The Sunset Rises

“What’s going on?” Sunset asks catching up as I revert to standing bipedally rather than scuttling on six legs morphing my four arms back into two.

“A monster, the voice was Twilight’s but that was a monster.”

“Hell of a Hearts and Hooves week.”

“We ain’t in Canterlot anymore,” I say gazing around at the vast caverns and crystal pillars Sunset and I had stumbled into after taking shelter in an unassuming cave far north of the Foal Mountains.

“I don’t think it will take us to Kansas either, What do you think all this is?” Sunset tosses a pink heart-shaped trinket my way.

“I don’t know, it wasn’t in any records. The ursa guarding the cave was in the notes of several of the alchemists I’ve been studying; Crystal Myth wrote about anomalies in his readings, but didn’t want to tango with the beast.”

“So, then we’re the first ponies in hundreds of years to see any of this?” Sunset runs her hoof over the carvings on a faintly glowing pillar.

“Probably.”

“Unless Twilight had, you still don’t know how her magic works do you? This place could hold secrets to it.”

“No, I don’t think she's been here.” I set down the trinket on its pillar. “Nothing seems out of place.”

“She could have cleaned up,” Sunset suggests.

“The Ursa Major was still out there, we would know if she fought it.”

Sunset glances over my frame. “Right, you’re right.”

“Still this is weird. No, pony has ever been in here in all of recorded history till now; it’s probably the oldest structure in Equestria then.”

“Well all that studying bores me, so I’m gonna go look for treasure.” So she does.

“Ouch!” Two voices call out in the dark.

“Sorry I…”The first begins but stops when the light from their horns illuminates the other’s face.

“Sorry, I … Wait a pony, there shouldn’t be any pony here?” The second says.

“Sunset, what happened to you?”

The pony he called Sunset steps away from the gray pony with a purple-gray mane of bed head who smells heavily of sweat holding a concerned gaze over her whole.

“Who are you?” She asks clicking her metal hoof feeling for stability on the limestone.

“Grimoire? I’m Grimoire Dusk. You know, come on Sunny, what the hell happened to you?”

“Hell? No wait that isn’t right hell isn’t a word a pony would use?” She mumbles. “I got it!”

“Finally you remember, we only came in here what half an hour after Sunrise? So Sunset, it’s only been a few minutes since I saw you but you, you, What happened?”

“No I don’t know who you are, but you must be an illusion created by the magic here. … Sunrise! Oh no, where is he?”

“I’m sorry who?” Grimoire calls running after the Sunset who’s light was fading.

“I’m not that fast Sunny wait up!”

“Who are you? I have to find Sunrise!” Sunset suddenly turns on him, giving him a proper view of her face for the first time as the rune wrapped pocky like bar between her lips illuminates her scars, burns, and blood matted fur in it’s dancing light.

Stopped only moments from being burnt on the matchstick’s heat he asks, “Are you my Shimmer?”

“No, are you useful?”

“I may be,” Grimoire begins stopping short when she turns away. “Hey Wait up ah’ said, if you aren't Sunset Shimmer, who are you?”

“I am Sunset Shimmer,” Sunset says without an ounce of interest.

“Really? How do I know you’re not a changelin’? No, then the transformation would’ve been exact? So you are Sunset, maybe, but not the Sunset I know? You said you thought I was an illusion, but I know I’m not; so it stands to reason you could be an illusion I’m seeing.”

“I’m not. Do you shut up?”

“I don’t. So let’s say you are really a different Sunset Shimmer, then that makes you from another dimension ya? Or am I in another dimension? Since you’re both Sunset can you sense where she is?”

“No, pony magic is hardly working here. What do you mean by you’re both Sunset?’”

“Of course not, the runes on these pillars aren’t just art, they are a spell jamming curse.”

“You’ve seen them?”

“No, but I recognize some of the styles the designs use. This place must be ancient, the only place I’ve seen anything like it is in art long predating Starswirl.”

“By hundreds of years, yes Sunrise already said that, it predates Crystal Meth or whatever that old pony’s name was.”

“There was a pony named… Oh, Crystal Myth!”

“You know who he is?” Hmm, vaguely, he wrote about some kind of fictional magic right?”

“Real, magic, just not modern Equestrian.”

“Wait, that nonsense?”

“Yep, I’ve seen it.”

“Well theoretically it could work, it’s essentially alchemy I think, though I’ve only skimmed his stuff. It didn’t seem worthwhile.”

“How many corridors longer will I have to listen to you?”

“Sorry.”

“No, it’s fine, I’m agitated because I can’t find Sunrise.”

“So this Sunrise, I wasn’t aware you had a sibling?”

“Lover.”

“I’m sorry?”

“He’s not my brother, he’s my lover.”

“Oh ok, well I suppose you already know what you look like so, uh I’m looking for my Sunset, What does Sunrise look like.”

“...”

“I’m trying to help you here, give me something to work with. Fur color, mane style, cutie mark? Anything?”

“Metal.”

“Ok? Anything useful?”

“He is difficult to describe?”

“How difficult can somepony… is he a human? Or humanoid?”

“You know about humans?”

“Everyone knows what a human is… no wait most ponies don’t”

“What do you think you are?”

“Well I’m a Unicorn now, it still sounds a bit ridiculous to say; anyway I used to be human. I’ll assume the Sunrise you are looking for is then?”

“You, did? How did you get here?”

“I came through the portal to Equestria with my Sunset after… wait you’re Sunset Shimmer, why don’t you read my memories then I wouldn’t have to tell you all this.”

“What? Can your Sunset do that?”

“When are you from I wonder?”

“What do you mean when?”

“Well, let's see; how to say this? You didn’t go to Camp Everfree, you seem a bit less socially adept than I’m used to, no offense. The first thing you asked was if I was useful. Curious?”

“What’s wrong with you?”

“Had you met Twilight in the human world?”

“No? Should I have.”

“Ok, let's back up and get the full picture.”

“You really don’t shut up.”

“When I need to, not when I’m curious.”

“Well, you need to,”

Grimoire falls silent and takes a stance ready to pounce on a threat.

“You need to because it’s annoying me,” Sunset clarifies looking over her shoulder at him.

“Oh, right.”

For a while, they walk in silence past walls and pillars of Jade, Gold, and Pink Sapphire.

“So You really don’t want to talk?” Grimoire finally risks his tongue.”

Sunset heaves a heavy sigh.”Fine, but no rambling. It’s been a long day."

“Right, so the mirror portal: Did you auto-banish through it like the Sunset I know?”

“Auto-banish? Um, yes?”

“So what happened When Twilight came through to get her crown back at the Fall Formal?”

“What Crown? Why would she have been there?”

“So you… you know who Twilight is though… if it wasn’t her why did you come back to Equestria?”

“Nightmare Moon.”

“Nightmare Moon, so your version of Twilight failed to stop her too?”

“You say that as if she was meant to or something?”

“She was, well you were, but since you left and Twilight took over as Celestia’s student, she was. That’s the original timeline anyway.”

“Twilight? But she’s insane?”

“Well, a little but who isn’t… oh, oh OK. I think I get it. So your Twilight what did she do Cast Want it Need it soon as she’d read about it? I’m sure Celestia would forgive that?”

“Again you talk as if Twilight became Celestia’s student, but as far as I know Celestia never took a student after me, no pony passed the test. She said Twilight tried but… She failed and ran away from home.”

“Right, sounds like Twi.”

“If you know her it’ll be hard to hear who she is in reality.”

“In your reality. I won’t give you a lecture on string theory, but I have read from realities where her friends died and she did some wild things to get them back. So whatever you’ve got I can take it… Sunset, sorry the Sunset from my world I wouldn’t imagine would do so well, they are friends after all.”

“No.”

“No? What do you mean no?”

“You want me to believe there is any reality where I am dating someone who talks this much, and am friends with that psychopath?”

“Twilight can be a little intense, but usually she’s little more than a klutzy egghead.”

“A little intense is a vast understatement for breathing fire.”

“You have my attention.”

“Shining Armor, Cadence Mi Amore Cadenza, Night Light, Twilight Velvet: Effectively Deceased, cause Twilight (Midnight) Sparkle.”

“Midnight Sparkle, right if she’s claimed that name I can… wait no Twily wouldn’t … Effectively Deceased? … Yes, she would.”

“Really? Is this a thing you do, prove yourself wrong?”

“I think out loud yes. So Sunrise, You still haven’t told me what he looks like?”

“As I said that isn’t easy to do… or rather you said you were a human at one point right?”

“Yes, I was originally.”

“Do you have the Galactic Wars movies where you come from? Or you said when before; do you have motion pictures where you come from? They were still fairly new for us after all.”

“We call them Star Wars, but yes? Motion pictures were new huh, now I'm even more curious about you.”

“General Grievous, unless you call him something else.”

“Really, he’s General Grievous? Now that is… I’ll need some time to process that.”

“He isn’t, only looks like him, Twilight destroyed most of his natural body.”

“Oh, what is going on in your world, a war?”

“Yes.”

“Ok? Would you care to elaborate?”

“No.”

“Well the Equestria Sunset and I went to, was at war as well, but Celestia was winning, and Twilight is on our side and sane.”

“It’s the few of us who are still alive who stand with Celestia, and the Changelings against Nightmare Moon's army and Midnight Sparkle here.”

“The Changelings? There’s a story there.”

“There is.”

“Do you want to…”

“No.”

A loud metallic scuttling noise echoes through the chamber.

“What was that?” Grimoire readies himself.

“It could be Sunrise, but I don’t know.”

The pair move towards the sound igniting their horns.

The sound of giant insect wings follows the grating of Iron on Jade and is followed by a short incoherent scream and a loud crash.

“Are you ok?” Sunset’s voice calls accompanied by the sound of running hooves.”

“Well that’s weird, is that how I sound?” Sunset asks Grimoire.

“Yes. Sunset is that you,” Grimoire calls.

“Grim? Oh, thank Celestia it’s you!” Sunset Shimmer runs from the shadows her horn’s dim light illuminating her approach.

“There you are don’t run off like that, you could get lost in the mess hall I swear.” Sunset charges into an embrace.

“It’s fine, Sunset Shimmer was with me,” Grimoire says to Sunset Shimmer.

“No, I wasn’t? Who is she?” Sunset eyes the other Sunset who Grimoire had been walking with.

“She is also Sunset Shimmer.”

“So, that’s why he thought, I was wait… so then I or that me is actually dating that tin can?”

“That me is actually dating that blabbermouth?”

“Well, I never said we were dating,” Grimoire clarifies.

“Shut up Grimoire,” the Sunsets say together. “You are me then,” they smile.

"Right, great, great the Sunset's have met each other. Sunset, You have made sure these two aren't changelings right?"

"Obviously," Sunset points to her right eye where she has a scar diagonally across her face as the iris rotates glowing lightly with blue light.

"Wait I'm confused," Grimoire says. "I thought you said the Changelings were friendly this time?"

"Friendly is not the word I would use," Sunset glares at him the light in her right eye diming.

"Well there is Twoearly," Sunrise says.

"The queen doesn't count."

"Oh, not Cryssy... Twoearly... I have a comment, but I'll think better of it."

"If you mean Chrysalis, she was the queen until she betrayed us, and I had to kill her."

"You did, how?"

"On the battlefield... this one," Sunset points to the scar over her eye.

"Hey Grimoire, what is going on here?"

"Oh, sorry Sunny, I assumed you read his memories."

"Read my memories? Sunset, you can do that?"

"No, apparently this one can though." Sunset sighs trying to calm her tense muscles.

"Sorry I didn't invade his privacy, I was too busy running away from him. I thought he was some kind of monster, no offense."

"Some taken."

"You were chasing her," Sunset stomped in her uneven gate over to Sunrise.

"I thought she was you," The mechanical giant attempts to shrink away from the tiny pony.

"Don't you dare cheat on me with me!"

"I won't, I won't ok."

"Not if you want repairs."

"I'm not that ... intense, am I?"

"No," Grimoire says without hesitation. "Oh, but you know the temptation of two Sunset Shimmers Shure is something."

"What! Am I not good enough for you Grim?"

"Oh you definitely are, but two of you is two of you, am I right Sunrise?"

Sunrise looks between his Sunset and the other Sunset.

"Well, Sunrise, what's your answer?" Sunset presses threatening her matchstick between her teeth.

"Come on man, how am I supposed to answer that?"

"Right anyway," Grimoire laughs. "Sunset it sounded more like you were chasing him what happened?"

"Oh that, I guess it would. No, he was flying up to, ... I don't know what he just started flying all of a sudden."

"It's that," Sunrise raised a claw pointing to a sign above a dimly lit doorway being blocked from behind by a stone wall. "I can't read it though, the text I can but the symbols I still don't understand all this nonsense even after years of research."

"You can read that? What language is it in?" Grimoire asks.

"Ancient Ponish, it's older than most records, I'm just lucky I was carrying a note Crystal Myth wrote with a translation matrix in it."

"I thought it was called Old Ponish?" Grimoire said.

"No, this is much older."

"Hmm, I can't see it from here, but it's worth letting Grimoire have a look at," Sunset squints her eyes to make out the symbols.

"Really, he doesn't seem to know a lot about it?" Sunset's counterpart responds to her.

"He doesn't, and he's an idiot. Still, as long as it's magic if anyone can stumble through it without knowing what they are doing it's him."

"Thanks, I think?"

"You want me to fly you up there?"

"Not if I had a choice."

"In what way do you not have a choice?" Sunset asks clicking her metal hoof.

"Have you seen any action movie... motion picture, sorry? There is your answer."

"You are basing real decisions off of movies?"

"Ponies, humans, doesn't matter the same sense of how to lay out spooky treasure troves still applies right? Besides if you looked back when you entered that's what the entrance looked like from the other side. In conclusion, it's the exit."

"It's blocked?"

"It is for now," Sunset smirked at the other Sunset. "Let's see what the boys can do."

"Right then, Sunrise if yer ready let's get to it." Grimoire puts his saddlebags on the ground, shuffles around in them and pulls out a short glowstick cracking it.

"You had Glowsticks the whole time!" Sunset shouts reverberating around the chamber nearly dropping her matchstick.

"I forgot until now."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes."

"Damn it Grim, don't make me look bad in front of the other me."

"No can do, Now let's light it up."

With Sunrise raising Grimoire in the air the two begin translating the carvings.

"So you are me then?" The Sunset's say.

"Could you tell me What's going on in your world?" The wholly organic Sunset asks.

"Can't you read my memories with some freaky kind of magic?"

"I can but I would prefer not to read my friend's memories without permission."

"You don't ask to read mine?" Grimoire shouts down.

"Shut up Grimoire," both Sunsets yell back."

"Ok that is fun," Sunset smirks.

"Isn't it?"

"Telling the story is a pain, if you can, go ahead read em. You are going to want to sit down for it though."

The sunsets figure out a position which is essentially an embrace incase Sunset needs to Support Sunset while she is living her alternate past.

"Whoh, right," Sunset says letting go of her counterpart for a moment, but clenching back into the embrace. "No, I need a hug after that."

"Well you girls have gotten close," Grimoire trots around them.

"Shut up Grimoire," The Sunset's say.

"I hope this isn't becoming a thing."

"No really this time, Shut up. I need a moment alone here."

"Well we've translated it so, we should be able to go through whenever now," Sunrise says.

When the Sunsets are ready they loosen their grip and burst into laughter.

"Uh, What?" Grimoire and Sunrise stare at each other. "Did we miss something?"

"He really said that?"

"He did," Sunset confirms.

"Wow, no way! If I didn't remember it I wouldn't believe it."

"But yours, he really introduced himself that way?"

"Ya, he did."

"OK, we missed a lot," the boys say.

"There was one thing though in your memory that can't be right."

"What's that?"

"Well, you are me so you don't really have a, ... oh you do?" Sunset looks down between her other self's legs.

"Sorry, I... Do you wanna give the boys a tease?"

"I'm sorry what?"

"Go off in the dark where they can't see, but let them hear the echoes."

"Wow, um I don't know how to respond to that."

"With a yes," The hermaphrodite Sunset pushes her body against the other sunset pushing her down into a vulnerable position.

"Are our Sunset Shimmers about to cheat on us with each other."

"Ya, I think so," Grimoire says enjoying his low angle.

"Does that count as masturbation?"

"There is a term for actually, it's selfcest."

"Why would that ever come up for a term to be made for it?"

"Cuz it's hot?"

"You got that right, but when would this kind of thing happen though?"

"It's happening now."

"You're really ok with this Grimoire, our girlfriends doing each other instead of us?"

"Oh, definitely. So then your, Sunset... Who wears the pants so to speak?"

"Shut up," Sunrise ends the conversation.

Sunset Gasps for breath escaping her counterpart's lips. "Grim, fuck you! Help me!"

"Are you sure?"

"Hurry before I lose it to myself!"

"Oh, right." Grimoire starts towards the pair, but Sunrise picks up his Sunset in a claw.

"I love you honey, but you can't take your own virginity without permission."

"Well I can do it in the butt then," Sunset pouts.

"What is wrong with me?" Sunset asks drawing in as close as possible to Grimoire.

"You're too hot even for yourself," Grimoire rubs her back.

"Grimoire?"

"Yes?"

"Your an asshole!"

"Yes, I am. But, you know that."