After twenty minutes of writing to Princess Twilight, and another three hours trying to go back to sleep, despite the weariness of a very much sleepless night, Sunset Shimmer urged herself out of bed well before her usual time at a quarter to eight. It was as if the trepidations of her night terrors had stripped her of any ability to rest that night.

After getting dressed, going so far as not wearing what she’d seen herself wearing in her dreams, and might as well, since today’s forecast was estimated to be a warm and sunny day regardless. She fed her pet leopard gecko Ray and actually had the time to straighten out and brush her hair. Exiting her home, Sunset began to slowly, with a feeling of glumness, walk to Canterlot High.

After stopping by the Sugarcube Corner to sit down for a panini and a large black coffee, which lasted well after she was done with her breakfast, taking long swigs as she went on. She still felt just as solemn and weary, in spite of a filled stomach. After making her way down her usual path, the city council still not having filled the three-foot deep hole on the sidewalk along the way, the school that was Canterlot High came ever closer.

Being unusually early today, Sunset rested underneath the rearing, freshly restored, horse statue that stood before the school, a representation of the school’s premiere team, the Canterlot Wondercolts. But those privy with the goings-on at Canterlot High knew it was also the other end of the portal between this world and Sunset’s home world, Equestria. Leaning against the embossed corner of the facet at the backside of the statue, she stared at the polished stone surface with a sense of foreboding. She reached out, almost touching the disguised gateway, but reeled her fingers back, feeling unsure.

She considered the possibility of taking just a quick visit to Princess Twilight at her castle in Ponyville, thinking that maybe meeting with her second mentor would help put her mind at ease. She was well ahead of the first bell, there could be time. The Princess had not responded to her message so far. If she knew Princess Twilight like she did this world’s Twilight Sparkle, she was likely an early bird- pony? Regardless.

Of course, being ascended to the position of Princess would make her life busy more often than not, and given what Sunset Shimmer knew of Princess Twilight’s past endeavors since after they met. These included having her previous home blown up by a power-engorged centaur, the very timeline of their world being flip-turned upside down, getting abducted by the queen of insectoid shapeshifters, and even meeting the very Pillars of Equestria themselves, it sounded like a miracle if Princess Twilight had any time for anything these days.

Resigning herself to just waiting for the Princess to respond on her own time, she leaned her head back, gazing up at the near cloudless morning sky, and with a deep breath, closed her eyes.

-

“Sunset? … Sunset, darling?”

Sunset Shimmer jerked awake when she felt a soft, but deliberate nudge on her shoulder rouse her from her inadvertent nap, being met with the concerned expression belonging to Rarity, the alabaster, indigo-haired girl squatting beside her behind the statue. So much for getting my money’s worth on the large coffee, Sunset thought as she rubbed her eyes.

“Are you alright, Sunset?” Rarity asked, concern radiating from her azure eyes, a friendly hand on Sunset’s shoulder.

Sunset craned her neck to straighten the kinks brought on by her poor choice of headrest. “Hey, Rarity,” she greeted with a drowsy groan, stretching out her arms. “It’s… It’s nothing, had trouble-” her sentence was cut off by a yawn, “trouble sleeping.”

Rarity eyed Sunset with a slight purse of her lips, but the fashionista didn’t outwardly pursue the matter further as she stood up, almost by second nature dusting off her skirt.

“Goooood morning!”

The two almost jumped as the ever chipper and boisterous sound of Pinkie Pie greeted them before they could properly converse. Accented with a puff of confetti as the pink haired girl popped up seemingly out of nowhere above Sunset and Rarity, clinging onto the statue by means currently unknown to the laws of physics. That was until gravity took hold, whether by her own will or not as she dropped down on the pavement, only to bounce right back up and shake like a dog to shed all the stray confetti from her puffy hair.

No matter what one’s mood or the predicament, Sunset Shimmer could always expect to smile at the sight of her overly pink friend. “Hey there, Pinkie Pie. Good morning,” said Sunset Shimmer with a warm, yet weary smile.

This elicited the bouncy anomaly of a girl to look over Sunset Shimmer almost disturbingly close, popping up behind her to scrutinize the skin along her arm before rounding back between Sunset and Rarity. “Trouble sleeping, huh?” she asked, sounding surprisingly astute for those who’d known her for long enough.

Sunset could only blink in astonishment. Before she could even draw a complete breath and raise a hand in inquiry, Pinkie Pie provided the results of her observations; “Mozzarella-cheddar panini and a large coffee!” the pink girl replied, leaning in to sniff the air close to Sunset Shimmer’s lips. “Hmm… Foalgers, Americano.”

Sunset Shimmer couldn’t so much as stammer at her friend’s impeccable clairvoyance. If magic wasn’t endemic to this world, then Pinkie Pie was the sole exception. Either that or Equestrian magic had been seeping into this world long before she’d come along and Pinkie was the one sole recipient. Sunset Shimmer nodded in confession, grasping her left arm, looking down forlornly.

“I had a… really bad nightmare,” was best Sunset could admit. Just thinking of the feeling of suffocation made her shiver.

She looked up at the feel of Rarity placing a comforting arm around her shoulders, “Sunset, remember that if there’s anything the matter, you can always tell us.”

“Morning everyone!” came the voice of Twilight Sparkle.

Indeed, ever the punctual straight-As model student, Twilight arrived at a brisk, eager pace, giving a joyful wave as she came. Despite Sunset, Rarity and Pinkie returning the gesture, the bespectacled, former Crystal Prep student promptly deduced that something was wrong. “What’s the matter?” she asked, approaching Sunset, looking her over with great concern. Sunset yearned to hug her for simple comfort.

“Sunset Shimmer’s been suffering from nightmares,” Rarity replied, maintaining her comforting arm around Sunset’s shoulder.

Sunset Shimmer sighed, “I don’t want to trouble anyone,” eliciting a soft scoff of disapproval from Rarity. “But yes. It was… It was a bad one,” she shuddered, the look of concern in Rarity’s expression deepening when an uncontrollable shiver ran through Sunset’s body.

Sunset welcomed the sensation of Twilight embracing her, returning the comforting gesture as the two hugged. When they finally parted, at Sunset’s dismissal, Twilight fished for her smartphone, “Well, it is a widely accepted theory in psychological circles that nightmares have a correlation with a variety of factors we experience while awake or something in our sub-conscious.” The bespectacled girl spoke matter-of-factly as she perused something on her screen, “Has something been troubling you lately?”

Pinkie suddenly slid up next to Twilight, holding a hand close to her mouth. “Just between us; I bet it was the potato salad…” she whispered one bit too audibly with a tone of trepidation before sliding back down. The four girls shuddered in unison remembering yesterday’s cafeteria travesty that reportedly sent everyone that ingested it to the latrines that day.

Sunset shook her head, “I… don’t think that’s what it was.” She looked at Twilight, “I’m hoping it’s nothing, but I did send word to Princess Twilight. I can still remember it so vividly… I… I don’t even want to begin to describe it.”

“Describe what now?” came the unmistakable southern twang of Applejack who walked up to the steadily growing group of friends, her little sister Apple Bloom walking past them to join her own friends, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo ahead. The cowgirl was quick to pick up that not everything was right among the quintet of her septet of friends.

“Sunset’s had problems with nightmares,” said Rarity informingly.

“Night terrors ya say?” said Applejack, bringing a hand to her hip. “Potato salad?”

Sunset Shimmer gnarled her fingers ever so noticeably. Enough with the potato salad!

“Wait-” Sunset chimed in, regaining her composure in an instant. “By any chance have you been having particularly vivid nightmares?” she asked, feeling a mix of hope, and a different kind of trepidation.

When something major was about to happen involving their group, Sunset had taken note on how something being off from the regular order of things, or something shared between her and her six friends would serve as the unifying precursory omen, of sorts. Applejack promptly shook her head, Pinkie pursing her lips as a slightly saddened expression crossed her features while Twilight and Rarity shared the same sentiments as Applejack.

“You know what I always do when I have bad dreams?” came the near whispered voice of Fluttershy, who almost on cue approached everyone else, bearing a comforting smile with a glint of something no-one could discern emanating from her eyes. “When that happens, I find that getting a hug from a good friend always makes me feel better,” she said, walking over to Twilight. “Excuse me, Twilight,” and with that she unzipped Twilight’s backpack, pulling out something small, purple, and fluffy. The quadruped sputtered, shaking itself all over, before waving a paw with an abashed, toothy smile.

“Spike?” said Twilight in surprise. “When did you get in my bag?”

“Oh, I’ve been practicing,” said the small dog, one-of-a-kind, granted the power of speech and human-level intelligence by Equestrian magic, in a matter-of-fact tone. “All I had to do was wedge myself between mathematics and physics while avoiding the added mass of your notebooks via paws,” explained Spike a matter so astute, much like his owner. “But that’s beside the point. I heard someone needed a hug?”

Sunset Shimmer couldn’t help but smile as Fluttershy handed Spike over to her. Unable to turn down such a gracious offer, Sunset took the rabbit in her arms and gave him a soft embrace. The dog went as far and even hugging her back with his front paws. Sunset handed Spike back to Twilight who clearly mouthed something along to lines of “Cheeky little rascal, stroking his head affectionately. With five of her best friends gathered around her and offering comfort, Sunset surely started to feel the effects of the nightmare fade, even if it was just a little, undoing that final moment of having her friends evaporate away from her mind. All that was missing was Rainbow Dash…

Who subsequently came speeding onto school grounds, accompanied with a rush of air and a rainbow-streaked after image following her as she used her Equestrian magic-begotten super speed, lifting a small puff of dust on her halt. The blue rainbow-haired girl eyed her smartphone with a look of triumph.

“Oh yeah, made it!” she grinned. “Looks like Mr. Cranky Doodle won’t be giving me detention today!”

“Dangit, Rainbow Dash, what've we talked about usin' yer powers?” asked Applejack with scowl.

Rainbow looked back at Applejack indignantly, “Hey, gimme a break! I slept in, Cranky said I’d be getting detention if I didn’t turn up for math on time!”

Applejack crossed her arms, remaining unconvinced, “Slept in, huh?" She raised a brow, "Accidentally or on purpose?”

Rainbow Dash shot Applejack a pout when she noticed everyone huddled around Sunset Shimmer. She approached Sunset, holding out a hand against her forehead, “You alright there, Sunset?” she asked as she felt her own for comparison.

Sunset raised a brow as all six of her friends huddled around her. Her mind flashed between them and when she saw those very faces being corroded and eaten away by the darkness as it had pierced its way into her. The images faded when she found Twilight press up against her into another embrace, followed by Rarity to her right, then the rest followed suit into a group hug. As her friends embraced her, Sunset closed her eyes, feeling the warmth generated by their shared friendship, which felt familiar… Like that light that she’d held in her dreams. In between her friends, it was almost like the vividness and intricacies of her nightmares began to fade. She could still remember, but the images and sensations became muted. She smiled happily as she reached out to whomever she could reach out to touch. As the six parted around from her, she felt so much more relieved.

Fluttershy tittered. “Nothing like a group hug to cure ill wills,” she said.

“Feeling better, Sunset?” asked Twilight, her expression giving the impression that something about her had improved outwardly too.

“Much better,” said Sunset, rubbing her eyes. “Thanks girls.”

“Like I said, darling,” Rarity chimed in. “If there’s anything you need to talk about, we’ll all have our ears open to you.”

Sunset Shimmer took a deep breath. “Well, it’s a bit strange, but, the best I could describe it was that I…” she sighed, “I was being swallowed by this immense darkness. I’d… I’d never felt anything like it before. It’s like I was wasting away; it was cold, I couldn’t breathe, and worst of all, all that I knew, what I am, was slipping away…”

She watch as her friends stared at her with shared expressions of concern, and a tinge of fear in the case of Fluttershy, who continued to hold Angel like a teddy bear in her arms.

“Worst of all was when it took you from me. My memories, my knowledge, my visions, everything. That’s when I woke up. By Celestia, I’ve never felt so scared before in my life.”

Twilight reached out to plant her hands on Sunset’s shoulders, “Did the Princess write you back?”

Sunset shook her head. “Not yet. I thought I could handle it before then. But I guess I was wrong,” she smiled sheepishly, followed by another hug by Pinkie Pie, accompanied with that strange “squee” sound.

Twilight gave Sunset a reassuring smile, “Don’t worry Sunset, once class is over, we can discuss what brought this on. And besides,” she brought her hands together, “I can finally put all this reading about psychology to use!” she said eagerly. This elicited a giggle from Sunset at her favorite bookworm.

“Whoa! And pronto!” exclaimed Rainbow Dash, looking at the clock of her smartphone. “I can’t help after school if the bell rings!”

With Sunset’s fears restrained for now, the seven friends began to head for their first class of the day, offset only by Fluttershy tripping with a squeak. Before anyone had the chance to help her up, Sunset realized, as did her friends, and every other Canterlot High student around them, that the earth was shaking. No, not just shaking anymore, but rumbling, like an earthquake. As she tried to maintain balance, she soon joined Fluttershy and a few others on the ground.

Rarity yelped as she found herself on her hands and knees, watching as the ground visibly shook underneath her like Vinyl Scratch’s bass on too high a volume. “What is happening?!” she called out hysterically.

“I don’t know!” Twilight Sparkle exclaimed as she herself had fallen flat on her rear, her glasses almost vibrating off of her face. “This is impossible! We’re nowhere near a fault line!” she said in disbelief before watching Pinkie Pie who hadn’t fallen, instead taking to shaking uncontrollably by the soles of her feet, sliding about like an out of control jackhammer.

-

Inside her office, Principal Celestia found herself holding on for dear life to her desk from the school shaking uncontrollably. She winced with apprehension as she heard her framed certificate loosen from the wall and drop, hopefully the carpeting sparing it from any damage. Taking the initiative as the authority of Canterlot High, she reached for the PA system, switching it on with the flick of a finger and drew the microphone towards her:

“Everybody, please remain calm,” she spoke levelly, but with raised volume. “All students and faculty, brace yourselves, and stay away from anywhere things might fall on you!” As she took her hand off the mic, she suddenly realized something dire and resumed, “Everyone inside the library, evacuate immediately!” she called, fearing for someone getting crushed under the heavy oaken bookcases that were not bolted to the floors as they would be where something like this would be more commonplace. Or heard of.

She watched as a silhouette approached her windowed door and came stumbling in. It was Vice-Principal Luna.

“What’s going on?!” Celestia called to her sister and fellow faculty member, managing to maintain somewhat of an air of calmness to her.

“I don’t know, sister,” said Luna as she wobbled into the office, teetering dangerously to the side, slamming into a filing cabinet. “I tried calling the geological survey, but no answer!”

Another tremor sent Luna reeling back, one of the cabinet draws getting pulled open, which inexplicably sent a spray of confetti all over Luna’s face. The spook sent her falling over onto the shag carpeted floor, her hair laden in a mess of pink, blue and orange bits of paper.

Celestia cursed herself for having missed one of Pinkie Pie and Rarity's "confetti fashion" pieces as she slowly arose from her high-backed chair, roughly pushing it up against her desk before slowly clambering towards Luna, continuing to support herself against the heavy piece of furniture, until she too found herself falling over to the floor. She winced from the pain flaring from her knees and elbow before reaching out for Luna’s extended hand.

The two sisters clasped each other for dear life, sharing a look of worry as the unexplained tremors continued to rock their school, if not the whole town. Just then Celestia winced again as her ballpoint pen dropped down atop her head. Followed by the sounds of more of her movables collapsing atop her desk, rattling against the solid oak surface. Lastly her com mic came rattling dangerously close to the edge, almost perfectly position above her head.

Before Vice-Principal Luna could reach out to push the mic back, it came falling and struck Celestia squarely on the head, eliciting a pained “Ow!” on impact.

-

Sunset was reaching out and grasping at Twilight’s hand as she stayed close to and had her other arm over Fluttershy, who held herself protectively over Angel Bunny, who in turn clung to his owner’s arm, shaking uncontrollably from the impossible tremors due to lack of mass. Sunset watched as Applejack and Rarity crawled over to their respective siblings and Scootaloo. Up ahead she could see Rainbow Dash kneeling, managing to keep herself steady enough with her arms to prop her body upwards, head darting about alertly as their fellow students tried their best at hanging on.

To the right, close to one of the wings of the school she saw Bon Bon lying prostrate on the ground, covering her head with her arms with Lyra Heartstrings huddled over her. Sweet Leaves of the conservation club was on her knees, dangerously close to the building itself.

“Look out!” called Flash Sentry as a piece of the stonework lining the roof of the school came loose and plummeted to the ground, with Sweet Leaves being right below its path.

Sweet Leaves screamed helplessly as the hefty chunk of stone came at her. This elicited Rainbow Dash to fearlessly kick off into super speed. In a blur of colors, she dashed and managed to drag Sweet Leaves away before the piece of the school’s construction smashed into the ground. But before she could bring herself to a proper stop, she lost her footing and slammed into the backside facet of the horse statue.

“Rainbow Dash!” Sunset Shimmer called out. “Are you okay?!”

Rainbow fell over, shaking her head, hissing in pain. She did not notice what looked like a breach, like broken glass that began to form on the statue’s facet, or that the stone horse’s legs began to give away. Its right hind leg crackled ominously, before it violently burst, its imbalanced weight causing its left hind leg to split apart. With a dense crack, the statue began to collapse, right towards the disoriented Rainbow Dash underneath.

“Rainbow Dash!” Sunset and her friends cried in unison.

All six of them braved the tremors as they rushed to save their friend. Rarity was already materializing one of her diamond constructs in her hand, whilst Applejack powered through the tremors with enough force that her boots split through the concrete blocks of the schoolyard walkway. Twilight Sparkle’s telekinetic aura began to envelop the collapsing stone horse and Pinkie Pie frantically fished for a fistful of sprinkles from her pocket.

Before any of them could reach their imperiled friend, the breach upon the statue’s facet began to grow, crackling lines spreading across its surface like a web. Suddenly the facet burst with a beam of blinding light that enveloped the seven girls. All that could be heard was the cacophony of their combined screams, until the stone horse fell with a thundering crash, and the beam was gone. As were the seven girls.

The other students could only look on in shock from their spots, trying to brave the still going unnatural earthquake. The Cutie Mark Crusaders had utter looks of horror etched on their faces as their sisters and sister equivalent were gone. After what felt like an undetermined amount of time, the unexplained tremors gradually felt less forceful. Yet no-one dared to get up on their feet until they all felt certain that the earth beneath them did not even ripple.

Sweet Leaves was among the first on their feet, who approached the shattered remains of the once noble Canterlot High statue. Her mouth hung agape, looking around for her savior Rainbow Dash and her six friends. Followed by Flash Sentry, flanked by the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Soon all the students had gathered around the ruined landmark. Questions being asked, concerns voiced, comforts being given, in particular to Sweet Leaves. Flash Sentry eyed the statue, the facet back to its smooth, polished state. No matter where the students searched, under the rubble, around the statue; Sunset Shimmer, Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie were gone.

Author's Note

Fun fact: The order of introducing the Mane Six, aside from Rainbow Dash, was done via dice roll.