When The Sun Sets

Sunset Shimmer

Sunset Shimmer set the quill down, which was already dull. She had been up all night to finish this stupid final essay, and even though it had turned out amazing (seriously, one of her best works) she felt so tired she could fall asleep with one hoof tied to her head, and another tied to her mane.

But her work was not done. There was two hours until her alarm would ring, reminding her that she has to go, and she still must complete the task of organizing all of the pages.

Today was the day the highest level Unicorns, known simply as Powers, would decide which of the ponies from Sunset's class would graduate to Power.

Adjusting to life back in Equestria was hard enough, but failing this kind of test? Unspeakable. Sunset was a powerful Unicorn, and she would make sure the ponies knew this, despite her failure as Princess Celestia's student.

Now, the level she was at, being a Unicorn, was not shameful in any way. She was a second highest level Unicorn, powerful enough in Equestrian society. There were five levels of Unicorns, descending from lowest to highest.

The first level is known as the Born, which are Unicorns who were born to do anything but this type of magic, such as the royal guards, who, despite being Unicorns, did not deal with any magic except for the ones they needed to protect Equestria and their princesses. Another example of this would be Rarity from Ponyville (whom Sunset only knew because everypony in Canterlot would speak about her amazing fashions) who uses her magic for her special talent: fashion. This level is not shameful at all, in fact it is one of the most important positions. Without these types of ponies, Equestria would not be stable.

The second level wasn't bad either. They are known as the Fillies, because this level applies to new students of magic, such as in Magic Kindergarten.

Then comes the third level, rudely called "Sucksters". As the name implies, they are very bad at magic, despite going to the schools.

The fourth level was called the Pros. Sunset was a Pro, the second most powerful pony type except for the Powers. Many of the Pros became teachers of magic at Magic Kindergarten and such, which was an honorable position.

But Sunset would not settle for "honorable". She would be a Power, and she would be a mentor to other aspiring Powers.

For this was what a Power would do. They would make their own spells and magic, then mentor other powerful Unicorns. Just what Celestia did with Sunset.

Sunset sighed as her eyelids drooped. What she really needed was sleep. Maybe just for a few minutes...

She awoke to the sound of the alarm clock blaring.

"What the hay?" she exclaimed. The clock read 6:00 AM, one hour before she would have to leave for the academy.

Apparently Sunset had not slept for "a few minutes". She wasted the two hours she needed to put together her report, which was laying still unorganized on the desk in front of her face.

Hastily, Sunset began to paper clip the two hundred and thirty-eight pages of her report, section by section, ignoring her frizzy mane and bags under her eyes.

After she finished organizing the first ten sections, Sunset realized that she would look terrible for the graduation. Oh, well. If this was the cost for being a Power, it would have to do.

Sunset worked in a rhythm. She levitated the ten pages of each section and paper clipped them together in order (the professors despised staples). Then, after she was done with all twenty-four sections, she organized them section by section in order.

Finally, she heaved a sigh of relief. It had taken her fifty minutes, not two hours, to complete her task. Unfortunately, her mane was still in shambles as she scrambled to put her precious report into her saddlebag along with the books she had to return to the academy.

Sunset strapped the saddlebag to her back, tightening the straps tighter then she normally did. Then she ran out of her dorm room, slamming the door behind her as she ran down to the academy.

Suddenly this seemed too real. Was Sunset really here? She had been dreaming about this her whole life, to be somepony...important. Of course, Sunset really didn't know if she would become a Power or not. No, that decision was in the hooves of the professors. But she did know she had written the longest final report in the history of the academy. Maybe that alone was enough to convince the professors.

As Sunset dashed into the auditorium, turning in her report to the bin in front, she could hear the professors beginning their speech. Er, professor. Professor Neigh stood there, making the speech while the others began to start reading the essays.

Sunset knew how this would work. Professor Neigh would announce the younger ponies' achievements first, going through the Fillies, Sucksters, and Pros first. This would take approximately two hours, more than enough time for the other professors to make their decisions about the Powers. Then, Head Professor Aura would announce the new Powers.

Only two ponies will be selected out of the two hundred that applied.

Sunset's mind raced as she imagined the pain of having to continue studying at the academy another year, and having to apply for Power next year as well.

Utter embarrassment.

As Professor Neigh droned on about the new Fillies and Sucksters and Pros, Sunset daydreamed about what it would be like to rub it in Princess Twilight-freaking-Sparkle's face that she was a new Power. Twilight wasn't technically a Power, despite her princess-hood. Take that, sucker!

"And now, the moment you have all been waiting for!" Professor Aura exclaimed.

Sunset snapped out of it. Had two hours really passed already? Wow, time flies when you're thinking about Twilight's ugly face, she thought.

"These two magnificent ponies have worked amazingly hard to become what they are today," Aura told the silent ponies. "I will not bore you with their life stories, as I am sure you are all anxious for the announcement." She cleared her throat and opened an envelope.

"The first pony ascending to the rank of Power," Aura said, "is Amethyst Star!"

Ponies clapped cheerfully for the pony, but Sunset scoffed. Amethyst was the Unicorn equivalent to Twilight, stuck-up and full of herself.

"Thank you, thank you, everypony!" Amethyst exclaimed to the cheering crowd, flashing that annoying smile. "I couldn't have made this achievement without you!" She droned on about how 'amazing this opportunity is' and how 'I will make you proud!' and cheese like that.

Soon, however, Amethyst shut up and Aura returned to her spot at the podium. This was it, Sunset thought. Now or never.

"And our other pony ascending to Power is a pony many of you may underestimate due to some...complications in Equestria. Nevertheless, she deserves your praise.

Please congratulate our star student, Sunset Shimmer!"

Sunset thought her ears had fooled her. But no, she was a Power! An overwhelming joy overcame her, washing over her like a flood.

She loved it.

"Thank you, everypony!" she gasped out at the podium. She was returned with smiling faces from the crowd, which made her overjoyed.

Sunset was about to say a speech to thank everypony when Amethyst shoved her away, standing on the podium, a crazed look on her face.

"You have to be kidding me!" she yelled to the crowd, and they gasped. Sunset felt the dark magic in her build up, threatening to destroy this imposter. But she held it together.

"This joke should not be a Power! Look at her!" All eyes went on Sunset. "With her mane uncombed, bags under her eyes, she looks deranged! This is not a Unicorn, this is a monster! And do you even remember what she did? She almost DESTROYED the Princess! And let evil loose! She. Is. A. MONSTER!!!"

At this note, Aura stepped in, pulling Amethyst away. Sunset felt tears build up in her eyes.

"That is ENOUGH, Amethyst!" Aura yelled at her. "As Head Professor, I can have you stripped of your Power-ship!"

Amethyst froze. This was obviously very important to her, and it was showing. "You can't really want her?" she asked incredulously.

"Yes, Amethyst. In fact, it was unanimous. This pony right here is our star student, more powerful than anypony. And this was not the case for you," Aura demanded.

Suddenly security guards surrounded Amethyst, and they took her away. She was beginning to bawl on one guard's shoulder. Sunset felt bad for the guard.

With a final word, Aura dismissed the audience and beckoned for Sunset to follow her into her office. They sat down, and Aura sighed.

"I'm sorry about that, Sunset. For the record, I did not vote for her to be a Power."

Sunset nodded.

"Anyway," Aura continued, "I called you in here because I have a special message from Princess Celestia."

A wave of curiosity swept over Sunset Shimmer. She and the princess had not exactly been close after she returned. In fact, the only time they talked was after her last evil act, when she had turned into a demon lady, (Literally. Demon. Lady.) and that conversation was about how reckless and unneeded the act has been.

"Of course, I have not read the summons. A letter from a princess to a Power? Highly classified. However, the princess has given me authority to hand it to you," Aura handed Sunset the letter, stamped with the red seal of Equestria.

Sunset gingerly put her hoof on the seal and broke it apart. She took out the letter and levitated in front of her as she read silently.

My dear Sunset Shimmer,

If you receive this letter, it means you have been brought up to the rank of Power. Congratulations on your achievement! I am very proud of your stellar performance at the Academy of Magic Learning.

Now, you must be wondering about why I am sending a message to you a year after we last saw each other. I must admit, the relationship I had hoped for between us has not been so great. But it is for a good cause. I am writing to you because I have an important job for you!

As a Power, you are now a highest-level Unicorn. Your talents in magic are never-ending, and you are respected to the highest degree in Equestrian society. However, you must of course take on a role in the community of Powers, as all of them do.

You, of course, have a choice on what you want to be. Will you be a professor of the academy, like Head Professor Aura or Professor Neigh? Or will you be a chemist or a scientist, writing your own spells like the great Starswirl the Bearded? Or will you be a mentor, like I was to you and like many of the Powers are, having your own students?

Now, you must be wondering what job I have for you. This, my dear Sunset Shimmer, is one of the toughest jobs a Power has to take on.

Training a complete and utter noob in magic.

This is a task I know you can complete. But, to make it even harder, I am giving you not one, but TWO students who know nothing about our magic and how it works.

You may choose to disregard this message and become anything you want to be. That is fine. But, you may want to consider that if you do not like mentoring ponies, you can stop their mentoring and continue working in a different role. Also, you will be rewarded greatly.

By succeeding to mentor these two ponies that I assign you, you will be placed in the rank of Head Mentor of the Unicorn Society, and will get a place in the High Unicorn Council as well as a home in the Canterlot Castle.

Think about this, Sunset Shimmer. If I knew you could not complete the task, I wouldn't have assigned you to it.

You are allowed to use any type of magic that is available to you. The possibilities are endless. But you must train both Unicorns to a Power level. You do not have a time limit.

See, simple!

If you choose to take on the task, please come to the Canterlot Castle the day after your Power level is finalized, and tell the guards at the front that you are Sunset Shimmer, and have come to see Princess Celestia, code word "MAJOR".

Sincerely,

Princess Celestia

Princess of Equestria, Ruler of the Sun