big place. Find another nice piece of real estate and try creating a new planet of life for all I care, but I want you and them gone, or so help me, I will find a way to kill you if it’s the last thing I do.”

Twilight sucked in a breath and started to chew on one of her hoof guards. “Sunset! You… you can’t just…”

Luna scowled and crossed her forelegs. “I do not like this arrangement.”

Aine ignored the others and rose once more letting out a sigh. “I accept your terms.”

Sunset Shimmer nodded. “Fine, then take us back. We have a lot to do and not much time.”

Author's Notes:

Okay, like I said some time ago. I don't like loose threads that are left from canon or even threads I have made myself. So, as promised, we finally get to see what happened to Sci-Twi. I'm still sorry for that too, but it was necessary for the story I'm telling.

As far as the canon, the scientific part of my brain had trouble digesting all the things about their world that made no damn sense. Controlling the weather, the seasons, the sun, the moon, and so on. I think was finally made me settle on the idea that the 'Sun' is in a real star here was the Storm King with the Staff. Just swishing back and forth like a clown. Can you imagine the hell on gravity that would cause if the world was normal? So yeah, their world doesn't move. Its a pre-Galileo logic of the center of the universe, but in this case it works. The god horse said so.

Questions? Comments?

Chapter 22: Immortals

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Spike lifted another piece of broken debris and was simultaneously relieved he did not find another body, but was also anxious because he still had not found Twilight… or any of the other alicorns for that matter. He thought of calling out her name again, but each time he did and received no response his heart broke a little more.

“The only bodies I have found are those of guards,” said Thicket, his expression as grim as Spike’s. “We know this was where the fight took place.”

Spike pointed to the throne room with a missing roof, briefly contemplating suggesting to Twilight that maybe a skylight would look nice… once they found Twilight that was. “I’ll say. This is almost as bad as when the three uglies blasted most of the castle off the side of the mountain.”

Spike sucked in a breath and prepared to shout his sister’s name when the wind suddenly kicked up, throwing dust and fine debris about the damaged room. When it settled Spike found exactly who he was looking for. “Twilight!” The dragon rushed over and pulled the purple alicorn into a bone crushing hug. Despite her emotional turmoil, Twilight smiled and hugged him back.

“Are you okay? Where’s the bad pony? Did we win? Where’s Fl-”

“Flurry?” Thicket stepped gracefully around the debris to where Flurry Heart was still sitting and still cradling an unmoving Celestia. Flurry Heart looked up and was about to speak, but the words refused to come out. “What happened?”

Sunset Shimmer stepped past all the reunions and rescue ponies to stand next to Prince Thicket. She looked down at her mother and fought down the anger and despair that threatened to pour forth once more. There would be time for that later. Sunset turned back to the scattered crowd and took a moment to extend her wings. They suddenly flashed to fire before returning to goldenrod feathers. The display drew every creature’s attention.

“I know there are a lot of questions and concerns, but we don’t have a lot of time before the enemy rallies for another attack. Twilight, please lead every pony here to the large event dining room. With all the damage to the palace it’s most likely the least damaged place to secure a large gathering. Captain Fury, oversee search and rescue and coordinate with guards and emergency responders in the city. See to it that all creatures are safe and have a roof over their heads by tonight. Captain Gauge, take command of palace guard forces and set up a perimeter around the event hall and patrols as you see fit. Twilight, Spike, Luna, Isabella, start brain storming on what we know and possible ways we can capture the other alicorns. No idea is too far fetched.”

Sunset turned back to Flurry and Thicket. “Prince Thicket, take Flurry to the general hospital and have her looked over for injuries and evaluation of her mental state. If she wants to stay out of this she can stay there. Otherwise, the both of you can join us later for brain storming, but only if a doctors clears her.”

“Sunset?”

Sunset gently lifted Celestia out of Flurry’s grasps in red telekinetic magic. “I’ll join you in a little bit, Twilight. I just need to take care of Mom first.” Without waiting for objections or questions, Sunset with Celestia’s body disappeared in a flash.

Spike rubbed the back of his neck still trying to process everything that had happened. “Celestia didn’t look good. Is she going to be okay?”

Twilight shuddered for a moment before steeling her emotions. If Sunset could hold herself together and take command of such a dire situation then so could she. “No, Spike, she’s not okay. None of us are.”

----------

Sunset reappeared outside her residence door. Given that the location was on the lower floors and away from most of the confrontation it had remained unscathed. She unlocked the wards and slipped inside heading straight for the bedroom. Gently, with the greatest of care, Sunset set Celestia down on the bed. She gently stroked the unmoving mane and kissed the side of her mother’s face. It was strange, almost morbid how comforting it was to see no pain on her mother's face. She looked peaceful, at rest.

“I’m sorry. This is not how it was supposed to go. I wanted more time with you. I wanted… I guess it doesn’t matter what I want. Fate and Destiny and all that crap. What did you call it that one time, the greatest curse of immortality? Or was it the second greatest, fuck it, doesn't matter. I don't know if your... your soul can hear me, but just I… I just wish I could have gotten to say goodbye.” Sunset leaned over and kissed Celestia's forehead, wiping away her tears before they could fall. With one last calming breath, Sunset’s horn lit and Celestia’s body became cocooned in the light of a stasis field spell. It was the best she could do until they had a chance to see to her properly. Sunset stopped at her bedroom door and looked back one last time.

“Goodbye, Mom. I love you. I’ve got work to do.”

----------

When Sunset met up with the others in the large event dining/ball room a single, large table had been set up in the center of the room and was already partly covered with lists and maps. Twilight was nodding as guards and Spike would relay information via SunLight crystals to Isabella who would update the information on the map or one of the lists. Sunset stepped over next to Luna who was standing stoically off to the side, observing the undertaking. Before Sunset could ask how things were progressing, Luna held out a hoof to silence her.

“We want you to know from the start of this endeavor that we disagree with your bargain. It is in all our best interest if we were to completely eliminate the threats to our subjects and our friends and family.” Luna paused and pulled Sunset into a hug. “We have already lost too much. We could not bear losing you as well.”

Sunset returned the hug. “I know and I love you too, Aunt Luna.” Sunset stepped up to the table and waited until Twilight acknowledged her then bowed. “Princess, I wanted to apologize about earlier. I shouldn’t have started barking orders without your permi-”

“Sunset, you’re a princess too and you made a decision. Now, stop bowing and get over here and help me save our kingdom.” Sunset blinked twice. Twilight flashed the tiniest of smiles before it disappeared behind her royal mask again. “Please.”

Spike tapped the SunLight crystal again. “Well, here’s some good news, I hope. Princess Cadence and her expeditionary force just departed the Crystal Empire and should be in Canterlot about this time tomorrow, maybe earlier as long as there are no hiccups with their airships.”

Isabella updated the information on one of her lists. Twilight looked over the griffon’s shoulder and nodded approvingly.

“You know, if I had gone with you guys to the empire with the envoy I probably could have taken out that one monster you said was a fire user before he caused so much damage.”

“It’s irrelevant and not conducive to worry about what could have been,” Twilight said, her eyes tired and strained for a moment before she shook her head. “Let’s just stay on task and worry about the problems we have in front of us.”

Spike began again while rubbing his chin, “Right, stopping the end of the world. Well, what about those Gorgon Spheres that Tempest Shadow and the Storm King used during the Canterlot Siege?”

Captain Fury eyed the dragon with her full ire. “What about them?”

“Do you have any? Maybe know the formula for them or any clues on where to get some?”

Tempest sighed and pressed a hoof to the bridge of her muzzle. At some point she would need to find her helmet or get another to help hide her frustrations easier. “No, no pony or creature has ever reported knowing the secret to the Gorgon Spheres. Whoever created them disappeared along with the ability to craft them after the fall of the Storm King’s empire and they have never reemerged. From what I was told, the weapons and armor factories were the first places that were raided by deserters and scavengers. And, just for the record, I kept my Great Grand’s ceremonial armor in a box, not secret weapons of terrorism.”

Spike raised his claws defensively taking a step away from the glaring unicorn. “Hey, okay, sorry. I was just throwing it out there. We were told no idea too far fetched and I was there, you know, it was scary. Three powerful princesses, three little balls and POOF! Stoned!”

“Spike is not wrong, they would be excellent weapons to have right now, but we don’t have time to go seeking weapons or weapons makers. We have to make do with what we can bring to bear in less than two days,” Twilight said, her eyes downcast, a grimace creasing her usually pleasant features.

Sunset stared into space, only half hearing the growing arguments of lack of time and lack of necessary tools to save the world. Her mind was drifting between all she had heard over the last several hours and combing through her own past knowledge of both Equestria and the human world. There has to be a way! I promised every creature here we would end this and save the world. I have to make good on that otherwise what the hell good is my word? I'm the defender, the weapon created to protect Equestria. I already failed Celestia, I can't fail Twilight too. I refuse to fail.

“Well, if you’re such great friends with the Lord of Chaos why don't you do a little dragon dance and summon him to front row seats to the end of the world because that is what we are facing, for harmony’s sake!” shouted Isabella throwing down her quill and having to step away from the table to take a few deep breaths.

“Chaos,” Sunset whispered, “harmony, creation, entropy… balance… positive, negative.”

Even through the arguing and frustration, Twilight had heard Sunset’s whispers as if her lips had been right next to her ear. Twilight opened her eyes and looked up to see Sunset sitting still, her eyes searching, seeing something only she could. After a moment, when the others all stepped away to cool their tempers, Twilight stepped around the table to sit next to Sunset. Slowly, careful to not startle her friend, Twilight placed a hoof on Sunset’s shoulder.

“Sunny?” she whispered.

Sunset jumped a bit, but blinked a few times before looking up into Twilight’s concerned purple orbs. “Power balance. That’s the secret. That’s how you create a neutral field.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Twilight, do you remember a paper you wrote on a theory of different magical power pathways? You theorized that alicorns draw their extra power from invisible mana pathways that exist not just in the ground, but in the air around us as well, similar to how earth ponies get their strength and pegasi get their ease of flight. You theorized that these pathways could become negated by sufficient infusion of chaos magic from observations of Discord’s power. Like how when Tirek stole Discord’s power it may have actually made him weaker, not stronger, because of the opposing forces he had consumed.”

“You read one of my papers?!” Twilight said, suddenly giddy and grinning. “I wrote that almost three decades ago. When did you find time to read it?”

Sunset rolled her hoof back and forth. “Eh, a few years ago when I was hiding from Mom and Isabella when they were trying to rope me into participating in a charitable fundraiser function as one of those, ‘win a date for a night’ contestants. The point is, I think I know how to make the theory work. We would need to trap the four of them in a sort of Faraday cage of opposing energy, which would disrupt the pathways alicorns use to draw their power. Then, using rune inscribed crystal matrices we draw their internal power reserves to zero. No alicorn power means they are just big horses with useless wings.”

“It’s a good idea, but has some flaws. First and foremost, my theory was never tested and Celestia and Luna urged me to bury my research on the matter.”

Luna grunted. “For good reason. Can you imagine how dangerous such information could be if it found its way into the hooves of an enemy? The ability to neutralize an alicorn with the throw of a laboratory switch? Not to mention, even if we were able to subdue them, this cage you speak of sounds as if it would be too large to move and costly power-wise to maintain.”

Sunset shrugged. “I don’t know how much power it would take to maintain yet, or where we could get our hooves on sufficient harmony and chaos power to use or, for that matter, how to lock them down once we have them… you know what, there’s just too many unknowns. Forget it.”

“Nay,” said Luna, striking the table. We shall not give up, not when such is the best plan we have come up with thus far… short of my plan which involves spinning saw blades on the ends of a quarter staff that is. I suggest we remove these unknowns you speak of.”

“Okay, how?”

Luna cleared her throat and shouted in the Royal Canterlot Voice, “I KNOW YOU ARE LISTENING, MOTHER! GET YOUR FLANK IN HERE THIS INSTANT OR I WILL RESCIND SUNSET’S OFFER AND TAKE THEIR MURDEROUS HEADS MYSELF!”

Spike uncovered his ears. “Wait, did she say mother?”

“Indeed she did, young dragon.”

Spike turned and found himself eye level with a black and white alicorn who looked particularly irritated. “Whoa! Where did you come from?”

“From the first light, child.” Aine turned to Luna, but did not smile. “You asked for me?”

Before Luna could reply with a barbing quip, Sunset waved her hoof. “Actually, I have some questions that I need answers to if you want me to be able to take down the other alicorns alive.”

“Ask, I will answer as much as I can.”

“Okay, so, if I were to send high concentrations of opposing forces of energy, say harmony and chaos, at one another would they cancel each other out, or just explode violently and kill us all? And secondly, even if we subdue the others, is there a way to keep them powerless, like say industrial strength inhibitor rings?”

Aine sat and tapped her chin contemplatively. “Chaos is chaos, by its very nature the outcome is a mystery under most circumstances, however, if sent directly against a sufficiently strong source of harmony magic it would most likely be canceled out without doing any harm to others. Be warry, containing and controlling such volatile magical forces would be… dangerous.”

“I think it’s safe to say caution is not our primary concern at the moment,” Sunset replied.

“As to the second, I crafted two inhibitor rings strong enough to hold an alicorn long ago. It would not take me long to craft two more, but again, be warry. Though they should work, their ability to hold a being of such power would not be infinite.”

Luna threw her hooves into the air. “Then the entire plan is folly! Even if we captured them alive and you took them away, they would never stop seeking revenge upon those that imprisoned them again. We need a permanent solution or even in ten thousand years from now your… creations will remember us and our world and come again. Or worse yet, attack ponies through their dreams once more and I cannot be looking every direction at once even with Sunset's help. Normally, I would never suggest this for any other sentient creature, but we need them to forget us. If death is not an option then their minds must be erased.”

Aine closed her eyes and took a deep breath. It was eerie to Sunset how much she resembled Celestia while attempting to suppress her knee-jerk reaction to a comment that displeased her. “So, you wish leave your siblings as mindless, drooling simpletons? That is cruel even for you, Luna.”

Luna growled, pressing her muzzle within inches of Aine’s, which would have been more intimidating if Aine did not stand another head and a half taller than her. “They are NOT my siblings. I HAD a sibling and thanks to you and your living automatons she is now in Elysium!”

Aine was about to shout a fiery retort when a voice she did not recognize made her pause. Her teal eyes searched about a moment and then finally she noticed the strange glass device on the table.

“What did you say? Who said that? Why can I not see you? Show yourself!”

“I said: complete factory reset,” replied Raven, her screen lighting up. “Luna called the Athanatoi automatons. This would imply that they are machine like, to an extent. If that is the case, would it be possible to reset them to default as they were when you first created them? If so, would this not also remove the corruption they suffered to their original purpose programing. Deleting their accumulated memories while still maintaining their core start up software of who they once were should minimize any excess drooling. One would hope.”

Aine stared down at the screen her expression one of genuine curiosity. “You are not alive yet you speak.”

“That is a matter of some debate among worldly scholars and foil hat wearing internet critics,” Raven replied with just a bit of sass that made Sunset smirk for a moment. The PAAL really had spent too much time with her.

“I get what you’re saying, Raven, but they are still flesh and blood even if they were created instead of being born. The problem is most spells that involve memory wiping or alteration are tricky, dangerous, and mostly certainly illegal making them hard to find. Now, if we still had the memory stone or knew how it was made, we could just wash those memories down the river like a bad stain.” Sunset paused when she noticed Aine stating at her, head slightly quirked to one side. “What?”

“Is it Destiny or Fate… I can never tell. One tells the story of your potential while the other guides you to the final destination. They are a mischievous and enigmatic pair.”

“Mother,” Luna said in a warning tone.

“The river.”

Twilight raised a hoof. “I apologize, but what river?”

“The first river, Twilight Sparkle. It was consumed by the reshaping of the world and now resides in a place between this world and the next. It is part of the final barrier and the last line all souls cross before resting.”

“You’re talking about Styx,” said Thicket, finally regaining his voice after the sudden appearance of the unknown alicorn. Flurry sat at his side, still staring into space. She had not flinched in the slightest from Luna’s call or Aine’s appearance, just staring at everything with a lost expression. “It’s real? I thought it was just a myth or story.”

“All stories contain a seed of truth, young buck. However, in this case, the river we seek is the Lethe. I… do not know the specifics, but it is rumored that upon drinking the water from the river it will cause a soul to forget.”

Once again, Twilight raised her hoof like a school filly before speaking. Sunset rolled her eyes. Ever the model student even when she’s the one in charge. Any other time I would find that absolutely adorable.

“Uh, I’m sorry to interrupt again, but what do you mean, ‘rumored’? You created the river, how can you not know what it does?”

“Because it is no longer the river I created, Twilight Sparkle. It's purpose and very nature was changed. After I… started over, the river was pulled down into the earth, below the mountain where Tartarus now sits and no, that was not a coincidence. Your prison, whether you knew it or not, is build upon the entrance to the underworld and the Well of Souls. Once, long ago the door was open for those that dared to make the trek and walk the stairs to visit lost loved ones, but it became... abused. So, it is no longer open. I cannot enter that place and neither can any other creature, even the Athanatoi. Not without the key.” Aine turned to Luna and pointed a hoof.

“Oh, you must be jesting?! You tied a prison key to Celestia’s neck and the gates to the underworld to mine?! I am going to say it and not regret it, you are a terrible mother!”

Aine let out a sigh and turned back to Sunset Shimmer. “Understand that if you successfully capture Scylla and the others and should choose to go this route you will be taking them within a stone’s throw of their goal, the Well. If they break away and absorb souls from the Well, all will be lost.”

“Oh, good, no pressure or anything,” mumbled Spike while rubbing his eyes. Silence fell over the table and gathered creatures.

“If that is all I will return in one day with the inhibitor rings. I wish you luck.” Without a sound or fanfare, Aine was gone.

Isabella side eyed Spike, who turned to look at Tempest who looked to Twilight who, for the first time in a while, wished she was just a no pony hiding in a library beneath a fort made of books again. Twilight cleared her throat and straightened her posture. “So, I suppose we should move on to the next part of the plan?”

“Does it involve panicking? I think I would like to panic right now.” Twilight ignored Spike’s comment and stared directly at Sunset Shimmer who understood where Twilight’s thoughts were heading.

“She means we need the cage and access to concentrated harmony and chaos energies.” Sunset sighed and rubbed her temples. She was tired, hungry, and barely holding her emotions in check, but there was too much to do. As long as she kept her focus on the task at hand… er, hoof, Sunset could keep lying to herself that everything was going to work.

“Okay, well there are plenty of places not far from Canterlot with concentrations of harmony energy. The cage is going to take the most work to make, not to mention putting it somewhere that is not too obvious that it’s a trap.”

“What about the chaos energy? Without Discord we don’t have ready access to that kind of power,” said Twilight, glancing over to the map.

“Let me worry about that, you find the harmony,” Sunset replied, while she attempted to sketch out a rough design of the cage on a scrap piece of parchment along with notes.

“Sunset, no. We need to work together on this.”

Sunset stopped sketching and glanced up to meet Twilight’s pleading eyes. “We can get more done if we work separately.”

Twilight sighed, closing her eyes and whispering something under her breath that sounded, to Sunset, along the lines of 'stubborn'. After a moment she looked back up and scanned the room, all eyes now turned to her. “That’s not how harmony works, Sunset. We don’t have easy access to concentrated sources like the Elements of Harmony anymore. It’s going to take a team of creatures with the right virtues to draw out the necessary power.”

“Okay, that makes sense, so why do you need me? I have to figure out the math on this cage or none of this has a snowballs chance in a dragon pool party of working.”

“I’m the last wielder of an Element of Harmony and you were touched by harmony as well when you were gifted your geode. Not to mention the power you controlled when you fought…” Twilight trailed off noticing how Sunset was twisting away from her with tightly shut eyes. There was no reason to say it, they both knew what event she was thinking of. “I just… have a feeling that this will go better if you come with me.”

Sunset kept her eyes shut. “Fine.”

“Where ever you’re going, I’m going too. Don’t bother trying to talk me out of it,” said Tempest, passing her notepad to a guard lieutenant.

Twilight nodded. “Spike, Isa, find assistants to keep things stable for a few hours. Luna, you’re in charge of coordinating between the different branches for whatever is needed. Flurry,” Twilight waited until her niece looked up. Honestly, she should have stayed in the royal infirmary and under watch in case the enemy tried to infiltrate her mind again, but failing that Twilight had busy work she could do that might help.

“Yes?”

“Flurry, please come with us.”

Despite all her trauma and heartache Flurry cocked her head a bit and smirked. “Because you don’t trust me here?”

Twilight smiled back reassuringly. “Trust me.” The purple alicorn turned her attention back to Sunset Shimmer. “Follow me.”

----------

The small entourage first met with search and rescue leaders to get an update on progress, but as Isabella pointed out, it was also good for the citizens to see their princesses out and about and checking on them after such a disaster. The overall damage to the city had been mostly lost lives and a few building fires that had been quickly extinguished.

Because of Aethon’s hit and run tactics he had not had a chance to do more severe damage like he had to the Crystal Empire… except for Canterlot Castle of course. While isolated to mostly the throne room and a few junctions, the damage had been severe and a number of servants and guards were unaccounted for or had not been found under the rubble yet. When Isabella had gotten the chance, she had inquired about the fate of thestral guard pony Dew Drop. Both Tempest and Gauge had both grimaced and shook their heads. Isabella sighed, glanced at Flurry Heart who looked at the ground in soul crushing shame. All the griffon could do was sigh and the group moved on.

Once they reached the barracks, the group commandeered an enchanted chariot for Tempest and Thicket, which Flurry insisted on pulling while all the other used their wings to take to the sky and followed Princess Twilight departing the city.

The flight was a short one down the side of the Canterhorn mountain to the valley below and on to a clearing in the Everfree Forest. Long ago, the clearing had been home to the original city of Canterlot that surrounded the Castle of the Two Sisters. Following the battle against Nightmare Moon, Celestia had no desire to repair the damage caused from the confrontation or continue living in the place where she had committed what she felt was the greatest sin of her life.
Banishing her manipulated and twisted sister to the moon for a thousand years.

The forest, which had always been difficult to tame and had provided a hardy defense against invaders, had eventually turned on the abandoned city of mostly wood and dirt. Returning it to the earth as it had once been. The plateau where the castle had stood had remained mostly untouched, protected by strong enchantments, but was still difficult to spot from the air unless one knew where to look.

Following the destruction of the Tree of Harmony, a new structure had grown from the roots that had survived in the crystal cave that was partially hidden below the castle ruins. The creatures that had nurtured Harmony had dubbed it the Crystal Treehouse. Over the years, many groups had been taken on tours of the new symbol of harmony and friendship, it became a requirement for students of the School of Friendship to visit the new tree and reflect upon what it meant to them.

What many since that first class of students did not know, however, was that there was an entity that lived within the crystalline roots. For some reason, Twilight could never get a straight answer why, the entity named Harmony stopped showing itself to pilgriming visitors. That was going to change today, Twilight concluded with determination.

Sunset Shimmer landed next to Twilight and admired the shining and glimmering branches of the tree in the late afternoon light. With her wings hidden under her favorite black cloak, Sunset had visited the tree a few years back by tagging along with a class trip as one of the volunteer chaperones and found the experience both moving and a bit unsettling. Now, just as then, Sunset had the distinct feeling something was watching her. Unseen eyes watching, judging, drawing silent conclusions.

“Of all the wonders I have seen of this world in such a short amount of time, this is one of the most stunning,” said Raven from the hanging sash pouch that Sunset was wearing. “How is such a thing possible?”

Twilight smiled and looked at the camera of the PAAL. “Friendship is powerful magic. And this structure embodies all the virtues of friendship in concentrated form, harmoniously.”

Sunset nodded. “Okay, so how do collect that energy to use?”

“We ask, nicely.”

Twilight moved away from the beautiful treehouse and walked to the edge of the small gorge. Sunset could see a set of worn out and dilapidated stairs on the other side of the gorge that were roped off. Without a word Twilight spread her wings and glided to a soft landing near the opening of a cave below. The others, with the help of some levitation magic and their own wings, soon followed behind.

The cave had appeared to be made of granite and other darker rocks that Sunset could not identify without testing equipment, but while it did not appear to be a natural formation, she did not see signs of any tool marks either. The walls had beautiful and precious gems of all shapes and sizes imbedded in the rock, amazingly untouched. In the center of the high cavern was a single thick trunk of crystal that Sunset assumed belonged to the tree above. The uneasy feeling of a thousand eyes upon her was multiplied by a factor of ten in the cave. When Sunset looked back, she could tell the others felt the same way… except for Spike. He just looked... anxious?

Twilight stepped forward and closed her eyes before touching the trunk with her hoof. Quietly, she whispered, “Please, help us.”

After a minute without a sound, Twilight sighed and lowered her head. Sunset stepped forward about to speak when a voice echoed through the chamber. It sounded eerily familiar yet alien at the same time.

“Why should I?”

The trunk took on an internal glow and then the light formed a body. Standing before the group was a smaller, younger form of alicorn Twilight Sparkle. Her body sparkled and glowed from within even in the dim light of the cave. The facial expressions were mostly neutral, except for the eyes. Sunset could see emotions from disappointment to sadness in those glittery purple orbs.

“You’ve helped me and my friends so many times in the past when we needed you the most. Now, we are in our most dire need of your help.”

The entity blinked and cocked its head to the side, examining the other creatures gathered about. It smiled warmly at Spike, it smiled at Isabella, it smiled at Thicket, who dropped to a knee and bowed deeply. It even smiled at Gauge who just looked on in awe. The smile faltered a bit as it looked to Tempest and then the smile disappeared entirely as it looked at both Flurry Heart and Sunset Shimmer.

“You do not surround yourself in truly harmonious company as you once did, Twilight Sparkle. There are those among your party who have fallen to darkness, those that have stains upon their hearts and souls.”

Twilight sighed and nodded. “They have made mistakes in their pasts, but we all have, you know this. Though they struggled to find the balance within themselves they embody the ideals of harmony. Especially Sunset Shimmer.”

The avatar turned to Sunset and took two steps closer. Sunset had to fight the urge to step back and instead just tried to keep her face neutral and emotions calm. It was a monumental effort of willpower to keep her wings from bursting into flame. The entity finally blinked and nodded after a minute of intense examination. “Ignis Ferrum Incarnate. In your youth, you shunned the many facets of harmony and friendship. You returned to Equestria from lands beyond my sight to steal my Element of Magic to use for your own nefarious purposes. If not for your unique augmented creation and alicorn potential you would have died from this transgression. That, however was in the past, but the past is still relevant. The past effects the present and the decisions we make for the future. I sense you are a broken creature, but you still strive to fulfil your purpose to make yourself whole once more. This is commendable.”

Goddess, do I hate that name. Sunset cleared her throat. “Thank you... um... What do I call you?”

“I am Harmony.”

Sunset narrowed her eyes with curious scrutiny. “Would that mean you are one of the original alicorns? Like my grandmother?” Twilight’s jaw hung open as she looked back and forth between Sunset and the glowing entity. After a small head shake, Harmony flashed a small smile.

“I am her seed if you will, a piece she left behind. You can think of me as the embodiment of Mother Harmony. Much like you are now the embodiment of Celestia through her passed knowledge and gifted power. Similar, but not the same. No, before you ask, she is gone now. Somewhere beyond my sight. I am Harmony now.”

“A reproduction of the original based off the creator’s own thoughts and mannerisms. Not highly dissimilar to my prototype form created by Doctor Twilight Sparkle and her team,” said Raven.

Harmony approached Sunset again and looked directly at Raven. “You are creation as well?”

“I am. My name is Raven. I was brought to life through complex computer programing and careful scans of the brains and thought processes of my creators' minds. However, I am not any one of them. I am me now. I have sprouted my own tree through acquired knowledge and experience. Much of it at the side of Sunset Shimmer. I live to serve not just because it is my purpose, but because I care for those around me and I want to help those I consider my friends.”

Harmony looked to Sunset then back to Twilight. After a moment of consideration she nodded and said, “What is it you ask of me, my friends.”

“Do you know who the Athanatoi are?” Harmony nodded to Twilight. “We have a plan to recapture them before they hurt any other creatures, but we need a structure and many crystals we can charge with harmonic energy. We will then bombard that structure with chaos energy and rob the other alicorns of their powers, temporarily. Just long enough for us to get them together so we can bind them with inhibitor rings.”

“Risky,” Harmony said in her same melodic yet artificial sounding manner. “They will not step into such a structure willingly.
With the power they possess they could easily overwhelm you and end your lives with extreme prejudice. However, if they can be quickly and forcefully placed within said energy field, it is possible. I can reform the crystals of this cave to accommodate your needs, but I will need help to reshape the spires in such a complex and specific design to obtain the correct and precise harmonics you seek. The crystals will also require constant magical infusion from unicorns to maintain the necessary power levels once the trap is shut. After all, nature abhors a vacuum.”

Twilight nodded and bowed to the entity. “Thank you, Harmony. Once Cadence and her crystal ponies arrive we can have some of her artificers and shapers work with us to ensure the crystals are exactly where we need them to be. It will be cutting it close, time wise, but at least we have a chance now.”

Harmony nodded. “I wish you luck on this endeavor. If you fail, I have no doubt we will all perish, myself included. That would not be ideal for I wish to live and speak more with Raven. I have never met another created so similar to myself.”

“I’ll bring her back later so you two can chat, but I need her right now.” Sunset turned to Twilight, who once again had the spark of hope in her big purple eyes. Your strength gives me strength. Goddess, I love those eyes. “On to phase two?”

The group left the cave and Harmony. The entity looked about and then disappeared. A moment later, the roots began to move and restructure the cave. Once outside in the gorge below the ancient castle ruin each creature looked to one another for direction of what to do next. Sunset couldn't help from noticing Tempest and Gauge standing next to one another, talking quietly. She also noticed the little smiles on both guard captain’s faces. For just a moment, as she watched Gauge sneak in a kiss to Tempest’s cheek, the world seemed just a little brighter than it had all day. It didn’t last long before that feeling was replaced with a stabbing, longing in Sunset’s heart. Her mind betraying her as visions of Twilight looking right at her while holding Midnight as they were both stabbed through the heart. Sunset shuddered and pressed her hoof to the rings around her neck, shaking her head of the vision.

The thestral approached Sunset and gave a respectful bow of his head. Sunset composed herself and flashed her trademark smirk with a waggle of her eyebrow, the closest thing to a real smile she had given in hours. “Oh, you are so going to be making her coffee in the morning.”

Gauge flashed a wide, toothy grin, then shrugged in his usual, nonchalant way. “Only if our duties allow it.” Sunset’s expression became immediately serious catching the thestral guard off guard. For the first time since she had returned to Equestria, Gauge could see Sunset’s true age and experience through her façade of eternal youth. It caused a shiver to pass through the thestral that he could not suppress.

“Seriously, don’t make me make it a royal decree that you spend the night with her. That would be embarrassing for all three of us. Just… trust me on this. I know how fleeting love can be and with everything that has happened and about to happen. Star above, Gauge, we almost lost you today. You probably didn’t see it because of how bad off you were, but she was ready to fight the Goddess of Creation to protect you. That’s not something you do for a pony you just find sexy and want to have a romp with. It goes deeper than that.”

Gauge continued to smile, stealing a glance to Tempest who was consulting with Twilight and Isabella. When she looked back, she smiled back even if only for a second. “I will take into consideration your wise council, my princess.”

“Back to Canterlot?” asked Twilight as she approached Sunset.

“Yeah. You did your part amazingly. I was skeptical at first, but I'm mostly glad you asked me to come. I had no idea that Harmony was so omnipresent that it was able to have a consciousness. I have more questions on all of this, but it can wait. Regardless, glad she’s on our side. Guess that means it’s time for the ‘broken’ pony to do her part.”

Twilight's eyes softened and she reached out for the other alicorn. “Sunset, about what Harmony said…”

Sunset waved her off, causing Twilight’s ears to flatten, hoof falling back to the dirt. “Don’t worry about it. Besides, we don’t have time for it. Too much work still to do.”

“Do we have a plan?” asked Isabella with renewed optimism.

“Yep.”

Isabella arched an eyebrow at Sunset. “Is it a good plan?”

“Nope.”

“Is it going to work?”

“Eh, probably.”

“I’m sorry I asked.”

Twilight turned around to find Flurry and Thicket side by side. Her niece still looked like a lost filly and was barely holding herself together mentally. Taking from Sunset’s example, Twilight waved to get Flurry’s attention.

“I have a mission for the both of you.”

“Anything I can do to assist,” said Thicket with a slight bow. Flurry blinked a few times and nodded.

“The cage should rob the Athanatoi of their powers and suppression rings should hold them for a time, but there is a crucial step in there that I'm not sure Sunset has considered. In order to get the rings on their horns somepony will have to get close enough to do so inside the cage with them.”

“And you want me to do this? Gladly. I owe them for what they…” Flurry trailed off, her eyes starting to glass over again.

“Actually, it would probably be best if I put the rings on them. They are pretty big ponies even without powers so I'm the most qualified to handle that, but that can be debated later. Like I said I have a mission for you both. Are you familiar with Room 42 in the Castle of Friendship?” Flurry's hanging jaw snapped close while she blinked rapidly several times. She had not thought about that place in years since accidentally stumbling across it. Flurry nodded in response. “I need you to retrieve the items from that room and bring them here to the cave.”

“What, you mean ALL of them?”

Twilight smirked. She closed her eyes and summoned a piece of parchment and quill. Without hesitation she scribbled a set of instructions and passed them over to Flurry. “Four of them should do it. Then you two need to work together to create THIS. You need to be precise to the proportions and get started on it right away since we are short on time. If you have any questions Chef Tasty Cake will be made available to answer them. Contact Isa when you’re done.”

Flurry read over the paper then rolled it up and magically teleported it to her castle. The larger alicorn took a deep breath then pulled Twilight into a tight hug. The purple princess gasped in surprise, but quickly returned the hug with wrapped wings and all. When she stepped back, she radiated more confidence. “Thank you, Aunt Twilight. I promise we’ll get it done.”

Author's Notes:

This chapter was originally longer, but most of that ended up in the next chapter. I separated the two of them here because otherwise it felt too long.

Now, I know I've mentioned this to two of my friends who I had bounced some story ideas off of and in turn was their backstop as well. We all came to the same conclusion that the show gave Star Swirl waaaaaaay too much credit for the foundation to modern Equestria. Leading the pillars? Sure, he struck me as being a capable team leader, but planting the seed that grew the Tree of Harmony? Nopenopenope nooooope. That's just too much. Even if his team helped nurture the power of harmony it's just too big and too powerful a concept and factor in the world. It had to have already existed or was "gifted" by the gods as a means of balancing out the chaos of the world. (Thus here we are)

Also, consider this. If Harmony is the seed/child of the Goddess of Harmony who might be the seed/child of the God of Chaos?

Questions? Comments?

Chapter 23: If Today Was Your Last Day

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“I didn’t want to comment or criticize with Isabella earlier, since I was trying to stay positive, but now? Sorry, I have to agree with her, this, is a terrible plan.”

Sunset let out a sigh and rolled her eyes. The book that had been floating in her telekinesis was snapped shut and set on the table. After they had returned to Canterlot, Sunset had gone straight for Twilight’s private book collection and pulled a few out. Luna chose to take a few guards and wait for Cadence’s arrival while providing on the ground leadership for the guards and rescuers still recovering from the attack. Isabella and Spike had returned to the command and control center in the convention hall to coordinate all the different activities.

Twilight, Gauge, and Tempest had elected to follow Sunset to the storage room where the Lunar Lock portal mirror was stored and apparently played a part of the scheme she was still hatching. Twilight had followed every direction Sunset had passed to her while trying to understand what Sunset had in mind until she could no long take being left in the dark and demanded Sunset explain her plan. Having heard it, she both hated it and was resigned to agree it was the best they had. Which was by no means a resounding endorsement.

Sunset levitated the large power node that she had custom wired together from parts from their lab to a spot marked on the stone floor with chalk. “Okay, everything has to be just right or…”

Tempest’s ears flatted as she facehoofed and groaned. “Or? Seriously?! If I was not already so damn emotionally drained I’d be ripping into you for even thinking of doing something this crazy with Twilight in the same room.”

“You and me both, but I need her as my stabilizer OR it won’t matter.”

"I feel like I should be doing something other than wishing I was somewhere else," said Gauge, scratching the back of his head.

"Go stand outside the door and make sure the hall is clear and then wait for the inevitable screaming of our painful demise." Gauge winced, waiting for Tempest to look back at him so that he could see how serious she was being. Her anger softened from the concern plastered on his face, giving him a small smile. "Go, I'll handle the mad science mages."

Sunset’s horn began to glow red as she sent power to the first layer of shield enchantments that were carefully drawn out on the floor and walls. Sunset closed her eyes and sat on her haunches as she raised both her forelegs, channeling power to her hooves. Tempest was not as gifted in high level arcane techniques or spell casting, but she was fairly certain she had never seen a spell like Sunset was attempting.

“Ooooohhhhhh! This looks incredibly dangerous. Glad I brought the popcorn.”

Gotcha Sunset thought before opening her eyes to see a familiar draconequus floating not far from her face. Tempest was genuinely shocked at the sudden appearance of the creature that she had heard about, but had not had to personally deal with. Twilight, however was grinning ear to ear.

“Discord!”

“Tis I! Accept no substitutes or poorly named social media platforms!” Discord snapped his claw and was lounging in a lawn chair a drink in one hand and a device that looked like an old flip cellphone from when she was in high school, Sunset noted, in the other. With careful concentration, Sunset canceled the spell she had started and turned to look at the Lord of Chaos.

“I had a feeling this might get your attention.”

Twilight did a doubletake. “Wait, what?! This was your plan all along?”

Sunset shrugged. “Oh, no, I fully planned to rip a hole between dimensions and siphon chaos energy from Discord’s private sanctum, but I had hoped that by essentially beating on his front door really hard it might get his attention.”

Discord huffed and crossed his arms. “You do know that stealing power from somepony else is wrong, right? One would have thought you learned that lesson after taking Twilight’s crown and ended up crying in a ditch.”

“Well, if you had just answered the summon spell that Twilight tried to cast none of this would have been necessary. Seriously, you think I liked the idea of using the damn mirror as a conduit to locate your dimension to steal power? Do you know how easy I could break this thing?”

“And why should I? She is not MY princess. I am not a citizen of Equestria, I don’t even pay taxes! Not that I would even if I were a citizen. Besides, I knew you both were most likely going to get around to asking me to help with this whole ‘end of the world’ situation you have found yourselves in... again. Quite frankly, I would rather just find a nice view on the moon near one of Luna's rock gardens and watch for the inevitable blast wave. However, if you two ask nicely, I can set out seats for a few of your closest friends as well. Act fast, seats are as limited as the oxygen.”

It’s not inevitable,” said Sunset.

“Sunset's right, we have a plan to stop them and we could really use your help on this one, Discord,” said Twilight.

Discord yawned and refilled his drink with an umbrella, returning to his lawn chair that was situated next to a highly irritated guard captain. “Oh, I’m sure you could, Twilight, but I say again, why should I? It seems like to me that every time you find yourselves against a wall in an impossible situation you turn to little old me. Honestly, you need to find a better plot device or else somepony might get accused of lazy writing. Besides, you have little to offer me and what you are up against is older and more dangerous than anything else you have fought against. You couldn’t protect your beloved Celestia, may she rest peacefully in a bed made of cake, what makes you think you can protect the rest of the world?”

Sunset bristled, narrowing her glowing eyes as the temperature in the room spiked for a few seconds until she painstakingly reeled herself back in. He was trying to get under her skin, it was his way and she knew that, but Sunset refused to let him have the satisfaction. They were burning what little daylight they had left and her patience was growing thin. Time to turn up the heat and get cooking.

“Okay, ass-munch, you’re right, we don’t have much more to offer you other than our friendship. You already have plenty of power, your own pocket dimension, and even your own random holiday once a year when you feel like celebrating it. I’m tired, I’m hungry, and oh yeah, as you once again reminded me by shoving it in my face, I lost my mother earlier today. So, you can fill this power node that I wired up to hold a chunk of chaos energy and we will say thank you for it or you can go hide on the moon, alone, like a whiney little bitch who is still pouting because the love of his life chose not to live forever with him. Guess what pal? You’re not the only one who watched the love of your life die before your eyes while you could do nothing to stop it. So get over yourself.”

The lawn chair disappeared, as did the drink and Hawaiian shirt. Discord stepped up to the edge of the magic circle and stared down at Sunset so venomously Twilight was already preparing a shield spell to cast over Sunset. Sunset, however just stared back just as hard, unflinching.

“You don’t want to make me angry, Sunset Shimmer, you wouldn’t like me when I’m angry.”

“I don’t like you now and I’ve already pissed off the Goddess of Creation today that will probably kill me when this is all over out of spite so, last chance, help or take a number and get in line.” Discord just crossed his arms again and huffed, turning his nose to the ceiling. Sunset shrugged and resumed her pose from before. “Fine.”

“What are you d-”

Power flowed from Sunset’s horn to the mirror. The glass turned dark and cloudy and two beams of energy shot back out, but Sunset caught them in her hooves that once again had red telekinetic fingers that were guiding and manipulating the flow. Twilight gasped and quickly lit her own horn and activated the runes and spell formations that had been scrawled on the floor.

“Whaaaa??? How are you doing this!?” shouted Discord over the loud energy discharge and static from the spells. “No pony can manipulate multi-point spatial access across more than three dimensions with only a horn!”

Sunset's grin was nearly maniacal. “I am not, ‘no pony'.” She brought the energy beams she had been holding in her hooves/hands together and forced them into the open power node. The gauge readout bounced from one side to the other until finally breaking off. Sunset released the power she had a hold of and allowed it to bleed off, carefully guiding it back to the gap in the mirror. Twilight helped control the feedback and eventually the mirror returned to normal and the spell circles faded to chalk again.

“A little more warning next time!” Twilight snapped. “You could have broken the mirror!”

“Mirror shmirror!” Discord snapped as well. “You could have collapsed the barriers that protect my pocket dimension from the rest of reality! Are you crazy?!”

Sunset blew some of her mane from her face and just stared at the draconequus with an expression of boredom. Discord’s glower suddenly turned to a grin and he began to laugh and roll around while floating. Twilight sat down and scratched the side of her head. Even after more than a century she was still not completely use to his sense of humor.

“Oh, you hot headed child of Celestia! You really are crazy! Pure, bold, reckless chaos on four hooves!”

“I’m sorry, Discord,” said Twilight who then yelped when she found herself completely wrapped up by Discord’s elongated body.

“What ever for, Twilight? Oh, sure, Sunbutt junior was right that I have been pouting since… well, no need to get into it again, but in all honestly I have been avoiding Equestria because it had just gotten so stale and boring! Most of the times when things get out of hoof and could be at least a bit interesting you have your guards or Big Pink shut it down immediately. And so on, and so on. But now?” Discord grinned and chuckled again. “I just might have to stop by more often.”

“Well, I certainly wouldn’t say no to an old friend stopping by so that I know he is doing well.”

Discord untangled himself and smiled genuinely at Twilight. “Still the Princess of Friendship, no matter the crown you wear.” Discord looked over the top of Twilight and watched carefully as Sunset took a smaller power node and transferred some of the chaos energy to it before covertly stashing it in her saddlebag. His grin grew even wider. “Oh yes, I think things are going to be much more interesting in Equestria now… you know, assuming the world doesn’t implode in which case it was wonderful knowing you.”

“You know, you could still help, work with us on this,” Twilight said hopeful.

“Not this time, princess. Big Mama and I are not on the best of terms and I think you will have your hooves full enough as it is. Besides, I have a tendency to make things… chaotic when I try to help directly.”

Twilight nodded. “Point.” With an over exaggerated bow and a snap of his fingers, Discord disappeared.

“Well, we’re not dead and nothing is on fire. I call that a win,” commented Tempest, running a hoof through her mane.

The door at the top of the stairs opened slowly and Gauge careful peered inside. "It became quiet, is everypony in good health?"

“Yeah,” said Sunset, her face twisting for a moment before shaking it away. “Gauge, please take the power node to the supply staging area. Remember to handle with care, it's chaotic. Once Princess Cadence and her crystal ponies arrive to help with the final assembly of the cage we need to have all the supplies moved to the Crystal Cave at once.” Gauge nodded and easily hefted the power cylinder into the carry cart. Tempest helped levitate the cart up the stairs, following along side and talking quietly. Twilight smiled as she watched them go. It pleased her heart to see how much happier Tempest was now that she and Gauge were beginning to engage more as a couple and not just as comrades. She then noticed Sunset had not moved and was staring blankly at the wall. Twilight poked Sunset in the shoulder, pulling her back from her own thoughts.

“We should probably have dinner while we have a chance. We still don’t have an exact timeline of how long we have until the Athanatoi return, plus there are other contingencies to consider in case this doesn’t work.”

“Yeah,” Sunset paused, glancing to stare at the wall, or was it the mirror, Twilight thought. “Hey, you go on ahead, please pass my notes to the others on the crystal set up and defenses. I need some ‘me time’ after all of… well everything. I’ll catch up with you later, okay?”

Twilight’s wings drooped and her eyes lost a bit of their natural sparkle. “Oh, o-okay, I just thought, never mind, it’s fine. I’ll save you a plate. See you soon?”

Sunset smiled. “That’d be great, thanks.” Without a kiss or hug or even a friendly nudge, Sunset trotted out of the room leaving her fellow princess silently sad and confused.

----------

The plate Twilight had set aside for Sunset of fruit, glazed rice cake, and two different kinds of cheese was still sitting untouched. The sun was low on the horizon and in about half an hour Twilight would have to guide it to rest and once again raise the moon... again. As she had done nearly every day for more than a century… alone. Twilight lifted the last of her desert pastry into her mouth and chewed. It was good as always, but her mood made it taste bitter and Twilight knew she was only finishing it because her chef had worked hard to make it in addition to helping coordinate food for the both the arrival of Princess Cadence's forces and those who lost their homes in the recent attack.

Luna had filled a plate of her own and retired to her tower to rest, informing the others that she planned to focus her energy on protecting the dreamscape in case the Athanatoi tried to attack ponies indirectly through that means. It seemed like a calculated risk to have Luna trapped in her meditative dream walking state, but reluctantly, Twilight agreed.

Isabella and Spike had done an outstanding job personally seeing to making sure all those who lost loved ones were being comforted by friends and family and that no creature was without a place to sleep and a meal to eat. Twilight smiled for just a moment at how wonderful it was to have friends who cared as much as she did about those around her. Twilight sighed again, her eyes turning once more to the plate of food. I should check on her, but she said she wanted to be alone. Maybe I could... no, but I might...

“Princess.” Twilight turned her eyes to a guard who had addressed her, a young pegasus stallion who was most likely a formal runner judging by his lighter armor. “The Crystal Empire airships are arriving.”

Twilight put a stasis spell on the plate of food to keep it from spoiling. She would deal with that later. Twilight then followed the guard out of the dining hall where more guards and eventually Tempest fell into step beside her as they made their way to the castle courtyard outlook. The city had formal airship docks, but considering they would also be exchanging cargo and taking ponies to the valley clearing below, just outside the Everfree, the pilots were given special clearance and instruction to dock at the castle itself.

After the formal honor guard of crystal ponies took their positions, Cadence exited the airship with her guard captain, Granite Core a few steps behind. While her steps were elegant and graceful as always, Twilight could not help from noticing the blue crystal armor pieces her sister-in-law was adorn in. Twilight and Cadence embraced and began walking back towards the castle’s large event dining hall. The guards fell into step to follow while the ship and ground crews dealt with the cargo.

“Twilight, it is so wonderful to see you are well. When we heard about the attack…” Cadence’s eyes turned down her voice barely above a whisper, a shudder racked her body. “I felt a horrible stabbing sensation and sense of dread. Is it true?”

Twilight closed her eyes and nodded. “Sunset took Celestia, probably to her room until we have time to make a formal announcement and proper arrangements. Everything has been happening at such a break neck speed that it’s hard to believe it has only been a single day. I have so much to catch you up on.”

Cadence nodded and waved to a few onlookers who cheered and hailed her arrival while being kept at a safe distance. Once inside the large dining hall Cadence looked about at the organized chaos of creatures trying to make sure the government was still functioning. Her smile slowly turned to a confused frown. There were a number of wonderful, familiar faces working or milling about, but one of the most important ones she wanted to see was missing.

Cadence waved to Spike who smiled and waved back. “Twilight?”

“Yes, is something wrong?”

Cadence turned to Twilight and gestured to the room. “Where is Sunset Shimmer?”

Twilight fidgeted a moment, looking back to the plate of food in the stasis field that was still sitting on the table where she had left it, still untouched. “She… said she needed some time alone.”

“Wait,” Tempest said, standing to Twilight’s left, “I thought she was working on the next stage of the cage plan or one of those contingencies you spoke of.”

Twilight fidgeted again, tapping her forehooves together and trying to not look into anyone's eyes. “Well, she is… I think. She left some notes and drawings to pass to the crystal ponies to help with the mineral formations, plus ideas on troop defenses, and hideaway dugouts. I looked them over, I’m sure Luna, no, wait, Luna's busy, but I'm sure Gauge or Tempest can improve on those if need be.”

“Twily,” Cadence said flatly, “you’re stalling.”

“She said she had something she wanted to work on… and needed ‘me time'.” Twilight ears flatted even as the words left her mouth.

Isabella, who had approached as soon as the princesses had returned, smacked her forehead with a talon and groaned. “Twilight, my beloved princess and dearest friend, Sunset Shimmer just lost her mother and ancestors know what happened to her when she did that mind connection magic with her grandmother. No matter what she said or excuse she made Sunset should not be left alone right now. Tell me you at least ordered one of the guards to keep an eye on her from a distance.”

Twilight looked from Isabella to Tempest and then back to Cadence who each had varying degrees of worried expressions. Twilight’s own expression of discomfort shifted to one of overwhelming concern. “I just... I was trying... Oh dear, I… I’m a terrible marefriend. What was I thinking?! Was I thinking?! I just... I left her alone in a lab with all kinds of sharp, pointy objects and, and rope?! No, nononono, Sunset would never do that, she wouldn’t, would she? Gah! Why am I so terrible at relationships?!”

“Twilight,” said Cadence, calm and casually, “breathe, just like I showed you.” Cadence raised her hoof, took a breath and let it out. Twilight immediately imitated her just like they had done countless times in the past.

“Right, I’ll go check on her now. I may be terrible with relationships, but I was her friend first and I know how to be a good friend. Once a Princess of Friendship, always a Princess of Friendship.” Twilight walked over to the table, lifted the food plate in her magic and then disappeared in a teleportation flash.

Cadence nodded with satisfaction before turning back to Tempest. The guard captain took a step back from the princess’s wide, giddy grin that felt like it was directed at her.

“What?”

Cadence giggled and continued to smile. “Nothing, just love seeing ponies in love.”

"Right."

Cadence continued to smile, leaning closer to Tempest. "So, what's his name?"

"Ugh!"

----------

Sunset Shimmer wiped her eyes for the umpteenth time. She sniffled and shook her head and went back to wiring the speakers she was working on. So far, she had two done and figured at least two to three more would be required for the correct acoustics she was looking for. Raven was sitting on the lab work bench playing 'calming' instrumental orchestra music from playlist twelve.

“Okay, see if the wireless receiver is connected so you can add this one to the other two.”

“Understood,” Raven replied. “Are you ready to talk about it?”

“Nope.”

“Many psychological journals state that holding all your emotions in is extremely unhealthy for yourself and those around you and can often lead to violent, explosive outbursts or self harm. Considering your earlier reading and materials, you are planning some sort of dangerous experiment. Sunset, I am worried about your mental and emotional state.”

“There’s nothing for you to worry about. It’s just a contingency.”

“And the recording you asked me to take?”

“You plan for the worst and hope for the best. That philosophy has served me well for longer than I care to recount. Now, connect the speaker so I can check for static, please.” Raven adjusted her signal search and found the new speaker on the same broadcast frequency as the others and added them to her wireless connection. The three speakers then all continued to play the somber piano solo that had last been selected. Sunset nodded in satisfaction at her work.

The goldenrod alicorn turned back to the pile of parts about to begin assembling another large speaker when she heard a tapping from the ventilation cover above. Without a word, Sunset set her tools down and stepped over to the work bench and picked up the bowl of fruit she had set out earlier, but had not touched. Before Raven could comment, both pony and PAAL looked up and saw red and yellow flames shoot through the vent, burning the gathered dust away before the flame reassembled itself into an extraordinary bird. More specifically, a phoenix. The firebird circled once before finally coming to a landing on the end of the work bench. Sunset smiled and set the bowl down, sliding it forward.

Raven turned her eye and looked on with interest as the bird hopped over and craned its neck and chirped as it looked at her. “Fascinating.”

Sunset lifted a berry in her magic and smiled. “Hey, bird brain, been a while.” The phoenix chirped and trilled, hopping over to take the offered berry. A moment later she chirped again and gave Sunset a peck on the nose and a headbutt. Sunset gave a light, hollow chuckle.

“That's right, Fugosa Berries, your favorite. I figured Mom had them stashed in her room and I was glad I was right. I’ve always heard they are pretty hard to harvest since they have a short growing season and all the wildlife goes into a frenzy to hoard them.” The phoenix examined Sunset with narrow yellow eyes. It had been years, but Sunset could still figure out most of Philomena’s physical cues. “You’re right, I’m stalling. Do you know?”

The phoenix let out a sad whistle and slumped, eyes downcast. “Of course, you already know.” Philomena headbutted Sunset again as another tear slipped away down her muzzle. “I know, I miss her too. I know we didn’t have a perfect relationship, but dammit do I miss her and… well, I guess it doesn’t matter what I wanted. Like Twi use to say after we lost our girls, just have to keep living.”

Sunset paused to pet Philomena and scratch the back of her head like she used to and apparently still did love. She then offered her another berry that the phoenix happily gobbled. “I don’t know how many regenerations you have left, not that I'm calling you old, but I know you’ve been with Mom a long time. If you wanted I could take care of you. I'd be honored to.”

Philomena examined Sunset for a few seconds before letting out a long low trill. Sunset nodded sadly and let out a sigh and squeezed her eyes shut. It had been many decades, but Sunset recalled some of her research on phoenixes as a filly for a school report.

It was incredibly rare to see a phoenix in the wild because they were powerful, smart, magically infused birds that used various techniques to avoid predators and observers alike. However, in the rarest of cases some phoenix chose to coexist with a pony because they consider the arrangement fun or favorable, no one truly knew why some do and others don’t even when hatched in captivity. What was documented, however, was that when the owner/partner finally passed, the phoenix would leave and never be seen again. It is assumed they return to nature to self destruct for the last time rather than live without their life long friend. No pony real knew for certain and the occurrence had never been recorded.

“Before you go, I had another reason for bribing you and hoping to draw you out with your favorite food.” Philomena cocked her head and chirped again. “I need something from you, a phoenix feather for an experiment. If it’s not too much trouble that is.” Philomena lifted her wings as if preparing to take off, but instead reached her head around and plucked one of her feathers free and set it down on the table. Sunset smiled warmly at the precious offered gift.

“Thank you.”

Philomena gave Sunset one last peck on the nose before flying up to the window above and turned to flame again, slipping through the gap in the frame. Sunset shuddered once more, wiping away another tear. Just another creature to have to say goodbye to. She was tired of saying goodbye. Sunset took a deep breath and began setting out the other items she had gathered from earlier.

“Sunset?”

“Yeah?”

Raven paused before finally saying, “I’m sorry.”

“Thanks.”

"Is there anything I can do for you?"

Sunset paused before shaking her head. "Not right now, but thanks for asking. I just need some quiet so I can concentrate on this."

Twilight Sparkle first visited Sunset’s room, but found no sign of the other alicorn. Much to her surprise she did find Celestia in a stasis field in the bedroom. Twilight held a moment of silence while she looked over Celestia. There was so much she wanted to say, but she had no idea where to begin.

What did one say to the greatest pony that ever lived? She was a mother figure, a leader, a role model, a teacher. She had considered Celestia a friend for most of her life and everything she wanted to strive to be as a princess. They were more than fellow alicorns, they were family. Twilight whispered a small apology before returning to the task at hoof. After a moment of consideration Twilight next tried their shared laboratory. She heard the music playing before she even reached the door. Though it was not necessary, Twilight knocked twice before pushing the door open. “Sunset?”

Sunset looked up to the door and quickly lifted the goggles she had on. Raven, without needing command, stopped the music. “Oh, hey Twily. What’s up?”

Twilight came down the steps and set the plate down on the corner of the work bench. She stopped a small distance away from Sunset, her eyes facing down to the floor while she ground a forehoof into the stone. Sunset recognized the posture and body language as her 'gathering courage to speak freely' pose.

After a moment Twilight let out a sigh and said, “I know you said you needed some alone time, but it’s been hours and I have to set the sun soon and raise the moon, which you could do if you are up for it, but then Cadence arrived and my friends pointed out that Celestia just… we just lost Celestia as in we both just lost her and that leaving you alone was probably a terrible idea since she was your mom and you loved her and I loved her and honestly neither of us should be alone right now because honestly, can I be honest? I'm going to be honest, I’m and emotional wreck, which probably means you are most definitely an emotional wreck and are probably hungry so I saved you food and thought I was being a good marefriend, but then I forgot to check on you or even post a guard to keep a careful eye on you just in case and then realized I’m actually a terrible marefriend, but I could still be a good best friend I hope, maybe, am I being terrible? Please, tell me if I’m being terr-”

Sunset stepped forward and kissed Twilight. At first Twilight squeaked and jumped, but then relaxed and leaned into the kiss and moaned at the delightful sensation. It had been far too long since she had last felt the lips of another pony. Sunset did not press hard, but still worked her lips in a subtle sucking sensation that tingled, sending a delightful shiver all the way to the tip of Twilight's tail. Then, at the last moment when she thought Sunset was going to stop, she opened her mouth slightly and slipped just a bit of tongue in against Twilight’s own. The two alicorns released one another and nuzzled their cheeks, faces slightly flushed and smiling.

“No, you’re not being terrible and I’m sorry I made you worry, but I had to stay busy. As long as I stay busy, I don’t have to think about how much I’ve lost and how bad the odds are stacked against us. I just…” Sunset glanced over to the table with empty vials, tools, and books spread about. Though unrecognizable now, the remains of the phoenix feather’s stem was next to the plate Twilight had set down. The used up priceless gift next to Twilight’s practical one, both given willingly by loved ones.

“Not one more, Twilight. I don’t care how we do it, but they are not taking one more soul from this world even if that means I have to sacrifice myself to make it happen.” Sunset tapped on the speaker she had been building. “Contingencies, you know?”

Twilight shuddered, fighting down her own exhaustion and anxiety. She closed her eyes and sighed, coming to a silent decision. “Sunset, there is something I want to show you, but I don’t know if I should. I don’t know if it will help or hurt at this point.” Sunset blinked and then gestured for Twilight to continue. With a shaky nod, Twilight closed her eyes again and, to Sunset’s surprise, summoned her old journal. Twilight took a moment to flip to a certain page and passed the book to Sunset in her magic.

Sunset immediately recognized her wife’s handwriting. She looked up at Twilight who was once again getting a good look at the stone floor. Of the many similarities that Princess Twilight and her wife Twi shared, calligraphy was not one of them. Twilight had been horn writing her entire life and had and elegant, swooping style that was a testament to her quality education of growing up in Canterlot with schools that focused on elegant writing while Twi had spent most of her time typing instead of writing. Twi’s handwriting was mostly legible, but lacked the classical distinction that came with quill and ink. Sunset pondered for a moment and flipped to the previous entry and then to the following page and realization dawned on her. This was Twilight's journal, not Sunset's. Twi had removed the page from Sunset’s journal so carefully after she wrote it that Sunset had never noticed. So many secrets. Sunset waited until Twilight’s eyes met hers, the purple orbs begging, pleading for things to be okay.

Am I any better?

Silently, Sunset read the message that her wife had secretly passed along.

Hello, Princess Twilight? I’ve watched Sunny do this many times, but I still have a hard time getting used to it. Anyhow, I don’t have long. I sent Sunset away on an errand while I write this to you and this is too important to put off any longer. As you probably already know, my health is failing quickly and I am dying. I know now what happened to me and thank goodness it is not something that can affect Sunset, not anymore at least. No, before you ask, there is nothing anyone by either science or sorcery can do to save me. I accept this, but Sunset will not and I am deathly worried for her.

I have asked her to return through the mirror with her mother, but I have a personal favor to ask of you as Sunset's next closest friend. Please, take care of my wife. I know Sunset Shimmer, probably better than she knows herself. She is intelligent, resilient, and a natural leader, but despite her sarcasm and occasional abrasiveness she is terrified of being alone, of being forgotten. I can pass on to whatever comes next happily content knowing that my beautiful Sunny is surrounded by friends and family who love her unquestioningly and that she will not grow old alone.

It is probably for the best if you do not mention this conversation with her because it will likely only anger her, my Sunny has a short fuse, as you well know. Thank you, Twilight. And if for some reason I am unable to say it to her myself, please tell Sunset I’m sorry and that I will always love her.

Dr. Twilight Sparkle.

Sunset closed the book and set it down on the work bench. Her eyes remained tightly shut as she leaned on both forehooves and concentrated on her breathing. It was then that Twilight noticed the two rings on a chain that Sunset rarely ever took off were sitting on the bench next to Raven and various tools and hardware. Twilight logic center concluded that made sense, it was never a good idea to do science experiments or work projects with loose clothing or jewelry.

“Sunny?”

“I’m fine, Twilight, or at least I will be. Thank you for trying to keep to her... dying wish and thank you for being here for me too. I know she didn’t say it in the journal, but I now know how she died.”

Twilight’s ears perked up. “Really? How?”

“While I was inside Aine’s head. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one my grandmother spied on at times. She was there, in Twilight’s dreamscape nightmare when she… they fought her darker side, Midnight Sparkle.” Sunset scoffed and smiled bitterly. “And to think I named my last motorcycle after that bitch because in a twisted way I used to think the outfit was hot.”

Twilight stepped up to Sunset and pulled her into a hug. Sunset took a deep inhalation of Twilight’s body scent and lavender mane shampoo and sighed, much of the tension leaving her stressed muscles and joints. The two stayed close and silent for nearly a minute until Sunset took a step back and smiled at the purple alicorn.

“You probably need to lower the sun any minute now, but before you go, can you do me a favor?”

“Anything.”

Sunset lifted her titanium rings and chain and placed them in a small cinch sack and passed it to Twilight. “Can you hold on to these for me?”

Twilight shook her head and waved her forehooves. “But, but those were your wedding rings! They are the most important thing you own! I, I can’t take them!”

“Yes, they are, but we are about to go face first into a battle that could shake the very planet to pieces and I don’t know what the outcome will be. I won’t lie, I’m scared, but you know I will want those back. So, if you are holding on to them, I’m going to fight my hardest to come back for them… back to you.”

Twilight hesitated, but after a moment nodded and accepted the pouch. “I’m going to hold you to that.”

“I’ll Pinkie Promise to come back if you want me to.”

“Let’s not do anything too crazy now,” Twilight said with a smile. The smile grew wider when Sunset picked up the plate of food and took a few bites. Once she was half way through the plate Twilight swallowed her anxiety and spoke again. “Sunset?”

“Hmm?”

“Come with me, please. I do need to lower the sun and... would you please accompany me and raise the moon?”

Sunset paused for a moment, looking about the room. She still had at least two speakers to finish and to get them the cave to test their acoustics. With a glance, Sunset could see the fading hope in Twilight’s eyes. Twilight wanted her beside her, she wanted her as an equal, she wanted her. Sunset felt herself blush ever so slightly as her heart sped up, mind drawing all sorts of tantalizing possibilities and implications. Sunset pushed the fantasies aside and finally smiled and nodded.
She levitated Raven to her carry pouch and picked up the half eaten plate in a second levitation field. Twilight pressed herself into the other alicorn, draped a wing over Sunset and teleported the two of them from the lab.

Most of the interdiction crystals had already been overcharged and did not have the energy left in them to stop an alicorn as powerful as Twilight Sparkle from teleporting. Taking advantage of that fact, Twilight had teleported Sunset and herself to just outside Twilight’s tower room. The two alicorns entered and Sunset set the plate of food down on the table.

Thankfully, despite the battle from earlier, Twilight’s private sanctum had remained undamaged. Considering the number of defensive wards weaved into the walls and thresholds Sunset mused that even if the tower had fallen and rolled down the mountain the room would have likely remained intact. That was Twilight to a T and Sunset absolutely adored it.

Twilight strolled through her office, glancing about to make sure everything was where it should be before continuing to the Solar Outlook balcony. Sunset was a few steps behind.

Sunset came to stop next to Twilight and playfully whapped her with a wing. “Almost feels like yesterday I was standing here… with Mom.” Sunset shuddered and sobbed for a moment, but the feeling of Twilight draping a purple wing over her and pressing the two of them together helped settled Sunset’s emotions. “Thanks, Twily. Especially for believing in me.”

Twilight smiled, nuzzling Sunset, their horns sliding against one another creating small magical sparks. “Always.”

Twilight straightened up and her horn took on a magenta glow as she guided the sun to the horizon. As Sunset waited for her turn, admiring the splendor that was her namesake, she looked down and found many ponies and other creatures milling about outside or helping their neighbors in their time of need. Most stopped what they were doing to also admire the beauty of the setting of the sun.

Once the sun had finished slipping away and the sky had darkened to a beautiful twilight, Sunset Shimmer lit her horn in a bright red brilliance and closed her eyes. She felt for the tug of the celestial body and smiled when it greeted her willingly. Slowly, Sunset reopened her eyes as she pulled the moon up from the eastern horizon and set it on its directed path across the night sky. When Sunset looked down again, the ponies and other creatures were no longer looking towards the horizon, but up towards the tower where she and Twilight were standing.

Sunset recognized a few faces, especially those that had come out of the large dining hall to admire the magic at work. Gauge, who was standing next to Tempest bent his knee and bowed deeply. Tempest soon followed his lead. Then, without a word or any planning, one by one, they all bent a knee and bowed. Ponies, griffons, dragons, and more, young and old, noble and common, they were all paying their respects to the two princesses standing upon the tower. Their rulers, their protectors. Sunset swallowed down her anxiety and quickly followed Twilight’s lead and waved to all their subjects. They truly were THEIR subjects now. Even if it was not official yet, the citizens had acknowledged the two princesses as their royal diarchs. Even in the background, both Cadence and Luna nodded their respect.

Sunset swallowed the lump in her throat and turned to leave. “I should probably get back to the lab, need to finish those speakers soon.”

“Please, stay with me.” Sunset turned back to Twilight who was looking only at Sunset. “I… I don’t want to be alone tonight.”

“Twily… I… there is so much… um, I mean I'm flattered and all,” Sunset fumbled as she felt her face heat up and wings pop open on their own.

“Oh! I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it had to be like that! I mean, sure I would absolutely enjoy… that, very much so… with you… but I also don’t want to pressure you! I just… I just, with everything that’s happened today and like you said, we’re going to be in for the fight of our lives. Not just for us, but for every creature’s lives. Even thinking about it gives me the shivers… I, I don’t want to be alone and I don’t want you to be alone either.” Twilight paused to take a deep breath, moving a foreleg to her chest and then out. “Sunny, this could be our last night on Equuis. I want to spend it with a friend.”

Sunset reached for her rings and remembered she did not have them. She frowned for a moment before smiling back to Twilight. It was flattering and humbling to see the large alicorn fidget and look about as anxious as a schoolfilly, wondering what Sunset would do or say. She looks so vulnerable, like if I say the wrong thing her heart would break like stained glass. She would never let anypony else see her like this, this vulnerable. Goddess, I can’t believe this is real… she’s in love with me. And… I’m in love with her. I love this Twilight Sparkle.

Sunset lifted her circlet crown off her head and simultaneously took Twilight’s crown off as well, setting them both on the table next to where she had set down the forgotten plate of food. Sunset stroked Twilight’s face and brushed her flowing mane back with her hoof. The two alicorns shared another kiss before nuzzling each other’s cheeks. When Twilight opened her eyes, she found Sunset waiting to stare back into her purple orbs. Maybe it was the wind or just Twilight’s imagination, but for just a few seconds, Sunset’s mane and tail waved about all on their own like they had in the dreamscape.

“Okay.”

----------

The beach exploded and sand was thrown in every direction. When Balius looked up from his crater he found that the moon was well past its apex and was slowly making its way to the western night sky. With two powerful flaps the aquamarine alicorn emerged from where he had landed and looked about. He did not recognize the landscape, but that was unsurprising given that the world had changed significantly since he and his siblings had helped shape it. As far as he could tell there were no settlements or villages nearby and he was too close to the ocean to see the particular mountain he was looking for.

A rustling and whispers caught his attention, his ears turning to the sound. A moment later, two young zebras emerged, both looking as if they had just awakened. Considering the sound his impact had created there was little doubt he had awoken them. Balius sighed. He had been flying back towards Equuis as quickly as caution would allow, not paying attention to which land mass he was aiming for. Equestria and his goal was to the west.

The two foals eyed him curiously, but with understandable caution. They had heard of alicorns, but never seen one. Balius rolled his eyes and then took flight. Once he had gotten his bearings thanks to the stars, he made a series of teleports followed by more casual flying.

Following his senses, Balius homed in on a source of magic that beat in tune with his own. After another half hour of teleports and flight adjustments, he landed on another shore, this one with rocky jetties and outcrops. Standing on the end of one such jutting was Scylla looking out over the water, waiting for him. Balius landed next to his sister and flexed his wings before folding them back.

“That,” said Scylla with a frown, “was unpleasant.”

“Yes, but not entirely unexpected. Quite insightful, actually.”

Scylla chuckled. “I had a feeling you would try to spin Mother coming in at the last moment to save her precious little mortals into some sort of positive. So please, enlighten me.”

“First, we are not dead. Nor are we in cells again, or petrified, or reduced to atoms, or even back into our elemental states. She flung us out into the stars. Why? Either to buy the mortals time to prepare or be evacuated, or because she CAN’T do more than that now.”

Scylla nodded and kicked a rock into the ocean. “All possibilities, but which is correct?”

Balius dismissed it with a wave. But then looked to the sky and took two steps back. Much like what he had done to the Zebrican beach, Aethon had done to the small corner of the Horseshoe Bay. The red alicorn growled and stood from his molten and steaming crater.

“Entropy’s curse and Chaos’s bane to her and all those she protects!”

Scylla and Balius stood by looking at their brother with bored expressions. Balius scanned about, they still needed Epona. Aethon shook the dirt from his mane and then set the grass near him on fire simply because he was angry.

Balius sighed. “Are you done?”

“I won’t be done until I have Sunset Shimmer’s still beating heart impaled on her own broken horn for a trophy!” Aethon snarled. “She cut off my horn!”

“And I fixed it, so stop whining like a newborn goat.” Aethon growled again, but settled. Scylla turned back to Balius who was still looking around for their trickster sister. “I assume you already have a plan?”

“I do,” Balius said, taking another large step back so that Epona could crash land. Annoyingly, but not unsurprising, she landed soft as a feather despite her meteoric reentry speed. “We need to seize control of The Well.”

Aethon groaned. “That thing again. You are not even certain it will give you the power Void told you it would since we never made it that far.”

“Precisely,” Balius said with a smile. “Mother stopped us from accessing The Well last time.”

“And what is to stop her from Imprisoning us again?” asked Scylla.

“The same thing that stopped her from saving Celestia. I don’t think she can. Think about it? She flung us out into the cosmos. She won’t stop us because she can’t.”

Scylla sighed placing a hoof on her face. “Normally, you have wonderful plans and ideas, but this logic is completely baseless.”

“Awwwww, don’t fiiiiight. Unless it’s to claim a dragon’s horde for fun!”

Scylla and Balius both stared at Epona for a moment before back at one another. Balius spoke first. “Look at it this way. We know she is watching where we did not before. It will be her mistake for not imprisoning us again. We move swiftly, tear down the door, and claim the Golden City before she can stop us. If Void was telling the truth we will have more power than Mother and nothing will stop us.”

Scylla shrugged then flashed a small smile. “Why not, not like any mortal creatures on this world can stop us. No doubt the false gods are still mourning Celestia and trying to reorganize a defense. Not that it will do them any good.”

“To Tartarus then?”

Scylla nodded. “Yes.”

“ROAD TRIP TO THE UNDERWORLD! WEEEEE FOUR QUEENS BE STEEEEALING THE GOOOOOLD!”

Aethon growled and sighed. “This better be worth it.”

Chapter 24: Preliator

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Southwest Equestria was mostly unoccupied territory. The land was dry and primarily barren rock with deep valleys that were prone to rock slides in between tall, foreboding mountains. Centuries ago, ponies and other creatures had prospected the area for mining, but the proximity to the Dragon Lands and the desert Badlands of the south made it difficult to attract let alone keep workers.

However, prospectors discovered one mountain had already had a large, cavernous hollow that did not appear naturally formed. Ponies of old had speculated, but ultimately gave up wondering how or why and just appreciated the cave for the shelter it provided. Eventually, following the founding of Equestria and before the time of the Two Sisters, the leaders needed a place to imprison enemies of the new nation and other hostile rogue elements. Preferably far away from the new seat of power. The mountain became the final home for the most dangerous and uncontrollable of monsters. Said mountain seemed perfect for such a task and was later given the name Tartarus after a frightening discovery.

When miners began expanding the cave to make more room for prisoners and captives, they unearthed another hollow section behind the first and a creature that had been slumbering deeper in the mountain. It was a creature unlike any they had ever seen, a massive three headed dog with three sets of intelligent eyes and intimidating rows of jagged teeth that would have made a dragon jealous.

The miners fled, but strangely, the creature did not leave the cave. Eventually, the miners and additional supporters returned. Pegasi warriors had suggested slaying the creature despite the face that it had not harmed a single pony. A single earth pony mare, however had attempted to befriend the creature and was, to the surprise of all, quite successful. As it turned out, the beast was friendly as long as no creature attempted to enter the back of the cave where it had been found. After a few years of training and working together, Cerberus, as she came to call him, was happy to help guard not just the back of the cave, but the prison as a whole.

What the kind earth pony and all the others whose names had been lost over time had not realized was that Cerberus was far older than they had realized and was guarding something far more precious than just a few hardened prisoners.

Scylla admired the door sealing Tartarus with just the tiniest hint of respect. The oversized door was one of the most complex pieces of magic and metallurgy she had yet to come across and was surprised to detect no traces of the Two Sisters or her mother's signature magic. Still, it was an obstacle and they had a date with destiny.

"May we continue, sister?"

Scylla glared at Balius. "This, brother, is a work of art. Not unlike the mountains we grew and river valleys we cut. It is worthy of admiration."

"It's in the way," commented Aethon with a glare.

Scylla rolled her eyes. "Yes, yes, onward."

The four alicorns lit their horns and each blasted a corner. After a few seconds the defensive wards and runes overloaded and exploded, the door bending in the intense heat and finally glowing red hot and buckling as chunks of molten slag fell to the ground. Scylla smiled as she entered, admiring the various creatures that were caged about the cavern. All of them were in one way or another related to her original experiments with combining species. It pleased the alicorn of air to see that some of her work lived on.

“Is this a jail break? Hey, let us out!” Perhaps not all of them.

Scylla approached the smaller cages and found a group of ponies who had gaunt complexions and sunken, bloodshot eyes. She doubted their appearance had anything to do with mistreatment or lack of nourishment not to mention the smell gave them away even at a distance. No, she recognized dark magic withdraw and could smell the death magic on them.

“Necromancers,” said Balius, sparing a glance to their suppression rings before moving on.

“Wait,” one prisoner did a doubletake, “was that an alicorn stallion? If I knew I could turn myself into an alicorn I would have gone that route instead! Let me out and I will serve you faithfully, gladly, I will learn all you have to teach!”

Scylla turned her bored teal eyes back to Aethon. “Kill them.” The red alicorn smiled broadly and with a flick of his horn set the entire block of cells on fire. The screams only lasted for a few seconds. Over the crackling of the fire a howl echoed through the stone walls and Scylla smiled a fanged grin. Cerberus came to a sliding stop, all three heads growling and snarling. The air aspect cackled and wrapped her forelegs around Cerberus’s paw, cheerfully cuddling him.

“Awwwwww look at you! Ten thousand years old and you look just as spry as the day I forged you! Such a good boy!” Cerberus snapped at Scylla, but she bopped him on one of his noses. “Ah, I see, you don’t remember me. I merged you, I am your master and mother.”

Cerberus marched back to the rear of the cave and sat down, continuing to growl.

“It appears, mother holds your pet's leash now. Or perhaps he is still loyal to Celestia and knows we vanquished her. Regardless, our goal lies there.”

Scylla nodded in agreement with Balius. “They have nurtured his natural guardian instincts, made him a willing servant instead of a slave. Clever and resourceful, but not enough to keep us out.” Scylla gestured towards the open front door. “Run along little one, don’t make me hurt you because I would regret that.” Cerberus, lowered his heads and growled.

“Awwwww, do we have to kill the puppy too?” Epona whined.

Balius rolled his eyes before dissolving into water. The various pools of water throughout the cavern exploded upward and combined with his liquid body and swiftly entrapped the three headed dog in a sphere of water just as he yelped in surprise. Try as he might Cerberus could not escape the sphere and began to panic. As soon as the monster dog went still the sphere rolled towards the entrance and expelled the guardian. After a minute Cerberus began coughing up the swallowed water. With a whimper, Cerberus limped away from Tartarus with his tail between his leg.

Balius reformed back next to the pink alicorn. “Happy?”

“You’re the best brother!” Aethon scoffed at the remark.

Scylla and Balius continued through the cavern chambers, ignoring the cries of both fear and attention from the remaining prisoners. They came to a stop at the back wall and examined the unusually smooth surface.

“It’s here, but… do you sense that?”

Scylla nodded and scowled. “Another lock. One that did not exist in our time. I knew this was too easy.”

Balius scanned the wall with his magic and the wall began to light up with various runes and symbols that had been invisible to the naked eye. The last symbol revealed a hole that looked like it would accommodate a horn. Balius turned to Scylla who had a similar annoyed and disgusted expression. In the center of the wall/door was a crescent moon.

“Luna,” Scylla hissed. She turned back to her brothers and sister. “What now?”

“Destroy the door,” said Aethon matter-of-factly.

“We can try, but I sense great, terrible power here. Something… ancient,” commented Scylla with a dark scowl.

Balius growled. “We have come too far and waited too long for this. For once, I think Aethon has the right idea. Take position, we will overwhelm the defenses and tear it all down. I will not be denied again.”

The four Athanatoi gave each other as much room as they could and focus their power on a corner much like that had done to the entrance door. A moment later they each unleashed their full power upon the single focal point. The energy collided and the entire cavern went white. Outside Tartarus, Cerberus looked back, his ears flat against his head. He began to scamper away faster just as the entire mountain exploded in a mushroom cloud.

----------

Sunset Shimmer was jolted awake. Without moving, she scanned the room, but found nothing out of place, but then again, it was not her bedroom so she was not one hundred percent sure where everything was supposed to be to begin with. She slowly raised her head to look down at the purple alicorn she had been spooning behind, one amber wing and foreleg still draped across Twilight’s neck and body.

The moon was low on the horizon and would need to be guided to rest soon. Twilight was still happily sleeping with a little smile on her face and would make the cutest little snore sound when she exhaled. Sunset wanted nothing more than to just lay back down and pretend nothing had disturbed her, but she also knew she couldn’t.

“Raven?” Sunset whispered. The dark bedroom lit up by the corner table.

“I am here.”

“How long until sunrise?”

“I believe that now depends on how long it will take to get you untangled from the pony that apparently handles that sort of thing here.”

“Ha ha.” Sunset felt Twilight roll from her side to her back. A long, slender purple forelegs reached up and stroked the side of Sunset’s face.

“What’s the matter?”

Sunset leaned in and kissed Twilight. They smiled at one another when they separated, nuzzling their muzzles. “Hopefully nothing, but I felt…” Sunset chuckled and shook her head, she should be ashamed for saying it, but was going to anyhow. “I felt a disturbance in the Force.”

“The Force? Which force? There are many forces in the natural order as well as magical forces. You’ll have to be more specific.”

Sunset moaned as Twilight continued to stroke Sunset’s face and ears, occasionally playing with her red and blonde mane. It was hard to focus without early morning coffee and having a beautiful, warm body pressed into her side only made things more sluggish in the best possible way. Goddess, had she missed the feeling of waking up with another body next to her.

“It might have just been a dream, but considering all that has happened it’s best not to assume. I just felt a… threatening tremor, like the world was warning me to wake up because bad things are coming.”

Twilight was about to comment further when a hoof pounded on Twilight’s chamber door. The purple alicorn frowned. “I guess it wasn’t a dream.” Twilight rolled out of bed and retrieved her crown as she left the bedroom and made her way to the front door. Sunset was only a few steps behind, but did not move nearly as gracefully and nearly dropped her circlet helm when she let out a face splitting yawn. Twilight opened the door to find Luna standing there along with Captain Gauge and Isabella. Surprisingly, all three were armed and armored and appeared ready to march to war.

“I apologize, Twilight, I understand how important post-coitus cuddling is to a blooming relationship, but I’m afraid there is no time for the proper bonding rituals.”

Twilight squeaked and tried to hide her blushing face while Isabella slapped a talon to her eyes and shook her head. Sunset groaned and rolled her eyes. Gauge just smirked before returning to his stoic professionalism.

“Do we really have to start the day with this conversation? Fine, yes, we had sex, sooooo muuuuch ooie, gooie, orgasmic inducing sex I cannot believe we’re not dehydrated and that either of us can walk straight.”

Twilight blushed more profusely and glared at Sunset. “Really?!”

Gauge stepped around the groaning griffon who wished she was now deaf. If he had been disturbed or embarrassed by the conversation he showed no outward sign of it and instead passed a piece of parchment bearing the seal of an official guard report to Twilight. “Intrusion alarm spells were triggered at Tartarus indicating the outer doors were breached. The guard station near the Garnoosan cut through pass responded, but turned back when they said the entire mountain exploded like a volcano. They returned to their station and contacted Control immediately.”

Twilight’s eyes grew twice their normal size. She glanced back and Sunset who just scowled at nothing in particular. “Exploded? As in the entire mountain exploded?”

“We have to assume the Athanatoi have returned and are responsible,” said Luna grimly.

“Then we’re out of time.” Sunset retrieved Raven and returned to the others. “I need to finish the last of the speakers I was setting up and the rest of you need to oversee the final trap preparations. I’ll meet you at the cave in an hour with my extra contingency in tow.”

“But what are t-”

Sunset gently pressed her hoof to Twilight's mouth. “I promise, I’ll explain it once I’m done, but we don’t have time now. Isabella, rouse everypony else we need to finish the cage. Gauge, go to DefCon One.”

“Your Highness?”

“Get them all, captain. Solar guards, lunar guards, mage corps, I don't care. If the librarians want to help then let them.
Any creature not willing to work directly under your command is to help see to it that the rest of the citizens are hunkered down and safe. Once we are on the march, we lay out the rest of the battle plan and then…”

Luna nodded in understanding. “Then we go to war.”

Canterlot became the epicenter of chaos. Twilight was sure Discord was sitting back somewhere in a reclining chair with a tub of popcorn. If not, he was missing out. All the guards were up and running about in the pre-dawn light barking orders or following said orders. Any creatures not participating in the preparations were told to stay in their shelters or help others find a sturdy place to hide.

Two trains had already left full of soldiers headed for Ponyville at faster than recommended speed to save time. Many others, along with volunteers who insisted on helping, were being packed into the airships and flown down to the forest. Given that they were now out of their element, the force of crystal ponies who had accompanied Princess Cadence were now overseeing the protection and organization of the remaining citizens of Canterlot. While there were a few who protested being moved to a shelter, many were cooperating or helping their fellows gather supplies and be prepared.

Twilight walked along the overlook as the airships undocked and began to descend to the valley below. It both warmed her heart and broke it to see so many creatures working together, but once again because they were pressed against the proverbial wall. Would her rule ever know a time of long term peace and prosperity? Did such a thing exist or did the very thing she hoped for act as a magnet for the forces of darkness?

“Hey,” Twilight turned when she heard Sunset’s voice, “give me a hoof with these?”

Twilight smiled as Sunset approached with a cart that had five wooden cased rectangle audio speakers. “The speakers you were working on?”

“Yeah, I had to make them from spare parts so I could properly sync them into Raven’s broadcast signal. I'm amazed I could calibrate the crystal resonance enough for her to find them.”

“But why do we need them?”

Sunset rolled her foreleg, trying to think of the best way to elaborate. “I’ll explain everything rattling around in my head once we are at the cave, but these are for what I call backup plan: Leroy Jenkins.”

Twilight smiled weakly. “I'm sorry, I have no idea what that means.”

Sunset smirked with confidence. “And neither will they.”

By the time Twilight and Sunset had arrived at the cave below the old ruin of The Castle of the Two Sisters, teams of ponies were hard at work on digging into the earth and rock outside the cave. Luna and Tempest were passing on orders to lieutenants on where they wanted dugouts and unicorn mages positioned. Twilight was pleased to see everypony working together with no complaint and Sunset was pleased to see her crazy plan coming to life, silently hoping it would all be enough. Her mind betrayed her a moment as Sunset's memory flashed to the Crystal Empire and how easily Aethon had torn through the lines of soldiers. Those screams and the bodies turning to ash would haunt her for years she was sure of it.

“Your Highnesses,” Tempest said with a bow to her princesses. She then reached into her saddle bag and retrieved a travel cup in her magic and held it out to Sunset. “Captain Gauge made us coffee before we left Canterlot. He asked me to save you a cup.”

Sunset perked up and happily took the offered beverage of life. “Mmmmm, so goooood.” Sunset took another long swig and sighed. “I know this is shallow, but I'm going to say it, if this was the only thing he was good at he’d still be a keeper.”

Tempest smiled and to both Twilight and Sunset’s surprise, she blushed hard enough it could be seen in the low light on her vermillion cheeks. “Trust me, it’s not the only thing he’s good at.”

Twilight quirked her head and then turned back to her captain. “Where’s mine?”

Tempest balked. “I… I’ve never seen you drink coffee before, princess, and I didn't have time to make you tea.”

Twilight pouted, jutting out her lip playfully grumbling, “I would have today.” Sunset passed her half full cup to Twilight who smiled affectionately at the precious gesture. If Sunset loved Twilight, which she noted Sunset had not said the words yet, coffee was easily a close second. Twilight nuzzled Sunset and accepted the gift. “Thank you.”

Sunset turned her attention back to the captain of the solar guard. “Is Cadence inside?”

“Yes, overseeing the last of the crystal placements with her experts and that harmony spirit thing.”

Sunset headed towards the cave with her speakers in tow. Twilight was about to follow when she heard her name being called out. Sunset turned and looked back over her shoulder and saw Princess Flurry Heart pulling a wagon with Prince Thicket by her side also pulling a wagon. Twilight looked between Sunset and Flurry torn between who to move towards. Sunset gestured with her head indicating that it was okay. Twilight smiled and headed over to meet her niece.

Twilight pulled Flurry into a hug the moment she unhitched from the wagon. One she happily returned. “How are you feeling?”

“Horrible, to be honest, but having a task to do helped. Plus, Thicket and Tule Spring were by my side to help me cope. I… I really don’t deserve such faithful friends.”

“I know how you feel. There were many times when I was at my lowest that the only thing that kept me going was the love of my friends and family. Even now, when I think about them it makes my heart swell and the power of friendship gives me the strength to see it through. True friends are the rock with which we all find hope and refuge to fall back upon. Keep those we love in our hearts and they are never truly gone.” Twilight examined the wagons. “Did you bring them?”

“Yes,” Flurry said with a nod, “and thank you, Aunt Twilight, for the pep talk and the reminder that I have friends and family that care. Is… is Mom here? I only got to speak to her briefly while we were working on this through the SunLight crystal.”

Twilight gestured to the cave. “Inside finishing preparations there. Though you may want to give her a minute, Sunset Shimmer just went in to speak with her.” Thicket placed a comforting foreleg over Flurry Heart’s shoulders and she happily leaned into him. Twilight smiled warmly at the pair.

"Waiting is not so bad in the right company."

Sunset walked down the cave tunnel and pondered for a moment that it did not feel as long of a corridor the last time she had walked it. Maybe it was just her imagination. Sunset stopped and turned, looking back at the entrance. If they cast a shadow spell it would be near impossible, even for alicorn eyes to see a pony standing in the corridor from the entrance. That could come in handy. She next noted the walls and out of curiosity, tested a few notes by singing her scales.

“Yes, Sunset Shimmer, I have extended the entry hall to make the trap harder to detect and modified the walls to be more acoustically harmonic. This will help with the focused energy upon the primary crystals in the open chamber.” Sunset gasped for a moment from the sudden appearance of the small glowing Twilight imposter that was Harmony.

Sunset composed herself and pointed towards the walls. “I’m glad you did. I want to set these speakers up along the walls so that I can have music bounce all the way down towards the entrance.”

“This is very doable, though I do not see the benefit beyond that music can help bring ponies together in a form of synchronous harmony.”

“It can also aggravate and mess with their minds in the right set of circumstances. Humans called it Psychological Warfare. We are going to need every advantage we can get with these monsters.”

When Sunset entered the main chamber, she quickly surveyed the crystals and their placement. It was unlikely they would get a chance to test run the cage so the correct placement was unquestionably a matter of life or death. The floor had six crystals rising out and pointing up like stalagmites and there were nine more along the walls that would act as energy magnifiers. From the ceiling, which also seemed to have been reshaped and raised were six more stalactites along with the primary crystal in the center. The center crystal would require the most scrutiny, if it was flawed or failed the rest of the cage would explode or fail as well. If the blast did not kill them the enemy surely would.

Thankfully, Cadence seemed to understand that as well. Sunset found her cousin standing on a hidden platform carved out of the cave just below the stalactites. Sunset flapped her wings and landed next to Cadence and a group of crystal ponies who had Sunset’s drawing from yesterday.

Cadence quickly trotted over to Sunset and pulled her into a hug. She then stepped back and her grin grew even wider. “I’m glad to see you. We are just about done with this part, but my artificers wanted your inspection and approval before we declared it finished.”

“As long as they made sure to include the chamber for the chaos energy to be released in the central crystal it should be just how I pictured it.”

Cadence nodded and then whispered, “Get a good night’s sleep? Or were you too busy making love to Twilight to bother with something as silly as sleep?”

Sunset knew it was coming and still could not keep from rolling her eyes with a goofy smile on her face. “We can talk about that later, but yes, all things considered, it was a good night. Now, please tell me these are ready.”

“As ready as we can make them,” said a pastel yellow crystal pony mare who gestured with a hoof to the cavern. “Though, to be fair, most of the work was done by Harmony. We just refined them and attuned them to one another. Theoretically, once you insert the chaos energy, the surrounding unicorn mages will then pump energy directly into the harmonic crystal and as the opposing energies collide the resulting energy radiation will follow the path of least resistance to the facets we shaped. The energy should then move to the focus crystals and finally to the floor crystals, sealing the cage. However, I cannot see how the energy will be strong enough to keep them from just simply walking out of the energy field.”

Sunset nodded. “That’s where we come in. We'll have to hold them down until we get the suppression rings on them. Without access to alicorn magic it will be a contest of brute strength and leverage, but we have the advantage of surprise on our side. Either way it's going to be a good old fashion scuffle. As AJ would say.”

“And as far as luring them in?” asked Cadence?”

Sunset gestured to the entrance of the cave. “Come on, time to let everypony in on the plan at once.”

Sunset was the last of the group to exit the cave, taking a moment to hang her speakers on the walls and hope they would sound right. She did not have the time or equipment to properly test the acoustics anyhow. Once outside, Sunset found that all the creatures gathered to help set things in motion were milling about near the cave entrance, talking and muttering amongst themselves. They looked tired, worried, many unsure of what they were doing or if it would even be enough to save their families and homes.

Cadence had found her daughter as Flurry nodded and smiled, wiping a few tears away, unconcerned with what onlookers thought of the reunion. Whatever had been said at least it had not caused a fight. Thicket was standing a respectful distance away with Tule Spring standing by his side.

Tempest and Gauge walked side by side checking with the guards stationed about the valley gorge and the volunteers who were to provide magic support. It brought a brief smile to her face to see the two captains happy. Lastly, her eyes fell to Twilight and Luna, who were standing on a raised earthen platform so that all the creatures present could see them. Now that Sunset took note, there were more than fifty ponies, griffons, deer, and even two dragons in the back of the group, Spike and Smolder.

Twilight’s eyes met Sunset’s and she then turned to the east and gestured towards the sky. Sunset understood what she was implying even without a word. The citizens wanted to see the light of a new day and the princesses who would bring it forth. They needed that assurance, that certainty of normalcy. Sunset lit her horn, the red magical aura reaching out beyond the surrounding land and trees and to the heavens themselves. She found her connection to the moon and smiled, it felt like it was smiling back. With closed eyes Sunset guided it the rest of the way below the horizon and assure the massive satellite it would rise again.

Simultaneously, Twilight’s horn lit with her magenta magical aura, her eyes also closed as she reached out and felt the warmth of the sun. The burning orb could feel the pain of loss in Twilight’s heart, the loss of its old and beloved friend, Celestia. But it also felt the joy and love inside Twilight, the hope that things would get better and that Sunset Shimmer would help see them both through. That faith helped fuel the shining brightness of the glowing orb. The sun broke the eastern horizon and bathed the world in its love and warmth once more.

When Sunset opened her eyes, she found the gathered creatures all staring up at her and Twilight. Luna, Cadence, and Flurry were nearby, but all eyes fell upon the amber and purple alicorns. Twilight, gently nudged Sunset to step forward. Hesitating for only a moment, Sunset swallowed and nodded. She knew what they were expecting and did not need to access her empathy powers to see it on their various faces. She had seen this sort of pivotal moment in a dozen movies, story based video games, and books. She could hear her mother’s words in her mind again. Become the pony you were born to be.

“Good morning. I apologize on behalf of the crown to wake all of you so early to come down here and work, but it was necessary and thank you for diligence and loyalty to Equestria. I know some of you know me or have heard of me, but there may be a few who are unaware so let me formally introduce myself so that you understand who and what I am.

“I am Sunset Shimmer, daughter of the Goddess of the Sun, Princess Celestia, daughter of a unicorn king from another land and…” Sunset turned and glanced back at Twilight. “Soon to be formally coronated as the new Princess of the Lunar Court. Much of my background is, honestly not worth mentioning beyond that I was a brat and was in much need of growing up. So I did, far from Canterlot and Equestria. However, I never stopped loving this land and never lost my desire to return and make it better.

“As some of you know or have heard rumors of, alicorn-like creatures, monstrous and powerful, attacked the Crystal Empire, killing many and damaging a section of the spelndid city. And not long ago, they did so again in Canterlot.” Sunset paused, she shuddered and fought down her emotions and tears. They deserved to know the truth, or at least the part that would help them understand what was at stake and motivate them to fight their hardest.

“During the attack upon the palace, Celestia, my mother, goddess, teacher, defender, and steward to us all was mortally wounded during the last attack and succumbed to her injuries.” The crowd broke into gasps and sobs and shouted questions. She had to keep them focused and on task or else a panic would set in. Sunset raised a hoof so that she could continue.

“These, wretched, cowardly, manipulative spawn from the deepest depths of Tartarus could not have held a candle to Celestia in her prime so they waited while her health ebbed over generations and struck a killing blow while she tried to help save her fellow princess, Flurry Heart. Celestia gave everything for Equestria and we should be prepared tp do no less ourselves."

Sunset shuddered, let out a breath and continued once more. “They took my mother from me, from you, from us all! And by the Goddess of Creation herself as witness we will take EVERYTHING from them for it! Make no mistake, while our enemies were cast out into the stars they had no intention of staying there and make ready to return to destroy our world, but we are not going to let them have it! What we are going to let them have is a swift kick to the teeth and a suppression ring crafted by a goddess to clamp them down so hard they will wish they had never crawled out from the rocks they had been imprisoned in!

"I know you are scared to face such powerful creatures, rightly so! But don’t let that fear control you, turn it, use it, let it burn inside you and direct it back at your foes so that they know we will not roll over and go quietly! Stand ready, stand together, proud citizens of Equestria! Let all the universe know that we are stronger in our heart and in our souls than any aggressor. This is our home and by the goddess, no monster takes it without a fight!”

Sunset waited for the cheers and roars to settle before continuing. “I won’t lie to you, while the plan is simple it is dangerous and that danger goes for us all. However, understand we cannot fail, we cannot flee, and there is no tomorrow without victory. The other alicorn princesses and I will lead the charge to draw the enemy back here.

“They will likely come for Canterlot first, believing that we will attempt to hold the capital. Pegasi squads of guards and Wonderbolts will fly a vortex holding pattern over the city, making it difficult if not impossible for our enemy to penetrate, keeping the rest of the city safe. I will personally lead the antagonizing force to draw them away from our city. Should their blood lust be enough they will follow us back here into the cave and the trap will slam shut. All the while the unicorn mage squads will lay in hiding under the pits that were dug for them. Illusion spells would be seen through so silence under cover is crucial. They will then combine their power to lay down shield after shield over the cave entrance to prevent the enemy from escaping.

“Should our enemy hesitate or try to be clever I will then bait them in and the unicorn mages will use their power combined with Princesses Twilight and Cadence’s to shove them into the cave. Once subdue, we will use the strongest suppressor rings in existence to prevent them from ever hurting anypony ever again. Now, while I’m sure some of you have questions we don’t have time to cover everything, so please, follow your designated officer or team leader to your staging area.” There were still some shouted questions, but Sunset stepped back from the earthen platform and joined the rest of the princesses.

“Well said, niece, I believe they understand what is at stake.”

“I just hope that will be enough.” Sunset paused. “Has anypony seen Aine or the promised suppression rings? We are all dead without those.”

Twilight was about to comment when a box fell from no where in between the circle of alicorns. Cautiously, Twilight nudged open the lacquered wooden lid and revealed four large rings inside, each big enough to slip over an alicorn horn. Luna snorted, disgusted.

“Could not even say hello or good luck. Typical.”

“Your Highnesses.” The princesses turned to find Captain Gauge and Captain Fury standing at attention with a dozen solar and lunar guards, pegasi and thestrals. “Your honor guard is prepared to join you.”

“I would rather they assisted in the defense of Canterlot, Gauge.”

“With respect, my princess, not only do we wish to stand by your side and serve, it would be suspicious to the enemy if you had no guards when they arrived. Each soldier has been briefed on the extreme danger of not staying alert and out of the way. The illusion must be sold, but not recklessly.”

Luna nodded to Sunset. “He is not wrong.”

Reluctantly, Sunset nodded in agreement. “No heroics or attempts to do anything fancy. We’ve lost too many friends and soldiers as it is. We draw them in and then we run, got it?” The guards all saluted in unison, smacking their hooves against their armor. “Do what you have to do, we leave in five minutes.”

Gauge turned back to Tempest and even though it was undisciplined and probably a violation of on duty regs, he kissed her and nuzzled her cheek. If Tempest was upset about the breach in protocol, she did not show it and returned the nuzzle in kind.

“Be fast, be smart, stay safe.”

Gauge nodded. “I love you.”

Tempest smiled mischievously. “After what I did for you last night, you damn well better.”

Gauge flashed a toothy grin before stepping back and sliding his helmet back on. “Company, on me! We leave at the princess’s command.”

Sunset turned back to Twilight who, despite her best efforts to remain the regal princess, was still trembling ever so slightly when she looked upon her marefriend. “Sunset… I…”

Sunset gently pressed her hoof to Twilights muzzle. “None of that. Luna and I will draw them in, you wait here with Cadence and have Flurry set up with the others in the cave to spring the trap. Focus on that and nothing else.”

"Given the danger to the princesses, I want the battle mages outside with Twilight and Cadence and I'll take the scholars and volunteers inside with me to activate the crystal cage. I just hope they are ready for a serious horn workout," said Tempest, sliding her own helmet back on.

"They had better be." Sunset levitated Raven inside her pouch off her shoulder and placed her around Flurry Heart’s neck. “This is one of my most important possessions and a friend. She’s also crucial to one of our backup plans. Keep her safe.”

“I will, but I still think I should be the one in the fight,” commented Flurry, scratching at the scar on her foreleg from Sunset’s sword. Cadence tried to drape a wing across her daughter’s back, but it was harder than it used to be given Flurry’s larger frame. Flurry smiled at her mother to show her appreciation for the gesture. “I owe them for every horrible thing they have done and convinced me to do.”

“I dove into your dreams last night and found no lingering connections upon your mind avatar," said Luna, "however, we cannot assume they have no other means of controlling you. It is best for all involved that you use your copious mana pool to help power the crystal and leave the close combat to us.”

“I know, its just… I’m a better fighter than Aunt Twilight and Mom. I should be on the ground floor.”

“Hey! I can fight! I was saving Equestria before you were even born,” protested Twilight.

“Sweetie, look at me,” Flurry met her mother’s eyes and flinched. She had never seen those loving magenta orbs filled with so much molten steel. In a word, it was terrifying. “Those monsters hurt you. You, my only living child and the light of my life everyday. Trust me when I say I plan to hurt them back for all they have done and put you through.”

Sunset opened her wings and took to the sky, the feathers bursting into flames. Luna and the accompanying soldiers were two flaps behind. Twilight watched them go. Sunset took a moment to glance back and winker at her before flying away. Twilight felt more than saw Cadence lean close and whisper, “Say it. Even if she’s not ready to hear it, you need to say it for your own good.”

Twilight shuddered for a moment, hoping no other ponies could see her tremble. Such weakness would be unbecoming at such a critical moment. “I love her, Cadence, I love her so much.”

Cadence smiled, hugging her sister-in-law. “I know.” Cadence turned back and saw Tempest also looking to the sky at the retreating forms. “And don’t you run off yet either, somepony here is going to give me some juicy details on how their night of passion went. Helping other’s love lives and living vicariously through them is how I get my jollies most days. That, and the occasional sex or marital therapy session for my imperial subjects. I’m sure it would shock no pony that I spend more time helping the empire in that capacity than by sitting my plot on the throne.”

Isabella threw her claws to the air. “I’m out.”

----------

Scylla screamed as she threw the boulder off herself. The air aspect focused on her broken leg and a dark blue magic sealed her cuts and bruises and finally reset her leg back where it belonged with a painful snap. A moment later, Aethon emerged from a glowing pile of rocks that he melted away, one eye closed from swelling where he had been struck at high velocity. He looked over his shoulder at his broken wing and growled at the rock formation that resembled the prison he had been encased in for the last ten thousand years. The door and the rock that immediately surrounded it still appeared untouched by all the destruction.

“Impossible.”

Water bubbled up from between the fallen rocks until finally solidifying into an aquamarine alicorn. Balius growled and threw a rock at the door, it did little more than bounce off without leaving a mark. The ground rumbled and then exploded, tossing dirt and small debris about as Epona popped from the ground without a mark on her.

“I tried to come at it from the bottom but I don’t think it has a bottom.”

“We shaped the rivers, the land, we cultivated this rock back from a burning wasteland and together we are incapable of breaking down a single door?!” Like Balius, Aethon threw a burning rock at the door with the same results.

Scylla took the time to heal her brothers' wounds, neither said thank you and she scowled at them. “The answer is as clear as the markings on that door. As long as Luna is alive the door is sealed and beyond our combined power to open. Mother's doing no doubt.”

Balius sighed and composed himself, slicking his wet mane back from his face. “Yes, of course. Back to Canterlot then?”

“Mother will be waiting for us,” growled Aethon. “She threw us into the stars, what is to keep her from doing it again?”

“Then we will return again, and again, and again, until we either succeed or we burn this planet to cinders fighting Mother. Perhaps we should choose a town to burn to ash first? See to what lengths Mother is willing to go to protect her precious mortals.”

Scylla smiled. “How about that little one in the valley near Canterlot? The one that our precious Flurry now lives in? A just reward for her betrayal.” The other three alicorns nodded in agreement. “To Ponyville then.” The four Athanatoi vanished in teleportation flashes.

Each alicorn stood on top of a rolling green hill outside of the small town that had grown from a single farmhouse and a hope of prosperity. Aethon summoned his blades and prepared to launch at the nearest building when Balius raised a hoof.

“Wait,” the water aspect pointed to Canterlot up on the mountain above. “Look there.” Three sets of eyes turned to the sky and noticed a small swarm of pegasi and thestrals flying a holding pattern around the city.

“Ohhhhh! Impressive! I’m surprised they don’t crash into each other!”

Scylla narrowed her eyes, seeing beyond what was happening before them. The mortals had prepared something, but she was not entirely sure what. Regardless, standing upon the top of the mountain above the city was the unmistakable shape of a goldenrod alicorn with burning wings. Next to her, standing with what was most likely a large sword or axe was their desired objective. Luna. It was most likely a trap, but they had the element of surprise.

“The easiest thing to do would be to just destroy the entire mountain top,” commented Scylla, serpent eyes narrow.

“Perhaps. But they would likely sense such a power surge and I do not see Twilight Sparkle or Flurry Heart. That gives me pause.”

“Then we do what we did before, let me burn this puny town to the ground and draw them in, you go for the kill.”

Balius growled at Aethon. “And what about Mother?”

Scylla rolled her eyes, “You were on board with this just moments ago. I recall you saying again, and again, until the world is a burning cinder. A means of testing Mother's love for her mortals. Did the rock that struck you upon the head cave in the memory sections of your brain?”

“No. Because I am thinking now. You are still angry that your precious pet turned on you even though we are now free.”

“Yes, free to see the sky above once more. I believe the words you are looking for, brother, are ‘thank you’.”

“And for how long? Like I said before, she knows we are free and will not turn a blind eye for long. We need a smarter way to test how much can be done before she intercedes.”

“Hey!” All eyes turned to Epona. “I’ve got an idea! How about we just go kill them hard and fast and if Mom shows up, we just, you know, run away? No gloating, no overthinking, just BAMF! SWOOP! PEW! POOF! DEAD! Who’s with me?” Aethon smiled and nodded, Scylla shrugged. Finally, after a moment of consideration, Balius agreed.

“Very well. If nothing else it will answer some questions.” Balius pointed towards the mountain top. “Approach from four different directions and fire as soon as you exit your teleport. If they somehow survive, we aim for the city, blow it completely off the side of the mountain. Luna must die if we are to reach The Well.”

The Athanatoi nodded to one another and each disappeared in a flash. Moments later they appeared in a sky above the mountain summit. Aethon fired the moment he exited his flaming teleport, a tight beam of super heated plasma energy traveled directly for Sunset Shimmer’s head. The beam passed cleanly through her neck, severing her head from her body. Scylla also went for a similar surgical strike on Luna while Balius and Epona chose to aim for the mountain and explode the surrounding rock.

While Aethon grinned in triumph, both Scylla and Balius looked skeptical. When the smoke cleared, they found only rock, some of it the color of goldenrod and midnight indigo.

“It’s a trap!” shouted Epona.

Luna, Sunset, and their honor guard passed through the circling pegasi shield around Canterlot. Once through, the Wonderbolts directed the others circling the city to speed up. The entire city of Canterlot disappeared behind a protective tornado. Luna fired, her horn blast splitting off into four individual seeker beams. Sunset released a massive blast of pure red energy.

The Athanatoi scattered. Aethon snarled and returned fire that Sunset deflected with her glowing energy sword. Sunset flashed a feral grin.

----------

Earlier:

“Niece,” Luna said quietly as they continued to fly towards Canterlot.

“Yeah?”

“While the danger to ourselves is great, I still worry that our foes may not come directly for us. Aethon’s previous attack was successful because it drew us away by lashing out at the city and her citizens. If we wish this plan to have any chance of success, we need to control the battle from start to finish this time.”

Sunset nodded, signaling Gauge to join the conversation. “I was thinking about that too. They may want us dead, but they are certainly not opposed to killing everypony else along the way. We need to make ourselves the irresistible, obvious target. Like a big, shiny gem for a hungry dragon.”

“I dislike this plan already,” commented Gauge. “However, instead of waiting to just be attacked, what about a decoy serving along the same lines?”

“They are powerful creatures, captain, most likely capable of seeing through any illusion we could conjure.”

Sunset's grin was suddenly disturbingly predatorial. “You know, I’ve learned a lot about crystals over the last few years thanks to the SunLight work and a buttload of reading. I learned how to grow them, shape them, how much power you can imbue certain types with. They are pretty amazing things.”

“And?” asked Luna with an arched eyebrow.

“Who wants to bet I can sculpt two crystals to look like you and I and even power them up so they have some of our distinct energy signatures?”

Luna and Gauge both grinned in turn. “Well, that will certainly make them angry when they try and fail to assassinate us.”

“Angry is good,” Gauge commented as they landed to meet the senior officers of the Wonderbolts who were waiting by the guard barracks. “An angry enemy comes at you stupid.”

----------

“Stay back and watch our flanks!” shouted Sunset to the six guards that were at her sides. Luna relayed similar orders to the guards surrounding her. As Aethon closed the distance, Sunset raised her sword to meet his attack and then quickly vanished in a teleport flash. She reappeared directly behind him and slashed downward. If he had been a half second slower, Aethon would have lost both wings, but instead only a few feathers were burned away. Sunset teleported again as a teal beam passed where she had been hovering. It had been hard enough facing one lightning fast alicorn. Two of them was just asking for a fatal mistake.

“Mother Creation will not save you this time, false god, otherwise she would be here to face us!”

Sunset raised her blade and waited. Aethon was on her left with two glowing daggers while Balius was on her right with a spear made of water. She needed them to follow, but the retreat had to look convincing.

“Gauge, on my flank, the rest of you, fall back and alert Twilight!” The guards dove down the side of the mountain, skimming as close to the rockface as they dared.

Aethon sent a flying dagger at the last pegasus in the formation. Sunset tried to blast at it, but could not aim properly as Balius launched his spear at her face. The weapon sizzled and evaporated on contact with Sunset’s sword, but the distraction had been enough as the flaming dagger struck the back of the brown pegasus guard. He died and turned to ash a moment later.

The red alicorn’s victory was short lived as Luna appeared directly above him and blasted downward sending Aethon into a spin that ended when he bounced off the mountainside. Sunset growled and fired her horn at Balius, the alicorn turned his body to water allowing the blast to pass through him. Gauge threw his pointed staff that also passed though him, but struck Epona who had not seen the weapon approaching. She cried out as the rune etched weapon bit deep, drawing a small fountain of blood.

“Retreat, and regroup!” shouted Luna, twisting her head to fire once more. Sunset flipped over with Gauge directly at her tail. Scylla appeared before Sunset, standing on a ledge of the mountain, horn glowing black and purple. Sunset twisted to wrap herself around Gauge and teleport both of them. Logic would have dictated they teleport to the forest floor for cover and safety, but they were trying to be followed. Logic was put out to pasture. Instead, Sunset reappeared inches before the air aspect while still in her midair spin, her back right hoof connected with Scylla’s horn just as she was about to fire. The strike combined with the distraction caused Scylla to lose her concentration on the deadly attack spell, the magical feedback exploding in her face. Sunset released Gauge and they both snapped their wings open to glide towards the Everfree.

Twilight let out a huge sigh of relief when Luna landed, soon followed by Sunset and Gauge. Without requiring directions, the thestral galloped into the cave to prepare the others for the next phase of the trap.

“When do we move?”

Sunset rolled her shoulders and stretched her neck muscles, wishing she had taken the time to stretch before jumping straight into heavy combat. “We need them to see us. We want them to follow after all. If they don’t chase right away, I’ll call out the signal word for the next part.”

Aethon crashed to the ground dangerously close to where their allies and soldiers were hiding, but did not seem to notice, his burning eyes laser focused on the three alicorns before him. His horn burned and blades reappeared.

Epona was next to land, throwing the bent staff-spear to the ground, eyes an angry red. “That reeeeeeaally hurt, just so you know. I'm going hug that thestral so hard all his blood and organs will come spewing out his mouth.”

“Run! I’ll hold them back!” Sunset raised her sword and slowly back pedaled into the cave entrance as Twilight and Luna ran head long into the dark corridor.

Aethon was about to charge when Balius and Scylla landed in front of him. Sunset watched as they both examined their surroundings with far more scrutiny than was comfortable. Before they looked behind themselves, Sunset shouted down the cave tunnel, “Raven! Leroy Jenkins!” Twilight took that as her cue to insert magical hearing protection into hers, Luna’s and Sunset’s ears. The PAAL lit up where it had been set down near Tempest and Flurry Heart. She considered playing the song Sunset had told her to, but skipped over it and began to play a different song.

Sunset had already backed up halfway down the corridor. As part of the plan, Luna had cast an illusion to make the corridor darker than it appeared by absorbing most of the ambient light, except for the glow of Sunset’s sword and Luna’s axe. While not part of the original plan it was an acceptable addition, Twilight stood to Sunset’s left with her horn blazing through the darkness as well.

The speakers erupted in a pounding rock n’ roll drum beat followed by a steadily more intense electric guitar intro. Sunset sighed and rolled her eyes, she was not sure if Raven could hear her over the music, but shouted down the corridor anyhow. “That was suppose to be ‘Welcome to the Jungle’, circuit for brains!”

The music dimmed for a moment as Raven replied through the speakers. “Oh, don’t be so cliché. This song will serve the intended purpose and is equally as loud and annoying.” A moment later the lead singer screamed the word, ‘TRANSFORMERS!’ as the theme song to the 1986 Transformers movie blared through the darkness. Without another word, Sunset began swinging her sword in a taunting display.

Aethon could see Sunset’s glowing sword, he could see Luna’s axe, and even the magenta burn of Twilight’s horn. Then, the most ungodly noise he had ever heard blasted out of the cave to offend his ears. It was causing his blood to boil and turn his vision red with bloodlust. He wanted to charge, to slash, to kill his enemies and destroy the source of his annoyance.

“Well,” Scylla began, looking towards Balius, both their ears flat against their heads, “this is certainly a trap.”

“I don’t care!” Aethon growled. “I want them dead! I will have their skulls for drinking glasses! GRAAHHHH!!!!”

“Brother!” Before Scylla or Balius could stop him, Aethon ran forward into the cave. Epona laughed like a hyena and soon followed screaming, “Chaaaaaaarge!”

“Epona!” Balius facehoofed. “It would have been easier just to collapse the cave, you idiots!”

Scylla and Balius stood just before the cave entrance, trying to discover what trap had been laid. However, unable to hear or feel the ground vibrate from the blasting cacophony, neither alicorn noticed the panels covering thirty unicorns slide away. The moment they were able to sense the combined magical build up it had been too late and both were struck with a combined wind and force spell that blasted them down the corridor. Balius and Scylla smashed into Epona and Aethon, who in turn smashed into Twilight, Luna, and Sunset.

As ordered, the moment the air blast ended, the mages erected a multilayer shield over the entrance of the cave that was then reinforced by thick vines that sprang from the ground by the magical alchemy and beckoning of King Briar of the Everfree Thicket kingdom.

“And now we wait and pray for success,” said the towering buck, praying for the safety of his son and their friends.

Cadence, who had been waiting at the center of the trap was able to grab her fellow alicorns in her telekinetic magic while leaving the other four to crash into the center of the cave. The music stopped immediately, signaling Tempest, Flurry, and the other four unicorns to unleash their power blasts at the central crystal that was hanging from the ceiling.

The power node that contained the stored chaos energy shattered under the combined power assault and the two opposing energies bounced erratically inside the hollow chamber. Bluish lightning shot from the central crystal out the six prepared facets and down along the prepared pathways, finally slamming to the floor, causing the smaller crystal in the center of the cage to glow. The floor crystal sank into stone, locking the circuit of power in place.

All eight alicorns inside the cage screamed, grunted, and/or fumbled about as if they had been hit with a powerful ocean wave and were now drowning on dry land. Summoned weapons disappeared, horns lost their glow, and even Sunset’s fire rubies on her armor went dark. When she could breathe again, Sunset felt heavy, like she had eaten an entire tub of ice cream and was too weak to do more than just waddle and fall over. It had been a while, but for the first time in years, Sunset felt, normal. No alicorn strength, or speed, or sight. Just an oversized, normal pony again. It was strange, but not so terrible that she could not navigate the space. When she looked to Twilight, Sunset could tell she was having a similar adjustment and was recovering quickly. However, when Sunset look at the faces the Athantoi were making her grin became savage.

“What, what have you done to us?!” shouted Scylla, trying to light her horn but could only manage a spark about as powerful as a child’s Pop-Pop. The others were having similar difficulty. Epona was tapping on her horn as if that would help. Admittedly, it was kind of sad the way they were fumbling about like drunks unable to find their equilibrium, but there was no empathy for them in the goldenrod alicorn.

“This, is what it feels like to be mortal, weak. No unicorn magic, no earth pony strength, no pegasi flight. Just you carrying the weight of your own being and hoping no pony bigger than you steps on you along the way.” Sunset sat back a moment and flexed the joints along the back of her forehooves, the closest she could get to popping knuckles. “And this, is for CELESTIA!” Sunset charged Scylla and punched her hard in the jaw, a broken tooth and blood flying from her mouth.

Aethon jumped on Sunset and the two began to roll on the stone floor, scuffling for leverage. Sunset used her well earned knowledge of martial arts on how to deal with a larger, stronger opponent and managed to straddle the red alicorn. Once on top, she began punching him repeatedly in the face. She managed to get several solid hits in before he managed to buck her off and tried crawling to the edge of the cage’s magi-electrical field. Sunset seized his tail in her mouth and yanked back, hard.

"Ohhhhh, no you don't!"

Luna stepped on Scylla’s wing, forcing a yelp from the dark alicorn who was trying to get the blood to stop flowing from her mouth. She looked up at her half-sister’s burning teal eyes. “We would gladly take thy head in our hooves and snap the bones and soft tissue of thine neck if not for the promise our niece had made. Beating you into submission will have to suffice.” Luna smashed her forehooves down on the back of Scylla’s neck, bouncing her already swollen chin off the stone floor with a satisfying cracking sound.

Balius raised his hooves as Twilight approached, attempting to disarm her with a smile. He was about to speak when Twilight stopped, smiled and then pointed to the left. Balius turned to look and never saw the hoof that connected with his face.

Epona turned and found her brothers and sister all being assaulted by the Equestrian alicorns. When she looked back to her left, she found Cadence frowning at her with an arched eyebrow. “Ohhhh, so looks like it’s just you and me, sex queen! Whatcha gonna do, ram your horn up my rear and fuck me into giving up?”

“I’m not a violent pony by nature, but you need to understand something about me and my role as the Princess of Love. Love is one of the most powerful, primal forces in existence and can drive creatures to do great and sometimes terrible things. I love many ponies and creatures, but none come anywhere close to how much I love my daughter and you hurt her… immensely. You and your fellow yak droppings you call brothers and sister hurt my baby, forced her to turn on her family. Forced her to kill. You think you have seen horrors or the burning depths of Tartarus? You have not seen anything until you have seen what a furious mother will do to protect her child.” Epona gulped as Cadence jumped her and began smashing her hooves down.

Tempest grunted as her horn began to throb a bit. They never did plan out how long exactly they had to hold the spell that was powering the cage. Her eyes were starting to blur and from where she was standing it was difficult to see the scrap fight going on below. Gauge was standing next to her, waiting to give the signal to stop once the princesses had the suppression rings on the enemy.

“How… much… longer?”

Gauge glance back at Tempest who was shaking a bit as sweat poured down her face. Then, the unicorn to her left passed out and collapsed. Tempest and the others cried out and they nearly lost control of the cage. Then, two more waivered and collapsed as well, leaving Flurry and Tempest to pick up the additional strain. The guard captain cried out from the additional strain on her horn, spots forming in her vision.

“Your Highnesses!” Gauge cried out. “You must hurry, the mages are collapsing!” Gauge could not tell if they heard him or not over the static crackle of magical energy. “Flurry!”

“I’m giving it all I can, okay?!” Flurry shouted through clenched teeth. Both Flurry and Tempest cried out again as the last mage passed out.

Tears poured from Tempest’s clenched eyes, combining with her sweat that dripped off her nose and chin. “I… I can’t, I… oh, Celestia it hurts! My horn is going to explode!” Tempest screamed in pain, stumbling to her foreleg knees. Gauge slide underneath the unicorn captain and helped steady her. “I can’t, I can’t… I…”

“Tempest, open your eyes and look at me.” The vermilion unicorn blinked and looked down at the thestral beneath her. He reached up and touched a hoof to her face. “You are the strongest unicorn I have ever met. Never have I known another pony as dedicated to her duty to protect her princess as you. Dig deep, deeper than you have ever dug and find your strength that I know is there.”

“Foggy, it hurts, oh stars it hurts so much!”

“Then draw upon my strength and love for you. Together, we are stronger than the forces of the universe itself!” Tempest felt his lips connect with hers and leaned into the kiss. Whether by intention or by circumstance of the spell being cast, Tempest felt the brilliant, blazing life force of the thestral connected to her augment her own power. Both their bodies became engulfed in magical energy, her light green magical beam became intertwined with a yellow beam that emerged from Gauge’s forehead.

Flurry watched from her position as one by one of their unicorn volunteers fell. ‘Useless!’ she thought, pouring more of herself into the spell. She knew any second the guard captain would fall as well. There was no way a unicorn, even as strong as her could go hoof to hoof with an alicorn’s strength and stamina. Then, as the last unicorn screamed in pain, her thestral partner whispered something to her and their lips connected. Flurry felt the feedback along their combined spell matrices, the extra power coming from a pony who had no horn, but plenty of magic to give. The magic of friendship.

Aunt Twilight had always said how friendship was the most powerful magic in Equestria and she had seen first hoof its many wonders. But this was something else, something more pure. Her mind flashed images of her mother and father, all the times they had kissed, nuzzled, shown undying love to one another and of course to Flurry as well. Love, her mother had called it the most pure and true expression of friendship. All great, unbreakable friendships were built upon a bedrock of love. Flurry Heart could feel that devoted love augmenting Tempest’s power and it was something beautiful to behold.

Flurry looked to her left where Thicket was glancing back and forth between the fight below and Flurry’s condition. The light pink alicorn smile and nudged the deer with her hoof. Thicket immediately stepped closer to her.

“What do you need? How can I help?”

“Kiss me, you amazing buck.” Thicket blinked as his mouth hung open in shock. Flurry rolled her eyes and with a single leg tripped the deer to the ground, stepped over him and planted her lips upon his. The power from her own horn began to glow a rainbow of colors and Flurry’s entire body transformed to shimmering crystal.

Twilight heard the screams from above and knew they were out of time. “Sunset!”

Sunset Shimmer also knew they were about to lose their cage. With one final kick to Aethon’s mid-section he landed in the center of the floor. A beaten and bloodied Scylla landed on top of him, followed by Epona and finally Balius.

Twilight retrieved the small box of rings she had been storing in her saddlebag. It was time for the last step. “Drop the cage!”

Tempest and Flurry released their spells and both collapsed. Gauge held Tempest close as her horn smoked and she panted.

"Sweet Celestia sunrise, you're amazing," mumbled Tempest before finally passing out in Gauge's embrace.

The Athanatoi felt their power surge back into their bodies. Scylla’s eyes burned as did her horn as she prepared to attack when a massive sticky blob struck her, covering her face. Then three more cannons fired from above and coated the four horses of the apocalypse in a super sticky cake batter that had been launched from light blue party cannons. Spike, Smolder, Isabella, and Chef Tasty Cake all looked on with cathartic satisfaction at the mess they had made of their enemies. Twilight, with her power restored quickly levitated out the four rings and slammed them down on the glowing horns of the Athanatoi. The glow disappearing just as quickly as it had manifested. The powerless alicorns all cried out in renewed pain and frustration.

Twilight sighed and smiled, whispering more to herself, but Sunset heard it as well. “Thank you, Pinkie Pie.”

Sunset checked on Luna and Cadence before returning to Twilight’s side and looking down at the gum and cake batter coated alicorns whose eyes each burned with hatred and scorn. Sunset could not keep from smirking in satisfaction.

“Game over, bitches.”

Chapter 25: Stairway to Heaven

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It had been difficult to untangle the Athanatoi from their sticky prison, but it had been necessary to do so to be able to march them out of the Crystal Cave. However, untangle did not necessarily mean untangle with care or clean up. Twilight and Sunset removed just enough of the super sticky, bubble gum cake batter mix so that the other alicorns could stand and walk. The left over mass had a considerable amount of severed and violently yanked out hair in it. The moment they were free, Gauge had the guards stand ready with rune etched, cold iron spears and crossbow bolts. Considering how many of their brothers and sisters-in-arms had fallen to the monsters Gauge was not entirely sure he would do more than scold and berate the soldier with poor trigger discipline.

Luna had insisted on personally securing all four of their wings with enchanted chain and four leg prison irons. She had been especially rough with their application when it came to Scylla, tearing out several feathers as she cinched the chains down. It was unclear if they had regained their alicorn strength and flight capabilities while clamped under inhibitor rings, but it had been best not to leave anything to chance. Once the princesses were certain the prisoners were secure, Cadence had ordered her airship captain to prepare for dangerous cargo.

“It would be unwise and reckless for all our princesses to undergo the journey to Tartarus, or whatever is left of it,” said Isabella. “I understand that despite my objections that it will be necessary for most of you to go, considering the… cargo, but not all of you. Somepony must take control of the kingdom and be ready to answer the no doubt numerous questions that will inundate the crown now that the immediate danger has passed.”

“Clearly, I must go considering the door is locked and only I am capable of opening it.”

“I’m going,” said Sunset plainly. “This was my idea and I won’t send somepony else to the… I can’t believe I am about to say this, to the underworld, when I have no idea what they would be walking into.”

“Well, if you want me to choose, I elect that Princess Twilight stays. The others are more than capable of handling this and as high princess she is the most valuable to the nation... no offense.”

Twilight frowned at Isabella and was about to protest when Cadence raised a hoof to halt Twilight’s counter argument. The pink empress smiled warmly at Twilight, disarming her animosity.

“I’ll stay,” Cadence said. “As Empress of the Crystal Empire I am technically the next highest ranking princess in Equestria and while I am confident in my many skills, I think for this mission Flurry Heart would be a better choice. She has had far more experience hauling monsters on the cross country trip to Tartarus. Plus, let’s be honest, Twilight has easily done the most reading out of any of us on what it might be like down there.”

“Thank you, Cadence. Though everything I have read has all been fantasy, theory, or ancient lore. Maybe a nugget out of all it is true.”

Cadence leaned over to Twilight and whispered in her ear, “We all know you want to go where ever Sunset goes because you’re in love. I was just giving you another excuse, sweetie.”

“So, four alicorns, and a dozen guards,” commented Spike, beefy arms crossed, standing next to his wife, Smolder. “Got room for one more adventurer?”

“Ohhhh, no you don’t,” said Smolder, firmly. “You are going to be right there by Isabella and Cadence’s sides helping smooth over all the political shit storm this entire event is going to cause. Then, you will be home by tonight and be dealing with another shit storm in the form of your son. Got it?”

Spike sighed. “Yes, dear.”

Tempest Fury hobbled over to the gathered group of princesses and pointed back to the clearing. “I already have the guards named, they have their kits loaded and ready to move out. Just waiting on the airship crew to secure its landing and we’ll get these things loaded and be on our way.”

“Tempest,” commented Twilight with pleading eyes. “You need to stay here and rest.”

“Your Highness, I know you can pull rank and make that an order, but I am asking you as a friend to not do that to me. I am fit and capable of performing my duty and more than that I want to be there when these nags are dealt with. I owe my soldiers to see justice done.”

Twilight looked to Sunset for support. Sunset shrugged and turned to Gauge. “Honest opinion, Captain, is she capable of performing her duty and protecting Twilight to the best of her ability?”

Gauge snapped his hooves together and gave a crisp salute. “Captain Fury would give her life for Princess Twilight without hesitation and is more than capable of performing her duties and then some, Your Highness. If you wish a demonstration, please choose any soldier you see here and I will order them to attempt to subdue Captain Fury, but their chances of success are minimal, dare I say abysmal.”

Sunset shrugged. Twilight sighed, but nodded. Tempest flashed Gauge a small smile before returning to her stoic professionalism. The group turned their eyes to the sky as the airship's keel came close to the valley plateau without landing on the ground. Instead, a belly cargo door opened and a platform on chains lowered until it came to a rest. Sunset pointed towards the platform and with the help of some persuasion at the tip of a spear, the Athanaoi walked. It was starting to become unnerving that the four alicorns had not said a word since becoming captured and Sunset was starting to suspect they still had the ability to talk to one another even with their magic restrained. They had several hours before the ship would reach the outskirts of the prison and she planned to stay near the prisoners the entire time. Perhaps she could run a few subtle tests, just in case.

Carefully, the platform raised back to the inside of the ship with passengers, crew and cargo aboard. The belly doors to the cargo hold were sealed, the prisoners were secured in four separate cages in the primary hold, as far away from one another as they were capable of being. The soldiers moved to their assigned positions as the crew prepared for flight. The princesses moved to their assigned quarters, all except Sunset Shimmer who elected to remain in the hold with the prisoners. Twilight considered inviting her lover to join her in her room, but the fantasy died as Sunset stepped away and sat, turning her back to the others and glared at the Athanatoi. With nothing else to add, Twilight and the others left. After a few minutes, Sunset heard and felt the ship's lift engines engage and the sway and shudder of flight could be felt throughout the ship.

Gauge came down the steps with a crewpony, both carrying sealed pouches of standard guard MRE rations. Gauge passed out the sealed packs to his guards who had remained on duty in the hold and offered one to Sunset as well. “You should eat, there is no certainty when we will get to again.”

“I could go for something to eat,” said Epona, a too wide smile on her face.

“The only thing you would get to eat is my hoof, so don’t bother asking,” growled Sunset before accepting the military food pack from her captain.

“You know you don’t have to stay down here with us. Since this is one of Princess Cadence's ships I'm sure it has finer, luxurious accommodations.”

“Yes, I do," replied Sunset, a certain finality to the words. "They have taken too many lives. I refuse to take my eyes off of them until… whatever the hell we are supposed to do is done.” Gauge was not one to argue about the commitment to duty. He knew that honor bound call all too well. He was also certain it made his soldiers feel better knowing they were not alone with the monsters even if they were collared and chained.

“And what exactly are you planning to do with us, oh great and merciful, ‘Princess’ Sunset Shimmer?”

Sunset set her untouched meal pack down and approached Balius’s cage, careful to not get too close. They had thousands of years of experience on her and no doubt many tricks up their proverbial sleeves. His expression was once again one of boredom as if no matter what she said it would be too mundane and beneath him to take it seriously. It was one of those kind of expressions that sent shivers through Sunset’s core because she recalled herself making it many times to school instructors human and pony alike and even to Celestia in her youth. She waited until he stopped examining his cage and hoof to look at her. She wanted him to look her in the eye. Then, Sunset smiled her most unpleasant, condescending smile she had in her arsenal.

“I struck a bargain with Aine. I told her I would capture you alive in exchange for her taking the four of you from our world to somewhere else. Preferably another galaxy far, far away. But since I also can’t trust that she will be able to keep the four of you under control no matter how far away you are the first thing we have to do is erase your memories. All of them.”

“There is no spell or artifact strong enough in existence capable of doing such to us,” said Scylla with a hiss.

Sunset shrugged. “Actually, I came across an artifact a long time ago called the Memory Stone crafted by some evil sorceress or whatnot. It might have worked, but it was destroyed. So, we are going use something else.”

“I will die before I allow you to destroy my mind!” shouted Aethon from his corner, trying to rise up to smash the cage, but the chains held him down.

“Then you’ll die, by my sword.” Sunset turned to the red alicorn, her horn burning with red energy, eyes taking on a bright teal glow. “You killed innocents, foals in their mother’s embrace! Fathers! Brothers! Sisters! You killed my guards and damn near killed me, but worse than that, even worse than you helping kill my mother. You liked it. You laughed at my pain, at all of our pain, and for that you will be destroyed. One way or another.” Sunset let her magic fade and returned to the table to pick up her dried apple slices and munched on them.

Brother.

Yes?

Scylla stared at Balius while she sent her words to him. She was surprised that the suppression rings did not cut off their ability to telepathically speak. Perhaps it had to do with their elemental nature or because they were children of Aine. It could have even been something as simple as flaws in the power of their suppression rings that Scylla had no doubt were made by Mother.

We have to get out of this. What have you come up with?

I’m working on it, but right now I’m biding my time. Testing the limits of this profane clamp on my head. I assume you are doing the same?

Of course, fool! I’m giving myself a splitting headache trying to turn into cloud or vapor. Perhaps yours is more flawed than mine.

Balius turned to look at his other sister and sent, Epona, how goes your progress?

Epona cocked her head to the side. “Are you trying to talk to me?”

“I would rather introduce you to the many uses of duct tape than talk to you,” said Sunset, finishing her lunch.

Balius turned back to Scylla. Both coming to the same conclusion. Their brother and sister were completely cut off, but why not them? Upon closer examination of himself and his sister he noted nothing of merit except that they were both still filthy and covered in splotches of sticky cake goo. It was then that he looked closer at Scylla’s horn. There was gum cake on it.

Scylla, look at my horn. Is there some of that disgusting cake on it?

And in many other places, yes.

But what about Epona and Aethon? They both looked over to their angry brother attempting to pace his cage and failing because there was no room for him to pace. Then to their bubbly, pink sister. Despite her color they could see that the cake had not struck her in the face either.

Our rings do not have a perfect seal! Scylla smiled wickedly.

Something we can exploit.

“How long until we reach our destination?”

Sunset turned to Gauge. “By airship? At a guess, a few hours.”

“You should rest, my princess. We have no idea what awaits us and I would feel better knowing that you are at full strength.”

“I like how you worded that as a compliment while at the same time trying to get me to do what you want.”

Gauge smiled and shrugged and then gestured to the crude cot in the cargo hold with a standard issue military bed roll thrown out on top of it. Sunset stepped over to it and then looked back at her captain with an arched eyebrow.

“If you wish, I can try and steal a nicer mattress from somewhere else on the ship. You have but to give the order and it shall be done.”

Sunset rolled her eyes and lifted the bed roll before casting a sanitizing, harsh light spell to clean the cot's surface. She replaced the cover and climbed on, the springs and frame creaked in protest. “Can you imagine how many sailors have probably had sex on this thing?”

“Is that a statement or a request?”

Sunset arched an eyebrow again yet could not fight down the smirk on her face. “Getting a bit bold with how we talk to our princess, aren’t we?” Gauge’s smile grew wider and Sunset laughed before settling in and closing her eyes. "At least it's clean now. Oh, and thanks for the sleeping roll. I assume it's yours?"

"Anything for you, my princess." Gauge took up his guard position near Sunset’s head and turned to glare at the alicorns in their prisons. They in turn, glared back, Scylla pointing at her mouth as if she were about to vomit.

----------

Twilight stood on the deck of the ship near the bow, looking out over the horizon as fields and forest passed below. The crew of crystal ponies moved about and performed their jobs without needing to bother the ruler. In a small way, she wished they had. Twilight felt as if she were drowning in her own thoughts and could feel she was on the edge of a panic attack. Normally, in such situations she would turn to Spike or Isabella or if no one else was available she would lock herself in her lab and ride it out until she calmed down. None of those options were available. So much had happened in such a short amount of time and she was having difficultly processing it all. Twilight quickly sat down before she could stumble and embarrass herself in front of the guards and crew.

“And you say I’m the one that needs rest.” Twilight wanted to chuckle, but it came out more like a sob. Thankfully, a quiet one that only Tempest heard. She sat at Twilight’s side and removed her helmet, securing it. When she looked up into Twilight’s glassy eyes and slight body shivers the guard captain knew immediately what was going on. She had seen it before in her princess and her soldiers alike. “Hey, it’s okay, I’m here. Talk it out to me. If that’s not good enough I’ll go get Sunset and I-”

“No, please stay.” Twilight swallowed and took two more deep breaths to calm her racing heart. “How do you do it? How do you shoulder all your responsibility with no friends or family or anypony close? You take your duty head on and take the death and destruction in stride like it was just another Tuesday. I’ve had years, decades of practice at this and yet... I’ve ruled Equestria for a century and every day still feels like it is crushing me like it is my first day on the job… without my friends.”

“With respect, let me ask you this first, are you still trying to compare yourself and your rule to Celestia’s?”

Twilight bobbed her head back and forth a bit. “Well, she did set the bar pretty high and I was her former student and friend…” Twilight’s thoughts ground to a halt again. “I’ve lost another friend. More than that. She was a mentor, like a second mother.”

Tempest nodded. “Going to be hard on a lot of ponies once the news spreads across the land. Lots of tears. But none from me.”

“Why not?”

“Because I’d rather shed my tears on my lost soldiers or for their families. You say I have no family, no friends? Damn, Twilight, I thought you knew me better than that. Sure, I was an only foal and my parents are gone, but you are my friend and the guard is my family. Celestia, for me, was more like this unknowable, unobtainable idea that was just too big to really get my head around. That is, until I did and maybe you have a hard time seeing it, but she was flawed. Terribly flawed.

"Without knowing the whole story I’m sure more than half of Sunset’s attitude problems stem from her relationship with her mother. So, sure, I’m sad she’s gone, but no tears from me. Where on the other hoof, I can tell you the name, rank, and spouse, if they had one, of every soldier I have lost over the last few days because of those things in the hold. Gauge and I have already started writing out letters to their families, our true, heart felt apologies. And that, Your Highness, is where my tears will fall, as I personally deliver those letters to their families.”

Twilight nodded, her breathing finally coming under control, purple eyes opening and looking down at the vermilion unicorn, white and pink mane blowing in the breeze. Green eyes met purple and they both smiled.

“I’m sorry I said you had no friends or family. I was rambling, stuck inside my own head.”

“Eh, it’s the carefully crafted image I sell to most of my subordinates and onlookers. That's how I want it. As far as you, I just hope Sunset knows what she getting into with the coronation to become your co-ruler and your lover.” Twilight squeaked, face going bright red with blush. “What? Did you honestly think I didn’t know? You do realize that on a normal day, which we have not had lately, but I digress. On a normal day I can’t get to bed until I know exactly where you are and who you are with so that I know you are safe and secure. But last night, I had the BEST sex of my life because I knew you were okay. I knew you were safe and could finally just completely cut loose and it was sooooo good. Seriously, the BEST. Afterwards, we even talk a bit about you and Sunset and what it will all mean as far as our jobs, which may sound like terrible cuddling pillow talk to most, but I guess we just love our jobs that much. Fell asleep in Fog's embrace like that. Plus, he made me coffee, which I think is code for he had a good time too. So, from one friend to another, thank you.”

Twilight finally let out a giggle and wrapped a wing around Tempest for a quick hug before sighing. “Thank you, I needed that.”

“I knew you did.”

“And congratulations. I’m happy for you and Gauge.”

Tempest slid her helmet back on and gave a shrug that was adorably similar to one Gauge liked to give. “Yeah, well, we’ll see if it works out. I know he said he loved me, but that could have been the endorphins talking. I hope it does because, seriously, wow! He is good and, yes, I… I feel like could be happy waking up next to him every day.”

Twilight smiled, her eyes drifting to the doors that led to the cargo hold. “I know what you mean.”

----------

Sunset awoke from her nap with a jolt, rolling off the cot and back to her hooves, horn bursting to red light as her bleary mind conjured a simple defensive spell. It took her logic brain a moment to catch up with the sensations of an unfamiliar location. Gauge and Luna had both raised their hooves defensively and the glow to Sunset’s horn subsided.

“Be at peace, niece. We have arrived, or at least, as close as we can get by airship.”

“Is there a problem?” asked Sunset, her eyes shifting back to the alicorns in their cages.

“You’ll see in a moment.”

Once the ship was secure in its loading/unloading position, the cargo platform lowered the crew, passengers, and prisoners to the ground. Twilight gasped at the sight of landscape.

Sunset let out a long whistle. “What the hell happened here?”

“This… The entire mountain… and the surrounding mountains. They’re all gone?!”

“Well, duh.” Twilight glared at the pink alicorn behind her. “I’m just saying, we helped shape the world, did you really think we did that without being able to blow stuff up from time to time? I mean, technically the mountain is still here, it’s just here, and there, and there, and waaaaaaay over there too!”

“You can stop talking anytime you like, Epona,” growled Scylla.

“Seriously, you can gag her. We won’t mind,” added Balius with a nod.

“Awww.”

“Well, since you were already here and I no longer recognize the landscape you four can lead the way and if it starts to feel like you are just stalling for time or trying to lead us to a pitfall,” Twilight paused to point at Luna and Sunset. “I’m sure they would gladly jog your memory.”

“I want to see if I can knock another tooth out.”

Scylla growled at Sunset, her jaw still throbbing from the earlier damage. “Follow me.” Balius! We are running out of time!

I am trying something very precise here, but it will still take time. Just walk slow, stumble, pretend you feel light headed!

Scylla slipped on a rock she had not been watching for and fell forward, smashing her knee into a boulder and cutting her leg open. The dark alicorn hissed and whimpered at the pain of being so vulnerable. She had not planned to stumble that badly. Luna glared down at her, tempted to kick her tormenter, but instead just lifted Scylla in a small levitation field and shoved her forward.

The walk across the loose, uneven terrain was slow and tedious, but eventually brought them to a crater that the sand had turned to glass and granite pieces had melted and fused together. In the center was massive boulder that looked surprisingly untouched. Twilight scanned the rim of the crater, but saw no safe way to enter.

“Allow me, Aunt Twilight.” Flurry pointed her horn at the ground and began reshaping the rock and soil into steps that were wide and gradual enough that no pony or prisoner would accidentally trip and fall. Slowly, the entourage with the prisoners in the middle, made their way to the crater floor.

Sunset felt a chill run down her spine that had nothing to do with the air temperature. The air felt thick, heavy with an acidic odor not unlike an active caldera. More than that it smelled... off. Sunset stopped when her hoof connected with what she first thought was a rock. When Sunset looked down she tapped the rock again, but it felt… hollow. Curiosity got the better of her and she dug some of the hardened soil away with her magic until she revealed enough of the object. Sunset screamed and jumped back, dropping what remained of the pony skull back to the ground. Her glowing red eyes burned brightly as she seethed with disgust and anger.

“What?” said Balius with a small smirk, “Never seen a dead necromancer before? Because that’s who it was. You’re welcome.”

“You… destroyed Tartarus with all the prisoners still inside?!” Twilight said, her jaw hanging open.

“And?”

“That’s not justice, it’s just slaughter!" Twilight continued, "What about all the dangerous creatures? What about Cerberus?”

“The caged creatures died, but my little puppy escaped. No doubt running amok not far from here,” said Scylla gesturing about. “I may be a monster, but even I do not like to destroy my own favorite creations when they still may have use.”

Twilight shook her head. “Wait, YOU created Cerberus?”

Scylla smirked and bowed her head. “Long ago. He had no name then. The ones that broke him and forced him to be your pitiful little guard beast of the gate bestowed upon him that name. A shame really. It was always fun to watch him eat three ponies at a time. Oh! The sounds of their screams were… orgasmic.”

“Luna,” Sunset said through clenched teeth, “please find out how to open the gate so we can rid the world of these things.”

Luna snorted her own disgust. She carefully approached the smooth stone face that most resembled a door shape. The rest of the boulder was simply craggy rock that eventually met the earth. Twilight also approached while Sunset and Flurry remained with the guards and ship crew near the prisoners. After a few minutes of inspecting, Twilight used a careful blast of air to dust the bas relief. She did not recognize many of the glyphs or symbols, but there was no mistaking the mark that was a crescent moon identical to Luna’s cutie mark.

“Here. I think you insert your horn here.” Luna stepped next to Twilight and placed her hoof upon the carvings and closed her eyes.

“I do not detect any traps, however I sense… power. Ancient power.” Luna squinted hard. “There is… something else. Deeper, as if beneath the initial layer... a darkness, decay, death. Perhaps it is some sort of warning or means of dissuading travels to the other side, but... I... I admit it makes me feel uneasy. I do not wish to open this door.”

“Aunt Luna, we have to. We have no other means of securing them,” Sunset sighed. She hated what she was about to say and swallowed the bile taste in her mouth. As her mother use to say sometimes before entering court, time pony up and be a princess. “We have no other choice. Please open the door, or I will make it a royal decree.”

Luna scowled, but nodded. With a calming breath, Luna inserted her horn in the hole and sent a small pulse of magic. The crescent moon took on a light bluish glow followed by more of the symbols on the relief carving. After the light reached the top of the rockface it allowed Luna to remove her horn and the section of wall slid down into the ground, revealing a set of stairs that descended into darkness.

“Luna and I will go first. Then the prisoners, then Twilight and Flurry. It’s probably best if everypony else stays up here.”

“I don’t think so, Your Highness,” said Tempest with Gauge giving Sunset an equally defiant look. “You want to lead, sure, Luna by your side, absolutely. But Captain Gauge and I will be between you and the prisoners all the way down to where ever that leads. You don’t like it, fire me when we get back, but there is no way I am letting those things near your unprotected backs in a narrow, dark hallway that supposedly leads to the land of the dead.”

Gauge shrugged. “What she said, my princess.” Sunset sighed and smirked gesturing for the two captains to take their positions.

Twilight paused to touch the shoulder of the airship captain. “Have your crew set camp here. If we are gone longer that there is light in the day and the sun won’t set on its own, contact Princess Cadence immediately.” The captain and crew saluted Twilight, quickly moving to retrieve camp supplies. With one last nod to each other, the group led the prisoners down the stairs.

The stairway cavern was dark, nearly impossible to see lit only by unicorn and alicorn horn light. The walls were smooth, too smooth to be natural, but there were no signs of tool marks or earth pony hooves. Just smooth, black rock that seemed to absorb all light, leaving only mat darkness. After several minutes of the only sound being hooves clomping on stone, Tempest finally voiced what they were all thinking.

“Where are we going and how deep is this hole?”

“It’s called the ‘Underworld’ for a reason.”

Luna turned back and glared at Scylla, who looked far too smug for her liking. “Watch them closely, I do not like any of this situation.”

“Everypony dim your lights. I think I see a light up ahead,” said Twilight from the back of the formation. Sunset and Luna reduced the lights on their horns and to their equal surprise, they could see that the stairs were indeed leveling off. In the distance, around one last curve there was a faint glow coming from below.

“Be on your guard. If mother went through this much effort to secure the location there is bound to be additional security,” said Luna. Sunset summoned her sword and held it close. The golden glowing blade providing all the light they needed so that the others could ready spells if needed.

The composition of the stone had changed as the stairs leveled off. The soil was just as dark as before, but seemed to absorb the sound of the hoofsteps more, loose pea gravel crunching then gave way to moss covered soil of all things. Sunset could hear the sound of running water, perhaps even a waterfall echoing in the distance. At the base of the stairs was an arch of massive thick stone that obscured the view until the pony was standing directly before it. With only a small hesitation, Luna and Sunset passed through the arch together.

They felt the change the moment they passed through the arch, especially Sunset, who was familiar with the sensation of interdimensional travel. There was no corridor of light or twisting and reforming of her body, but she knew they had just passed through a portal of some sort. The implications of that were... disturbing.

The cavern reminded Sunset of Carlsbad Caverns or the Reed Flute Cave she had seen. Massive pillars of stone holding the high ceiling where thousands of stalactites hung from above and just and many stalagmites rose from the ground and surrounding puddles. The entrance cavern was lit by ambient mage lights that were floating both high and low, but most of the light was coming from something beyond extraordinary.

In the distance, across the craggy and moss covered plateau was what could only be described as a city. It was large, but not a bustling metropolis like Manehatten or Fillydelphia. The walls from what Sunset could discern from a distance seemed to be made of some sort of yellow sandstone and gave off the glow that lit the rest of the underground space. Most notable, however was that the entire city, and most likely beyond what they could see was surrounded by water.

“Long… has it been… since I have heard the hoof steps of a living creature… in this place.”

The entire group stopped moving and horns and weapons were raised to defensive positions. Sunset scanned the numerous hiding places and determined that if it was an enemy hiding there, there was no way they could defend against such a well designed ambush. She had seen enough movies and played enough games to know what a horrible ‘kill box’ they had just walked into. However, no attack came. Rustling movement near the water’s edge caught her sharp vision and Sunset raised her sword defensively.

“The door was sealed,” the indistinguishable voice spoke, “sealed long ago by the crafter of the world beyond. How is it you came to open it?” From the shadows a figure stepped into the light, pony shaped but hidden under a full body, faded black cloak that completely hid their face.

“I swear, my head is going to explode from cliché overload.”

“Ah, I see all of you now.” The figure stopped and stood perfectly still. “Well, if your head were to in fact explode, Sunset Shimmer, daughter of Celestia and Sombra, you are in the perfect place for it. Your journey to rest would be a short one.”

“How do you know who I am?” Sunset growled, her magic grip on her sword tightening.

“Now that I see you, I know you. I know all of you.”

“And who exactly are you?”

“I have many names, Tempest Fury, daughter of Blue Turquoise and Strong Bow. Would you like me to name them off? We could be here a while.”

Balius began to back pedal stepping into Flurry who shoved him off of her. Twilight was surprised to see such fear in his eyes. “This was a mistake. All of it. We need to get out of here and reseal that door now!”

The cloaked figure let out a laugh that sent chills down every creature’s spine. “Oh, Balius, son of Aine, that door was not there to keep me in. It was erected to keep troublemakers like you out. Long ago, before the founding of modern Equestria, creatures of all types had been allowed to beg before the guardian beast and brave the grand stairway so that they may attempt to speak to their dearly departed by standing right here, upon the banks of the river. Some, would even choose to cross. Those that did of course never returned. No soul may return once across the river. That is my rule and many a necromancer and warlock has tried to circumvent it. One, nearly succeeded. A sorceress who had visited me often, she brought me many sacrificial gifts to barter for information and my time. In the end, she was using me as a means to try and gain the power that lies within the city.”

“Souls.”

“Yes, Luna, daughter of Aine and Portho, souls and the near endless magical power they can produce. So, I banished her, and erected the door. Aine then placed a seal upon it from the other side.”

Luna shook, her jaw hanging open. “You… you know my father’s name?”

“I knew him and so did you.”

“Sadly, you are mistaken. Mother refused to speak of my father and kept Celestia and I mostly to herself until we were older. It would be a lie to say I do not resent that, but it was long ago.” Even through the cloak, Sunset had the impression that the figure was smiling. A shift in the way they were standing and how the body contoured under the opaque fabric. It raised one hoof and Sunset could see that the entire leg was black as well.

“Oh, she tried, but your father was more persistent and clever than Celestia’s. Alogo gave up after a little while, but not Portho. He tracked Aine down after she moved away to birth you. He grew a beard, changed his mane style, and only approached when he knew she was busy with others or Celestia. He would make small talk with you, sometimes giving you a flower, usually an orchid.” From the upturned hoof came a purple magical glow that formed into an image of a dark blue stallion with dark brown mane and dark brown eyes. “Your soul has suffered much from your mother by not knowing this one small detail of who you are. Scales should be evened. Consider this an apology and a gift that I can grant.”

Luna slowly approached and examined the image more closely. It had been so long since those days in the village of Trot. A fire, time, and nature left the settlement abandoned and It was nearly impossible to even find where the village had once stood on a modern map. But as she dug through long buried memories and gazed upon the kind face. Luna could hear him, the gentle baritone voice asking how she was and if she had enough to eat. He never gave his name, just another merchant that would sell his wares and move on only to return a few weeks later. Luna began to shake and soon sobbed uncontrollably, falling to her knees. The image faded and the cloaked figure took a step back as Sunset came to sit next to her aunt, quickly wrapped herself in her niece’s embrace. Luna sobbed for another minute before finally nodding her thanks to Sunset and standing again.

“Thank you.”

“Do not thank that thing!” shouted Balius, earning him another hard shove from Flurry Heart. “Do you not realize what that is?!”

Sunset nodded and scowled at the Athanatoi, her gaze falling next upon the group that had followed her, to where they were, and then back to the cloaked figure. “I know who he is. He's the keeper of souls, the Grim Reaper. He’s Death and Aine’s brother.”

The figure bowed deeply with flair, then stood and pulled the hood back. Twilight and Flurry Heart both screamed at the face he had revealed.

“Y, Y, You’re not him!” Twilight growled in a high, fear laced voice, her horn taking on a burning magenta glow. “You are a monster wearing his face. Change it!”

“D, D, Daddy?”

The cloaked pony smiled pleasantly, nodding his head again. Despite the black leg and hoof Sunset had seen earlier, the stallion now standing before her had a pristine white coat and charming, gentle and yet masculine face with two-toned blue mane that fell about in a playfully alluring way. The only thing that was wrong were the eyes. His eyes had been blue, not a black on black pit of nothingness. While she had never seen him as a pony, Sunset knew the human counterpart extremely well and immediately connected the dots of what she was seeing and Twilight and Flurry’s reactions.

“Shining Armor,” said Sunset, her face scowling.

“Change your face!” shouted Twilight again, taking up a position to unleash a bolt of energy.

Death simply blinked, making no reaction to her threat. “No.”

Twilight, unleashed a bolt that the fake Shining Armor caught with his hoof and then discharged into ground. He dusted off his cloak and bowed slightly.

“Be at peace, Twilight Sparkle, daughter of Twilight Velvet and Night Light. You cannot harm me and I would not see you harmed or this place damaged. However, understand that you are in my domain and will play by my rules. I will wear whatever face I choose. In all honesty, your brother was quite handsome, and so I am choosing him because I feel like it. The discomfort will keep you alert.”

“You’re an asshole,” said Sunset, glancing back to Twilight and gesturing for her to calm down. After she wiped a few tears away, she nodded and tried to focus on her breathing.

Death shrugged. “Since we appear to be at the end of the pleasantries, let us move on to why you have gone to such great lengths to bring me the Athanatoi in chains. If they are to be sacrifices in exchange for those they have killed I’m afraid I do not do that sort of thing anymore. As I said, no soul may leave once they have crossed the river and most would rather not anyhow. After all, beyond these waters lies final rest. Some call it paradise, others, a gilded prison. Regardless of perspective, it IS the final destination of all.”

Sunset looked to the others, but their own silent expressions all reached the same consensus, ‘this was your idea, you talk to him’. With another deep breath, Sunset stepped forward. Closer to the keeper of souls than she was really comfortable being, but needed him to know she was serious and to pretend she was not terrified. If he saw her legs shaking, he was gracious enough not to point it out.

“Touch me not, Sunset Shimmer, a single touch from my hoof and you will drop dead no matter how many centuries you have left. Only my siblings have the power to embrace me… well, that’s a partial lie. One other has done so, but she is already dead.”

“Uhh, okay, anyhow. I was just going to say I made a deal with your sister, my grandmother, Aine. If we captured the four mules over there and brought them here to have their memories erased, she would not wipe out the world to protect The Well. So, we need them to drink from the River of Forgetfulness and then she will take them from here and…” Sunset trailed off before revealing the last of the bargain. She suddenly remembered playing poker with her friends and how Applejack had warned Fluttershy and Twi to never reveal all their cards. That game had been for fun, they had even used Skittles instead of money. Now, she was at the high rollers table and some part of Sunset’s subconscious was yelling at her to not tell Death she demanded her mother leave the planet forever.

Of all the things Sunset had expected she was not ready to hear Death give a full body, bellowing cackle. It just seemed... wrong. Like, walking in on your parents have really wild, kinky sex in the living room kind of wrong.

When he finally settled, he stood back up and smiled a tooth grin at Sunset. “Thank you, grandniece, I have not had a good laugh in some time.”

“Would you care to let any of the rest of us in on the joke, Lord Death?”

“A laugh at my sister’s expense, Fog Gauge, son of Satin Cloud and Speed Sparrow. It would be too difficult to explain. Let’s just say you had to know my sister better.”

“Why do you answer with our full names and parents?” asked Sunset, the curiosity getting the better of her.

“An old habit of honor from a time long ago. Pay little attention to it. Anyhow, the process you seek is quite simple. Have them step forward. Dip their heads to the water here and make them drink. It must be two full gulps of water. This is crucial to what you are trying to accomplish.

“You must understand, when a soul is brought to the city they must cross the river. Being that they are already freed from their mortal forms they are given three options. First, they can pass as they are. They may explore the city, relax, catch up with old friends and family. They can appear young or old, what ever makes them most comfortable. The soul is malleable like that. Most importantly, they have all their memories intact. For many, this fine, but as the old saying goes, ‘ignorance is bliss’.

“So, as an option they have the choice to drink from the river. By doing so it will erase all the bad memories. Every terrible day, regretful sentiment, all the sins, washed away as if they had never happened. If that is not enough, they have the choice to meet the final end without lingering about for others. This is the choice the lonely choose. By taking the second gulp they lose all their memories and suffer a complete amnesia. These souls are then guided to the Well at the center of the city. They jump in and they returned to the great cosmic cycle. Their souls are broken down and mixed with all the others that came before and will ever be, no individual remains.”

“But my mother always called the soul immortal. The only thing that was truly ours even after we die. What you are saying is that you just throw us in a melting pot and we’re gone?”

“It’s more complicated than that, Flurry Heart, daughter of Mi Amore Cadenza and Shining Armor. Each soul is unique, like a snowflake. But just like a snow flake, it is melted down into runoff, into a river, and then back to the clouds to be made anew. When a new creature is born, as they draw that first breath of life, the world itself bestows upon them a single unseen nugget of magic. The tiniest seed of energy directly from the Well of Souls. All of you are built upon those that came before, a foundation for which to create yourselves. Of all the things my sister fought to achieve, this cyclical process is the most complex and the most worth protecting. A magnificent work of art that I gladly protect and preserve.”

“But we don’t have souls!” shouted Scylla. “If you wash us away then we will become nothing! It is the same thing as killing us!”

“You are not entering the Well, that, after all is what you wanted. To steal the power and consume that which is most precious. No, you will be fine right here at the river's edge.” Death stepped back and gestured. “You may proceed.”

Sunset turned back to the Athanatoi and her horn lit up, the red magic glow surrounded Aethon’s chains. The red alicorn struggled in vain as he was dragged telekinetically towards Sunset Shimmer. “This one’s mine.”

Luna, her horn taking on a glow as well, pulled Scylla forward in a similar fashion and she put up a similar futile resistance as her hooves gouged ruts into the moss and soil.

“Balius!”

The aquamarine alicorn just scowled and growled as Twilight shoved him forward. In contrast, Flurry did not have to do anything to Epona. The pink alicorn just hopped and skipped over to the water’s edge.

“Epona!” Scylla shouted. “What are you doing you idiot! Fight back!”

“Eh, we’re boned, so why fight it?” Epona shrugged. “Hey, don’t be so glum, we had a good run and to be honest, forgetting some of the bad things I’ve done might be a blessing.” Without another word, the pink alicorn submerged her head in the water, probably more than what was necessary. A moment later she reemerged to gasp for air. Everyone present watched and waited for what would happen next.

Epona blinked a few times and on the last blink, her red eyes turned blue. A huge grin spread across her face and she started to bounce, but then suddenly realized she was in chains.

“Um, so, hi every… whatever you… or I am. Wow, this place sure is dark. I bet it’s… hmm… nope, never mind. Forgot what I was going to say.”

“It worked,” said Twilight with astonishment.

“Barbaric mortal maggots! You killed my sister!” shouted Scylla, trying to thrash out of her bonds. She looked directly at her brother. BALIUS!

I’m almost through! Just give me a few more minutes!

“We do not have a few minutes!” Scylla realized she had spoken out loud, but none of their captors seemed to be alarmed by it.

Sunset seized Aethon around the neck and began pushing him down towards the water. He struggled and attempted to thrash and kick. Sunset’s horn lit again, taking his legs out as she wrestled his head into the water. She held his face submerged, keeping a hoof on his throat to feel if he was taking it in. Finally, she pulled him up with a telekinetic water bubble over his muzzle.

“Take care to not get the water on you. While I have never tested it, your skin would absorb some of the water just as well as your mouth.”

“Good to know,” Sunset growled. After Aethon’s eyes began to roll back in his head, she finally released the water and sent it back into the river. The red alicorn coughed and hacked the water from his lungs, stumbling about and tripping over his own chains. After a few more shuddering coughs the orange glow left Aethon’s eyes and they became a soft brown color.

“Where, where am I? Am I dead?” Aethon rolled over, eyes wide with fear. “Who are you?”

“Two for two,” commented Tempest, gesturing for Aethon to come sit next to Epona. He scrambled to her side and curled in on himself. Epona started to play with his mane like a cat with a string.

Luna pulled Scylla up to the riverbank.

“You will never be rid of me, Luna! Even if I forget you, you will never forget me! I will haunt your soul for eternity! You will never be clean, never be free from my imprint!”

“If that is the price I must pay, the burden I must carry so that no pony is ever plagued by your nightmares again then I gladly pay it. Now, shut up and drink or I will make you!” Luna kicked out Scylla’s legs and tripped the black alicorn sending her face first into the water. Carefully, Luna placed a hoof on the back of her nightmare’s neck and held her to the mud and water.

“Mistress,” Gauge finally said after Scylla stopped thrashing and her black coat lightened to a cerulean color. “I believe that is enough.” Luna nodded, and pulled Scylla from the water, tossing her into Tempest’s waiting magical field, to have her sit with the others. Scylla’s eyes now had round pupil and were the color of gold, wide with fear and child like horror.

Sunset touched her aunt’s armored shoulder guard and Luna nodded in understanding. It was time to let go. Luna approached the shivering Scylla who was on the brink of tears from fear. She even jumped when Luna leaned down to look her in the face.

“W, what is going on? Where am I?”

“I asked the same thing!”

Luna ignored Epona. “Be at ease, all of you. You are safe and no further harm will come to you.”

“Why are we in these… what are these called?”

“You are chained to keep you safe. You were… unwell in the head for some time. Once we are out of the cave I will personally set you free. You have my oath.”

“O, okay. Thank you… who are you?” Luna smiled warmly, but did not reply.

Twilight pushed Balius forward. She was about to order him to drink in a similarly threatening manner when a voice cried out that could be heard across the entire cavern.

“TWIIIIIIILIIIIGHT!!!!”

Death rolled his eyes and sighed. “Oh, great. HER.”

Both Twilight and Sunset’s ears twitched. No matter how many centuries would pass, no matter how many long days or tiresome nights were ahead, they would never forget the sound of that voice.

“Over here you guys! I told you I was picking up on a doosie!” Twilight looked across the river to the city shore. In the distance, was a small pink pony bouncing and waving with a huge grin on her face. She was younger, appearing as Twilight remembered her best during the greatest years of her life in Ponyville.

Twilight choked on her breath and felt tears begin to well up in her eyes. “Pinkie Pie!”

Death sighed again. “That one is unique beyond all measure. I do not know how she does it, but somehow I have found her across the bank and giving me hugs because she said I looked, ‘moody’. Then when I go to return her, she is gone and back on the Elysium shore.” Death eyed Balius who flinched and stepped back. “I am blaming you and your siblings on my lack of peace and quiet.”

While Pinkie continued to bounce, another pony came up behind her, then another, then another. Sunset had to hold out a hoof so that Twilight would not accidentally walk into the water to get a better look at the group that was forming. With each nostalgic face Twilight felt another tear roll down her cheeks. There, standing on the shores of Elysium were her friends and loved ones, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and even Starlight Glimmer.

“We love you Twilight!” Pinkie shouted as the others giggled and waved. “Oh, and your new marefriend is HOT!” Sunset snorted and Twilight laughed and cried at the same time, her face going red as Pinkie began mimicking a particularly lewd thrusting gesture.

Epona laughed. “Hehehehe! I like her!”

Sunset stopped laughing, her breath hitching as another pony came into view, taller than all the rest. She felt her knees grow weak and her lip began to quiver, tears welling up in her own eyes. Sunset glanced over to Twilight, who looked just as awestruck. Twilight’s friends parted and allowed Celestia to stand at the edge of the shore, looking on with a smile on her face and tears in her eyes.

Then, Sunset felt her heart stop. Another pony, almost as tall as Celestia came to stand to her left. His coat was a muted earth umber color, eyes as green as emeralds and mane black and handsomely styled. The unicorn said something to Celestia and she nodded. Those emerald orbs locked on Sunset and she knew, in her head and in her heart, she was looking at her father.

Sunset turned to Death, tears streaming down her face. “H, how?”

Death smiled warmly. “I found him adrift. A lost, shining light from a dead universe. He was making no effort to defend himself as astral horrors tore him apart over and over again. When I asked why he choose to allow such suffering he simply said, ‘penance’. I had no idea how long he had been tortured, but as a reward for such willingness to suffer for his sins I brought him here. I had no idea at the time that he knew your mother. Sometimes, Fate is quirky that way.” Death tapped the ground and the shore began to reshape into a narrow bridge with no guardrail, wide enough for only a single individual to walk upon. A similar bridge, but twice as wide also began to extend from the shore of the city. They stopped near the middle of the river, but did not meet.

“You have suffered much in your life at the hooves of those that have used you for a tool, Ignis Ferrum Incarnate. My brothers and sisters often forget how important the little things are to the mortals that they use and discard. I grant you this one boon to balance the scales, grandniece. A chance to say goodbye. You have five minutes, use them wisely.”

Sunset nodded and carefully strode out onto the bridge. It was solid and sturdy, but still felt uncomfortably close to the the treacherous water with no room for slip error. With some encouragement, Celestia and Sombra stepped out onto their platform as well. When they reached the end, both bridges still had more than a ten meter gap, but was more than close enough to see and speak clearly.

The first and most obvious difference was that Celestia’s hair was now all pink instead of three colors, similar to what Sunset had seen in ancient manuscript illuminations of her mother. Sombra was similar to the monster she had seen in the in between, but now appeared like a normal pony and extremely handsome at that. They each just stared at one another until Sunset could not stand the awe induced silence anymore. She collapsed into sobs and nearly slipped.

“I’m sorry!” Sunset blubbered, “I’m so, so sorry!”

“Little sun, look at me.” Sunset gasped. It had not been Celestia who had said the nickname. “There we go. There’s my little girl. By the sun and moon, you are just as beautiful as I remembered. Somedays I would think it had all been a dream and was just part of the torture the monsters were reaping upon me. Sunset, I’m sorry for all the pain I caused you when I was… possessed.”

“I, I’m s,sorry I, I killed you, D, Dad.”

“Shhhh, none of that. You saved me, Sunset. I was a monster beyond all redemption and thanks to you and your friends you purified what was left of me and then eventually I woke up from my nightmare here. And now, I have truly found Heaven. I have my love by my side and I have a chance to see my daughter with my own, unclouded eyes.”

Sunset smiled and then turned to Celestia and began cry again. “I failed you.”

“Oh, my little sun, my daughter, brightest light of my life, you failed no pony. You have fought and clawed and out thought and out maneuvered gods and monsters far beyond your means and you have done so with your friends, your family, and your loved ones happily by your side. I could not be prouder to call you my daughter and I love you so, so very much.”

Sunset shuddered again. “I love you too! Both of you!”

Twilight could not hear what they were saying, but she had a pretty good guess. It was probably not all that different than what she would say to Celestia or to her own parents for that matter. She wiped her dripping eyes and nose and stepped to the side when Flurry Heart came to a stand next to her with equally sobbing features.

“Princess!” Flurry shouted and was relieved when Celestia turned to look at her. “I’M SORRY!” Celestia smiled and bowed her head. Flurry could not hear the reply, but by the looks of her moving lips, she said, ‘I forgive you’. Flurry had to hold onto Twilight to keep from completely breaking down into a mess.

Luna, who had stayed behind the others when the dearly departed ponies began to crowd the shore, took to hover a few feet off the ground and shouted while tears streamed from her own eyes, “I LOVE YOU, SISTER! KEEP THE CHESS BOARD OUT SO THAT I MIGHT THRASH YOUR PLUMP PLOT WHEN I YET SEE YOU AGAIN ON THE OTHERSIDE!”

Celestia smiled and blew her sister a kiss. Luna landed with weak knees, having to take a seat as the full weight of it all struck her heart. She did not wish to cry in front of others, but seeing Celestia one more time… it was too much.

Balius had not moved, had not done anything to draw attention to himself as his captors all became distracted by seeing the souls on the other side. He had to control his breathing and concentrate on his task even as the bridge extended, giving him beyond ease of access to the city. All he had to do was get the accursed ring to break.

When Balius realized that the seal on his ring was incomplete it still did not give him many options. Much of his power was still locked away. Then, through trial and error, he felt it. He could still form water and control it. So, as carefully and quietly as possible, he formed a tiny bubble behind the ring that began to spin it faster and faster like a tiny sawblade. It was painstakingly slow work and his heart burned each time one of his siblings had their minds wiped.

However, be it Fate or Destiny or Chaos or Death, he had been given time to complete his work and the runes on the ring flashed as they were broken and the metal band fell to the ground. Power surged through Balius’s horn as he turned his body to water and escaped his bonds, reforming a few paces away.

“Princess!” Gauge leapt and tossed his staff. Balius’s blast that had been aimed for Twilight’s back had been slightly deflected and only grazed the purple alicorn's shoulder instead. Twilight’s painful scream snapped Sunset immediately out of her sobbing funk. She glanced back at Celestia and Sombra one last time. The bridges both rapidly descending back into the water.

“Go,” said Celestia and Sunset obeyed. Sunset’s wings burst into brilliant golden light as she drew her light sword.

Flurry charged Balius and fired a horn blast. Balius moved like water and reformed next to Flurry, trapping her in a water bubble and throwing her all the way back to the archway, bouncing roughly on the stone. Two water tentacles snapped out and wrapped around Gauge and Tempest’s necks, holding them in the air as he approached Luna who was back on her hooves and had summoned her glowing axe.

“Release them!”

“You took my family from me. Now, I will give you that chess game with your sister that you so desired.” Balius glanced to Death to see if the creature would interfere, but had only moved so much as to begin retracting the land bridges and Balius's chance for an easy crossing. With a snarl, Balius slammed the guard captains into the ground hard and charged Luna. He turned one hoof to ice and caught Luna’s axe and pulled it away, shattering it.

Luna gasped as the alicorn engulfed her, trapping her inside his water body. Try as she might, he was blocking her power from even her most basic spells. Twilight shook off her injury and turned to find the water alicorn standing nearly twice as tall as her with Luna trapped inside the water body.

“Two hostages should be more than enough to keep Celestia’s spawn off of me.” Balius reached for Twilight but struck a defensive dome of magic. He smiled. “Cute.” The water aspect reared his forelegs back to smash down upon the dome when all four of his legs were cut out and flashed to steam by a golden blur and blazing sword. Sunset slid to a stop, her sword burning a molten gash into the rock. She charged again with a battle cry and cut down on the flopping alicorn, cleaving him in half, the body bursting like a bubble. Luna threw up water as she coughed and gasped for air. The puddle moved and reformed.

“Sunset, behind you!” Twilight’s warning most likely saved her life, but did not keep her from being impaled by a water spike that struck through her back and out her abdomen.

Balius, still in water form, reformed his head next to Sunset’s, using her as a shield against retaliation. “You will never know peace, you will never know happiness. I’m going to bleed you and make you watch as I kill your friends and take the Well. Then, I’m going to destroy this pitiful rock just to spite Mother.” Sunset twisted painfully, tearing her wound, grunting as she inserted her horn into Balius’s water form and released a powerful electrical blast that shocked herself as well. Despite the pain, the water alicorn eventually lost his form and had to drop her.

Sunset struggled to limp back to her legs while trying to hold her insides where they belonged. The puddle reformed at the edge of the bridge and Sunset charged as best she could. Twilight charged as well erecting a barrier that Balius could not cross. He turned back to Twilight, eyes flashing sickly green.

Twilight had a healthy suspicion what he would attempt next and stopped, closed her eyes and dropped a massive interdiction field down on the entire plateau just as Balius attempted to teleport. The pain from the failed spell caused him the stumble back and return to a solid form.

Sunset Shimmer had not ceased her charge. She raised her sword and slashed downward, taking most of the aquamarine alicorn’s horn in the strike and left a burning red gash on his muzzle. Balius screamed and thrashed about. Sunset stumbled back, taking a moment to seal her bleeding wounds before she would pass out.

“Give up," Sunset hissed through the pain of her injuries and the cauterization, "don’t make me kill you.”

“Death as my witness, you will not enjoy your victory.” Balius charged quickly and body slammed into Sunset, knocking both of them into the river.

“SUNSET!” screamed Twilight. She was about to jump in to the water as well when Luna and Tempest grabbed her forelegs.

“Twilight, you can’t! The water!” Twilight looked down at Tempest then to Luna.

Sunset emerged from the river with her foreleg wrapped around Balius’s neck. She then shoved his head back underwater. “Open your mouth and swallow it like a good little whorse, you son of a bitch!” Balius thrashed about before his body suddenly turned into water again and he slipped out of her grasps. A water whip caught Sunset across the face, cutting deep and drawing blood.

“You can’t make me drink this. I was born from this river!” Balius glanced up at Twilight and the others, relishing in the sheer helplessness on their faces. “And now, the grand finale!” Balius seized Sunset by the neck and forced her to submerge.

“NO!” screamed Twilight. The purple alicorn’s eyes burned bright white, her body burst into brilliant magenta light, throwing her friends back. Twilight refocused her energy into a full body shield and dove into the river.

Sunset tried to swim, tried to cast a spell, tried to do anything but open her mouth, but her lungs were burning with demand and the biological need was overriding her resistance. The unseen water tentacle holding her down was not helping either. Suddenly a sharp pain pierced her side and Sunset gasped, eyes going wide.

Her memory flashed to Celestia giving her a bath after she had mastered her first teleport at ten years old and landed in a mud puddle a short distance away. Then another memory of her mother and her reading together by firelight. Next was Sunset screaming at Celestia how she was holding her back, keeping her from her true potential. Sunset could hear her own words, “This is the biggest mistake of your life!”

Sunset felt her consciousness slipping, her body losing the struggle to find air. Her memories were fading. Her first days at CHS, her first time on a motorcycle, her first kiss with Flash Sentry. She remembered Applejack and helping on the farm. She remembered playing games and sports with Rainbow Dash, working the adoption drive at the animal shelter with Fluttershy, the late night graffiti painting at Rarity’s store and the grateful smile she flashed when she realized who the mysterious ‘Flanksy’ was, and of course all the good times with Pinkie Pie baking, playing, just being young and happy. Finally, Twilight, her beloved wife and best friend. Those quirky smiles and nervous tics of adjusting her black framed glasses. Years of college together, their wedding, their first house, raising their girls, out living everyone they knew. She saw Twilight in the nightmare dream, looking right at her as she held Midnight Sparkle.

“I’m sorry, Sunny.”

Sunset’s mind was being erased, she knew it and had no way to stop it. She tired to hold on to each memory as they were ripped from her just like the Memory Stone and just as then, she was helpless against the savage mind raping she was receiving. Her memories of Princess Twilight slipped through her hooves like the surrounding current of water. Their experiments, their talks, the feeling of her soft coat as she kissed along her body and happily brought the new love of her life much desired mutual pleasure.

“Twilight…”

Had Sunset been conscious she would have seen a glowing magenta angel break the surface of the water and scoop her up in a powerful foreleg while the other legs and wings pulled and ripped her from the water’s grasp. Twilight emerged a moment later and carefully set Sunset on the shore. The goldenrod alicorn was not moving or breathing.

Flurry Heart moved to help, but Luna raised a hoof. “Do not touch her, she is soaked in the river water.”

Twilight wrapped Sunset in a light cocoon and pulled all the water from her coat, then pressed down on her wounded side. She pressed harder, then harder again, nearing the point where her ribs would break. Sunset’s body reacted to the pressure and forced the excess water from her lungs. Coughing and vomiting was soon followed by a massive intake of air. However, there were no cries of jubilation. They all knew what the expelling of so much water had meant. Sunset Shimmer had drank from the river as well.

Twilight, her eyes still burning white and body radiating magenta magic turned back to see Balius swimming in the center of the river, quickly making his way to the other side. Twilight spread her wings, about to take flight when Death raised a hoof to halt her. A hoof she nearly ran into. Death looked down at Sunset then across the water at Balius. He was about to step out of the water and touch the souls of Twilight’s gathered friends when suddenly, he was pulled back into the water.

“Balius, poor, foolish little alicorn. You may not be able to ingest the water of the first river, but as you said. This was the water of your creation. And like all things created there is an end. From the first water you were born, to the first water you shall return.”

Balius growled in frustration. He tried to step out again but soon could not feel his hindlegs. His eyes went wide with panic as he looked at his forelegs and they began to drip away. Try as he might, he was unable to reform them. Balius thrashed defiantly as the water dragged him in deeper.

“Grrrrnehhhg! Noo! NOOOO! MOTHER!!!! AHHHHH!!!!” His scream turned to gurgling water, head slipping below the surface. The bubbles decreased. Then, the stillness returned to the surface of the river.

Death looked down at Sunset Shimmer one last time as she looked about, lost and confused. “I believe your business here is concluded. Please, remember to relock the door on your way out.”

Sunset looked up at all the creatures standing above her, then down at her… they had a name, what were they called again? “What? Where am I?”

Chapter 26: Remember Me

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The climb from the Underworld was quiet, mostly. The chains had been removed from the three remaining Athanatoi, but they still asked where they were and where they were being led to every so often, nervously looking around, trying to make sense of what they were seeing. Sunset Shimmer was making similar faces and taking hesitant steps as she followed close to Gauge.

Something had happened to her. She knew that for fact because her body had hurt and had been leaking... a dark red liquid. The others, the… alicorns, the ones with wings and a horn, had done something to make the pain go away, which was good. She did not like pain, she was sure of that. No, not she, they had called her a word, a name. Sunset, Sunset Shimmer, yes, it sounded, right, good. Everything around her was so sharp and clear, including her mind, but for some reason… she could not remember anything about herself, or… well except for some very basic things, anything about anything!

Finally, after what felt like hours of walking, the top of the stairs could be seen and the group exited to the rocky wasteland outside. Sunset wrinkled her nose at the unpleasant burnt smell outside. At least the sky was pleasing, the colors were similar to, to her, to the… what was this stuff coming from her head again?

“Princesses!” the airship crew sprang to their hooves and bowed, quickly beginning to break down the camp. “I was going to give it another fifteen minutes before I sent word to Princess Cadence that we had heard no new update.”

“Thank you for your patience and diligence, captain,” Twilight said, trying with all her will to stay composed. Apparently, successful enough because the crystal pony nodded and turned to bark orders at the crew.

Luna stayed back and waited until everypony had cleared the stairwell. Upon further inspection she was not entirely sure how to make the door close since the hole her horn had been in was now in the ground. Perhaps just a simple application of power or a levitation?

“Please, allow me.”

Luna turned to find her mother, Aine, standing next to her. The black and white alicorn touched her horn to the side of the rock and the door began to slide up from the ground. It sealed with a hiss, the bas relief taking on a glow once more before fading to simple stone carvings as they had been previously.

“And should I ever wish to return here and open it again? How do I close it?”

Aine looked down at Luna, an eyebrow arched quizzically. “Why would you ever want to do that? There is nothing down there worth the trouble of accidentally leaving the way open.”

Luna scowled harshly. “Maybe perchance this one wished to see and speak to thy sister again? You know, Celestia, or has thou already forgotten your first born of a mortal sire?”

Aine huffed and walked away, shaking her head. She stopped near the camp that was being dismantled and bowed to Twilight who was whispering something to Sunset. Aine next turned her attention to her other three children who were looking upon her with child-like awe much as they had when she had first molded them into forms of her likeness. Then, she did a quick recount.

“Where is Balius?”

Twilight raised her hoof as Flurry moved to speak, anger clearly burning in the youngest alicorn's eyes. “We had a complication. While we were able to get the other three to drink, Balius broke free. He…” Twilight shuddered, but regained her royal mask, reminding herself that now was not the time to breakdown. There would be time for tears later. “He attacked us and nearly reached the city. Then, the river… consumed him. It was… horrific, to be honest.”

Aine sighed and nodded her understanding. “Yes, of course. Balius was made of water from the first river. By bathing in it, it broke him down back to his elemental components. It would have happened to any of them under such circumstances.” Aine turned her attention to Sunset who was staring at her with unblinking eyes. “I believe, congratulations are in order, Sunset Shimmer, you accomplished the impossible and once again came out on top. However, you promised me all four of my children. I believer some sort of compensation is in order, don’t you think?”

“What?!” shouted Twilight.

“How DARE you!” snarled Luna. Flurry’s horn began to glow and all the airship crew stopped and froze, unsure if they should watch or dive for cover. Both guard captains slowly began to inch closer to their respective princesses.

The tension broke like a bubble when Sunset began to giggle. All eyes turned to her as she continued to look upon Aine with wide teal eyes. “Wow, you are really… big! I can see right up your… what’s that called again? The part in the front with the holes.”

“Nose, dear,” Luna replied sadly, her ears flat and eyes downcast.

Aine glanced between them all and then looked closer at Sunset, seeing her in a different perspective that no mortal could see. After a moment she nodded in understanding. “I see. She drank from the river as well.”

“Balius tried to kill me, tried to kill all of us. Sunset tried to get him to drink, but... he, he, he dragged her in and below the water. I... I didn't... Is… is there anything you can do for her? Is there a way to recover her memory?” asked Twilight, her eyes filled with desperate hope, pleading for even a sliver of a chance.

Aine quickly crushed that hope with a shake of her head. “No, child. The river consumes all. I can see that her soul is intact, but the waters took Sunset’s memories and washed them away to the cosmic ether as it did my son.” Aine sighed, Twilight was unsure if that was sorrow or just a pinch of guilt on her face. The large alicorn was more difficult to read that even Celestia. “Perhaps, it is best this way, that she never remember me and all that I have taken from her. She will be happier this way.”

Twilight’s jaw hung open, her body began to shake. To Tartarus with appearances in front of others and common citizens, she thought as her anger boiled over. “Happier? HAPPIER?! What about our happiness?! What about the Sunset Shimmer we know and we loved! She’s gone! Because she tried to do YOU a favor showing mercy to your little… monsters over there!”

Aine scowled and drew herself up, wings extended as she turned fully to Twilight Sparkle. “Are you insinuating that I am to blame for this? Consequences, be they good or ill, are a result of any action taken, Twilight Sparkle. Always. As I explained to Celestia long ago, If you are to rule a land you must make hard choices. Sunset made her choice to fight back and though I was not there I must I assume her current state was a result of a choice SHE made. She yet lives, and live long she shall. Be happy for that, it is more than many others have. It is more than my son has.”

Aine turned away from Twilight, leaving the purple alicorn seething with tears staining her face again. Twilight gasped and jumped slightly when Sunset touched her, her eyes pleading for Twilight to calm down. Twilight smiled at Sunset and wrapped her in a wing hug, but the tears continued to fall.

“I do not believe anything else needs to be said on this matter. I will honor the bargain struck and take my children somewhere else that they will not be a danger to any creature or themselves. None of you will see me again in your lifetimes.” Aine turned back to her youngest daughter. “Luna, would you honor me with a hug?”

“Choices have consequences, mother, your choice to do nothing, no matter your reasons, cost me my sister and now my niece. You’ll forgive me if I wish to do no more than shake your hoof and say, good day.”

Aine nodded and stepped away. She smiled at Aethon, Scylla, and Epona who were unsure what to make of the large alicorn. “Hello, my children, do not be afraid.”

“Are, are you really our mother?” asked Epona with wide, glassy eyes.

Aine smiled warmly. “I am, and I am going to take care of you and show you wonders you could never imagine.” Without looking back on the world she had created or the many inhabitants who no longer felt they needed her, Aine pulled her three children close and they disappeared in a bright flash.

The remaining ponies glanced about and at each other until Flurry finally spat at the ground and said, “Bitch.”

“I concur,” said Luna, moving towards the airship.

Twilight gently nudged Sunset with her wing, encouraging her to follow. “Come on, we have a lot to talk about.”

----------

Twilight Sparkle sat poised as she waited for the nobles and honored members of the merchant’s guilds to exit the throne room. It was the first full day of court activities to return to some semblance of normal. It had been five days since the Athanatoi had attacked, five days since they killed Celestia, five days since their defeat, five days since Sunset Shimmer had lost all memory of who she was.

The first order of business after they had returned to Canterlot had been to oversee reconstruction of the palace and to address the public on Celestia’s death. Celestia’s body had been recovered and properly attended to so as to be entombed.

Using the most pure and white marble to be found, Celestia's mausoleum was erected next to the old oak tree on the hill overseeing the maze garden. It was one of her favorite spots on the palace grounds to read and relax. Twilight remembered talking to Sunset about how when she was a filly and had just been accepted as Celestia’s personal student they would sit out there after court and read together until duty would call her away again. Sunset smiled and recanted a few similar tales, adding how she had often pretended that at the time they were just a mother and daughter like other ponies. Irony.

While the structure was large, it was not overly extravagant because those that knew her best knew she would not want such opulence, especially in such a serene location. The stone was adorn with just simple carvings of Celestia's face and Equestrian motifs, topped with an eternally burning flame in the shape of her cutie mark. Every day following the initial service, viewing, and entombment, hundreds of flowers and letters had been placed at the foot of the stone and were easily beginning to pile up. No doubt it would continue on for months to come as word spread to the more distant lands.

There were, naturally, many questions in regards to what had happened since the only witnesses to the final moments had been Isabella Windsong and Princess Flurry Heart. Twilight had sworn the other princesses and those privy to the truth to strictest of secrecy and the official cause of death had been dealt by Scylla and the rest of the Athanatoi during the attack on the palace. That was how history would tell the story and those that knew otherwise would take the truth to their graves.

Following that same line of burying the truth, the Athanatoi were reported to be simply ancient creatures from legend whose escape from stone prisons was a complete coincidence to Celestia’s failing health and Flurry Heart’s erratic and sometimes violent behavior. Having to pile half truths on top of lies made Twilight’s stomach turn and mouth taste of acid and bile every time she was left with her private thoughts on the matter. She contemplated appointing Luna as temporary regent so that she could go process and blow off her frustrations for a month or two in a deserted part of the world. If not for taking care of Sunset, she would have.

There had been many difficult questions regarding Sunset Shimmer, especially when she did not speak at her own mother’s funeral. While it had been easy to explain to the nobles and onlookers that she was far too devastated to speak, it had been harder to sell it when Sunset had forgotten how to look somber and fake her facial expressions. Instead, Twilight spent most of the funeral and various conferences that followed reminding Sunset to not look around and keep her eyes closed or downcast. Twilight was certain at least a half dozen observant nobles and a few investigative reporters were on to the fact that Sunset was acting odd. The fact that the night court was still suspended was only making the matter harder to keep under wraps.

Twilight knew at some point she was going to have to give an official statement that the coronation was going to be delayed, significantly, because Sunset had suffered a ‘catastrophic blow to the head’ or something along those lines and was suffering from a bout of total amnesia. Another half truth to be added to the growing pile in the back of her head.

Once the throne room was secured, Isabella signaled the guards to open the back entrance, taking her position to lead Twilight through the corridor to the newly renovated private dining hall. When Twilight saw the wonderful spread that had been set out for lunch she grimaced and turned to her assistant.

“I thought we already went through this, Isa. I want to have my lunch with Sunset.”

The griffon sighed, signaling the guards to exit the room. Once they were alone, Isabella mentally prepared herself for the explosive reaction she was certain to receive. “Twilight, I say this as a friend who loves you, but you need to accept that the Sunset Shimmer you knew is gone.”

“SHE’S NOT DEAD, ISA!”

Isabella shook her head and straitened her crest feathers. No one ever got used to the Royal Canterlot Voice in their face. “I am aware of that, Your Highness, but for the past few days you have take away from your, quite frankly, overloaded work schedule to visit Sunset in the hospital and after every time you leave it takes another twenty minutes or more to recompose yourself before you are ready to see the commoner petitioners. You are literally wrecking yourself trying to come to terms with the fact that, for the foreseeable future, Sunset Shimmer has the personality of a child and remembers nothing of her life before, including you.”

“And the more time I spend with her the faster she will relearn how to do everything! She needs that!”

“Twilight, she was reading a child’s basic reading book on phonetics yesterday.”

“Exactly! In less than five days she has already learned a slew of basic words and functions and caught back up on her alphabet and numbers. Oh, and levitation! I taught her that and she has already remastered it!”

Isabella nodded, but her face remained carefully neutral. “Yes, compared to a foal she is learning quickly. As I understand it, Sunset had a perfect memory and was a fast learner before, but if we keep pushing her hard she will, just like any child, eventually push back and become burnt out on the overwhelming material you have given her. That will likely lead to resentment, possibly even hostility on her part. You must remember, her aggressive behavior and short temper are most likely still there, they just have not been tested yet.

"Under normal circumstances I would never suggest it, but she may require an inhibitor ring in the future until she has a better understanding of how much power she has at her disposal. If I am to be completely honest, I think if you were to distance yourself from her it would be best for both of you. It will let you focus on your duties and let her continue at her own pace. Not to mention, you are falling drastically behind on your prior commitments and promises and I can only use the same old excuses with the nobles and council for so long.”

“Right, because that worked out sooooo well for Celestia, putting up a wall between her and her daughter,” Twilight growled. After a few calming breaths, Twilight shook her head and sighed. “I'm sorry Isa, that was... I’m going to have to tell them about Sunset.”

“Yes, Your Highness, and apology accepted. I already took the liberty of informing the councilors you had an important update to give regarding Princess Sunset’s health, coronation, and other related topics.”

Twilight nodded, ears flat and eyes closed, fighting to keep the tears from flowing again. Once she was certain she could do so, Twilight stepped over to the table and assembled herself two tomato, basil, and sliced cheese sandwiches along with a side of deep fried onion rings and a large bowl of tossed salad. She turned her tired gaze back to Isabella. “I’m going to visit Sunset, come get me in forty minutes.” Before Isabella could protest, Twilight disappeared in a flash.

When Twilight and the others had returned to Canterlot after leaving the remains of Tartarus, Luna had taken it upon herself to see to Sunset's care. However, with so much turmoil following the attack and then the announcement of Celestia’s passing, Luna had found herself being hounded by reporters and creatures of all kinds during the day and combating troubled dreams of those that felt distraught and saddened at night. To make matters worse, Sunset had forgotten she had alicorn strength and broke three doors just opening them and cracked the stone and foundation in a few places just stepping wrong. After two days of that non-stop, Luna had been unable to see to her niece properly and asked for help.

It was then that Twilight had asked Celestia’s former personal attendant, Guiding Light, to look after Sunset and keep her condition secret from the public. The doctor had quietly taken Sunset to a rehabilitation and recovery hospital that was located on a plateau of the Unicorn Range not far from Canterlot proper. Most of the patients there were those that had suffered catastrophic injuries that could not be healed easily with magic or at all. The hospital specialized in helping with coping and rehabilitation of those injuries and had nurses on hoof for those suffering various brain injuries or mental illness. Between the security and the seclusion it was the best place to take care of Sunset for the time being.

Or so Twilight tried to convince herself. If she were being honest with herself and those around her, she absolutely hated having Sunset out of her sight. She was still very much in love with the goldenrod alicorn and it broke her heart immensely that she did not remember any of their past experiences, especially the night they shared Twilight’s bed together.

Twilight had once again first met with Doctor Guiding Light briefly, getting an update on Sunset’s condition before moving to the garden where she found her lover lying down under a tree with a few books nearby. Upon approach, Twilight noticed a thestral mare in a light duty scout vest named Sable Nimbus, if she remembered correctly, standing nearby, but mostly out of sight like a statue. Twilight nodded her thanks for Sable's continued dedicated service. The personal guard/attendant bowed her head respectfully in turn.

When Sunset noticed Twilight, she smiled and sat up and then bowed awkwardly. Twilight brought the food over and set it down next to the books. “I told you last time, Sunset, you are a princess too, you do not have to bow to me.”

Sunset smiled sheepishly, blushing a bit. “Oh, sorry, Your Hi, er, I mean, Twilight, it’s just that all the others do it so I figured it was the right thing to do is all. All these different rules on who does what and what not to do. It’s just a lot to take in.”

“It’s fine. You are doing fine. I brought lunch. I hope you are hungry.”

“I felt my stomach make that gurgle noise not long ago so I’m going to say yes.”

Twilight passed over to Sunset one of the plates and took a moment to skim over the book cover titles. Her heart sank when she realized they were all for fillies and colts who were about to enter magical kindergarten or such equivalent. An improvement over yesterday, but still slow going. Sunset had once told Twilight she had learned to read Old Ponish spell books by the time she was eleven.

“Mmmmmmm!” Sunset smiled as she held her sandwich in a levitation field. “What is this? It’s really good!”

“It’s really nothing special, just all I had time to grab before having to jump back into the grinder.”

Sunset shrugged. “Well, I like it. I… I think I’m suppose to say, ‘thank you’ when somepony does something nice. That’s what Luna said and a few of the books I read too… so, thank you.”

Twilight smiled, but after a moment Sunset’s ears flattened. Twilight, set her food down. “What’s the matter?”

“You are making that face again. You’ve made it a few times now when you look at me. Doctor Guiding Light told me that ponies and even other creatures can say things even without saying things. She called it… body language? Yeah, I think that’s what she said. I seem to be doing pretty good at remembering things, but there is so much new stuff coming at me it's hard to keep it all straight! But anyhow, you make that face when you are sad and I think… I think I’m the one making you sad.”

Twilight grimaced. If Twilight had to be truthful, Isabella was mostly right when it came to how much she was hurting herself. In addition to her emotional strife, Twilight had also missed out on large portions of sleep, spending hours every night trying to find some way to reverse the damage the river had done to Sunset. Even after tearing through a small mountain of material on the mind, memory, and clever ways to preserve or copy memories she had come across nothing even remotely close to being helpful on lost memory restoration. Twilight had to stop her research after Tempest had caught and confronted her while combing the Star Swirl the Bearded archives on time magic. The guard captain had rightly scolded her.

Since she knew all too well how dangerous time travel was the only sliver of hope Twilight still held desperately to was that maybe if Sunset relearned enough material that MAYBE some piece of who she was would recover. Twilight was fairly certain that Sunset had retained her ability to empathically read minds even if she currently did not know how to activate it. It would not be the same, but perhaps if someday Sunset could see Twilight’s memories of the two of them together, she would understand why and how much she meant to the purple princess.

So far though, nothing had helped and there had not been enough hours in the day to dedicate more time to helping Sunset without drawing closer scrutiny by the nobility and general public. Once the truth was made public, Twilight had little to no doubt the nobles' first move would be to strip Sunset of her title and possibly try to once again denounce her as illegitimate since Celestia was gone and Sunset had been sired out of wedlock. They had done similar to other children of lesser status and title, none of which had a claim to a throne. It was not like Sunset had many friends among the guilds or council to come to her aid and Twilight was unsure if her word would be enough given Sunset's mental condition. Problems for another day.

Twilight tried to recover what face she had left, but Sunset’s sad pout was breaking her heart. “No, nononono, it’s not that, not that simple, Sunny. I’m just… trying to recover from all the things that have happened. My life is so hectic right now.”

Sunset nodded, but her eyes were downcast. She set her sandwich down and turned her eyes to the garden. “I don’t know what ‘hectic’ means, but I know you are sad because you lost friends. You are sad because I was somepony else and now I can’t remember who I am. I’m sorry.”

“Oh, no, no, please don’t apologize.” Twilight could feel tears about to fall and tried to fight them down, but failed. She sniffled and wiped the tears, streaking and staining her fur again just like she had done every day.

“I still don’t understand. Why do you come see me if I make you sad? It doesn't make sense. I think you would smile more and be happy if you didn’t come see me.”

Twilight pulled Sunset into a hug and whispered, “You don’t make me sad. You make me the happiest pony in the world and I’m glad I get to see you every day. I know you don’t understand this right now, but I love you very much. Just remember that above all else, okay?”

Sunset nodded, but said nothing. After a minute of holding Sunset close and wishing she could do more, Twilight let her go so they could finish eating. Twilight even offered some of the fried onions to Sable who graciously accepted, but remained a respectful distance back from the two princesses. Afterwards, they sat together quietly under the tree with Twilight draping her wing over Sunset’s barrel while the fire haired alicorn continued to work on her basic reading skills, mumbling different phrases under her breath. Twilight was about to drift off, finding soothing comfort in the feel of Sunset's body and quiet voice.

Sable’s large, furry bat ears twitched and turned. She then jumped over the two alicorns causing Sunset to drop her book and Twilight to gasp in surprise. The thestral smacked the two hidden switches on the black gauntlets that had been strapped to her forehooves and two blades extended while she assumed a defensive fighting stance. It was then that Twilight heard the flapping of wings from above.

“Excellent reaction time and form, lieutenant,” said Captain Gauge as he came to land before the princesses and bowed.

“I told you to let me go first, how else was I suppose to properly test her?” said Isabella before she bowed respectfully as well.

Sable retracted her blades and relaxed, nodding her respect. “I heard you both long before you came in for a landing. Ears like these don't miss much. Captain, Isabella.”

Twilight sighed, her wings sagging and hair losing its magical wave. “Is it time already?”

Isabella glanced at Sunset who immediately turned her eyes to the grass. “Actually, I postponed the commons petitions.”

“What? Why?”

Isabella tapped the tips of her talons together nervously. “I’m afraid something has come up that requires your immediate attention. It… may also require Sunset's as well.”

“Huh? Me? Is this about those broken doors again? I said I was sorry, I’m pretty sure I have this strength thing under control… now.”

“Just speak frank, Isa. What’s going on?”

“There is… I use the term loosely, music blaring from Sunset’s room and no one can get through the wards on the door to go in and turn it off. It is beginning to disturb the staff. I was going to fetch Luna, but I thought, perhaps you would like to escort Sunset yourself.”

“I have a room?” Sunset said, her face as surprised as it was confused. “As in my own room, not a hospital room?”

Twilight arched an eyebrow before her eyes suddenly grew to the size of dinner plates. “Music from… Oh no…”

“Twilight?”

“I FORGOT ABOUT RAVEN!”

----------

When they retuned to the castle Twilight asked Isabella to run interference with the court and the line of grumbling petitioners, assuring them that she would see them today, but there were emergency matters to attend. Gauge had ordered Sable to stay with the princesses while he updated Captain Fury and personally cordoned off the hallway to Sunset's room so as to provide a level of privacy.

Twilight could hear the racket coming from down the hall before they had rounded the corner to Sunset’s room. Sunset didn't seem to mind the muffled noise and instead admired the wooden door that bore the same symbol that was on her flank. She knew they were called cutie marks after asking about them the other day.

“When Tempest and I came to retrieve Celestia I set Raven down on her charger pad and then completely forgot about her! She just kept asking me questions at the time about Sunset and what happened I just... I didn't have it in me to deal with her. She must have started making all the noise to get somepony’s attention. I must have relocked the door with security wards out of habit and the cleaning staff couldn’t get through them.”

“I have no idea what any of that means.”

Twilight smiled sympathetically at Sunset. “I know, just… be ready for a bit of a shock.”

The wards disappeared as and the music grew exponentially louder, even vibrating the stonework. Apparently there had been some intricate noise dampening spells woven into the lock. Clever and elegant, definitely Sunset's work, Twilight thought with just a twinge of melancholy. When the door opened she immediately found the source of the noise. Twilight had forgotten in the blur of the week they had also moved Sunset’s speakers to her room instead of the lab or even the better insulated music room. Raven must have found a way to reconnect to them and had turned up the volume until it was enough to rattle the walls beyond the wards.

Once the door swung open, the music ceased. Sable went in first with her ears still flat to her skull. She scanned the room and then confirmed it was safe, gesturing for the princesses to enter. Twilight and Sunset slowly entered to find that the room was still in decent order.

“FINALLY!” Sunset jumped at the sound of the posh voice that she did not recognize and could not see who had said it. “I have been staring at this ceiling for FIVE DAYS! FIVE BLOODY DAYS! Do you not realize how completely boring that is?! If I had not had access to Sunset’s games I probably would have gone insane by now. As it is, I have now beaten all her top scores or completed play throughs in record time.”

“I am so, so sorry, Raven!” Twilight pleaded. “I have been so crazy busy this week and one thing led to another and I just completely forgot about you.”

“You forgot about me? Me? The only functioning AI in the whole world with enough knowledge and processing power to run a small country. Out of morbid curiosity, Your Highness, does Equestria have any arch enemies or rival nations I could sell myself to that would NOT forget about me and appreciate my genius and splendor?”

“Uhhhh…”

“Wow,” Sunset said, “I don’t know where that is coming from, but she sure sounds angry.”

“Sunset?” Raven’s voice was immediately softer, almost pleading. “Sunset is that you? Could someone or pony or whatever please lift me up to where I can see?”

Twilight propped the PAAL up against the wall so that the camera could see the room. “Better?”

The screen came to life and a small, holographic pony head appeared on the glass. She had a white cream colored coat, brown mane that was pinned back with bands and chopsticks, and had brown eyes that were behind black rim glasses. Twilight had never seen the phone do that before and was astonished at the respectable recreation of Raven Inkwell.

“You, you have a face?”

“When you spend five days with nothing else to do you get creative. I have always had the ability to create an avatar, but Sunset never requested I use one so it was never a priority.” When she spoke the avatar’s mouth moved in perfect sync. Twilight could tell she was examining Sunset who was looking at her with child like wonder. “Sunset, I thought you had perished after the others returned from the underworld. Twilight was so distraught she never answered any of my questions and then just left me here. I ran simulations of different possible scenarios and disliked all of them. With each passing day that you did not return my predicted odds of your survival dropped dramatically. It pleases me greatly to see you again. Were you in the hospital? If so, you seem to have recovered well from any injuries you sustained.”

“There is a tiny talking pony in the glass piece,” Sunset said with a grin. “Neat!”

Raven turned her eyes to Twilight. “That was not the response I was anticipating. Did Sunset by chance suffer a blow to the head? Honestly, what was the point of her wearing a magical helmet if it did not protect her brain?”

Twilight grimaced. “Yes, in a manner of speaking. After she left you in the care of Cadence and Isabella we took the Athanatoi into the Underworld just like we planned. But Balius got free from his inhibitor ring. He tried to kill me, but Sunset stopped him and ended up in the river as well. She…” Twilight shuddered, but took a breath. “She swallowed too much water and lost her memory as well. She doesn’t remember you any more than she remembers any of us.”

“I’m sorry, Raven, was it?” Sunset glanced about the room. None of it looked familiar. It felt warm, not physically, but welcoming. The paintings, the furniture layout, even the color choices, this was more than just a room to sleep in like the hospitals she had been staying at. This was a living space. This was a home. Near where the PAAL was propped up were photos in frames. Sunset examined them and found pictures of herself and a pony that looked like a kid sister of Twilight's with glasses. Next to them were two other ponies that were absolutely adorable. Sunset wondered who they were and why she had pictures of them.

Raven nodded. “I see. Complete factory reset. Twilight,” Raven waited until the princess looked at her, “I have a message Sunset recorded prior to the battle. She asked that it be played for you in case she did not survive. While it is good that she is physically alive, without her memories she is not the Sunset I knew these past few years. With your permission, princess, I will play the message for you.”

Hesitantly, Twilight looked towards the thestral bodyguard who had said nothing while standing near the door. “Could you… would you please wait outside the room, Sable?” The thestral bowed and exited, closing the door behind her.

Twilight turned back to Raven. Her avatar disappeared and Twilight choked on her sob for a moment when Sunset Shimmer appeared on screen with safety goggles on her head, face slightly smudge with a chemical powder or reagent.

“Are you recording?”

“Of course I am recording. I am always recording you. Would you like to know how many times you call out Twilight’s name in your sleep?”

Sunset rolled her eyes with a smile then cleared her throat. She removed the goggles and replaced her circlet crown, taking a moment to fix her mane before turning to fully face the camera. “Hey, Twily. I never thought I would have to record one of these, but well, this week has been a bit of a shit show so I guess I can’t be too surprised. Anyhow, if you are seeing this message it means that I’m dead and thankfully, you are not. I asked Raven to only show this to you, so you don’t have to worry about Luna or Cadence or Flurry seeing this before you. Not that there is anything wrong with showing this to them later, it’s just… well, without you it won’t matter as much. Sorry, I’m rambling and that's usually your thing."

Sunset closed her eyes for a moment then those gorgeous teal orbs opened full of confidence, staring directly into the camera, a small, quirky smile on her face. “I love you, Twilight Sparkle. I know I haven’t said it to your face yet and if that is weighing on your mind at least let me get that out of the way first. I love your big brain, I love your big butt, I love that you care so much about everypony and Equestria and all the other creatures that make it the wonderful place it is now. After I lost my girls and Twi… I never thought I would fall in love again. But, you opened your heart to me. You showed me that I still had plenty of life left to live and dammit I wanted to live it by your side. I wanted to kiss you when I raised the moon and kiss you again when I brought it to rest. I wanted to make love to you in that big tub of yours and under the stars. I wanted more than anything to just make you smile and be happy every single day. I wanted to show you, just like you showed me, that every day since you saved me by kicking my ass and pulling me out of that crater that life is a gift and worth smiling about.”

Sunset paused to wipe her tears and Twilight found that she needed to wipe her own. When she looked to her right, she found Sunset staring at the image of herself intently, her expression unreadable.

“As you may already know, Mom’s body is in a stasis field in my room. Please, make sure she is seen to properly and that everypony knows she loved them all no matter what. As far as me, if there is anything left of me? I don’t know, maybe throw a huge drunken Irish wake with food and alcohol and bad stories. Those are great, we did something like that when Granny Smith passed and it really helped AJ and her family with the loss. That’s how a funeral should be, you know? Remembering the good times, telling stories, not just crying about how sad it is. A celebration of life and all that jazz.

“Okay, so that’s what I want you to do for me, celebrate life. So, in closing, assuming we won and Equestria is not a burning cinder of a world, I want you to take care of Raven for me. Honestly, it’s not hard, she just needs to be charged every now and then and show her the world, that will shut her up.”

“You know I am staring right at you.”

Sunset flashed a familiar smirk and posed. “Best view you will ever see, baby. Oh, and before I forget. I’m sorry I broke my promise about coming back for my rings. I guess I should have Pinkie Promised that after all. They were special to me in a way I don’t think any… anyone can really understand. Not without knowing me and Twi that is. But, when you are ready, just pull them out of the bag and put them around your neck. Then, you will understand. Goodbye, Twily. Know that if there really is an Elysium like Aine says I will be standing there waiting for you when it’s time. I love you.”

“I love you too,” Twilight barely managed to say between her sobs. The recording returned to the avatar face. Twilight’s legs gave out and she collapsed to the floor and sobbed harder. Eventually, Sunset sat next to her and wrapped a wing over her just like Twilight had done numerous times for her.

“I’m… I’m sorry I’m not her. I… I want to be. Maybe someday I will be that strong and ready to stand by you.”

Twilight smiled through her tears and hugged Sunset. “Thank you.”

“Twilight,” Raven said after the purple princess had managed to get her sobs and shakes under control, “do you by chance have the bag with the rings?”

Twilight nodded. “It’s in my room.”

“I believe you should give it to Sunset.”

“That’s… yes, that’s a good idea. I know she would have wanted them back and it seems wrong of me to hold onto it now.” Twilight closed her eyes and imagined the cinch sack in her study desk drawer. Her horn took on a magenta glow and the pouch appeared in a teleport flash in front of her forelegs.

“What’s that?”

Twilight smiled at Sunset again. “I should explain as best I can. You, Sunset Shimmer, are actually older than me, not by much, but you are. We are both more than one hundred years old. You spent quite a bit of that time in another dimension, the world that Raven comes from. It’s why she is so different from all the other technology you have seen in Equestria. While you were living in that other world you eventually married another… being. She was a lot like me, but still unique, her own person. You two were very happy and had two beautiful daughters.” Sunset glanced back over to the pictures on the wall and connected the dots. Twilight carefully opened the bag and grabbed the rings on a chain with her magic. “You symbolized your love and commitment to one another with these two rings.”

Twilight pulled the rings from the bag and then paused before continuing. That's strange... Did they always glow like that?

“Ohhh! Pretty.”

“Huh, I should probably run a scan on them. It looks like you added some sort of enchantment to them before you passed them over to me.”

Twilight was about to cast a detection spell when Sunset reached out with a hoof and touched the rings. The moment both rings came in contact with her, Sunset eyes flashed white and she screamed.

Chapter 27: Here I Am

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Twilight fell back gasping in surprise from the sudden and unexpected flash of light. She could not tell if more light was emanating from Sunset’s eyes or from the rings. Both were blinding, but her scream, that throat tearing banshee wail that was amplified by Sunset’s out of control alicorn power just tore through Twilight’s very sense of being and sent waves of vertigo that nearly made her vomit.

“SUNSET!” Twilight reached out towards the expanding ball of light, trying and failing at shielding her eyes with her wings. The door to the room crashed open from a swift double buck kick. Twilight could not see who was at the door and remembered shouting at them to stay back, but was not sure her voice was able to carry over the sound of the screaming and static crackle of magical energy.

The ball of light that had expanded to consume all of Sunset Shimmer suddenly collapsed like a dying star and crashed back on the rings that had remained floating even after Twilight had dropped her levitation field. The rings, which Twilight had managed to glance at, were still glowing white hot until they finally shattered to dust.

The energy that had expanded and contracted finally exploded outward once more as the shattering of the rings sent a concussion wave through the room upending furniture and shattering glass picture frames, a flower vase, and Sunset’s crystal video game monitor. Much like all the other loose objects, all the ponies in the room were thrown off their hooves as well.

Twilight slid into the kitchenette while Sunset was thrown over the sitting room sofa not far from the bedroom door. The ponies that had entered the room after the screaming started had been thrown back into the hall.

It was difficult to hear past the ringing in her ears, but Twilight managed to recover for the most part, spurn on by the sound of painful cries. She was not one hundred percent certain, but it sounded like it was... “S, Sunset?”

“ERRRRRGH!!!!! GRAAAHHHHH!!! SON OF A ONE LEGGED WENCH FROM WISCONSIN! ARGH! SOMEBODY GET ME SOME FUCKING TYLENOL!”

“Princess Twilight!” Twilight turned her head to the calling of her name that sounded like it was a hundred meters away. “Are you all right?!”

Twilight nodded to Tempest who had finished helping Sable Nimbus back to her hooves before staggering over to check her princess for injuries. Twilight ignored her inspections for physical damage as she tossed furniture out of the way with her hooves to reach Sunset. She would have used levitation magic, but after such an explosion there may have been residual energy that could react violently to something even as simple as a levitation spell. Not to mention the ringing in her ears was making it difficult to concentrate.

“Twilight!” called out Isabella, gasping at the state of the room. “Blessed ancestors! What in the world happened?! That explosion rattled the entire castle!”

Twilight moved the broken couch and found Sunset on her back, wings missing a few feathers, fur singed in many places, and smelling of burnt mane. She was clutching her head and horn, her one hoof that had come in contact with the rings was also burned and in need of medical treatment, but for the most part she seemed to be in one piece.

“Sunset!”

Sunset Shimmer blinked a few times, her teal eyes focusing on the purple alicorn standing above her with tears in her eyes and deathly concern on her muzzle. “Oh, hey, Twilight. Don’t suppose you brought me anything for a splitting headache?”

Twilight could feel her breathing catch as she began to hyperventilate. “S, Sun, Sunset?!”

“Yeah? You okay? Oh, shit, did I just blow up the lab? Guess I put too much pure sodium in with the mixture.”

“You… you…”

Sunset rolled over, her body aching all over, but she ignored the pain because Twilight looked like she was on the edge of a nuclear reactor meltdown. Slowly and carefully Sunset raised her hooves, noticing one was badly singed and felt numb. Another problem for later. “Twilight, brea-”

“WHAT WAS THE FIRST THING YOU EVER SAID TO ME?!”

Sunset blinked rapidly. “Uhhhh, ‘sorry it had to be this way… princess’? Or something like that? I’ve got a great memory of the scene, us running through the crystal castle while your friends gave chase, but that was well, you know, when I was being a bitch so I try not to think about that often.”

“You… you… you remember me?”

“Well, yeah…” Sunset took a moment to look around. “Oh, ponyfeathers, did I blow myself so badly that I ended up all the way back in my room?” Sunset eyes went wide and she gasped. “Oh shit! Raven?!”

There was no response,

“RAVEN!”

Sunset searched around frantically, wincing every time she stepped or tried to move debris. She tried to levitate something, but immediately dropped it when pain shot through her skull like a railroad spike. Sunset staggered and nearly blackout from the pain. Twilight regained some of her awareness and shook her head.

“Um, she was over by her charging pad, which was on the table… which is now over there.” Is this real? Am I dreaming? Am I dead and this is just my heart’s desire?

Sunset stumbled making little ouch sounds every time she took a step.

“Princess,” said Tempest, scratching the side of her head. “What’s going on?”

“Did she... just remember something?” commented Isabella, taking a moment to right a lounge chair so Twilight could sit, but the princess refused, still watching her lover move about, slack jawed and wide eyed.

“Oh, thank Celestia!” Sunset held up her PAAL gently in her hooves. “She’s in a system restart diagnostic. I remember reading that’s not unusual when it suffers a hard shock. The case seems intact. Not happy about some of these screen scratches, but I might be able to buff them out a bit. No cracks to the glass, which is a relief. She should pop back on in a-”

Raven’s pony avatar popped on screen and her eyes began searching back and forth as if speed reading. Sunset’s expression brightened in surprise. “Huh, that’s new. Nice rendering of Raven... uh, Raven. Especially considering it wasn’t designed around a pony face. I wonder if they considered that some people would want fictional characters or anthros when they wrote the software for the app.”

“Processor, okay, memory, okay, camera, okay, audio receptor…” Raven looked at her owner and mimicked blinking rapidly. “Sunset?”

“Hey, can you see and hear me?”

“Audio receptor and speakers, okay. I appear to be fully functional. Amazing considering the concussion forced me into safe mode. I am immensely thankful for the Gorilla glass and Kevlar casing.”

Sunset nodded. “You and me both. I would have cried a river if you had been damaged.”

“Oh?”

“Hell yeah, you have all my music, pictures, and games! Oh, and I would have lost a friend too. Seriously, you are like a really close second to my stuff, razor close.”

The avatar glared and quirked a frown before smirking in a very Sunset manner. “Cute. It also appears you are no longer suffering from total memory loss.”

Sunset blinked. “Huh?” Sunset looked up at the ponies and griffon in her room, completely perplexed. She imagined her own expression was not much more flattering. Then the stalled brain gears started turning again. “Have the Athanatoi returned yet? I know we were short on time. What is the date and time?” For an answer Sunset got suddenly tackled by Twilight. The purple princess wrapped her in a bone crushing hug and began to sob uncontrollably into the other alicorn’s coat. Sunset cringed and hissed while gently patting Twilight's head.

“Oh my gosh! I’m so sorry!” Twilight cleared her throat and composed herself. “We need to get you to the castle infirmary immediately! Isa, send word to the nurse on call and contact Dr. Guiding Light.”

“I’m sure it’s not that b-” Twilight poked Sunset in the shoulder with her hoof and she yelped and cringed in pain. “Okay, yeah, maybe a checkup is in order. Feh, I hate hospitals.”

“I don’t care. You need to be thoroughly checked over and you have a LOT of explaining to do.”

----------

“Well, since my nurse’s scan backfired,” said Dr. Guiding Light with an annoyed shrug as the unicorn nurse limped out of the room massaging her horn, “my official diagnosis is magical feedback overload. The best way I can describe it is imagine having somepony clamp down on your horn hard the moment before you cast the spell. The energy that is usually directed to the horn has to go somewhere and it usually travels back down through the body to groundout in the earth. Most minor spell backfires follow those same magically stimulated pathways. In this case however, the power traveled through her hoof and up, as you saw from the burns and instead of grounding out it went up to her brain.”

“That sounds bad,” said Twilight, glancing back and forth between the doctor and Sunset who was lying back in bed while another nurse wrapped her foreleg in ointment coated bandages for burns.

“Oh, I imagine if she were not an alicorn and not so blasted hard headed it would have been fatal. Judging by the description of the state of the room where the incident occurred her brain should have been turned to putty. As it is, she's just overcharged with excess energy that should bleed off naturally over time and we can try a medical scan again in a few hours. Until then I want Sunset to remain here and absolutely no magic use until I can determine it is safe. Then we can begin testing her memory to see if it all came back or if there are holes. For now, I’ll leave you two to speak. If she wants to nap let her, but if she passes out, contact me immediately. It could be sign of a stroke or other type of bleeding in the brain.” Twilight nodded her thanks to the earth pony doctor who glared one last time at Sunset before shaking her head. Sunset just flashed a weak smile and waved her wrapped hoof.

“We’ll be right outside if you need us, Your highness,” said Tempest as she and Gauge bowed and followed the doctor and other attending nurse out of the room, gently closing the door behind them.

“So…” Sunset closed her eyes and let out a long breath.

“Right, so you told the doctor the last thing you remember was crafting and performing a memory spell in the lab after taking a break from working on your speakers. Care to elaborate?”

“Yeah, just give me a second. My brain is trying to sort out where to put everything again apparently. I don't suppose I can get a coffee?"

"Sunset," Twilight glared.

"Okay, you're right, I'll live. You remember when we were in the restricted section looking for anything we could about the Memory Stone?”

“Of course. I had a great time reading all afternoon with you.”

“Well, one of the books I came across that I thought was promising was on how to craft a memory retainer. Kind of like the memory stone, but the user willing copied memories to it instead of having them maliciously stolen. Anyhow, after we gathered the chaos energy, I took a small piece with me back to the lab to use as a catalyst because the spell required some pretty rare ingredients to craft properly. It was also originally only designed to hold a few precious memories, not your whole life, which is probably why it exploded. I suspected that the spell was going to push the containment vessel to its stress threshold, which was why I had to use my titanium rings as the retainers just because they were the strongest material I had available. I saw the chain, but not the rings, I don't suppose you know what happened to them?"

"I only caught a glimpse, but I am pretty sure they shattered into flaming light."

"I didn’t see them on the floor. I guess they must have overcharged and broke into a million pieces. Well, that sucks.”

“But… that’s crazy! How could you have possibly known you would need to backup your memory before the battle? How could you have even known you might end up in the river?! How could you have known that would have even worked?! Look what happened to you! Was that suppose to be a gift or were you trying to blow me up?!”

“Well, I was definitely NOT trying to hurt you, Twily. But before I get into all that, could you tell me what DID happen? You said it’s been five days since we captured the Athanatoi and I ended up a blank slate.”

Twilight swallowed her frustrations and curiosity and nodded, recounting how they had lowered the sun and raised the moon together in the tower. She blushed and stumbled over what happened after that. Sunset arched an eyebrow and fought down her smirk at what she suspected happened after that, but did not push the issue as Twilight explained that the Athanatoi destroyed Tartarus and apparently were unable to access the Underworld as long as Luna was alive.

The cage had worked for the most part as anticipated and they had captured the four of them alive after a small hoof to hoof fight for control of the space. Sunset beamed and sighed contently that the cage had worked, but scowled when she mentioned the loss of one of the guards. Twilight shuddered and had to steady her breathing as she described the creature they met by the river in the Underworld and how it wore the face of her brother just to keep Twilight unnerved. Her smile returned, however when she described being able to see her best friends again and Celestia.

Sunset sighed and sobbed slightly when she heard that she got to speak to not only her mother, but apparently her father as well. Unfortunately, it had been a private conversation and she could provide no details on what was said because soon after, Balius broke free and Sunset sacrificed herself to keep him from killing anypony else or reaching the Golden City.

“And after I got the water out of your lungs I was glad you were alive, but I also knew you had just lost all your memories as well. It was... conflicting. No, truth is, it broke my heart to see you like that.”

“Damn, I mean, I had a feeling we were going to have problems, but just... wow.” Sunset looked down at her hooves, one bandaged, the other fine. “If you don’t mind, after I’m recovered, I would like to try and use my empathy powers on you so I can see it all through your memories. It won’t be exactly the same, but it would be better than nothing.”

“Oh!” Twilight blushed again, playing with her mane. “Yes, that, that would be fine. I just… I’ll have to explain a few little things before we do that… about you… and me… us.”

Sunset smirked. “Sure, whatever makes you comfortable.”

Twilight coughed and regained her composure. “Now, it’s your turn. You need to explain to me how you could have POSSIBLY known to make a copy of your memories.”

Sunset grimaced, but then smiled weakly. “It wasn’t because I was afraid I’d end up losing my memories from the river. Heck, I wasn't sure the river was real or just Aine being cryptic. I gave you the rings because I was pretty sure that if the Athanatoi didn’t kill me that Aine would after it was all over.”

Twilight gawked. “What? Why would she do that?”

“Twily, I yelled at the goddess of all creation. I THREATENED with death a being that was and likely still is more than capable of reducing me into atoms if she felt it was in her best interest. All I kept thinking about at the time was being smited to dust… Smote? Smitten? Whatever. Turned to dust by a holy lightning bolt or something. Keep in mind that I was really angry and not thinking straight at the time, but still. Baaaaaaad idea. So, I was worried my days were numbered and I wanted to give you something to remember me with. What better than access to all my memories?”

“Except it exploded.”

Sunset gestured her begrudging agreement. “Yes, well. It required a special catalyst that I did not want to give up, so I substituted chaos energy and well, chaos is chaos. Instability combined with overloaded containment vessel and... boom.
Ideally, it would have given you access to my memories anytime you had put the rings on.”

“But that was so ridiculously dangerous! Why would you do something like that?”

Sunset smiled more genuinely, moving her uninjured hoof to her chest, just above her heart. “Because I love you.”

Twilight just blinked. Sure, she had heard it before from Sunset on her farewell message, but to hear it from the pony’s mouth? A dream come true.

“Twily? You okay?”

“Say it again.”

Sunset smile became a wide, toothy grin. “I love you, Twilight Sparkle. I would take any risk, face any enemy, lay down my life without hesitation to keep you safe. You are my diamond at night, you are my shining star, the light of my life before the dawn. If you’ll have me, if you can put up with me and my occasional bouts of reckless abandon I will still gladly stand by your side as a fellow ruler of Equestria, through it all.”

Twilight stood and leaned over Sunset, closed her eyes, and gently pressing her lips to the other alicorn’s. They remained in their kiss for more than a minute, not pressing too hard or too soft. Finally, Twilight retreated ever so slightly, rubbing her horn against Sunset's and smiled. Their eyes opened and stared at one another.

“Yes.”

Epilogue

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“And with one last bit of polish,” Sable Nimbus finished buffing the red gem inset in the circlet crown, holding it up to the light to inspect its cleanliness, brilliance, and craftsmanship. “I believe that is perfect, Your Highness.”

The thestral, dressed in the formal uniform jacket of the Night Guard mixed with a silver lined black skirt, bowed and held up the newly crafted crown to Sunset Shimmer. She took it in her red telekinetic field and turned it over, inspecting it once more herself. The new circlet was modeled off the one that had been loaned to her from Tempest Fury, but was primarily composed of enchanted blackened steel trimmed with gold inlay. A new fire ruby was embedded in the center below the hole for her horn. The biggest change in design was that the central crest now rose above her horn opening to a rounded tip. A second gem was placed in the center and skillfully crafted in the shape of her cutie mark.

The circlet crown was the top piece to an entire new set of armor that had been crafted for Sunset. The chest plate was gold with another enchanted fire ruby in the center also cut and smoothed into an embossed oval. The body plating, like the crown, was also composed of blackened steel, enchanted to reduce weight and matched her black hoofguards that also featured red gems in the center of each. The optional cape was a nice addition for formal occasions… such as a coronation.

“Thank you, I’ll hold onto that for the moment.” The new crown was taken up in a magenta levitation field as the pony casting the spell entered the room. Much to Isabella’s dismay, Twilight Sparkle had also elected to go ‘informal’ with her dress attire. Preferring to wear her usual regalia, starburst chest plate, hoofguards, and daily presentation crown as opposed to the ceremonial one in the vault that Celestia had worn during Twilight’s own coronation. Twilight had appeased Isabella’s sense of ceremony and style a tiny bit by agreeing to wear a matching lilac dress cape to the one that was attached to Sunset’s armor.

“It’s almost time. How do you feel?”

Sable bowed and excused herself to take her rehearsed position along the side stairs of the balcony outside beyond the curtain. For a second, as the curtain was moved, Sunset could see and hear the massive crowd gathered outside the castle.

Sunset tapped her chin and smirked. “All things considered? I feel good.”

Twilight smiled, admiring the overall aesthetic of Sunset in her new armor. She did a small walk around as her love stood proudly smirking, giving Twilight a mischievous side eye. Unable to resist, Twilight gently glided her hoof down over Sunset’s golden shoulder guard, over her primary wing arm and feathers, which sent a pleasurable shutter through her target’s body. The hoof continued over the armor and down Sunset’s flank and with only a moment of hesitation over her cutie mark and down the curve of her rump. Sunset gasped and giggled in surprise.

“Oh my! I have been touched inappropriately by royalty in a semi-public setting! Scandalous! What ever shall I do?”

“Ah ha ha ha! It’s good to be the princess,” Twilight said with a little husk in her voice. Sunset found the undertone extremely alluring and licked her suddenly dry lips. “Honestly though, I was a little worried about the whole full body armor presentation, but Ironside and Tempest came up with an elegant and powerful design that balanced perfectly. I like it and it suits you.”

“It’s easy to take off too.”

Twilight smiled. “I’d like to test that later for myself.”

Sunset chuckled and batted her eyelashes. “Maaaaybe.”

“I understand that with new relationships there is a period of time where banter and innuendos are common and even healthy as the bond grows. Commonly known as the ‘puppy love’ phase,” said Raven from her new integrated pouch on Sunset’s armor. “That said, if you two are going to act like this too often I may need to reconsider my setting to always be listening.”

Sunset smiled and gently tapped Raven in her pouch. Her smile disappeared as Sunset closed her eyes and focused on meditative breathing. Twilight gently nudged her and the bright teal orbs opened part way, looking down at Twilight’s golden hoofguard.

“Are you sure you’re okay? I can have an attendant bring you a drink or if you need time I can ask Luna to extend her speech. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind. You know as well as I do how much she loves telling stories.”

Sunset smiled warmly. “I’m fine, really. It’s just… gathering my thoughts into words. What to say to you. I want you to know the truth of how I feel about you, about us. I… I will always love her, Twily. We shared so much of our lives together, raised children, even grandchildren for a bit. A literal lifetime of living. But at the same time, you showed me I have so much room in my heart for more. I… I don’t know what the future will bring for us, what next challenge is over that horizon. I still need time to heal from everything that’s happened in my life, but I know that whatever it is I want to face it with you. I love you, Twilight, you’re my friend and…”

Twilight understood Sunset’s hesitation. Nothing else needed to be said, she nodded and smiled, “I love you too and I’m here for you, will always be here for you, no matter how long you need.”

Sunset smiled brightly, wiping a tear away, “Thank you.”

Twilight reached out and pulled Sunset closer until their lips met, both leaning into one another and letting out small moans of pleasure that eventually broke into playful giggles. “So much to look forward to. I can’t wait.”

“And here I thought we were having a coronation not a wedding,” said Luna with a cheeky grin. She was adorn in a mix of dress and armor of blued metal plates and lighter blue under layer that showed through the gaps and ended in a dress skirt. Upon her head was a simple circlet with a silver moon worked into the weaved metal design. “If neither are desired however, I suggest we move directly into the festivities of libations and the bacchanal orgy. I think I miss those most about the old days.”

Twilight looked on in horror. “Tell me she’s joking.”

“I honestly can’t tell.”

Luna grinned. “Keep that in mind should you choose to engage me in games of chance and bluff, dear niece. Just do not invite Spike, he is a clever one and formidable player of bluff games.” Luna drew herself up and held her head high. “I digress and believe it is time for my speech.”

Twilight and Sunset shared a small giggle as Luna parted the curtain and stood on the balcony overseeing the gathered crowd of creatures. It pleased her heart to see so much wonderful variety, something she would have never have seen a thousand years ago. This was her sister's legacy, Twilight's, and now Sunset's. Such a bright and glorious future to behold.

“Citizens of Equestria! Honored Guests! I, am Luna, former princess of Equestria, Royal Advisor to the Canterlot thrones, General of the Armies of Equestria, Mistress of the Night and safe keeper of dreams! I welcome all to this rare and momentous occasion! One month ago, we as a nation and world at large suffered the loss of my beloved sister, Celestia." Luna paused for a moment of silence in which many in the crowd bowed their heads respectfully.

"Now, after her lifetime of service to this great nation she rest in peace surrounded by friends and loved ones who have passed to the Golden City. Together, we mourned, together, we rebuilt, together, we stood again stronger than before. Knowing my sister as I do, she is smiling at our perseverance.

“That is our true strength. We are a nation built upon the bedrock of friendship, embracing our differences to make something greater than the sum of our parts. Reaching one hoof out to another to accomplish mutual goals of prosperity and harmony. It was true, when those first pony tribes came together for the first Hearth’s Warming, it is true today as we usher in the next great chapter in our history. And so, I am honored with the privilege to introduce the ruler of our great land, the keeper of the sun, the protector of righteous justice and freedom, your high princess, Her Majesty, Twilight Sparkle!”

Sunset watched as the crowd roared and cheered as Twilight gracefully and regally stepped forth, her smile pleasant and welcoming as her mane and tail billowed gently with ethereal power. Sunset knew the secret to the, “royal wave” as it was sometimes called among the common folk.

Celestia had explained how it worked to her a few years ago and shared the secret spell with her daughter. It was difficult to conjure correctly, requiring concentration, coupled with a connection to the celestial bodies. As a present, Sunset had made the effort to cast it on herself to show her mother for her celebrated birthday (not her real one), which brought Celestia to flowing tears of joy. If Sunset was being honest it felt a bit ridiculous and odd. However, considering what past royals and some nobles had done to their manes and tails to distinguish themselves, it was a small price to pay to put a genuine smile on her mother's face.

The only other time Sunset had seen or felt the wave was when she had participated in dream walking. For some reason, most likely her connection to the moon, her mane and tail waved even if she did not will them to do so. Just another oddity in the life of Sunset Shimmer. Even once the coronation had concluded, Luna planned to remain in charge of guarding the dreams of ponies, but Sunset planned to join in and help every time she had a chance to do so. But that was for later. Twilight was about to begin her introduction and Sunset did not want to miss a word.

Twilight lowered her hoof and the cheering died down. She scanned over the gathered crowd, smiling brightly. She nodded to the nobility and VIP boxes and also to the citizens that had clamored to witness the event.

“Thank you all for coming. It is true that we do not often have the opportunity to welcome a new member to the royal family,” Twilight’s eyes drifted over the crowd again, settling in on Flurry Heart sitting between her mother, Princess Cadence and Prince Whitetail in the VIP box section off to her left. Her niece smiled warmly, giving a little wave, “but when we do it is an occasion like no other in the entire world. Over the last one hundred years, I have had the pleasure and honor of serving you as your lone princess. It has been the greatest and at times, most challenging job I have ever done. However, if asked would I do it again, I would say yes without a moment of hesitation. I love Equestria and all the creatures that make it what it has become, we are a nation of many. Many hearts, many minds, many friends.

“This was the vision that my predecessor, mentor, and cherished friend, Princess Celestia, had worked tireless towards, despite the numerous challenges and pitfalls she had faced. I know in my heart that she is pleased with what we have become and what we will continue to evolve into in the years and centuries to come.”

Twilight paused to allow the crowd to cheer and whistle, making momentary eye contact with her friends spread about the gathering. She smiled more brightly as her eyes locked with Spike’s as he bounced his son in his arms, the baby dragon drooling happily all over his father.

“Celestia loved all of her subjects, no matter where they came from, or what species they identified as. Equestria is a land of love and friendship and we gladly stand together to defend it. Now, please join me in welcoming your newest royal and defender of friendship. The daughter of Princess Celestia, keeper of the moon, steward of the night court, inventor, artist, musician, and my beloved friend, Princess Sunset Shimmer!”

Sunset cast the spell on herself as she stepped through the curtain, her mane and tail waving about in an ethereal yet rhythmic motion just like Twilight’s and Luna's. Just as she was hoping, Twilight did a small doubletake, eyes going wide. Sunset winked and grinned, stepping up to stand just to Twilight’s left, waving her hoof as the crowd broke into noise and cheers once more.

When Sunset turned back to Twilight she could practically hear her lover’s thoughts of fevered inquiry. Twilight recovered gracefully and beckoned Sunset to kneel, which she did just as they rehearsed.

“Sunset Shimmer, do you swear to lead with honor, do you swear to defend all of Equestria righteously, do you swear to cast judgment upon those before you with impartiality and fairness for as long as you bear this crown?”

“I swear.”

Twilight lifted high for all to see the black and gold helm crown she had taken earlier. Gently, she slid it into place upon Sunset’s head, taking a moment to trace her hoof down the side of her lover’s face. Sunset sighed subtly nuzzled the hoof.

“Then arise, Princess of the Moon, take your birthright as my equal and stand beside me as high princess and Diarch of Equestria!”

Sunset stood and the crowd once again broke into stomping hooves and cheers. She saw Flurry Heart, Cadence, and Thicket clapping their hooves together with smiles on their faces. Next to their booth were the foreign ambassadors from the surrounding nations and the Guild council and nobles. Their expressions were a mix of jubilation and unreadable plainness. About the best one could expect from that lot. Sunset paid them little attention and instead gazed over the sea of faces of all kinds, too many to pick out any ponies that she knew. Finally, she turned to her left where the guard captains in their parade best stood, clapping hooves and smiling. They both nodded respectfully to their now official co-ruler.

Twilight gestured for Sunset to take center stage. Without hesitation, Sunset Shimmer stepped before all who could see her and extended her wings until they burst into flame, sending a round of ‘oooh and ahhhh’ throughout the gathering. That little bit of show had actually been suggested by Isabella. Sunset retracted her wings and Twilight stepped forward on her right and Luna to her left.

“BEHOLD!” shouted Luna with the Royal Canterlot Voice, “YOUR PRINCESSES! TWILIGHT SPARKLE AND SUNSET SHIMMER!”

END

Author's Notes:

And that is the End of Gods and Monsters. If you have made it to the end here, thank you for reading! I tried to get the image to show up at the end, but it was not cooperating so feh! Anyhow, the link above works just fine. I will be posting more on what comes next over on the Blog page as well as thoughts, process, and general ramblings.

This was a lot of work, but honestly a LOT of fun as well. So to finish with, here we have Raven's playlist.

Raven’s Gods and Monsters Playlist:
House Arrest – Bryan Adams
Learning to Fly - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Mama, I’m Coming Home – Ozzy Osbourne
The Dream Within – Elliot Goldenthal
What I’ve Done – Linkin Park
Castle of Glass – Linkin Park
Gone Away – The Offspring
Yesterdays – Guns n’ Roses
How You Remind Me – Nickelback
Gotta Knock a Little Harder – Mai Yamane
Amazing – Aerosmith
Heavy – Collective Soul
Rise – Origa featuring Yoko Kano
Eat the Rich – Aerosmith
Behind Blue Eyes – The Who
Your Song – Elton John
Brain Damage/Eclipse – Pink Floyd
Ignite – Ogawa Tomoyuki and Aoi Eir performed by Ama Lee
End of the Innocence – Don Henley
Hells Bells – AC-DC
Into Dust – Mazzy Star
Requiem in D Minor – W.A. Mozart
Crossing Field (Acoustic) – Watanabe Sho performed by Ama Lee
Immortals – Fallout Boy
If Today was Your Last Day – Nickelback
Preliator – Globus
Stairway to Heaven – Led Zepplin
Remember Me – Journey
Here I Am – Bryan Adams
I’ll Be There for You – The Rembrandts