So...these are my girlfriends.

The first sensation she felt was falling; but it was as if the glowing orange light was rushing by in a swirling mass, as the air rushed into her ears, this must be what the pegasus ponies felt when they reached terminal velocity in a dive. Sunset then found herself standing on the stone floor of the roof of the tower. She looked around; The roof of the tower was all solid stone ground with the surrounding guard wall and Greek Pillars arching to the sky. All around her the deities of the many myths and legends and even some faiths to that very day from across the vast and ever expanding Macro-verse. Sunset Could only appreciate this all so much before he found her looking up at the only who summoned her. Athena; ancient goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, law and justice, mathematics, strength, war strategy, the arts, crafts, and skill. Almost everything the formerly equine unicorn had striven to prove herself at, well with a few exceptions obviously. Until she learned more about human kind's mythology regarding beings like her; Sunset had a feeling deep down, somewhere if not in Equestria, a force like the Goddess before her existed somewhere.

Athena Stood tall taking a form much like the one of the girl she wanted to speak with. In a gilded golden cuirass over white tunic; leather boots worn but sturdy with their use, her Corinthian helm giving her a fierce appearance but contradicted by her warm smile and gaze of sincerity she looked the smaller girl at with. A Long spear with its gilded gleaming tip rested in her right hand; her shield with the crest of an owl with its wings spread and big wise eyes gazing out, and her Xiphos short sword was fastened to her waist ready to be drawn if need be. "Hello Ms. Shimmer." Her voice was like her princess's only a thousand times more powerful, if she had spoken only a few decibels higher her bones would have been cracked from their power, instead she was merely tingled and chilled to the marrow her body shivering in a strange tingling sensation as the goddess spoke.

"Hello...Your grace." Sunset said, her voice a soft squeak barley audible as she with a sense of familiarity dropped to one bended knee before her, Memories of greeting her mentor with the others at the school for gifted unicorns came flooding back to her, but she felt her chin being lifted up, as Athena made her look directly into her eyes.

"Please stand Ms. Shimmer, You have proven yourself more than worthy to gaze upon my radiance without fear or tribune as you did the royalty of your sect of the Macro-verse." She said to her as she lifted her to her feet.

"Why have you asked to see me?" She said looking around at the ethereal sky, the rooftop of the stone tower that stretched on seemingly forever. It was almost too much for her to take in...

"Come with me." Was all the Goddess could say as their surroundings changed; The now found themselves in a purple mist that swirled around them, and flying around where flat panels all of which where playing like screens scenes from Sunset's life. From her acceptance to Celestia's Academy for gifted unicorns as a filly, to her crossing over into the Equestria's mirror-verse she now called home. Not all the good in her life was on display however. From her Jealously at the ascension of Twilight into a princess, to her rampage at the fall formal.

"What is this place?" She asked looking around at her display of memories, getting a sense of familiarity

"It's called the sepulcher of life Ms. Shimmer, The archives of the tower, where the life of every sentient being that ever will be and has been is collected here, the energy is just one of the many factors that the tower houses to hold the wheel of the macro-verse together, but I take it you didn't want to be summoned by me for existentialism, have you not?" She added as the display of memories ended at the conversation they held not five minutes ago.

"Well..." She said blushing softly at the notion, on the one hand a chance meeting with a being even older and more powerful than ever her old mentor? With the chance to have all the universe's knowledge revealed to her, if they only hold a conversation regarding it? What about that didn't intice her?

"I'm afraid, I cannot disclose elder knowledge to being such as yourself Sunset." She said with a solemn frown as she she handed her a scroll, which she unfurled

"Learn from me, if not by my precepts, at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge, and how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow."

"Mary Shelly's Frankenstein?" She asked rolling it back up. "Isn't that a bit too easy?" She added smugly looking at her smirking.

"Ms. Shimmer...Trust me when I say, For your prowess as a being both human and unicorn, The knowledge contained here in the infinite depths of the tower, one hour of attempting to understand it an you'd lose your sight then your sanity. so please just stay close to me and accept what I have summoned you here to claim. Rest assured while you're not intended to know all, you where brought here to be well rewarded."

Instantly Sunset was graced with the image in her mind; what she had desired so much, she could imagine herself walking back into the portal for a brief moment, Her horn would reappear as would her equine ears, and her flaming motif tail, and her friends would see those glorious Allicorn wings would unfurl behind her. Princess Sunset Shimmer.

"Oh no Ms. Shimmer, I have something else in mind for you." Athena said smiling as she placed her spear tip into the floor than turning it like a lever. making an ornament display case rise from the floor.

"Really?" Was all Sunset could say as she admired the case's contents; A Gleaming Gladius sword, a Corinthian helm of ancient Spartan design, a pair of gilded golden armor shoes like the ones the gladiators of high title where allowed to wear, unlike the martyrs and lowly amateurs to the arena. Gauntlets brazened with her sunset namesake insignia, a shield that held this insignia as well but long and well crafted to offer a good blocking coverage. and the golden chest plate that seemed to shine with the dying but empowering rays of a gorgeous...well sunset.

"Are you ready to become my champion Sunset?' She asked.

"But...I can't have these implements around me in that world your grace." She said the image of her walking the halls of Canterlot high decked in her armor and sword, The sword definitely a big N.O. that wouldn't be allowed on school property.

"You need not worry about that, I'm aware the standards of the world aren't..open to you using a regalia such as this." With a snap of her fingers the armor and sword shrunk down in size, to the tiny size of a few accessories to a child's toys, which could be easily carried around in say...

"My bag, well played Athena." Sunset remarked smirking at her.

"At least try them on for size?' She asked restoring their size.

"But how am I?" But she was cut off as a blazing white light enraptured her forcing her eyes shut and she felt the familiar sensation of floating as the magic...clearly Equestrian in origin but also something..much more, began to take her. The sensation of her equine ears reemerging, as was her tail and even her horn, merging with the bipedal shape she had grown accustomed to in the human verse, but their was something...else too. It felt slightly painful as she felt her shoulders growing and expanding, making the adjustments to allow for something to grow from them, she flinched only a little as she felt new bones springing out from the shoulder blades. Then she felt the feeling of something enclosing around her chest. a little tight and constricting but then it felt very snug and comfy not to mention weightless. The same thing was felt on her hands and feet; slightly constricted and then comfy and light. Then she opened her eyes.

"Sunset! Is...Is that you?" A familiar voice asked her as she opened her eyes; she found herself back on the tiny island as the others had been on before, the statue was just a statue again, and the canoe was ready to take them back. John stood in front of her, The Dazzlings behind him equally astonished at her.

"What are you all looking at?" She asked her starstruck friends, she didn't hear the faint...rustle as she did.

"Well, take a look for yourself." John said leading her over to the water's glassy reflective edge. she looked down at her hand and noticed for the first time that she was wearing the armor Athena had promised her, which made her rush to the water and look at herself. She had indeed been decked in the armor of Athena's champion that had been promised to her back in the tower. In addition; her ears and horn, (Her helm had special openings to allow them comfortably fit though without the slightest discomfort) and tail had indeed been restored in a form that held them in place more semi permanently than the bursts of magic she and the others had felt before. She did briefly wonder if she could conceal them but as the thought crossed her mind they began to retract, so she withdrew the thought to keep them out. Because there was one final detail that proved she gotten what she once aspired for, even desired so much she'd go to...not so great lengths to achieve it.

Sunset had sprouted a pair of large fluttering and strong allicorn wings! she unfurled and extended them proudly admiring the way they rustled and...clicked? She gave a look of confusion and made them click again, then the realization came to her. These weren't an ordinary pair of Pegasus wings, but they where the magical wrought metal wings of an archangel! only one of her own kind back in Equestria had ever had metal warrior wings, Empress (not princess) Drusilla Fireheart. One of the first rulers of Equestrian royalty, even predating the Celestial bloodlines by at least a millennium and the conquer'er of all the land that would one day be her descendants kingdom.

"Are you...one of those...allicorn princesses you've told me so much about?" He asked holding her hand softly as she folded her metal wings up and she drew her sword. It felt light as air as she gave it a few practice swings and sliced the air itself as she did so, smiling confidently as she held it boldly with her shield raised valiantly.

"No John I think I've become something much....More than a princess." She said sheathing her sword in delight.

"Can we go home now?" Sonata asked getting into the Canoe with the other Dazzlings..

"Oh...right..yes of course." Sunset said blushing softly.

"Way to kill the crowning momment of awesomness Sonata" Adagio snarked at her.

"What? What'd I say?"