Author's Note

So, another one.

Yes, we have a bad case of talking heads here, I know. This was thrown together in about two hours, an idea derived from Spark Visions of Twilight by Tangerine Blast.

At the end, after some four years of Queen Moon, ponies have to pick up the pieces now that she's gone, and Celestia is back. I was going to put more elaboration on the government and the recover the Crystal Empire plan, but I felt there was enough talking already. Long and short, after Celestia's abysmal handling of the whole Nightmare Moon matter, ponies aren't all that interested in putting her in charge again. Plus they want more say, so Cadance is a Princess and while she has more power than say the Queen of England, it's still a very small amount compared to what Celestia had.

I also was going to have Twilight explain the whole 'can't make you an alicorn thing' but left that out. Also Sunset isn't reformed per se, but it is hard not to respect the team of unicorns she's with. That and she's been given a fairly large amount of responsibility for helping to fix things.

A New Sun

Twilight and her companion stumbled out of the base of a statue, falling to their hands and needs. Wincing at the pain of their landing, they looked at each other, and then the other… creatures walking around. A few stared at them, thankfully having not noticed their arrivals.

“Ouch, that wasn’t a fun landing.”

“That wasn’t a fun trip,” Moondancer replied, “I feel like I’m going to be sick, but I think it’s wearing off. Is it me, or do they walk like minotaurs?”

Twilight nodded, “They do. Let’s stand up, and then find Sunset Shimmer.” Saying it was far easier than doing it as the two teens wobbled, holding each other up as they stood, wobbling like new born foals.

“She can’t be here, this is a school, and she’d be far too old by now for this.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure, just look at us, I think we’re a lot younger than when we left. That or these creatures age much differently than ponies.” Stumbling towards the door, “Come on, we only have a week, and we don’t know how hard this will be.”

While their walk wasn’t by any means elegant, nor did they have an easy time figuring out how to open the door, they were soon inside. Asking students for help didn’t work though, as saying Sunset Shimmer’s name only led them to rushing away. But, Sunset had conquered the school, so it wasn’t long before they found her, as dictators never have a low profile.

“Sunset!” Twilight cried out, “High Princess…

“I don’t care what Celestian wants, so get lost,” their target said before turning and starting to walk away.

“Sovereign Princess Celestia didn’t send us, she doesn’t have the authority any more.”

Sunset stopped suddenly, turning slowly, but not before dismissing her two accomplices, “Snips, Snails, get lost,” not even paying attention as her two sycophants said ‘Yes your highness’ before darting off. Staring at the two Equestrians, she turned and opened the nearest door, glaring at the teacher setting up. Excusing herself, the teacher left the room to them. “Explain, and it had better be good.”

It was Moondancer who spoke as Twilight was trying to form her thoughts, “Nightmare Moon returned, defeated Celestia, imprisoned her in the moon, and then Twilight and her friends helped the second rebellion defeat Queen Moon and bring Celestia back. The council vote to downgrade her title to Sovereign Princess, and promote Cadance for her work leading the rebellion. Princess Luna was stripped of the corruption of Nightmare Moon, along with her lands, properties and titles to compensate Equestria and it’s ponies. Any questions?

“Let me guess, Celestia’s former student, run away and wanted criminal is to be paraded as proof that the new administration is cleaning house, right?”

“Criminal?” Twilight asked, “I suppose using a class B artifact without permission does make you a criminal, but publicly disagreeing with a princess was never a crime, and these days, you’d likely be seen as a hero for it.”

Sunset stared at her for a while, thinking, “So what do you want with me?”

“Queen Moon,” replied Moondancer, “killed or maimed hundreds of ponies. She also destroyed the livelihood of many more and tore up every treaty we had with other nations. Rebuilding is going to take a long time, and we need the help of every able bodied pony, especially a unicorn powerful enough to become Celestia’s student all those years ago.”

“And you’ve a few days to think about it,” added Twilight with a smile, “after all, the portal will be open for another five days.

Sunset stared at her, “Umm, it’s only open for two days.”

“No, a week, all six days… Wait,” Twilight slapped herself. “We never considered the possibility of a time difference between the ends,” she said as she stared at Moondancer. “How long have you been here? Never mind, that’s not important, what is important is that we’ve only got a day to get back or we’re stuck here for good.”

“You’ll only be here a few months, that’s all.”

“No, you don’t understand, all Class A and B magical relics that can be safely disposed of are being destroyed, this will be the last time the mirror opens, whether we go back or not.”

“Things are that bad?”

“There isn’t enough soldiers to secure everything, so we’re inventorying and destroying as much as possible. If it has no practical use or historical value, then it gets destroyed.”

“Then I guess I’m coming home…”

ΩΩΩΩΩΩ

Four months later…

Starlight finished her presentation with a smile, “So, that’s the plan.”

Twilight smiled at her, Sunburst, Moondancer and Starlight, “Wow, you four really have done your research, haven’t you? So two alicorns and the Elements to repair the heart, once Rarity finds all the pieces, and then the remaining Crystal Ponies will have to charge it.”

“I’ll put up a shield,” Shing said, raising a hoof to silence her objections before she said a thing. “I won’t over do it, after having the Canterlot shield shattered during the first rebellion, the town square,” looking over the map, “should be about all I can do. And I won’t be able to include the palace.”

Sunset listened and watched, impressed by the team they’d built. Sure, she still had trouble with her ego, but every pony here was her equal, or carrying on despite what the Queen had done. Especially Starlight, reduced to only research after an attempt to overthrow Nightmare Moon had resulted in the burning out of her mana passages and horn. Over doing one’s magic was bad enough, but to have an alicorn force massive amounts of magic into your horn? Starlight was lucky that some headaches was all she had to show for it.