Long Live The Queen

by DrakeyC

Rating: everyone
Tags: Dark, Sad, Drama, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Spike, Shining Armor, Sunset Shimmer, Twilight Sparkle
Length: 6707

During her battle with Starlight Glimmer, Twilight comes to a timeline where Equestria is under the oppressive rule of a tyrant Queen.

During her time-twisting battle with Starlight Glimmer, Twilight finds herself in an Equestria ruled by a tyrant alicorn that calls herself the Queen of Equestria. In this world, Twilight's friends are gone and beyond her aid, and Equestria's citizens live in fear of their ruler's wrath should they anger her.

But no one has ever seen the pony who suffers the most in this world.

Pre-read by MythrilMoth and RT Stephens. Cover art vector by kindkristy99

Published 2016-02-29 20:20:01 UTC
Last updated 2016-02-29 20:20:01 UTC

Long Live The Queen

Long Live The Queen

The portal opened and Twilight and Spike fell onto the map in a heap. Twilight groaned and rubbed her flank. “This is starting to get old.”

“Tell me about,” Spike replied. He hopped off the table and looked for the magic scroll to Starlight Glimmer’s spell. As he did, Twilight raised her head and did a double take. She tilted her head.

“Spike? Look.”

Spike turned and stared. “Wha?”

The map stood in an empty field and some distance away from them, Ponyville rose. From here they could see several ponies going about their day; pegasi were moving weather clouds into place, merchants were haggling in the streets. Twilight thought she saw the Cakes pushing a baby carriage. She looked up and saw a bright blue sky with the sun shining overhead.

Twilight thought back to how Starlight had disrupted the race this time, but their encounters had begun to blur together and she was unsure what precisely had happened. She came down off the map and started off at a walk towards the town. “Did she even do anything this time?” she thought aloud.

“Well, the castle’s gone,” Spike said. “But… yeah. Everything’s looking normal.”

The two reached Ponyville and watched the streets. Ponies were smiling, playing, running errands, milling about, chatting. Everything seemed normal. Although…

“You getting a feeling?” Twilight asked.

Spike nodded. “Yeah. Everyone’s… tense.”

As the two kept watching, Twilight noticed that every now and then, somepony’s eyes would dart to the side, or to the sky. The emotions she was seeing were genuine, but they also felt restrained. It was like Ponyville’s citizens were wary of someone watching them.

Twilight turned to the nearest pony, a brown earth pony stallion. “Excuse me?” He stopped and turned to her, raising an eyebrow. “Is something going on that everypony is worried about?” Twilight asked.

The stallion shook his head. “No. Just the inspection. They never find anything and everypony knows they’re fair about it. Some ponies just worry over nothing.”

Twilight frowned. “Inspection?”

The stallion nodded. “Yes, the month—” He stopped and leaned forward. “Are you from around these parts, miss?”

Twilight shook her head. “No, I’m actually—” Before she could continue, the stallion’s eyes widened and he briskly began walking away. “Hey!” Twilight ran after him. “I just want to know what’s going on!”

“Apologies, miss!” The stallion called. Loudly; Twilight saw other ponies turning to watch them. “This is a poor time for tourism, please ask somepony else for directions! Nice meeting you!” The stallion ducked into an alley. Twilight looked at the ponies watching her.

“Uh, I think we’re missing something,” Spike said.

A green unicorn mare came up to Twilight. “Are you from out of town?”

Twilight forced a friendly smile. “Yes. Can you please explain what’s going on?”

“Inspection.They started early this month, so it should be over shortly.” The mare leaned from side to side to look Twilight over. “Do you have your ID ready if they question you?”

“ID?”

The mare backed away and shook her head. “Oh dear. You need to hide. Now. Or run. No, running is bad, they’ll think you’re up to something.”

Twilight grunted. “Who will think I’m up to something?”

“Just, go find them and tell them you lost your ID. They’re lenient if you turn yourself in and if it’s just a misunderstanding you’ll probably be set free before night…” The mare looked around the town. “Just, go! Don’t talk to me, or anypony!” She turned and ran off.

Twilight sighed. “What the hay is going on?”

Spike tapped her on the shoulder and pointed. “Maybe we should ask them?” Twilight turned her head.

A row of four royal guards were marching down the street, yellow armor gleaming bright. Above them flew two pegasi guards. The two in the middle were watching ahead, while the two on the ends and the pegasi were looking over the streets. Ponies stopped what they were doing as their eyes fell on them. Standing in the middle of the street, Twilight simply watched as the guards came closer. One of them saw her and raised a hoof. He whistled, and the procession stopped.

“You there!” The guard stepped forward and pointed his hoof at Twilight. “I do not recognize you from the morning roll call. State your name.” Twilight opened her mouth to answer.

“Sir!” The guard turned his head. Another guard stepped out of the line and saluted. “I’ll vouch for her, sir. I recognize Lady Twilight from when I was posted at a summit last week.”

The first guard looked between Twilight and the other guard, settling on Twilight. “And what would Lady Twilight be doing in Ponyville? We received no word of a visitation.”

“Um…” Twilight tried to think. “Well… I was a bit listless and… wanted to take a trip.” She shrugged and gave what should have been an innocent smile.

The guard’s frown deepened and he looked at the two pegasi. “Alert the procession the town is secure. But we have a suspicious mare claiming to be Lady Twilight in Ponyville. We’ll be processing her appropriately.” The two pegasi nodded and flew away. To Twilight the guard said, “Lady Twilight, forgive my forcefulness, but we’ll be needing you to come with us.”

Twilight gulped. “Come where?”

“To Canterlot, my lady.”

The spires of Canterlot had never seemed so foreboding as Twilight sat in a chariot pulled by the royal guards. A binding spell anchored her hooves to the seat. She could have dispelled it easily, but that would just cause more trouble.

“So, let’s take a tally of our situation,” Twilight said. “We’re being taken to Canterlot, forcefully but not being harmed or treated badly.”

“Yeah, and they keep calling you ‘Lady Twilight’,” Spike reminded her. “What’s up with that?”

“I don’t know. Once we land, we’ll find Princess Celestia and get it sorted out. Then we can get back to Ponyville and finish stopping Starlight Glimmer.”

The chariot approached the castle and Twilight noticed a pale blue light around it. “What’s that?” she called out to the guards. They ignored her and soon passed the barrier. Twilight felt a spark on her horn, wincing.

Spike looked up at her. “Twilight?”

Twilight raised a hoof to her horn. She gasped. “My magic! There’s an anti-magic field around the castle!”

“Well, overpower it!” Spike said.

Twilight gritted her teeth and poured energy into her horn. A few stray specks of violet light sprayed off the tip. “I can’t! The field is too strong!”

“Apologies, Lady Twilight!” Twilight raised her head. One of the pegasi guards was speaking to her. “We’ve had to restrict the barrier to only members of the royal guard. Her majesty is fearful something could happen after the griffon summit went poorly.”

“What?” Twilight shook her head and turned back to Spike. “No, that makes no sense. Celestia wouldn’t put up an anti-magic field like this unless it was something big, like changelings.”

The chariot touched down and a unicorn approached them. His horn glowed blue, the anchor spell holding Twilight and Spike fading. Twilight jumped out of the chariot. “Okay, somepony please give me some answers! I’m having a bad day and really want to know what’s going on.”

“Well, I can definitely see the bad day part.”

Twilight’s eyes went wide at the familiar, warm voice, and she turned. In spite of her mood she grinned and ran forward. “Shining Armor!” she jumped onto him and hugged him tightly, his helmet cold against her cheek.

Shining Armor chuckled and patted her on the back. “Okay, hi Twily, good to see you too. Everything okay?”

Twilight stepped back and shook her head. “No, I am having a lot of trouble right now. You have no idea how good it is to see somepony familiar. We need to talk.”

“Well, it’ll have to wait.” Shining Armor stepped to the side and gestured his hoof forward. The two began walking up the steps into the castle. “They sent word ahead they were bringing you here. You made me worry. You’re supposed to be at the Crystal Empire.”

“I am?” Twilight thought. That makes sense, I guess. There’s plenty of reasons why in this universe I might be at the Crystal Empire.

“And nopony is quite sure how you came to be at Ponyville, either.”

“It’s a long story,” Twilight said. “There’s a lot of questions I need to ask you.”

Shining Armor nodded. “There’s a lot of questions we’ll need to ask you, too. The Queen is wondering why you aren’t at the Empire.”

“I don’t know it, but I’m sure there’s a perfectly rational reason why—” Twilight stopped in her tracks, Spike bumping into her flank behind her. “Wait. Say that again?”

Shining Armor looked back at her. “Huh?”

“Say that again. What you just said.”

“We need to figure out why you aren’t at the Crystal Empire.”

“No. Who needs to know? Who did you say?”

“Me and the Queen.”

Twilight paled. “Queen?”

Shining Armor came back to her and put a hoof on her head. “Are you okay, Twilight? You’re acting a bit odd. If something is wrong, you can tell me.”

Twilight groaned. “BBBFF, if I could, I’d just teleport out of this castle and get back to the map and the scroll so I can continue on my slightly less confusing time travel adventure. But I can’t do that because the anti-magic field here is so strong even my magic can’t overcome it. And I know you have no idea what I’m talking about but I don’t care, I’m really getting frustrated on about seven different levels and I have to vent about something before I crack. And stop making that face!”

Shining Armor frowned. “Something is definitely wrong with you.” He smiled. “Don’t worry, Twily. Whatever it is, the Queen will get it sorted out.”

Twilight took a breath and composed herself. He’s right. Celestia will recognize us. Celestia will know what to do. “Lead on then, big brother.”

Shining Armor led Twilight and Spike to the double doors of the throne room. He stopped and looked at her carefully. “I know you know the procedure, but you seem a bit out of it, so a reminder. Eyes to the ground, don’t lift your head until she says so, and remember to use her title every time you address her. A lot of the petitioners today were being disrespectful and she’s feeling irritable.”

Twilight laughed. “Relax! Sure, she’s had bad days, but Princess Celestia almost never gets angry.” Shining Armor’s jaw dropped. “I mean, Queen Celestia,” Twilight corrected. “Right?”

Shining Armor closed his eyes and breathed deeply. “Twily… just please keep quiet and let me do the talking.” He knocked on the throne room doors.

The doors swung open by the magic of the guards inside, Twilight following Shining Armor as he walked through. She looked around the throne room. It seemed exactly as she recognized it, save for two features. One, all the stained glass windows depicting the various adventures of her and her friends were gone, replaced with ordinary glass.

Second, the raised throne at the end of the room had a red curtain hanging around it.

Shining Armor stopped and knelt, looking at the carpet. Twilight followed suit and glanced behind her to see Spike doing the same. Next to them a trumpeter blew his horn. “Announcing, Captain Shining Armor and Lady Twilight Sparkle.”

“Acknowledged. Avert your eyes from my radiance.”

Twilight saw the trumpeter kneel to stare at the floor. The voice, powerful and booming, had definitely come from the curtain. However, Twilight was less concerned with the direction than the speaker. That wasn’t Celestia… She heard a rustling and then hooves stepping on the carpet. She tilted her eyes up to look at the pony that had stepped from the curtained throne. She gaped.

Massive pale orange wings spread into the air, casting a shadow thanks to what seemed to be rays of light perpetually streaming from behind the mare. Her horn rose into a spiral point from a sea of wavy red and gold hair, her mane shimmering and flowing like fire. A golden necklace with a sun emblem and matching hoofguards adorned her neck and hooves.

And to Twilight’s growing confusion and horror, a familiar crown topped with a six-pointed star rested on the alicorn’s head.

Twilight lowered her eyes from the crown to the alicorn herself. The alicorn saw her and looked back. Twilight stared into pale aqua eyes that were narrowed in irritation and recognized who she was looking at.

“Sunset Shimmer?”

The words had barely left her mouth before magic grabbed her head and forced her muzzle into the carpet. Twilight cried out. She then recognized the violet color of the magic holding her.

“Apologies, my Queen!” Shining Armor spoke his words to the carpet, keeping his head low. His voice was shaking. “My sister seems to be disoriented. She is not herself. Forgive her.”

Twilight’s mind reeled. Sunset Shimmer. An alicorn. Queen. Wearing the Element of Magic. Questions filled her mind faster than they had the rest of the day. Where is Celestia? Where’s the mirror? What happened to the other world? Where’s Cadance? Luna? My friends? Does she recognize me? Oh no, what if she does?

The orange hooves with golden hoofguards stepped just into Twilight’s field of view. “Twilight Sparkle. At ease.”

Twilight felt her brother’s magic fade and lifted her head. Sunset stared down at her with a blank expression. Twilight wondered if it was just her current angle of view, or if Sunset was larger than she remembered as a pony. She slowly stood up and confirmed the latter. “Um… apologies. My… Queen.” The word stumbled off her tongue.

“Acknowledged.” Sunset folded her wings and tilted her head up. “What news from the Crystal Empire?”

“News?”

Sunset’s expression ever so slightly grew more annoyed. “I shall presume that if my regent is leaving her post to see me herself, it is a matter of dire importance. Else I shall presume she intends to waste my time.”

Regent? Twilight groaned and shook her head. “Um… okay, I need a minute.”

“You have precious few to spare at this rate. Use it wisely.”

“Sorry… okay…” Twilight took a deep breath and then another. “Can I ask a really, really, stupid question or five?”

“I’d rather you not.”

Twilight shook slightly at the edge to the words. Sunset Shimmer’s voice somehow held all the regality she recognized from Celestia, but it was tinged with arrogance and irritation. It was a tone that told her by its mere usage that the speaker was running out of patience. Twilight thought over her response carefully.

“I’m sorry… my Queen,” she stammered. “As my brother said, I’m feeling a bit disoriented now. I must admit, I… don’t know why I’m here. My memory appears to be failing me.” She looked up at Sunset.

To Twilight’s relief, Sunset’s expression softened. Maybe. She may have just had a facial twitch for a moment. Sunset turned her attention to Shining Armor. “Shining Armor. At ease. Explain the meaning of this.”

Shining Armor stood and stared at Twilight. She stared back with a sheepish grin and held up her hooves. Suppressing a groan, he faced Sunset. “My Queen, short of a changeling impersonation or severe head trauma, I have no explanation.”

Sunset stepped back and stretched her neck up. The Element of Magic on her head lit up violet and her horn followed suit. Swirls of light surrounded Twilight and lifted her into the air, a scream escaping her as a jolt of pain shot through her. The magic faded and she was unceremoniously dropped back down.

“Well, we can confirm it is not the former.”

“Is that what that was?” Twilight groaned.

Sunset ignored her and turned her attention to Spike. Spike gulped as her eyes fell on him and he shrank back. Sunset leaned down slightly. “And this baby dragon. What is your name?”

“Um… Spike?”

“And why does Spike the dragon follow Twilight Sparkle this day?”

“We’re friends,” Spike said simply. “I’m her assistant.” He gave an awkward grin.

Sunset sniffed. “Very well. I did not receive word that Twilight had released Lady Moondancer from her services, but if she saw fit to employ you instead of her then I’ll not question it.” She stepped back and looked at Shining Armor. He stiffened. “See that Lady Twilight is attended by the physicians. Once the cause of her state is resolved, find the reason for her visit and then get her back to the Crystal Empire promptly. Until then, send word to the imperial guard. As far as the Empire’s citizens are concerned, Lady Twilight has taken ill and cannot be seen.”

“Understood, my Queen.” Shining bowed his head, then turned around and put a hoof over Twilight’s back. Twilight watched as Sunset regarded her for a moment, then walked back to her throne, her tail sweeping the air as she turned.

“Wait!” Twilight called out, but Sunset did not stop. “I need to ask you some questions!”

“No, you do not,” Sunset replied. Twilight stepped towards her and felt Shining Armor’s magic hold her hooves. She turned to him and saw him shaking his head. Twilight watched as Sunset reached the curtained throne, parted them, then drew them back together once she was inside them.

“Come on, Twily,” Shining Armor said softly. “The longer we stay here the angrier she’ll get.” Twilight let out a huff, but turned and nodded. The magic over her hooves faded and she and Spike followed Shining Armor out into the hall.

“Okay, what the heck just happened?” Twilight shouted once the doors had closed.

“I’m wondering that myself,” Shining Armor replied. “Twily, you know you can’t speak to the Queen like that. What were you thinking?”

Twilight glared. “What was I thinking? I was thinking why is Sunset Shimmer the Queen of Equestria wearing the Element of Magic?”

Shining Armor regarded her carefully. “What’s going on? Did you botch another memory spell?”

Twilight thought for a moment. She let out a sigh and smiled. “Yes! I mean, I think so. I think I remember doing something magical, and then, boom.” She laughed awkwardly.

Shining rolled his eyes, but his expression was warm and he ruffled her mane. “I told you, you need proper supervision when you experiment on yourself like this. This is worse than the time you were refining teleportation and kept warping into the soldier barracks.”

Spike snickered at the idea. Twilight gently kicked him without turning. “Can you tell me more about Sunset Shimmer? Maybe it’ll jog my memory.”

“It’s worked before.” The trio began walking down the halls of Canterlot. Shining shrugged. “So, what’s the first thing you want to know?”

Twilight opened her mouth, then closed it again. She mentally sorted out her questions and listed them in order of priority. “Where are Princess Celestia and Princess Luna?”

Shining Armor’s expression darkened. “Nopony knows where Celestia is. Princess Luna, do you mean Nightmare Moon? Because in that case, she’s where the Elements of Harmony left her.”

“Right.” Twilight nodded. “So Nightmare Moon was released and banished back to the moon?”

“Yes, by the Elements of Harmony!”

“AHA!” Twilight grinned. “The Elements were still awakened in this world?”

“Yeah.” Shining furrowed his brow and thought. “A bunch of ponies from Ponyville found them, but I can’t remember their names. Um… there was a unicorn, or maybe two. Two earth ponies…”

“Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie,” Twilight recited.

“That sounds right. Them and the other unicorn… I think she was a magician?”

Twilight’s jaw dropped. “No. Tell me the Element of Magic wasn’t Trixie!”

“That’s the name.”

“No way. Trixie? Trixie?” Twilight blinked several times as she processed the mental image of Trixie wearing the Element of Magic and leading her friends against their foes. “I just… that’s… Trixie? Really? That’s the best the universe could come up with without me? Trixie is the second choice for the Princess of Friendship?”

“Princess of Friendship?” Shining Armor shook his head. “Not in this world. She was friends with the others, yeah, but she wasn’t really the friendly type. And definitely not a Princess.”

“Oh.” Twilight’s indignation faded and she suddenly felt sorry for her old rival. “So… she really was just the second best choice… What happened to them?”

Shining’s expression darkened. “I’m not sure you’ll want to see that,” he whispered.

Dread crept into Twilight’s stomach, her body shaking. “Shiny. Tell me.”

He sighed. “They’re in the gardens.”

Shining Armor led Twilight and Spike through the castle halls. Twilight noticed more guards than in her home world, but fewer servants. When they reached the hallway running outside the garden, Twilight looked out the nearest window.

She gasped and ran past Shining Armor to go outside. She ran down the end of the path and slowed as she reached the end. She stared, her jaw hanging.

“No…”

On the grass in front of her was a raised pedestal, on which sat a large statue of several ponies. One of them, a unicorn wearing a torn cloak, was laying on her back, glaring up at some unseen foe. Twilight peered closer at the face and recognized the features. Trixie. Twilight turned her eyes up. Around Trixie, in various expressions of anger, fear, and despair, were her friends. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy looked to be starting to help Trixie up as Applejack and Rarity stood in front of her and Pinkie Pie knelt next to her.

They were protecting her.

It took Twilight a second to look over them and see the seventh pony with the group, standing behind the rest with her horn and wings unfurled. She was separate, not part of the same twisted scene as them. Twilight saw the three-toned mane, curled on the end, and realized she was looking at the petrified form of Princess Cadance. Her mouth was open and her face was twisted in rage, as though the spell had taken hold as she screamed at whomever was doing it.

Twilight didn’t need to ask who Cadance had been talking to in that final moment.

There was a strangled cry, and Twilight saw Spike run past her, jumping up the pedestal to inspect the Rarity statue. His claw gently touched the horn and he pulled back as though it had been burned. She heard hoofsteps behind her but kept looking at the statue. “How did she do it?” Silence. Twilight growled and snapped her head to the side to glare at Shining Armor. “How did Sunset take over?” she screamed.

Shining Armor took off his helmet and set it down. “Celestia had summoned the Element Bearers to a conference at the Crystal Empire. Sunset, based on what little she’s told us anyway, had been living in another dimension. She came back that night and stole the Element of Magic from Trixie. She fled into the other world and Trixie followed.”

He shook his head. “I don’t know what happened in the other world. Nopony does. But a couple days later, Sunset Shimmer came back with an army at her control and the Element of Magic on her head. She threw Trixie back to them and challenged them to try and stop her. But without the Element of Magic, they weren’t enough. She petrified them. And stuck them here as a monument to her victory.”

Twilight looked back at the statue. Her despair at seeing her friends and sister-in-law in this state was overridden by her rage. “Where was Celestia?”

“Delayed. Sunset had unleashed her army on the empire and was using the Element to brainwash more ponies to serve her. Celestia and I led the royal guard into the city to try and contain the fighting. Then, Sunset came out of the central tower with Cadance…” Shining swallowed heavily and Twilight saw his chin quiver. “She… she petrified her in front of everypony. Somehow she had become an alicorn. Celestia saw and attacked her. Sunset had the Element of Magic and an army. Celestia was overwhelmed by the fighting and fell. I wasn’t with her, so I don’t know what Sunset did to her. But nopony has seen her since.”

Shining stepped up beside Twilight. “That was a few years ago. Sunset returned to Canterlot and declared herself reigning monarch. She abolished the title of Princess and declared herself Queen. She takes care of the sun and the moon, and forcibly conscripts ponies into the royal guard to patrol cities monthly. Any hint of dissention or rebellion is crushed, brutally.”

The gardens fell silent. Twilight stared at the statue. She could see it in her mind. Trixie would go to the other world to pursue Sunset, of course. But with her bravado, her ego, her self-assurance, she never could have united the school against Sunset. Sunset would get her crown unopposed, and then…

“What about you?” The thought came to Twilight and she looked at Shining Armor with suspicion.

Shining met her gaze evenly. “Sunset allowed me to keep my rank on promise of absolute loyalty. And she appointed you as Regent of the Crystal Empire.”

Twilight recoiled. “Me? Why? I mean, surely there’s other ponies she’d trust to rule more.”

“You don’t rule, Twilight. Sunset’s appointed council of nobles run the city. You’re just a figurehead. You’re a prisoner in your own kingdom. Sunset’s pawn to make sure I stay loyal.”

“Not anymore.” Twilight spat the words. “Take me back to Ponyville. Now.”

“Twily, we need to get you well and back to the Empire.”

“NO!” Twilight shook her head. “I need to go back to Ponyville! The map will set it right! I’ll fix it!”

“Fix what?” Shining gently put a hoof on her back. “Twily, you’re not making sense.”

“No, this world is what doesn’t make sense!” Twilight knocked away her brother’s hoof. “This only happened because somepony messed with the timeline! This isn’t the way things are supposed to be! I have to go back and set it right!”

Shining Armor’s eyes darted to the side. “So, how are things supposed to be, then?”

“Well for one thing, Sunset Shimmer doesn’t rule Equestria!” Twilight looked at the statue. “My friends and I stopped her and the Element of Magic is mine! Or, was. Not the point. We stopped her!” She thought back to her friend in the other world, smiling down at her and hand outstretched to help her to her feet against the Sirens. “We reformed her… she was happy. Well, better.” Twilight snorted. “She wasn’t a power-mad tyrant queen, that’s for sure!”

She looked at her brother. “In my world, Sunset Shimmer lives in that other world. She’s one of my best friends. And my friends and I are the Elements of Harmony, to defend Equestria. Take me back to Ponyville. I’ll show you the map. Starlight Glimmer used time travel magic on it to disrupt history, so that’s why everything is different. I can stop her, I just need to get back to the map and recast the spell.”

“Twilight, you need to calm down.” Shining Armor was about to continue, but then stopped. Twilight felt a tingle in the air of magic and turned her head.

A glowing blue portal opened in nothingness and Sunset Shimmer stepped into the garden. She stood still for a moment, then looked down at Twilight. Her face was still the impassive mask of royalty she had worn in the throne room. Even her eyes were blank.

“Twilight Sparkle.” Sunset stepped aside and looked at the portal. “After you.”

Twilight shook. “Um… I think there’s been a misunderstanding.”

“I doubt it.”

“My Queen!” Shining Armor bowed. “Please, she’s been using memory spells, she’s not herself, she—”

“Silence.” The single-word command came down like a weight and Shining Armor became quiet. Sunset looked at Twilight. “I’ll not give the command again.”

Twilight slowly raised a hoof and stepped towards the portal. She saw Spike coming towards her, but a twitch of Sunset’s head sent him flying away in an aura of violet magic. Twilight reached the portal and looked up at Sunset. She was still giving Twilight that look, the stare of boredom tinged with annoyance.

Twilight stepped through the portal.

The portal opened on a luxurious bedroom decorated with sun emblems in various shades of white, red, and gold. Twilight stepped back as Sunset came through the portal, where it closed after her. Sunset regarded her for a moment. “I have had a change of heart,” she said coolly. “I shall answer your questions, stupid though you claim they will be. In return, you shall answer my questions.”

“Questions?” Twilight laughed awkwardly. “I’ve got no questions and I really don’t know what you may need to ask me.”

Sunset’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly. “You would do very well to not lie to me, Twilight Sparkle. There is no trace of memory spells or mind spells on you, not even residual energy from a previous casting. However, there is a time displacement enchantment on you, one that I do not recognize. Furthermore, the anti-magic barrier protecting the castle also affords me surveillance of its grounds, if I choose to focus my mind to it.” She leaned her head down. “I was listening to your conversation with Shining Armor the moment you left the throne room.”

“Oh,” Twilight squeaked.

“You see? Now then.” Sunset’s horn and crown glowed, a cushioned couch slid across the room to her. She stepped back onto it and sat down, her tail coiling around her hooves. “Where do you come from?”

Twilight bit her lip and tried to remember how much she had told Shining Armor. She decided it didn’t matter as Sunset obviously knew the answer or at least suspected. She had sensed time magic around Twilight, after all. She looked up at her. “I come from an alternate timeline. In that time, I received the Element of Magic, not Trixie.”

“And what of me in this other timeline?”

Twilight frowned. “You said I could ask questions, too.”

“I did. I do not recall setting a ratio of questions for us to adhere to. Do not make me ask again.”

“Fine. You fled into the other world using the mirror portal. I pursued you there when you stole the Element of Magic. I united the students against you, we stopped your plan, and I went home.” Twilight’s face softened. “You reformed. You became my friend, and theirs. You helped us defend the school from evil.” Twilight saw Sunset’s mouth open and didn’t give her a chance. “My turn. Where is Celestia?”

Sunset looked annoyed at not being allowed to ask – at least, Twilight thought she did. It was difficult to read her expressions. Sunset watched her for a moment, then looked across the room. A closet door opened, revealing a large mirror frame with shards of glass piled in front of it.

Twilight ran up to the shattered mirror, her mouth hanging open. “You didn’t…”

“It is a more merciful fate than Cadance and the Element bearers received,” Sunset said. “I cast Celestia through the portal and shattered it. Even if I wanted to, it is beyond repair. The spells bound into the mirror are dispelled and the secrets of their casting are lost to time. I have scoured Star Swirl’s notes on its construction to be certain of this.”

Rage grew within Twilight and she clamped it down. She turned around and walked back in front of Sunset “How did you become an alicorn?”

“That, Star Swirl’s notes were left intact for,” Sunset replied. “I understand Celestia had sent Trixie an incomplete spell for her to study. I recognized its intent when Trixie did not, when I came through the mirror to steal the Element. Upon my return, I forced Princess Cadance to reveal its secrets to me. She had used the same spell to transform herself and told me how to use it for the same.” Sunset spread her wings. “Behold.”

“No.” Twilight shook her head. “Cadance would never betray magic like that to you.”

“We had an arrangement. I offered her a deal and she accepted it. Her end was to tell me how to use the spell.”

“Well, she’s petrified now.” Twilight sneered. “Looks like you backed out of the bargain.”

Sunset frowned, an expression more noticeable with how little facial expression she kept showing. “Our agreement was that Shining Armor would be unharmed.”

“…Oh.” Twilight blinked. “Um… well, then…”

“Next question,” Sunset said firmly. “What is the state of Celestia in your world with regards to either of us?”

“She’s my teacher. She has been since I was a foal and I got accepted into her school. You…” Twilight shook her head. “I don’t know what happened between you two, Celestia never told me. But she’s happy that you’ve been able to build a new life for yourself in the other world.” Twilight saw some unknown emotion flicker across Sunset’s face. She didn’t waste the hesitation. “What are your plans for Equestria?”

Sunset snorted. “My plans? Rule it, of course. I raise and lower the sun and moon, and my subjects are free to live their lives.”

“Free? You have guards patrolling the towns!”

“Some still cling to the old ways, entertaining thoughts of rebellion. A war would cause pointless bloodshed and suffering. I reign with an iron hoof pressed on their necks to ensure that does not happen.”

“That doesn’t make it right,” Twilight insisted.

“Does it make it wrong?” Sunset countered. “What would you have me do, then? Celestia is gone. And even if I were to restore Cadance, she was born a pegasus; she lacks the control of her magic needed to raise the sun and moon.”

“Luna,” Twilight said. “Step down and let Luna rule.”

“Luna? You speak of Nightmare Moon?” Sunset’s mouth twitched. “Is she released in your time?”

“Yes. The Elements restored her to her true form and Luna rules Equestria with Celestia, now.”

“Well, in this time she remains sealed on the moon, and I doubt I have the capacity to transform her back into Luna. What use would the Nightmare be to us? Shall Equestria exchange a solar tyrant for a lunar one?”

“No… I mean…” Twilight thought, her eyes darting along the floor as she weighed other options.

“I see you have realized the truth of my words. Next question. How was time shifted to this alternate perspective?”

Twilight looked back at Sunset. “Starlight Glimmer. She found Star Swirl’s time travel spell.”

“I know that spell,” Sunset interrupted. “It only goes back a few days.”

“Yes, but she was somehow able to empower it, using a map connected to the Elements of Harmony. She went back in time to the event that got me and all my friends our cutie marks, and changed it, so we got our cutie marks at different times, and all our lives changed.”

Sunset snorted. “Does she seek Equestria’s destruction, shifting history in ways that could keep the Elements from being found? Is she unaware of how many villains have been halted by them?”

Twilight shrugged. “She either doesn’t know or doesn’t care.”

“Then she is an idiot, either way.” Sunset peered down at Twilight. “You intend to stop her?”

“Of course. The map travels through time with us. I can use the spell to return to when we got our marks and keep her from interfering.” Twilight sighed. “I’ve tried several times now, and it hasn’t gone well. But I’m not giving up. Equestria depends on it.”

“I see.” Sunset stood off the couch. “Very well. Let us retrieve your dragon and we shall depart to see this map.”

Twilight’s head snapped up and her eyes widened. “What?”

“Did I misspeak?”

“I’m not letting you use the map.”

“I had no such intention. You shall be using it.”

“For what?”

“To go back in time and prevent Starlight’s interference.”

“I… hang on…” Twilight stared up at Sunset in a mix of confusion and suspicion. “You want me to keep the timeline intact? But you rule Equestria in this one! Why would you want me to change that?”

Sunset stared at Twilight in silence for several seconds, and then closed her eyes. There was a slight, almost invisible ripple in the air around her. Twilight saw her mane, shimmering red and yellow fire, become slightly less luminous. Her regalia seemed less bright, her wings smaller. And when she opened her eyes, Twilight saw them clouded.

“You said I am happy in this other world,” Sunset whispered. Her voice was smaller, weaker. “You said I’m your friend, and that Celestia rules Equestria with her sister. This is the truth?” Twilight nodded. Sunset let out a long breath and looked out the window. “Then you’d best set the timeline right as quickly as possible, hadn’t you?”

Realization dawned in Twilight’s mind. She slowly padded across the room to look at the mirror again, shards of glass stuck in the edges of its frame. “You didn’t look through Star Swirl’s notes on the mirror to make sure it couldn’t be repaired…” She turned back at Sunset. “You looked through them to find a way to fix it.”

“Yes.”

Twilight had a thought, and voiced it. “Last question. Are you happy?”

Sunset’s eyes glanced up at her, then back to the floor. “I am the only alicorn left to raise the sun and moon for them. I have told them Celestia will never return. They do not believe me. They harbor hopes that she will return someday. I cannot allow them to overthrow me for empty hope. But I have crushed their hope. My subjects shake in fear when I pass. To refer to me without my title could mean banishment, or worse. I am Queen of Equestria. Immortal and beautiful and flawless. None could ever hope to rebel against me and succeed.

“Equestria and her ponies hate me. Yet, they also fear me. And in their fear, they are obedient. That is the best I can achieve for at least many years to come, until the memory of Celestia fades and none but I remember her.”

Sunset raised her head and locked eyes with Twilight. “You tell me, Twilight Sparkle. Am I happy in this world?”

“Here it is.” Spike picked up the spell scroll and ran around the map to give it to Twilight. She unfurled the scroll and stepped up on the map. Spike climbed up after her.

“Tell me, Twilight Sparkle.” Sunset stepped up to the edge of the map. Twilight recognized the tone in her voice. The Queen was speaking, again. Even if the three of them were alone out here. “When Starlight Glimmer is foiled and the timeline set right, what happens to this one?”

“I don’t know. Time is a very little understood field of magic.” Twilight paused. “I suppose… this timeline would be erased from existence. You would never exist.”

“I see. Then I am soon to embrace oblivion, I suspect.”

“Well,” Twilight began, “maybe not. Maybe this is just an alternate timeline, now, that will continue to exist independent of the one I’m from. You know, multiverse theory.”

“In which case I shall continue to reign as Queen, knowing the proper way things should be but unable to do anything about it.”

Twilight fell silent, having no response. Sunset smirked. An expression Twilight recognized very well from her. “Do not grieve for me, Twilight Sparkle. I do not really exist, after all.”

“You’re my friend.”

“No. I am the Queen of Equestria that has imprisoned you in the Crystal Empire to control your brother by proxy. Your friend Sunset Shimmer is in another time and another world. For her sake, you must not fail.”

“I won’t.”

The Queen stepped back and bowed her head. “Fare thee well, Twilight Sparkle. Waste no more of your Queen’s time and begone from her realm.”

Twilight lifted the scroll up, obscuring her view of the Queen, and cast the spell.