20,000 Legumes Under The Sea

Existentialism was for pussies.

Sunset thought long and hard about the nature of the the soul, what it means to be yourself, the concept of a manufactured identity, etc.

That lasted about a whole minute.

At the end of the day, she was Sunset Shimmer. And as long as she figured it, she looked like Sunset Shimmer, thought like Sunset Shimmer, and acted like Sunset Shimmer, and anyone who dared to claim otherwise would be free to challenge her in the Blood Dome.

Though if the Blood Dome even existed anymore, she’d eat her bat.

The submersible surfaced in darkness, to stormy seas and skies full of lightning.

Sunset climbed up onto the crumbling ruins of a platform which, from her perspective, had been pristine only hours before.

Towards the shoreline, the horizon glowed an angry red, visible even through the storm clouds.

A small figure stood at the edge of the platform, staring into the sea.

“I was hoping I’d find you here,” Sunset said as she approached.

Twilight’s shoulders stiffened, but she didn’t say anything.

Sunset stepped up beside her. “So, what’s all of this, then?”

“The end of the world,” Twilight whispered.

Well, wasn’t that a bitch. “How did it all end?”

Twilight shook her head, a tear running down her cheek. “Me. It’s all my fault.”

“Why?”

Twilight turned to her, and it wasn’t the Twilight she knew. Rather, not only was she still Midnight Sparkle, but she looked about twenty years older. Lines crossed her face, and there was deep sadness in her eyes. “I don’t know. At every step of the way, I thought I was doing the right thing. Thought I could make things better for people. But like you said, I just don’t know when to stop. I kept going, and things kept getting worse. I tried to stay in control. I tried to fix things. I tried to fix the things my attempts to fix things broke. And on and on. Until I lost everything. Until everyone lost everything.”

Sunset took a deep breath, trying to imagine the world she’d woken up in. “Are there still people out there that need help?”

“Not many.” Twilight grimaced, and looked away. “But some. Little remains of civilization as you know it, though.”

“Equestria?”

“Sealed off, before things could get too bad. Haven’t heard anything from them in a long time.”

Sunset nodded. “So why me? Why bring me back in a robot body at the bottom of the ocean?”

Twilight threw her head back and laughed, the sound hollow and desperate. “Because you’re gone. Everyone is gone. Because the real you dedicated her life to stopping me. Because she failed. Because I wanted to see you again. Because I remembered that there was an archived scan of your brain data stored in Beantopia. Because I wanted to pretend that, just for a little while, things were back to the way they used to be. I’m sorry.”

“I see.” Sunset closed her eyes, holding her hand over her synthetic heart as she mulled over all the new information. For some reason, she felt remarkably calm.

Where to go from here, well. That much seemed clear.

Sunset rolled her shoulders. “I’m going to find some people that need help and help them. Are you coming with?”

Twilight took a step back, eyes wide. “I just told you that I caused the destruction of the world. And you’re… willing to forgive me?”

“I didn’t say anything about forgiveness. I’m in no position to forgive you. But there are people out there that need help. Do you want to help?”

Pain flickered across Twilight’s face. “I can’t help them. I’ve hurt them enough already.”

Sunset shook her head. “I didn’t say anything about whether you can help, or what you did. Do you want to help.”

“I…”

“I’m going to help them. Help them with me. Or just help me for my sake. Or fuck off and do whatever you want. The choice is yours, Twilight. You always have a choice.” Sunset turned around, and started walking back towards where she’d left the submersible.

“Wait!” Twilight called, reaching out her hand.

Sunset looked over her shoulder, expectant.

Twilight took a deep breath. “It’d be a lot easier if I fly you there.”