Chapters “Hey! Careful with them streamers, Pinkie Pie,” Applejack warned. “Last Welcome Back party you threw, them streamers were gettin’ everywhere: into people’s hair, their punch, Even the DJ had to stop because one fell on her turntable.”
“Relax, Applejack,” Pinkie reassured, placing a single strip of tape over the streamer so it dangled a few feet from the ceiling, “Tape is much more reliable than those silly little glue sticks.”
“Ah still say you should use staples. At least they ain’t sticky.” she crossed her arms in discontent. It was clear Pinkie was not going to change her mind.
“There! That’s the last one.” Pinkie said, stepping down from her ladder and gazing upon her work. The entire ceiling of the gymnasium was arrayed with streamers and banners of assorted colors, meticulously filling the entire room with a design that rivaled Rarity’s cheapest dress. But something was off, missing almost.
“Uh, Pinkie Pie?”
“Yeah, Applejack?”
“Aren’t we forgettin’ somethin’? Somethin’ jus’ don’t look right.”
Pinkie narrowed her eyes, scanning the gym for a flaw. All her parties went as planned for her.It’s unlike her to forget a necessity. It only took moments for her to find her error. “Oh! I know. We need the banner!” Pinkie scurried to her garbage bin full of recycled party supplies. “How could I forget that?” she laughed to herself, rummaging through her party bin and throwing the contents on the floor. In seconds, the ground was flooded with noisemakers and various other recycled party supplies from other parties she has planned. At last, Pinkie came up from the bin empty handed. “Where is it?”
“Hey, guys!” a voice called from behind Applejack. It was another girl with fiery red hair and a golden streaks floating out from the sides of her hair. Her hands hung loose at her sides, her coiffure was neat and fell smoothly to her waist; her face was bright with a warm, friendly smile. “How’s the setup going?” she asked, leaning against a nearby wall. “Looks great so far. Err, except for the spring break stuff on the floor.”
“Sorry ‘bout that, Sunset. We’re lookin’ for the banner that reads ‘Welcome Back!’ We’re supposed to put it up by the turntables, but it ain’t here. You got any idea where it is?”
“Actually,” Sunset recalled. “I think Rarity said it could use some touching up. She said it was too boring to just have the words ‘ Welcome Back!’ on it.”
“Well that’s just great. Knowin’ Rarity, she’ll end up blindin’ everyone. The girl needs to understand how bright it is when she uses them fine cuts, as she calls ‘em,” Applejack complained. Her eyes switched to Sunset. “Say, What brings ya here? School don’t start ‘till Monday. I’dda figured you’d’ve been down by the beach with all yer friends.”
“What? A girl can’t come by and hang out,” Sunset replied, inching her head forward with a smirk. “with my friends ?”
Applejack let out a small laugh, “Fair enough. Hey, since yer here, ya mind helpin’ us clean up all these doodads on the ground?” she asked, flailing her feet free of the streamers on her boots. “Ah’m afraid if Pinkie does it, it'll do more harm than good.”
“Sure,” Sunset replied cheerfully. She kicked off the wall and crouched to the ground to scoop up the miscellaneous party supplies. Her arms wrapped around to form a pile and lifted it up into the air. She, then, proceeded to dispose of them in Pinkie’s party bin.
On her second round, Applejack told her something she didn’t hear correctly. “What was that?” she turned her head to face Applejack.
“Ah said can you believe the Dazzlin’s are comin’ back to Can’erlot High?”
“What?” Sunset halted abruptly, the supplies fell to the ground. “Where’d you hear that?” Sunset asked in disbelief.
“Heard it from some of girls at the burger joint. Says Principal Celestia’s givin’ ‘em a second chance to straighten up their act.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yup. Them Dazzlin’s say the magic they carried with them back to Equestria were controlling them.”
“Heh, tough chance getting the students to believe that. I mean, they tried to control everyone into adoring them so they could take over the world.”
“Ah hear ya. Ah’m surprised they didn’t feed off themselves with how much they fight all the time.”
“Yeah, I wonder,” Sunset continued to replace the supplies back into the bin, her spirit grew silent. Some odd realization resurfaced without her conscious knowledge, A faint light in dark times.
It took an hour, but they finally finished and Applejack crashed on the bleachers with silent accomplishment. “Whew! Thanks fer yer help, Sunset.” Applejack praised, wiping the sweat from her forehead. “I’dda been cleanin’ up streamers all day if Pinkie was helpin’ me. I’m glad yer always willin’ to lend a hand.”
“No problem. What’re friends for?” She replied. “I hear there’s gonna be a ton of people here.”
“That, lil’ missy, ’s sugarcoatin’ it,” Applejack fired back. “ There’s a good quarter of that in freshman alone.”
“Guess Pinkie’s got her work cut out for her.”
"Oh, please! I've done way worse than this," Pinkie chimed in, taking a large breath. "I remember in Elementary, we used to invite the entire school district over for a party and it got so huge, we had to go out to the football field because we had way too many kids and then we had to bring like sixty fans because it was so hot and —"
“We get it!” Applejack retorted. “Sorry, Sunset. You know Pinkie,” she returned her attention to Sunset. “How ya feelin’ about them Dazzlin’s? You seem’d pretty quiet after ya got back to work.”
“The Dazzlings? …all they did was cause trouble. How can they expect us to start over?”
“Ah’m with ya. those girls are nothin’ but trouble. Power or none.”
“What the heck is Principal Celestia thinking? Even without those amulets, all they did was cause trouble.” She vented, stomping out the door.
“Um… See ya later…ah guess.”
Sunset ignored her friend's response as she left the gym. As much as she tried, the Dazzlings wouldn’t escape her mind. She couldn’t stop remembering their manipulative words that turned everyone against each other. Magic or none, they are a threat.
Sunset made her way down the empty hallway. Though the school year hadn’t started yet, she had a strange feeling Principal Celestia would be in her office. She’s dedicated to her school, and is there for someone, even in their worst times. Just like for her.
Her reminiscing was cut short, as her train of thought had forgotten her feet, and she fell on the hard ground.
When her eyes opened once more, She could see herself as she peered in through a window to a large castle hall: a mare dressed in a brown cloak. afront her stood three others, each of an upper class. One was clad in black armor with a gold trim; prepared for battle. Another wore a dress with a large ruff around her neck. Her hat was a chocolate pudding bowl. And the third was dressed in a purple mantle. On her head bore a platinum crown with red gems bejeweled into it.
All three of them looked like some form of royalty, it appeared. Sunset recognized none of them, but she couldn’t help being overwhelmed with nostalgia. The room was huge and full of expensive decor: velvet drapes fell from tall windows, a long hallway holding a large, red throne at its ending, and a large painting that hangs on the wall. The Painting depicting a young mare and her father, whom she takes to be the ruler. The filly is looking up at him, praising him, worshipping him.
Sunset could see the faces of the three ponies in front of her as clear as day, the kind of faces wrinkling with uncertainty. They stared at her. One scowling, another flustered, and the last with a small tear falling down her muzzle. Voices called “How could you?” and “Desist at once!” but she didn’t listen. Their bodies melted before her, taking a new shape. Their spines had grown large dorsal fins. At first glance it looked like their manes. Their anteriors had turned into a mermaid’s tail, and their chests bore a bright red gem. Their faces, though; they didn’t change. They stayed a cold, piercing stare into her heart, cold enough to freeze an ocean from the inside out.
They all faced Sunset, now doubled-over in fear. As if by the conductor’s baton, they simultaneously opened their long mouths and bellowed a piercing scream that shattered the window Sunset was looking through. She was exposed, and saw a fleeting eye of one of the creatures staring at her from a distance. It was a deep, golden dagger slaying her with anger of a broken promise. It was staring her right in the eyes and all she could do was stand until it lurched at her. All three of them flew towards her as she dashed away as quickly as she possibly could, fearing death itself as the consequence if she didn’t.
She ran and ran through the streets as the townspeople subsequently parted away faster from the unknown creatures. As she ran, she caught sight of an old cobblestone house with a familiar coat of arms on it. The lights were off and Sunset refused to turn them on. She sighed a breath of relief.
“Clover?” an old voice called from another room, “Is that you?” He didn’t turn the lights on before the roof was decimated and debris littered what once was a house. Sunset was caught under the stones and unable to escape. She looked once more into their eyes. They were permanently etched into her mind. She closed her eyes tightly, waiting for the final blow.
When it didn’t come, Sunset opened her eyes, and saw she was back in school. She rose to her feet, scanning the surroundings for those three creatures. but there was nothing. She was alone. She shook her head and refocused herself. She collected her thoughts and continued towards Principal Celestia’s office.
It wasn’t long before Sunset had stopped at a door. There were many throughout the hallway, but this one had a certain aspect that whispered into Sunset’s ears that this was her destination. A semi-transparent, glass window stretched about 3/4 of the overall top half of the door with black lettering reading, “Principal’s Office.” She knocked on the door lightly. A voice responded.
“Who is it?”
“It’s Sunset,” she replied in a nervous tone. “I need to talk to you. Can I come in?” The door opened slowly to reveal a tall female with dark blue hair that spread near her shoulders and fell below her waist. Her shirt went over her jeans and was tucked beneath her belt. It was Vice Principal Luna. Her face held no enthusiasm, nor any hint of elation in her coming by.
“I was not expecting you to be here,” Luna said defensively. “I thought Applejack and Pinkie were the only ones here setting up for our dance.”
“Is Principal Celestia here?” Sunset asked eagerly. “I need to ask her about The Dazzlings. Why are they here? Why are they coming back?”
“Dazzlings?” Luna pondered. “You mean Adagio Dazzle and her friends? I’m hardly enthused that you accuse them of repeating their actions. We made the same decision as with you. If you straightened up your act and became a positive student here at CHS, then you can continue your education here. Just like you, they were previously enrolled in our school, and just like you, they will get a second chance.”
She paused for a moment, noticing a quiver on Sunset’s upper lip. Taking a softer approach, she lowered her knees so she was at eye level with Sunset. She could see the kindness in her eyes. She meant no harm. “It’s not as lenient a decision as you may think it is. We’ve kept a keen eye on you through your friends. They were willing to give you a second chance. I believe you, having been through the same set of circumstances, can help them as your friends helped you. Do you understand?”
“I understand” Sunset replied. And she did. She had caused the school so much grief and made such a monster out of herself, she didn’t see redemption; but her friends did. Twilight held her hand out to Sunset in mercy and in truce. It was time Sunset did the same for The Dazzlings.
“I’m sorry Principal Celestia couldn’t be here,” Luna added. “She left me in charge while she runs errands.”
“It’s fine.” Sunset replied solemnly. “She’d have probably said the same thing. Thank you.” The door closed once more. Sunset stood there, bewildered. Maybe they have changed, or perhaps she’s overreacting, With no more reason to stay, she departed, wandering down the hallway and making a sharp turn into the foyer. It still haunted her though.
The Dazzlings had done more than what Principal Celestia knew. They had lied to everyone, tricking them into believing others were more advantageous, or even inferior, to any other student. She still remembers that moment; that brief minute that costed her every iota of her strength to resist their lies. “...We know all about you, Sunset Shimmer. You've got quite the reputation at Canterlot High,” Adagio’s words echoed through her. She could swear she was reliving it again. The apparition taunted her, sneered at her, hated her. “No one is going to remember you at all by the time we're done.”
But why? What had she done to them? The answer fleeted into her mind and painted a picture, a memory, around her. Upon a hill, overlooking a large stage, she could see crowds of people bustled into one convergent roar of applause. The performers had just finished their song, and the next group was getting ready. some footsteps alerted her attention and urged her to turn around. She could see Twilight and her friends making their way up the hill, instruments in hand. They joined her, overlooking the performing trio.
The performers were all the same height, but their hairstyles and skin color split them apart. The center girl had large, pompy hair that clumped together into a field of wheat down her backside. Another had pigtails of extraordinary length; a single pink line passed through the center of each tail. The last had only a ponytail; that is not to dissuade the size. Their voices were angelic, the kind only heard from the seductive succubi, or Lilith herself. And just as well, these demons were lusting for power. The negative energy they harness and consume create a chain reaction where the students in the crowd are helpless to their melodic hypnosis. Sunset was overcome with nostalgia of the event.
Sunset looked to her left, and lo and behold, Twilight was performing against them. But in it all, she could hear nothing, just see the battle commence once more. Then it happened, and even Sunset couldn’t believe it, the creatures from before rose from The Dazzlings and stared her down once more.
She was paralyzed, and she witnessed Twilight fall to the ground, and then Applejack, Pinkie, Rainbow Dash, the DJ, finally Fluttershy. Each of them fell at their hands and she could only stand and watch. The monsters took one final look at her, as the microphone dangled in Twilight’s cold hand.
When she opened her eyes, she was in front of a tall, wooden door with a glass square above the median. In a large font, black letters wrote “Principal’s Office.” Sunset realized she was still alone. She no longer felt pain, only an air of confusion. Did she collapse without knowing it? she decided to knock on the door once again. Maybe Principal Celestia had returned?
“Who is it?” Luna called.
“It’s Sunset again.” The door opened casually. Luna, once more, remained in front of the doorway.
“Sunset? I didn’t expect to see you until Monday, when school starts,” Luna pondered. “What do mean again? This is the first we are speaking.”
Sunset’s eyes wavered. Had Luna forgotten that they had already talked? “We spoke earlier. Didn’t we? I asked you about The Dazzlings returning to school.”
“I think I’d remember something like that,” Luna replied. “Besides, you, of all people should know how lenient we are with second chances. You have caused collateral damages that ruined our school budget, and forced us to have twenty fundraisers over the summer to pay off, and yet we still allowed you to return and continue your education at CHS.”
“I understand, but I made my amends repairing the school. All they will do is manipulate...”
“Like you did?” Luna interrupted. “They deserve no more privileges than the ones that we’ve given you,” she paused. “Unless you don’t want to continue at CHS.” She added slyly.
“That’s not what I—” she sighed, collecting herself. “You’re right. Maybe I’m overreacting? I guess I’m just unsure about the whole thing. It’s all too sudden.”
“I understand how you feel, Sunset. I remember when I was unsure about allowing you to continue being a student at CHS. My sister and I were debating it for hours. We were ready to send you to a boarding school and assign you community service this school year.
“But we were dissuaded by your friends. Twilight said they’d make sure you behaved, at whatever cost. They even headed most of the fundraisers and doubled our profits. Even then, we were still hesitant, but we gave you the benefit of the doubt. We trust them and, in turn, trust you. You just need to do the same for Adagio and her friends.
“I wonder if they too had the same fallout that made them question the morals of another. Maybe you have more in common than you think. But you won’t know until you try. Do you understand?”
“Yes, you already told me when I came by last time,” Sunset looked at her discontentedly.
“I’m sorry, but I didn’t. There was no last time.”
“How?” Sunset demanded. “I know we spoke earlier. You told me that I might be able to befriend them, like they went through what happened to me.”
“No” Her voice grew tempered, “That is what I just told you.”
A storm of confusion swept her away. She couldn’t grasp the fact that Luna had not talked to her before. She wondered if any of it was a dream, or if she is the only one who remembers. Her eyes lost contact with Luna’s. She had witnessed two separate conversations, and the strain to keep truth from reality was a struggle. A mild headache forced her hand to massage her aching forehead.
“Is everything alright, Sunset?” Luna asked concerningly. Her words didn’t affect her. “Sunset?”
Once more, Sunset caught sight of Luna. Her headache was alleved. “I’m fine. It’s just… I swear we were talking earlier, and you told me that Principal Celestia had stepped out to run errands.”
“What?” Luna questioned. A mask of confusion shadowed her.“She’s in her office putting together her speech for the assembly, Monday night,” Luna answered. “I’m afraid she can’t be bothered right now. I don’t know where you got the idea she had left her office, let alone leave me to work in her place.”
Though out of context to her memories, she already thought it might not have been true. Her entire first conversation was a sham.
“Is everything alright, Sunset?”
“Yeah,” she replied. “I think I need to go home and rest. I’m sorry I bothered you.”
“If you need anything, Please say something. Principal Celestia and I care very deeply about our students. If we can help you, we will. Just let us know.”
At Sunset’s nod, the door closed. All was quiet. Sunset took her time and gradually left the school building. The foliage of the trees blocked the sun’s warm light in the west horizon,dimming the whole world in an orange haze. The sun was on the verge of setting, but something didn’t feel right. Something was creeping nearer like the shadows around her, It was only a matter of when.
The night was like any other: dull. Walking through the empty street on her way home, Sunset took notice of the flora. The leaves had turned a light shade of brown, some hanging on for dear life on the desolate branches of the trees, but most had scattered themselves aimlessly around the asphalt. Summer had ended only a few weeks ago, but it had gone far too soon. Something about the color, and the leaves’ removal from their parent tree irked Sunset deeply. It’s a sad thing to see death, no matter the size. Occasionally, a car or two traveled down the road, the quiet, yet clear sound of their engines roaring to the wary ear that hears its call.
All of the people must’ve been eating dinner, or preparing for the cold night, for none of the kids were out playing sports or walking with their friends. The sun wasn’t to set for another half-hour, and yet the kids had all hurried inside their houses, warm and cozy. The night was cold, admittedly, but the questions still bother her.
No longer than a few weeks ago, Sunset had joined Fluttershy volunteering at the Animal Shelter. Fluttershy loved to be with the animals, and it was nice to have someone else keep her company that didn’t walk on all fours. Sunset was in charge of feeding them every meal and cleaning the hamster cages at the end of the day. Fluttershy replaced the bedding in all of the cages, taking valuable time and precious care to clean all of the material by hand after they’ve been washed. She loved them that much.
When the night ended, she asked Sunset to do her one last favor, and that was to walk her home. By that time, the sun had set, and they both walked down the same street. The sun had taken its warmth with it under the horizon, The cold didn’t bother Sunset, however, but Fluttershy was shivering. Her arms crossed over each other, and her hands gripped her opposite arms. Her back hunched over to hold off the quivering winds. Sunset looked at herself. Neither had expected the winter chill to come so early in August, but the sun has begun losing hours of presence in the past weeks. The nights are becoming progressively longer, and making the inhabitants of it suffer.
It took Sunset a while to notice the cold was getting to her. Once she did, she took off her leather jacket and put it around Fluttershy’s shoulders. As they walked, Sunset could see windows aglow on the second floors of the houses. In some, the living room was visible, and a man sits in his recliner, asleep while watching what looks like CSI. It was very late at night, and most kids and even adults are getting ready for bed. Fluttershy’s house, unlike the others, didn’t have any lights on. Her parents must’ve already sent themselves to bed. They got as far as the stone path leading to her porch before Fluttershy returned Sunset’s jacket. She didn’t let her any further, but Sunset was content to know she was home.
When she spoke, it felt like an angel was playing her harp with skill and grace. The melodious whisper of her timid words put Sunset at ease, like a mother caressing her young, or the animals in the shelter. She felt safe. When Sunset put her jacket back on, a faint smell of lily flowers approached her nose. Fluttershy’s perfume had rubbed off on her jacket. It was light, and made her feel like she was lying on a bed of white-washed lilies, watching the deep blue sky shift the colorless masses into vast arrays of shapes and sizes; bunny rabbits, dragons, and even the gods were seen through their bulbous shapes. The field of light felt like it could go on forever and she could walk in it endlessly, wavering her hands carelessly around and do whatever she wanted. She was free.
That scent has long since faded from her jacket, but the memory is eternal. The silent night overtook her street as she entered her household. Though small, it was the closest thing she could call home. It wasn’t the nicest, but it was the best she could muster from being exiled. The kitchen was the first room before the entrance. On one side, a long countertop stretched the length of the wall and stopped before a change from the linoleum tiles of the kitchen to the soft carpet of her living room. The other side of the kitchen held a solitary door leading to twin white machines. The only alteration is the lid placement. One is on the top, and another has it in the front.
In front of her, a television set laid upon a four-cabinet hole in where the TV sat between the cabinets above and below it. She clicked the top button of the remote and the TV was alive. The servant to Sunset waited for her command to change its appearance. Another button was clicked and the screen flipped to an old movies channel.
The clock above the heat of the television alerted Sunset that it was already eight o’clock. The TV turned off and she made her way from the living room to her bathroom. When inside, she stared into the mirror, observing the amenities of her face: her bright, cyan eyes, her clear, soft complexion, and her perky smile. Even in the dark of the night, she has always found something to be happy with at day’s end. The fact that she was able to see her friends at school made her happy. Applejack and Pinkie seemed like Sunset was the first young face they’d seen all day. She brushed her teeth and changed into comfortable pajamas. She sent her clothes into the washroom, and took her leave for the night.
Something struck her as odd, though, and when she opened her eyes, she was in a small, but compact, image of her chemistry class. The walls were pure masonry of cobblestone on all sides, except for a small wooden door that lead would lead her to the village. On the other side was a coat of arms with a magic wand on it. The entire room was arrayed with flasks and test tubes in holders. The content was unknown, but their usage felt like second nature. Purely by smell, Sunset could tell if it was volatile or not, or if it was safe to mix with another chemical. A grey, old stallion approached her. His beard trailed down the length of his body till faintly touching the floorboards.
“Well,” he said solemnly, “let’s begin, shall we?” Sunset nodded her head. It felt like she wanted to hear what he had to say, what his infinite knowledge could bestow upon her. “We’ve already discussed about the windigos, so our next lesson will be memory spells.” at this point, he drivels on and expects Sunset to adhere to his explanations. “They say when you forget something, it’s never gone, but instead locked away in a place you cannot reach —rather, not consciously, anyway. This spell can unlock the memory from its safe, but—” Sunset had blanked completely. Nothing from his explanation was retained, regardless of her efforts. Was she really that absent minded?
“Master?” Sunset’s voice called involuntarily. “Save the monologuing for the royals. I’ll be safe with the spell, I promise.” An efforted smile forced its way onto Sunset’s face. But the old stallion was unamused.
“Regardless of your management skills,” the stallion retorted, “The spells I teach you are inherently volatile. Only advanced Unicorns can cast it without drawbacks. My educating you is to prepare you for when you’re ready.”
Sunset was displeased. A feeling of nostalgia was around her, but everything was so foreign, despite her apparent knowledge. Not even the stallion, whom she called Master, left her in awe. “I don’t care. I want to learn as many spells as it takes to be like Princess Platinum or Commander Hurricane. I want to be remembered, not remembering the backstory to every spell you teach me.”
“I teach it that way, so you can learn why we cast the spell, not so you can use it whenever you wish. Are we clear, Clover?”
“Yes” She said lowly. As they continued, a young colt strolled in to see the mare.
“Diamond Dust? What are you doing here? I told you not to bother me at work.”
“Sorry,” Diamond Dust replied, “ Dad was getting stuff at the guy next door and I saw you through the window. What are you doing? What is all this stuff? Can I touch it?”
“No, Diamond, some of these vials can really hurt you. Go back to your dad, he is probably wondering where you are.”
“Ok, Bye”
“Goodbye, Dusty”
“Such an aspiring young colt. He takes after his parents”
“Yes, he does. Where were we?”
A strike of lightning had caused Sunset to bolt upright in the bed. Her heart was racing incredulously, and her rapid breathing refused to cease. When her eyes fixed on the bedroom clock, she could make out one o’clock on the blur of their wavering hands. She had only been asleep for a few hours. Her eyes were weary, but they refused to let her sleep. All in vain, she was alerted to her feet by a sudden knocking at the door. Who on Earth would be awake at one in the morning?
When she opened the door, utter bewilderment befell her. Her heartbeat increased and her blood ran hot as she stared into the eyes of her hatred, molded together from under her skin and forged to create this tall, slender body with violet eyes staring deep into Sunset’s soul. Aria stood before her under the protection of her awning. There wasn’t any anger, however. Just soft, simple eyes.
“Aria?” Sunset questioned the reality of the apparition. “Let me guess, you’re here to taunt me or manipulate me again. Cause if you are—” Her hands held tightly to the edge of the door. Her eyes grew large, and fearing in the presence of Aria.
“Oh please,” she said snobbishly. “Adagio and Sonata aren’t around, so I don’t have a reason to. Besides, you broke my amulet. What could I possibly do? Strangle you? Nah.”
“So… what are you doing here?” Sunset asked, “Why aren’t you asleep? It’s one o’clock in the morning.”
“I can say the same to you, Sunny.” She smirked, letting herself into the house. Sunset loosened her grip and faced her, still unable to stop her. “Still the same old girl I remember: young, naive, traitor.”
“Traitor? I wasn’t a part of your band. And my friends forgave me for what I did.”
“Did they?” Aria questioned skeptically. “Maybe your new friends have, but I sure haven’t. Adagio hasn’t; not even Sonata had forgiven you for what you did to us. You ruined us, and all you can do is hide in the corner. And to top it off, you never apologized. You just ran away like the cowardice scum of Equestria, You abandoned everything, even left your own—”
“Shut up!” She screamed, boiled by what she was about to say. “Just shut up!” she couldn’t control herself. You have no idea what it is like to accept that. How would you feel if…”
Aria chuckled at her response. “You get it? You caused this to me, and I will make you pay. You deserve to become the same monster everyone saw us as, and you will never be able to change that.”
“Is there a reason you came here, or did you just come to mock me like the sick creature you are.”
Sunset’s words seemed to strike deep into Aria. She bowed her head in defeat. “Just like everyone else,” she muttered as she took her fleeting steps to the door,. “Have you always felt that way? Did you always think we were monsters?”
“Aria?”
Aria vanished. A wave of slumber returned to Sunset, but the moment was still aching in her. What had she done so wrong?
The morning had disappeared under the protection of the school building. Sunset wearily descended down the hall to see her old friends. Her face had depreciated from the nights past; shadows formed underneath her eyes, and her eyelids weighed heavy on her resilience. The image of yesterday scribed into her heart; a curse had befallen her.
The visit to the mysterious stallion’s home had relinquished Sunset’s night and stolen her sleep; It was odd. Something about it felt real, like she had experienced it. But she didn’t. The building, the stallion, the name. Even the books were written in a long forgotten language, yet Sunset could read it as if it was in English. But all her efforts to recall the dissentful event further lead to a wall of dust. Everything was a blur.
And then Aria. What was her purpose to invade her sleep, let alone keep the tranquility of it. All for what? Belittlement towards Sunset and questioning of an honest revision in her despotic history. All of this forced Sunset into waking without return to slumber.
The night lasted longer than the morning; Sunset was only moments from being late. The first period bell rang immediately as she got to school. The remains of the memory lie covered in the sand beneath a heavy eye.
Like a slap to the face, Sunset woke at the strike of a stick and the buzzing from the ceiling. Wearily, she recovered and left the classroom towards her locker. When the locker opened, a large book lay in an angle in front of her eyes. She wondered if Twilight would know about him. Twilight was the one who first informed them of the sirens, and helped stop them. Perhaps she can do the same with Sunset.
As she closed her locker and turned away, she noticed a familiar room as she passed the eternal hallway. She opened the doors and was overtaken by a wave of nostalgia. She could almost remember the times they helped each other write music. The room was large in comparison to the other rooms in school, but not quite the eyesore. A grand piano laid in the corner, and musical designs of all sorts filled the room with passion and creativity. Several instruments were scattered around, each having their special person to treat them well and let their voices be heard. She, as well as her friends, had decided one day that they spent so much time in the band room that everyone except Sunset felt like instruments themselves.
The sound of the door’s opening had invited the ears of another, who had currently kept a soccer ball elevated with her feet, juggling it around her body with precision and accuracy until she came through the door. The girl was Rainbow Dash, the school’s captain for practically every sport they offer. It was thanks to her that CHS won the Varsity Girls’ Soccer Championships three years running. She turned and greeted her old friend.
“Hey Sunset!” she greeted, giving the ball one more bounce before replacing it under her arm as she turned towards her. “How’s it goin’? I’ve been working on some new kicks. Wanna go a few? I need to practice for the tournament on Saturday.”
“Rainbow, you know I’m horrible at soccer. Why don’t you ask Pinkie Pie? I’m sure she’d love a challenge.”
“No way. Last time I let her practice with me, she gave me a concussion.” Rainbow reminded Sunset. “Plus, I already asked, and she said she was still preparing for the dance on Friday”
“Oh yeah. I forgot about that. By the way, where’s everyone else? It’s quiet.”
“Rarity’s busy making our dresses, and Pinkie and Applejack are in the gym checking the lights,” Rainbow said surely.
“And Fluttershy?”
“C’mon Sunset, you know she leaves right after school. She spends so much time at the Animal Shelter, I’m surprised she hasn’t adopted them all.”
“Rainbow? Can I ask you something?”
Sunset’s tone had finally become apparent to Rainbow Dash. A low, slow wave of separation divided them. What Sunset would say, she doesn’t think will mean the same to Rainbow as to her.
“Is it weird to swear something was real, but no matter what, it wasn’t?”
“You mean… like a dream?” Rainbow tilted her head, confirming Sunset in her prior thoughts.
“Kinda. But it wasn’t. I woke up, but… then Aria came and…”
“Wait, Aria Blaze? From The Dazzlings? What was she doing talking to you? I thought you hated her.”
“I don’t know. She—”
“I mean, I’d have thought she’d have high-tailed it after we were done with ‘em.”
“She said that I wa—”
“Did you see how red their faces were when they couldn’t sing? It was hilarious!”
“Rainbow, I’m telling you the—”
“And then their names were called in attendance the next day, and—”
“Are you done yet?” Sunset grimaced.
“C’mon, Sunset. It was funny. I’d be surprised if they showed their faces here again.”
Sunset stayed silent, lowering her head in defeat. She knew Rainbow was wrong, but couldn’t risk it. Applejack told her they’d return, but she hasn’t seen them anywhere. Maybe she’s right.
“Uh… is everything alright, Sunset?”
“Huh? Yeah. I’m fine.”
“What happened? One minute you’re normal, then you space out and start looking at pictures.”
“Sorry. I guess I’m just a little tired. I didn’t get much sleep last night.”
“So you lost an hour or two of sleep. Big whoop! C’mon, I know this great place down the street where we can get a bite to eat. That’ll wake you up.”
“Alright. Thanks, But I thought you had to practice?”
“Nah! I can take that team all by myself if I wanted to,” Rainbow said proudly. “I’m gonna go grab my stuff, and we’ll go, ‘kay?” Rainbow left swiftly through the doors, but not before catching a skeptical glance at Sunset, leaving her to wait for Rainbow’s return.
The first photo was Rainbow Dash on the field practicing against Twilight and Pinkie; that same day, Pinkie had played the fool in believing she was playing “football” and charged into Rainbow full-force. Sunset had seen the whole thing from the bleachers and got Rainbow to the nurse as soon as it happened.
Another photo, depicted Applejack and Rarity working together to make music. One of the few times they got along was when they disliked someone more than each other.
And lastly, everyone’s posing for a group photo. Applejack, Rainbow, and Fluttershy are in the back, Rarity and Pinkie in front, and Twilight kneeling down in the middle. Pinkie made another copy for Twilight as a keepsake, since no one knew the next time she would return.
Even now, looking at the photos, she feels happy and at ease, but a faint discomfort still surrounds her. She looked at another shelf below the first. She could see two pictures. The first is Rainbow wearing a medallion she received for an undefeated track record, and the other was a photo of the band during the semifinals of the Battle of the Bands.
None of the pictures included her.
Turning around, she was startled to notice Rainbow had been standing there. She looked at her with an expectant stare.
“Well?” Rainbow said impatiently, “Ya comin’?”
Sunset and Rainbow left together down the familiar hall towards the foyer. About half-way down, Sunset felt a strange urge to shift her head and eyes to the left, and caught a fleeting glimpse of Adagio as they walked past the hallway. She could see Adagio’s eyes move to meet hers as she saw her. She was waiting the whole time.
Rainbow and Sunset continued past the courtyard and passed around the end of the school building. They walked until Sunset caught eye of a diner across the street. A long window stretched to the left of the door, and she could see profiles through the translucent glass. Rainbow started walking towards it and urged Sunset to follow. When they entered, they took a window seat in a booth, and ordered their food.
Sunset was staring blankly through the window. Lost in her isolation of thought, she hadn’t noticed until she looked at the table that Rainbow had taken a gift box out from her backpack and placed it in front of her, filling the space that would soon be taken by her meal.
“What’s this?”
“Why don’t you open it and find out?” Rainbow replied cooly. Sunset slowly opened the box and saw the contents: a white shirt with a logo resembling a rainbow spawning and resting on two clouds in the sky, and the words, spelled out in all different colors: “The Rainbooms”
“Like it? I got more for Everyone else. Isn’t it awesome?”
“It’s… nice.”
“Yeah, and I even booked us a gig for the dance.” Rainbow said suddenly. “We’re going on right after Lyra and Bon Bon.”
Sunset stared wide-eyed at Rainbow, replacing the shirt back into the box. “You what?”
“What’s the matter? I thought you liked performing?”
“I do, but not when it’s thrown on me last minute. Couldn’t you have called or texted and asked me before booking us.” She paused and collected herself. “What are we playing, anyway?”
“I got the setlist right here.” Rainbow reaches once more into her bag and pulls out a folder for her music. She pulls a single sheet of paper out and reads it aloud. “Shake Your Tail is first, followed by Awesome As I Wanna Be, and we close with Music In Me.”
“Well, at least they’re songs I know.” Sunset slouched onto her elbows, as she pushed the box towards Rainbow. “Any other surprises?”
“Well...”
“Nevermind!”
“Alright, suit yourself. Imma go to the ladies room. Be back in a jiff!”
Rainbow departed from the table. Another customer, who had been watching them took their cue to sit in her place.
“Mind if I sit down?”
Sunset turned her head and stared in disbelief. The sight held only a moment before Sunset spoke. “My friend is sitting there, she’ll be right back.”
“Just for a minute?”
“Ok, just for a minute.” Sunset gestured her to sit, but felt like she was going to regret it. Sunset sat up in folded arms. She didn’t want to admit it, nor acknowledge her being there, but once Adagio faced her, it all washed away.
“Listen, I know I… we did some bad things. You have a right to be angry at us.”
“You turned our school into a battle royale.”
“You tried to start an interdimensional war.”
“You tried to make me betray my friends.”
“What friends?” Adagio inquired. “I saw how you felt around them. Heck! I watched it just a minute ago. What kind of friend is that?”
“One who never had many friends. Just like me.”
“Says who? She has…” Adagio paused to do a headcount of her memory. “She has five other friends.”
“So what? Are you gonna try to manipulate me into betraying them again.”
“Who are you kidding? They already doubt you since you ruined their performance in the semi-finals.” Adagio remarked jokingly. Sunset blushed a little in embarrassment and let out a light laugh.
“At least I didn’t get embarrassed in front of the whole school because I couldn’t sing,” Sunset countered. Adagio joined Sunset in small laughter.
“At least your embarrassment was only a day.” Adagio added, “I heard I was never taken off the roster.”
“At least you had Aria and Sonata to fall back on.” Sunset turned melancholy, lowering her eyes to the table.
“Sunset?” Adagio fell to a serious tone as well.
“When I first stole an element of harmony, and Twilight had defeated me, my first thought was ‘That’s it. It’s over. I’m done.’ I had pushed everyone away from me, even the ones I, now, care most about. I had no one. And then I think of how you had a similar fate, but you were better off. You had friends who fell with you. I only had me, and somehow I ended up feeling no better with friends than without.”
“I… I’m sorry.”
Sunset’s eyes lingered in deep thought as a waitress stopped at the table and gave Sunset her food.
Adagio rose and started from the booth. “I should go. You’re friend will be back any second. Last thing I want is bad company.” Adagio tried to lighten the mood, to no avail. “Anyway, thanks for talking with me. I’ll see you in school.” Adagio walked to the end of the diner. Sunset could see others at her table, and assumed them to be Aria and Sonata.
Rainbow returned nonchalantly only seconds after Adagio left, gifting an odd glare of doubt that disappeared when Sunset saw her in full focus.
“Mmm! This smells good.” Rainbow picked up her fork and started chowing down on her food, but Sunset only stared at hers.
“Hey Sunset! Aren’t you gonna eat your food?”
“Oh, sorry, I was thinking.”
“I been thinking too: About what you said. And…” She waits to swallow her food before continuing. “ I think you’re right.”
Sunset’s head rose up and Rainbow smiled intently. “Right about what?”
“It was totally rude to tell you about the gig on a moment’s notice. I was totally wrong in doing that and you’re right. I should tell you beforehand. So I’m dropping the gig.”
“Can they let you do that? I mean, isn’t it a little late to call it off?”
“Not if we don’t show up.” Rainbow laughed. “Trust me, just go home and rest, and hope you don’t get another bad dream, ‘kay.”
“Ok. Thanks, Rainbow.”
“No problem. Now eat up.”
Sunset and Rainbow said nothing more, but Sunset and Rainbow exchanged glances at each other. When they finished, Rainbow put the bill on herself and paid in full. When they left, they went their separate ways.
Sunset walked down the street a little ways until a thought passed her mind. How long had it been that she was talking with Adagio? The thought lingered her until she got off the street and onto her own, and then she was overtaken by the sudden appearance of a little girl passing her on her scooter to catch up with her friends on their roller-blades.
As she walked, she saw them drift away at blazing speed. By the time they left her sight, she was home. She locked the door behind her and sat in her recliner. She sat in dead silence for what felt like hours.
When at last she opened her eyes again, she was in, what appeared to be, a large, medieval castle. She looked down at her hooves and saw she had reverted to a pony, but unfamiliar to her. A sound of the large doors behind her opening startled her to attention as she faced the keeper of the castle. A strong, fearless mare clad in heavy armor stood before her with a demeaning look about her.
“What business do you have here, Unicorn? It’s bad enough this winter is unmanageable, but we don’t need you to beggar us into working faster. We’re doing the best that we can.”
Sunset stared and watched as her body left her and acted on its own, returning her to the constraints of a spectator. “Forgive me, Commander. I know this winter hasn’t been pleasant. My name is Clover The Clever; I’m the royal adviser to Princess Platinum, and she has asked that I deliver this letter to you.” The mare reveals a letter from her cloak.
Hurricane reads and orders her own letter. “So, Princess Platinum wants to negotiate a treaty, eh? Guess she finally admits she’s wrong after all these years. Maybe she can finally stop this storm she caused.”
“She says she wants to settle our disagreements so we can all weather this storm. We didn’t do it, and you know it. We can’t do it alone, and neither can you.”
“You’re right, I’ll go, but I won’t make any promises. Chancellor Puddinghead’s got the attention span of a goldfish, and Princess Platinum is as stubborn as my armor. We’d be lucky if we get done in three days, let alone one.”
“A large group from all 3 tribes will be present as well. I’m sure between the lot of you, you can come to a compromise.”
“Fair enough! Tell her I’ll go, but that I expect her to be decent this time. Tell her to have some ladylike courtesy,” Hurricane takes a letter from her subordinate and transfers it to Clover. “Thank you for coming by. If this goes through, I may see you more often.”
“As to you, Commander?” Clover left the doors as Hurricane remained.
“One more thing,” Hurricane said in earshot, Sunset heard her but didn’t face her. Star Swirl talked about you a lot. Take care of that kid. He may succeed you one day.”
There was nothing new, bar a name, and it made all the difference. Even after waking up refreshed, finally able to sleep and have no obligations to hinder her. When she was ready, the clock read noon. It hardly mattered anymore. All she did was look at the girl with blazing red hair and fiery, yellow streaks adding to her complexion, and all she saw was a teenage girl, not a thousand year old unicorn. She wasn’t Sunset anymore.
She was Clover The Clever.
Twilight wrote back to her, but she felt no less resolved. Twilight sounded like she had not even the slightest clue what she read, like she did this to insult her common sense and to make a fool out of the poor unicorn. She said she’ll come over after her meeting ends with another foreign nation. Typical. Clover is in desperate need of support, and she has to wait till two before she can even hope. How absolutely typical.
Sure enough, though, she came. Clover waited for what felt like a week on the steps of the school, waiting. Oddly, Rainbow and her friends came by, too; they wanted to see off the one they never, ever, understood.
“What’s the matter?” Rainbow asked, leaning on it like it meant something. “It’s way too nice out to be sitting at school. It’s Saturday! What, are you still mad?”
“Now, now, Rainbow Dash, don’t tease the poor girl.” Rarity remarked, “Give her some credit for doing the right thing.”
“After what she did to us? Uh-uh!”
“Did the right thing?” Clover said under her breath, to herself. “What did I ever do that’s right? Making friends sure isn’t one.”
“Don’t say that,” Fluttershy stepped to sit with her while Rarity kept Rainbow away from them. “That wasn’t your decision to make. Twilight thought it was a great idea. We thought Twilight was always right. Don’t judge yourself for what was out of your control.”
“Think about it, Fluttershy. I had a reason to do what I did, hurting you all for my own greed. I wanted nothing but power. All these thousand years. I went so far as to create my own world. One I could escape to and avoid my own death. One where I could be happy and not have a care in the world. And look at me now. I care.”
As she said that, Twilight finally came through the portal, holding the book that they wrote each other through, or at least her copy. She saw Clover, and then noticed the unhappy faces that surrounded her.
“Hey guys…?” She said uncertainly, but also making herself known. “What’s up?”
“Hey Twilight!” They said in unison, bar Fluttershy and Clover.
“What do you mean?” Fluttershy persisted. “You told me you were old, I believe you. I believe you did bad things, but you aren’t a failure. Remember when you took me out to dinner a couple days ago. You said you did your best. Isn’t that what makes a winner, to just try your best?”
That’s Fluttershy. Always deep when she needs to be. Twilight saw them and was already sitting next to Clover. She was the only one smiling, and the only one who could honestly give someone the benefit of the doubt.
“Sunset?” She said, opening her book to the page with the letter. “I got your letter. What’s up?”
For a moment, Clover said nothing. She just sat there and looked at her handwriting, still unable to believe it’s hers.
“I’m not Sunset. That’s what’s up,” She finally responded. “My name is Clover. Clover the Clever.”
Twilight dropped the book at her feet and her jaw fell three stories. A look of sheer awe. A mixture of confusion, adulation, discretion, and fear, all melded into her face with such chaos that it was hard to tell what she was even thinking.
“You? You’re Clover?” She said finally. “How? I mean… it’s been a thousand years.”
“I thought about it. The more I thought about it, the more I remembered. Just yesterday, I found out the truth.”
“What happened?”
Sunset took a deep breath. As unfathomable, or as convoluted as the memory is, it’s true, and a friend should know the truth.
“You know the mirror you came through to get here?” Sunset explained. “Well… I built it.”
“You built it?”
“It’s in the Crystal Kingdom for safe keeping. That, and it doesn’t work anywhere else. The crystals are aligned so perfectly that the light from the moon during a rare event just activates it. Makes it harder for another mistake.”
“Umm………” Twilight froze, unsure of how to say this to her gently, or at all for that matter. “About that.”
“Twilight?”
“I… kinda made an adjustment.” Twilight started, already scaring Clover a little. “Nothing major, just used the magical tie between our books as a bridge between our dimensions. Nothing bad at all. We can still come and go, just more frequently. See.” Twilight rose with a smile of worth, as if she had planned to tell her for a while now. The only downside is she didn’t, and she can’t. “Ow! What the hay?”
Rainbow Dash, who stood behind Sunset and Fluttershy, was humored by Twilight’s display of stupidity, walking straight into a marble statue like it was an open door.
“Forgetting something, Twilight?” Rainbow shouted to her, holding Twilight’s book. Twilight, in a state of pain and confusion, was unaware for a moment. “You said these books make a bridge, but then why are they both here?” Rainbow was in a state in between laughing hysterically and yelling angrily, for Twilight had been worthy of both for such a simple task.
“Oh.”
“That’s not so bad, is it?” Rarity said, holding her purse in a cute manner, hoping not to anger anyone anymore. “I mean, the mirror only opens every thirty moons, right? Is that what you said? Isn’t that just two years, at most? At least it isn’t eternity, darling.” Rarity smiled at Clover in a way that just screamed at her, “You have eternity, don’t you?”, right in her face.
“Yeah, right. We just have to wait. That’s all,” Sunset said in a shivering tone. “Hey, Twilight, how long until the next time it opens?”
“Uh… never.” Twilight winced, hoping she could reconcile, but when she looked back, Clover was in her face.
“What do you mean? Is the moon gone, or…” Clover knew what had happened. “Is the mirror gone? Where did you put it? Where is it?”
“In my castle. I thought it would be easier to get to, and there’d be a lot less wait to get to and from in case anything happened.” Twilight, in her best way possible, tried desperately to ease Clover’s tension. But she can’t even escape her own mistakes anymore. She’s just alone.
Fluttershy tried to comfort Clover, embracing her in her arms and promising her it will be alright. They’ll find a way. “Sunset… Clover, I know what you must be feeling right now. I understand. I won’t leave your side until you can go home again. This isn’t your home. You know it.”
“I know,” Clover shared the embrace. “I know.”
Sometime ago, Principal Celestia and Vice-Principal Luna saw them as they drove by the street, probably heading home from some errands they were doing.
“Rainbow Dash? Fluttershy? Everyone? What’s all this about?” It took Luna a few moments to notice Twilight, but when she did, she smiled with joy. “Ah, Twilight. I see you came by to visit. No wonder everyone’s here today.”
“Oh, Good afternoon, Ms. Luna. Good afternoon, Ms. Celestia. I was supposed to be just visiting, but I… uh… accidentally closed the portal on my way in.”
Luna looked confused, but slightly bewildered. Celestia just had a look of simple disappointment.
“I take it you’re confined here for the time being? How long before it opens again?”
“It won’t,” Clover said from behind. “Without a medium, the bridge between our worlds are severed eternally. Neither of us are going back, ever.”
“I see,” Luna pondered. “So now it’s just a marble statue of a unicorn, now?”
“Uh...yeah.”
“A marble statue with no significance whatsoever.” Clover added, threatening Twilight’s attention.
“Suns… I mean, Clover, there has to be another way, isn’t there?” Fluttershy asked, still hanging by her side for all this time. “You couldn’t have built it without a fail-safe, right? Surely, you could’ve seen a possibility.”
“I doubt it. I was so determined to just leave, I never gave it a second thought.”
“That’s not entirely true,” Twilight interjected. “Star Swirl used it to get rid of the sirens. I’m sure he finished it.”
“Him?” Clover asked in bewilderment. “...maybe. He always did have a knack for leaving a loophole to everything. What makes this any different?” Clover, without thinking, sat there and contemplated the unexplainable possibilities of what Star Swirl would have done. Presumably due to the fact Twilight wasn’t finished talking.
“Why don’t you just do what you did to the mirror on the statue?”
“Fluttershy, we have one shot, and it took me twenty mirrors to get it right,,, sorta. I used the broken pieces.” Sunset said, somehow blaming herself yet again. “I just wish I could remember something about the crystals. Why did I put them there? Why does it work? Then maybe we could get home, but I just don’t remember.”
“Maybe I can help.” Luna started over, a faint smile forming, half happy and half uncertain. “I might be able to help you with your memory issue. I do dabble in hypnosis.” Makes sense. Princess Luna was the ruler of dreams, why not a parallel equal in the human world. Why not?
“You can help her?” Fluttershy asked, hopeful.
“It’s worth a chance. I can put her into a state where she can access all of her suppressed memories. As long as she’s not a deep sleeper, I can get her out with a snap.”
“What do you mean? There’s a chance you might not be able to wake me back up?”
“No. Not at all. Far from it. It’s just you could fall asleep and we’d have to wait a few hours for you to cycle through your natural sleep pattern and I can wake you again. There’s nothing to worry about.”
Clover was both worried and surprised, even a little confused, but she wanted to help Twilight get home and help herself as soon as possible. The only reasonable thing is to trust Vice-Principal Luna and do something right for a change. Luna smiled at her and told Clover to just relax. She could feel her body ease as Luna’s voice softened to a soothing, mellow tone. She closed her eyes and followed Luna’s instructions.
“Just stay calm. Imagine time itself standing perfectly still. It’s just you, only you. Reach out your hand.” Clover responded and stretched her arm out in front of her. Luna held onto it and reminded her she was alone and to relax. And without warning, she released her hand and Clover awoke with a daze, a feeling of uncontrolled actions had left her stoic. At Luna’s command, “Sleep!” She fell asleep.
Clover had awoken in a familiar place. She was a pony again and the world around her was her old life: a village where she could see countless other ponies trotting in tattered cloaks and a face that spoke words no mare, filly, or colt alike should ever say, or want to say. In her own mind, she saw a single house, despite the other ones, this one she remembers fondly. It was his house. Her mentor, Star Swirl, The Bearded. She opened the door without sound. Her existence doesn’t matter for her memories.
Inside, she saw herself. She saw Clover The Clever, dressed no better than the other ponies outside the doors. Star Swirl looked like he was in a state of chaos itself. His face was wrinkled and his cheeks sagged. His eyes were barely open, but he still stayed strong for the tribes who depend on him. Clover was talking to him about the mirror: a project she wanted Star Swirl to help her with.
“This mirror,” Clover said, “it can take us to different dimensions, different lives. We could see new things and escape this place, forever.” Clover sounded eager to finally leave, just like everyone else. But Star Swirl was content with staying.
“What is wrong with this dimension? This life?” Star Swirl replied. “These ponies need our guidance to survive. If we send them somewhere else, how could we possibly ensure their safety. They don’t know if their own lives are worth keeping, let alone wanting a new home. I’m sorry Clover, but this cannot continue. I forbid you from completing that portal.”
“But what if it works? What if we—”
“No! Good Day, Clover.”
Star Swirl dismissed her without a second thought. Clover refused his words and ran home. There, a Stallion waited for her. “Hi, hon, You’re early. Did you finish your session early with Star Swirl.” The stallion was Silver Dust, Clover’s husband, who had supported her through all her tribulations and still had time to care for their son.
Clover was in a rush, however, and didn’t say a word until she came back downstairs with her saddlebags of supplies. “I can’t believe him. He wouldn’t help me finish my plans for the portal. I have to finish it myself.”
“Hey,” Silver halted her. “Star Swirl probably didn’t see the potential in it. Maybe we can both talk to him. C’mon, Clov’”
“I’m sorry, but there is no reasoning with him. I am finishing this portal on my own.” And with that, she left and fled to the Crystal Kingdom. In her mind, it took hours, in reality it took minutes. Clover went into the deepest catacombs, illuminated by pre-set crystals for her creation. Eventually, she arrived.
The mirror looked different. It was decorated with colored gemstones, six total, around the edge, and the glass was edgier than usual. Clover was using it as a prism rather than a gate.
“Why wouldn’t he help me?” Clover said in a sad tone. “All I needed was a way to use these crummy gems. Why won’t they work?” Clover fumed.
She studied her blueprints, which resemble a geometric prism, where the mirror was a two-dimensional version of it. From one triangle, lay her dimension, and on the other side, a new dimension. Fused together by a shared light. But it failed and and as hard as she tried, she could not succeed.
“Clover? Clover, are you in here?” Silver Dust called out.
“Mommy?” cried Diamond Dust.
Sunset was so frustrated with herself, she zapped the top gem with a blast of magic by accident. The gem responded to it and reflected it back at the other gems. They, in turn, struck the mirror, but the mirror was too fragile. It shattered in a light show of magic and energy just as Silver Dust and Diamond Dust arrived. It worked. She opened a gateway to another dimension, but something came out.
The gems opened a dimension of other dimensions and created a being beyond description. Dimensions merged together and gave birth to a god, a deity. All Clover could see was black. The creature sealed the void with just his bare claw. Then it took a physical form. Long, slender, a disembodied amalgamation of countless creatures. Here, he stood before Clover, towering like a behemoth.
“Agh! Ooh! Ergh!” He mumbled as he stretched his arms behind his back and cracked almost every joint in his body. “Ah! Much better.”
“Who… what are you?” Clover asked, slipping further away until she was up against the wall, Silver Dust joined by her side.
“St-stay back,” Silver cried, “I’m warning you.”
“Oh come now, you can’t hurt me.”
“Answer me!” Clover said adamantly, “What are you?”
The creature took a look at itself and turned in all eight directions before answering. “I’m not sure, exactly. I have an eagle claw and a lion paw, and deer antlers and a single hoof. I’m absolute chaos at best.” it responded.
“A creature of chaos? I just summoned a creature of chaos!?”
“Well, I don’t see anyone else in the room, besides blondie over there, so obviously you did. I guess thanks are an order.” he said, forging flowers in a bouquet and handed them to Clover. But when she took a sniff, they squirted water in her face. The creature was amused.
“Never gets old!” he chuckled.
“Hmph! How immature,” Clover wiped the water off her face. “With all that chaos, and stupid humor, you might as well be the epitome of discord.”
“Don’t give him ideas,” Silver whispered in fear.
“Discord?” He mumbled. “I like that name. Don’t you?” His grin lit into a full smile. It wasn’t humorous, but rather jovial happiness. “Alright then! My name is Discord, Lord of Chaos.” He proclaimed, then added, “at your will.”
“What?”
“You named me. You created me. I’m yours. Here’s my card.” He summoned another gimmick in his claw, a business card. When Clover read it, it was blank.
Sunset watched them repeat this cycle of insanity, remembering it fondly. They looked happy, and it was almost time for them to continue their life. But why hasn’t Sunset seen him from the mirror, or even during the few times back in Equestria. What had happened?
Regardless, she overstayed her welcome, and reality caught up with her.
Sunset opened her eyes once more to see friendly faces once more.
“Did you find out how to open the portal?” Fluttershy asked right out of the blue.
Clover was dazed, trying to put that question with an answer. “I’m not sure”
“Did you see anything? Maybe something could help us. Anything?” Twilight asked hopefully.
“All I saw was a prototype. It wasn’t the real one. It was using these weird colored gems. They looked…” Suddenly, she remembered, “They were the Elements.”
“The Elements of Harmony?”
“Clover used them to amplify her magic and combine it with the refracted light from the Crystal Kingdom. But it resulted in… I don’t know what that was.”
“The Elements are back in Equestria anyway. We can’t use them even if we could.”
Rainbow Dash took this opportunity to get a lot off her chest. “Hey! Don’t you know who we are?” She obviously referred to the human versions of Twilight’s friends. “We’re still the Elements of Harmony. We still used our magic and did that cool lightshow thing. We can open that portal.”
Clover rose to her feet and faced Rainbow with a hopeful worry. “Really, you’ll—”
“But first, you have some explaining to do.” Rainbow changed her mood quickly. “While you were sleeping, I got all I needed from Twilight and Fluttershy. You aren’t lying your way out of this one.” Rainbow was furious at her. She had betrayed her on every level imaginable in her mind. “Tell the truth. Why did you help those sirens ruin our performance in the battle of the bands?”
Clover was shocked. Rainbow had lied. Above all else, she thought she was better. “What?”
“You heard me! Why’d you do it? Why did you betray us and try to help the sirens take over our school?”
“What’re you talking about? I never—”
“Of course you didn’t, darling.” Rarity jumped in. “I believe that much.”
“Oh Thank you Rari—”
“You were always one of them, weren’t you?” She scolded.
“What? No! I’m a pony, not a siren.”
“Then why help them?” Rainbow prodded deeper, raising her voice louder.
“I didn’t. I swear.”
“You were there friend a thousand years ago. What’s so different now?”
“What?” Clover slowed down. “How did you…?”
“I told her,” Fluttershy said softly.
“Told her what?”
“She told me that she saw you with them last week at the party. You shouted out their old names and said you did this to them. I’d say it’s only fitting you’d want to help even the debt. You were their friend all those years ago. Something bad happened where you turned them into sirens. You run away like a crybaby and a thousand years later, you want to make up for lost time. Come to think of it, you probably found them before we did.”
“Wait, what do you mean?” Twilight asked.
“Yeah, it makes sense. That’s why you wanted an Element of Harmony. That way, you could open the portal again and bring them back to Equestria.”
“What? Wait! Wait! Wait!” Clover interrupted. “How does that make sense? Why would I go through the portal to get an Element just to use it on a portal that’s already open to free sirens that, if they knew it existed, could just leave as they pleased?”
“They were banished, Sun… Clover,” Twilight answered. “They aren’t allowed through the portal by normal means. That was Star Swirl’s fix to the mirror when he used it to seal them in the first place.”
“Either tell us the truth, or we’re out of here. Your choice. I’ll give you a second.”
Clover was far from confused. She had lost every ounce of sensible thought. Rainbow was, in almost every way, right. She had left herself in such a lost state, anyone can say anything, and she’d be blamed. No matter what she did, she was gonna be called out now that Rainbow has all this ammunition against her.
Then it hit her. How can you be blamed for something you didn’t do if you actually did it? A grin appeared over Clover’s face as she thought this. A wry, crooked smile that swore she had a plan, even if she didn’t have a clue.
“Fine! You got me. It was me all along.” Clover played the fool. “I was in cahoots with them since before I came to this school, just to have the pleasure of seeing a worthless, hopeless… recyclable world fall to its knees and beg for mercy. Then I could easily just open the portal and start over. Celestia would’ve forgotten all about poor old Clover and I’d be able to take Equestria for myself. With gullible saps like those sirens, I’d throw them in the dungeon for life without a sweat. And you know the best part of all?”
Rainbow lost her dominance and felt like she was going to be Clover's next victim. “What?”
“With this world’s magic, I can live forever and rinse and repeat. Endlessly, I’ll take over Equestria, then I’ll come back here and repeat the process forever.” Clover’s smile was so cold, so charged with excitement, desire, and dedication that Everyone was curled up like a baby. Huddled next to each other like they were hearing a ghost story.
“And it would all be possible…” She started softening her voice, her smile looking more like a joke than authentic. Her elbow sat on Rainbow’s shoulder as she winked at her, “if any of that was remotely true.” She smiled and laughed. “I’m kidding. That’s what you get for assuming, Rainbow Dash.”
Twilight and the others, on the other hand, were ready to run away to the nearest house and lock themselves in for eternities to pass before ever thinking of returning. Sunset looked pleased with herself.
“Well,” Rainbow said, slowly getting back to her feet. “I guess she’s feeling better. She has her sass back.”
“So are you going to help open the portal, or am I going to have to tell you more about how I’d ruin your life forever?”
Without a second thought, Rainbow agreed and they went to get their instruments.
Of all the credible things Rainbow said, she forgot a big one.
After what felt like a millennia, maybe longer, Clover had come back to Equestria, a land she once believed would never remember her, never give her the light of day once they learned of her misdeeds. Even before she left for good, she feared her own death, being struck from behind by her own pride and trust. Even as she left Canterlot High, she feared Rainbow pulling a fast one and doing all she did to spite her, just to leave her in her time of need.
When the portal left her and Twilight in a strange crystal cathedral, the walls reverberant enough that a single echo can be heard from virtually anywhere, the floor solid enough to withhold the impact of a meteor. Clover looked around with two thoughts flying by her as she tried to walk like a pony again.
The first is that she had missed so much, right up to Twilight earning her keep in her very own castle, complete with a round table for each of her friends in Equestria…
The second was a rather suggestive distaste for the place as a prison for her beloved mirror, and a home fit for spoiled royalty who could do with whatever they want however they please.
Twilight looked at Clover with enthusiasm, ignoring the obvious, “We’re back home, Sunse… I mean Clover. Sorry it’s gonna take a while to get used to that.”
“So… what happened? While I was gone. I never asked.” Clover asked in curiosity.
“Well, I got this castle,” Twilight responded, sillily, “I can see all of Ponyville from here.”
Clover and Twilight looked beyond the nearest window to find the ponies trotting around almost everywhere, talking to one another, going places, and even just lying down and resting from what potentially was a rough day.
Around then, it dawned on her, So much had changed, and even she was starting to forget Sunset’s life, remembering the old days before she built the mirror, and now, after she escaped it. It all felt familiar, but too weird and impossible to be true, that she lived a life before her own.
“It’s so dark in here,” Clover said carelessly.
“It’s night time. Remember? Day in your world is night in ours. I was just about to go to sleep before I read your message.”
It had been so long ago, she had all but forgotten the time difference between dimensions, quite literally night and day. Clover took in a sigh of forgetfulness as Twilight walked her down the corridor of her Castle. On the left side, Clover saw what she knew was Twilight’s room. It looked just like her own room. Turning her head, Twilight stopped at a large, wooden door dividing them from the contents.
“I hope you don’t mind, Spike hasn’t cleaned it, yet. This is where you can stay until we can help you out. I need to get some sleep, you look a little tired as well. There’s some books if you want to read.”
“Thank you, Twilight.” Clover said in a low, almost forgiving tone.
Before leaving, Twilight whispered, as if signaling serenity in what she says, “They weren’t your friends, but trust me when I say I care. I want to be your friend.”
Clover didn’t say another word for the rest of the night. She walked into the dark room, turned on a lamp by the bed, fetched a book from a cubby on the wall, and laid silently on the cool mattress. She took a look at the book, and got only a few pages before throwing it on the ground. It wasn’t that it was boring, but she couldn’t concentrate. Something in her is keeping her awake, and desperately bothering her, but with all the years that passed, the thought that Discord survived seemed impossible, and the thought she may ever see her husband or Star Swirl was not considered, but thought to be absolutely ridiculous.
Half an hour passed before Clover turned her lamp off, due to the irritation of the light. She closed her eyes and hoped for a better day. It was unlikely to be any worse than today.
Almost inaudibly, Clover was awoken in a daze by someone downstairs. As far as she assumed, no one was here except her and Twilight. What is she doing down there? Feeling unable to return to sleep, she finds her way to the wooden door and slowly descends the stairs with soundless tiptoes, inching her way closer and closer as the sound seems to get louder. When the sound became a screech of a painfully high pitch, she knew she was just around the corner, from her view, it is still dark. The light doesn’t quite stretch that far. She takes very soft steps, silent and quick. With a deep sigh, she turns her head and sees who was making that noise.
“Oh, Why hello!” It was Discord, being his usual self, trying to scrape grease off of a pan he was just cooking in with his claw. “Twilight didn’t tell me she was going to have company, I would have baked more. Say, you look familiar. Have we met before?”
Clover had no idea what to say, only the feeling of hunger at the aroma of eggs and pancakes, which Discord had prepared for breakfast. It almost reminds her of her old life, when she had it for breakfast as a filly. Discord snapped his claw in her face to wake her up.
“Ahem! I asked you a question.” He said impatiently.
“What?”
“Have we met before? You look very familiar, but it must have been so long ago, I can’t put my paw on it.”
“I’m Clover.”
“Clover? That’s a pretty name. You know, I can’t help thinking I knew a Clover once. I can’t remember, it was so long ago. Anyway, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t dwell on the past. I’m Discord, Lord of Chaos, and chef extraordinaire,” Discord grips the steel pan in his claw and shuffles pancakes in hefty flips, almost impossible to do by anyone else.
He had completely forgotten her, yet it was something she couldn’t blame him for. She had also forgotten him until now. There has never been more distraught in her heart than to know that she was forgotten by her own creation.
“What time is it?” Clover asked, hoping to change the topic.
“About 2:00AM, I haven’t been keeping track that much.”
Without another word, Clover was pulled away from him by some feeling she couldn’t describe. IT tugged her back upstairs, but instead of going to the left, where Twilight left her, she turned her head to the right, down a longer hallway, devoid of crystals of any sort that produce light. She walked down only a few steps before she saw something.
Fluttershy. But not the one she remembers. Just the pony Fluttershy who must have been awoken as well, or even overheard Clover’s talking with Discord. It is entirely possible since Discord was being carelessly loud. Fluttershy was always reserved, and Clover could not hear her even though she saw her moving swiftly into her chamber in a whisper of wind.
It was almost real. Clover could walk in and it would be her, but in the body of a mare. It could have been her one and only chance to know if there even was a second Fluttershy, but she refused and returned to her wing. Fluttershy is gone. No use groping over it.
As she followed herself back, her eyes frayed from the doorway as she caught a single glimmer of light shimmering from somewhere, but she couldn’t see it. Twilight struck her in a daze of sleep. Neither knew they were there. Twilight opened her eyes and saw Clover, but when Clover opened her eyes, they pointed toward the opposite wing.
“Sunset?” Twilight said in an exhausted state, half willing to collapse where she stood in slumber, “What are you doing up? It’s almost morning.”
“I couldn’t sleep. Discord’s downstairs if you want to say hi.”
“Discord’s not downstairs,” Twilight responded, barely keeping her eyes open and failing to talk without yawning. “He’s with Fluttershy in her cottage. They sleep together every night. Go back to bed. I’ll be up in a few hours.” Twilight drunkenly trotted away and bumping into the wall every now and then.
Twilight must have been sleepwalking. She never noticed Fluttershy coming down the hallway, or even that she slept over. Clover brushed it off and returned to her chamber and tried to return to sleep. Morning will come soon. She just needs to wait it out.
There was a noise that had awoken Clover and forced her to her hooves. She knew that sound like it was her own heartbeat. It was Fluttershy. Her Fluttershy. She ran down the hallway at blinding speed, passing numerous doors, almost infinite doors, until she ran herself dry. She collapsed on the floor, realizing she made no progress at all, and she was only at the medium between wings, by the staircase.
She saw the faint glimmer of light again, and this time, she knew where it was coming from. It was at the far reaches of the wing, where she and Twilight went through returning home. There were ruins by a door on the left, where Fluttershy entered earlier.
Clover seemed faster when she was pulled than when she was running. When she saw the room, it was destroyed. Fluttershy was gone. Book pages scattered the floor and bedsheets were crumpled beside the mattress. There were footsteps behind her, but she couldn’t hear them. All she wanted to know was what happened.There was no answer. No voice from anywhere answering her, but in a blink she, herself was gone.
She looked around, but all she saw was Adagio staring through her like clear glass. Her smile refused to leave and her presence immediately paralyzed Clover in her tracks. She could only listen. Her feet were unable to take even the smallest step. Adagio wasn’t human, though. She saw her true self now. A hideous, scaling beast levitating in the air. Her eyes were blood red with anger.
“You still forget what you did. Even after you know what was done.” She hissed, “You did this to us. You ruined our lives by turning us into these horrid monsters, forced to feed off hatred and lust. We were once your friends, Clover. Even now, I wish we still were, but I can’t forgive you as long as I look like this. I will never forgive you. We will never forgive. You can never be rid of us. You know us better than we thought we knew you.”
“You’re just a figment. You can’t tell me anything I don’t know. I don’t care anymore. I never wanted you as a friend, nor anyone else. I don’t need friends to tell me who I am.”
“If only Fluttershy felt the same way,” She sighed, knowing the key weakness in her, even if she is just a piece of memory.
Clover knew that, and it hurt her inside that Fluttershy was also back there, with them. It was a personal goal to save her, but it was not an immediate issue. “You are still not real, and you have no control over me. I don’t care if you have any more to say, I won’t listen.”
“Sunset Shimmer: brash, abrasive, destitute of friends. At least Clover had us .”
“Sunset is gone. My name is Clover, whether you like it or not.”
Clover walked away, as if they meant nothing. As if who she was meant nothing.
“You finally Understand,” Adagio’s voice changed abruptly, echoing a new voice she never thought possible to hear. Suddenly, her body started fading, washing away the lies that deceive her very eyes, which she trusted to compensate for her hallucinations.
There was now just her, Sunset: a human in the world beyond the mirror, and a mare who had been forgotten before her time. Sunset fell to her knees, unable, unwilling, to get back up. A dark, embracing shadow crept up from the floor as her eyes faded from existence, blank. Sunset said it herself, she was gone. There is only Clover, The Clever. How clever, indeed.
“I’m back, finally, and Sunset Shimmer will never be remembered. Only the eternal. Only Clover, The Clever. Nay! Clover, The Wise, The Absolute; superior to everypony: human, equine, or anything else.”
Sunset couldn’t think. She was destitute of feelings, of memory. Everything faded from her, even the memory of Fluttershy, of Twilight.
“All we had to do was stay out of Equestria. Was that too hard? But you had to leave. You had to let them know I was alive. You had to ruin everything, didn’t you? At least you didn’t break the mirror. I was hoping that would be the last thing you do. But alas, you perish so quickly. Farewell, stupid girl, and hello Clover.”
There was nothing. Finally, she saw herself: the young, kind, important girl who learned what it meant to be a friend. But it faded. Sunset tried to fight it, but nothing worked. She was too tired. Collapsing to the ground, Sunset laid motionless as the curtain of emptiness enveloped her.
“There is no Sunset Shimmer, and I will live on, forever!”
There was a knock on the door, awaking Clover from her sleep. A little rude, she thought as she barely managed to move her legs to get to the floor, let alone the door. She had never walked for a thousand years, she needs to get used to her new body. Once she got a grip on at least limping to the door, she opened it, somehow expecting there to be somepony there, but there was nothing. The hall was empty.
It stung a bit, her body ached to stand, let alone walk; strains urged her to collapse on the floor, but she refused to let a little pain stop her from enjoying life again. Continuing, she was amazed by the beauty and elegance of this strange place, a castle that belongs to a friend of Sunset’s.
As she came downstairs, she could see that Twilight’s friends were already waiting around, as if expecting her arrival, like the red carpet has been unfurled at her feet. Everyone’s eyes were on her, even Twilight’s. There was something new, something confident and flush, resonating from Clover. It was like she was a whole nother pony entirely. Not the small, reserved, depressed Sunset, but something else. Something cynical in her smile. Something flagrant in her pose; typical brat.
“G’morning ma’am,” Applejack greeted, “Twilight didn’t say she had a sleepover. Why weren’t we invited?”
“Sorry, girls, I guess it slipped my mind,” Twilight rubbed her hair in an embarrassed fashion. “This is Clover, she’ll be staying with me for a while until I can help her with some issues.”
“Oh, Twilight, you jest about ‘issues’, problems have I not, for thou hast given me credence, casting me away from poor Rainbow Dash, who found it trivial that I befriend rivals before friends.”
“Hey! I’m right here,” Rainbow huffed, crossing her hooves as she hovered over her. “I don’t know what you said, but it sounded like an insult.”
“Not you, equine, I refer only to the Rainbow Dash who finds home in the portal Twilight has secured upstairs, rather the impregnable safety of the Frozen North.”
“Portal?” She questioned.
“What portal? Twilight, what is she talking about?” Rarity had no clue.
“Hark to me an me alone, and I will tell thee the honest tale. My knowledge exceeds dear Twilight’s, for the creator is none other. Mirror by day, but a twisted portal by the night of 30 moons, thrice in succession, where the reality of this world is reflected and to each within one side of the mirror be seen again on the other; human to a degree.”
“Why make something like that?” Fluttershy chimed in. Clover responded in apathy. She didn’t love her like Sunset did, it appeared to Clover.
“Why, indeed...” Clover smirked, laughing to herself with no remorse. “Ah! How I relish what I had once been; humorous almost. In memory, dear Twilight regards me as Sunset Shimmer, who hath been repugnant, holding in her hands a fool’s tongue and an infant’s smile; her melancholy disposition yields her pretension to others. Nay, I am Clover; my absolute resolve for existence and abhorrence for the safety of the kingdom hath given me life today.”
Twilight looked at her in confusion. This was not Sunset, or at least not the Sunset she remembers. Her posture was straight, her eyes were bright with a stare that pierces through lies like popping a balloon. Even her mane swayed a different way than Sunset’s diminished colors that frayed near her face. She also spoke with a strong, ancient voice that had been dead a thousand years.
“Sunset…” Twilight managed to say in a soft whisper. “You’ve changed.”
“You mark my words not! I am Clover. Must I repeat myself? Is your honor beneath you?” Clover stamped her hoof into the ground with a seismic thud. “To say it once more, call me Clover.”
Terror dispersed through the room, it was a different aura; not peaceful.
“Now, now, Darling, calm down,” Rarity tried to say calmly. “It’s a slip of the tongue, no need to get all bent out of shape.”
“Rar’s right,” Applejack added, “Jus’ think of it as a nickname. We all have ‘em.”
“Sunset, as you call her, had been long a painful thorn whose pointed spike wedges itself no less three inches!” Clover declared, trying to calm herself from the frustration. “Sunset is beneath me, her dissolved passion hath made her weak. Her only duty was to equivocate me to her level.”
Twilight reached over to Fluttershy and whispered to her, she needed to get someone over here, she needed Discord ASAP. Clover was too busy not caring to see Fluttershy escape out of the side door, behind the others.
It was different, where Discord resides, far from society, as well as all of his friends. He prefers the niceties of isolation, as does Fluttershy, but the occasional visit always brings a happy evening. Discord was just finishing his nap when Fluttershy dropped in. She was shaking herself off and straightening her mane from the wind.
“Ah, Fluttershy. I thought you were with Twilight the whole day. Did something go wrong?” Discord said with half concern and half intrigue for a good show. Fluttershy was too breathless to speak, so she forced her head up and down.
“Come, then! Sit by me and tell me all about it. I love to hear about your tensions.”
“Discord, that’s your name, right? Well, Twilight brought home Sunset. She’s the mare who came from the mirror, who she helped Twilight.”
“And also tried to ruin her, if I recall?”
“Yes, her. Well, she isn’t herself, she’s talking weird and she calls herself something else, too.”
Discord was amazed and perplexed, mixed with various disorienting emotions. All of which stem from a desired interest to hear Fluttershy speak, as well as the topic she speaks of. “Who is she calling herself? It’s a little rude to play copycat, don’t you think?”
“I think she said her name was Clover.”
Silence. Discord just stopped and wondered for a brief moment a name he has never forgotten, but still regrets to remember. The past floods to him as if he had forgotten Fluttershy was there.
“Clover? Hah! I don’t believe it for one second. She’s dead! You know she’s dead. Clover was alive when I was ruling Equestria. How could she still be alive?”
“I didn’t ask. Twilight just asked me to get you. You know more about her than we do. I just want Susnet back.”
“That is true. Clover was dear and true. And here I must give credit where credit is due. Let us pay her a visit. I want to see her for myself.” With a click of his claw, he and Fluttershy disappeared in a blink of light.
By the moment they returned in front of Twilight and her friends, Clover was already making herself comfortable, lying herself by Twilight as they conversed.
“Oh, here be my pride remembered! Discord, my favorite, whose desires run wild with valiant misdeed.” Clover exclaimed, elated to see her old friend.
“Ahahah! Who might you be? Any friend of Fluttershy’s or Twilight’s is mine too.” Discord held out his claw to Clover, grinning with his deviant smile. Clover takes it, to which Discord reels her before him; his stature appeared much larger, more threatening, close-up. “So, I’m told you call yourself ‘Clover’, is that right?”
Clover froze, reluctantly remembering how intimidating Discord is when he wants to be. “You mock me? Do you not see the remnants in mine eyes, how my posture, in all its glory, dost not quickly match the shell that entraps me? Mark it, I am Clover, the Clever.”
“I don’t believe you.” Discord says adamantly, dropping Clover on the ground. “Prove it.”
“Need I have to lower myself to label you truly?”
“Say what? What is it that you could possibly know that only the real Clover would know? She wrote everything in her books. Nothing surprises me. You cannot be her, and that is that.”
“How could I have ever parted with you in my rueing, my only son. Come hither, and give your mother a long desired embrace.”
“Say what?” Everypony responded in shock.
“Ay, tis true. The hooves I was birthed with, in turn birthed him; by the very essence of power used to seal him away all those many a year ago. Only fitting the creator be given the title, as a mother to her own, natural, creation.” Clover glared at Discord, searching him for any changes. He seems softer, quieter… kinder.
“That’s not in any of the history books.” Twilight stated curiously.
“I’m still not convinced,” Discord said adamantly. “I’m perfectly aware of those hooligan brat sirens who were thrown into that portal with you, Sunset , and they could have easily told you anything.” His eyes met hers again. Discord looked at her sternly. “You’re gonna have to try harder than that if you want me to truly believe you are some incarnation of Clover, returning to seek some sort of closure for what you did wrong. I still haven’t heard ‘I’m sorry’ from you.”
It almost pained her to hear those words. It didn’t matter what she said, it was clear to her. Discord was too thick headed to realize it was her. Pitiful. It would seem all she wanted from her travel had been worth nothing. Her own son didn’t remember her, what hope is there that anyone else will. Further, who will actually care?
“This single moment, I believed I could have been forgiven; for my actions against my friends: the sirens, to you, my beautiful son. If you cannot, however, bear your eyes upon mine with utter credence, credence without an iota of doubt for which you were given by me, then when I leave for my final departure, who will be there o’er the stone of remembrance for me? Perhaps they may stay for a while, but in thought it must be eternal, else what reason was there to die, or to be born at all?” Clover lamented, fleeting tears sliding down her stone formed face. “For what purpose I have come, I have forgotten. There is reason not to overstay my welcome. Fare thee well, Twilight. Alas, my sins remembered, Diamond Dust.” Clover swiftly turn-tailed and galloped away upstairs.
Twilight and Discord were both halted in a pause, paralyzed by a wave of guilt. How the presence of the wind changes when its true colors are revealed. When courage finally reached them, they proceeded slowly up the stairs, deciding she had already vanished through the mirror.
“No! No! No!” Clover cried from across the hall. “Impossible! This is beyond all scope of reason!”
Not just Twilight, but Discord and all of her friends were alarmed by the sound and bulleted to where she was. The first thought was amazement that she was still here, but then they took a look around. Not only was it like a twister had obliterated everything in its path, book pages and glass scattered the floor and walls. Large holes were punched out of the roof. And where Clover lied in tears, the true chaos was wreaked.
“The mirror, my mirror, It’s broken; shattered like my heart into a scattered pile of destruction and vile hatred, begone! I have no need for anger when grief is enough to weep.”
“No way.” Twilight quivered under her breath.
“How could something like this happen? We were all downstairs. Ain’t nopony got the chance to come up here.” Applejack questioned softly.
“Cease!” Clover whispered, moving her eyes ever so slightly up to see the quiet young mare in guilt and terror, her yellow coat darkening from sweat and her eyes shut, hoping she isn’t watching. “Fluttershy, the winds of memory whisper your name. Stand and present yourself, what is your purpose?” she asked.
Fluttershy opened her eyes to see the group all staring her down. She was, in one word, terrified.
“Do my eyes deceive me, or have you a glimmer of guilt in your eyes, Fluttershy? Tell me what you’re hiding. I am in no mood to be lied to. Grief hath o’ertaken me. If you are, indeed, the emissary from the other side, explain yourself!” Clover narrowed her eyes, locking her view on Fluttershy alone.
“I… I didn’t mean to. I mean… I didn’t know they were going to follow me.”
“What do you mean, ‘emissary from the other side’?
Clover saw it in her weak, young, petrified eyes. They looked so familiar, and even she knew there was a difference between the ponies and them. “You’re the Human Fluttershy!”
“Yes, but please listen to me. I didn’t break the mirror. I swear!”
“Liar! You cannot deceive me. I hath seen you wander to your chambers in the night, I watched you peering for certainty that not a soul had discovered you were not the equine. You hid in the shadows, for only darkness can mask the horror you’ve unleashed. Lust hath brought you here, your insatiable desire to have your dear Sunset in your arms. My mirror is in pieces, irreparable beyond anything you could have conceived! But now, now we are alone trapped in this alternate world, of which you do not belong.”
“No! That’s not it!” Fluttershy stammered. “I did it to warn you. I couldn’t bear to stand aside and let them kill you. They want you dead for what you did to them. I swear it’s the truth.”
“Who are they? Has something else been hidden in your lips you keep so tightly shut as to not be open at the most appropriate of times?”
“They crossed over and broke the mirror. They said they will never be your prisoners again. Please, don’t hurt me!”
“Who are they?” Clover repeated again. “Speak!”
“The Sirens.”
Clover was livid, but a question still lingered in her mind. “And by this account, you should’ve told me sooner. Where be your manners? You make me a beggar’s daughter to be told too little, too late that we are going to starve. Speak! Why hast thou been so silent?”
“I wanted to tell you in private. I can’t just walk in and start saying things. I’m still Fluttershy.”
“Hey wait…” Rainbow started, “Where’s our Fluttershy?”
Fluttershy hid her face completely in her mane. Her expression was enough to tell what happened. For Clover, for Sunset, it had just gotten personal on many different levels.
“As I say once, it must be said times twice more.” Clover said straight to Fluttershy. “You’re lying! Speak!”
Fluttershy glanced up at her stern, exotic expression. With a breath, she said it with a bite in her voice, crisp and true; a desire to see what had vanished long ago. “I wanted to tell Sunset. Not you.”
“But… this is Sunset, Deary.” Rarity responded. “Isn’t it?”
“No,” Fluttershy continued. “Sunset didn’t want to come here. She wanted Twilight to help her. She wanted me to be by her side. She wanted…”
“Cease your incessant groans!” Clover snarled. “How irritating it is to hark your abated resolve to revive poor Sunset; it is like a ringing that groans in mine ears. It hurts not the slightest, but drives me to the point of madness.”
“Sunset’s still inside you. I know she is.” Fluttershy said passionately.
“Hark! This is futile to discuss blame, I am weak. Stronger issues require our attention, now which of us deserves to bow our heads o’er the basket, if the other shall walk away with clean hands?”
“Good question.” Fluttershy snapped.
“Alright, hang on.” Twilight said, holding her hooves out to keep her and Clover from going at it. “Clover’s right. We should work together. Those Sirens could be anywhere and doing anything. Can’t you two put your quarrels aside?”
“I don’t like you,” Fluttershy whispered to Clover. “I’m doing this because I trust Twilight. I know what The Sirens are capable of, and I also know it’s because of you that they even exist. They would be at peace if you hadn’t cursed them and so would I if you hadn’t taken Sunset from me! Give her back!”
“Insolent child!” Clover shouted as she struck Fluttershy with her hind hooves into the wall. Fluttershy collapsed to the ground, motionless; pain paralyzed her beyond the ability to think. All reason was voided from her mind.
“Sunset…”
“Fluttershy!” Twilight cried as she sped towards her, assisting her to her hooves and sustaining her on her shoulder.
“Selfish pursuer of vanity, whence will you realize that the mare once called Sunset has been erased. Every memory, every fragment of her being hath my new self absorbed. What need do you have for anger if you’re not well enough to use it?”
Fluttershy, with what little energy remained in her, suffering the torment of hearing a voice she once felt so warm to hear now insult her and break her heart into crumbs to be scraped off a plate, kicked with all her might at Clover’s head. She fell and destroyed what remained of the mirror, the solid frame for which there had remained a small chance of repairing it.
“I don’t like being talked to that way. Don’t you ever insult me or Sunset again or I will be the last thing, by Celestia’s grace it will be so, that you will ever behold with your eyes, even if I must relinquish them myself! I’m not the pony Fluttershy. I had to grow up with bullies and meanies bossing me around. Animals were all I ever had, and they taught me how to fight back. Do not cross me, Clover, or it will be a very sudden denouement.”
Author's Note
Yes, before you ask, Clover is some weird half-baked Shakespeare character. I tried my best.
“Ow! Offer mercy. The pain is relentless.” Clover moaned as Twilight tried to put ice on her blush-red forehead. Fluttershy has left, she said she couldn’t be around her, for both their sakes. Night had already befallen Ponyville, so Twilight wanted to escort her to the library. She was just leaving before Clover had awoken.
“I’m sorry,” Twilight said calmly. “You need to hold this ice pack on your head to heal.”
“Must it weigh a thousand hammers to relieve me for even a day?”
“It’s better than living with it for longer.”
“Continuing, I commend thee for thine efforts, removing Fluttershy, the wench. Has she no honor, no dignity, to attack me in that manner, striking me and as if to boast for all eternity, shatter the frame my mirror once rested in? It is irreparable. No magic, not even the absolute deities whom we worship, whose power has no equal, may return it.”
“There has to be some way. Fluttershy needs to get home, and…”
“Lay her body to rest, she will not have empathy from me. I refuse to give her the light of a new day, when she can suffer just as easily the seven nights of silent torture. If her desire was to return, she had no purpose to come here. Why then, must she come and be my burden?”
“It wasn’t just the mirror,” Twilight explained. “She told you what she wanted. She wanted the old Sunset back.”
“There is no “Old Sunset”, only Sunset and Clover. I am Clover, Sunset is a figment, a ruse of unbridled weakness and shrill disappointment.”
“What do you have against Sunset?”
“Nothing, and yet everything. If she exists, then a thousand years will befall me once more; however it will not be so. For she does not exist, thus the only inhabitant of this body, of this life, of every iota of memory and soul, is Clover.”
Clover leaned her head back, amusing herself in the release of pain she is experiencing. Somewhere, she could feel a sting in her head that refused to give way, but she ignored it, assuming it was part of the kick Fluttershy so rudely inflicted upon her.
Twilight looked at her with curiosity and distrust. She didn’t feel it necessary to give her a parting as she continued outside and go with Fluttershy to the library. Fluttershy seemed calm, a little on edge, but calm. She waited until they were outside before she spoke. The cold half-night chilled them as they trotted. Fluttershy looked scared, not from the cold or the night, but the fear of saying something she will regret.
“I’m sorry I lashed out like that. I don’t know what came over me… no, I do. I hate her. She has no right to just steal Sunset from me. Did she even consider what type of life Sunset had before. I mean, Sunset never hated anyone. She was controlling, but even then she had a soft spot. Remember, Twilight, you were standing up for me in the hallway when Sunset had slammed me into the lockers? Sunset wasn’t angry at me any more than she was mad at herself; she needed someone to tell her that. She hated herself because she felt like scum for walking out on Princess Celestia, and she felt even worse for making me feel that way when she yelled at me.”
Twilight watched as her kind, soft face started shifting like the wind that crossed through the streets. Ponies ll around them started disappearing more and more as night grew closer. Fluttershy looked up to see the stars come into view, feeling a striking pain in her heart.
“I was the only one who was there for her,” she continued. “Every time she wasn’t hanging out with Rainbow Dash or Rarity, or even Pinkie Pie, they always teased her and acted like they didn’t trust her. It hurts to feel betrayed, and Sunset was so close to leaving everything behind until I gave her hope. I always took her to the animal shelter so she can be with me as long as possible. She even walked me home. Twilight, do you have any idea what this feels like: to love someone so much that, under any circumstance, you would protect them? Even if it meant giving your life instead of theirs? Even if it meant spending every waking moment in a place you never dreamed existed? I love her that much. I have no idea how to get back to my world, but I refuse to go back without her.”
“I understand, Fluttershy.” Twilight answered softly, “But I want to know how she’s even still alive. I read every book about the history of Equestria. The last story about Clover, The Clever, was in the book about the sirens. Star Swirl locked them away, but Clover disappeared. Everyone thought she was a victim and had a funeral and everything. Sunset said she recalled something like that, right. Rainbow even said that she was once friends with the sirens, and now come to find out they were the founders of Equestria: Princess Platinum, Chancellor Puddinghead, and Commander Hurricane. Each of them were revered for the challenges they overcame. Puddinghead found soil for a new harvest, Commander Hurricane rationed clouds from other nations when our cloud factory stopped working, and Princess Platinum helped rebalance the economy after it shattered almost irreparably. What happened after that, though, that would make them become monsters?”
“Twilight?”
“Yeah, Fluttershy?” Twilight replied, looking around to notice that they had arrived at the library. The towering monument to every book imaginable, or at least in theory.
“I didn’t want to say anything in front of Clover.”
“What is it?”
“Umm… I think we should just go inside. I don’t know how to say it nicely.”
“You can trust me, Fluttershy. What’s wrong?”
“You’ll understand. Just… Come on.”
Twilight followed her into the library. It was dimly lit and there was a strange feeling in the room, like something was hiding and was staring her down through cold, soft eyes. Almost like a ghost had sent a dark shiver down her spine, she trembled as she ascended the stairs to the higher level. She scoured the shelves for an answer to the question that haunts her as it does Fluttershy. Who is Clover? Why is she not the pony history had written her as? Is Sunset able to be saved?
Fluttershy came up the stairs later, following behind Twilight’s running. Twilight was already at the other end of the shelves, upon the ladder to reach a book that might be her answer. She saw Fluttershy and made her way down. Fluttershy looked nervous, anxious to reveal something painful.
“Twilight?”
“What is it, Fluttershy? You’ve been wanting to say something ever since we left. What is it? I want to know.”
Fluttershy hid herself in her hair, but realized it was no time to be shy. She needed to stand up and stare Twilight in the eyes. Twilight stood back at the sudden shift in her posture. If it was anything like the pony Fluttershy, when she stands up for something, it is something she has a desire to do.
“How much do you want to save Sunset?”
“Fluttershy, I want her back just as much as you do.”
“How much do you want to save Clover?”
“Fluttershy… I don’t want to see either get hurt.”
“I really don’t, either. Are you willing to risk it?”
“No. I’m not.”
Fluttershy was quiet. She closed her eyes for a moment, before she spoke.
“Do you trust me?”
“Yes, Fluttershy. Of course!”
Fluttershy sighed. “Do you trust them?”
From behind her, three dark shadows emerged, each significantly larger than the mares. Twilight recognized them immediately and slammed herself against the shelves. They approached the floor and as they did, the impression of a jewel was exposed on their chests. Twilight was scared.
“Well, Twilight?” Adagio asked.
Aria finished, “Do you trust us?”
Twilight was shocked not just at the creatures in front of her, whom she had vanquished once before, but that Fluttershy of all mares was standing with them.
“You know I stand up for what’s right,” Fluttershy said to Twilight. “Clover did this to them. She stole Sunset from me, and I won’t go home until everything is back to normal.”
“Fluttershy…” Twilight started towards her. “Even if you do save them, and even if you can free Sunset, you know inside that things will never be normal. The mirror is broken. Clover said it’s irreparable. There is no way for our Fluttershy to go home.”
“I won’t accept that,” Fluttershy argued passionately. “Sunset told me that she built the portal using the broken glass, she also used The Elements of Harmony, like you did to get back here in the first place after you took both books through the portal. I know, it was a mistake, but it proves there is always more than one way.”
“Elements of Harmony?” Sonata asked. “What are they?”
“No. I won’t say anything. If you want to do this, Fluttershy, do it alone. I can’t help you, not how you’re acting. I want Sunset too, but I can’t risk losing my friends in the process. Goodbye.”
Twilight tried to leave through the large doors she entered through, but Adagio blocked her way, stopping her from leaving. Twilight saw the other two had found a way to block her from all sides. Fluttershy walked down to plead with her.
“Please, Twilight. Why won’t you help us? We’ve all been wronged by Clover.”
“How can I help these sirens, when all they’ve done is destroy our lives. They were bad when Clover was alive, and they were bad when they hypnotized the entire school. I should be commending Clover for saving Equestria.”
“Twilight,” Adagio’s voice rose up to call Twilight’s attention. “You should know our motivations, before jumping to such a low conclusion. Even Sunset gave us a chance to explain ourselves. Those amulets you saw us wearing were why we did what we did. Clover was controlling us from the very beginning.“
One day, when we were friends, Clover called all three of us into the antechamber of the Royal Castle. She said she had a gift for us, some shiny gems. Princess Platinum couldn’t resist the temptation. The rest of us thought it was a nice gift. Then, she showed us this strange snake, deer, antelope thing, and with a snap of his claw he changed us into what you now behold before you. Clover also imbued her life, her energy, her spirit, into the gems that had melded into our bodies.
Like a single mind controlling three bodies, she seeked to control. She wanted to prove she was powerful and that she deserved to be remembered. Star Swirl must’ve found her Crystal Mirror, which he used to lock us away, Clover too. I don’t think he even knew what he had done, sealing away his pride and joy, his successor. She wasn’t his daughter, but it almost felt like it, he would tell me. All the while Clover was controlling us, we could feel her passion, her hatred, her desire to control and to be idolized.
“I want you to know, Twilight, that we don’t want to make people adore us. We just want to be free. We just want to return to the past and take our rightful place in the empty graves where our names were inscribed on the tombstone. Is that too much to ask?”
Twilight looked down at the ground. She was deep in thought, piecing together the story and watching everything fall perfectly in alignment. How foolish, she thought, to believe something without hearing the full story. She was angry at herself for that. One question bothered her.
“Then how did Clover get inside Sunset?”
Aria flew down to the calmed Twilight to answer her.
“Clover was erupting with hatred when you refused to bow to her, refused to let her be remembered, and even destroyed the spell she had casted on the students. You were on her list of people she was willing to murder. She had no remorse, no empathy for the safety of any of your friends. She used every ounce of her magic to make us use our siren magic to destroy you once and for all. You were destined to be eradicated, she believed. She never expected your friendship to overpower the most powerful magic she could muster. She didn’t give up, though. That blast of pure magic was the perfect medium for her to transfer herself. She knew without a doubt that the power of that blast was only because of Sunset. It had to be her to be her source of absolute power. I don’t know what happened after that. Sunset looked like she was unaffected by Clover’s power, or Clover had used so much of her magic, she needed to rest. She is only a spirit, pure magic creating her and maintaining her existence.”
“She never wanted friendship,” Fluttershy said abruptly. “Clover, The Clever, is a monster, deserving of no better a treatment than how these poor ponies were after she made them sirens.”
“She wanted to destroy me… and…” Twilight’s eyes bolted open in absolute horror. It was impossible, she thought, that a mare with so much magic and power could… “we have to get back to the castle. They’re still there! Clover is gonna…”
Fluttershy knew what Twilight was thinking and they both rushed into the sudden night with a mutual feeling that what was about to happen was beyond anything they could have imagined.
Twilight kicked open the doors to her castle with a force strong enough to wake anyone residing in its echoing halls. Twilight saw nothing as she and Fluttershy walked the empty halls; a sullen echo of wind from the open doors resounded like the cry of ghosts from their prison, begging for freedom.
The two mares had checked every corner of the halls and every room upstairs, even the chamber where the ruins of Clover’s mirror still lay in shambles. Fluttershy rejoined Twilight to take another look at the wreckage.
“Why does Clover want to hurt us? What does she have to go back to?” Twilight asked, looking at Fluttershy with curiosity.
“Twilight? Is your Fluttershy going to be ok?”
“I don’t know. I just hope that your friends are keeping her safe. We’ll find a way to get you home. We just need time.” Twilight tried to remember better times, but the look on Fluttershy’s face was tense; it pierced Twilight to see the strained pain on her that screamed in her ears.
“We’re out of time.” Fluttershy said with agitation. “I shouldn’t have gotten mad at Clover. Now I ruined the only chance to get home. I just want Sunset back. Twilight, what do I do?”
“Calm down, Fluttershy. I’m sure that there’s another way to open the portal. There has to be.” Twilight scoured the room and noticed a large book on the ground. It felt odd to her that the glass and frame of the mirror hadn’t been cleaned up. Rarity is so diligent to make sure that every room is clean, even if it isn’t her house she’s cleaning.
As she thought about it, she noticed that the guest rooms that her friends slept in were all abandoned. Never had she seen any of her friends, except Pinkie, leave their room in shambles; everyone usually made sure their bed, at the very least, was made, but not a single one was tidy enough by any of their standards. It was as if they had all disappeared before they had even left to go to the library.
Adagio swooped by the window, she seems distraught, like a dark terror had brought her to an untimely realization.
“Twilight! I found her. She just went into that dark forest a few miles from here.”
Twilight looked confused. “The Everfree Forest? What would she be doing there? There’s nothing there except Zecora and…”
“What?”
“The Elements of Harmony!” Twilight said with fear and announcement. All of them looked at each other with bewilderment.
“What do they do, Twilight? What’s so special about the Elements of Harmony?”
Twilight thought to herself a dilemma that conflicts her friendship and her morals. She still couldn’t trust Adagio, nor the other sirens, but she also had to inform them of the impending danger that would come if they were uninformed of the power of those magnificent crystals.
“They’re magic,” Twilight explained, “The Elements are the most powerful gemstones in all of Equestria. They were our weapon against those who threatened us, but they have another side to them. When I came to Canterlot High, Sunset stole my Element of Harmony, my crown. When she put it on, she became possessed. She almost destroyed the entire school and our world, too. That was only one; I can’t imagine what would happen if Clover got her hooves on the magic of all six.”
“She won’t! We’ll help you. We can go to Everfree and make sure they don’t get the Elements. You hurry as fast as you can.” She was about to leave before whispering something to Fluttershy. “I know we had our differences, Twilight. I’m sorry for whatever pain or misery I caused you. I hope I can make it up to you.”
Adagio and her friends flew quickly towards the forest. Twilight ran to her room to grab the book that kept their worlds connected. By the time Twilight returned, Fluttershy already had her saddlebag and was standing by the door. Somehow, they knew they were going to need these and knew this was a moment for Twilight to look Fluttershy in the eyes and see what she never realized; every single moment that led up to this was seen in her eyes.
“I didn’t notice, but you really do have Fluttershy’s eyes, but you don’t have her heart; you’re not the same as my Fluttershy, but Sunset would be proud to have you instead of her.”
Fluttershy smiled caringly and hugged Twilight. “Same for you.”
Unlike Clover, Twilight knew the Everfree Forest and all its inhabitants. Fluttershy, on numerous occasions, visited the forest to see the strange creatures that dwelled there. Twilight remembered how powerful the magic inside the Elements of Harmony can be, and how fractional their usage of it was. Princess Celestia had even said to her that despite being the wielders of those artifacts, the six of them were only scratching the bare surface of their true power. Only the creator of the Elements of Harmony can truly harness their strength.
The trees of the Everfree were like thorns on roses. They were abundant, but something distracted the mares from noticing them. They trotted through the forest as if the trees were nonexistent. Even with the shortcut, it took them what felt like hours to reach the center of the forest. Again, it occurred to Twilight what will happen if Clover removes the Elements; danger will once again befall them.
Clover was already staring at the glorious brilliance of the gems that lie encapsulated in the tree. It almost felt rude to disturb them; however, Clover only waited a moment before turning to see the mares she despised so much. Twilight noticed Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie with her. Rarity and Applejack were further away, but still visible.
“Brilliance and perfection do not define me as well as do these gemstones,” Clover announced, “As old as I, but not quite as young. Dare I not to retrieve the right to control that deserves me so fittingly? And yet, thou cometh and seek vengeance... nay, murder, in quid pro quo of a lawful deed committed by me. Rise your weapon and challenge mine army! Outmatched over twice folded, victory can only be mine! Begone at once!”
At that moment, Twilight realized Rainbow Dash’s eyes were different. They were empty, but still open. It was like she had moved out of herself and watched life like a movie. Fluttershy was too hurt to notice. She had already kicked Clover again, this time not as hard.
“Insolent! Ignorant! Belligerent equine! Friends past, now mine, seek vengeance in mine honor! Let the blood of her passionate heart become lava and flow her every pore; let anger consume you!”
Rarity came from behind Fluttershy and used her magic to hold Fluttershy while she wrapped her hooves around her torso. Rainbow Dash and Applejack came from her front, examining the place where pain will be most brutal. Rainbow struck first, leaving a bright red mark on Fluttershy’s golden face. Applejack reared and kicked her in the stomach.
Twilight tried to stop them, but Pinkie Pie was in her way, quickly appearing wherever she looked. Twilight didn’t want to hurt her friends, and she knew Fluttershy felt the same way. Clover knew it, too, and it added to her wickedness.
Clover carelessly returned to prying the Elements from the tree. Whatever magic was used to embed them was strong enough to keep them there. Only an impact could break the hold. At that time, the sirens flew in, after struggling to untangle the vines that trapped them along the way. Clover looked on at them.
“Ah! You, who once were called friends, have brought to me great disdain. I look at your chest, which bore my magical prison. Only minutes of hours will you remain. I see’st thou withering. Come and reap your vengeance and hatred! I grant pity on you, whose imminent grave has already been dug.”
“It’s true, we may perish as quickly as we came to be, but you have been a millenia overdue, Clover.” Adagio recklessly charges at Clover, but crashed instead into the tree. The impact was strong enough that by the time Adagio shook off her headache, Clover had surrounded herself with the Elements of Harmony.
“Twilight!” Adagio cried, “Stop her!”
“It’s too late! Saviors are lost to you, now that the rightful owner of existence has reclaimed her prized jewels of hierarchy. Bow before your new queen!” Clover lifted the Elements with her magic. They glowed brilliantly, as if the light surrounding them had dimmed so black that it had been transparent to light more powerful than even Celestia could produce in hooves so black as Luna’s night. “In the darkest dream, or wickedest nightmare, you never witnessed my arrival. My perfection, which I have dreamed of all my life has finally come to me. Alas, as I regret most wretchedly, my victory is all in debt to you, my enemies. You will have the honor of witnessing your graves being dug from underneath you by the absolute. Once more, bow before your queen!”
Fluttershy stood alone against the being before her, now radiating with immortality and immeasurable energy and chaos. Twilight and the sirens were frozen in fear. They wondered if Fluttershy was, too. Even Rainbow Dash and the others were dazzled by the enlightenment.
“You took Sunset from me,” Fluttershy started saying, “You killed her, you heartless meanie!”
“I will kill you with the hooves that demolished cities, ruined countless lives, and lived to see her own world betray her. Nay, you needn’t a burial. Cremation will spread your ashes into the inferno of thine hopeless city. Equestria will be burned in flames! So it is said, so it will be done!”
Before Clover could blink, she failed to notice Fluttershy, who had grabbed onto her torso, refusing to let go of her at all costs.
“Treacherous wench! Ungrateful heathen! Be despised by your ancestors and join your friends in the dark abyss!” Clover effortlessly threw back Fluttershy, her saddlebag releasing the book she kept inside. “This book? So humorous that you bring that which grants me passage through the infinite worlds outside. You were always so naive, Fluttershy. Have you any remorse for being the sole reason for the destruction of this world and worlds to come? Or is there still hope for your kind, you believe, and my efforts will be thwarted by your unyielding, incessant interference. This book has but one purpose, but to be the gate to unlock the dimensions, and the Elements, which you used so crudely, the keys to unlock it.”
Clover grinned as the Elements moved into place, lining themselves on the spine of the book in an almost mystical fashion. The last Element, the star that represented Twilight and the magic of Friendship, took its rightful place on the face of the book, gittering a radiant light that burst forth a tear in front of them filled with light so bright that nothing could be seen beyond it, yet dark enough that it didn’t hurt their eyes to look at it.
Fluttershy got back to her hooves and took one last look at Twilight. They both knew this was the last time they would see each other. Fluttershy smiled in her usual way as she charged towards Clover, pushing them both into the portal. Clover tried to push her away as the light engulfed them, but she refused to let go.
When the light dissipated, Fluttershy opened her eyes to see Clover collapsed to the ground. She looked around and noticed she had returned home; it was Canterlot High that imposed its might over the street where they lied. The starless night made it feel almost serene and tranquil. Fluttershy smiled at the peaceful moment where nothing could hurt her anymore. Clover pushed herself up and punched the asphalt as hard as she could. She hated Fluttershy more than ever, but when she opened her eyes, she wished she could unsee it.
“Not here! Of all the dimensions, of all worlds that could succumb to me, it must be the one where you get your happy ending.”
“This is where we first met. This is the place where I first learned about you, where I trusted you, where I thought you were still the same person who was my friend; no, my love. Best of all, this is the world where magic doesn’t exist. Those Elements of Harmony are useless now that the bridge between Equestria and here is severed forever.”
“How wrong you are. This is the world where I deceived you. This is the world where you thwarted me at every turn. This is the world that will be your grave. Watch and behold as I exhibit the full power of these gems and use every iota to destroy you! Thy mortal soul will have no mercy from the reaper. Fare thee well in the afterlife, whatever deity may accept you.”
Clover held the book in the air, but instead of gleaming with brilliance, a dark, black pulse zapped the book out of her hands. A strange, empty energy surrounded Clover. For once, she felt the honest feeling of fear. The energy sparked and shuttered. Storms rushed the skies with lightning and rain. The earth shook and broke apart. The wind torrented through the alleys. It was clear to Fluttershy that this energy was unlike anything she had ever seen or imagined.
The energy lifted away, revealing the body of Sunset on the ground. Fluttershy rushed to her, believing Sunset was still there and not caring if Clover was there too. The energy overhead dispersed and revealed a heavenly body, angelic in almost every regard. Her silk-like, dark hair waved with purity and her bright blue eyes seem to stare into Fluttershy’s soul. Her skin seemed to shine with every strike of lighting. Her body curved with every rumble of the earth. The wind only faded through her hair, making her look only more attractive. Even with a new body, Fluttershy knew this was still Clover; her beauty didn’t faze her.
“Do not believe that victory is yours, I am far from extinguished. You believed that those Elements had put me down for good, but indeed they have done the complete opposite. It has restored my body. I am far superior to that weakling you hold so tightly in your hands. Dare you to challenge me, or watch as your precious world becomes consumed in the ashes of a phoenix?”
Clover lifted her hand gracefully, and in one swift motion the school, which had stood so proudly the moment before, was reduced to rubble, leveled to the ground without effort. The sounds alerted Rainbow Dash and her friends to wake from the sanctuary of sleep. They rushed outside to see the ocean of smoke rise above them and feed the black storm overhead. Quickly noticing Fluttershy, they rushed to help her and the unconscious Sunset to the stairs of the school. Clover watched each of them cautiously.
“Who is she?” Pinkie asked, semi-horrified by the energy in the air.
“That’s Clover, The Clever!” Fluttershy said spitefully. “She possessed Sunset and is trying to destroy our world.”
“Try as hard as you can, dear mortals. You cannot defeat that which exists by the heaven’s command. Fluttershy hath been the one whose recklessness and hope, her love of that weakling in her arms, presented me with the medium through which my eternal life flows. Now, I feel the urge to spare you, but after your ridicule and abuse towards me, you will perish where you stand. Prepare, for this is where nothing can save you and I will be your end. Begone!”
“Fluttershy!’ They cried as a burst of energy struck her and Sunset. A barrage of smoke engulfed them. Clover smiled as the others stood paralyzed by the fear that they were dead.
Fluttershy held Sunset close. In that one instance, she’d swear she died, too, but her despair was too strong for her to be dead. Sunset twitched in her arms and opened her eyes to see the look of true pain and honest horror on Fluttershy’s face and how it revealed a glimmer of a bright smile.
“What happened?” Sunset asked tiredly, trying to process the fact that they are submerged in smoke that blinded them from the outside world.
“Sunset,” Fluttershy weeped. “You’re not Clover. She made you think that. She needed you so she could live forever.”
“I know.”
“And it’s my fault that she’s going to destroy everything. Rainbow Dash, Rarity, she’ll kill them all. She just tried to kill us.”
“She’s still alive?”
“She has the Elements of Harmony.”
“All of them?”
“Yes.”
“Fluttershy, I don’t want to die. I want to tell you that I saw the pictures in the practice room, how I was never in any of the pictures. You all accepted me, but treated me like a nobody, like I didn’t exist. I thought about how nice the Dazzlings were to me and I almost wanted to be their friends instead. It wasn’t their fault they were evil.”
“I know, it was Clover’s fault.”
“I almost thought it was mine.”
“That would be the most unbearable thing. You probably…”
“Yeah. I wanted to die.”
“So you started over. You became Clover.”
“She wanted me to become her so she could control me. I needed to believe it first.”
“I promise, Sunset, that if we survive, I will make sure you get the respect you deserve. I’m so sorry I didn’t realize it sooner.”
“I’m here, now. I’ll fix everything. Help me up.”
Fluttershy lifted Sunset to her legs and carried her out of the seemingly never ending smoke. Clover was unamused.
“Next time, I won’t give you the courtesy of failing to kill you. You will just crumble away with the rest of your world. I’ve already dealt with your friends, now you will succumb and be the last martyrs of humanity.”
“You’re wrong!” Sunset declared, inching her way towards Clover. “I will stand against you. We will stand against you. You can scream at us and fire your magic all over the place, it won’t matter. You have no reason to kill us. You had every chance and you failed. Do you have empathy, then please show it and leave us alone.”
“Fools! Look behind, where the graves have already been dug. I have done murder ten times worse than death. Your friends are all gone!”
Sunset turned and saw that the school’s rubble had gone deeper underground, where the bodies of her friends lie at the bottom.
“Empathy, I have none, now come and give your life to me!”
Sunset looked at Fluttershy and said softly, with the conviction of a martyr and the hope of a priest, she walked towards Clover with open arms. Clover lifted her into the air and prepared her magic to kill her once and for all. Sunset looked at her and said without a hint of dishonesty. “You cannot kill me.”
“Are you honest? Have you degraded yourself to a beggar who refuses to believe?”
“If you could kill me, prove it. I’m yours to torture at your will.”
“Fine!” Clover fired an enormous ball of magic at Sunset, bursting in a multitude of colors, each fading to white and vanishing before they reached the ground. Sunset felt the strength in the blast and coughed a little blood, which stained the ground as it landed. Regardless, Sunset was alive. Clover was furious.
“Look at you! Even if you survive, you can’t even stand how you’ve wrought yourself in my presence. I will never let you mock my power. You are nothing!” She blasted her again. Sunset could feel the power thrust through her body, wringing her inside out like a wet towel. She resisted, looking Clover in the eyes after every blast; she never let her have the satisfaction of seeing her in agony. Clover grew furious as her attacks ceased. She threw a heavy sigh into the air, which burst like a clap of thunder.
“I may not be able to kill you, but I can send you where no spirit can exist, alive or dead.” Clover declared as she tore a rift in space. “You have one chance.”
Sunset looked at Fluttershy one more time, the same way Fluttershy looked at Twilight, only this look was permanent. “No.” Sunset shook off Clover’s hold on her and fell to the ground.
“How did you escape my grasp?”
“You gave me your magic! Now I get to give it back to you. I’m going to give everything to you; my magic and my friends’ magic: the magic that we share together. I refuse to allow my friends to be victims to your greed. You may be all-consuming, all-powerful, the bane of dimensions, whatever! I will find the unified power to defeat you.”
“How can you even begin to harm me, let alone defeat me?”
“Because I don’t want to die.”
Sunset lifted her hand and a single stream of light touched Clover. Her aura of magic dispersed and she collapsed to the ground. Clover fired back and knocked Sunset into Fluttershy. Fluttershy lifted Sunset back up and held her hand. In an instant, a strong glow emanated from their hands. Clover watched and quickly struck a rift in space before they could move.
“No! There will be no victory for you, who so ignorantly ruined my uprising! You will have the honor of dying before you will get revenge upon your virtue." Clover opened another rift beneath her and pulled from it the Fluttershy from Equestria. Sunset's face expressed pure horror, for if she fired the magic in her hands, she might hurt Fluttershy. Sunset dropped her arm. Clover smirked wily. "It is said that a true battle should never end in retreat, but I have no such morals. Fluttershy will be mine until you can fight me without hesitation, without the mockery of friendship to hide behind. I will return here when you have died, and the remnants of your saviors have withered out of existence. In the meantime, there are so many more dimensions out there. I will rule them all! You will rue the day you gave birth to Clover, The Absolute!”
Clover vanished in an instant. The storm subsided and the earth stood still. The wind calmed and blew the dust from the rubble into the bright stars above. Fluttershy and Sunset went into the rubble to retrieve their friends. They were injured, but they were alive.
Life as they knew it was gone. Nothing remained but the memory of better times. Everyone sat down on the rubble of the stairs, eyes wet with grief. There was only one hope left, and Fluttershy saw it as she looked into Sunset’s eyes. Sunset had the power from Clover’s magic to restore the school, but she knew better. She wanted to tear a rift in space, but she already knew what lied ahead. Twilight was probably dead because of Clover's spell on her friends. They have no idea where Clover is. Worst of all, Sunset looked around with sullen indifference. Her goal was completed, she found Fluttershy and she's happy. Fluttershy had hope, and so did her friends. Rainbow Dash went to Sunset and smiled. “Thank You,” she said. "I'm sorry I was such a jerk to you. I guess I was just jealous that you had friends who once tried to control us and make us worship them. Can you forgive me?"
"I forgive you, Rainbow Dash. Maybe we can take a photo I can actually be in and hang it up in the band room. It'll be a nice reminder of us when were gone."
"Yeah."
They all felt the breath of night consume them and they collapsed to the ground. Sunset said one last thing before they collapsed for the night.
“I have one thing that Clover doesn’t. I have friends. That’s enough for me.”
Like rolling thunder, the strikes to her door startled Sunset in the early night. From her hazy eyes, she could make out half past ten. She had spent the whole first school week like this, and hoped she could finally get more sleep, but like a recurring nightmare, she sighed weakly and rose to her feet, silently moving toward the repeating knock. When she got there, she threw her weight on the doorknob, with what little strength she had recovered, to pull open the door.
Before her, she was spirited with wonder and confusion. Adagio stood just outside in her silk gown, dressed from her neck down in a pretty purple and trimmed with a lace of sky blue around the neck and cuffs. It took Sunset by storm, as she cocked her head behind Adagio.
Sure enough, Aria and Sonata were at the bottom of the stairs; also dressed in gowns. Sonata’s was multi-layered below the waist with light, almost transparent layers of blue. Aria had a light green dress, styled with her own sigil on the left side.
A small hint of uncertainty was about them, but they were content once they saw Sunset look over. They exchanged smiles at each other, and Sunset returned to Adagio. All three of them were dressed so elegantly, yet Sunset was fully aware she was in her old clothes from the morning. But through the light embarrassment, Adagio made a gesture behind her, pointing with her thumb towards the school building.
“What’s up with you? I never thought you’d be the type to skip out on a dance.” Adagio said in a soft voice. “And why are you still dressed?”
Sunset, recovering from the muffled ringing in her ears, barely held herself when she spoke.
“Sorry. I’ve been really tired these past few days. I just need to sleep.” Sunset was almost to closing the door before Adagio had held it open. Just like Rarity or Fluttershy, she wasn’t about to walk off without at least an explanation.
“That doesn’t sound like the Sunset I know. Even after three tests and a presentation, you still had the energy to argue with us before our audition last year.” Adagio prodded. “Besides, I’d thought you’d wanna see your friends perform. They’re going on at eleven to close the show.”
Sunset’s eyes had burst open at her words. A flame had ignited from the frictious build-up of envy and fatigue that awakened Sunset from her delusions. “She lied to me? Rainbow said she called it off. I don’t believe them!” In a fit of rage, she had completely forgotten Adagio’s existence. “Why did she do it? Why?” She continued.
Adagio knew what happened, how she had, indeed, overstayed her welcome; Rainbow had all but intervened at the sight of her. Truly disheartening to one already suffering.
“That was why I left at the diner.” Adagio said calmingly. “I saw Rainbow and knew she was angry, she probably saw you and me and thought the worst.”
“Just great!” Sunset resumed, “Just when we were getting better.”
Adagio leaned in closer—a gesture that caught Sunset off guard— to a whisper, she comforted her.
“Sunset,” she said, “Are they really your friends?”
“‘What do you mean?”
“They don’t sound like it. Friends don’t lie to each other. They can be stubborn, but not mean.”
Sunset dropped her head in weakness. A feeling of utter abandon shattered her life and created a new feeling; a feeling of revenge.
“You’re right,” Sunset looked at Adagio with respect, a new hope had arisen. “I don’t need friends like them. And I’m going to tell them that myself. Right here. Right now.”
Sunset, in her fatigued, uncouth appearance, started towards Aria and Sonata, Adagio following behind her. “Wait! You’re not seriously going to go over there dressed like that, are you?”
Sunset looked down and remembered she was still in her old clothes. In any other case, she would care, but a new aura of desire took control. She continued towards the school in a slow manner, saving every ounce of energy for Rainbow and her friends. Adagio, Aria, and Sonata kept up with her as she crossed the street and past the statue.
The sound of the mixer could be heard from outside the school. Sunset was about to step onto the stairs when Adagio spoke once more.
“Sunset,” she called, ordering the attention of Sunset. “Please don’t do this. Maybe Rainbow is just a little jealous. Can’t you give her a chance?”
“What do you care?” Sunset retorted, “You tried to break us up before. What’s different now?”
Adagio slowly came near Sunset, placing her arm on her shoulder.
“Now, I want to be your friend.” She said in a low voice. “I want to live a better life.”
Sunset was shocked. Adagio’s words left her with a faint feeling of remorse, but its distance had forgotten how to feel it.
Aria and Sonata comforted Adagio, as they all knew it was a touchy subject.
“We lived a thousand years,” Aria started, “the enemy of everyone, because we needed to survive.”
“But without our pendants,” Adagio added, “We’re just three average teenage girls. We can’t hurt anyone again.”
“Who did you hurt?” Sunset finally asked.
Adagio cleared her throat and spoke with a softness, reminiscent of the last moment she had being happy. “Everyone,” She said, “We hurt everyone, because we needed to eat, and the vegetation wasn’t satisfying us, anymore. We were different. All because of her .”
“Who?”
“Her name was Clover,” she began, “I remember she told us she wanted to show us something in the basement of the Crystal Tower, said it was her greatest achievement, and it will re-shape life as we knew it.” Adagio looked down, as if she regrets the mere words expelled from her mouth. “So we came, and she showed it to us. I still remember the shine in our reflection.”
Adagio recounted the events, and Sunset had felt a growing pain in the back of her head. They had come to see Clover succeed, but it soon became her greatest failure.
“That mirror,” Adagio continued, “she put these six gems on the edges, and we all stood back as the lights blinded us. The fear was unbearable. When we opened our eyes, there was someone… something else. It snapped its claw and we were never the same. We were feared and loathed, because we were different. All because of Clover.”
“You were clad in armor.” Sunset recalled. “Just getting back from an attack on Cloudsdale. “
Adagio’s eyes widened. Everyone’s did. Regret was still imminent. “That’s right. How did you…?”
The pain continued in Sunset’s head, now turning into a striking headache, forcing her to clutch her head. “And Aria and Sonata, Princess, Chancellor… Commander!”
The trio stood back in awe. Fear overtook them. “You know who we are?”
The pain, as quickly as it rose, dissipated, leaving her broken without understanding.
“I did this to you,” she said finally. “I’m Clover.”
Adagio looked at her with confusion, but soon, her disarray straightened itself, revealing her ultimate disgust.
“Clover? I don’t believe it,” she said, “there’s no way you actually survived. It’s been a thousand years.”
“I don’t remember. I just remembered who I am.”
Aria and Sonata stayed perplexed till that moment, reviving a lost courage that was relinquished from them.
“I’m happy you survived,” she said outright. “Now, we can make you suffer like you made us.”
“What?”
“You have no idea what it was like.” Aria joined, “Imagine how you would feel if you had nobody to love. Nobody to fall back on. Not one single shoulder to cry on, and the only company are stuck with you for a friggin’ millenia.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Sorry’s not good enough. You need to feel our torture. And we’ll make sure of it.”
Picking Adagio up, Aria and Sonata left her alone. Defenseless to the cold night that had hung over all that time. On the cold ground, Sunset just stood there. Her body relaxing from fatigue, but stressed from the memory.
One thousand years passed without her knowledge, and nothing ever prepared her to know it. But she is still without her self. Something missing to tell her who she is. All she has is a name, nothing more. Clover The Clever.
With a light crash, her bookbag fell from her shoulders. She must’ve put it on in the fatigue of a waking morning. Inside, she found her book: her contact to Equestria. She had completely forgotten she took it. Feeling the time was right, she took it out and sat herself down on the asphalt next to the monument that doubles as an inactive portal to Equestria. Pen in hand, she writes to her Equestrian friend.
Dear Twilight,
I think my signature will explain enough. I don’t know how I did it, but I survived. I’m still Sunset, but I’m not. I remember my name, but I don’t know who I am. Please, come by when you can. Scratch that, Get over here now! I need a friend. Please!
Clover The Clever
Almost with ease, her hand wrote her signature as if she had been doing it for years, but the script is foreign. Just like the book. In fact, everything appeared foreign under the night sky. Slowly remembering the past makes even the present look distant.
While in a daze of concentration, she hardly noticed Fluttershy, who had come out for fresh air a few minutes ago. When she turned her head, she saw Sunset, and went over to see her. Both had thoughts that were never said, but the scent of her perfume triggered her to see her, a faint smile was forced onto her face.
“Hey, Fluttershy. How’s it going?” Sunset tried to hold back her sorrow.
“I’m good. How ‘bout you?” She expressed, placing her hand on Sunset’s shoulder. Sunset wasn’t deceiving her.
“I don’t know.” She said simply.
“Is what Rainbow said true? She told me that you were friends with Adagio and her friends before us.”
“I guess you could say that, but we just broke up. Good riddance.” Sunset said in a huff.
“Why did you do it?” Fluttershy asked, on the verge of letting tears fall down her innocent face. “Why did you befriend them?”
Sunset was baffled. “It was so long ago. I wasn’t who I am today. I have you, now, and that’s all that matters.”
“You planned it. Messing up our performance, fiddling with our amps. You even tripped Rainbow on our way out of that stage.”
“What? No. I didn’t do that… I mean, not on purpose. I’m still learning how be a good friend..”
“Still learning. Is that your excuse? Rainbow is a good friend. She isn’t a liar.”
“I never said that. Rainbow jumped to a conclusion,” Sunset rose her voice. “I hated them, then. I hated them a thousand years ago. I hate them now! Don’t make me hate any of you… please.”
“A thousand years ago? None of us were alive that long ago. How gullible do you think I am…”
Fluttershy took a deep breath, and said finally, “I will ask you one more time. Did you befriend The Dazzlings before us?”
“They weren’t who they are now. That’s the truth.”
“I believe you,” she said softly. “I gotta go, we still have to perform. Rainbow delayed it for me cause I need fresh air before a performance. Go home and get some sleep. You need it.”.
It took Sunset the whole of the hour to return home, taking every precious second to savor what she had just done. At the clock’s hand of 1:00 AM, she finally went to sleep, hoping this was just another nightmare, and she can forgive and forget.
