Fire danced over Sunset’s fingertips, hissing and sizzling in the rain that was falling, even as it formed into crimson spheres that flew with practiced aim at shadow after shadow. They struck true, burning Fearlings and Nightmares to ash…but for every one that fell, more took their place.

We can't keep this up forever, she realized with a touch of despair.

—No, we can't…and the students sure can't. They’re already pushing themselves to the limit, but Sombra keeps summoning shades.—

Sunset twisted between two shadows as they lunged, letting them hit each other and become a sort of confused mass before she laid flaming hands on them, watching them ignite. Then what do we do? We need a way to win this—losing is not an option. Do you think the Rainbow would do it?

Her inner voice was quiet and thoughtful. —Very likely…but there's a problem. We can't do that until we get Sparky back. If he is knocked out of her body while her soul is trapped elsewhere…—

Cold dread ran along her spine, and only muscle memory allowed her to keep dodging. What will happen?

—A body without a soul dies, horn-head. Hers was ripped out in some kind of magical ritual, but you saw him pull the knife out. If…he gets punched from her body and she’s not here to reinhabit it…it'll expire in minutes.— Each word was rife with pain.

The former unicorn grimaced as she took a shadowy lash to the shoulder, the blow stinging something fierce despite the lack of blood. Then…how do we save her? How do we win this?

—There…is a way…but…—

She ground her teeth. Tell me! Sunset demanded, trying to ignore the sense of foreboding stealing over her.

Heaving something like a sigh, the voice said, —We have to go retrieve her. Sombra can't leave the battlefield until this is resolved…but that idiot put a loophole in for us. You wanted Twilight safe and sound and returned, and he agreed…provided we retrieve her soul.— There was a pause as she lit another Fearling on fire. —From Hell.—

Hell…

Nightmares from months past swam up from the depths of memory. Fire and pain and death, and her demonic form laughing madly before reminding her that she could never escape…

Hell was real? Not just…a metaphor for her self-inflicted suffering?

Silence stretched, allowing her to hear the sounds of fighting amidst the rain. At last, the response came. —All too real, and right now it is the prison for Twilight Sparkle’s soul.—

Then the most important question that had to be asked was how to get there. She wasn't about to leave Twilight languishing in a terrible place and a monster rampaging around in her body. How do we get to her?

—We use the rift he’s made, almost on top of the portal to Equestria. The fabric of reality is worn thin, allowing us access to the In-Between…from there…— Sunset could hear and feel the worry in the voice as she speared a shadow with a jet of fire. —From there it's not getting us into Hell that's the problem.—

What do you mean?

—Can’t you feel it? Even now, it wants us. Tugging on us, trying to draw us in.— There was a strange note to the way her other side sounded. —If we go…it's very likely to be a one way trip for Sunset Shimmer. Hell will not allow a demon to leave so easily…and we still qualify.—

Fear prickled at her spine. It's a trap?

—It's a prison. Just like Tartarus, but with protections a lot better at keeping the inmates contained than a giant dog and some magical manacles. There's a reason that shadowy spawn of a swamp rat and a harpy hag had to switch places with Twilight, and go through all of this with the bloody ritual. Hell doesn't let its prizes go easily, Sunset Shimmer…and its calling for us. It wants us for something.—

Sunset scowled, moving to help a group of CPA students that were fighting alongside her classmates, dispatching a shadow trying to hit the one boy from behind. Her senses stretched out, even as they reached inward, and she could feel it. Something…faint…trying to hook into the edges of her, whispering to her soul with an eerie siren song that beckoned. There was something extremely unsettling in how…good and familiar that song was…how the tendrils brushed against her essence and her essence seemed to reach back…how it felt like if she just…let it lead her to the source, she would be greater than she had ever been.

The unicorn-turned-girl recoiled in horror. That’s…what will happen to us in Hell?

Her inner voice was distinctly troubled. —That…is not something we can answer. We could be simply trapped forever. Hell might tear us apart. It might twist us, change us, draw the worst of us out and make us back into what we were that night.— The words were left hanging, but there was more unsaid, and Sunset knew intrinsically what the little voice inside her couldn’t say out loud.

Another one of those choices that will change us forever? That I can't come back from? Sunset shuddered, and realized that going meant potentially never coming back. Never seeing her friends again. Never eating another meal at the Sparkle house. Never graduating school or making up with Twilight or having any kind of future…or worse, becoming something so evil and twisted again that they would be horrified at what she had become…

Could she risk that? Could she give it all up? And what if it killed her? Sunset wasn't ready to die…

Yet even as she questioned that, purple eyes invaded her thoughts, looking at her with trust. A hundred memories of Twilight, of whispered words in the dark, of a smiling face and a hand tugging hers as they spent the day just…being friends. Hours spent in museums and bookstores, with no expectations weighing either of them down.

With Twilight…she had finally been free to figure out who Sunset Shimmer wanted to be.

And Sunset Shimmer was someone who loved her best friend…loved her enough to give up a world for her…

Memory rose again, and she could hear her own voice, thick with emotion and magic as words fell from her lips onto her companion’s months ago. Words spoken in the quiet privacy of a bedroom, but as fervent a promise as Sunset had ever made…“I’ll always be here for you, Twilight,” she had sworn, the seriousness of that long ago moment meaning she had forgone the nickname that so often danced on her tongue. “Always.”

It was paired with a memory from a dream, one that she knew had been her other side’s doing…a promise sworn by demon lips in a dream that had been more than a dream, an oath to protect the dark haired girl that ignited the fire inside her and had been the one to help her reforge herself from the ashes of her past.

If she was willing to give up her form and her world for love…then she was willing to give up her life and soul to keep her promise?

A thousand times yes.

Even if Twilight hated her now, or thought her a liar, or didn't want to be with her anymore…

That didn't matter in the slightest.

Sunset could help her, was the only one who could help her. She couldn't take her friends with her—they had to stay to help take down Cinch and Sombra, especially if she couldn't leave Hell at the end. As much as the redhead wished she could…she needed them here…trusted them to play their parts in stopping the villains. Her magic thrummed in approval.

—…yeah. It's…one of those choices…but…—

It's Twilight. We have to try.

—We can't do anything less.—

Hey. If the worst happens, we’ll be our own company at least?

—We could do worse. At least it’ll be intelligent conversation…—

Sunset laughed softly, eliciting a querulous growl from the direction of her boots. “Just a joke to myself,” she said, glancing down at Spike. Then she took a deep breath. “I’m going to rescue Twilight.” The dog’s ears perked and he gave a low bark, pawing at her shoe. “…it's going to be dangerous,” the former unicorn warned him. “Are you sure you want to come with me?”

Spike huffed, drawing himself up and gave a very deliberate nod and another bark.

“As long as you're sure,” Sunset commented. “I might need you to help get her home safe…in case I…can't…come back.”

Her distraction almost cost her, but a shimmering barrier blocked a Fearling’s charge. “Come back from where, darling?” Rarity asked, her magic shielding the three of them from attack.

The redhead resisted the urge to crib her thumb. “From Hell. That's…that's where Twilight is. I have to get her back…before we can hit Sombra and these shadows with the Rainbow. If I don’t, she’ll die.” The words were heavy, and she could see the way they settled over her friend like a wet woolen blanket.

“Why wouldn't we be able to come back?” Rarity asked, brows pinching in worry.

Shaking her head, Sunset elaborated. “Not we. Me. You girls have to stay here and help everyone keep Sombra and his forces busy. Keep him from leaving with Twilight’s body.”

A frown pulled at the tailor’s lips. “While I see your logic, I feel I must protest it. You should not go alone….you have also avoided answering my question.”

“I won't be entirely alone. Spike is going with me.” She motioned to the dog. “…I wish you girls could go with me. I wish I didn't have to…but…this is the way it has to be if we want to stop him and Cinch. Itheadair. Whatever.”

Blue eyes cut right into her soul. “Yet you feel you will not return. That is…not an acceptable outcome, Sunset. You are not expendable, darling.”

Sunset blinked back tears. “I know I’m not, Rarity…but I…I promised…and…” Her inhaled breath was shaky. “…do you remember what you told me? When you looked at my mind and my magic, even though it was dangerous?”

Rarity nodded slowly, but her tone was tight. “I do not feel that such is in any way similar to what you are preparing to do.”

“But it is,” Sunset countered. “Sparky is my best friend…and I promised her that I would always be there when she needed me. She needs me now, like never before…and I’m the only one who can get to her. I’m the one who can help her…and…I have to try. That's part of being a good friend.” She offered a faint, lopsided smile. “You taught me that.”

Pale arms were flung around her suddenly, a hug tight enough that the former unicorn could feel the way her friend was trembling faintly. “…and you took everything we’ve impressed upon you to heart, darling,” Rarity said close to her ear, voice wet. “You have become the best of us, you know, and we would follow you to storm the Gates of Hell should you ask.”

“I know…and that's why I’m asking you to stay. This is where I need you.” It tore at her. “I want nothing more than to beg for your help…but it would cost us what we cannot afford to lose.” Her own voice caught in her throat. “…I…do have something to ask though…if…I don't come back.”

Rarity pulled back, studying her with a tear streaked face. “Anything, Sunset. What do you need?”

“Twilight…she…she doesn't have a lot of friends and I know this has probably messed her up. She’ll have nightmares and she still doesn't know the truth.” Sunset rubbed her face. “I wanted it to come from me…but if it can't…will you and the girls tell her and her family everything? Be her friend, and not leave her alone to deal with what happened?”

Porcelain pale fingers reached up to tuck an errant strand of fiery hair out of her face. “You want us to pick up the pieces, should the worst occur.” Blue eyes were penetrating. “Because you love her.”

Sunset nodded mutely, her own tears threatening to spill over.

Her friend hugged her again, and the shaking was more pronounced. “You have my word, darling…but if you believe we will abandon you to Hell should it keep you, then you have not learned as much as you think. Should that dreadful realm try to detain you, we will come for you, Sunset. Even if we must enlist the aid of both Twilights and all the princesses of Equestria, we will come for you.”

The battle had continued to rage around them, distant, muffled, but they could hear the sudden roar that came from the direction of the woods, and the way their fellow students rallied. Rarity brought down the barrier, and Sunset craned her neck to see what was causing it.

From the woods, dozens of CHS students were charging, weapons high and led by Big Macintosh and a grown man with familiar hair in shades of blue, a headband on his head giving him pony ears.

“Shining?!” Cadence yelped in surprise as the force crashed into the shadows from the flank, brutally carving a path towards the center and causing the villain controlling Twilight’s body to hesitate.

Sunset stared, until Rarity gave her a firm nudge. “Go, darling. Now’s your opening. Bring her home. We’ll keep the door open for you!”

Scooping up Spike, the former bully took one last look at the army of students fighting in her name, and bolted for the Wondercolt statue. How do we do this?!

—We have to step into the In-Between…and put our…body inside our soul at the same time. It's more complicated than that, but that's the For Dummies version. Don't worry about the dog. He has his own ability to get there as long as you hold onto him.— The voice snorted. —His way will probably be more pleasant. The inversion of form and essence was not really designed for fleshy organics.—

Great. Is it going to be like my first trip through the mirror?

There was a pause, and then, —Worse, but in a different way.—

Sunset reached the foul altar that stank of the darkest magic ever, making her stomach churn. Now what?

And suddenly she knew, though she could never explain the process. Gritting her teeth in anticipation of agony, she used her magic to burn a literal hole in space and time, and let the questing touch of Hell grab onto her at last.

Her senses vanished the moment her body slid into that Nothingness that existed between all the Somethings, and all she knew was agony. If her first trip had been her form being reshaped by an angry god-foal, this was like being crushed, turned inside out, upside down, and sideways all at the same moment. She would swear later she could hear color and taste sound and see smells…even in that space where there was nothing to sense. Had she a voice, she would have screamed, but there was no air, no lungs, no way to express anything…

Author's Note

...She's come a long way, hasn't she?

Time to go save the girl, Sunset.

What's in Hell, you ask?

Only what you take with you.

Hope the dog and herself are enough.

...on a more thoughtful note, this whole story has really been about Sunset learning lessons from each of the people in her life. Each of the girls, Twilight, the principals, the various members of the Sparkle family. Taking the things they show her and tell her, and deciding what those lessons mean to her and incorporating them into her life and sense of self.

This is very much part of the culmination of that. Sunset, who was once selfish and egotistical and twisted with anger and violence and other emotions, has learned those lessons of friendship, of love, of humility and compassion and selflessness, and made them a part of herself in a way that was only possible for someone who had fallen to the depths she had.

Now our girl just has to survive her trip through Hell.

With just a dog.

This should be fun.