Sunset and her new friends galloped to the Everfree Forest. When they arrived at the entrance, she surveyed the forest. She had never been in the Everfree once in her life. The forest was said to be dangerous, as it housed timberwolves, chimeras, and cockatrices. She stepped into a muddy puddle. The snow had turned to mush. The group walked toward the trees, and when she peered over her shoulder, she saw Fluttershy waiting by the entrance.

"Fluttershy, are you coming?" Sunset asked.

Fluttershy's eyes darted around. "No. The Everfree Forest is dangerous. I'll stay here."

"Weren't there six Elements?" Sunset searched her saddlebag for the book. Didn't she bring the book with her? Her hoof met something solid. She levitated the book, then glanced around. "Let's find a shade. The heat will become unbearable due to Daybreaker's wrath."

The group rushed to a shade. A small fireball hovered over them. Sunset glimpsed a horn. Did Daybreaker spy on them? "Perhaps we should be careful about what we say. Daybreaker will use the words to hurt us. If she is like any other villain, she'll come up with the correct obstacles and traps."

Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes. "How do you know all this? Are you a spy? Do you happen to be Daybreaker's distant relative?"

"Simmer down, Sally," Applejack said. "She ain't no spy."

Sunset placed the book onto the ground, then studied the pages for some significant information on the Elements. " The princess knew Daybreaker would attempt to wreak havoc after the thousand-year banishment. I'm in no way related to the royal sisters. If I can get back to the reference guide..." She wiped the sweat off her forehead. Was it a product of the heatwave, or was it just her nerves?

Rarity fanned herself. "I can't stand in this dreadful heat for hours. It makes my mane frizzy. And I have no interest in exploring the Everfree Forest."

Rainbow Dash smirked. "You're as scared as Fluttershy, aren't you?"

Applejack stepped in between them. "Rainbow, quit it."

"Nopony has ever escaped the Everfree Forest alive."

Rarity shuddered as she pushed past Rainbow Dash and Applejack. She pulled a hat and a pair of sunglasses out of her saddlebag. Did she prepare in advance? Perhaps she was just concerned for her appearance. She tapped her hoof and let out a heavy sigh. "Sunset, what is taking you so long?"

Sunset wore an apologetic grin. "I want this over with, too. Being book-smart, however, isn't my forte."

"So, did you find the reference guide yet?"

Sunset turned the pages to the beginning of the book and glanced at the list of chapters. Her gaze stopped at the bottom of the page. She skimmed the pages to the last chapter. The reference guide garnered her attention. By the time she finished reading, the group was acting impatient. Rarity wasn't the only one who didn't like the heat. The others complained about it, too.

"The Elements... old castle... royal sisters..." Sunset murmured. "It's the reason we came to the Everfree in the first place."

"I didn't think the princess could have a sister," Rarity said. "She never mentioned this."

"I must be the only one who knows the stories, then." Sunset gave Rainbow Dash a sideways glare. "This answers your questions. And no, I'm not their distant relative."

Rainbow flew ahead of the group. "Whatever you say, Sunny. You and the princess must have been close."

"In case you weren't aware, I grew up in the castle."

A distinct smell found its way into Sunset's nose. It reminded her of a log that was burning to a crisp. She scanned the area for possible dangers, and to her horror, a wall of flames blocked the path. So, they did give Daybreaker some ideas. The tyrant had to back down, or else. She shot a beam toward the fire, yet her spell didn't work. What should she do?

"Don't fight it. Just teleport," Applejack suggested.

"No way. Daybreaker will use it against us should I attempt to teleport," Sunset retorted. "Why should I take advice from a non-unicorn?"

"Teleport us, and we won't be harmed."

"Alright." Sunset summoned her magic. The magical aura enveloped the group, and when she opened her eyes, they weren't surrounded by the flames. Now they were further down the dirt path. She didn't expect an earth pony to give that suggestion to a certain unicorn.

Sunset stroked her chin. She had never been here before, so it might confuse her. Daybreaker shouldn't be able to read a pony's mind. She almost died, and she didn't want to have her life flash before her eyes a second time. Little did she know, there would be a lot more close calls down the road. She trotted further and further into the forest. Her senses were on high alert. Was it the adrenaline that made her more in-tune with the environment? A creature roared in her direction, which made the group scream.

Just as Sunset turned to see what they were dealing with, a manticore loomed over them. She stood her ground and activated her magic. "Go away, you beast!"

"Back off, you ruffian!" Rarity shouted.

Fluttershy seemed oblivious to the danger. Despite the group's protests, she approached the manticore. "Trust me. I've dealt with animals many times in my life."

Sunset's eyes widened. "Don't let him hurt you!"

Rainbow Dash charged at the manticore. "I'm on it!"

The manticore ducked. Once the creature calmed down, Fluttershy examined the manticore's paw. The manticore roared, but she didn't flinch. Applejack and Rainbow Dash observed the manticore's behavior in case it decided to attack. Many creatures in the Everfree Forest were dangerous, after all. To Sunset's surprise, the yellow pegasus removed a thorn from the manticore's paw. How did the manticore not retaliate?

"You're just a big kitty," Fluttershy murmured as she cuddled the manticore.

Sunset tilted her head. "How did you tell if he was in pain?"

"It wasn't the first guess on my mind. Sometimes we need to be shown a bit of kindness."

Rarity frowned. "The same can't be applied to Daybreaker. My mane needs a rest from the heat. At least the princess doesn't cause heatwaves. Wait, did you see what I see?"

Fiery beams emerged from the ground, startling Sunset and her friends. Each time they stepped away, another beam shot up. She swore that she heard Daybreaker laughing at their misery. The alicorn wasn't anywhere to be seen, which didn't help matters. Then, Pinkie Pie giggled for some reason. Why would she giggle? What was so funny? The fire could hurt somepony.

"Pinkie, don't stand in the way," Sunset warned.

Pinkie smiled. "Oh, girls, don't you see?"

"See what?" Sunset furrowed her brows. "We better run!"

"When I was a filly and the sun was going up..." Pinkie sang. "The flame, it would always make me frown..."

"What does this mean?"

"I'd run as far as possible, but Granny Pie said this wasn't the way... face your fears and the fire will go away..."

Rainbow evaded the fiery columns. "Can we shout at her at the same time? Surely it will grab her attention."

Pinkie Pie continued the song, and with each chuckle, the fiery beams vanished. Once she was finished, the group chortled. Sunset was sure the song was made up just to encourage the others to join in. Daybreaker must have found it ridiculous, but who cared? The tyrant wasn't here to play games. Did Pinkie view the ordeal as a game? Laughing in the face of peril wasn't a good idea.

"Let's find Daybreaker," Sunset said. "We're not here to giggle at some threat."

Pinkie stepped toward a river. "How are we gonna cross this?"

The group heard somepony crying. A serpent with a long purple body and orange hair covered his face. He was sobbing so much that his tears filled the river. Sunset's heart ached. What happened to this creature? Was Daybreaker behind this? Should she just continue navigating the Everfree Forest? Equestria wouldn't survive under permanent sunlight. The crops would die, and the lakes would dry up. And nopony wanted that. What would Luna do in this situation, though? The princess would comfort the serpent, Sunset told herself.

"What's wrong?" Sunset asked.

The serpent sniffled. "Oh, I was minding my business. This orange cloud appeared out of nowhere and stole my sunglasses!"

"You're crying over a pair of sunglasses?"

"Sunglasses? The trees can provide shade," Rainbow said.

Rarity removed her sunglasses. "How can you say such a thing? Too much sunlight hurts the eyes." She levitated the sunglasses toward the serpent. "Here you go, sir."

The serpent hesitated. "Are you certain? I can't take this. It's yours, not mine. Also, it's not the same color as mine."

"I insist. My hat protects my whole face anyways." Rarity adjusted her hat. "When we find your sunglasses, I'm certain I can take mine back. How does it sound?"

"Oh, thank you, miss unicorn. You can count on me. Now, please allow me!" The serpent folded up his body to form a bridge.

The group crossed the river and approached a chasm. Sunset scrutinized the broken bridge. Somehow, it had broken off. If Daybreaker caused this, it could prove how desperate the mare of flames was. How in the world would the ones without wings cross? It wasn't like Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy had to carry the earth ponies and unicorns across. Just as Sunset prepared to teleport, a voice called to Rainbow. A cloud of smoke obscured the other side of the bridge.

"Show yourself!" Rainbow said. "I'm not scared of you or your tricks, Daybreaker!" She hurried toward the smoke.

"Rainbow, be careful!" Everypony warned in unison.

Rainbow's attention was fixated on the smoke. "If you're not Daybreaker, then who are you? Are you one of her minions?"

A trio of ponies in scarlet suits emerged from the smoke. The leader made eye contact. "Rainbow, we've been awaiting you. I heard that you wanted to join the best fliers in Equestria. We want you to join us, the Firebolts. We need a captain, and the most magnificent-"

"Yep."

"Swiftest-"

"Yes."

"Bravest flier in all the land. In exchange for the membership, you must leave them behind. You can't choose both."

Judging by the way the conversation sounded, Sunset feared that Rainbow would turn against the group. She imagined Daybreaker waiting in anticipation. She would give up on the friendship thing if Rainbow Dash joined the enemy. Last time she had friends, one of them ran off after an argument with Princess Luna.

"Rainbow Dash, say no. Don't cave in," Sunset said.

The Firebolt leader cleared his throat. "Well? Rainbow Dash, your friends can't fix the bridge. We can."

Rainbow looked to her friends, then to the Firebolts. She narrowed her eyes. "You are Daybreaker. A tyrant will never earn my loyalty. I'll stick with my friends and our princess."

"Very well. We shall see you soon." The Firebolts disappeared.

Once everypony arrived at the ruins, Sunset flipped through the book. She had told her friends to spread out and search for Daybreaker. "When five are present, a spark will cause the sixth element to appear," she murmured. What did it mean? She pushed the book into her saddlebag and galloped into a corridor. At the sound of faint footsteps, her ears flickered. She couldn't tell if it was her friends or the mare of flames.

"Are you still here?" Sunset called out. She found herself in a large room. In the center were five rocks. She inched forward. An orange cloud materialized in front of the rocks.

"Yes, I'm here," Daybreaker said. "Where are your friends when you need them?"

"They're here."

Daybreaker peered at the entrance. "I don't see them, little unicorn. I'm more powerful than you, so you must surrender."

Sunset pounded her hoof against the stone floor. "I won't surrender to a wicked tyrant. Lower the sun and allow the night to return!"

"Our cutie marks aren't too different." Daybreaker began circling Sunset. "Are you by any chance connected to my glorious sunlight?"

"Eternal heat isn't glorious." Sunset teleported to the center of the room. "I won't let you win."

Daybreaker snickered. "I already have. Your princess isn't on the throne. I am the rightful ruler of Equestria. My former identity has been forgotten with the passage of time. Forsake them before they betray you. It's what I did. What would you have done if Rainbow Dash joined the Firebolts? Hmm? Could this convince you to join me? Maybe you can become my student, as I've never had one. Luna can't teach you magic, as she doesn't understand my sunlight. Had she ever appreciated the light the sun provided? She never did. She's way too jealous to appreciate the sun. If the timeline was different, she would be the one who was banished instead."

Sunset levitated the five rocks. She wasn't intimidated, especially when the alicorn intended to manipulate her. Daybreaker charged at her. She jumped out of the way, then shot a magical beam. Daybreaker countered the blast. Their magic pushed back and forth. Daybreaker's magic overpowered her own, and the fiery hex rammed her against the wall. The five rocks bounced away.

Daybreaker gathered the rocks. "I used to carry the sixth Element, until my sister locked me inside the sun. My sun. The other two Elements were mine. I gave her a taste of my exile."

Sunset rose to her height. "You banished the princess from her throne! She didn't deserve this. Nopony can endure eternal heat. Will you regret it if you had succeeded in taking over Equestria? The deaths of countless ponies? The loneliness? If you are the elder alicorn from the tale of two sisters-"

"Of course I'm the older sister. I don't need my little sister, as she didn't contribute a lot to Equestria in the days of old. The only thing she did was traipse around in everypony's dreams each night. Your princess isn't who you assume her to be. She's jealous of me, as I am more beautiful and powerful. This princess of the night hid in the shadows, plotting my isolation. And here I am."

Daybreaker's speech calmed Sunset, which was disconcerting. Sunset's early memories of Luna consisted of stories involving the royal sisters. As far as she was concerned, there was nothing about the stories that implied her mentor's jealousy. Why else would Luna sing a lullaby on the balcony each night? The lullaby was often filled with intense sadness. Was there any envy? Of course not. The older sister's real name slipped from her mind before she could respond.

"She doesn't envy you," Sunset said. "She sang to you. I know. I saw the tears on Luna's face. I couldn't imagine how it felt to send away one's own family. Can you reconsider your decisions?"

Daybreaker's eyes turned pink for a second, and she sniffled. She regained her composure. Her mane billowed, signifying her rage. "What did you say? I wish she wasn't my sister. I had to sit through those bothersome songs. If she sings again, I'll remove her voice. You can't stop me."

Sunset was sure she had seen a hint of the older princess in Daybreaker's eyes. The older princess wasn't a complete monster. Daybreaker had corrupted the older sister, and if the Elements of Harmony could reform a pony, perhaps the Elements could free the lost princess. She snatched the Elements from Daybreaker.

"You are persistent," Daybreaker pointed out. "The Elements can't work on me. I used three of them. Try a different strategy. Wait, are your friends in the corridor?"

Sunset peered over her shoulder. One by one, her friends entered the room. "They're here. My friends stuck with me during the adventure. Applejack told me to teleport us away from the wall of flames. She represents honesty..." The rocks shattered into shards as she spoke. The pieces floated to her friends.

"I won't lose to a mere group of ponies," Daybreaker said. "Luna will never regain the throne."

"Fluttershy represents kindness. She calmed a manticore..."

"Cease your speech!" Daybreaker demanded. "Don't overthrow me, or I'll grant you the same fate as I did Luna."

"Pinkie Pie represents laughter. She giggled in the face of fear. Rarity represents generosity. She gave her sunglasses to a serpent..."

"What? How did I bring myself to this? I'm Daybreaker, the powerful ruler of the glorious sun!" Daybreaker said.

"Rainbow Dash displayed her loyalty by refusing to join the Firebolts..."

Daybreaker cackled. "You don't have the sixth element. You're wasting your breath on my existence. Bow to your new ruler, or rot in the dungeon. Victory isn't yours to take."

"No, Daybreaker. I'm not finished yet. I believe in the magic of friendship," Sunset said. A crown materialized above her head. The gem was shaped like her cutie mark. The crown descended onto her head.

Daybreaker bared her teeth. "No. Don't banish me. If you don't submit to my reign, I will destroy you!"

The Elements of Harmony formed a rainbow beam. The rainbow surged toward Daybreaker. She shot a large fireball, only to miss her target. The rainbow and flames mixed together. Once the rainbow enveloped Daybreaker, her armor fell against the stone floor. A scream erupted from her throat. A bright flash penetrated the room. When the six mares stood up, Sunset scanned the room. She didn't want to harm the older alicorn. Was the alicorn on the sun again?

"I felt bad for her," Sunset said. "Princess Luna told me that this alicorn wasn't always evil. Will they ever reunite?"

"You have done well, Sunset Shimmer," a familiar voice said.

Sunset turned her attention to the window. Behind her, the five mares bowed. The lunar alicorn smiled benevolently. The sun shrunk to its normal size. She hugged Luna. "You knew Daybreaker would escape the sun, right? Am I supposed to return to Canterlot?"

"I knew she would. You and your new friends defeated Daybreaker. What you see will answer your question," Luna said.

The smoke cleared, revealing a white alicorn with a pink mane and a cutie mark similar to Daybreaker's. She had shrunken a little. Her eyes fluttered open. As she glanced around, she adopted a confused expression. She struggled to rise, but her legs gave out under her.

Luna sat next to the alicorn. "Celestia, welcome home. We haven't seen each other in a thousand years, and I've missed you. Not a single day passed that I didn't think about you, dear sister. Even when you were gone, I needed you. We can rule together again, and I'll help you stay on the right path."

Celestia stared at the floor, sobbing. "Lulu, I'm so sorry for what I've done. I can't rule again, knowing the damage I've caused. Why do you forgive me? I failed at being a sister and a ruler."

Luna pulled Celestia into a hug. "You have a second chance. Your crown is still waiting for you. Let's put the past behind us."

Celestia approached Sunset and gave her a hug. "I'm sorry for being cruel to you and your friends."

Sunset was surprised at the hug, yet she didn't push Celestia away. "I already forgave you."

Pinkie Pie yanked a cannon out of nowhere. "This deserves a celebration. Happy endings are the best!"

After Celestia lowered the sun, everypony went to Ponyville. Snowflakes descended to the ground. The royal sisters hopped off a carriage. While Luna waved at the crowd, Celestia didn't seem happy. Sunset guessed that Celestia was feeling remorseful. She hoped the royal sisters would be able to mend their relationship. The party lasted until the wee hours, and exhaustion crept into her body. She realized that Luna hadn't answered her question about going home, so she chose to ask.

"You will stay in Ponyville," Luna said. "Your new mission is to learn friendship lessons. Each time you learn a friendship lesson, you will send me a letter. Since you saved Equestria, you and your friends shall use the Elements against future enemies."

"Alright, then," Sunset replied.

The royal sisters flew into the sky. Sunset trotted to her new home, placed her saddlebags next to her bed, and climbed onto the mattress. She gazed through the window. It had been quite an adventure. What lessons would she learn while living in Ponyville?

Author's Note

Unlike the original show, some of the episodes will either be made up in this story or remade to fit the alternate universe.