Author's Note

Each chapter will be named after the character(s) that the chapter focuses on. There are episodes from the series in here but there will be some obvious differences. If at any point during the story that the rating should go up or a tag needs to be added, please let me know.

Sunset

It had been a long day of studying and Sunset Shimmer was exhausted. She had been so tired; she had fallen asleep in the library. It didn’t take her long at all to fall asleep but unlike most nights, this was the start of a journey she didn’t know she would have. It had been a few years since she started studying under Princess Celestia and it wasn’t that long ago a new student joined her School for Gifted Unicorns. The students name was Twinkle Spark or something like that, Sunset didn’t care though, she had her studies. There was no time to get to know other ponies. Unfortunately, said student would have a lot to do with Sunset and Sunset wouldn’t even know it.

Sunset had been peacefully sleeping when a knock came to her window. She hadn’t heard the knock until it got louder and louder and she finally popped her head up from her pillow. She looked toward the door and then to the window and saw a shadowy figure. The pony was completely covered in black. The pony was covered up in such a way meant to keep others from seeing the type of pony she was. Luckily the sex of the pony wasn’t hidden, not that it gave much away but at least it was something. It was obviously a mare based on the pony’s size. “Who are you and what are you doing at my window?” The pony outside her window didn’t say anything but she did shake her head and then made the signal that said “I’m watching you.” The pony then jumped off the window sill. Sunset was a little freaked out by this but did her best to keep herself calm. “Relax Sunset, go to sleep and forget from this anomalous moment.”

When morning came, Sunset woke up refreshed and ready for another day. “What a nightmare.” She said, honestly believing that it had just been a dream. She lifted many a books off the shelves and found a very interesting one. The cover had a golden unicorn on it. “Did Celestia send this to my room last night because I haven’t seen this book before? Perhaps that was the reason for the weird dream I had?” Sunset opened up the book and read through it. She stopped when the Elements of harmony came up. “Hmm, where have I heard of the elements of harmony?” She stood up and pulled book after book off the shelves. It took some time but she finally found the book she was looking for. “Ahh, Predictions and Prophecies.” She flipped open the book to the E section. “See Mare in the Moon? I always thought the Mare in the Moon was just an old ponies tale.” Her interest now peaked, Sunset flipped to the M section. “The Mare in the Moon, myth from olden times, pony who wanted to rule over Equestria, Hmmm?” She continued to read and then gasped. “I must inform Princess Celestia!”

Sunset grabbed her book Princess Celestia gave to her, opened it up and began to write. Once she finished her note, she closed the book and hoped for a quick response. Until her book buzzed, she paced nervously. Lucky for her, the book buzzed seconds after she sent her letter. She quickly opened her book and read what Princess Celestia had sent. She quickly read through and then gasped. “What does she mean I have to stop reading and they aren’t dusty, they’re antique? I must speak with her face to face.” Sunset ignored the rest of what was written and shut the book. She ran out of the library and toward her mentors room.

When she arrived, she knocked on the door before running into the room. “Princess Celestia, forgive the intrusion but I can’t believe that you don’t want to take action.”

Celestia let out a sigh and sat down. “Sunset, you need to relax and have some fun for a change.”

“I have plenty of fun, right now we have a serious problem to take care of. Nightmare Moon can’t be allowed to return.” Sunset tapped her hoof impatiently.

“You must also learn patience my dear student. My assignment is simple Sunset. You are going to Ponyville and I want you to make some friends. Now I want you to go get packed and get ready to go. I have a place for you to live. It’s a small library there, it should make you happy. Now this isn’t a suggestion, this is an assignment and I expect you to take it seriously.” Sunset was about to retort but Celestia cut her off. “Don’t argue Sunset, you are going to Ponyville and you will at least try to make friends. If you trust me at all, you will do this. I also want you to check up on the Summer Sun Celebration. If you absolutely have to work, check up on the celebration while you are there.”

Sunset grunted and left in a huff to get ready to go. How could Celestia send her away to do something so pointless? “Friends aren’t going to help me; I need to find a way to keep Nightmare Moon from returning.” She spent an hour packing and then another half an hour double checking. She had to solve this somehow but how. She understood the need to make sure the Celebration would go well but she wasn’t about to make friends.

Once she arrived at her temporary home, she unpacked all her things and then took to the streets. Her first stop was Town Hall. It only made sense after dropping off her luggage at the library. Town hall was closest to the library. Sunset walked up the steps and opened the door to the building and looked around in awe. She never expected an ordinary building in an ordinary town to look so good. The ribbons and flowers that adorned the building were a sight to see. “Hello, excuse me, are you Rarity?”

“Please wait just a moment; I’m ‘in the zone’ as it were.” Rarity finished what she was doing and then turned around. “I am Rarity and you, ahh. Your coiffure, did you not brush it this morning?”

“What, no, I’m in a hurry. I, wait, where are you dragging me off to.” Sunset asked while getting dragged out of the building. Rarity hadn’t dragged her too far but to a building with the words Carousel Boutique on it. “Why are we here?”

Rarity ran off to grab some hairstyle products and some of her dresses and other articles of clothing. Without even asking, she fixed up Sunsets mane and tried to get Sunset to try on her clothes. “Now tell me dear, where are you from?”

Sunset backed away from Rarity a little freaked out by the mare in front of her. “I’m from Canterlot--” Sunset stopped when Rarity squealed.

“Oh Canterlot, the glamour, the sophistication, I’ve dreamt of going there myself.” Rarity looked down at the clothing she had and shook her head. “Emeralds, what was I thinking? Absolutely not.” She left to get something else of which Sunset didn’t want any part of.

Sunset ran out as fast as she could and got some distance between her and Rarity. With that frightening experience over with, she was ready to go to Sweet Apple Acres. She searched for somepony to ask where the farm was when a very pink pony walked over to her. “Seems nice enough.” Sunset thought but quickly regretted trying to talk with the mare. “Hello, I--” The Pink pony gasped and took off like a rocket. “Never mind, I have a map anyway. I should have done that to begin with.” Sunset pulled out her map when she got tackled to the ground. “Ow, what the hay?”

“Oh, sorry. I was trying out a new trick and messed it up.” The pony that tackled Sunset apologized. “Who are you?”

“My name is Sunset Shimmer and I’m just gonna make a wild guess here but you must be Rainbow Dash.” Rainbow nodded. “Well, shouldn’t you be clearing the clouds?”

“Nah, I will do it later. I’m gonna be a wonderbolt, so I have training to do.”

“You, a wonderbolt, no way you could be a wonderbolt. You can’t even clear the skies.” Sunset taunted and smiled smugly.

Rainbow wasn’t about to let Sunset question her ability and so she would prove to her just how good she is. “Watch this.” In a flash, Rainbow Dash flew off and seconds later landed with a smug smile. Sunset’s smug smile dropped into one of shock. “Ten seconds flat.” Rainbow looked at Sunset and laughed as she flew around. “You are a crack up Sunset Shimmer. Catch ya later.” Rainbow flew off.

“Seriously, what kinds of ponies live here?” Sunset continued and then heard a crack of something around her. She flipped around and looked back and forth. To one side of her, she saw a black dressed pony. It was the same pony from the night before. Sunset took a step back when the pony disappeared. She couldn’t ignore it; the pony had been at her window and had to have something to do with Nightmare Moons return. “She must know that I want to stop Nightmare Moons return and now she wants to stop me. That has to be it and so the sooner I finish, the sooner I can get the important things done.” Sunset looked at her map and found Sweet Apple Acres not too far away. She carried her map in her magic as she made her way toward the farm.

Sunset was halfway there when her ears caught the sound of some rather beautiful music. She found herself moving toward the sound. When she arrived at the source, she found a yellow Pegasus with a pink mane conducting some birds. The birds stopped their singing and so Sunset took this time to say hello. “Hi, that was very good.” The Pegasus jumped and turned around. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to frighten you. I’m Sunset Shimmer, who are you?” The Pegasus said something but it wasn’t clear. “Come again?” Again the Pegasus answered but it was still quiet. “Ok then, I’ll just be leaving then.”

Sunset left and wondered if that hadn’t been the pony to do the music. “No, she was teaching animals, not ponies. Nut case, a quiet one but one all the same.” She continued on her way to the farm. She dreaded the moment she would get there. She didn’t like a lot of places, mainly those that didn’t have the princess around but a farm was at the top of her dislike list. She even had a list of things at the farm that made her dislike the farm. The animals, the smell the animals made, the country folk who lived there and the weird ways they spoke. There were more but those were definitely the top reasons.

It wasn’t long before Sunset arrived and despite her feelings, she tried to look happy. Who was she trying to kid, she wasn’t really trying. She put on a clearly fake smile and walked up to the farm pony bucking the trees. “Hi, you must be Applejack.”

“Eeyup, how may I help you?” Applejack wiped the sweat from her brow.

“You are the one preparing the food for the celebration?” Sunset asked ready to run the moment Applejack said yes. The smell of animal was starting to reach her nose and Applejacks speech was already starting to bug her. ‘Seriously, eeyup, how is that equine?’ Sunset thought to herself but smiled in an attempt to be nice.

“Yep, that’s me alright. Now come with me, you should try some food before you head off. What kind of friend would I be if didn’t feed you somethin’. You’re stomachs a growlin something fierce.” Applejack continued to talk as she led the way.

Sunset hadn’t even noticed that she was hungry until Applejack mentioned it. Perhaps she could stay just to fill her stomach a bit. She hadn’t eaten all day and Celestia had already set the sun. ‘I really should bring snacks with me when I do things like this.’ Sunset was snapped out of her daze when she heard her name being yelled. “Who, why, what happened? Oh right, he he, sorry.”

“Don’t you worry none, you have been awfully busy today.” Applejack hoofed over some food for the celebration and chuckled at how fast Sunset ate. “Dog gone, you were hungry weren’t you?” Applejack noticed the blush appear on Sunset’s face. “No need to be embarrassed sugarcube, we’ve all had our moments. Now I could use some help with the food, care to help me take it all to town hall?”

“I would love to help but it’s been such a big day and I’m exhausted.” Sunset let out a forced yawn.

“All I need for you to do is pull a wagon, sure you can’t help?”

Sunset groaned and surrendered. “Ok, I’ll help, but let’s hurry. I have a lot to do and it’s been a long day.” Applejack pulled one of the wagons over and gave one to Sunset to pull. Sunset really didn’t have time for this, she had to find some way to stop Nightmare Moon and all the distractions weren’t helping.

Once the food was dropped off at town hall, Sunset hurried off to her temporary living quarters. She opened the door and the lights flicked on with ponies screaming “surprise” in conjunction with party whistles. Sunset jumped a mile into the air. “What, why?” Sunset screamed when all the different noises went off and a very pink pony walked over to her.

“Hi, I’m Pinkie Pie and I met you earlier today. I threw you this awesome party, were you surprised? Huh huh huh?”

“Have you ever been in a library before, there aren’t parties there.”

“But what kind of welcome would this be there weren’t a party involved?” Pinkie asked.

Sunset shook her head and ran to the stairs and up them. She slammed the door shut and put in some ear plugs. “Crazy ponies in a crazy town, I can’t wait to get out of here.” She pulled out her book and read through the prophecy again. “Nightmare Moon has to be stopped, but how?” Sunset growled as she realized that the sun was about to rise. She had been up all night because of ponies. “Now I have no time to figure out how to stop this. If Princess Celestia hadn’t sent me here and just focused on the problem to begin with we may have been able to stop this.” Sunset looked toward the door. “It’s not like these ponies helped any. I don’t have time to figure this out now.” Sunset was about to search through some more books when a knock came to the door. “Who is it?” Sunset asked irritably.

“Darling, you’ve had a long day but please come watch the sunrise.” Rarity said through the door.

“Dang ponieskeeping me from doing what I need to do.” Sunset growled and walked out of the room. As grumpy as she was, she did have to admit that she did enjoy this tradition. She walked out of the Golden Oak Library and ran to Town Hall. Pinkie was the first to greet her but Sunset paid no attention. She was far too worried about what would happen or not happen depending on how she looked at it. Mayor Mare had introduced Celestia but as she feared, Nightmare Moon appeared. Nightmare moon was calling them her subjects. ‘That’s a joke.’ Sunset thought and then chuckled at Rainbow Dash. She looked like she wanted to attack Nightmare Moon and Rainbow probably would have had it not been for Applejack holding her back. Nightmare Moon chuckled as well and asked if she was not royal enough for them. She also asked if any pony knew who she was. Sunset couldn’t help but speak up. Unfortunately Pinkie decided to guess with a bunch of ridiculous names.

Nightmare Moon ignored Pinkie. “Does my crown no longer count now that I have been imprisoned for a thousand years? Did you not recall the legend? Did you not see the signs?”

With Pinkie Pies muzzle muffled, Sunset finally had the chance to speak. “I did Nightmare moon and I know why you’re here.” Nightmare Moon was about to respond when the mare in black jumped up beside Nightmare Moon. “You, why are you following me?”

“You fool, you have no idea what Nightmare Moon can do, she will save Equestria.” The pony in black said.

Nightmare Moon turned to the pony in black and smiled. “I like this one.” She said as she pointed to the smaller mare beside her. “Remember this day, little ponies, for it was your last.” With that said, Nightmare Moon turned to mist and disappeared.