The Sun and I

Chapters

The Two Students
Year 1 - part 1
Year 1 - part 2
Year 2 - part 1
Year 2 - part 2
The Fall of Sunset Shimmer
Year 3 - part 1
Interlude: Moondancer
Year 3 - part 2

The Two Students

“Please take care of Twilight Sparkle as her Senior, Sunset Shimmer. You are my treasured students together, from this day forth.”

Celestia’s eyes were liquid light, far above little Twilight’s head. Her voice was warm gold; High Queen, Best-beloved Schoolteacher. And she had hoof-picked a plain, bookish filly, from all the world–her protégé, at Equestria’s paramount school for unicorns! Twilight had loved her at first sight, and rejoiced.

When Sunset Shimmer trotted onto the carpet before Celestia’s throne, she loved her and despaired.

“Um…” Twilight fiddled with her spectacles, “Hello, Miss Shimmer.”

“Call me Sunset.” Her grin flashed, too bright, “I hear you’re quite the grade-skipping wunderkind. Some competition will be most refreshing.”

Sunset Shimmer had three years on Twilight; she was beautiful. From her stunning mane, through the unquenchably cocksure curve of her lip, to the royal sun sat proud on her flank, she appeared flawless. Heroine of her life’s adventure story. All a Princess’s protégé should be.

Feeling drab and misplaced as she was certain she seemed, Twilight trembled. Until the Princess laid a hoof on her shoulder and her horn on Sunset’s.

“My little ponies, I see sparks of greatness in you both. I expect you to support each other in your studies. And I truly hope that you will grow
to be friends.”

“As you say, Princess,” Sunset murmured, with lowered eyes, “I will take care of Twilight Sparkle. And protect her, as best I can.” Celestia raised an eyebrow. Sunset’s voice was smooth as chocolate, “I’m sure you’re aware, Highness–the position of royal student can attract the ugliest jealousy.”

Merely entering the School for Gifted Unicorns had terrified Twilight, despite her nights of labour to that end. Being named student to the Sun Princess, rival to Sunset Shimmer, might have paralysed her. But her fears fled from Celestia’s smile like shadows at dawn, and all her dreams revived.

This was the place to attain spectacular powers, and knowledge. The place she was meant to be. She had never missed a meal in her life, except to read, but she had thirsted for truth since opening eyes upon the world.
And someday, sure as summer solstice sunrise, her knowledge would help other ponies. She might never have inspiring charisma, or beauty, or friends, but she would do some good in the world. Her Princess had chosen her.

-0-
-0-

Princess Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns was dispersed between the west annex of the palace, and several buildings in the grounds. Golden spires shone white in the sunshine, while gentle streams wound between gardens and fresh-smelling lawns. The Canterlot Observatory and the science labs were both state-of-the-art and worn by constant use. The library and national archives (Twilight stifled an ecstatic gibber) were about as big as the rest of the school. It staggered her to imagine how many brilliant unicorns, from Starswirl down, had set hoof on the very paths where she and Sunset walked now.

Unicorn students were out with their lunches, ambling around the astrologically ornamented fountains. As Sunset trotted past and over a delicate bridge, tail swishing like a glamour model, heads turned and notice was taken. Twilight followed slightly behind, hugging a book with her foreleg.

“You’ll have a day's weekly lesson with the Princess,” Sunset was telling her, “The same as me, and we’ll share a weekly meeting. She has other calls on her time, you understand, like running the greatest kingdom in the world. But so long as dragons haven't raided the Griffon Lands or something, she never misses a week. You’ll need two more days to complete Celestia’s assignments, leaving five days for normal lessons with the herd.”

“Um, that’s an eight day week.”

“That’s what royal students need, Missy. Will you room in the dorms? You should. I mean to get to know you, and ponies might think you, ah, less than committed if you didn’t board. Capisce?” Confused by Sunset's aggressively pleasant tone, Twilight hadn’t the breath in her throat to reply. Condescendingly, Sunset flicked her tail, “I suppose all this has rather overwhelmed you. The Princess is quite something, isn’t she?”
Twilight nodded hard; amazed at Sunset’s insight, missing the slight edge in her voice.

“Mmm, she’s astounding! The greatest pony in Equestria! At my first Summer Sun Celebration, when saw Princess Celestia raise the sun, that was the moment I knew I wanted–”

“–to be a Princess?”

Sunset’s voice was quite light, much like the rush of heat from a furnace. The few students passing in earshot fell silent. Their bearing was respectful towards Sunset, Twilight realised, but not comfortable. Almost fearful–the same chill in every eye–but what for?

“Ah, oh no! I’m terrible at dealing with ponies, I could never be so great…I just want to learn the most amazing techniques that I can, Miss Sunset.”

Sunset finally threw back her magnificent head to look directly at Twilight. The little filly had read about coal veins that took fire, and burnt with eternal flame. But she had never seen eyes that burnt with the single passion of a heart.

“Is that so? When I first came to this school, Celestia’s one and only pupil, I wanted more. To be more than any Pony alive; all I could be, and more than that. I’ve taken my knocks, since then–” In Sunset’s eyes, a shadow flickered. “–worse knocks than seeing a bright little filly standing in my old horseshoes. And I will not give up my destiny, while this Mark stands on my skin.”

“W-what destiny?” Twilight stared at the blazing sun on her Senior’s shapely rump, “You want to…stand with Celestia? Even–?” Sunset tapped Twilight’s chin with her polished hoof.

“You didn’t think our marvellous ruler was training students for fun, did you? I will be a Princess. I’m sure you were the smartest pony in your old school, Twilight Sparkle. But you will not be the smartest here. I will support you, all you need–and you will need it–but you must never hold me back. And never give up on your destiny, if you mean to study at my side.”

Twilight gazed into Sunset’s eyes; the burning world where fear and failure could not be. A thousand visions of disgrace and disappointment beset her, for the thousandth time.

The greatest school in Equestria; the toughest course, the highest mountain. She had a gift, but there would be no limit to its testing. And if a pony so loved, taught and nurtured as she had been failed at last, how worthless would that pony be!

Twilight held Sunset’s gaze like a liferope. When she spoke, her voice was small and firm.

“I don’t know about destiny, and I can’t imagine being a Princess. All I can do right now is study. But I will study as Princess Celestia’s student, with all my heart!”

“Perhaps we should have a study date sometime, Twilight Sparkle,” Sunset’s smile was hard to define, “Perhaps we will get on after all.”

-0-
-0-

That evening, Twilight Sparkle parted with tears from her parents, brother and Smarty Pants doll, to move into the dorms. With four-posters and weighty red drapes, they were probably the most extravagant dormitories in Equestria. But the bigger girls lounging about like sleeping lions did not leave her long unmolested.

“Hi there! Are you Twilight Sparkle? Celestia’s new student?” Green unicorn. Bouncing, grinning, lyre Cutie Mark–

“Do your parents really publish the Daring Doo books?” Yellow filly, mane cerulean. Hearts on flank, heart on sleeve–

“How did you hatch that dragon egg?” Blue, stripes. Responsible, smiling, hourglass–

“Could you tell the Princess–?”

“Can you help me meet A.K. Yearling?”

“Can we be friends–?”

A single new pony could swamp Twilight’s analytical mind with data. Facing a crowd of unrestrained fillies, she lasted under a minute.

As Twilight backed into the hallway and made for the stairs, a barrage of power chords burst through another door. With a little shriek, she almost took the stairs rump-first.

“Are you okay?” Lyra, the green unicorn, had followed her, “That’s just Sunset Shimmer. Seniors get their own rooms, you know, and, well, she plays guitar. She has top grades in everything, and loads of sports trophies. The perfect student, apart from last year, and that thing with the mirror.”

"What's that?"

"Well, she vanished for six months, and there was this rumour about a magic mirror. Nopony knows what it means, but she must’ve clashed with the Princess, or done something wrong. She can be a bit 'out there', you know, but she’s an amazing pony..."
Twilight didn't tarry longer. The only thing that frustrated her more than scheduling conflicts was insubstantial gossip. Sunset’s guitar disturbed her as well; it was technically superb, but sounded more like savage battle than a song.

Twilight was still flustered when she reached the library. It took hours of rememorizing The Gift Explained, History of Unicorns and Basic Techniques of the Gift (textbooks she had memorised weeks before her entry exam), before she recalled that she was a personal student of Princess Celestia at PCSGU. Everything was going to be fine.

With a short bedtime prayer to Lualus, the Divine Alicorn (which she wouldn’t have dared to say in front of the dormitory), she laid her head down on the desk. Tired enough to sleep anywhere. Too tired to worry longer about studies, other ponies, or Sunset Shimmer.

-0-
-0-

Twilight woke, with a book nudging her foreleg. She shook her head, squinted through the darkness. The book was floating; more volumes sailed off the library’s towering shelves as she watched. With a little chuckle, she opened one, and found she had lost the ability to read.

Pages covered in letters–words in Equestrian–but it might as well have been Yakistani. Her brain could not produce a single meaning, strain as she might. She started to groan, then to scream. Now the book flew from her desk–another thrust against her face, but she couldn’t read a single one. And from the world outside what had been her safe-haven of solitude, somepony was laughing.

Panting sour air, Twilight flailed with both hooves for a book. Any book. Then the book clamping its jaws on her neck. She fought like an animal to tear it away. A mindless, worthless animal, as blue smoke poured in around her, and Sunset Shimmer's laughter rang in her ears…

-0-
-0-

“Twilight! Twilight? It’s okay.”

Twilight woke up gasping–it was scary, but at last her breaths slowed. Once she had replaced her glasses she found herself staring at Sunset, who very nearly looked shaken.

“How..ugh…why?”

“Everypony in school stays up until midnight, first night back. I heard you’d gone out, guessed you’d be here; thought I’d mention sleeping on a desk is bad for the skin and the brain. I didn’t expect to find you thrashing about like a colic case.”

“It was a nightmare. Excuse me.” Twilight tried to rise. Sunset held her, "Please, let me go!"

"Take a minute. You should be careful. And if you have Nightsickness, you should get help."

Nightsickness. An uncommon disorder, endemic to Equestria. The lightest cases might go unnoticed. Chronic patients eked out their days between leaden insomnia and the terrors of sleep, generally without leaving their homes again. Apart from drugs scarcely less debilitating than the sickness, no cure had been found in almost a thousand years.

“N-no, I don't!" Twilight stammered, "I mean, I’ve never had nightmares like that before! I’m going to put my heart into my studies with the Princess. I told you that already!”

"It sounds like you will be alright," Sunset smiled and stepped away, "Just tell somepony if it happens again. And please sleep in the dorms. The Princess did tell me to look after you."

At first Twilight had flinched from Sunset's eyes, but now she looked. They weren’t like big brother’s kind eyes, for her scrapes and cuts, that made her cosy inside and safe. Sunset’s eyes were unyielding and strong, with a heart that shared its strength. Twilight’s fears vanished, as at Celestia’s touch, as Sunset’s smile stirred her heart. She couldn’t imagine a fear that wouldn’t.

Before Twilight walked back to the dorms with Sunset, her nightmare terror had vanished. But she was still pondering, a week later; why had she dreamt of Sunset laughing at her? Was she so weak she deserved that?

For the next few weeks, she made no move to spend time with Sunset. She wondered if she were nervous of such strength. She knew she was not at school to explore the terra incognita of Other Ponies, but to work. Into the small hours, every night in the library, because she wished never to see that nightmare again.

And she wished that her throat would stop aching so.

-0-
-0-

After escorting Twilight to her bed, Sunset went straight to Celestia. The Princess who moved Sun, Moon and stars needed but little sleep. She was seated on a veranda outside her throne room, silently gazing towards the Moon. Her mane floated like an aurora on the cold night air.

In the formal, punctilious manner that Sunset often assumed when alone with Celestia, she sat and told what had occurred.

“…I can’t believe it was an ordinary nightmare, Princess. She recovered fast enough, but I thought for a minute she’d lost her mind.”

“And our little Twilight has no history of Nightsickness.” Celestia nodded solemnly, “I will ensure that all is well with her. Thank you, Sunset, for voicing such concern.”

"Forgive me, Princess…but I am concerned. I hear Twilight Sparkle dangerously Surged in her entrance exam. Then she ends up in this state, before term even starts! Are you sure about her?”

Only a shadow of latent power touched Celestia’s voice, but it pinned Sunset’s ears against her head.

“Twilight Sparkle is the student I chose. She means no less to me than you, Sunset Shimmer. And both you and she still have much to learn.”

“I don’t doubt it, Princess. I know she’s smart as anything, and, ah, touchingly keen. But under this pressure, are you sure she’ll survive? I know…I didn’t.”

Now Celestia shut her eyes, as her crowned head fell to her chest. Her voice was low, golden and insistent.

“You survived, Sunset. You stand before me, with every wrong you have done consigned to the past. Twilight Sparkle will survive, because you will be with her. Be strong, wherever her strength may fail. And if you continue to do right, from an earnest, humble heart, you will attain a most wonderful destiny.”

Sunset raised her head, earnest to the edge of defiance.

“I understand, Princess. I will. While I am still your student, I will do all you ask.”

“Sunset! You are my treasured student…I had hoped you simply came here to view the Moon beside me. It is most clear tonight. Would you care to stay?”

“Thank you, Princess, but sorry. I don’t feel I can sit still, right now.”

“I understand. Goodnight, Sunset.”

Celestia watched Sunset walk away. Then her gaze turned back to the sky, and the shadowy face stretched over the moon.

Nightmare Moon. The black Alicorn had power over dreams, even across the gulf of space. She had quickly found it impossible to poison Equestria’s ponies against their beloved Princess through nightmares. Love was stronger than fear, in the end. So she had nursed her malice through the years of exile, by torturing the weakest ponies at their weakest spots through her nightmare plague.

“Did you hurt Twilight Sparkle, Nightmare Moon?” Celestia’s whisper was a bolt to pierce the heavens, “She is too strong for you, just like Sunset. You will not harm my students. And soon, my sister, soon…two dear friends will take up the Elements again. As we saved all Equestria, they will truly save you.”

Author's Note

MLP:FiM, like the Victorian debating society, quietly excludes sex, death and religion. This story will discuss one of the three, and possibly two.

It will not involve magic. Horn-related abilities of unicorns are their 'power' or 'gift'. The things they do with it are 'techniques'. Given the title of the show I've set this story in, this deserves an explanation.

Unicorns are 'magical' creatures; as Twilight Sparkle would agree, their powers are an inborn ability conferred by their creator, and nothing like such supernatural nonsense as curses and sixth-sense. Practise and study develop Twilight's abilities, as a child that can naturally breath might learn to scuba-dive or sing. The intrinsic powers of superheroes and sci-fi psykers is much closer to what unicorns do that historical human magic, which mostly invokes the aid of spirits or demons, since humans obviously don't have the same powers as unicorns (did you wonder why demons keep showing up in the Equestria Girls movies?). As a Christian, I do not want to promote this sort of magic in any way, hence the policy above. I hope, and I hope not unreasonably, to create a story which everyone can enjoy.

Year 1 - part 1

With a speech full of hopes and dreams from Princess Celestia, and an immediate cartload of homework, the school year began. Twilight set off full pace right from the gate. She had related the nightmare to Celestia (omitting the laughter), who had advised her to banish worries and fears. Twilight meant to do just that. If she studied with all her time, and learnt with all her strength, there would soon be no unknown left in her universe to worry about.

General classes in Maths, Science etcetera were everything she’d dreamt of. Challenging, copious; exhaustively satisfactory. Endless levitation exercises and super-dense theory, on the other hoof, would be all she experienced for some time of the Unicorn’s Gift.

Lualus the divine Alicorn had allegedly given Gifts to the three pony races, in order to steward and explore the world he had created (Twilight had learnt as much from her parents, though the incomprehensible had never been exactly a comfort to her). The practise of altering reality through willpower and imagination was much like arranging a three-dimensional puzzle, at once heavy as steel, fragile as taffy and formless as water. Even discounting Forbidden Techniques (which called on unnatural powers outside ponykind, through words, symbol or gestures, Twilight had read, and solely brought horror and insanity), the Unicorns’ Gift could be the both the most fruitful and most dangerous.

Twilight had been quite proud of the few mid-level Techniques she knew, and her famous dragon-hatching exam (though she had spent it in a Surge-induced trance). After a month of thrashing out the most basic fundamentals, she was both humbled and more enthralled by her calling than ever.

All that amazed Twilight more than the sea of knowledge she plunged through was how much her fellow students seemed to consider more worthwhile. The polo club, the hoofball club, music, food, sleep…or just chattering loudly in the library, until Lyra and Lemonhearts were told by Minuette to shut up.

“Some ponies might want to study.” The striped blue unicorn jerked her head towards Twilight, who had been struggling to memorise Obscure Unicorn History, at the end of the same ink-blackened oak table.

“Oh. Sorry, Twilight.”

“Yeah, sorry.”

“Um, that’s okay.” With no more to say, Twilight returned to her book.

“Hey, Twilight?” Minuette trotted towards her, “Are you having lunch with anyone? Do you want to go with us?”

“…er, why?”

“Well, you seem to be living in the library, mostly,” Lyra waved a hoof at the packed, darkened shelves, “You’re always on your own. You look lonely.”

“I have to study over lunch. Sorry.”

No mare was an island, according to Flourish Prose. Twilight’s family had been her island chain; she could hardly have missed three of her legs more. But her mother had told her to do her best, her Daddy had told her, have fun, and BBBFF had said he would love her whatever. What just response could her heart make, except to pour itself out over her work like ink? Ponies and lunches could be nothing but thieves of time.

It wasn’t that the curriculum was impassable. Twilight’s efforts would have done justice to a course still more severe. It was thoughts of what her Princess might say, or do, if her personal student put a hoof wrong, that made her cram, scrape and sweat. Further nightmares were an inescapable worry–but when her head finally dropped onto a pillow or desk, her sleep was dreamless and brief.

-0-
-0-

“–Excuse me? Twilight Sparkle?”

With a confused whinny, Twilight shook the fog from her eyes. She was still in the library. The windows were dark, dinner had surely ended at the school canteen, Her thoughts stumbled like drunken buffalo. She had spent another evening with some fascinating history, far in advance of the course–she had assignments for tomorrow, essays to rewrite, she needed to eat and sleep…and a very pretty silver-haired mare was sprawled over an adjacent chair.

“Ah, Twilight. As I was saying, would you be a chum, and finish this homework for me? The magnificent Trixie has a big date tonight, and you’re studying anyway. Think of it as a favour for a friend. And I assure you; you would prefer to be Trixie Lulamoon’s friend.”

“I...sorry, I don’t believe I would. And I have enough work to do already, Sorry.” Trixie’s smile went hard as a sliver of moon, and she flounced away, leaving Twilight rather confused what had upset her.

Nopony interrupted Twilight’s studies for some time after that. Twilight was sure they would have found her a dull companion anyway. Friendship was really for confident, beautiful ponies, like Sunset Shimmer.

Twilight hadn’t sought Sunset out, since the nightmare incident, and Sunset hadn’t sought her–she had her own classes with the other Third Years. Twilight wasn’t surprised, or unhappy. It was only the question of what Sunset really thought of her that detached her mind from studies, time and again.

-0-
-0-

In fact Twilight only really saw Sunset in the cosy purple sitting room where they shared weekly meetings with Celestia. Like Twilight’s individual lessons, these had thus far involved more cake and conversation than fantastic secret knowledge–albeit dense conversation about ponies, philosophy, the purpose of the Gift, and what her students meant to do with theirs.

"Apart from the physical world, ponies have an inner universe of thoughts and dreams." Twilight steadied her voice, "The Gift brings out that universe. Into the light, you might say.”

“An intriguing answer.” Twilight grinned at her Princess like an idiot. Celestia sipped from her teacup, “Sunset?”

“The purpose of the Gift is purpose.” Sunset’s voice was firm, a bridge across a river of fire, “It is a power by which ponies work out their destiny and purpose, whatever it might be, and give the ponies around them the means to work out theirs.”

“Oh, Sunset,” To Twilight’s shock, Celestia shook her head, “The same answer you gave two years ago?”

“I have learned since then, Princess. I’ve taken my knocks. But my purpose is still the same. What would I be without it?”

Celestia stared away into the orange fireplace, then gave her students a list of books. Twilight watched Sunset drink up Celestia’s words; ever diligent, never satisfied. She wouldn't give up either. When her Princess thought her ready for real lessons, Twilight would be ready.

-0-
-0-

Chemistry had always made Twilight nervous. The lab’s glass shields and interminable safety briefings did little to drive burns and horrid deformities from her imagination. She did do her utmost to personally prepare; she had slept several nights in the library, the week of the lesson where disaster plucked at her tail.

The lesson had begun normally. Professor Topaz, passing out laughter draught recipes to the students, instructed them to take their ingredients from the store cupboard, ‘without any horseplay’. Twilight had added four ingredients of five to her flask, when it suddenly fizzed, and filled the lab with sugar-scented pink smoke.

A quiet filly called Moondancer quickly put out the burner and added a neutralizing agent. The class still ended up guffawing until Twilight’s sides and heart ached. Professor Topaz drily explained that Twilight had taken Bom-bom pods instead of Heart’s Desire from the supply cupboard. It might be necessary to exclude her from practical lessons, unless she was much more careful in future.

Twilight heard, silently completed the lesson, then collapsed under her bed in the dormitory, staring and shaking. She would have to leave the school, if she wasn’t fit to be her Princess’s student–but how would she ever make it up to her parents? Her brother would pity her, too much to speak to her, her Princess would never look on her again, and Sunset would glance at her with a tiny smile, and Twilight Sparkle would be better off dead…

Twilight would have hugged her knees until nightfall, pierced by her thriving imagination, If Sunset Shimmer hadn’t bustled into the room, with two thickset Royal Guards and–Trixie.

“I demand to hear the meaning of this! The Oh-so-Amazing Trixie will not tolerate–!”

“Trixie? Shut up. Twilight? Come out. A royal student has to be stronger than this.” Twilight crawled out, wondering if the disastrous potion was about to get her arrested, “Trixie Lulumoon, meet Twilight Sparkle. The filly you almost got excluded from a key module, by switching the potion ingredients!”

“S-switched? Oh no, you don’t know that!” Trixie blustered, flicking her hair. A Guard ventured that, without evidence–

“–that the seeds were switched, and the culprit was you, Trixie?” Sunset trotted back and forth, as if more accustomed to denouncing criminals than Shadow Spade, “Firstly, you’ve been expressing envy of Twilight’s grades since term started. Second, you entered the potions store cupboard immediately before Twilight, to switch the labels. Thirdly, you left your safety specs in the cupboard, as a pretext to return and switch them back. Fourth and conclusively, I’ve already used a detection technique on whole class. Two fillies had Bom-bom spores on their hooves, Trixie. Twilight Sparkle, and–”

“Ha! Nonsense! There are no spores on my hooves, I used my horn to switch…oh, horseapples!” Both Guards snorted with laughter; Sunset simply applauded, “It…was just a joke! I tried to be friends with her, but she wouldn’t help me with my homework, or even talk to me, the Great and Wonderful Trixie! Just to rub it in that she’s Celestia’s prize student; if there's one thing I cannot bear, it is conceit!”

“Pot, meet kettle!” Sunset snapped. Her mane almost blazed; scared as Twilight was, she could not take eyes off her. Trixie looked ready to faint “Apologise to Twilight. Then these gentlecolts will take you to Princess Celestia, and you will confess to her, so Twilight cannot possibly be excluded from practical classes, or the whole school will hear what you did. Don’t worry. Keep blubbing like that, and our gracious Princess should go easy on you.”

Trixie having been hustled out by the Guards. Twilight ran to Sunset Shimmer, fiddling with her glasses in nervous excitement.

“Thank you, Sunset! You didn’t have to get so angry for me, but that was amazing! I didn’t know you could command the Royal Guard. Can I do that as well?”

“We can’t, actually. I ordered. They assumed I could,” Sunset gently pushed Twilight away, “Had to keep the frighteners on to make her slip up. And don’t thank me. I didn’t do it for you.”

“I don't understand...?”

“I told the Princess I would protect you. I think she’ll have to admit that I’ve done that.”

-0-
-0-

After a woeful, near hysterical, confession, Trixie was let off with a warning. When the Princess next met with her students, Sunset received a mild censure as well.

“You were heavy-hooved and dishonest in your methods, Sunset. Your motives may have been good, but I cannot say I am pleased."

“Princess.” Sunset's eye were lowered, but her frustration could not be hidden, "What else should I have done?"

“Perhaps simply spoken to Trixie, or Twilight, without any great drama? On that note, I’d like you to tutor Miss Lulamoon for the rest of the term. I sense great danger of her galloping down the wrong path.”

“You’re punishing me? Not Trixie?”

“Would you deny her the forgiveness you yourself have received?” Sunset flinched away, as if from the glare of the Sun. The Princess's eyes quickly softened. “Oh, Sunset. The most brilliant of ponies must learn humility and patience. The most brilliant of us all have need of friendship, and contentment.”

Celestia loved Sunset like a mother; Sunset respected her hugely, at heart. Twilight was sure that was true; she just couldn't imagine why such strong, good ponies seemed so unhappy with each other. And she didn’t dare ask what her Princess meant about forgiveness. But when she passed the dorm en route to the library, hours later, she heard the furious howl of Sunset’s guitar from the lawn outside.

Twilight was now sure of something she found hard to understand. Sunset was beautiful, absurdly confident, and everything else Twilight had never been. But, like Twilight, she didn’t seem to have a single friend.

-0-
-0-

A week after the Trixie incident Twilight was called to demonstrate a growth technique to her class. She made a tiny omission, and it fizzled. She tried again, and again, panic rising over her like water, until the teacher insisted she sit back down.

“I-I can do it, Sir! I know–!”

“Not in your current state, Miss Sparkle. Please sit down.”

Silently, avoiding every pair of eyes, and Trixie’s smirk, she got through the rest of the lesson. She left the classroom, heading for the dorms, teeth grinding in silence and screaming in her head. She had failed. Study and practise into every day's night, but still her best was no good. Failure, failure–

“Hey, Twilight? Come here.”

Sunset Shimmer was behind her. Unicorns flowed around them, and Twilight stared.

“W-why are you here? How are you there, every time I’m ready to break?”

“I promised I’d take care of you. Right now, this is where I have to be.”

“Just because the P-princess ordered you?”

“Because you’re trying. On your own, falling apart–you’re still fighting for your destiny, harder than anypony else. You sparkle, Twilight.”

Her eyes were brilliant. Honest. Twilight’s chest burned, and she ran to Sunset. Buried her face in her neck. She felt dizzied and awestruck, as if the sun itself had finally touched her soul.

Sunset wiped sparkling tears from Twilight’s eyes. It was some time before they needed to speak.

“That’s enough now, Twilight. You’re tough, understand? You’re good. Just stop hiding in the library all night, and start eating proper meals. You’ve read enough biology to know ponies need sleep and food to study, capice?”

“I-I thought you didn’t even like me! Princess Celestia’s new student, I thought you were…”

“Jealous? Me?” Sunset’s grin was dazzling, “I'm Celestia's student, and so are you. I really believe that, though I never imagined we'd come to this…uh, if you tell anypony I called you sparkling, I’ll get you back!”

“Okay! Promise. So long as you promise...can we be friends?”

It was desire that Twilight Sparkle had never felt in her life, bursting on her, like love in a Mills and Hooves novel. Sunset looked rather surprised herself.

“Sure. I could buy you a coffee? And we could have that study date, if you don't want to do something else…?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know what friends are supposed to do. But I’ve got a few ideas for our assignment!” Sunset grinned back, and clicked her hoof against Twilight’s.

It turned out that Sunset had only skimmed the philosophical works Celestia had set for them. But she talked so engagingly about the concepts that Twilight promised to supply a complete summary. When Sunset’s grade jumped 5% that week, and Celestia complimented her insight, she promised Twilight a giant hay ice cream. Both Ponies left the room walking on sunbeams. Twilight knew that Sunset Shimmer was her friend, and everything was going to be fine. She slept peacefully in her bed that night, without fear of nightmares.

And Celestia watched the two fillies from her tower, as they trotted across the palace courtyard. Then she looked at the flag fluttering from every tower–the black Alicorn and the white, each chasing the other in their circle of eternity–and smiled as much from joy as grief.

Year 1 - part 2

While PCSGU did not post the results of weekly tests, little else was so much on its students’ lips. Rumour hummed about the school that Twilight Sparkle would break Sunset Shimmer’s dominance of the rankings, as early as midterms.

Of course Sunset was unassailable in practical subjects (the Gift blazed from her horn, with a power and precision Twilight hadn’t imagined possible) or even sports (Watching her take hurdle after hurdle on the track, Twilight felt her stomach was going to pleasantly take flight). But in Theory of the Gift, Twilight’s day was not expected to be long in coming. The first time her fellow student beat her score in a weekly test, Sunset reacted by–inviting her out for shopping and manedos.

“Um, sure. If you’re sure…?”

“Friendly competition, remember? After all that hard work, you’re due a reward. You know Snips and Snails, from your year? They’ll meet us in town, and carry our stuff back, so we can splash out ahead of the Spring Fling. But manedos first, so that everypony in town will see us.”
So Twilight found herself fidgeting in the marble foyer of a Canterlot salon. Gorgeously coiffed mares stared down from every wall, and chattering customers pushed past her. She turned back to Sunset, ears drooping.

“Do I just walk in, and ask…what do I ask for? Everypony seems so busy, and I know a really good bookstore–”
Sunset leaned into Twilight's side. Her muzzle brushed the younger filly’s ear.

“You’re Canterlot-born, aren’t you? My parents were Hoofington schoolteachers–my first day in the capital honestly threw me a loop. I could've mentioned I was Celestia's pupil, and had every shop-pony kissing my hooves, but I didn't. Not until I could trot right into any place, as if all it had been for me, because I am a pony who matters, and so are you. Now get in there, and tell them what you want."

Twilight drew herself up, walked in–and sure enough, she was quickly standing under a mane-dresser’s cape, as a handsome unicorn stallion danced scissors and sprays around her mane. Sunset, in the next stall along, looked rather satisfied.

“Um, thanks!” Everypony getting a manedo was talking; Twilight presumed she must also talk, “So, um, you know Snips and Snails? I wouldn’t have, er, thought they were your type.”

“From way back. Confession time–they were the ponies who warned me about your trouble with Trixie. Early in the year I told them to look out for you, just in case.”

“Oh, Sunset...you wanted to help me that much?”

“Well, Celestia’s orders. And don’t worry, I told those goons I’d turn them into slugs if they peeked on you changing.”

“Ah, ha ha, it’s okay…I can’t think when I last wore clothes!”

“Twilight Sparkle, are you really from Canterlot?”

And seeing that the nearest milliners shop held more dresses than Twilight had thought there were in Equestria, she had to wonder. She had known that fashion existed, and Canterlot was a centre of it. Not that it was such a thread hothouse of frills, rills, gemstones and lace, or that the fruits it bore were absurd price tags.

None of it daunted Sunset. The flame-haired pony twirled dress after gorgeous dress in mid-air, set assistants flying about every shop for more (at least the pegusi flew), and knew all the proprietors by name. She didn’t show the bubbling joy of other shoppers Twilight observed, including Lemonhearts, Lyra and their pink-maned friend, Twinkleshine. Sunset shopped like a pony with a purpose.

Most of the school, in fact, appeared to be out shopping together ahead of the Spring Fling–and most of the Third Years in a group, apart from Sunset. They smiled awkwardly as Sunset approached them, but Twilight watched her engage them all with sheer charm. They were laughing together, inside a minute. Twilight simply couldn’t understand why she was Sunset’s only friend.

“Okay, Twilight,” Sunset turned her attention back to her companion, “This shade of blue will go best with your coat. My treat.”

“Thanks! Er, Sunset are your parents very senior teachers?”

“Oh no. Though they could head up a ministry of boring.” Her voice was bitter, as if parents summed up everything wrong with Sunset Shimmer, “Anyway, you mean ‘how is she going to pay for these dresses?’ don’t you? Well, my little pony, there is such a thing as credit. And Princess Celestia’s personal students can get it anywhere.”

As owners of Equestria’s third largest publishing house, Nightlight and Twilight Velvet were wealthy ponies. However, they had always granted their foals a modest allowance to teach responsibility. Trotting out into the sunshine with unpaid-for frocks, Twilight almost felt like a criminal. But it thrilled her to have Sunset as a partner in crime.

“Watch out, you silly cow! Do you even appreciate the responsibility of carrying the tremendous Trixie’s shopping?”

Twilight stared at the pale and miserable looking filly, laden with bags, being shouted at by her nemesis in a crowded public street. Without pause, Twilight marched towards them.

“Excuse me! That’s rude, horrible, and-and specist to cows! Leave her alone, or I’ll report you.”

“Well, Twilight Sparkle,” Trixie was a born sneerer, “Still think you’re above the common herd? Well, I am the great and–!”

“Seriously, Trixie?” Sunset’s voice was deceptively quiet, “Carry your own bags.”

“Really, Sunset? Wouldn’t you rather I carried yours?” Something in Trixie’s smile gave Twilight a chill, “You should have kept up our little tutoring sessions like your Princess ordered. But I was hardly going to be one of your little minions, like Twilight the four-eyed foal–”

“I put up with you as long as I could, and longer than you deserve!”

“Oh things would be different if we all got what we deserved. Ponies still talk about your first year, Sunset, and what you deserve–”

Flames leaped from Sunset’s horn, singeing Trixie’s mane-ends black with a nasty smell. Twilight knew about the lions and tigers in Zebraland, but suddenly lost all desire to ever see another one.

“GET OUT OF MY SIGHT! And never insult Twilight again.”

Trixie picked up her bags and ran. Sunset turned to Twilight, looking almost as shocked as her.

“Sorry, Twilight. You know I’ve always had a temper.”

“It’s okay. I know you just did it for me.” Twilight smiled hesitantly, at the silent filly she now recognised as another First Year, Moondancer, “Are you okay? You shouldn’t let Trixie bully you like that!”

“I just have to live with it,” Moondancer whispered, rubbing her specs, “Or I wouldn’t have even one friend.”

"Better to be alone, than lug about a 'friend' like that." Sunset lightly touched Moondancer's side, "A strong filly like you can find her own happiness."

Moondancer gave a tiny, beautiful smile. Twilight found herself suggesting that they all hang out together that afternoon, "–if, that's okay with you, Sunset?"

“Certainly. Never a dull moment with you, is there?”

Twilight’s afternoon was even more magical than the morning. After lunch at Sunset’s favourite café, and a visit to her favourite tucked-away music shop, the three of them hit the bookshops. Moondancer was silent, but seemed to relax. Finally Snips and Snails, the gangly orange colt and tubby green colt Sunset had mentioned, arrived to be loaded down with books and dresses.

“Hello Miss Shimmer! Hello Miss Sparkle!” Snails burbled, “It’s a beautiful day, and that rhymes with may I take your–?”

“Just take the stuff, mule-face!” Snips snapped.

“Um, you don't have to call me 'Miss',” Twilight offered, “And, er, thanks very much.”

“Oh, no sweat!” Snips hefted a bookbag with grunts, “Anything for Miss Shimmer! We’d never have gotten into this school, if she hadn’t told us the meaning of our Cutie Marks.”

“Yeah!” Snails interrupted, “My brain spirals round and round, through Cutie Marks, the meaning of friendship, pudding–“

“–and so on, whilst I, Snips, snip off my train of thought and act!”

“Heh, remember the bear?”

“Shuddup! Point is, we’re unstoppable together!”

“And best friends forever!”

“Enough gay talk, let’s go!” And, clicking their back hooves together, the young colts staggered back towards the school. Twilight trotted ahead, and whispered to Sunset how amazing she was.

“Oh, those two? It was just an inspiration, and it gives them comfort,” Sunset smile flash, “I suppose Cutie Marks are an interest of mine. Some ponies have such very different destinies.”

Twilight nodded happily. Her wavy manestyle, exactly the same as Sunset’s, bobbed against her neck.

A few days after her shopping trip, Twilight found an unsigned letter on her pillow. It was an exhaustive account of Sunset Shimmer’s first two years at PCSGU; and very little impressed Twilight more than thorough research. Which the letter would have been, if the lists of rumours spread, characters destroyed and friends betrayed weren’t a palpable tissue of lies. It was on record that Sunset Shimmer had dropped out of school for six months in her second year. But if Princess Celestia had ordered that, why in Equestria would Sunset still be her student?

As prescribed in melodramatic novels, Twilight sought out a fireplace and flung the letter into it. Trixie would have to do better than that, to turn her against her best and only friend.

-0-
-0-

Twilight approached her first midterms in a state of barely-controlled terror. Though Sunset was with her, studying hard as she was, and their professors had been so attentive and encouraging…the poisoned smoke of the burnt letter seemed to hang in her mind. And hadn’t her entrance exam almost ended in disaster? Both fillies crammed their waking hours with study, to their teachers’ approval.

“Your work ethic is admirable, Miss Sparkle,” Professor Topaz twinkled over her half-moon specs, “Both adequate and appropriate for the Princess’s student. It took me some time to impress on Miss Shimmer, when she first joined us, what responsibility comes with your position of privilege.”

“Your efforts here,” Professor Chalkdust coughed, “Will determine the course of your life far more than a Cutie Mark. If only we could dispense with these excessive parties and social events, but her Highness insists…”

“You still have all to prove, Miss Twilight,” Dr Set Square added, “But, Miss Shimmer, you have no reason to rest on your laurels. Having amazed us twice already, I expect you to astound us this year.”

Sunset smiled at him, brightly and briefly. Twilight couldn’t help noticing that her friend’s brief daily guitar practise was getting louder as midterms drew nearer.

Finally, the grades were out. Princess Celestia told Twilight in pony that she was top in Theory, no lower than third in anything else but chemistry.

“That’s…thank you, Princess. I’m happy, and grateful…”

“Oh, Twilight,” Celestia smiled down mischievously, “Princess’s may not be free to express their feelings–but you most certainly may.”
Twilight nodded. Then she bounced wildly around her Princess’s feet, yelling for joy as if she meant her parents and brother to hear it at home.

“You did wonderfully, Twilight,” Celestia went on, her voice gorgeous with happiness, “And I believe you’ve only begun to tap your potential, in every way.”

“Huh? But, Princess, I worked as hard as I could!”

“Hard work is a beginning, Twilight, and you could scarcely have begun better. Now, why don’t you ask Sunset how she got on?”

After Twilight had raced out of the exam hall, one of the teachers present coughed.

“Highness? Sunset Shimmer did not seem entirely pleased with her results.”

“I know, Professor.” Celestia lowered her head, “I would be with her now. Except that Twilight Sparkle is the one she needs.”

-0-
-0-

Twilight skipped towards the dormitory, eager to congratulate Sunset–but soon slowed, as the wail of rock guitar was audible from some distance. As Twilight entered the dorm, the music rose to a hummingbird-fast howl. Followed by a very real scream, a crash and silence.

Lyra, Minuette and the other schoolfillies were huddled a corridor’s length away. Twilight never forgot that every eye turned to her as she arrived.

“Uh, Twilight? Maybe you should check on Sunset, as her friend?”

“Twilight beat her grade in midterms, you silly bint! She’ll eat her alive!”

“Should we get a teacher? Or the Princess…?”

Twilight trotted past them without a word, and knocked on Sunset’s door. She glimpsed red, tearful eyes, before her friend pulled her in, slammed the door, and hid her face again in a pillow. All four of her hooves were beating the floor with terribly intensity.

Apart from a table Sunset had smashed to kindling with the Gift, her room was neater than Twilight had expected. There were worn posters of Jimi Hayricks, Amy Ciderhouse and Cob Mareley (the famous flame-patterned guitar was one of several), as well as every prize or certificate Sunset had ever attained, carefully arranged in order. Twilight tried to imagine their places were switched, and put a hoof on her friend’s shoulder.

“Sunset? It’s okay. You’re the best unicorn in this school, and I’m sorry…”

With a whinny of shock, Sunset suddenly pulled Twilight into a hug.

“Twilight, I’m not angry with you! I knew you would be top in Theory, Celestia didn’t chose you for nothing!”

“Then, why…?”

“I came second in Practical!” It was a barely-bridled scream, “Starry Flash beat me, in my best subject!”

Twilight knew Flash as the smartest colt at PCSGU, even in Second Year. He was President of the music society, and extremely popular. In fact, since the time she’d bumped into him with a stack of books, only for Flash to politely help her up…quite a lot of her thoughts, dreams and heart-fluttery feelings had centred on his face.

Still, it had been an exam. Twilight did not tell Sunset there were bigger things, or that there would still be the finals. She simply held her friend in silence, and wished there was something better she could do–when in fact, there was not.

“This is just so humiliating!” Sunset finally gasped, “If I left this room now, I swear I would hurt somepony. The other girls are nothing but envy and whispers, or grubbing for favours, and the teachers are worse! I’ve got to be the best, because it’s all I’ve got to be the best. Or what am I? What am I!”

“I’m your friend, Sunset. I’ll do anything for you I can.”

“Oh, Twilight. I…don’t deserve that. I’m not a good pony…”

“You are! You’re brave and smart and beautiful…”

“I was a monster, in my second year. If you think I’m big-headed now…I did whatever it took to win, whoever I had to crush. Only because the Princess saved me, I even began to change. Please, Twilight, don’t ever put me before your future. Never hold back for me. Because I will never hold back for anypony. That’s who I am.”

Looking into Sunset’s eyes that were both proud and pleading, Twilight felt more than she could describe. Fear, care, excitement–and a tide of relief that she had burnt Trixie’s letter.

“Sunset? Can I stay with you a bit longer?”

Twilight ended up staying with Sunset all night, apart from a quick run for coffee and doughnuts. They talked about the Princess, what she might think of them, and how much they wished they knew. Twilight’s family, Sunset’s music and both their books; everything they cared about except work.

“…I got my Cutie Mark when there was a fire at my junior school. Some fool knocked over the hayfrier, the whole ground floor went up. Frankly…I didn’t want die, before I’d done anything, or been anyone. I got a freak Gift Surge, like your exam, and that fire parted before me, like theatre curtains. I walked straight through. The other foals followed me out.”

“That is awesome.” Twilight wished she had a stronger word. “It’s like you’re the heroine of a fairytale!”

“Everything was so easy, back then. Nothing but work and hard lessons at PCSGU…but the ending will be a fairytail, and I’ll get there someday.”

“Sunset, I’m so…so happy you’re my friend.” Twilight knew her next with mathematical certainty, “Friends forever?”

“I…don’t know, Twilight.” Sunset’s voice was tender, like a bruise, “But I hope so, and that's the truth.”

Later, Sunset had shown Twilight how she tied a pick to her hoof and played guitar like an Earth Pony, ‘for added viscereality’. She threw the strap over Twilight’s neck, came up behind her, then guided her hooves through ‘Streets of Trottingham’ and ‘FireSprites’.

“Different from using your horn, isn’t it?” She whispered.

“Yes,” Twilight breathed, “It's magical.”

Twilight returned to her room exhausted, and happy as a newborn lamb. In all her weekly tests for the rest of the year, her score was slightly lower than Sunset’s, who never said another word about it. Perhaps she understood that Twilight had made a choice–one she couldn’t even have imagined before friendship.

-0-
-0-

“…so, nopony got this Technique to really work, but I found this other spell from 200 years later, and I really think you should look at it, Sunset. If it does work…you would come first in the final exam for certain.”

Twilight breathlessly watched Sunset study her notes. Her friend soon grinned at her, and agreed she would.

“Thank you, Twilight. Will you tell me now what Technique you’re going to present yourself?”

“Ah, I had some ideas…”

“Twilight. Have you researched any Technique for yourself? The final exams are in two weeks!”

“I’ll work like a horse. I’ll be ready in time. You’re going to use the technique I found, aren’t you?” Sunset stopped pacing up and down to look at Twilight directly.

“I should never have let you do this. Celestia would be furious if she knew…but this is the final exam, Twilight. If I learn and perform the technique myself, it will be all within the rules. But if you mess up your own presentation, Twilight, and it had better be the most ambitious Technique you’ve tried in your life…I will not lift hoof or horn to help you. Even as your friend, I can’t.”

“I understand,” Sunset recognized the look on Twilight’s face as implacable, “If I mess up…it just means that I was never worthy to stand beside you and the Princess.”

Sometimes, the bespectacled little filly almost scared Sunset. Had she not paid her enough attention? Could Twilight sense what she was holding back–her sin worse than all the rest together?

Whatever friendship they had between them, Twilight wanted more. And so would Sunset, except that she just didn’t know where it would end. She was worrying about the silly filly already, feeling responsible–but without her fellow student and junior, what would she be? A friendless, straight-A, hate-sink, with a shameful past and no future at all.

-0-
-0-

Sunset’s final exam was flawless. The examiners were rather alarmed when their floating clipboards burst into purple flame; more shocked that their faces were warmed, but the clipboards completely unburnt. Then truly astounded, when the fire incinerated their unused notepaper, one sheet at a time. Finally, Sunset levitated four small wooden blocks above the flames. Every eye was on her, none wider than Twilight’s.

“Fire is my element. It warms, protects and destroys; control is the one thing needful. Thank you for your attention.”

Sunset dropped the blocks, which instantly burnt to dust, then returned the clipboards intact. The examiners took several seconds to break into rapturous applause. Sunset limped back to her seat, drained but exultant.

Twilight felt rather sick, as she walked out before the four examiners with nothing but a potted vine. Worse than her entrance exam, when she’d had so much less to lose…but wasn’t her Princess smiling at her from the back? Wasn’t Sunset with her, even if she wouldn’t meet her eye? Twilight’s voice trembled as she spoke, then steadied.

“I-I intend to demonstrate a growth technique. This is the technique that my fellow student, Sunset Shimmer, chose for her own First Year exams. This to thank her, for all her help, and kindness…for being my first, best friend.”

Twilight shut her eyes, and focused all her will. Carefully gripped the strands of reality denoting plant…growth…nutrients…dirt….no, soil!

The thread edged from her mental grasp. A grunt burst from Twilight’s lips as she strained to retrieve the thread without losing the rest. Her eye edged open, and she saw Sunset, bolt upright and staring at her–then another will touched hers. Like Sunset’s hoof on hers, the night they practised the guitar. Even now, her friend was there to help her, when all she might ever have was at risk!

All eyes were on Twilight. They saw her quickly shake her head–Sunset’s power withdrew, as she slumped back in her chair. Twilight knew she would have no regrets. She would stand at Sunset’s side, lift her up and never drag her down. That was what she wanted most in the world.

For four minutes, Twilight strained and gasped. Then she finally saw her potplant smash through the roof in a dozen places, broad as an oak, before collapsing in total exhaustion.

“Twilight! You’re alright…well done.” Sunset caught her, levitating her friend to a chair, “Hate to say it; I never did it like that. Look.”

Twilight blearily looked up. Her great vine was covered in red and yellow flowers, big as cartwheels, fragrant as orchids.

-0-
-0-

The scores were no surprise. Sunset had the highest mark, Twilight third. Starry Flash looked quite happy to have second place for his perfect model solar system. Trixie looked furious with the grade for her firework display, though it was well above a pass.
Twilight felt curiously empty. She noticed the Princess lower her head, to where Sunset was knelt at her feet, whispering…Celestia straightened up, and coughed for everypony’s instant attention.

“Congratulations, my little ponies, on a most exceptional display. Before one can help others, they must stand on their own four hooves, alone. Exploiting or dismissing the efforts of others is a tragic evil. But friendship, with mutual aid and mutual respect, is one of the finest things in the world. Based on information received from a certain student, in an exceptional display of loyalty…I am removing two points from Sunset Shimmer’s score, putting her in second overall place. And for her brilliant research and selfless integrity, I am increasing Twilight Sparkle’s score by four points, putting her in first place.”

Twilight ran to Sunset. She leapt on Sunset, bore her to the ground, and started kissing her muzzle as if they’d just won the Polo Equestrian Cup.

“Oh, thank you! Thank you, Sunset, thank you, it’s the most wonderful thing you could’ve done!”

“Everypony! Three cheers for the Princess!” Sunset managed, still on the ground. And even Starry Flash joined in with a will.

-0-
-0-

Then all exams were over, and it was time for the Fall Formal. The fillies got out their dresses, the colts picked the gaudiest jackets they could find, and it was lights, music; action. The vast palace ballroom, high-ceilinged and grandly pillared, made the students look an even smaller group. However, if streamers and disco balls didn't fill the ballroom, the young unicorns seemed determined to fill the space with their youth and euphoria.

Twilight had never realised that a gala could actually be fun. She suspected her dancing was a bit cheesy, if not downright awful, but engaging her body in place of her brain felt rather exciting. Besides, Lemonhearts and Minuette were having as much fun dancing just as badly. Twinkleshine was gliding across the ballroom with her coltfriend, while Lyra was chatting to the sweet Earth Pony friend she'd invited.

Moondancer was nowhere to be seen. Twilight felt a pang of guilt for not checking on her since the shopping trip, but only a brief pang. She was even glad to see Trixie having a good time, tonight. The blue mare had danced with three different colts already and had many more lined up, including the hopelessly hopeful Snips and Snails. It wasn’t Twilight’s idea of fun, and she would never have worn such a gaudy dress, but it really took all kinds.

Sunset was like a fish in water. Beautiful in a white gown that was both simple and regal, she talked and laughed with everypony, hypnotising them with her wit and joy. The ruthless alpha-female who couldn’t bear to be second was forgotten. Everypony saw Sunset in the moment, as simply the brightest, most thrilling mare in the room. She led off all the toasts and informal prizegivings–Flash was the Prince, Trixie was Miss Successful, Twilight was Miss Brainy, and Sunset, of course was the Princess. Twilight not only believed, but saw, that this was the pony Sunset was born to be.

“How do you do it?” She gasped, resting with Sunset in the gardens outside, “Make everypony love you like that?”

“Just showing an interest, whoever they are, you know? Sacrifice is the heart of friendship, our Princess would say.” Sunset threw her head back towards the stars, “This is the first gala I’ve enjoyed in a long time.”

“Sunset, thank you so much for telling the Princess I helped you. I know how much you wanted to be the best.”

“I am the best,” The old dazzling smile, “But you matter more to me. Celestia’s good opinion too.”

“Are you sure Starry Flash wasn’t upset? He dropped to third…”

“He told me he was fine, Twilight. He said he had the same grade, and he was fine with that.”

“All the same, can you tell him I’m sorry? And I…wish him luck.”

“Sure you don’t want to tell him yourself?” Twilight made no reply. With a parting hoof bump, Sunset threw her jacket over her shoulder, and went back to the dance.

Twilight’s hooves were so sore that it was some time before she followed. She averted her gaze from a couple of ponies making out noisily behind a bush. Then she saw Sunset’s hair, through a stand of trees. Moving like fire, as she ran her tongue lightly over the orange muzzle of Starry Flash, then plunged into his mouth.

Twilight stared at her first friend kissing her first crush, then announcing her presence. Flash clearly didn’t know where to put his face, but Sunset, as always, was unfazed.

“Twilight. I believe you’ve met my new coltfriend?”

“No way. You were so angry when he beat your score…”

“Well, we’ve got past that, as you might've seen.” Sunset put a hoof around Twilight and drew her aside, “I don’t just need grades to be Equestria’s next Princess, you know. I need to be a pony who ponies can love. I need a popular, incredibly handsome consort. But not as much as I need my own Starswirl the Bearded with me, all the way to the top. I need you, Twilight.”

“…Starswirl? Me?”

“Of course. You’re the smartest student in this school, after all."

Flash watched in bemusement, as Twilight burst into tears on her friend’s shoulder. She would be Sunset’s friend forever, whatever it cost, and if she was a fool she was too much in love to care.

Year 2 - part 1

Author's Note

Small material edits made to Cpt 2 part 1 hint more closely at Celestia's connection to the elements of harmony, and Sunset Shimmer's adventure in Tenochtitclan. Yes, the important pony whose flank she saved from a crocodile pit was indeed Daring Do.

Year 2 - part 1

‘No letters from Sunset’ was the flaw throughout Twilight’s Hearth-Warming holiday. She wrote to Sunset’s parents in Hoofington every week. The reply always came that, ‘Our daughter is not presently residing at this address. We regrettably cannot inform you at what juncture she will return’. Twilight imagined she would get on well with Sunset’s parents.

Then the new school year had arrived, and Sunset wasn’t there. The Royal Guard were mildly surprised to see a small purple filly galloping across the palace courtyard, demanding to speak with Princess Celestia at the top of her lungs.

The Princess drew Twilight aside to the velvet draped sitting room, where a hearth burning warm against the chilly air. Her tasks had become steadily more practical over the previous year, though often still surprising. Twilight had expected a week’s hard graft in the palace greenhouses, for example, to yield fresh knowledge of rare plants. But it was tending a common geranium with her own hooves that taught lessons of growth, learning and herself–as soon as Celestia told her, she knew it was so. Twilight’s awe at the compassion and wisdom of her Princess had grown faster than the most prodigious vine.

Celestia explained that Sunset’s holiday research trip had extended itself. She ought to return in a few weeks; but where she was and what she was doing were secrets of state.

"I trust you understand. My personal students must learn many things which no classroom or exam hall could contain."

“Oh! A secret mission…I suppose she really is your protégé.”

“As are you, dear Twilight. Your present studies are the foundation of a wonderful future. Now, I recall setting the Amniomorphic Technique for you to learn over the holidays. Are you ready to show me?”

Though a little nervous, Twilight had practised the Technique to death. It left her panting, but came off well.

“Excellent work, Twilight.” Celestia's voice was like a gentle kiss, “We will look at related Techniques, soon, but this week I would like you to prepare reports on the flora, fauna and ancient cultures of the Tenochtitlan Basin. Please submit them to me daily, starting today, as a matter of first importance.”

Twilight’s relish for the task was unalloyed. She would have set about it with no less commitment and much less composure–Celestia was sure of it–had she known where Sunset Shimmer was, and what she was about.

Serious matters often did not appear so, until too late. Twilight would learn it, as Celestia had learned. Learned, and learnt, cramming her beautiful head with wisdom, until there was barely room for herself. And still failed her sister, as she had failed Sunset.

-0-
-0-

Dear Princess Celestia…

Sunset paused over the journal that sent messages instantly to her teacher, pushed back her broad-brimmed hat, and glanced about.

On every side, smooth rubber trees shot up above her head into starry darkness. A stew of vines and mud under her feet swept down the vine-shrouded river, and her boat. She was resting on the body of a tiger; some native ponies had set it on her during a brief stop. She had snatched a spear from them with the Gift, and impaled the creature through its back.

Everything grew free, in every direction at once. She would take Tenochtitlan over the Canterlot gardens, any day.

Dear Princess Celestia. Still alright. Three days by river away from the fortress of Talacon. Back in two weeks.

Dear Sunset Shimmer (The reply appeared), I am glad to hear you are safe, but I would be more glad if you returned directly to Canterlot. I sent you on a fact finding mission, not to run such risks.

Dear Princess Celestia, you sent me to find facts and I found a crazed monster, poised to dominate a region on our border. I’m not overblowing, or understating, my strength. For the sake of Equestria, I can take him.

Dear Sunset Shimmer, for the sake of your life–I ask you to return. Please understand. You are precious to me.

(Tell me in pony, then…)

Dear Princess Celestia, thank you, but I don’t understand. You told me to put other ponies before myself. I’m doing this for the ponies of Equestria. If I don’t make it, at least I was doing something that mattered.

No reply came. Sunset picked her way back to the boat, whistling between her teeth.

Humility and self-sacrifice mattered to Celestia; she had picked up that much in three years. Equestria mattered to Sunset; but whether a clown like Ahuizotl controlled Tenochtitlan mattered very little to anypony. Only one question mattered, in the end.

“…Sunset Shimmer,” Celestia whispered, miles away, “How far will you go?”

The next evening, as Twilight’s first report was appearing in Sunset’s journal, Daring Doo was preparing to enter the Lethal Labyrinth of Lessolobnor. When Celestia’s pet phoenix swooped in with a shower of brilliant feathers and a message. Daring read it, mumbled something about babysitting, and set off towards Talacon, after Sunset.

-0-
-0-

Twilight went to her next weekly lesson with Celestia wriggling like a worm in an apple. She quickly pleaded to know when Sunset might return.

“S-she shouldn’t miss so many lessons! And-and it’s something dangerous, isn’t it? Please tell me she’s going to be safe, Princess! If you just tell me, then I won’t be afraid at all…”

Celestia closed her great eyes. Twilight’s knees almost buckled as she spread a wing over her body.

“Because of that very trust, my dear Twilight, I cannot promise you that our friend will be safe. But I trust and hope that she will.”

“Princess…it can be hard to be Princess, can’t it? I never knew.”

“I try to ensure that most ponies do not.” Celestia enfolded her student in soft feathers, “Now, how is it to be Twilight Sparkle?”

“Um, not so good. I just missed Sunset all through the holidays. All our study sessions, staying up late together. Even the little arguments over theory, or silly things.”

“Ah, yes. Years have passed since even a friend would argue with me, or stay up past three discussing Haycartes’ postulates…but I remember. I also miss Sunset Shimmer, Twilight Sparkle.”

Twilight could feel the weight of years in Celestia’s chest; see sorrow trembling on her eyelashes. She had only thought she knew how hard it was–but surely Sunset would never be like this, even in twelve hundred years?

“Princess?” She quavered, “Sunset told me about the trouble she had, before I came. But I’m, um, I’m sure she’s changed since then…”

“She has, and she will. The truth is so often both better and worse than our fear. Twilight, I sent you to volunteer at the Royal Homeless Stables and Hay Kitchen last year. Remind me how you got on?”

“Oh, yes, Princess! I was sure there was something else you wanted me to learn, like the time with the greenhouses. I’d never met any, um, poor ponies before, so I prepared an exhaustive survey on the cause of their homelessness, any other problems and the help they required. Only, most of them were rather rude about it. You gave me another chance the next week, and told me just to talk to ponies, normally.

“I think some of them had run away from their families. Others had Nightplague. Some ponies seemed to have given up hope. But some of them, ponies with the worst problems of all, never gave up on their dreams. They even helped each other. I think I learned, Princess, with hope, and kindness, even the humblest pony can find happiness.”

“Yes. You did wonderfully, Twilight. But do you know that the Royal Homeless Stables became royal because of Sunset Shimmer?

“No way! I mean, she never said…”

“I gave her the same weekly task in her first year, and it extended to a month. She transformed a lacklustre hay kitchen into something that has helped so many. She inspired ponies, brilliantly, as she was born to do…but it might have turned out better for Sunset herself if she had learned a lesson like yours.”

“I…don’t understand, Princess.”

“Don’t worry, Twilight. Only be a friend to Sunset. She needs you, perhaps more than you need her.”

Twilight buried her smiling face in Celestia’s side. The Princess recalled, with a cold pang, how Sunset had loved to be needed too.

-0-
-0-

Sunset Shimmer had already been beautiful and self-assured, the first time Celestia saw her. Trotting into the middle of the exam hall; staring at her Princess every possible second. Her dream was before her, incarnate, and she had never dreamt of its magnificence–the Sun Princess very nearly blushed.

As she would with Twilight, Celestia had arranged a special entrance exam. Turning coal into diamonds, an impossible task for a filly. Sunset had persisted for hours, until her legs gave out, and sweat glued her to the floor.

“We don’t have all day, Miss Shimmer.”

“I do. This is my exam! My life!”

Sunset’s tongue was hanging out, her eyes rolling madly, when Celestia placed a hoof on her shoulder. And she saw that the block of coal lay on a bed of diamond dust.

“Sunset Shimmer. You are one of the most exceptional unicorns I have ever met.” With those words alone, the fire-maned pony had thrown herself at Celestia’s hooves, weeping with joy.

“Thank you, my Princess! Thank you! If I died right now, I'd be happy!”

Sunset had drunk up Celestia’s words like a vine drinking water; she seemed to grow and flower in every way at once. Editor of the school newspaper, lead guitar in a band that played throughout Canterlot, and Fall Formal Princess. She would do anything to help a troubled student, even sit still and listen. A leader–a bearer of light–from the moment her Cutie Mark had appeared. A beautiful young unicorn, utterly sure of herself–a quality the immortal ruler of Equestria respected very cautiously.

A leader had to be sure of her talents, her principles, her decisions. If she believed one instant that she, herself, mattered more than the ponies she led–she was no leader. A self-serving imposter, steps away from madness. The lesson her sister had once forgotten, as had she. Her sister had fallen, and she had remained.

Remained the same, over a thousand years of ponies. A perfect Princess, a frozen flame. Sunset had been raw, thrilling, swept away by her Sun Princess, and she had been so lonely. She had given the talks about humility and friendship, tried not to praise her up to the heavens. But in the end, she had given Sunset all she wanted. When she tried to withhold and slow down, it was already too late.

Celestia would always remember the question in Sunset’s eyes, when she received the hay kitchen assignment. Is this all my works have prepared me for? It said, Is this all you think I deserve?

“Dear Sunset, are you unhappy with this task?”

“Oh no–you are the Princess. I will complete any task you set. Only, I could do so much more…”

“You will, Sunset. When you are ready. The highest tower demands the most careful foundations.”

Celestia had personally opened the new Royal Homeless Stable–her patronage had been essential to perpetuating her student’s work, after Sunset returned to the school. Sunset had smiled so much that day, surrounded by adoring student volunteers. Fillies she would distain to be seen with, within six months.

Sunset had spent her first year working and giving, all to gain the highest place she could. When she could no longer rise she could only strike downwards, at any pony who threatened what she had earned. The newspaper club, and all those confidences from trusting younger fillies, had been very useful to her–Celestia had ended up discontinuing the newspaper entirely.

She still didn’t know what Sunset had done to make Diamond Broach withdraw as Princess of the Spring Fling. Most likely, Sunset’s rage alone had reduced the beautiful filly to the gibbering wreck Celestia had seen. And then the evil hour had come, when Sunset had seen the mirror. Nothing had been certain for her since.

Almost eleven hundred years ago, Celestia and her sister had stayed up all night, discussing the existence of the Divine Alicorn. Somepony must have moved the Sun and Moon before ponies existed, Celestia maintained, or created them to do so. But the teaching of virtue, friendship and self-responsibility, she had insisted, would make for a better nation than ancient scriptures, or a silent god in the sky.

“Has he not left us his name?” Luna had countered, “Does he not speak through the Cutie Marks he givest? And thou might be in daily contact with him, so certain thou seemest of his approval!”

“Oh Luna! Thou knowest one has found nothing in two centuries that one could believe a divine message. One simply wishes to do the best a pony may do, to craft a kingdom of friendship and happiness, for a pony is all that one is!”

“Sister…how many ponies believest so?” Princess Luna impetuously flung her forelegs around her elder sister’s neck, and gazed up at her,
“Our subjects know of no being higher than thou, so they must make thou their god….and I understandest them truely, my dear sister! But who might dare to advise a god? To approach a god as a friend? If a god makest any mistake…then who might ever forgive them?”

Celestia remembered how it had felt to laugh. It had seemed so simple, when they first took up the Elements. The Royal Sisters, saviours of Equestria from the monster Discord. Together for all time. Luna had been the other half of her spirit. Dark and passionate, giving birth with her to empire.

Luna had loved her, deep as night skies. There had never been any other pony she needed. But when her goddess-sister had denied her what she prayed for–or even an evening alone together–then love had turned to hate, and history had come full circle.

Now, she was the adored Sun Queen. Saviour of ponies from Nightmare Moon. Lone Sun and lone Moon, circling through the night, with nopony to save them from regret and misery.

They had wanted to build churches to her, but she had not let them. She was no goddess, or devil. She had clung to her sanity over a thousand years full of free and happy little ponies, because she was just a pony. She was not the one responsible for everything. Somepony–two ponies–someday, would take up the Elements of Harmony again.

Celestia had almost lost hope for herself and Sunset. Then Twilight had appeared–and she had believed for the first time in centuries, that Laulus had a hoof in mortal affairs.

-0-
-0-

Sunset Shimmer returned from her study trip with a sunhat, a blowpipe, numerous empty salt-lick packets, and a splint around one foreleg. Presenting herself in the throne room, she tersely gave her report.

"…I’ll get my leg checked out tomorrow. All that background you sent on Tenochtitlan was a help, Princess. And I appreciate you sending in, you know, Daring Doo as well."

“That’s quite alright. How is Miss Doo?”

"Better since I pulled her flank out of that crocodile pit. I liked her. She says what she's thinking."

“Did Ahuizotl swear revenge on you, perchance?"

"Quite vehemently, yes."

"Well, I wouldn't worry too much. Well done, Sunset. You did well…only, take care of yourself.”

“Understood, Princess. I’ll do better next time. ”

With the briefest grimace of satisfaction, Sunset hobbled from before the throne. Celestia stared out of a towering window, at the clouded sky.

“I miss thee, sister. I miss you too, Sunset Shimmer.”

-0-
-0-

“Sunset! What happened to your leg?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Sunset grinned foxily. She was resting on her dorm room bed, while Twilight almost hopped around her with nervous excitement, ooing over the scratches that covered her body.

“I suppose you can’t say. But you could’ve told me you set up the Royal Homeless Stables!”

“I didn’t do so much. A few of the right words to the right ponies just got everyone working. It’s so different from anything I’ve done since.”

“I guess. Um, Sunset, have you seen Flash yet?”

“Before my adorable fellow student? Haven’t seen him, but he’s taking me out for dinner this evening. Best restaurant in Canterlot, and guess who isn’t paying? His family are old money, you know. Must be where he gets his manners, though if he wasn’t quite such a goody four-shoes I wouldn’t mind…Twilight?”

“I’m sorry…”

“Oh horseapples, did you like him? Come here.” As Twilight plopped down on the bed and dried her eyes, Sunset hugged her with one foreleg,

“Sorry, Twilight. You know me, I see something I want and take it.”

“It’s…okay. I hardly spoke to him, it was just a shallow, school-filly crush…and I never had a chance against you.”

“Twilight Sparkle. One day you will take all the passion and energy you now devote to your studying, and make some lucky pony a very happy stallion. Didn’t the Princess set you the amniomorphic technique? She didn’t set me that until third year.”

“Ooo, really?”

“Yeah. You’re her prize pupil.”

“Sunset, that’s rubbish! I barely get out of the library. You’re going on secret missions for Celestia while you're still in school!”

“Well, it was about time I did.” Sunset limped from the bed to the window, staring towards distant lights in the dusk, “I always learnt more in the field. Doing. Testing. Being tested. I can do more than this; I’ve not even begun to do what I need to. This school feels a dinky playpen already. Just like Hoofington.”

“You could count yourself Princess of infinite space, in a nutshell, apart from bad dreams…” Twilight stared at the floor, suddenly afraid of Sunset’s dreams, “…but, can’t you be happy? For a while?” Her friend lifted her chin with a hoof.

“You say the strangest things, Twilight–but you cheer me up every time. It’s a very useful gift, the right words. I’m glad you’re here.”

Then Sunset had to change into a purple gown fit for a Princess, and go out to meet the carriage Flash had hired. Twilight watched them laugh and nuzzle each other, from the window. Her fiery, beautiful friend, with her gallant and handsome stallion. Leaving plain, timid Twilight behind. Had she ever had a chance with either Flash or Sunset?

Twilight crept back to the main dorm room. She stayed up half the night, alone, reading mystery novels about Prancy Drew and her inseparable friends.

Year 2 - part 2

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

The Fall of Sunset Shimmer

Sunset Shimmer, I presume? Are you okay? How would you describe the Everfree forest? It’s simply exhilarating, writing to you in the journal like this!

Dear Twilight. Everfree Forest dark, muddy and cold, so won’t say wish you were here. Some locals claimed that beating two saucepans together keeps timber wolves away; it’s worked so far. The clouds really move by themselves; trying to find a clearing for weather observation. The forest overhead right now is thick as Starswirl's beard.

Dear Sunset. Glad you’re safe so far. I couldn’t find the saucepan business in any book on the forest–mightn’t it attract other dangerous animals?

Dear Twilight. They’d probably smell me anyway, and I don’t want to surprise them. Also, not everything useful is written in books.

Dear Sunset. I know. It’s a tragedy of this world, LOL. That means laugh out loud. On the other hoof, Minuette had some original insights into the themes of Daring Doo and the Griffon’s Goblet, the last time we had lunch together.

Dear Twilight. Found suitable clearing, pitched tent, sick of eating hay. Why in Equestria were you having lunch with Minuette?

Dear Sunset. I’ve had coffee, donuts and lunch with Minuette and the gang several times, actually. She’s really quite smart. Twinkleshine is vivacious and kind. Lyra and Lemonhearts are really funny.

Dear Twilight. In short, it’s not just Minuette? Twinkleshine, and Lemonhearts? I repeat, why in Equestria? Their grades are almost worse than Snips and Snails!

Dear Sunset. You’re friends with Snips and Snails, aren’t you? Anyway, how are the observations going?

Dear Twilight. I've never gone out for donuts with those goons. Some intriguing cloud formations, but surrounded by giant spiders just at present. WHY, I repeat again, are you wasting your time with those ponies?

Dear Sunset, be careful! Most species of forest spider can kill or paralyse with a single bite–what kind are they? I’ve read all about their weaknesses, please describe them!

Dear Twilight, I don’t understand you. You’re the smartest filly in school. Those ponies are nothing like us. You don’t do friends. Why suddenly start now?

Dear Sunset, tell me about the spiders!

Dear Twilight, Is it because I can’t talk about those Daring Doo books? Is that why you found new friends? Behind my back?

Dear Sunset you will always be my best friend, that should be clear. It should also be clear that you haven’t been around the school for weeks! Minuette &C are my friends, and I’m glad of it Now please! Spiders! Description!

Dear Sunset, if you don’t write back at once, I’m going to Surge again.

Dear Sunset, I’m sorry. Sorry! I don’t need anypony but you, so please be safe, please…

Dear Twilight. It’s alright. Sorry I couldn’t write back; a few spiders broke through the Barrier Technique I used, so I had to blast them. That set light to a lot of spiderweb, but I managed to extinguish most of it. Saved the books and instruments as well.

Dear Sunset, So you’re safe now? Thank Celestia!

Dear Twilight, safe as I can be in Everfree. The spiders cleared out; they were red and black striped btw. Anyway, how’s your final presentation going?

Dear Sunset, nearly finished.

Dear Twilight, you started weeks ago, how could you not have finished?

Dear Sunset, I had to spend a while helping Lemonhearts and Twinkleshine, but Lyra had some good ideas about the musical aspect of my project, so nothing to worry about.

Dear Twilight, you mean you’re studying with these ponies? It’s not just coffee and donuts?

Dear Sunset, could we drop that subject please? You sound like a jealous husband!

Not that I mind it so much, put like that…

Dear Twilight, JEALOUS? ME?! Alright. Maybe your hubby needs to produce a little surprise for you. Have to stare at clouds now. Back in Canterlot for revision week.

Twilight lay back on her sumptuous dorm bed, hugging the journal. Her heart still beat hard from its earlier scare. But a weight she had borne since the year’s beginning was gone.

-0-
-0-

With her research from Cloudsdale and Everfree Sunset produced a stormy display, vast enough to make Canterlot itself stop and stare. When the batteries of lightning were finally over, and the sun broke through towering clouds, Sunset had naturally received the highest mark for Final Presentations. Twilight was overjoyed that her own singing windchimes came in second; Sunset got the final victory of her final year.

Apart from vocational colleges, higher education was almost unheard of in Equestria. School leaving ponies went straight into work or apprenticeships, according to their Cutie Mark. Sunset would be remaining at the palace, continuing her studies under Celestia’s eye. A tower had been prepared for her, with a small library and observatory.

The Princess had proposed a new field trip for the New Year, collecting rare crystals in the northern mountains. Lenses for Canterlot Observatory’s primary telescope ‘Big Tom’ could only be made with such crystals. Given the need for course corrections on distant stars, spare lenses couldn’t be numerous enough.

The Fourth Years’ graduation ceremony, in the Clover the Clever Hall of the palace, was packed solid; not only with past and current students, eager to send off the school’s most outstanding student by any measure, but scholars, reporters and curious society ponies. Sunset, the focus of all attention, appeared quiet and pensive. It was Twilight who seemed ready to burst with excitement. She even dared to ask Starry Flash if he wasn’t tremendously happy for his fillyfriend? Flash readily confirmed that he was.

“She isn’t nervous, is she?” Lyra peered towards Sunset from her seat, “I’d be bouncing for joy in her horseshoes.”

“Um, you bounce for joy all the time.” Twilight ventured. Lyra giggled; so did Minuette, Twinkleshine and Lemonhearts. Wonders had never ceased, since Twilight had become attached to their group of friends.

“Nothing,” Lemonhearts murmured, “Would make me nervous if I looked that hot.”

“Well, looks can be deceiving,” Mused Twinkleshine. Twilight shot her a nervous look, “Sorry, Twi. She’s your friend, she’s an incredible pony. I really wish her all the best. I mean, Sunset helped the Hoofball team win this year’s championship, she revived the Self-defence club, and she really helped out with Twinkle’s charity singing concert…”

“…and we got used to her loud guitar practise, eventually…”

“Sooner than your lyre practise, Heartstrings.” Minuette quipped. Everypony laughed again, as Lyra stuck her tongue out, “Yeah, I wish I could fill my time with so many extraordinary things as Sunset. Maybe that’s the meaning of this hourglass Mark. Or the meaning I’ll give it.”

Minuette was popular, strong-minded and reliable; she had already invited Twilight to the Winter DaringCon in Manehatten. All her new friends were good ponies. Twilight couldn’t conceive any rational objection Sunset could have to them.

“Twi? What’s Sunset doing after graduation?” Lemonhearts asked. Twilight answered, so far as she could, “Oh. I thought it would be bigger than that.”

“I’m sure it will be,” Minuette’s voice was pensive again, “Just not sure if she’s going to set the world on fire, or explode.” Twlight knew she should have answered, for her friend–but nothing came.

-0-
-0-

Sunset’s parents, both bespectacled grey unicorns, huddled together between the Unicornian columns and stained glass, apparently rather lost. They relaxed somewhat once Twilight had regaled them with some of their daughter’s accomplishments. They had known for a long time, they said, that Sunset was a special pony–sounding rather as if it were cancer, nobly endured. All they cared about was that she found her own happiness.

Twilight forgot about Sunset’s parents, the instant she spotted a hunched tan pony with red spectacles. Attired in a dustcloak, and a floppy hat. A.K Yearling–the renowned novelist hadn’t appeared in public for years–informed the voracious pressponies that Sunset had assisted her research for Daring Doo’s most recent jungle adventure.

“…really saved my flank, you might say, along with her young research partner. I don’t like unpaid debts any more than the next pony. So, as Miss Shimmer requested, I’m presenting her friend with the complete series of Daring Doo books, in first editions. Now…Twilight? Sunset told me about you. Starswirl reborn, she said. Let’s have a little chat.”

Twilight’s literary heroine had signed every book. She answered every question Twilight wasn’t too stunned to recall. ‘A little surprise’ hardly captured it. Twilight barely remembered to introduce Yearling to Minuette, Twinkleshine and Lyra–all of them looked even more joyfully stunned than she felt. Twilight dreamily stared across the crowded hall towards Sunset, who gave her a wink. Twilight mouthed back; Best. Friend. Ever.

Magnificent as ever, Princess Celestia distributed a scroll and heartening word to each fourth year graduate in succession. When Sunset bowed before her, she almost managed to smile–then her head dropped, and a murmur ran around the hall.

The Princess who held up the Sun could never be weak. But Twilight had never seen Celestia so burdened.

-0-
-0-

Two and a half Years Ago

“Why Sunset? Why wouldn’t you trust me, when I trusted you with so much?”

“You trusted me to interpret your lessons for myself, my Princess,” Still staring into the mirror, Sunset’s voice was eerily calm, “You taught me that a Princess must make her own path, and her own choices.”

Sunset lay on the stone floor with a forbidden book before her, but the mirror held her eyes like a vice. The royal sisters had recovered it from a castle in the South, where black unicorns with red horns had worked Black Techniques in the world’s youth. Some said that ponies saw their heart’s desire under the silver arc; others claimed that it would foretell their future. Nopony had looked on it for a thousand years, and
Celestia never had. No second reading of Macbeth; the tragedy of Prince Duncan’s horses had been required to perceive what evil knowledge the future would be.

From where she stood behind Sunset, Celestia could see what she saw in the mirror. Flame red wings, stretching above her back into the cellar’s darkness. An alicorn princess, imperious and invincible in her destiny. Sunset choked back a sob of longing.

“You are no Princess, Sunset. You are my student, and I taught you the evil of these things”

“I never expected it to be easy! I knew it would be near-impossible, even for me! If I put a single hoof wrong, you would discard me–my future and life, annihilated. Can you imagine it? Can you remember what it was to not be perfect? I had to have some assurance. Anyway, this is your mirror, and these are your books!” Sunset kicked the book of Black Techniques toward Celestia’s hooves. After breaking into the mirror’s cellar and seeing her destiny confirmed, Celestia surmised, Sunset had thrown off all restraint, “There are Techniques there that could end war and strife, even death itself!”

“Yes, even win you the world, at the cost of your soul! Sunset Shimmer! Princess and teacher, all I have ever done has been for my ponies’ good. You told me your dream was to help other ponies find their destiny. Now I see that even your kindness only serves your own ego and ambition!”

“I helped other ponies! I could lead them all to glory, as I led my school through the fire, if you only made me a Princess! I could change this world, but you sent me to hay kitchens and hospitals like some common drudge! You required everything, you promised me nothing–perhaps you never even saw my destiny, but the mirror did. I admit I went too far into Black Techniques. I’m sorry and I will not do that again, but you must see that I–”

“I must? I MUST?”

Celestia had not used her royal voice in over a thousand years. The guards behind her buckled at the knees. Sunset’s fierce blue eyes held her gaze, for only an instant.

“I am your Princess, Sunset! You are a thing with blind eyes, and a twisted heart, that might have been a Princess. I hoped and believed you would–but a pony that cares nothing for others is useless. You are no longer my student. You will be imprisoned while I decide whether to charge you with Black misuse of the Gift.”

The proud, Celestia had frequently observed, create their own torments. When Sunset realised what she had lost, there was nothing and nopony left for her. Nothing beneath to stop her fall. The Guards had to carry her from the cellar, where Celestia remained to destroy the mirror.

Then she gathered the hundreds of forbidden books seized by her sister and herself, from a millennium of wicked unicorns. Luna had felt that an understanding of evil was indispensable for its defeat; even after her exile, Celestia had honoured her ideas. Until now. She ordered the guards to pile every book and artefact in an inner courtyard, and burned them. She knew as much about evil as she would ever need.

Right and wrong, in the fortunate kingdom of Equestria, were determined by Celestia’s will. When she erred, something had to go; and alas, it could never ever be her.

-0-
-0-

Every day, Celestia visited the unused palace bedchamber that served as Sunset’s cell. She told Sunset that she had loved her, couldn’t have wished for a daughter more brave and brilliant. That love had fuelled rage, and spewed the very words from lips that would hurt Sunset most. She was sorry–

“Didn’t work for me,” Sunset’s voice was eerily calm once more, but her eyes were blank with flames, “Only one thing will.”

“No, Sunset. Accept the situation, rest, and let me decide what must be done.”

Sunset’s single laugh was high and cracked, “No. No! I will never be the pony that might have been a Princess! I will be a Princess before I die, the mirror said so! I need to kill you to make that happen, and I can't lose!!

Her Gift crunched into Celestia’s jaw. Blood flew from the alicorn’s lips.

“SUNSET!” The walls shook, “NO!”

Gold light flashed from Celestia’s body, throwing back the bricks and furniture Sunset hurled. An invisible mountain fell on the unicorn's back, driving her to the floor.

Celestia’s eyes blazed like fusion; her wings seemed to fill the skies.. She was the bringer of sunrise, saviour of ponykind. A flawless avenging angel, placing one hoof on a cowering demon’s head. Banishment or death were the penalties for treason, and her will was the only court required.

“SUNSET! DID YOU DREAM THAT YOU WERE STRONGER THAN ME? IF YOU KILLED ME, COULD YOU RAISE THE SUN TOMMOROW? OR DID YOU EVEN VALUE YOUR MISERABLE AMBITIONS OVER YOUR PRECIOUS, precious life! How did you come to this?” Sunset felt, though the fog of terror, a single tear fall onto her mane, “Farewell, Sunset.”

“I’m sorry, Princess! Wait! I’m sorry! I was wrong, I was blind and twisted, and useless! I was an ingrate, I was mad! I’m sorry! Please, please give me one more chance, and I swear to you, I’ll change! The mirror was an evil lie! I don’t deserve to be your student, I could never be as great as you, I even hurt you, oh my Princess, I’m so sorry! Just give me another chance….”

“No, Sunset. You are…my second chance.”

The mountain was gone. Celestia sunk to her knees before Sunset’s wild eyes.

“Princess? How…what…?”

“I cannot wipe out the past, Sunset. Your mistakes will have hard consequences, every one. But I forgive you, Sunset Shimmer. I will do all that is in my power to help you change. And I implore you, Sunset, please do not leave me again.”

-0-
-0-

Present

“Princess?” Concerned blue eyes searched Celestia’s face.

“I’m only…so glad that you made it.”

The Princess threw her wings around Sunset, dropping to her knees. A stronger murmur of disapproval was drowned in the applause began by Twilight, as Celestia rubbed her neck against her student’s neck, and nuzzled in her hair.

“I’m proud of you, Sunset,” she whispered, “So proud…”

Sunset had known it in her core for years. She would never be so great as the Sun Princess, never so royal in heart. She would never stand at her side. So she had fallen to the mirror, like a weak-willed fool.

She had dreamed of halting the Sun in the sky, before she left school. Celestia had never taught her how, perhaps never would; but here they were, together.

-0-
-0-

"It was just embarrassing," Sunset muttered, late that evening, "As if there was ever serious doubt that I would graduate!"

"Well, congratulations, anyway. On joining the adult herd."

Twilight, and Minuette’s group, had prepared a celebration for Sunset at Donut Joe’s, but the fiery-maned filly had left early. She was sitting in a rundown bar, in a crooked alley, next to a heavily disguised A.K Yearling AKA Daring Doo. The pegasus had donned a leather jacket and cloth
cap. She seemed utterly lackadaisical, but Sunset could see the eternal readiness in her wings and haunches.

“Thanks, I guess," She responded, "Thanks for that favour for Twilight as well.”

“It was a bit much, wasn’t it? You saved my life, almost got killed yourself, and waste the debt on an extravagant present for your fillyfriend? Just because she has, Oh! The horror! Other friends?”

“Imagine you were loved by the greatest pony who ever lived, and then you threw it into the midden. Too much is not enough, when you don’t know ‘enough’ from a bent horseshoe until you’ve won or lost. And I am not going to lose Twilight Sparkle."
Daring's wings twitched. She smiled, and leaned towards Sunset's ear.

“I told you I work alone, didn’t I? Not because of the secrets. Not because I prefer to live alone in a jungle hut, with barely a pony who knows I exist. I’ve had to choose between companions and a quest. Every time, I lost them both. So I work alone, and live alone. I’d advise you to make your choice, soon as you can.”

“You misunderstand. I need Twilight to keep me in Celestia's favour."

“Pull another one." Daring grinned roguishly, "You need her, same as I need to get my books out. We live for the applause, ponies like us, and the victory. Only, you're aiming higher than some ratty old idol in a tomb. You will fall, if there is any tool you won't use. Any weight you won't shed."

Sunset honestly liked Daring, but talking with her made the fiery-maned filly look for things to kick. All dash and action on every quest–sharp tongued and maudlin in between.

As for Sunset, she was out of school, still on her quest. No time to define the shadows in her feelings for Celestia and Twilight. She would seize herself a crown, and not because of a mirror's idiot prophesy. She would not fall again.

Year 3 - part 1

The following statement was given by Snowdrift Maregay, Headpony of Riftsbridge village, to Lieutenant Shining Armour (attached to North Equestria Command through the officer exchange program), regarding the destruction of the village and bridge.

I first saw her crossing the bridge; her mane blazed like a signal fire through the mists. We barely ever see Unicorns in these snowy mountains, just squat brown Earths much like myself–but anypony could tell, she was no ordinary Unicorn. Looking for something, and in no lukewarm way. I’ve tended goats in this valley all my life; still can’t hardly imagine how she lived, with such fire under her rump. Still, she had a
smile like sunrise over Starfall Mountain. Never lost it, even when everypony else had lost hope.

Sorry, Officer. This was the morning after the day it started. Bright Eyes, the young District Post-pegasus, came swooping through our town crying that Yaks were coming. We all laughed then–she’s never been the sharpest tool in the barn–but that evening, everypony from the hamlet north of us galloped through, all but frothing at the mouth.

Three Yaks had marched into Northtown, they said. Monsters half as big as their shacks, smashing any handcart in their part; stinking like Yak-sized armpits full of rancid butter. Yatilla the Yak, they said, had claimed everything north of Rift Canyon as Yakyakistan’s rightful territory. He was doing it in the name of Prince Rutherford. If his horde found a single pony left when they marched in, that meant war, with all Equestria.

We’d just started packing our carts to leave, when this Unicorn (Never caught her name) trots into town and asks the way to Starfall Mountain. Somepony must’ve told her the state of things, since she went on to stand in the village square and call for attention.

She says, aren’t we Equestrians? Didn’t our great-grandfolks eke these homes and fields out of the mountainside? Aren’t we ponies of the greatest nation in history, and isn’t Celestia our Queen?

Nopony in our village had set eyes on the Princess, or dreamt of her Highness risking war over our frozen mountains and shacks. But this Unicorn talked of a mission from the Princess herself. She would fight through Tartarus to finish it, let alone a herd of brutish savages. She said a lot, and somehow we got the idea that these Yaks didn’t amount to much–that we would stay and fight. Her voice seemed to stroke everypony’s heart, and gently light up a fire.

The young colts started barricading the end of the valley straight away. I told them, there was nothing built by ponies Yaks couldn’t smash, but hadn’t any other ideas. The Unicorn mare just looked in this funny book where she’d been writing something an hour ago. Then she looked up, smiling fit to make a stallion wish himself twenty years younger.

She asked, had I read ‘The Defence of Donkey’s Drift’? She hadn’t read it either, but it apparently talked of a barrier no Yak could smash. And that ponies didn’t need to sit on a place to defend it.

Refugees from northerly villages poured in over the next day. A few of us stayed in the village with the foals and old folk, but most of us scrambled up the two hills, overlooking the northern paths into the valley. The Rift was to our south, and the snow-capped mountains to east and west are impassable. There was a tiny goat trail leading around between the Rift and the west mountain, but it would take the Yaks a day to circle round, if they ever found it. The Unicorn mare said she’d mined all the northern paths with her Gift, and sent a message to you fine Guard ponies. We just had to hang on long enough.

I’ll never forget the sight of the Yak horde. Or the smell, or the noise when they saw ponies ahead. They were covered in clanking armour and skulls of sheep; their horns were a forest of sharpened trees. Those red mouth gaped wider than our shaking bodies, as they roared out and thundered towards the valley. Explosions from the rocks underhoof threw a goodish number back, but most kept coming.

The unicorn mare timed it perfect. We were on the hills commanding the valley’s north end from both sides. Where the path narrowed ahead of the charge, we kicked down boulders about their ears. Yaks fell, the herd piled up behind them, and then we kicked down the special rocks into that howling mess. The mare had Gifted them to explode into a hundred red-hot daggers. I don’t know if we killed any; don’t know what could stop those monsters for good. But they don’t much like the Gift. It wasn’t long before they were charging back the way they’d come.

Within an hour, they were charging straight up the hills at us. Devouring the distance–but our rocks threw down even more of them, and when they got too close, the mare blasted them with fire, and they ran. Then she shouted at us to save our rocks for later, and vanished over to the opposite hill, where the Yaks had almost reached the top. In minutes, those Yaks were running too. Then she flashed back to our position, and fell down, spent. We held her up like the prize she was, and cheered ourselves warm against the frozen air.

The attack next morning was much weaker. We were all smiling, until Bright Eyes the Pegasus dropped in, shouting that the Yaks had found the western path. With the mountain at one shoulder, and the rift on the other, they were streaming towards the valley; even along the side of the mountain impassable to ponies.

The unicorn mare never stopped smiling. Her horn glowed for an instant–then half a million tons of snow and rock poured down the mountain’s far side. Don’t like to think about it, even if they were Yaks. Bright Eyes hardly stopped bragging how she’d flown up and set the charge, days ago. The unicorn mare, as I said, didn’t stop smiling for nothing.

She told us that afternoon about destroying the bridge. The Yaks would break through to the village whenever the next attacked, she said. We had to destroy the Yaks’ route into Equestria, by getting everypony still in the village across the bridge, before she blew it. Of course, that left both parties on the hills cut off without retreat, and our village smashed. But somehow she convinced us that mere fields and buildings meant less than victory; that our sacrifice in defence of Equestria would be remembered and rewarded. Thinking about it, I suppose she must have Gifted the bridge before the battle even began, but didn’t bring it up until we were in too far to turn back.

(By the by, Officer, we will be getting some bits for our poor wrecked village, won’t we? We were promised, in Celestia’s name…and it was really the unicorn mare who blew up the bridge, and maybe started a war. We’re not staying around here if there is war, so we would truly need those Bits soon…very well, Officer. Thank you)

Anyway, the Yaks broke through, smashed our village into the hillside and messed in the ruins, as I suppose you can tell…sorry, Officer. Give me a moment. Then she destroyed the bridge, and we were surrounded. A few Northtown ponies tried to sneak off in the night; I saw one of them ambushed by Yaks buried under snow. They aren’t true, are they, Officer? The stories about what Yaks do to their prisoners?

They thronged all over the hillsides, chanting and roaring up threats. The unicorn mare always shouted back that we’d enough Gifted rocks to blast them all. In truth, we had barely any left. But she kept on smiling, until she opened that funny glowing book of hers again, and started to scream at everypony at once.

It was that underground watercourse; runs from the top of the hill to its base. I’d had sworn it was too small for Yaks, but they must’ve smashed a way through. They came out on the summit of our hill, roaring for vengeance. We were ready with the last of our Gifted rocks, but they were charging uphill as well.

The last time I saw that unicorn mare with the fiery mane, a Yak with gold on its horns was charging her. She had just blasted another beast away, a cliff was at her back–she vanished, flashed up behind the charging Yak and kicked it. The great monster teetered on the brink, snarling with reckless, inequine hate. Her Gift must have been spent, because she threw her shoulder against the beast–they both went off the side of the hill.

We fought on all we could, with spears, hooves and teeth, against monsters big as the shacks they’d wrecked. I don’t how we did it–we would’ve been killed, Sir, if you hadn’t dropped from that flying chariot, blasting every Yak off the hillside with your marvellous shield. Thank you, Officer. Thank you, for everypony’s sake.

What happened to the Unicorn? Well, after you brave Guards saw the Yaks off, Bright Eyes told me she’d found her, half-way down the hill. Injured–but she made off towards Starfall Mountain, as soon as she was on her hooves. Limping; never stopping or turning back.

Bright Eyes flew after her as a guide, though I fair screamed at her that all the northerly mountains were full with fleeing Yaks. But that Unicorn mare had a mission from Princess Celestia, and to finish it meant more than her life. That’s who she was, Officer. That was how she led us. Never give up. Never surrender. Though all Tartarus stood in her way.

-0-
-0-

A week later, crystals in her saddlebag, Sunset pushed aside the door to Celestia’s throne room. The Princess smiled proudly at her, as she turned away from Twilight, who rushed to Sunset and joyfully nuzzled behind her ears.

“Sunset, I’m so glad you’re safe!”

“Yeah, I noticed." Sunset grinned as she stroked Twilight's mane, "Guess you couldn’t wait.”

“Actually, I called Twilight here to congratulate her,” Celestia’s pure voice pricked at Sunset’s ears, “Her tactical advice through the journal was invaluable to your success.”

“Oh, but Princess, it really was Sunset’s success!” Backing away from her friend, Twilight flashed a heartfelt, perhaps slightly nervous smile between Princess and student, “She had to react and decide, inspire ponies to fight, and even risk her own life! Please, tell Sunset that she’s done the best, and, and that you care for her more than anypony! It would mean, I mean, I think that would be good...”

“Twilight, of course.” Celestia bent to look her older student in the eye, “Sunset, you did splendidly. Your courage and resource saved the lives of many ponies–”

“Just tell me if I started a war.”

Sunset was impressed with Twilight’s nerve, and she knew she meant well. But whatever Celestia would’ve said, she wished Twilight had left her unprompted to say it.

“As I wrote to you, Yatilla the Yak was exiled from Yakyakistan last year, for poor personal hygiene and an attempted coup,” Celestia hid any irritation at being interrupted, “He certainly had no right to claim land in Rutherford’s name. I understand that he survived his fall from a cliff, but has been recalled to Yakyakistan. I rather doubt that we’ll be hearing from him again.”

“Princess? Did you know this would happen when you sent me north?”

“Oh no. There were rumours; nothing to justify pointing a Guard battalion at our most sensitive border. So I sent my very brilliant, very resolute student to investigate the area–as I did ask you to do, while you retrieved the gemstones–and deal with any situation as she saw fit. I do need you girls, both of you. Your talents and your trust, as I trust you.”

-0-
-0-

“But, why didn’t the Princess warn you?”

“She wanted to test me," Back at her new tower with Twilight, Sunset swigged her tea, "Or she thought I’d start a real war, with time to prepare. As it is, everypony’s furious with all Yaks now. Celestia's friendship treaty won’t be possible for years.”

“Oh. Still, Celestia must have been pleased when she gave you this.”

“You’re so optimistic, Twilight. Innocent, almost."

Twilight certainly loved the ivory-stoned tower Sunset had received for her post-graduate studies' especially the room with books piled to the ceiling. She had referred to it as a heavenly idyll, and spent all her time there with Sunset, since her senior had returned from the north.

“Sunset?” Twilight adjusted her glasses, nervously, “Have you heard, Trixie…?”

“I know. Flash told me.” Sunset gazed into her cup sourly. She preferred coffee, but Celestia drank tea, “I suppose I’ll get blamed for that as well.”

Trixie’s bullying of Moondancer had continued through second year, quietly enough that neither Twilight nor Sunset had noticed. It had all come out soon after third year began. Unable to quietly bear another year of insults, scorn and extortions, Moondancer had secretly used the Gift on Trixie’s hairspray, so that her prized silver mane resembled a very sick privet hedge.

Twilight had spoken up for Moondancer, and Celestia had let her off with the lightest warning, citing ‘severe provocation’. Trixie had been enraged; she had ranted at all the teachers, and even Celestia herself, to no avail. So she had likewise taken matters into her own hooves.

Fortunately, both Moondancer and Twilight had been trotting home late from the library. When a floating rope had yanked Moondancer from the path and dragged her whimpering through a copse, Twilight had plunged after her. She’d knocked Trixie out with a stun blast, as soon as she appeared. The blue filly had been poised with lot of rope, a lot of paint, a ball gag and a coat-clipper.

Trixie had looked likely to fail her Third Year in any case. She took the option of voluntarily leaving the school as soon as given, defiant to the end;

“None of you understood the greatness of Trixie anyway! Nopony in this school has the same flair for the Gift as I, but you failed to nurture my gifts, or give me training fit for my talents! You’ll rue the day you humiliated the great and powerful Trrr-ixie!”

Her vanishment in a puff of smoke had been forestalled by a Guard, who'd thought she had a bomb. She had been frogmarched out, in a hysterical state.

“It’s a shame,” Twilight mused, to Sunset, “She could be affable when she wanted, generous to ponies who liked her. She had her talents too. Book learning just wasn’t one of them, and I don’t think the teachers tried another way.”

“In some ways, she was like me,” Sunset brooded, “I could have told her things, if I’d taken the chance, or known what to say. Or if she’d ever have listened. Celestia told me she was heading off the rails. She told me to stop her.”

Twilight put down her teacup and went to Sunset, draping both forelegs over her shoulders.

“You fought off a Yak army, Sunset. How is it that worries can beat you? I bet you smiled, all through that battle. Now you’ve got your latest prize, it’s nothing but more bad dreams. I think, whatever your future holds, you’re going to beat it. You’re an amazing pony. You’re a heroine.”

“You know me so well...” Sunset grinned, and lowered her eyelids, “I’ve got another trip soon. You can use this place anytime while I’m gone.”

“Thanks! Um, could I invite other ponies over as well?”

“I guess. The first floor at least. While I’m gone.”

Twilight may have known Sunset well, but she still did not know about the mirror, and would never ask. Sunset wouldn’t have put it past Lyra or Lemonhearts to inquire about the subject in front of Twilight, and that would only end with somepony getting hurt.

Sunset continued to clean and tune an old guitar. Twilight watched her, pretending to read. It was moments like these, when rapt admiration lay bare in her junior’s eyes, that Sunset dreamt of those eyes flooded with horror and disgust. If Twilight ever learned that she had struck–tried to kill–her Princess and teacher, the pony she should have adored.

-0-
-0-

“Well done, Sunset. You may not have saved Equestria on your trip to the Grittish Isles, but this golden mistletoe will be vital to
Twilight’s new project. And I see you’ve also brought a box of their famous scones, with jam and, mmmm! clotted cream. Thank you. Would you care for one?”

“No thanks, Princess. Too sweet for my taste.”

Celestia and Sunset were alone in the Princess’s sitting room; Twilight was buried in the library ahead of midterms. The Princess took a minute to savour the scones, before asking Sunset if all was well.

“You should know that I’m very pleased with your progress, Sunset. You’ve wonderfully encouraged Twilight’s growth, as a true friend should. Your post-graduate studies have already come so far, I hardly know how to challenge you!”

“I could...forgive me, Princess.”

“Not at all. Speak your mind.”

“Princess, I’ve shown you that I can inspire ponies, lead them. Even be a friend. I…think you could give me a post of leadership, for a time, in the Royal Guards or in Canterlot. You’ve taught me much of the Gift, but if I’m not ready for more...there are other ways I can help Equestria and her ponies.”

“Yes. You could be an excellent Guard Officer; you could excel in any field you chose. But an Equestrian Princess must develop her own original Gifting; you know this. Do not lose heart. You will be ready, soon.”

“Princess...When?”

“My dear Sunset. Remember what impatience once cost you.”

“Yes. I remember,” Sunset’s ears twitched, an instant, before her body rose and stiffened, “Just tell me, please. How long will I have to pay for what I did? How long until we go back to the way we were?”

“Sunset. One way or another, nothing ever returns to the way it was.”

“I’m sorry. I’m really, really sorry…”

“And I forgive you, Sunset. I forgave before you sought it, because you are my precious, beloved student–but redemption is something else. You must seek it yourself, though it cannot be earned. Perhaps it is a miracle of Lualus, beyond anything the Unicorn’s Gift might achieve.” Sunset stared into the fireplace, restraining an urge to scream.

“I said sorry. Every pony I hurt in my First Year. I threw myself at their hooves; I did everything you told me. Diamond Broach was the only filly who wouldn’t say she forgave me. I suppose I hardly deserved it…but, all I did was scare her out of a Fall Formal crown! Should I do something more for her?”

“On no. Her forgiveness is her own affair.” After a moment of silence, Celestia’s great eyes looked into Sunset’s “Twilight Sparkle looks up to you a great deal. Have you discussed your past with her?”

“No, I mean yes!” Sunset fought to not look away, “Almost everything.”

“Almost?”

“She loves you, Princess. She’s an innocent, sweet filly; she’d never understand, she’d never forgive me. You don’t want that–”

“If she does not forgive, Twilight is not the pony I took her for. If you can admit your greatest failure, to the pony whose love has gained you so much...you will be ready. Your studies will progress, with such direction and pace as you desire.”

“Do you want me to bring you the Dragonlord’s sceptre?” Sunset’s vision fogged. Words spilt from her mouth like a broken pot, “The idol of Boreas, Orion’s crown, and Starswirl the Bearded’s favourite toothpick! I would find them all, and never see your face until I had, Princess. I’d scrub hay kitchen floors, for years! But I don’t want to sacrifice my best friend!”

“Good, Sunset. Very good,” A grin of hope flashed over Sunset's lips, until Celestia smiled, sadly, “But exploits still greater would not prove you a good pony. Not to me, and not to yourself.”

“I…! I’ve done bad things, but I’m not–a bad pony!”

“Oh, Sunset.” The smile glowed with loving pity, ‘Bad things’?”

“Princess, you said my sins were banished to the past!” Sunset heard the words burst out, “My past is not today!”

“No. But it seems you must confront your past, to heal your present self. I’m sorry, Sunset. Any pony who would receive redemption must understand that they can never deserve it.”

“T-then how, why should I ever…?”

Celestia let out a millennial sigh that chilled her pupil's world. Then she smiled.

“That is why all of us need friends, Sunset. Trust me; Twilight Sparkle is your friend.”

-0-
-0-

“Sunset? Are you...okay?”

“Yeah, sure. Why not?”

Sunset pulled several books off a shelf, threw herself onto a chair, and tried to read. Twilight similarly occupied herself, as a light drizzle crackled off the ivory tower’s roof. Twilight finally put her book down, and breathed in like a diver on a cliff.

“Sunset, you can talk to me about anything, you know?”

“Yeah. Sure.”

“Why didn’t you tell me you’d broken up with Starry Flash?”

“Oh, yeah, nearly two months ago. Sorry, it didn’t seem worth mentioning.”

“What?” Twilight crossed the room to Sunset’s side, “You went crazy over that love poison, but now he’s ‘not worth mentioning’? What does that mean?”

“It just died a death, you know? He made this whole speech, how I was hardly around these days, I was a great mare, but ‘not what he was looking for’–I couldn’t believe his nerve, but that was that. Hey, now you can ask him out! If he hurts you, I’ll beat him into glue.”

“Uh, thanks but no thanks. What about you, Sunset? What are you going to do to get him back?”

“Nothing much–he didn’t break my heart. I’m going to be much more than the girl at school with perfect grades and a hot stallion. Maybe I’ll find another consort, or I’ll leave the mushy stuff to that bimbo Cadenza. And his grades had been dropping all this year–said his band was more important than perfect scores. You might say he was a flash in the pan.”

Sunset stopped talking and looked at Twilight. She wasn’t fidgeting, at all–she was in deathly shock, Sunset realised, and something hard was growing in her eyes

“…Princess Cadence was my foalsitter. I told you. She isn’t a bimbo.”

“Oh, sorry, Twilight, I forgot...”

“Starry Flash is a good pony, really good. I really cared about him–and I thought you did! How could you just practically let him go, when he was no more use to you?”

Tears stood out in Twilight’s eyes. Perhaps it had been a schoolfilly crush–but if Sunset hadn’t known the depth of even Twilight's shallowest
passions, she knew now. She sighed and stood to face her.

“Twilight, I cared for him. Not so much as you did–”

“It isn’t just him. You used Snips and Snails all the time. You didn’t care about Trixie, or Moondancer. I’m sorry, Sunset…why do you treat ponies like props you can use or ignore?”

“I mean to become a Princess, Twilight.” Sunset spoke through clenched teeth, “That means eyes on the goal, above all else.”

“But, Celestia always tells us, put other ponies above ourselves. I think, if you want to make her proud–”

“Celestia is a Princess. I will put Equestria above myself, and pour out my blood for her, when I have got to where she is!”

“No, Sunset, that’s not right!” Twilight almost looked shocked as Sunset, but righteous indignation drove her voice, “Selfless love comes from the heart; it wouldn’t magically appear with a crown and wings! As your friend, I, I even think it would be better you didn’t become a Princess, until–”

“Just…be quiet, Twilight.” Sunset’s nostrils flared, ominously slow, “You don’t know a thing about friendship I didn’t teach you!”

“Friendship must be easy,” Twilight’s voice was quiet, “When you care about nopony but yourself. That’s must be why Celestia favours me, why I have more than one friend–”

The chair behind Twilight smashed into the wall. Sunset lowered her head, barely holding back.

“Get out. Get out! Go and rot in a library, like the USELESS COWARD YOU ARE!”

Twilight ran from the tower into the rain. She spent the rest of the evening weeping into Minuette’s neck, calling herself names, and trying feebly to invent a Technique for time travel. Sunset broke half-a-dozen quills trying to write a report on baking Techniques for Celestia, before reaching for her guitar.

Two feeble notes were all that came. She hugged the instrument to her chest and slumped to the floor of her silent tower. Eventually, she fell asleep.

-0-
-0-

Oh, Sunset. Why lie here, trembling and feeble? Why should that bookish fool bring you down–the most brilliant, worthy unicorn alive in this world?

No. I’m a bad pony. A demon. She forgave me, so many sins–all for nothing, nothing, I’m nothing! I can’t help anypony. I don’t deserve a single friend!

My dear Sunset, the strongest pony can do nothing, if they are forced to submit. Can you imagine Celestia abdicating her throne? She will frustrate you with useless tasks, until she has a pretext to destroy you.

No! She forgave me…

She will not do so again. Power is the stamp of a Princess, not enfeebling love. The power of your Gift, the path you must make for yourself. The only way to escape your past. Listen to me.

As Sunset writhed, in the glistening blue fog, a black muzzle was lowered to her ear. Panting in anticipation, then whispering…

-0-
-0-

Waking next morning, Sunset only recalled a rather pleasant dream. Lost in a vast herd of ponies, she had struck out like a swimmer to reach her goal. Twilight had been there, as the herd had warped and twisted, into insectile monsters–but she had burnt a path through. Trampling down the last two creatures, and routing their hideous queen, she had swept Twilight off her feet. Twilight had wept for her forgiveness, for all the vile things she had said…

“Yeah. Not that simple,” The fiery unicorn sighed to herself, “Sunset, you stupid cow.”

After cleaning up the broken chair, she spent the morning finding out obscure Techniques she knew her friend would love. She was trying to make an unconstrained apology to the mirror, when the knock came.

The second thing Sunset saw outside was the shining sky; the dome-shield cast over the entire palace grounds. The first thing she saw was the Royal Guard squad led by Shining Armour.

Twilight had gone on and on about her brother’s gentle kindness–but ‘huge muscular hotness’ had understandably not figured in her description. Sunset casually let her mane fall over one eye, and unleashed her most coquettish smile.

“Captain. Congratulations on your promotion. To what do I owe this pleasure?”

Twilight had also forborne to mention the fury that blazed from her brother's eyes. His horn crashed against Sunset’s; his words were arrows of ice.

“You need to come with us, Sunset Shimmer. You need to answer some questions with the truth.”

“I’m sure the Princess can–”

“The Princess is attempting to treat two fillies who were attacked last night. My sister’s friends. You’re going to come with us, before I do anything I won’t regret.”

Hours before the dawn, everypony in the dormitories had woken to Lemonhearts’ screams. She had been dragged to the infirmary thrashing and bucking. Trying to sink teeth into her fetlocks. And the first pony to leave the room for help had found Minuette, both forelegs broken, at the foot of the stairs. Twitching, in the death-spasm of nightmare that no death could end.

Both had talked, before being placed in merciful comas. Only of what had been done to them, and that Sunset Shimmer had done it.

Interlude: Moondancer

A week after being saved by Twilight from a furious Trixie with a coat-clipper, Moondancer sat in her usual corner of the library, reading A History of Hoofpolish. She looked up dully, as Minuette bustled round the corner.

“Hi. Good book?”

“Not really. Um, is…?”

“Twilight’s busy. Princess lessons. Sorry. The rest of us were going out for coffee, if you wanted?”

“Okay. I’m okay, I mean, um, yes.”

“She said she’d finish by Sunday. If you threw a thanks-for-saving-me party, or something, she’d come. We’d all be there as well.”

“No. She’ll be starting a new book, or having tea with Sunset Shimmer…I couldn’t ask. Couldn’t face her. I was so scared when Trixie caught me, I was humiliated…and she was so, so…”

Blushing, Moondancer buried her eyes in the sweater she wore for her weak chest. She had barely spoken with Twilight Sparkle since that day in First Year, when that cute, nerdy mare had shown her what a friend was. She had watched her, every day, and dreamt of study dates in the library every night, but her heart was too swelled and tender with love to speak. Only Minuette, everypony’s friend, knew her secret shame.

“…hey, Moondancer? Are you feeling okay?”

“Same as always. Reading. Alone. Gloomy, as always.”

“Hey.” Minuette poked her friend as she sat down, “I might not be the pony you wanted to see–”

“–but you’re here for me. Always. And Lemonhearts, and everypony. Sorry.”

“That’s okay. I like you.”

“Honestly…” Moondancer shook her head, “How can I be strong as you?”

“It’s not really me. It’s Lualus, the divine Alicorn, you know?”

Moondancer put her book down. She stared at Minuette as if her stripes had fallen off; Minuette cheekily waved back.

“I, um, sorry, I was just surprised.”

“What for? If you don’t want to talk about it..?”

“I mean, of course I believe in Lualus. I don’t think anypony can look at the great weave of reality, without knowing that a brilliant, limitless mind conceived it. Maybe not even at a sunrise, or field. But I, I mean everypony thinks Lualus made the world, then left it alone to run. Our tiny lives must be far below him; and what could he need, that we could give?”

“The love of his foals?” Solemn joy shone from Minuette’s eyes, “They say Lualus sang among the stars and rejoiced, on the day he finished his work. Don’t his Gifts, and the Cutie Marks he gives each one of us, show that he loves us as his children? Wasn’t he rejoicing over you, and me? When he gives us so much, when we can always say he loves us, isn’t it right to give him thanks and praise?”

“But…there are bad things in the world. In my life.”

“I’m sorry…I suppose, Lualus expects ponies to control the weather, and grow food, right? He must expect us to deal with bad things too; and give us the tools to do it.”

It all sounded so logical. It felt so wonderful to be loved. But still…

“How do we know, he ‘sang among the stars…’?”

Moondancer’s heart sank as Minuette picked The Trees of Chaos and Harmony from a library shelf. The title story was unassailable, but other
stories had inconsistencies, and scant physical or anthropological evidence. Many scholars dismissed it as a set of fables.

But she held her peace. Listened, as Minuette read. The first three foals walked in the first garden, searching for what they should be. Imitating each animal they found, as Lualus watched over them, a kind and majestic granddad. When the first Dragon King threatened the ponies, Lualus had cast him down in terrible wrath, crushing the great serpent’s head underhoof. When the divine Alicorn had condemned the Pegasus warlord Rapid Dash, for his pride, to live as a donkey, a father’s unflinching sternness and sorrow rang from his words.

It was like light breaking on a windowless room, like walls falling away. And the one standing outside, the maker of Cutie Marks and stars, Moondancer had never seen; but she knew him and loved him. She believed, and could only cry because she had never believed in her god before.

-0-
-0-

It turned out that Moondancer knew rather more than Minuette about Creation-Era history, and all the ponies who had claimed to speak for Lualus across the centuries, some more credibly than others. Minuette was fascinated, as were her group of Believing friends (which included Lemonhearts and Lyra, but not Twinkleshine. Or Twilight, who would’ve gone, but couldn’t find the time). The fillies met up weekly to help out at the Homeless Stables, pray as a group, sometimes worship through song or painting, or discuss Moondancer’s books. Lyra often said that any good thing ponies did could be done for Lualus. What mattered was where your heart was.

Moondancer had never had real friends before Minuette (or siblings; her parents were both busy with work and distant). She had certainly never met ponies who would listen and encourage so much. Who seemed to care for her, awkward and quiet as she was. The first weeks were almost frightening, as the joy of a changed life poured through her heart. And Lualus cared, and shared their joy.

But Moondancer still watched Twilight. Trotting to the palace, to meet with Princess Celestia. Pouring over her books, to craft palaces in her mind. Talking intently with Sunset Shimmer (she couldn’t watch that for long without fleeing). Chatting with Minuette and her friends, making them laugh, and laughing freely. Her mouth shone in the sunlight. Her glasses were crooked, but she didn’t care–nothing could daunt her at all.

“Everypony has been so good to me,” She confessed to Minuette, “And I even have the love of a god–but I can never really be happy without Twilight Sparkle. If there were some potion, or if Lualus could come down and cut these feelings away, I would praise him for it!”

“Or else you could ask Twilight to be your friend?”

“Yes, but…I could’ve done it in First Year, but now I’m practically stalking her! She’d be disgusted, if she knew how weird I was…”

“That’s pigswill. I know and I love you. Lualus loves you, and he knows more about our real failings than we do. The one thing needful is to trust him. Stay close to him. He’ll show you the right way.”

And Moondancer knew he would have. Had her pony heart not been too bitter and warped to be shown. She prayed, but did not let go of her silent torment. And, worse, she couldn’t stop hating Sunset Shimmer.

She was all wrong for Twilight. She treated her bad. Left her alone. She went about pretending to care, helping ponies with anything; dazzling them with confidence and talent. But it was all for herself. She only took and took, when she already had everything. An unstoppable, gorgeously satisfied pony, without even a thought of any god.

-0-
-0-

When Minuette and Lemonhearts were dragged to the palace infirmary, Moondancer followed–she needed a calming draught and a full hour to come out of her shock. Their limbs convulsed in her eyes, striking at her trembling core. The screams roosted in her brain like demonic bats.

Other ponies who had seen their friends invisibly racked were in much the same state. Violent crime was almost unheard of in Equestria; a dragon in the hills got the same national coverage as an aggravated assault by pony. Lyra and Twinkleshine hadn’t stopped holding each other and weeping.

“Oh, Princess Celestia! How could she let this happen?”

“H-how could Lualus let this happen…?” Lyra moaned.

Moondancer didn’t know. In the faces of her friends, tortured, the Cutie Mark argument seemed vanishingly weak. But Lualus had spoken to her, through those stories, and touched her heart. Only that let her pray, hear him again, and keep faith alive.

She didn’t know where Twilight was either. She finally discovered from a nurse that Twilight with the Princess, and that Sunset Shimmer had been escorted from her tower by Royal Guards.

Many grey-maned Believing ponies had written on the evils of gossip, but no ‘Thou Shalt Not’ had ever definitively come down from on high. It was a bitter frustration to Moondancer that Lualus issued so few anathemas, however she searched for them–how else could be sure her actions were free from guilt? In this case, however, as with many Believing young fillies before her, she was quite happy to follow her pony heart.

Within another hour, it was known by the school that Sunset had been arrested. Equestria had a very law abiding society. It was universal belief that anypony actually arrested, by Princess Celestia’s Royal Guard, was self-evidently guilty as charged.

As well as covering the palace with a shield, and meticulously searching all within its bounds, the Guard scanned all the students’ minds for anything, or any thing hidden there. Hypnotic commands, mental projections from outside, or psychic creatures–it was rumoured generally around that the two victims had been attacked through their dreams. Moondancer could only think of a couple of ways Sunset could possibly have done it.

“…she’s always had a scary temper,” she overheard Twinkleshine whisper to a Guard Investigator, “I don’t think there’s anything she’d not be capable of doing. She even had a terrible fight with Twilight Sparkle, her best friend, yesterday evening. I wouldn’t have thought it possible.”

“I see,” The investigator chewed his goatee, and wrote in his logbook, “We heard about the argument from your friends. But not what it was about…?”

Moondancer had knelt outside the door as Twilight poured out her frustrated woe to Minuette and the rest. She knew Twilight had made them swear to say nothing about it–but not Moondancer. With assertiveness alien to her character, she trotted out in before the Guard.

“I can help you with that. Just…don’t let this monster hurt one more pony. Please.”

Year 3 - part 2

“What do you know about Nightsickness, Miss Shimmer? There’s a pony in Las Pegasus who’s eaten alive by Jackolopes, any night they try to sleep. Another mare in Trottingham gets sliced up and baked into fairycakes. What was done to these fillies was worse. Most ponies live happy lives through some sound assumptions. A ardrobe won’t bite their head off. Their bones won’t turn into knives. These girls had all assumption stripped away. Fear killed them in, very literally, every way they could imagine. How do you feel about that now, Miss Shimmer?”

The Guards had brought Sunset to the palace infirmary. She watched Minuette’s legs jerk feebly against silk bedsheets. Lemonhearts whimpered through her coma, until Celestia licked her brow like a mother. Her tears had fallen on both their pillows.

Sunset shut her eyes. Then she met Shining Armour’s steel gaze.

“I believe I feel as you do, Captain. Heart of hearts, I’m glad it wasn’t Twily.”

Shining flinched. So did Celestia. Sunset cursed her own words, churned out from confusion and fury.

“Are these girls not your friends, Sunset?” Celestia whispered.

“Twilight’s friends. I didn’t…I had no reason to do this to them! They lived in a different world, smaller and cosier–until some monster
did this. Believe me, I'm furious. We need to find whatever did this, before it hurts Twilight, or–”

“Before?” Shining roared. Guardponies on the door fell back, “She hasn’t stopped crying! I couldn’t stop her crying! These girls were her friends. You were my baby sister’s first friend. Why did you have to be evil?”

He thrust an edited transcript in Sunset’s face. What the victims had suffered was clear enough from their ravings to make her gag, and her name was all over the page. She had laughed, it seemed, the entire time.

“They saw me in their nightmare. An illusion, or a shapeshifter. It hardly needed permission to use my face!”

“How about Gift Signature?” The words rose around Sunset like a snake, “No other unicorn can copy your horn’s aura. Not even a changeling. We found traces of your Gift. All over both the girls you tortured!”

“No. No, I DID NOT!”

“Shining Armour, that is enough!” Celestia rose, wings out, “Sunset–?”

“Okay. I’m okay,” Sunset threw her head back. Breathed out through her nostrils slowly, “Whoever framed me, I suppose they thought I’d fill the room with fire right now, and go off in the smoke. But I’ll have to disappoint them, because I, I never…Princess, you know I can’t enter dreams. I could never work that power. I’d be a dungeon right now, if you thought I could ever do this!”

“No, Sunset. I cannot believe you yourself would do this. I never believed you could be coerced, or controlled–even by a foe who holds the dreamworld in their hooves. But it seems I must.”

“Me, controlled? That’s impossible.”

“You mean you acted freely?” Shining snapped.

“No! I mean nothing, no power, could make me do this, Princess! If something can trot into my head, make me torture innocent ponies, I’m worthless! Not your student, never again!”

True mind control, Sunset knew, left irremovable signs. Hypnotic mind control, however, left no evidence for a simple reason. It was less control than persuasion. It only lured ponies into the desire of their own darkest hearts.

She had raged at Twilight. Felt more hate for her trusted friend than any mare alive. In an evil hour, she had attacked her sovereign and idol, with lethal intent. Now, two little ponies' lives were good as over–but Twilight was safe. Twilight, she had never touched, and never, ever would...

“Maybe you couldn’t hurt my sister,” Shining’s words sunk like an apple corer, into her heart, “She was your devoted junior–but we know that ended, with your spat last night. We know her other friends were mentioned. You didn’t care for them so much, did you? But you could use them, to hurt Twilight. Your friend. My sister. Say you couldn’t have done it. Just try.”

Sunset’s world span, around Celestia’s eyes. The alicorn did not speak. Sunset couldn’t speak. Her eyes trembled down, over her hooves and her chest. Saw them covered in filth. Stains that could never be cleared. Her body trembled, ready to fall.

“I’m sorry, Sunset.” Misery weighted Celestia’s voice, “We failed these two poor fillies, but I failed you first.”

“Princess! I’m sorry! I–”

Lemonhearts started moaning in her sleep. Celestia’s mane flew as she spun to her charge, away from Sunset. Light blazed from her horn; the cries softened. In silence, Sunset let the Guards lead her away.

-0-
-0-

“Your memories will be intensively scanned, and your dreams reconstructed. Rest periods will forestall mental damage. It is imperative that we determine what was done to these students, and how.”

“Last night, I dreamt of…killing enemies, no, monsters. Twilight was crying. I think–”

“Don’t try to recall your dreams, Miss Shimmer, it will only confuse matters. Doubtless, any memory of the attacks has been obscured. If I am to recover the truth, you must impress upon your own mind that you really committed these crimes.”

Professor Severian was Canterlot’s first expert on hypnosis, a dour stallion with glasses and an eternal black gown. Sunset had always respected his intelligence, and intensity.

The mind-scan presently turned up nothing of use. Sunset couldn’t help smiling–but then Severian was replaced by an Investigator, with a little notebook.

As previously mentioned, Equestria was a very peaceful society, with a phenomenal conviction rate. The Guard would freely let off minor delinquents with warnings, but serious criminals always had to confess. It was judged essential to full rehabilitation.

Sunset had committed no crime. But she had threatened violence, in the love poison fiasco, against both victims. She had tormented countless students in her second year–attacking her rivals’ friends and families, destroying characters and friendships. She had ‘a scary temper’. She was ‘capable of anything’, ‘a narcissist, who goes crazy if she fails’. ‘Practically, you know, a psycho’.

Her fellow students had talked to the Guard very freely. Then the investigator read back her quarrel with Twilight, blow by blow. And every word was a blow.

She had called her best friend a worthless coward. She had never cared for anypony but herself. She’d said she would pour her life out, for other ponies. She had tortured two fillies into comas. It bore her down like a bloated demon. Violating her will, poisoning her dreams.

-0-
-0-

“Why, Sunset?” Twilight stared down at her with reddened eyes, “Why are they doing this to you? You would never, ever do such terrible things!”

“That’s what I said,” The voice was dead and flat, “It’s no use. I was wrong. This is my destiny.”

Late that evening, Twilight had finally prevailed on her brother. A Guard had escorted her to the cellar, where Sunset had a bed, food, and even books–but Sunset lay on the stone floor, unmoving. There was a glowing dome of force above her, but her shadows beyond the light were absolute. She had a bed, books, and supply of food, but she was sprawled over the stone floor. Twilight knew she herself was a mess, but Sunset’s fiery mane was wrecked. She was dulled, from her mane, to her Mark.

“What’s going to happen?” Twilight burst out, “Why are you confined like this?”

“The barrier blocks teleports, dreamwalks, anything. It’s to protect you. If something controlled me, again, or it left something in my mind…I could anything, any terrible thing. I hurt those fillies–myself. The will was in me. Hypnosis seized me by it. I could have fought. But I wanted it. I failed, I failed!”

“That’s insane. You could never have d-done t-t-that, only a monster could even have dreamt of it! You’re Sunset Shimmer! Princess Celestia’s student, the most brilliant–”

“–Pony, who cares about nopony but herself!”

Sunset finally raised her head. Her fury was spiritless, crippled by shock and despair. Her whole body seemed dulled, as if rotting from the
heart while life remained. But it was eyes that made Twilight gasp. Their fire was gone.

“Have you forgotten?” Sunset groaned, “How I treated you? I’m not the shining friend you thought me. I'm a liar, a coward who hurt everypony that helped her. A villain, in a cell! I couldn’t believe it. I was a good pony. A great pony. Sunset Shimmer. I told myself every day, but it was a lie! I was always a heartless demon. You were right.”

Twilight fell against the barrier. Pressed her hooves and her mouth towards Sunset, crying out.

“I didn’t mean those things! I did, then–but I’m not leaving you like this!”

“You should. You can’t help me. After I called you a worthless–”

“Don’t tell me to give up. You never gave up. You could be angry, or self-centred, but that made you strong. Sometimes you went too far, but you always went the right way! We can deal with the stupid things we said. If you somehow did that to Lemons, and Minuette…we can deal with that! I only know you’re my friend, Sunset, and that isn't changing!”

“No.” Her voice flickered with strength, “You were my friend, Twilight. You always had the heart that cared. I would never hurt you, Twilight. I’d do anything, to protect your heart, but I failed...”

“Sunset…what can I do, to see you again? I don’t know what to do, or say. You always did.”

“Sorry. Too late, I guess.” Sunset pulled herself up, moved towards Twilight, “Princess Celestia knows something. Some dreamwalking monster still out there. Stay close to her. Protect yourself.”

“Don’t you dare worry about me!” Twilight ducked her head, and pulled up a small pendant she was wearing, “Celestia bound my brother’s Shield Technique into this, and an alarm if the shield takes damages. He cast a shield over the whole palace to keep anything out, but she gave these to me, Lyra and Twinkleshine, straightway, in case an enemy was still inside the grounds. If, if we can find the real attacker, or they strike again, while you’re in here…”

“No, Twilight. Leave it to Celestia, and your brother. He’s a good pony; he loves you. Go to Lyra and Twinkleshine. They need you now. Don’t come back here, and waste your time with a broken hack.”

Love, sorrow, and frustration, flickered over Twilight’s face before she replied and left.

“Remember my nightmare, my first night here? I was getting eaten by books, and you were laughing–but that wasn’t you. You were the one who saved me. I think something is doing this to drive us apart, only they’ve destroyed everything except our friendship. Don’t give up, Sunset. Don’t give up on me, don’t give up on us. I won’t give up on you.”

-0-
-0-

“You okay, Twily?”

“No. But thank you for that, brother.”

Shining Armour was waiting for Twilight outside the dungeon. Brother and sister trotted through marble corridors in silence.

“Twily,” Shining finally began, “You should never have had to see this...”

“No. But it’s worse for Minuette and Lemons. Worse for Sunset.”

Twilight could see the tears, gnawing within her brother's eyelids. His hoof-steps were heavy as death.

"I'm sorry, sis. A horror like this, in Canterlot itself…even Guards get scared, Twily. Go too far. I'm ashamed."

“BBBFF. It's okay,” Twilight shut her eyes, “Her Gift traces matched; I know how it looks. You’re doing your job. At least you can do something.”

“Yeah, something.” Shining glanced through a window at the shield still hanging in the sky, “My shield stops enemies; they can’t send anything,
can’t enter or leave in any way. We’ve searched the whole palace in every dimension. Nothing.”

“A dreamwalker or mental projection could hide in somepony’s head.”

“Severian has scanned everypony’s mind for anything. Nothing. No clue in Sunset’s memories; he's still reconstructing her dreams, like the Princess ordered. If there's any other possible explanation...I promise we'll find it."

-0-
-0-

In the infirmary, Lyra and Twinkleshine were sprawled at the bedside, ashen faced. Snips and Snails, silent for the first time in a blue moon, had bought a giant bunch of flowers. Even Moondancer was there. Plush beds and expensive paintings only added to the weight in the air.

Silently, Twilight hugged Lyra and Twinkleshine. Nuzzled their ears, wishing it was Sunset’s ear and feeling awful. She asked if there was any news; anything to be said.

“Minuette’s parents were here earlier. They’re talking to Celestia, about waking her up, or…leaving her.” Twinkleshine swallowed a sob, and went on, “Lemons’ parents will be here tomorrow. I still don't understand at all...”

“Oh, Lualus...” Lyra whispered.

The words hung in the silence like frost on flowers. While the rain fell, the crops grew and the sun rose, with equine effort, not many ponies gave thought to their creator. Until the thread of harmony snapped, and everything fell into horror. But Twilight could only believe one thing; Lualus would give his ponies the tools for this problem as well.

“Twilight? What’s Celestia doing?” Twinkleshine finally asked, “Is there a cure she can find?”

“Is she looking for the monster?” Snips piped up.

“She shouldn’t be,” Twinkleshine snapped, “When she’s already found the pony.”

Twilight knew what ponies thought about ponies arrested by the Guard; she had always felt the same way. She glanced at the curtains around her two friends’ beds, before she answered.

“Sunset would never do this. My brother will find the real attacker, and release her.”

“Twilight. I know she was your friend,” Twinkleshine’s voice was a dagger stroking the neck, “But it seems she’s not the pony we thought she was. It must have been the pressure, or expectations. I can only imagine she went insane.”

“I don’t understand. You’ve known Sunset for years!”

“Yeah!” Snips burst out, “Our teachers laughed, when we said we’d get into this school, but Sunset didn’t!”

“She did bad things, before our first year,” Lyra countered, “And they had that fight last year...”

“And then Sunset fought a dragon to protect them! She saved your singing concert at the last minute, Twinkleshine, and helped your team win the hoofball finals, Lyra! She got angry, sometimes, but she tried, she always tried! And I'm going to do everything I can, to find out the truth!”

“All these petty little things! Don’t you realise, Lemonhearts and Minuette are right there?” Twinkleshine thrust a hoof towards the beds, “Find a cure for them, and tell Celestia that she has to! Unless you only care about Sunset!”

Twilight’s ears drooped in shame. Desperate plans to clear Sunset had collapsed in her head, one by one, but she hadn’t began to consider a cure for Minuette and Lemons. What could she possibly do?

She silently retreated to the window, crushed under a sudden weight. When she turned, it was a surprise to see Moondancer close to her ear.

“D-don’t listen to them, Twilight Sparkle,” Moondancer whispered, “Celestia will do anything she can for o-our friends. And I know you'll find the truth. If there's anything, I can do...?"

"Just hearing that you believe me is something," Moondancer smiled, beautifully. Twilight suddenly recalled that she was a fellow research expert; at least she was seldom out of the library, "Moondancer? Could you help me, to find the truth? For our friends, and Sunset? I understand if you don't–"

“No...I will help. You taught me to stand up for myself, T-twilight S-s-Sparkle, and find real friends. You saved me from Trixie. I’ll do anything to help you. Anything you want.”

Twilight grinned awkwardly into Moondancer’s earnest gaze. An image of a Twilight shrine and observation diary in her closet flashed through her mind, but she could still honestly say the help was appreciated.

”Miss Sparkle?” Snails whispered on her other side, “If you got a plan to clear Sunset, we’ll follow you, like we followed her. And…I want to avenge Lemonhearts as well!”

As three ponies looked to her like a leader, Twilight felt very strange. She was not overwhelmed in the least. The smile of Sunset glowed in her heart–her protector, her strength and her friend. Because she herself had strength. She would pour it out, for Sunset’s sake.

-0-
-0-

Moondancer and Twilight cut every class they could get away with and spent the next two days in the library, searching for methods of faking a Gift Signature, tracing a dreamwalker, or treating Nightsickness. Moondancer’s reading and research skills hugely impressed Twilight, and she couldn’t help saying so often. The quiet filly hid her blushes in her shapeless jumper.

Snips and Snails kept them supplied with snacks, and glowed at her occasional compliments. They even brought down a care package to Sunset’s cell; she wiped her eyes, and said they were two little miracles. Moondancer didn’t find time to visit her. Nor did Starry Flash.

Celestia called Twilight to her throne room, once. She was not seated on her throne, but gazing on a window that showed her defeat of Nightmare Moon. Almost a thousand years ago.

“Twilight Sparkle. On your first night at my school, you suffered a frightening dream. Nearly five years ago, the same thing happened to Sunset. I knew these dreams were an enemy’s work. But you had no more nightmares. You utterly defeated them, as Sunset did before you. You are both strong, talented ponies; I chose you to help and protect the ponies of Equestria. I thought I could let you enjoy peaceful fillyhoods before the years of storm…but I failed you, and your friends. Poor Minuette, poor Lemonhearts, Uoor Sunset. It seems almost impossible for her to continue as my student, much as I would wish otherwise. If you no longer wish to be my student, I will understand.”

Twilight hesitated. Her Princess had chosen her, three years ago. Her Princess never failed. Now the ground shook under her feet; the sun darkened in the sky. She had never dreamt of protecting Equestria, or being such a great pony. Three years ago, she had only hoped to study, to learn wondrous knowledge and power–and help other ponies, one day.

In all her learning, she had almost forgotten, but now she knew. There was a pony she would help. Pass or fail the test, it was her destiny to try.

“I wish to remain your student, Princess. What do you wish me to do?”

“Stay safe,” Celestia rested her bright smile on Twilight’s face, “Activate that shield pendant before you sleep, or at any time you are alone. It is not impenetrable, but will alert Shining Armour at once if the shield is attacked. Remain with your brother, as much as you can. Trust his shield over the palace to protect your friends. You are a brave, special pony, Twilight. We will protect you.”

Twilight suddenly felt sick to her stomach. She hated to lie, hated to break the rules. But Sunset could’ve stood it. Sunset would’ve done it for her.

-0-
-0-

With no illusions that the library would yield answers, Twilight had used it as a distraction from her real plan. In every unobserved moment, she had been reordering the altered threads of reality clustered over the shield pendant, much like a circuit board or computer program. It took every ounce of her skill. The shield had to activate after something stepped within its bounds, to attack her. Trapping them.

The alarm would make sure she was rescued, and the attacker caught. Twilight considered asking Moondancer, or Snips and Snails, to act as lookouts. But she could not involve them in an action where they might get hurt, or even expelled.

Three days after the attacks, it was ready. Twilight walked quietly through the palace wall that evening, at an unguarded spot. Her brother’s shield let her through. The streets of Canterlot had been solemn and fearful, since the shield had gone up. But no heart beat faster than Twilight’s, as she trotted towards a tiny branch library near the city walls. Forced the rear door that still hadn’t been fixed, since her last visit.
Sipped from a sleeping draught she had brought, and settled under a table.

"I’m sorry, brother. I’m sorry, Princess. Sunset…this time, I’ll save you. This time, I’ll be the hero...”

-0-
-0-

Sunset woke, still under the dome. Her head seemed to have been sawn in two, and filled with rotten cider. But, with all the mind scans, no brain damage. Maybe that would’ve ended her pain.

She’d spent days tortured with helpless fear, for Twilight. The pendant proved she was being targeted. The brightest, sweetest pony. Her friend, after all she had done and been! In a tortured coma, like Minuette. And there would be nothing that Sunset could do.

She couldn't pass the dome by any means. Even if it vanished, the monster was unseen. Her brains and her Gift had been helpless. Her dreams and all her hopes had fled like birds. Only anger was left, enough to light the dungeon with fire–but hadn't rage and self-regard brought her self to this? No help for her, no hope. But if hope lived in the world at all, if it meant the Sun, Moon and Earth turned upside down–Twilight Sparkle had to be safe.

Sunset had neither denied the existence of Lualus, nor cared to ask him for anything. She had been certain Lualus despised kneelers; she certainly hadn't thought much of them herself. But now she pressed her hooves together, bowed her head and body. Turned all her blazing heart towards the shadowed infinity beyond it.

“Father of all. Please save Twilight. Please protect her. I don’t know why you let these horrors go on. I can’t understand how she can still be my friend. Please, from the bowels of my heart, as you care for every little pony, help her…please.”

-0-
-0-

Twilight woke in a night black cylinder, so narrow that she could not stand. She hammered the cold wall–she was buried alive, alone. Lost to her friends and light–face buried in a book that she couldn’t read! She knew it was a dream. Knew, in the same indefinite way, she could not wake.

“Not bad for a start, Twily.” The voice crept in her ear like poison, “The walls could be blue-hot, and have a few nicely positioned spikes...but still, we’ve both got all the time in the world. Capisce?”

“You don’t. You don’t. I’ve trapped you. Celestia and BBBFF are coming–”

A hoof struck the back of Twilight’s neck; her glasses smashed on a gravel field. There was sunlight, and the sadistic laughter of foals, but the voice cut through it all.

“A delayed shield, to trap me in your own head? You always were smart, Twily. You just didn’t have the skills to alter the Shield without breaking that little alarm. Your Princess isn’t coming, Twily.”

“No. You can’t know that! That’s just my fear…”

“Some fears are true, little Twily. Princess Celestia will take her bedtime tea and cake, as her little student goes insane, and whose fault will it be?”

“M-mine…”

“That’s it. You prissy, spineless book-worshipping foal. How did you ever take what was MINE?”

It was Sunset. Red flesh circled her eyes, and the voice was bitter with venom–but the snap of assurance there, the fire in her eyes, could
have come from nopony else.

“The moment I saw you, I hated,” She stooped to hiss in Twilight’s ear, “Now we’re alone, just like you dreamed. Alone together, with your only friend. Celestia will tear out her eyes, when she finds you! Her eyes that never saw me, the real me–of course she'd have killed me if she had! Before you came, we might've been happy–twin suns of Equestria! But do you want to know the truth, Twily? Of course you do. Nothing could really make me happy, except to crush your heart to slime.”

Twilight's voice did not shake, not because she was unafraid. She was terrified. But knowledge and logic, unshakeable, were the only path she knew to her only hope.

“You’re…not Sunset," Twilight's voice did not shake, "She didn't hide hate, she exploded. She’d never give up on Princess Celestia. She never let me give up, or be afraid! She was my friend. I knew all her demons, I knew her true self! You’re not the Sunset Shimmer I’ve always believed in!”

Then the thing that looked like Sunset snarled. Exposed teeth like a honeybadger. Twilight shrieked and curled, shielding her throat–but she started up, at the voice.

“Hey. Scarecrow. Get away from my friend. Now.”

It was a Sunset–a new Sunset. Glaring at the double that stood over her fellow student. With a knight's gold armour flashing on her flanks, in the daybreak over a misted hill.

It was Twilight’s dream, after all.