Pleasant Companyby LingoChaptersManehattan Train StationCrystal Empire Train StationCrystal PalaceEpilogueAlternate Epilogue (Just Friends-ilogue)Manehattan Train StationShrugging off her saddlebags, Sunset Shimmer leaned back into the plush seat with a sigh. It was the end of her last day in Manehattan and she had just boarded the royal car of the Friendship Express. She didn’t usually use the royal pass she’d been given, but it had been a long day. Some peace and quiet sounded divine compared to the hustle and bustle of the city. She had been touring around Equestria since her return at the end of her time in college back in the other world. Her friends had all gone their own ways, chosen their own paths. They’d still keep in touch, but she felt it was time to return home. On Twilight's recommendation, she took this vacation of sorts to see the world. Since Twilight took over and ushered in her reign of friendship, the world has only gotten bigger. Manehattan was the last Equestrian city on her trip. The next stop was the far north, then going overseas to Gryphonia and beyond. The whole trip was being paid for on the royal dime, a welcome back gift from her now-retired former teacher. Memories from her recent visit to Silver Shoals flitter in and out of her head. It was by far her favorite stop so far, she’ll remember it fondly for a long time. Mainly thanks to Celestia, the mare who had basically been her mother growing up, and who had rekindled those bonds over the few days she was there. Along with the retired royal, Sunset had accumulated a small hoof-full of new pen pals to keep up with as she started her life back in Equestria. Her mind started to wander as the train departed the station. Shining Armor stretched as he exited one of the train cars occupied by the Crystal Empire. A group of representatives, and a select few guards, had just boarded after wrapping up their Equestrian press tour. They had stopped in several cities over the past month, seeing the sights and answering questions about Empire-Equestrian trade and other topics he’d grown very tired of in the final portion of their journey. Manehattan was the last on the list, and the next stop was home. Feeling drained, he decided to occupy the royal car for once instead of bunking with the others in the entourage. Plush seats and delightfully quiet, he couldn’t think of a better way to spend the last leg of the trip. The train lurched forward as it left the station, but Shining didn’t miss a beat in his gait. For security and privacy reasons, the royal car was right behind the locomotive. A luggage car separates it from the rest of the train. To his astonishment, the royal car was already occupied. He wasn’t aware anypony else with access would be riding. The young mare looked just as surprised to see him too. Neither one spoke at first. The room was tense. Sunset’s mind was racing with worry, wondering if there was an issue with her train pass or if she had done something wrong. If the muscular build was anything to go by, he was either a guard or a professional weightlifter. Shining Armor, on the other hoof, was wondering if he caught one of the train staff on break or a passenger in the wrong car. Or worse, a gold-digger looking to take advantage of a wayward crystal prince. Whatever the circumstance, he would be polite and treat her with respect. So he broke the silence. “Good evening, miss.” Her ears perked at his gentle tone. “Good evening.” “I wasn’t expecting to see anypony else in the royal car.” He placed extra emphasis on the fact that this was not standard seating. But to his concern, she wasn’t fazed by it. “Neither was I, but I’m fine with sharing it if you are Mr…” She inclined her head to him, her question hanging in the air. Shining Armor was genuinely surprised. He had been making papers rather regularly for the past few years. From legitimate news sources to tabloid trash, everyone and their sister knew his face. But.. this mare didn’t? Did she not recognize him out of his armor or formal wear? “Shining Armor, mind if I sit?” He said, coming closer and offering his hoof. She shook it with a smile. “Sunset Shimmer, and by all means. I’m only riding on behalf of a princess.” Shining laughed as he sat down a seat away from her, “You and me both.” “Shining Armor… where do I recognize that name from…” He prepared for the inevitable moment when she recognizes his status and proceeds to pester him. “OH!” She clapped her hooves together excitedly. “You’re Twilight Sparkle’s brother, aren’t you?” That was not what he expected at all. “I.. yes?” “I knew it! Your colors looked familiar, but you seem a lot less... uptight than the last time I spoke to you.” His brow creased in confusion. “Have… have we met before?” She rubbed the back of her neck “Not quite. It’s.. eh.. Complicated. I’m not sure you’d believe me if I told you.” It wasn’t even two seconds before he threw out, “You’re the one who went through the mirror, aren’t you?” It wasn’t an accusation, he merely said it conversationally. That didn’t stop Sunset from wincing and avoiding his gaze. “Yeah, that’s me. Back now.” “Then I do know you.” “You do?” “Well I was an aspiring guard recruit when you were still under Celestia’s tutelage. I saw quite a bit of you. I can’t say I was impressed.” Still, there was no ill intention or malice in his words. And still it panged in her chest, to be reminded how she was most known. “And then you changed, right? I’ve read the report and heard it personally from my sister.” He smiled earnestly. “She’s very proud of you.” She blushed, keeping from meeting his eye for an entirely different reason now. “Yeah, I’m doing my best to deserve it.” He laid a comforting hoof on her shoulder. They traded honest smiles and some of the tension in the room faded. They sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes before Shining’s curiosity got the better of him. “So I assume Twily is funding your ticket to the Empire?” She brightened up at the mention of their destination. “She is! Since I returned, I’ve been hearing a lot about it. City made out of crystals. Ponies made out of crystals. Magical artifact powered by love and friendship. Great views and delicious local cuisine. I made it my last stop for a reason.” He tilted his head, “Last stop?” Sunset nodded, “Last on this continent. I’ve been riding the rails to every major Equestrian city, seeing the sights. Really experiencing the world like I never did before. Twilight had the idea and Celestia helped set it up so I had all expenses paid with a royal pass. One heck of a welcome-home gift, don’t you think?” “I’ll say, I never got this kind of treatment before going to the Empire.” “So you live there now? In the Empire?” “I was one of the first Equestrians inside the city after it returned. Things were pretty grim.” He leaned back in his seat, folding his hooves behind his head nonchalantly. “Ancient evil, dark magic. You know the deal.” She giggled, “Oh do I. Sounds like every other school year back across the mirror. How’d you beat it?” “Oh we were in pretty bad shape until Twilight and her friends arrived. Then everything just kind of…” “Worked itself out magically?” She offered. “Yeah. Found the crystal heart, purified the city, had a big party. It was a great time.” It sounds like you got a good deal out of it too. You’re some kind of emissary now? A diplomat?” “Close. Try nobility.” “Wow! Fancy! So that’s why you have a royal key.” “Something like that, yes. I work very closely with the crystal princess.” “Well color me impressed. What’s that like?” “Oh horrible. Sometimes I’m basically her personal maid or assistant. Shining do this. Shining do that. Shining can we skip the council meeting and go spy on young couples at the park?” “Sounds like quite the mare, but I can tell you don’t think bad of her by how you’re smiling.” She teased. He made no effort to hide his large grin, which also displayed a bit of color rising in his cheeks. “Honestly though? It’s the best job in the world. I wouldn’t trade where I am, what I have, for anything in the whole world.” Seeing a stallion talk about his job and achievements so passionately was quite the experience for Sunset. They tended to be less emotional and less likely to speak openly like this. And there was no hint of boasting at any point in the conversation so far. Watching him stare fondly off into space, her heart beat a little harder in her chest. He was attractive in a whole different way than she was used to. She fought against the heat creeping to her face, but with limited success. “What about you?” He said, returning his attention to her. “What have you been up to since my sister got involved?” “An awful lot has happened. Other than the magical evils and such popping up, I finished high school. Human high school. They’re much more science-oriented, since they have no magic there normally.” He nodded his head, interested. “I graduated with honors, fifth in the class actually.” “I’m not surprised, being Celestia’s former student.” “Say what you want about her teaching methods, the mare knows good study habits.” “I heard there’s alternate versions of Twilight’s friends over there?” “You heard right. I can’t say I’ve met many of them over here, but from what she said they are frightfully similar. The only differences are related to, you know, being from another world.” “Can you tell me about them?” Sunset gestured widely with her front legs, standing on her hind ones on the seat. “So this big bearded guy waves his staff and shouts, ‘YOU DARE TO DEFY ME? I AM THE GREAT WIZARD OF AGRAFORR!’ and Pinkie yells, ‘Agraforr? I hardly know her!’ ” She falls back onto the seat as they both dissolve into hysterics. “Oh Pinkie Pie…” Shining wheezes after a minute. “That mare, it’s a wonder she didn’t get turned into a frog or something.” “Exactly! Of all the times to taunt the big baddie and she chooses to do it right in the middle of his monologue!” “Villains do hate it when you interrupt those.” “Oh he was livid. We had to run away carrying Dash because she wouldn’t stop laughing. And that just made him angrier!” “So I’m standing off to the side of court, you know, normal guard stuff. I gotta stare straight ahead and not move, as I was told time and time again by my superiors. This pudgy little stallion comes waddling in all pomp and circumstance, bows so far to the ground he could lick the floor, and proceeds to not come up until after the princess had heard his petition.” “Sounds like a normal day in court.” “Oh but it was worse, before he even presented his petition, he had to name every pony of interest from his loooong family tree.” “Oh no…” “Ohoho yes. Around five minutes in of him reciting names, I broke down. I looked around to the other guards to see how they were reacting to this, I was still pretty new at the time. They’re all stoic and unmoving as usual, until I look toward the throne. There’s Princess Celestia sitting on the throne with her hooves on her cheeks, blowing a silent raspberry at the fellow!” Sunset gasped scandalously, “She didn’t!” “She absolutely did! When she saw I was watching, she smiled mischievously and winked at me.” “And the guy never noticed?” “Never. A few weeks later the same kind of thing happened. Long droning family line, completely oblivious. I look toward the princess and this time she’s got her tongue out and her eyes facing opposite directions.” Sunset guffawed. “Again when I caught her eye, she smiled and gave me a conspiratorial little wink. After a while, I found out that this is nothing new for her. Whenever somepony puts themselves in that kind of position, she can’t help but make faces at them. When I became an officer, I made faces back at her whenever it happened. It sure helped make court considerably more bearable.” Once her giggles had subsided, “I can’t believe it. Who knows how many ponies she’s...” Her eyes went wide. “She never did to me, did she?” “…” “Did she? Answer me, Shining Armor!” Her hoof jabs accusingly in his direction. “I don’t think you want to know the answer to that.” He said, doing nothing to hide his grin. That handsome, coltish grin. “You’re terrible.” “No, paper is tearable. The word you’re looking for is hilarious.” Sunset rolled her eyes. “Boo. That was so bad, it was almost a dad joke.” “Almost? Darn, I’ll do better next time then.” “Magical thermodynamics? Really? The one book you wish had a human equivalent and you would choose Magical Thermodynamics?” “Don’t judge me! They have regular thermodynamics, but nothing with the same oomph of complexity and awe as Magical Thermodynamics. It was like my bedside read when I was still a student here.” “Sweet Celestia, you are a huge nerd.” “Oh please. The way you described guard tactics and threat levels? I bet you played O&O a lot in high school.” “...” “Oh my gosh.. You still do, don’t you?” “I..” He blushed and looked away, embarrassed. “Well don’t you worry, Shiny, your secret is safe with me.” “It’s not really a big secret…” “Then you won’t mind if I join you then?” “Join me?” His head snapped back around, eyes wide. “To play O&O? A couple of the girls and I played something similar after band practice every week. It was called Dungeons and Dragons. D&D.” “Huh… neat!” “So in all we have Nightmare Moon, who was purified and became Princess Luna?” “She was Luna originally but the Nightmare corrupted her, yes.” “Then Discord, the goat statue thing in the palace garden, broke free and caused havoc until turned back into stone?” “He didn’t really hurt anypony and a lot of his acts were meant to be comical, in a sadistic way. So he was let out a little while later to be reformed.” “Right. So he’s good now?” “Mostly.” “And then there’s Queen Chrysalis, who is a changeling.” “Changeling queen.” “A changeling that exists and is not just a myth.” “You bet. They first revealed themselves at the wedding of the mare who is now the Crystal Princess.” “And then there was King Sombra, dark magic cloud dude, enslaving the Crystal Empire.” “Hit by a blast of love magic.” “And then a little filly?” “Cozy Glow, still a statue right now, manipulative and incredibly, irredeemably evil.” “Not everyone is as great at turning their life around as I am. Who am I missing?” “Power hungry centaur, magic eater.” “Tire-ick! Right?” “Close enough.” “And then bug lady, filly, and centaur teamed up and got trounced by Twilight again.” “As the story goes.” Sunset sat back in her seat, still a little stunned. Back through the mirror, they had dealt with more baddies, but they were all pretty harmless compared to what they faced here. “Wow… I’m kinda glad I missed all of that.” “With how Twilight has talked about you, I think we could have used you.” “Really?” “Absolutely. You’re capable, smart, skilled with your magic, and quick on your hooves.” Her cheeks burned to match the streak in her mane. “Thank you.” The night sky was a masterpiece. A painting of cosmic proportions. Stars sparkled in brilliant patterns and shapes, with the moon as the shining centerpiece. Each night since returning, Sunset found herself staring up in awe at the nebulous canvas. Earth’s night sky had nothing on this. Equestria’s night sky didn’t even look this good when she lived here. With Princess Luna holding the brush again, it looked like a completely different galaxy up there. But for the first time on her trip, her eyes were drawn elsewhere. Back down to the surface, to the seat nearby where her new traveling companion snoozed gently. The moonlight played off his white coat, dazzling her senses as his short mane bounced slightly with the car. Though the whole trip had been a blast, and she’d met so many new ponies she now called friends, it all paled in comparison to the time she had spent with him. She stayed away from dating before her exile, and while in the human world. She had never even given it a thought the whole trip, despite a few ponies trying to make a move on her. Right now, her heart tugged in her chest, urging her towards him. As much as she knew it would probably be best if she quashed it now, she couldn’t bring herself to do it. After everything she’s been through, she couldn’t cut something short before it even had the chance to grow into something more. Sunset fell asleep wondering… What if? Author's Note First chapter done, nice job! Is it good so far? Have a favorite line or moment? Please tell me what it is! I love feedback! Keep reading till the end and I might give you a cookie. Crystal Empire Train StationDreary, gray light glowed through the windows of the royal car. Though the sky was cloudy, no snow storms were currently stirring along the route. The tame weather was a tad deceiving, especially from inside the magically heated luxury train car. If Shining was to look towards the rear of the train, he would undoubtedly see crystals of ice and frost on all of the other cars. Such was normal in the Frozen North. He would wake his traveling companion up before they reached the edge of the warming zone, but was content to let her sleep for a little while longer at the moment. She looked peaceful right now, a large improvement from how she was a little over an hour ago. Knowing what she had done in her past, the scars it undoubtedly left, it was no surprise she had nightmares. The Crystal Empire would do her good. There were no shortages of nightmares among the citizens, after all. Sombra had made sure of that. Once the Crystal Heart got a hold of her, though, she would sleep like a foal and wake up feeling like a million bits. If she didn’t, he would have to give the artifact a stern talking to. And maybe send a letter to Luna. He was a stranger to how she handled nightmares and the like, but surely she could be doing more for the amber mare. Speaking of the hearts, he couldn’t wait to scoop his wife up off of her throne and drown her in overdue affection. Shining turned his head, looking in the direction his heart tugged him. Toward the empire. Toward her. He never realized, before falling in love, how badly you could miss someone. How being away from them made you hurt. It was a terrible, amazing feeling. And it only gets more intense when he considers how she feels the same way. The entire trip from the minute he left, he missed her. In every moment, asleep and awake, she occupied his heart. But.. He looked back to Sunset, peaceful and strong and beautiful. Last night, for the first time in the entire journey, he didn’t miss her as much. No, that wasn’t right. His heart sang for Cadence the same as it always did. But it tugged him to Sunset too. Being married to the Princess of Love, he learned alot about the affairs of the heart. And thanks to his loving partner, he came to know the tune of his own very well. She loves to hear him speak about how he interprets it. If he had to explain it, he would say that there were musical strings between lovers. Between him and Cadence there was a rope, strong and tightly wound, nigh impossible to sever. It was not held too taut as to be controlling, but not slack enough to be relaxed. Pulled just enough that he always felt it while still being free to move around. He could pluck it like a musical chord and listen to the harmonious symphony it sang in reply. The song was built on unfathomable depths, bottomless wells of emotion and feeling. Just like her. Cadence loved with her whole self. Between him and Sunset, though, was a length of yarn. Soft and fragile, so newly formed. It was stretched like a cello string, straining under its own forces, liable to break at any moment. And yet when he gave it a strum, it sang a beautiful song. A song brimming with light and fluff and promise. A song that sang in multiple parts, like a band with more than one vocalist. There were racing rhythms that threatened to break tempo, but never would. They were too loyal for that. A mighty baritone boomed from below, setting the pace. It was simple and inelegant, but too proud of the part it played to try and copy another. A foundation of honesty. There was a featherlight aria in the background, almost unnoticeable. It weaved in and around the other parts, providing support and structure where it was needed. A fundamental kindness. Demanding center stage was a grand, almost overpowering voice. Arguably the strongest part, it was capable of carrying the entire song alone if it wanted to. And yet it didn’t. It was content to share the stage with the other parts, never overstepping and never interrupting. Despite it’s skill, the voice gave up opportunity after opportunity to it’s fellows. Generous almost to a fault. A joyous tune complimented all of the others, bouncing and exuberant. It’s incredible this part was able to be sung between fits of giddy laughter. Lastly there was the staccato hums of the director. Baton stabbing and swinging, steering the ensemble. The balance that helped transform the separate parts and tunes into a single magical song. Sunset’s heart sang in tune with her soul in a breathtaking harmony rarely heard in the world. Shining shook his head, clearing away his musings. He was over philosophizing again. He had no real way to know how she felt or what song her heart sung. Judging by how well they got along last night, he probably wasn’t too far off. There’s only one mare he knows of that can accurately decipher a pony’s heart, and she’s probably having her morning coffee right now in the Crystal Palace. Coffee that he really wished he could have a cup of right now. Train brew was not nearly as good as the royal blend, but it’ll have to do. And the smell would be the perfect way to wake Sunset. He quietly got to his hooves and made his way to the dining car for two cups of life. The smell of freshly brewed coffee wafted tantalizingly into Sunset’s nostrils, firing off the pistons in her brain telling her to wake up. Her neck stretched, unconsciously pushing her face toward the source of the heavenly aroma as she yawned wide. Shining levitated the mug away from her, just out of reach. “Ah ah, coffee comes after saying good morning.” She licked her dry lips, wetting them for her groggy reply, “Bite me.” A thoughtful hum echoed through her ears. “I suppose I can drink two cups, I will have to really hit the restroom later though..” Her ears jolted to attention and her body jerked up to a sitting position. “Don’t you dare!” She growled, wiping sleep from her eyes. “I’m still not hearing the magic words~” he teasingly sing-songed at her, levitating the hot mug under her muzzle for a moment to let the smell torture her. “Mmmmm… Good morning.” she ground out. “Good morning, Sunset,” he replied, far too chipper for this early in the morning. The mug came to rest on the seat next to her, where she grasped it in her hooves and took a drink. “Did you sleep well?” After a long sip and a content sigh, she said, “As well as I could on these seats. Why doesn’t the royal car have like… beds?” “Though it’s not my place to assume the decisions of their highnesses, I would guess they do not usually ride the train for long enough trips to warrant them.” “Perhaps. Still, I oughta write a letter to Twilight about it.” Shining laughed and, in his best Twilight impression, said, “Dear Princess Twilight, riding in the royal train car wasn’t good enough. I also want it to have a princess-sized bed and a butler.” “Hardy har har. If I wasn’t holding this, I’d hit you.” “You do have magic, remember?” He pointed to the horn on her head. “Oh, right.” The mug levitated out of her hooves and flew in a low arc around the room. While he was distracted by it, she leaned over and gave him a swat on the shoulder. “I regret everything.” He said somberly “As you should.” She replied, equally serious. They both only lasted a few seconds before chuckling lightly. “Thanks for the drink. As much as Celestia wanted me to embrace tea, I just couldn’t part with a good roast.” “I know how you feel. The Crystal Princess got turned onto it by Luna, and Celestia used to complain about the ‘great betrayal’ by the both of them.” “She must have been so thrilled when Twilight never went to the dark side. She tried coffee back in the other world, practically spat it out in disgust.” “I’m sure she was overjoyed. That mare loves her tea.” “Yeah.” They fell into a comfortable silence, idly sipping their drinks. After a short time, Shining stood up and made for the door. “Where are you going?” “Just outside the car, follow me.” “But it’s freezing out there!” “Just trust me.” And she did. For whatever reason, she got to her hooves and joined him in the frigid cold. They stood in the howling of the wind for almost a minute, “Mind telling me what we’re doing out here now?” “Not yet. Just wait.” And so she did. She stared out over the frozen expanse, over the barren tundra that stretched out around the train. Seconds from inquiring again, everything changed. A wave of magic washed over her as the cold was replaced by blessed warmth. Her mouth dropped open as the train seemed to skip between seasons from winter to summer. The ground, once barren, was now covered by a lush field of grass. The clouds parted in places, letting the midmorning sun shine through. Taking a deep breath, the air tasted clean and vibrant. Shining chuckled and she turned to wide-eyed stare toward him. He was unfazed by the sudden change, instead observing her with no lack of glee in his gaze. “Welcome….” he said, suddenly gesturing out across the fields. The train crested a small hill, revealing at its peak what lay on the other side. “...to the Crystal Empire!” Growing out of the valley was an enormous city, seemingly made entirely out of crystals and gems. The sun shone and gleamed from every surface, every building and road, creating a spectacle of light that brought tears to her eyes. He put a leg around her shoulder, pulling her into a half hug as they both beheld the sight. And in that moment, he made a decision. “I had a feeling you’d enjoy that. It gets me every time, despite how many times I’ve seen it.” “It’s…. Breathtaking. Gorgeous. Like nothing I have ever seen before in my life. Is everything really…” “Made of crystals? Yup, even the ponies.” “Even the.. What?!?” “The ponies. They’re crystal ponies. They shine and reflect light the same way crystals do.” “Can you see through them? And the walls of buildings?” “Not exactly. Light comes through them, yes. But they are… they’re not transparent but..” His brow furrowed in thought. “Translucent?” “That’s the word! You can only see shapes and such around the edges.” “That’s fascinating! What causes the effect? How do they construct buildings? Can you see foals inside pregnant mothers? Oh Celestia, can you see a mmMF!” Her line of questions was cut off with a tactically placed hoof on her mouth. She raised an eyebrow at him, annoyed. He removed his hoof. “You can ask as many questions as you want once we’re there. I can set you up with the court mage and get you access to the crystal library.” Her eyes twinkled with barely restrained glee. “Are the books made of crystal too?” He snickered but shook his head no. This did little to deter her growing excitement. But as the train drew nearer to the empire’s edge, her giddy elation was replaced by a creeping unease, bordering dread. Once they were at the station, they would likely be going their separate ways. She would go off in search of a hotel of some kind, and he would report back to the palace. She could look him up tomorrow, so he could keep his promises of library access and Q&A. But… But she really didn’t want to part ways. This train ride has been the best time she’s had since she was in high school with the girls. And if they taught her anything over the years, it's that good ponies, good people, were worth fighting for. What if? The train pulled into the station, brakes squealing and cars lurching. Sunset stood looking out the window and into the gleaming station, clutching her shoulder bag tightly and dreading the coming minutes. She took deep breaths, in through the nose and out through the mouth, an effective calming technique. Shining Armor stood casually beside her, having already retrieved his luggage from another car. He didn’t seem tense or nervous in the least, which did little to help her own growing anxiety. As the train ground to a halt and passengers started to disembark, she stayed silent. Even as they both stepped onto the platform and he led the way out of the station, she stayed silent. It was only once they were outside of the station and the small crowd thinned that she summoned the courage to speak. But it was several steps too late. He had stopped and looked at her, she halted next to him. Now she knew he could feel the tension. It was almost palpable. It felt like there was enough pressure to crystalize the air between them. “So...” he ventured. “So…” “Here we are, at the end of our little trip.” “Yes.” Silence. They both tried to speak. “Do you-” “Can you-” Silence. He bowed his head for her to go first, ever the gentlecolt. She rubbed her elbow, ears flat to her mane. “Can you… can you recommend any hotels around here? I don’t have a map or like a travel brochure or anything.” He thought for a moment, staring intently at her. Nodding as he came to a decision, “Yeah, I know a place you can stay while you’re here. But you should come with me to the palace first, so I can set you up with a visitor’s guide and all.” She visibly brightened and nodded her head with a shaky smile. He led the way again, she stayed just beside and behind him. The Crystal Palace loomed ahead, growing ever larger as they approached. For some reason, Sunset felt uneasy. Author's Note Two chapters down, you're on a roll! Still interested? Got any ideas what happens next? Got a favorite line or moment? Please let me know! I love feedback! If I did i right, there's some tasty emotions coming up in the next chapter. They may not be the kind you think. Better keep reading to find out for sure! Read it all the way to the end and you may get a cookie! Crystal PalaceThe Crystal Palace was an even more beautiful sight from up close. The grand arches and sleek supports made for a one of a kind building. And the centerpiece was the slowly rotating magical artifact known as the Crystal Heart. From what Sunset had heard from gossip and Shining, it was incredibly powerful and immeasurably important to the safety and wellbeing of the Empire. She felt a little itch in the back of her mind as she watched it, an unseen breeze combing through her fur. It made her uncomfortable, she looked back to where Shining was chatting with some crystal townsfolk and guards. He seemed well-liked and well known around here, no surprise given that he worked closely with the Princess and had a hoof in the liberation. The crystal ponies themselves looked sculpted from pieces of crystal, each with their own luster and sheen. And they were all earth ponies, she made a note to research that later. The townsponies bid him goodbye and the guards each gave a quick salute before returning to their posts. She raised an eyebrow as he trotted back to her. “What was that about?” She asked, not remembering the nobles of Canterlot getting saluted. “Just a thing they like to do. Come on, the Palace awaits.” “Don’t I need to get clearance or something to go inside?” “Nah, I can vouch for you.” The inside was just as spectacular as the outside. It was enough to make any Equestrian architect weep. And with the sun shining through and reflecting off of every facet and cut, it created a light show that made stained glass windows look like crayon drawings. She followed closely at his side, noticing all of the palace staff giving him short bows as they passed. Even though he was an important noble, they still seemed slightly off. Sunset couldn’t quite put her hoof on why. If the architecture was anything like Canterlot Castle, they must be nearing the Great Hall and the Throne Room. Her guess was proved correct when they exited a corridor into a grand chamber, extending to a large set of doors that undoubtedly lead to the Throne Room. Near the center of the chamber was a young mare, barely into her teens, who was conversing with a small group of the palace staff. The elegant pink-ish curls looked familiar… Shining stopped at the entrance to converse with another guard, but Sunset’s eye’s stayed glued to the beautiful young unicorn, unable to quite remember who they were. When the mare turned her head to look at the new arrivals, mane bouncing, the name flew unbidden to the front of Sunset’s mind. “Flurry Heart?” Her ears perked and swiveled in Sunset’s direction, followed by the rest of her head. “Auntie Sunset?” Memories sprang forth from her time back in the human world. Princess Twilight had visited often. Several times she had brought a young girl with her, who she introduced as her niece. Young Flurry Heart. The two had gotten along great from the start, the little girl was as outgoing as Pinkie Pie and almost unbearably cheery. The last time Sunset had seen her she was just starting grade-school, and that was already several years ago. So it would make sense that she would be about this age now. But what was she doing here? “Oh my gosh, it is you!” Sunset found herself nearly bowled over by the enthusiastic teen, and tightly returned the hug. “Heya kiddo, fancy seeing you here.” “Me? I live here. You’re the odd one around here, firecracker.” Firecracker, the nickname that her and Twilight came up with and teased her with to no end. “So you do. And what a place to live, it's amazing!” “It sure is! The only downside is trying to sleep in when not even the curtains or bed-sheets can block out the light.” “What? Really? Your bed is crystal too??” Sunset was starting to regret coming to the city where everything was made out of translucent crystals. Her panic was interrupted by a bout of giggles and a playful boop on her nose. “No, silly! We have normal beds like everypony else.” Sunset scrunched her muzzle and made to fire back a quick reply, but was interrupted as Shining came trotting forward. “Am I interrupting anything?” Flurry’s eye’s lit up with boundless joy as she whipped around at a gallop toward him, screaming and spreading her wings as she launched herself into a flying tackle at Shining Armor. “Daddy!” DADDY?!? Sunset’s eye’s shrank to the size of quill-tips as the two rolled to a stop on the immaculate floor. While the conscious part of her mind stalled in surprise, the unconscious and analytical parts of her mind worked overtime to make sense of the unfolding events. Twilight introduced Flurry as her niece. Human Twilight only has one sibling, her brother Shining Armor. Therefore Pony Twilight would also only have a single sibling. So that niece had to be the offspring of said sibling, one Shining Armor. In conclusion, Flurry was his daughter, which means he was probably married. Her chest clenched, like somepony punched her hard in the ribs. He really was too good to be true, moisture started to gather in the corners of her eyes. But before the despair and depression could truly take hold, she noticed one more important detail. Flurry had wings. Flurry had a horn. Flurry was an alicorn. Unless she ascended very early in life, earlier than Twilight, than she must have been born that way. So Shining must have married an alicorn. Both Celestia and Luna were out, as was Twilight for obvious reasons. That only left one… “As much as I missed him too, I can wait until they’re finished before I welcome him back myself.” That voice... A chunk of ice dropped hard enough into her gut that her knees almost bent from the impact. She had not noticed the great doors behind her open and a single pony walked out, crystal hinges not being known to squeak like metals ones did. Sunset now knew why those curls seemed so familiar. It wasn’t just because of Flurry. After all, she got them from her mother. “Hello Sunset, it’s been a long time.” She slowly turned toward the one pony in all of the world that she wanted to see the least. Princess Cadence, princess of love and who she now realized was the reagent of the Crystal Empire. Father and daughter faded into the background, as did the rest of the large room. She could only stare in growing terror at the princess in front of her. Before being exiled, Sunset remembered how she acted. She wasn’t a pleasant mare to be around, and that was doubly so for the young love princess. Celestia brought Cadence to the castle near the end of Sunset’s time there, and Sunset immediately took to disliking her. That dislike quickly evolved into hate. She hated everything about the pink alicorn. Her annoying personality, her lack of magic control, her ignorance, how she wormed her way so easily into the hearts of the castle staff and nobility. Everypony loved Cadence, everypony but Sunset. And Sunset remembered bullying her, almost torture. She was terrible to the mare, despite never getting any of it in return. That used to just make her more angry. And now here that mare stood, now a fully realized royal and in charge of her own city-state. To say Sunset was terrified would be a gross understatement. Cadence’s expression was undecipherable. Was she angry? Did she hate her? Was she seconds away from being thrown in the dungeon? A thousand scenarios played over in her head, but none of them compared to the reality of what actually happened. “Sunset Shimmer…” Cadence started, Sunset took an instinctive step back. Cadence took a step forward, extending her leg, and bowed deeply to her. Her head was inclined and her wings fanned out on either her. “...I’m sorry.” “What?” Sunset was struck with shock and disbelief. What in the wide world of Equestria was Cadence apologising for? “I said, I’m sorry. I didn’t try hard enough. There’s so much I could have done and didn’t. I gave up. And in the end it drove you to exile and a very dark path. So from the bottom of my heart, I am truly sorry.” Sunset backpedaled, confusion and panic warring in her head. “You don’t have to… you didn’t…” she stuttered, her escape attempt halted by the wall of muscle that was Shining Armor standing in her path. Even if she turned and ran, how far did she think she would get? In the heart of the empire, in the center of the palace. Would they go after her? None of this made sense. Why was she apologising?? “I do. I did not understand then, but I do now. I get it, why you acted how you did. Why you treated me that way. I understand.” Sunset tried to argue, tried to talk some sense into the alicorn. “Cadence, I was a jerk to you because I didn't like you. You were ignorant and unable to use your magic right. It was not anything special, I was the bully and you were the new girl. If anyone has something to apologise for, it’s me!” Cadence stood up, “Sunset, we both know that’s not right.” and the weight in Sunset’s stomach doubled in size. “I don’t know what y-you mean.” She calmly approached, and by the time she was within touching range Sunset was trembling from hoof to horn. More gentle than she deserved, Cadence placed a hoof on her shoulder. “You didn’t hate me, Sunset. You hated that I was taking Celestia away from you.” She shook her head rapidly, eyes darting about everywhere but back into Cadence's own. Her heart hammered in her chest and her ears rang. It felt like a physical force was crushing in on her from all sides. “I was a stranger. I came in out of practically nowhere and proceeded to monopolize her time. The staff all liked me, Celestia enjoyed my company, everypony was nice to me. Everypony but you. Could I blame you? She was essentially your mother, and I was taking her away from you. I was everything you worked for, and I got it all handed to me on a platter with none of the work.” Sunset couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Cadence thought that was the reason she hated her? It couldn’t be that… could it? “N-no! You earned that horn, that title. They liked you because you were friendly and kind! I was working toward the wrong thing! It was my mistake, all of it was! N-none of it was your fault!” “No Sunset,” another hoof came to rest on her other shoulder, ”I got this horn by accident. I solved a problem and it was thrust upon me. The staff may have liked me, but they didn’t know me, not really. Only a long while after you were gone did they actually come to know me. They just liked the new pretty little princess.” She said the words with such.. disgust. “They wanted to get in my good graces, and Celestia’s.” One of her hooves caressed gently under her chin, lifting it to look in her eyes. “You were never working to become an alicorn, Sunset. You wanted to become her daughter. Ascending was the last thing you could think of doing to achieve it, after spending over half of your life trying other ways. So when I came in out of the blue and she called me her family?” She brushed away a tear Sunset didn’t even know she had shed, with the most compassion and tenderness she had ever felt. “It broke your heart. And when I realized that, I didn’t do enough to help you. I could have objected more firmly to her calling me her niece. I could have tried harder to be friendly and amicable with you. And my worst mistake of all…” The intensity and sincerity in her eyes was enough to burn a hole right through to Sunset’s soul. “...I gave up.” Tears dripped to the floor in increasingly rapid amounts, but neither Shining, Cadence, or Flurry were crying. Sunset couldn’t fathom where they were coming from. “I stopped trying, just took the abuse silently and tried to ignore your heartache. And for that, I am sorry.” “I…” she swallowed a blob of saliva that felt like it was the size of an apple. “...I... I forgive you.” Cadence smiled and it was like the sun rose a second time. She leaned forward and rested her forehead against Sunset’s, her long pink horn poking through the fiery curls. “And I forgive you too.” And Sunset sobbed. She collapsed into the pink alicorn’s embrace, blubbering and bawling. A thousand apologies, a thousand forgivenesses. She buried her head under the larger pony’s chin and wrapped her hooves around her. The top of her head felt wet as Cadence’s own tears flowed unbidden. A strong presence at her back told her that Shining had completed the pony sandwich, trapping Sunset in between himself and his wife. And then a feather-light hoof stroked softly through her mane, the only explanation being that young Flurry had joined the mix. In all of her years, this was the first time that crying had ever felt so good. There was no place in Equestria she’d rather be than held in their hooves. At last, as the scar she had been carrying longer than any other began to heal, the crystal heart reached out to her. She earned her crystal coat. Author's Note Congrats! You've made it nearly to the end! Sure, you could stop reading here, but then you wouldn't get any romantic resolution! Here's where things can go two ways. Next is the epilogue, there are two to choose from. The first one is how I originally intended the story to end. It's shippy and cuddly and GOOD. The second is what I came up with when my editor said they would have preferred if things ended with them being just-friends. Ergo, the Just-Friends-ilogue. You can read one or the other, or both. Whichever you choose, please leave a comment and tell me what you think! I may be a changeling, but my food of choice is positive encouragement and the joy from happy readers! Don't let me starve! I'll give you a cookie! EpilogueThere was no place in Equestria Sunset would rather be. Her head was wedged snugly under Shining Armor’s chin, her legs wrapped firmly around his barrel. Each breath flooded her nostrils with his smell, a mix of musk and shampoo that was simply divine. His own forelegs were draped protectively over her, and their chests were pressed close enough that she could feel the slow thump of his heartbeat. Sometimes it seemed to beat in sync with the one in the chest that was flush to her back. Cadence spooned her from behind, her legs working in tandem with her husband’s to cradle the smaller mare. And the best part was the blanket of downy soft feathers that enclosed the whole trio, sealing in the warmth better than any comforter in the world. Sunset had already been coaxed back to sleep three times since originally waking early that morning. The first time, she was unable to resist the call of sleep form reclaiming her. The second time when she awoke and attempted to move, Shining had tightened his hold and nuzzled the top of her head. The third time it was Cadence who tempted her back to sleep, softly stroking her side with her wings and nuzzling the side of her neck. She was powerless against such an assault. But all good things have to come to an end sometime. Her bladder was shouting for the restroom, and it wasn’t up for discussion. With extreme reluctance, Sunset disentangled herself from the pair and made for the adjoining bathroom to the royal suite. She spared a glance at the couch as she passed, and the teenage filly passed out on it with a blanket haphazardly laid atop her. The bathroom tiles were shockingly cold underhoof, jolting her more awake as she did her business. There’d be no returning to sleep now. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t get a few more blissful minutes of cuddling before getting on with the day. After the emotional moment the previous morning, she had spent the rest of the day with the royal family. They talked and laughed and had an amazing time. Sunset could not remember ever meshing this well with the girls. Nothing against the humans, they were her best friends. But this was different. Special. Sunset would gladly lose Shining if he had a family as amazing as this one. She could never bring herself to try and change this. Sure, she’d be sad after all was said and done. But it would be worth it to know he was happy. And then there was Cadence. She had grown up from the timid little princess that Sunset had once known. She was strong and confident and drop-dead beautiful. Her insides reflected her outsides as she was a shining beacon of goodwill and love. Had they met again without Shining and hashed things out? Sunset would have definitely asked her out to dinner and a play, stammering like a smitten schoolfilly. She re-entered the bedroom, taking a moment to tuck the blanket over young Flurry, petting her mane affectionately. As she proceeded toward the bed, she caught the eye of the now awake alicorn. It twinkled and shined as her mouth formed a small grin. A wing unfolded to allow the unicorn re-entry to the cuddle. An offer Sunset was more than happy to accept. Once she was comfy back in her spot, Cadence leaned down to kiss her cheek. “You two get along really well.” “She’s a cute kid. Adorable, even. And she’s as sweet as a cherry pie.” “I was talking about you and my husband.” Her tone as so casual, conversational even. Sunset’s body tensed despite herself, a knee-jerk reaction to the near-accusation. Soft feathers stroked her side, doing much to calm her. “Shh, none of that. You told us how you felt, as did he. Once Shining is awake, we need to talk about it.” “Talk about what?” chimed in the deeper voice in the bed. “Good morning, sweetie.” “Good morning, honey.” Sunset could feel and hear the small kiss the couple shared above her head. “And good morning to you too, gorgeous.” Shining spoke in her ear, bending his neck to kiss her on the cheek. She blushed bright red, managing to squeak out a reply, “G-good morning.” Cadence giggled, nuzzling behind her ear. “Now who’s the adorable one?” Sunset discovered last night that when she blushes hard enough, even her ears get tinted red. Cadence made it a point to make it happen as much as she could before Shining negotiated some mercy for the poor mare. Her ears were undoubtedly glowing right now. “So,” Cadence shifted so that Sunset could lay on her back between the two, “now that we’re all awake, we can discuss what’s going to happen.” “First,” Shining interjected, “we should ask her what she wants.” “That is a fantastic idea. Sunset?” She turned her head to face her. “What do you want to happen? Don’t think about what anypony else would want or say, just tell us what your heart is saying.” Sunset was silent for a minute as she gathered her thoughts, then she threw them out and listened to what her heart was telling her. “I want... “ She hesitated, then pressed onward, “...I want to be happy.” Cadence nodded, urging her to continue. “I want Shining. He makes me happy, makes me feel so… light. Like I could fly without wings. I’ve never felt this way about anypony.” He patted her shoulder comfortingly. “And… I’m scared. Scared of trying something. Scared of not trying something. Scared of the results of whatever I choose. But… I feel determined. I’m done settling, done rolling with the hits. I wanna hit back, live on my terms.” Even if that means walking away. She met Cadence’s eyes. “Does that make sense?” She smiled warmly, and Sunset almost melted at the sight. “Perfect sense. Honey?” “I understood, and I think I’ve come to an decision.” “Decision?” Sunset inquired while looking between the two, perplexed. “What decision is that, husband of mine?” Cadence said coyly. “Do you remember when you mentioned being interested in a kind of open marriage?” “You mean when I considered bringing in a third pony? I remember you being against it, since we are more than enough for each other.” “Yes but I humored you as a good spouse should. We considered Sunburst and Starlight, remember?” “Of course I remember. Why do you ask?” “Well I think I have the perfect pony in mind. One I would be one-hundred percent on board with bringing into our relationship.” “Really?” Cadence giggled, playing along. “Do tell.” “Well she’s beautiful and smart and driven, no stranger to adversity or change. I could go on for hours about all of her good qualities.” “Sounds like quite the mare. Color me interested. What’s this mystery mare’s name?” Sunset could scarcely believe what she was hearing, eyes wide as dinner plates. This couldn’t be happening. It just was not possible. She must still be dreaming, she had to be. There was no way in Tartarus that... “Her name is Sunset Shimmer.” “Oh I know her! She’s a very good friend of mine, one of the best! Why don’t we invite her to the palace for dinner tonight? Say.. six-o-clock?” They both looked down at her expectantly, question hanging in the air. Their eyes showed affection and hopefulness. They were serious about this. Holy horse apples they were actually serious about this. Sunset prayed to whomever she could that she could summon the courage, the strength to say… “I’d love to.” THE END Author's Note That was my intended ending to this fic. Great, right? I really enjoyed writing this fic. It was a real challenge for me to work with two very different characters (that aren't Rarity or Twilight) in a close space. Trying to build a meaningful connection between two characters who meet on a train ride was particularly difficult. And the moment with Cadence was especially new and challenging for me, trying to write with emotional depth. I think I pulled it all off pretty well, but be sure to tell me what you think in the comments! Thank's for reading! P.S. Like what you read? Want to read more sorta like it from probably better authors? Check out the rest of the fics written for this event thing HERE! Alternate Epilogue (Just Friends-ilogue)There was no place in Equestria Sunset would rather be. Her head was nestled on the comfiest pillows in the Empire, the blankets were unbelievably snug. And when she opened her eyes, she could just see the sun rising over the breathtaking crystal city. A view unlike any other in the world. After the emotional moment the previous morning, she had spent the rest of the day with the royal family. They talked and laughed and had an amazing time. Sunset could not remember ever meshing this well with the girls. Nothing against the humans, they were her best friends. But this was different. Special. Sunset would gladly lose Shining if he had a family as amazing as this one. She could never bring herself to try and change this. Sure, she’d be sad after all was said and done. But it would be worth it to know he was happy. And then there was Cadence. She had grown up from the timid little princess that Sunset had once known. She was strong and confident and drop-dead beautiful. Her insides reflected her outsides as she was a shining beacon of goodwill and love. Had they met again without Shining and hashed things out? Sunset would have definitely asked her out to dinner and a play, stammering like a smitten schoolfilly. Both of them were amazing ponies, as was their daughter. Knowing of the boundless love shared by the family made her own heart ache less. Sunset considered her future plans. She had the next part of her journey, trekking out of Equestria to the ocean and beyond. A week here would suffice, rather than the measly few days she spent elsewhere. With company like the royal family, it might even stretch to two weeks. But no farther. She couldn’t bring herself to try and inject herself with them, or to burden them with her residency. They had lives to live like everypony else, lives with each other. That didn’t mean she would not visit at every given opportunity, though. With great reluctance did she free herself from the bed’s heavenly embrace, trotting out quietly from her room. The couple had given her the guest room attached to the royal suite, usually reserved for visiting family members. The door to her left was open a crack, granting her a peek into the young princess’s room. She was still asleep, twisted in a knot with her blanket like some kind of contortionist. Adorable. Across the room directly ahead of her was the couple’s room. The door was fully open and the bed was already made. Early risers, she guessed, part of ruling an empire. Just as she was getting comfortable on the couch in the living space, the door to the rest of the palace swung open and Shining came trotting in. Two cups of divinely smelling brew were held aloft in his magic. “Good morning!” One levitated over into her eager hooves and she wasted no time in taking a long swig. It was delightful, the royal family certainly had great taste in coffee. “Thank you, and good morning.” He sat down across from her in a large armchair, nursing his own cup. “How did you sleep last night?” He asked. “Wonderfully. I don’t think I’ve felt this rested in years. What’s the secret? Is it in the bedding? Magical mood crystals in the walls?” He chuckled, “Nothing like that, just good friends and full hearts.” She looked at him incredulously, “Yeah sure, right. But like really what’s the secret?” “Well if you must know, it’s the Crystal Heart.” “The artifact that makes this entire place possible and gives the citizens their shiny look?” “Exactly. With a little love, it’s amazing what can happen.” “Fine. But I’ll be looking into this in the archives later, just in case you’re feeding me a line.” “Fair enough. Cadence will be back shortly, by the way. Some royal business, it shouldn't take long.” “She can take her time, I’m in no hurry to go anywhere. I am still pretty exhausted after yesterday.” “I don’t doubt that, a lot happened.” “I’m thankful for every second of it. I feel like a whole new mare.” “You look like one too.” he said teasingly, referring to her gleaming appearance. “Yeeaaahhh.. How long does this take to wear off?” “As long as you’re in the empire with love in your heart and high spirits? Never.” A beat of silence. “Just kidding, It should wear off in a day or so. When you’ve been here long enough, you’ll learn how to switch it on and off.” His coat turned to crystal for a few seconds before turning back. “I think it’s a good look on me. Too bad I can’t take it with me when I leave.” “Yeah...” He said, his tone lost its casual joviality. But before she could question it, the doors opened again to admit the crystal princess. She levitated off her regalia with grace and poise, then unceremoniously flopped into the chair next to his. “Hi honey, how was work?” “Awful. They had no coffee or snacks and everypony wanted to talk to me afterward. I just wanted to run away back to snuggle with you.” “I know, dear. Here, you can have the rest of my cup.” She took the mostly full cup with reverence and awe, uttering a short but heartfelt, “I love you,” before downing the rest in a single go. Sunset giggled behind her cup, enjoying the couple’s dynamic. That got the pink royal’s attention. “Well good morning Sunset!” “Good morning, your highness.” She made a gagging noise. “None of that, Sunset. You are to address me as Cadence, Cady, or gorgeous.” “Is that a royal decree, dear?” Shining asked. “It is now!” Sunset giggled some more, “As you command, my Cadence.” then ducked to avoid a flying pillow. “Rude. Honestly, what do I do to deserve this.” “Take hour long showers.” “They’d only be half hour long if you didn’t choose to join me!” Both of the mares ‘oooohh!’ed at him as he shook his head. “Mares.” Once the commotion died down some, Sunset spoke up. “So I think I have my plan all figured out.” That got their attention. “I think I’ll spend a week or two here, seeing the sights and perusing the library, before I head out. My next destination is Seaquestria, then the shores of Gryphonia. Who knows how long I’ll be there before I can arrange passage back. Then I’ll probably return to Ponyville to bum around the friendship school for a while until I figure out what I’m going to do with my life.” The couple shared a look, a wordless conversation passing between them. They nod in unison and look back to the perplexed unicorn. “We were thinking of something a little different.” Cadence began. “Different?” Shining this time. “Yes, different. We’ve talked about it, and we were hoping you would stick around for longer.” Sunset raised a brow, “How long is longer? A month?” “Well..” Cadence picked it up, “We were thinking you could stay here.. permanently.” Sunset’s mouth gaped. “Come again?” The couple sat on either side of her. “Let’s put it this way. We love having you here. Flurry loves having you here. In a short time, you’ve made an impression on all of us. And we’ve decided that we want you to stay here with us.” Sunset swallowed a mouthful of saliva, struggling to make sense of it all. “L-like…” Cadence’s wing draped across her back, she held Sunset’s hoof in her own. “Like a member of the family.” “F-f-f-f…” Her eyes were wide, words failed to come. “Celestia is my aunt. She’s already written letters to me about your reunion. You’re her daughter, my cousin. We’re already family. But we would love it very much if you would choose to stay here with us. Twilight will say the same, you need to be around ponies who love you and care about you.” “You won’t find any better place in the world for that than right here.” Shining held her other hoof. “We can get you your own suite in the palace, or an apartment in the city. If you want to find work, we can help with that too.” “We want you to be happy.” “So, will you stay with us?” Sunset was still speechless. She never would have imagined in her wildest dreams that the couple would offer such a thing. That they would want her there. She should take a few days to consider it. This shouldn’t be something that is made in the spur of the moment. But she really didn’t need a few days to decide. She knew her answer as soon as they finished asking. “I’d love to.” THE END Author's Note That was the alternate, just friends, ending to this fic. Great, right? I really enjoyed writing this fic. It was a real challenge for me to work with two very different characters (that aren't Rarity or Twilight) in a close space. Trying to build a meaningful connection between two characters who meet on a train ride was particularly difficult. It was also a big of a challenge to resolve it without it being romantic. And the moment with Cadence was especially new and challenging for me, trying to write with emotional depth. I think I pulled it all off pretty well, but be sure to tell me what you think in the comments! Thank's for reading! P.S. Like what you read? Want to read more sorta like it from probably better authors? Check out the rest of the fics written for this event thing HERE!
Manehattan Train StationShrugging off her saddlebags, Sunset Shimmer leaned back into the plush seat with a sigh. It was the end of her last day in Manehattan and she had just boarded the royal car of the Friendship Express. She didn’t usually use the royal pass she’d been given, but it had been a long day. Some peace and quiet sounded divine compared to the hustle and bustle of the city. She had been touring around Equestria since her return at the end of her time in college back in the other world. Her friends had all gone their own ways, chosen their own paths. They’d still keep in touch, but she felt it was time to return home. On Twilight's recommendation, she took this vacation of sorts to see the world. Since Twilight took over and ushered in her reign of friendship, the world has only gotten bigger. Manehattan was the last Equestrian city on her trip. The next stop was the far north, then going overseas to Gryphonia and beyond. The whole trip was being paid for on the royal dime, a welcome back gift from her now-retired former teacher. Memories from her recent visit to Silver Shoals flitter in and out of her head. It was by far her favorite stop so far, she’ll remember it fondly for a long time. Mainly thanks to Celestia, the mare who had basically been her mother growing up, and who had rekindled those bonds over the few days she was there. Along with the retired royal, Sunset had accumulated a small hoof-full of new pen pals to keep up with as she started her life back in Equestria. Her mind started to wander as the train departed the station. Shining Armor stretched as he exited one of the train cars occupied by the Crystal Empire. A group of representatives, and a select few guards, had just boarded after wrapping up their Equestrian press tour. They had stopped in several cities over the past month, seeing the sights and answering questions about Empire-Equestrian trade and other topics he’d grown very tired of in the final portion of their journey. Manehattan was the last on the list, and the next stop was home. Feeling drained, he decided to occupy the royal car for once instead of bunking with the others in the entourage. Plush seats and delightfully quiet, he couldn’t think of a better way to spend the last leg of the trip. The train lurched forward as it left the station, but Shining didn’t miss a beat in his gait. For security and privacy reasons, the royal car was right behind the locomotive. A luggage car separates it from the rest of the train. To his astonishment, the royal car was already occupied. He wasn’t aware anypony else with access would be riding. The young mare looked just as surprised to see him too. Neither one spoke at first. The room was tense. Sunset’s mind was racing with worry, wondering if there was an issue with her train pass or if she had done something wrong. If the muscular build was anything to go by, he was either a guard or a professional weightlifter. Shining Armor, on the other hoof, was wondering if he caught one of the train staff on break or a passenger in the wrong car. Or worse, a gold-digger looking to take advantage of a wayward crystal prince. Whatever the circumstance, he would be polite and treat her with respect. So he broke the silence. “Good evening, miss.” Her ears perked at his gentle tone. “Good evening.” “I wasn’t expecting to see anypony else in the royal car.” He placed extra emphasis on the fact that this was not standard seating. But to his concern, she wasn’t fazed by it. “Neither was I, but I’m fine with sharing it if you are Mr…” She inclined her head to him, her question hanging in the air. Shining Armor was genuinely surprised. He had been making papers rather regularly for the past few years. From legitimate news sources to tabloid trash, everyone and their sister knew his face. But.. this mare didn’t? Did she not recognize him out of his armor or formal wear? “Shining Armor, mind if I sit?” He said, coming closer and offering his hoof. She shook it with a smile. “Sunset Shimmer, and by all means. I’m only riding on behalf of a princess.” Shining laughed as he sat down a seat away from her, “You and me both.” “Shining Armor… where do I recognize that name from…” He prepared for the inevitable moment when she recognizes his status and proceeds to pester him. “OH!” She clapped her hooves together excitedly. “You’re Twilight Sparkle’s brother, aren’t you?” That was not what he expected at all. “I.. yes?” “I knew it! Your colors looked familiar, but you seem a lot less... uptight than the last time I spoke to you.” His brow creased in confusion. “Have… have we met before?” She rubbed the back of her neck “Not quite. It’s.. eh.. Complicated. I’m not sure you’d believe me if I told you.” It wasn’t even two seconds before he threw out, “You’re the one who went through the mirror, aren’t you?” It wasn’t an accusation, he merely said it conversationally. That didn’t stop Sunset from wincing and avoiding his gaze. “Yeah, that’s me. Back now.” “Then I do know you.” “You do?” “Well I was an aspiring guard recruit when you were still under Celestia’s tutelage. I saw quite a bit of you. I can’t say I was impressed.” Still, there was no ill intention or malice in his words. And still it panged in her chest, to be reminded how she was most known. “And then you changed, right? I’ve read the report and heard it personally from my sister.” He smiled earnestly. “She’s very proud of you.” She blushed, keeping from meeting his eye for an entirely different reason now. “Yeah, I’m doing my best to deserve it.” He laid a comforting hoof on her shoulder. They traded honest smiles and some of the tension in the room faded. They sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes before Shining’s curiosity got the better of him. “So I assume Twily is funding your ticket to the Empire?” She brightened up at the mention of their destination. “She is! Since I returned, I’ve been hearing a lot about it. City made out of crystals. Ponies made out of crystals. Magical artifact powered by love and friendship. Great views and delicious local cuisine. I made it my last stop for a reason.” He tilted his head, “Last stop?” Sunset nodded, “Last on this continent. I’ve been riding the rails to every major Equestrian city, seeing the sights. Really experiencing the world like I never did before. Twilight had the idea and Celestia helped set it up so I had all expenses paid with a royal pass. One heck of a welcome-home gift, don’t you think?” “I’ll say, I never got this kind of treatment before going to the Empire.” “So you live there now? In the Empire?” “I was one of the first Equestrians inside the city after it returned. Things were pretty grim.” He leaned back in his seat, folding his hooves behind his head nonchalantly. “Ancient evil, dark magic. You know the deal.” She giggled, “Oh do I. Sounds like every other school year back across the mirror. How’d you beat it?” “Oh we were in pretty bad shape until Twilight and her friends arrived. Then everything just kind of…” “Worked itself out magically?” She offered. “Yeah. Found the crystal heart, purified the city, had a big party. It was a great time.” It sounds like you got a good deal out of it too. You’re some kind of emissary now? A diplomat?” “Close. Try nobility.” “Wow! Fancy! So that’s why you have a royal key.” “Something like that, yes. I work very closely with the crystal princess.” “Well color me impressed. What’s that like?” “Oh horrible. Sometimes I’m basically her personal maid or assistant. Shining do this. Shining do that. Shining can we skip the council meeting and go spy on young couples at the park?” “Sounds like quite the mare, but I can tell you don’t think bad of her by how you’re smiling.” She teased. He made no effort to hide his large grin, which also displayed a bit of color rising in his cheeks. “Honestly though? It’s the best job in the world. I wouldn’t trade where I am, what I have, for anything in the whole world.” Seeing a stallion talk about his job and achievements so passionately was quite the experience for Sunset. They tended to be less emotional and less likely to speak openly like this. And there was no hint of boasting at any point in the conversation so far. Watching him stare fondly off into space, her heart beat a little harder in her chest. He was attractive in a whole different way than she was used to. She fought against the heat creeping to her face, but with limited success. “What about you?” He said, returning his attention to her. “What have you been up to since my sister got involved?” “An awful lot has happened. Other than the magical evils and such popping up, I finished high school. Human high school. They’re much more science-oriented, since they have no magic there normally.” He nodded his head, interested. “I graduated with honors, fifth in the class actually.” “I’m not surprised, being Celestia’s former student.” “Say what you want about her teaching methods, the mare knows good study habits.” “I heard there’s alternate versions of Twilight’s friends over there?” “You heard right. I can’t say I’ve met many of them over here, but from what she said they are frightfully similar. The only differences are related to, you know, being from another world.” “Can you tell me about them?” Sunset gestured widely with her front legs, standing on her hind ones on the seat. “So this big bearded guy waves his staff and shouts, ‘YOU DARE TO DEFY ME? I AM THE GREAT WIZARD OF AGRAFORR!’ and Pinkie yells, ‘Agraforr? I hardly know her!’ ” She falls back onto the seat as they both dissolve into hysterics. “Oh Pinkie Pie…” Shining wheezes after a minute. “That mare, it’s a wonder she didn’t get turned into a frog or something.” “Exactly! Of all the times to taunt the big baddie and she chooses to do it right in the middle of his monologue!” “Villains do hate it when you interrupt those.” “Oh he was livid. We had to run away carrying Dash because she wouldn’t stop laughing. And that just made him angrier!” “So I’m standing off to the side of court, you know, normal guard stuff. I gotta stare straight ahead and not move, as I was told time and time again by my superiors. This pudgy little stallion comes waddling in all pomp and circumstance, bows so far to the ground he could lick the floor, and proceeds to not come up until after the princess had heard his petition.” “Sounds like a normal day in court.” “Oh but it was worse, before he even presented his petition, he had to name every pony of interest from his loooong family tree.” “Oh no…” “Ohoho yes. Around five minutes in of him reciting names, I broke down. I looked around to the other guards to see how they were reacting to this, I was still pretty new at the time. They’re all stoic and unmoving as usual, until I look toward the throne. There’s Princess Celestia sitting on the throne with her hooves on her cheeks, blowing a silent raspberry at the fellow!” Sunset gasped scandalously, “She didn’t!” “She absolutely did! When she saw I was watching, she smiled mischievously and winked at me.” “And the guy never noticed?” “Never. A few weeks later the same kind of thing happened. Long droning family line, completely oblivious. I look toward the princess and this time she’s got her tongue out and her eyes facing opposite directions.” Sunset guffawed. “Again when I caught her eye, she smiled and gave me a conspiratorial little wink. After a while, I found out that this is nothing new for her. Whenever somepony puts themselves in that kind of position, she can’t help but make faces at them. When I became an officer, I made faces back at her whenever it happened. It sure helped make court considerably more bearable.” Once her giggles had subsided, “I can’t believe it. Who knows how many ponies she’s...” Her eyes went wide. “She never did to me, did she?” “…” “Did she? Answer me, Shining Armor!” Her hoof jabs accusingly in his direction. “I don’t think you want to know the answer to that.” He said, doing nothing to hide his grin. That handsome, coltish grin. “You’re terrible.” “No, paper is tearable. The word you’re looking for is hilarious.” Sunset rolled her eyes. “Boo. That was so bad, it was almost a dad joke.” “Almost? Darn, I’ll do better next time then.” “Magical thermodynamics? Really? The one book you wish had a human equivalent and you would choose Magical Thermodynamics?” “Don’t judge me! They have regular thermodynamics, but nothing with the same oomph of complexity and awe as Magical Thermodynamics. It was like my bedside read when I was still a student here.” “Sweet Celestia, you are a huge nerd.” “Oh please. The way you described guard tactics and threat levels? I bet you played O&O a lot in high school.” “...” “Oh my gosh.. You still do, don’t you?” “I..” He blushed and looked away, embarrassed. “Well don’t you worry, Shiny, your secret is safe with me.” “It’s not really a big secret…” “Then you won’t mind if I join you then?” “Join me?” His head snapped back around, eyes wide. “To play O&O? A couple of the girls and I played something similar after band practice every week. It was called Dungeons and Dragons. D&D.” “Huh… neat!” “So in all we have Nightmare Moon, who was purified and became Princess Luna?” “She was Luna originally but the Nightmare corrupted her, yes.” “Then Discord, the goat statue thing in the palace garden, broke free and caused havoc until turned back into stone?” “He didn’t really hurt anypony and a lot of his acts were meant to be comical, in a sadistic way. So he was let out a little while later to be reformed.” “Right. So he’s good now?” “Mostly.” “And then there’s Queen Chrysalis, who is a changeling.” “Changeling queen.” “A changeling that exists and is not just a myth.” “You bet. They first revealed themselves at the wedding of the mare who is now the Crystal Princess.” “And then there was King Sombra, dark magic cloud dude, enslaving the Crystal Empire.” “Hit by a blast of love magic.” “And then a little filly?” “Cozy Glow, still a statue right now, manipulative and incredibly, irredeemably evil.” “Not everyone is as great at turning their life around as I am. Who am I missing?” “Power hungry centaur, magic eater.” “Tire-ick! Right?” “Close enough.” “And then bug lady, filly, and centaur teamed up and got trounced by Twilight again.” “As the story goes.” Sunset sat back in her seat, still a little stunned. Back through the mirror, they had dealt with more baddies, but they were all pretty harmless compared to what they faced here. “Wow… I’m kinda glad I missed all of that.” “With how Twilight has talked about you, I think we could have used you.” “Really?” “Absolutely. You’re capable, smart, skilled with your magic, and quick on your hooves.” Her cheeks burned to match the streak in her mane. “Thank you.” The night sky was a masterpiece. A painting of cosmic proportions. Stars sparkled in brilliant patterns and shapes, with the moon as the shining centerpiece. Each night since returning, Sunset found herself staring up in awe at the nebulous canvas. Earth’s night sky had nothing on this. Equestria’s night sky didn’t even look this good when she lived here. With Princess Luna holding the brush again, it looked like a completely different galaxy up there. But for the first time on her trip, her eyes were drawn elsewhere. Back down to the surface, to the seat nearby where her new traveling companion snoozed gently. The moonlight played off his white coat, dazzling her senses as his short mane bounced slightly with the car. Though the whole trip had been a blast, and she’d met so many new ponies she now called friends, it all paled in comparison to the time she had spent with him. She stayed away from dating before her exile, and while in the human world. She had never even given it a thought the whole trip, despite a few ponies trying to make a move on her. Right now, her heart tugged in her chest, urging her towards him. As much as she knew it would probably be best if she quashed it now, she couldn’t bring herself to do it. After everything she’s been through, she couldn’t cut something short before it even had the chance to grow into something more. Sunset fell asleep wondering… What if? Author's Note First chapter done, nice job! Is it good so far? Have a favorite line or moment? Please tell me what it is! I love feedback! Keep reading till the end and I might give you a cookie.
Crystal Empire Train StationDreary, gray light glowed through the windows of the royal car. Though the sky was cloudy, no snow storms were currently stirring along the route. The tame weather was a tad deceiving, especially from inside the magically heated luxury train car. If Shining was to look towards the rear of the train, he would undoubtedly see crystals of ice and frost on all of the other cars. Such was normal in the Frozen North. He would wake his traveling companion up before they reached the edge of the warming zone, but was content to let her sleep for a little while longer at the moment. She looked peaceful right now, a large improvement from how she was a little over an hour ago. Knowing what she had done in her past, the scars it undoubtedly left, it was no surprise she had nightmares. The Crystal Empire would do her good. There were no shortages of nightmares among the citizens, after all. Sombra had made sure of that. Once the Crystal Heart got a hold of her, though, she would sleep like a foal and wake up feeling like a million bits. If she didn’t, he would have to give the artifact a stern talking to. And maybe send a letter to Luna. He was a stranger to how she handled nightmares and the like, but surely she could be doing more for the amber mare. Speaking of the hearts, he couldn’t wait to scoop his wife up off of her throne and drown her in overdue affection. Shining turned his head, looking in the direction his heart tugged him. Toward the empire. Toward her. He never realized, before falling in love, how badly you could miss someone. How being away from them made you hurt. It was a terrible, amazing feeling. And it only gets more intense when he considers how she feels the same way. The entire trip from the minute he left, he missed her. In every moment, asleep and awake, she occupied his heart. But.. He looked back to Sunset, peaceful and strong and beautiful. Last night, for the first time in the entire journey, he didn’t miss her as much. No, that wasn’t right. His heart sang for Cadence the same as it always did. But it tugged him to Sunset too. Being married to the Princess of Love, he learned alot about the affairs of the heart. And thanks to his loving partner, he came to know the tune of his own very well. She loves to hear him speak about how he interprets it. If he had to explain it, he would say that there were musical strings between lovers. Between him and Cadence there was a rope, strong and tightly wound, nigh impossible to sever. It was not held too taut as to be controlling, but not slack enough to be relaxed. Pulled just enough that he always felt it while still being free to move around. He could pluck it like a musical chord and listen to the harmonious symphony it sang in reply. The song was built on unfathomable depths, bottomless wells of emotion and feeling. Just like her. Cadence loved with her whole self. Between him and Sunset, though, was a length of yarn. Soft and fragile, so newly formed. It was stretched like a cello string, straining under its own forces, liable to break at any moment. And yet when he gave it a strum, it sang a beautiful song. A song brimming with light and fluff and promise. A song that sang in multiple parts, like a band with more than one vocalist. There were racing rhythms that threatened to break tempo, but never would. They were too loyal for that. A mighty baritone boomed from below, setting the pace. It was simple and inelegant, but too proud of the part it played to try and copy another. A foundation of honesty. There was a featherlight aria in the background, almost unnoticeable. It weaved in and around the other parts, providing support and structure where it was needed. A fundamental kindness. Demanding center stage was a grand, almost overpowering voice. Arguably the strongest part, it was capable of carrying the entire song alone if it wanted to. And yet it didn’t. It was content to share the stage with the other parts, never overstepping and never interrupting. Despite it’s skill, the voice gave up opportunity after opportunity to it’s fellows. Generous almost to a fault. A joyous tune complimented all of the others, bouncing and exuberant. It’s incredible this part was able to be sung between fits of giddy laughter. Lastly there was the staccato hums of the director. Baton stabbing and swinging, steering the ensemble. The balance that helped transform the separate parts and tunes into a single magical song. Sunset’s heart sang in tune with her soul in a breathtaking harmony rarely heard in the world. Shining shook his head, clearing away his musings. He was over philosophizing again. He had no real way to know how she felt or what song her heart sung. Judging by how well they got along last night, he probably wasn’t too far off. There’s only one mare he knows of that can accurately decipher a pony’s heart, and she’s probably having her morning coffee right now in the Crystal Palace. Coffee that he really wished he could have a cup of right now. Train brew was not nearly as good as the royal blend, but it’ll have to do. And the smell would be the perfect way to wake Sunset. He quietly got to his hooves and made his way to the dining car for two cups of life. The smell of freshly brewed coffee wafted tantalizingly into Sunset’s nostrils, firing off the pistons in her brain telling her to wake up. Her neck stretched, unconsciously pushing her face toward the source of the heavenly aroma as she yawned wide. Shining levitated the mug away from her, just out of reach. “Ah ah, coffee comes after saying good morning.” She licked her dry lips, wetting them for her groggy reply, “Bite me.” A thoughtful hum echoed through her ears. “I suppose I can drink two cups, I will have to really hit the restroom later though..” Her ears jolted to attention and her body jerked up to a sitting position. “Don’t you dare!” She growled, wiping sleep from her eyes. “I’m still not hearing the magic words~” he teasingly sing-songed at her, levitating the hot mug under her muzzle for a moment to let the smell torture her. “Mmmmm… Good morning.” she ground out. “Good morning, Sunset,” he replied, far too chipper for this early in the morning. The mug came to rest on the seat next to her, where she grasped it in her hooves and took a drink. “Did you sleep well?” After a long sip and a content sigh, she said, “As well as I could on these seats. Why doesn’t the royal car have like… beds?” “Though it’s not my place to assume the decisions of their highnesses, I would guess they do not usually ride the train for long enough trips to warrant them.” “Perhaps. Still, I oughta write a letter to Twilight about it.” Shining laughed and, in his best Twilight impression, said, “Dear Princess Twilight, riding in the royal train car wasn’t good enough. I also want it to have a princess-sized bed and a butler.” “Hardy har har. If I wasn’t holding this, I’d hit you.” “You do have magic, remember?” He pointed to the horn on her head. “Oh, right.” The mug levitated out of her hooves and flew in a low arc around the room. While he was distracted by it, she leaned over and gave him a swat on the shoulder. “I regret everything.” He said somberly “As you should.” She replied, equally serious. They both only lasted a few seconds before chuckling lightly. “Thanks for the drink. As much as Celestia wanted me to embrace tea, I just couldn’t part with a good roast.” “I know how you feel. The Crystal Princess got turned onto it by Luna, and Celestia used to complain about the ‘great betrayal’ by the both of them.” “She must have been so thrilled when Twilight never went to the dark side. She tried coffee back in the other world, practically spat it out in disgust.” “I’m sure she was overjoyed. That mare loves her tea.” “Yeah.” They fell into a comfortable silence, idly sipping their drinks. After a short time, Shining stood up and made for the door. “Where are you going?” “Just outside the car, follow me.” “But it’s freezing out there!” “Just trust me.” And she did. For whatever reason, she got to her hooves and joined him in the frigid cold. They stood in the howling of the wind for almost a minute, “Mind telling me what we’re doing out here now?” “Not yet. Just wait.” And so she did. She stared out over the frozen expanse, over the barren tundra that stretched out around the train. Seconds from inquiring again, everything changed. A wave of magic washed over her as the cold was replaced by blessed warmth. Her mouth dropped open as the train seemed to skip between seasons from winter to summer. The ground, once barren, was now covered by a lush field of grass. The clouds parted in places, letting the midmorning sun shine through. Taking a deep breath, the air tasted clean and vibrant. Shining chuckled and she turned to wide-eyed stare toward him. He was unfazed by the sudden change, instead observing her with no lack of glee in his gaze. “Welcome….” he said, suddenly gesturing out across the fields. The train crested a small hill, revealing at its peak what lay on the other side. “...to the Crystal Empire!” Growing out of the valley was an enormous city, seemingly made entirely out of crystals and gems. The sun shone and gleamed from every surface, every building and road, creating a spectacle of light that brought tears to her eyes. He put a leg around her shoulder, pulling her into a half hug as they both beheld the sight. And in that moment, he made a decision. “I had a feeling you’d enjoy that. It gets me every time, despite how many times I’ve seen it.” “It’s…. Breathtaking. Gorgeous. Like nothing I have ever seen before in my life. Is everything really…” “Made of crystals? Yup, even the ponies.” “Even the.. What?!?” “The ponies. They’re crystal ponies. They shine and reflect light the same way crystals do.” “Can you see through them? And the walls of buildings?” “Not exactly. Light comes through them, yes. But they are… they’re not transparent but..” His brow furrowed in thought. “Translucent?” “That’s the word! You can only see shapes and such around the edges.” “That’s fascinating! What causes the effect? How do they construct buildings? Can you see foals inside pregnant mothers? Oh Celestia, can you see a mmMF!” Her line of questions was cut off with a tactically placed hoof on her mouth. She raised an eyebrow at him, annoyed. He removed his hoof. “You can ask as many questions as you want once we’re there. I can set you up with the court mage and get you access to the crystal library.” Her eyes twinkled with barely restrained glee. “Are the books made of crystal too?” He snickered but shook his head no. This did little to deter her growing excitement. But as the train drew nearer to the empire’s edge, her giddy elation was replaced by a creeping unease, bordering dread. Once they were at the station, they would likely be going their separate ways. She would go off in search of a hotel of some kind, and he would report back to the palace. She could look him up tomorrow, so he could keep his promises of library access and Q&A. But… But she really didn’t want to part ways. This train ride has been the best time she’s had since she was in high school with the girls. And if they taught her anything over the years, it's that good ponies, good people, were worth fighting for. What if? The train pulled into the station, brakes squealing and cars lurching. Sunset stood looking out the window and into the gleaming station, clutching her shoulder bag tightly and dreading the coming minutes. She took deep breaths, in through the nose and out through the mouth, an effective calming technique. Shining Armor stood casually beside her, having already retrieved his luggage from another car. He didn’t seem tense or nervous in the least, which did little to help her own growing anxiety. As the train ground to a halt and passengers started to disembark, she stayed silent. Even as they both stepped onto the platform and he led the way out of the station, she stayed silent. It was only once they were outside of the station and the small crowd thinned that she summoned the courage to speak. But it was several steps too late. He had stopped and looked at her, she halted next to him. Now she knew he could feel the tension. It was almost palpable. It felt like there was enough pressure to crystalize the air between them. “So...” he ventured. “So…” “Here we are, at the end of our little trip.” “Yes.” Silence. They both tried to speak. “Do you-” “Can you-” Silence. He bowed his head for her to go first, ever the gentlecolt. She rubbed her elbow, ears flat to her mane. “Can you… can you recommend any hotels around here? I don’t have a map or like a travel brochure or anything.” He thought for a moment, staring intently at her. Nodding as he came to a decision, “Yeah, I know a place you can stay while you’re here. But you should come with me to the palace first, so I can set you up with a visitor’s guide and all.” She visibly brightened and nodded her head with a shaky smile. He led the way again, she stayed just beside and behind him. The Crystal Palace loomed ahead, growing ever larger as they approached. For some reason, Sunset felt uneasy. Author's Note Two chapters down, you're on a roll! Still interested? Got any ideas what happens next? Got a favorite line or moment? Please let me know! I love feedback! If I did i right, there's some tasty emotions coming up in the next chapter. They may not be the kind you think. Better keep reading to find out for sure! Read it all the way to the end and you may get a cookie!
Crystal PalaceThe Crystal Palace was an even more beautiful sight from up close. The grand arches and sleek supports made for a one of a kind building. And the centerpiece was the slowly rotating magical artifact known as the Crystal Heart. From what Sunset had heard from gossip and Shining, it was incredibly powerful and immeasurably important to the safety and wellbeing of the Empire. She felt a little itch in the back of her mind as she watched it, an unseen breeze combing through her fur. It made her uncomfortable, she looked back to where Shining was chatting with some crystal townsfolk and guards. He seemed well-liked and well known around here, no surprise given that he worked closely with the Princess and had a hoof in the liberation. The crystal ponies themselves looked sculpted from pieces of crystal, each with their own luster and sheen. And they were all earth ponies, she made a note to research that later. The townsponies bid him goodbye and the guards each gave a quick salute before returning to their posts. She raised an eyebrow as he trotted back to her. “What was that about?” She asked, not remembering the nobles of Canterlot getting saluted. “Just a thing they like to do. Come on, the Palace awaits.” “Don’t I need to get clearance or something to go inside?” “Nah, I can vouch for you.” The inside was just as spectacular as the outside. It was enough to make any Equestrian architect weep. And with the sun shining through and reflecting off of every facet and cut, it created a light show that made stained glass windows look like crayon drawings. She followed closely at his side, noticing all of the palace staff giving him short bows as they passed. Even though he was an important noble, they still seemed slightly off. Sunset couldn’t quite put her hoof on why. If the architecture was anything like Canterlot Castle, they must be nearing the Great Hall and the Throne Room. Her guess was proved correct when they exited a corridor into a grand chamber, extending to a large set of doors that undoubtedly lead to the Throne Room. Near the center of the chamber was a young mare, barely into her teens, who was conversing with a small group of the palace staff. The elegant pink-ish curls looked familiar… Shining stopped at the entrance to converse with another guard, but Sunset’s eye’s stayed glued to the beautiful young unicorn, unable to quite remember who they were. When the mare turned her head to look at the new arrivals, mane bouncing, the name flew unbidden to the front of Sunset’s mind. “Flurry Heart?” Her ears perked and swiveled in Sunset’s direction, followed by the rest of her head. “Auntie Sunset?” Memories sprang forth from her time back in the human world. Princess Twilight had visited often. Several times she had brought a young girl with her, who she introduced as her niece. Young Flurry Heart. The two had gotten along great from the start, the little girl was as outgoing as Pinkie Pie and almost unbearably cheery. The last time Sunset had seen her she was just starting grade-school, and that was already several years ago. So it would make sense that she would be about this age now. But what was she doing here? “Oh my gosh, it is you!” Sunset found herself nearly bowled over by the enthusiastic teen, and tightly returned the hug. “Heya kiddo, fancy seeing you here.” “Me? I live here. You’re the odd one around here, firecracker.” Firecracker, the nickname that her and Twilight came up with and teased her with to no end. “So you do. And what a place to live, it's amazing!” “It sure is! The only downside is trying to sleep in when not even the curtains or bed-sheets can block out the light.” “What? Really? Your bed is crystal too??” Sunset was starting to regret coming to the city where everything was made out of translucent crystals. Her panic was interrupted by a bout of giggles and a playful boop on her nose. “No, silly! We have normal beds like everypony else.” Sunset scrunched her muzzle and made to fire back a quick reply, but was interrupted as Shining came trotting forward. “Am I interrupting anything?” Flurry’s eye’s lit up with boundless joy as she whipped around at a gallop toward him, screaming and spreading her wings as she launched herself into a flying tackle at Shining Armor. “Daddy!” DADDY?!? Sunset’s eye’s shrank to the size of quill-tips as the two rolled to a stop on the immaculate floor. While the conscious part of her mind stalled in surprise, the unconscious and analytical parts of her mind worked overtime to make sense of the unfolding events. Twilight introduced Flurry as her niece. Human Twilight only has one sibling, her brother Shining Armor. Therefore Pony Twilight would also only have a single sibling. So that niece had to be the offspring of said sibling, one Shining Armor. In conclusion, Flurry was his daughter, which means he was probably married. Her chest clenched, like somepony punched her hard in the ribs. He really was too good to be true, moisture started to gather in the corners of her eyes. But before the despair and depression could truly take hold, she noticed one more important detail. Flurry had wings. Flurry had a horn. Flurry was an alicorn. Unless she ascended very early in life, earlier than Twilight, than she must have been born that way. So Shining must have married an alicorn. Both Celestia and Luna were out, as was Twilight for obvious reasons. That only left one… “As much as I missed him too, I can wait until they’re finished before I welcome him back myself.” That voice... A chunk of ice dropped hard enough into her gut that her knees almost bent from the impact. She had not noticed the great doors behind her open and a single pony walked out, crystal hinges not being known to squeak like metals ones did. Sunset now knew why those curls seemed so familiar. It wasn’t just because of Flurry. After all, she got them from her mother. “Hello Sunset, it’s been a long time.” She slowly turned toward the one pony in all of the world that she wanted to see the least. Princess Cadence, princess of love and who she now realized was the reagent of the Crystal Empire. Father and daughter faded into the background, as did the rest of the large room. She could only stare in growing terror at the princess in front of her. Before being exiled, Sunset remembered how she acted. She wasn’t a pleasant mare to be around, and that was doubly so for the young love princess. Celestia brought Cadence to the castle near the end of Sunset’s time there, and Sunset immediately took to disliking her. That dislike quickly evolved into hate. She hated everything about the pink alicorn. Her annoying personality, her lack of magic control, her ignorance, how she wormed her way so easily into the hearts of the castle staff and nobility. Everypony loved Cadence, everypony but Sunset. And Sunset remembered bullying her, almost torture. She was terrible to the mare, despite never getting any of it in return. That used to just make her more angry. And now here that mare stood, now a fully realized royal and in charge of her own city-state. To say Sunset was terrified would be a gross understatement. Cadence’s expression was undecipherable. Was she angry? Did she hate her? Was she seconds away from being thrown in the dungeon? A thousand scenarios played over in her head, but none of them compared to the reality of what actually happened. “Sunset Shimmer…” Cadence started, Sunset took an instinctive step back. Cadence took a step forward, extending her leg, and bowed deeply to her. Her head was inclined and her wings fanned out on either her. “...I’m sorry.” “What?” Sunset was struck with shock and disbelief. What in the wide world of Equestria was Cadence apologising for? “I said, I’m sorry. I didn’t try hard enough. There’s so much I could have done and didn’t. I gave up. And in the end it drove you to exile and a very dark path. So from the bottom of my heart, I am truly sorry.” Sunset backpedaled, confusion and panic warring in her head. “You don’t have to… you didn’t…” she stuttered, her escape attempt halted by the wall of muscle that was Shining Armor standing in her path. Even if she turned and ran, how far did she think she would get? In the heart of the empire, in the center of the palace. Would they go after her? None of this made sense. Why was she apologising?? “I do. I did not understand then, but I do now. I get it, why you acted how you did. Why you treated me that way. I understand.” Sunset tried to argue, tried to talk some sense into the alicorn. “Cadence, I was a jerk to you because I didn't like you. You were ignorant and unable to use your magic right. It was not anything special, I was the bully and you were the new girl. If anyone has something to apologise for, it’s me!” Cadence stood up, “Sunset, we both know that’s not right.” and the weight in Sunset’s stomach doubled in size. “I don’t know what y-you mean.” She calmly approached, and by the time she was within touching range Sunset was trembling from hoof to horn. More gentle than she deserved, Cadence placed a hoof on her shoulder. “You didn’t hate me, Sunset. You hated that I was taking Celestia away from you.” She shook her head rapidly, eyes darting about everywhere but back into Cadence's own. Her heart hammered in her chest and her ears rang. It felt like a physical force was crushing in on her from all sides. “I was a stranger. I came in out of practically nowhere and proceeded to monopolize her time. The staff all liked me, Celestia enjoyed my company, everypony was nice to me. Everypony but you. Could I blame you? She was essentially your mother, and I was taking her away from you. I was everything you worked for, and I got it all handed to me on a platter with none of the work.” Sunset couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Cadence thought that was the reason she hated her? It couldn’t be that… could it? “N-no! You earned that horn, that title. They liked you because you were friendly and kind! I was working toward the wrong thing! It was my mistake, all of it was! N-none of it was your fault!” “No Sunset,” another hoof came to rest on her other shoulder, ”I got this horn by accident. I solved a problem and it was thrust upon me. The staff may have liked me, but they didn’t know me, not really. Only a long while after you were gone did they actually come to know me. They just liked the new pretty little princess.” She said the words with such.. disgust. “They wanted to get in my good graces, and Celestia’s.” One of her hooves caressed gently under her chin, lifting it to look in her eyes. “You were never working to become an alicorn, Sunset. You wanted to become her daughter. Ascending was the last thing you could think of doing to achieve it, after spending over half of your life trying other ways. So when I came in out of the blue and she called me her family?” She brushed away a tear Sunset didn’t even know she had shed, with the most compassion and tenderness she had ever felt. “It broke your heart. And when I realized that, I didn’t do enough to help you. I could have objected more firmly to her calling me her niece. I could have tried harder to be friendly and amicable with you. And my worst mistake of all…” The intensity and sincerity in her eyes was enough to burn a hole right through to Sunset’s soul. “...I gave up.” Tears dripped to the floor in increasingly rapid amounts, but neither Shining, Cadence, or Flurry were crying. Sunset couldn’t fathom where they were coming from. “I stopped trying, just took the abuse silently and tried to ignore your heartache. And for that, I am sorry.” “I…” she swallowed a blob of saliva that felt like it was the size of an apple. “...I... I forgive you.” Cadence smiled and it was like the sun rose a second time. She leaned forward and rested her forehead against Sunset’s, her long pink horn poking through the fiery curls. “And I forgive you too.” And Sunset sobbed. She collapsed into the pink alicorn’s embrace, blubbering and bawling. A thousand apologies, a thousand forgivenesses. She buried her head under the larger pony’s chin and wrapped her hooves around her. The top of her head felt wet as Cadence’s own tears flowed unbidden. A strong presence at her back told her that Shining had completed the pony sandwich, trapping Sunset in between himself and his wife. And then a feather-light hoof stroked softly through her mane, the only explanation being that young Flurry had joined the mix. In all of her years, this was the first time that crying had ever felt so good. There was no place in Equestria she’d rather be than held in their hooves. At last, as the scar she had been carrying longer than any other began to heal, the crystal heart reached out to her. She earned her crystal coat. Author's Note Congrats! You've made it nearly to the end! Sure, you could stop reading here, but then you wouldn't get any romantic resolution! Here's where things can go two ways. Next is the epilogue, there are two to choose from. The first one is how I originally intended the story to end. It's shippy and cuddly and GOOD. The second is what I came up with when my editor said they would have preferred if things ended with them being just-friends. Ergo, the Just-Friends-ilogue. You can read one or the other, or both. Whichever you choose, please leave a comment and tell me what you think! I may be a changeling, but my food of choice is positive encouragement and the joy from happy readers! Don't let me starve! I'll give you a cookie!
EpilogueThere was no place in Equestria Sunset would rather be. Her head was wedged snugly under Shining Armor’s chin, her legs wrapped firmly around his barrel. Each breath flooded her nostrils with his smell, a mix of musk and shampoo that was simply divine. His own forelegs were draped protectively over her, and their chests were pressed close enough that she could feel the slow thump of his heartbeat. Sometimes it seemed to beat in sync with the one in the chest that was flush to her back. Cadence spooned her from behind, her legs working in tandem with her husband’s to cradle the smaller mare. And the best part was the blanket of downy soft feathers that enclosed the whole trio, sealing in the warmth better than any comforter in the world. Sunset had already been coaxed back to sleep three times since originally waking early that morning. The first time, she was unable to resist the call of sleep form reclaiming her. The second time when she awoke and attempted to move, Shining had tightened his hold and nuzzled the top of her head. The third time it was Cadence who tempted her back to sleep, softly stroking her side with her wings and nuzzling the side of her neck. She was powerless against such an assault. But all good things have to come to an end sometime. Her bladder was shouting for the restroom, and it wasn’t up for discussion. With extreme reluctance, Sunset disentangled herself from the pair and made for the adjoining bathroom to the royal suite. She spared a glance at the couch as she passed, and the teenage filly passed out on it with a blanket haphazardly laid atop her. The bathroom tiles were shockingly cold underhoof, jolting her more awake as she did her business. There’d be no returning to sleep now. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t get a few more blissful minutes of cuddling before getting on with the day. After the emotional moment the previous morning, she had spent the rest of the day with the royal family. They talked and laughed and had an amazing time. Sunset could not remember ever meshing this well with the girls. Nothing against the humans, they were her best friends. But this was different. Special. Sunset would gladly lose Shining if he had a family as amazing as this one. She could never bring herself to try and change this. Sure, she’d be sad after all was said and done. But it would be worth it to know he was happy. And then there was Cadence. She had grown up from the timid little princess that Sunset had once known. She was strong and confident and drop-dead beautiful. Her insides reflected her outsides as she was a shining beacon of goodwill and love. Had they met again without Shining and hashed things out? Sunset would have definitely asked her out to dinner and a play, stammering like a smitten schoolfilly. She re-entered the bedroom, taking a moment to tuck the blanket over young Flurry, petting her mane affectionately. As she proceeded toward the bed, she caught the eye of the now awake alicorn. It twinkled and shined as her mouth formed a small grin. A wing unfolded to allow the unicorn re-entry to the cuddle. An offer Sunset was more than happy to accept. Once she was comfy back in her spot, Cadence leaned down to kiss her cheek. “You two get along really well.” “She’s a cute kid. Adorable, even. And she’s as sweet as a cherry pie.” “I was talking about you and my husband.” Her tone as so casual, conversational even. Sunset’s body tensed despite herself, a knee-jerk reaction to the near-accusation. Soft feathers stroked her side, doing much to calm her. “Shh, none of that. You told us how you felt, as did he. Once Shining is awake, we need to talk about it.” “Talk about what?” chimed in the deeper voice in the bed. “Good morning, sweetie.” “Good morning, honey.” Sunset could feel and hear the small kiss the couple shared above her head. “And good morning to you too, gorgeous.” Shining spoke in her ear, bending his neck to kiss her on the cheek. She blushed bright red, managing to squeak out a reply, “G-good morning.” Cadence giggled, nuzzling behind her ear. “Now who’s the adorable one?” Sunset discovered last night that when she blushes hard enough, even her ears get tinted red. Cadence made it a point to make it happen as much as she could before Shining negotiated some mercy for the poor mare. Her ears were undoubtedly glowing right now. “So,” Cadence shifted so that Sunset could lay on her back between the two, “now that we’re all awake, we can discuss what’s going to happen.” “First,” Shining interjected, “we should ask her what she wants.” “That is a fantastic idea. Sunset?” She turned her head to face her. “What do you want to happen? Don’t think about what anypony else would want or say, just tell us what your heart is saying.” Sunset was silent for a minute as she gathered her thoughts, then she threw them out and listened to what her heart was telling her. “I want... “ She hesitated, then pressed onward, “...I want to be happy.” Cadence nodded, urging her to continue. “I want Shining. He makes me happy, makes me feel so… light. Like I could fly without wings. I’ve never felt this way about anypony.” He patted her shoulder comfortingly. “And… I’m scared. Scared of trying something. Scared of not trying something. Scared of the results of whatever I choose. But… I feel determined. I’m done settling, done rolling with the hits. I wanna hit back, live on my terms.” Even if that means walking away. She met Cadence’s eyes. “Does that make sense?” She smiled warmly, and Sunset almost melted at the sight. “Perfect sense. Honey?” “I understood, and I think I’ve come to an decision.” “Decision?” Sunset inquired while looking between the two, perplexed. “What decision is that, husband of mine?” Cadence said coyly. “Do you remember when you mentioned being interested in a kind of open marriage?” “You mean when I considered bringing in a third pony? I remember you being against it, since we are more than enough for each other.” “Yes but I humored you as a good spouse should. We considered Sunburst and Starlight, remember?” “Of course I remember. Why do you ask?” “Well I think I have the perfect pony in mind. One I would be one-hundred percent on board with bringing into our relationship.” “Really?” Cadence giggled, playing along. “Do tell.” “Well she’s beautiful and smart and driven, no stranger to adversity or change. I could go on for hours about all of her good qualities.” “Sounds like quite the mare. Color me interested. What’s this mystery mare’s name?” Sunset could scarcely believe what she was hearing, eyes wide as dinner plates. This couldn’t be happening. It just was not possible. She must still be dreaming, she had to be. There was no way in Tartarus that... “Her name is Sunset Shimmer.” “Oh I know her! She’s a very good friend of mine, one of the best! Why don’t we invite her to the palace for dinner tonight? Say.. six-o-clock?” They both looked down at her expectantly, question hanging in the air. Their eyes showed affection and hopefulness. They were serious about this. Holy horse apples they were actually serious about this. Sunset prayed to whomever she could that she could summon the courage, the strength to say… “I’d love to.” THE END Author's Note That was my intended ending to this fic. Great, right? I really enjoyed writing this fic. It was a real challenge for me to work with two very different characters (that aren't Rarity or Twilight) in a close space. Trying to build a meaningful connection between two characters who meet on a train ride was particularly difficult. And the moment with Cadence was especially new and challenging for me, trying to write with emotional depth. I think I pulled it all off pretty well, but be sure to tell me what you think in the comments! Thank's for reading! P.S. Like what you read? Want to read more sorta like it from probably better authors? Check out the rest of the fics written for this event thing HERE!
Alternate Epilogue (Just Friends-ilogue)There was no place in Equestria Sunset would rather be. Her head was nestled on the comfiest pillows in the Empire, the blankets were unbelievably snug. And when she opened her eyes, she could just see the sun rising over the breathtaking crystal city. A view unlike any other in the world. After the emotional moment the previous morning, she had spent the rest of the day with the royal family. They talked and laughed and had an amazing time. Sunset could not remember ever meshing this well with the girls. Nothing against the humans, they were her best friends. But this was different. Special. Sunset would gladly lose Shining if he had a family as amazing as this one. She could never bring herself to try and change this. Sure, she’d be sad after all was said and done. But it would be worth it to know he was happy. And then there was Cadence. She had grown up from the timid little princess that Sunset had once known. She was strong and confident and drop-dead beautiful. Her insides reflected her outsides as she was a shining beacon of goodwill and love. Had they met again without Shining and hashed things out? Sunset would have definitely asked her out to dinner and a play, stammering like a smitten schoolfilly. Both of them were amazing ponies, as was their daughter. Knowing of the boundless love shared by the family made her own heart ache less. Sunset considered her future plans. She had the next part of her journey, trekking out of Equestria to the ocean and beyond. A week here would suffice, rather than the measly few days she spent elsewhere. With company like the royal family, it might even stretch to two weeks. But no farther. She couldn’t bring herself to try and inject herself with them, or to burden them with her residency. They had lives to live like everypony else, lives with each other. That didn’t mean she would not visit at every given opportunity, though. With great reluctance did she free herself from the bed’s heavenly embrace, trotting out quietly from her room. The couple had given her the guest room attached to the royal suite, usually reserved for visiting family members. The door to her left was open a crack, granting her a peek into the young princess’s room. She was still asleep, twisted in a knot with her blanket like some kind of contortionist. Adorable. Across the room directly ahead of her was the couple’s room. The door was fully open and the bed was already made. Early risers, she guessed, part of ruling an empire. Just as she was getting comfortable on the couch in the living space, the door to the rest of the palace swung open and Shining came trotting in. Two cups of divinely smelling brew were held aloft in his magic. “Good morning!” One levitated over into her eager hooves and she wasted no time in taking a long swig. It was delightful, the royal family certainly had great taste in coffee. “Thank you, and good morning.” He sat down across from her in a large armchair, nursing his own cup. “How did you sleep last night?” He asked. “Wonderfully. I don’t think I’ve felt this rested in years. What’s the secret? Is it in the bedding? Magical mood crystals in the walls?” He chuckled, “Nothing like that, just good friends and full hearts.” She looked at him incredulously, “Yeah sure, right. But like really what’s the secret?” “Well if you must know, it’s the Crystal Heart.” “The artifact that makes this entire place possible and gives the citizens their shiny look?” “Exactly. With a little love, it’s amazing what can happen.” “Fine. But I’ll be looking into this in the archives later, just in case you’re feeding me a line.” “Fair enough. Cadence will be back shortly, by the way. Some royal business, it shouldn't take long.” “She can take her time, I’m in no hurry to go anywhere. I am still pretty exhausted after yesterday.” “I don’t doubt that, a lot happened.” “I’m thankful for every second of it. I feel like a whole new mare.” “You look like one too.” he said teasingly, referring to her gleaming appearance. “Yeeaaahhh.. How long does this take to wear off?” “As long as you’re in the empire with love in your heart and high spirits? Never.” A beat of silence. “Just kidding, It should wear off in a day or so. When you’ve been here long enough, you’ll learn how to switch it on and off.” His coat turned to crystal for a few seconds before turning back. “I think it’s a good look on me. Too bad I can’t take it with me when I leave.” “Yeah...” He said, his tone lost its casual joviality. But before she could question it, the doors opened again to admit the crystal princess. She levitated off her regalia with grace and poise, then unceremoniously flopped into the chair next to his. “Hi honey, how was work?” “Awful. They had no coffee or snacks and everypony wanted to talk to me afterward. I just wanted to run away back to snuggle with you.” “I know, dear. Here, you can have the rest of my cup.” She took the mostly full cup with reverence and awe, uttering a short but heartfelt, “I love you,” before downing the rest in a single go. Sunset giggled behind her cup, enjoying the couple’s dynamic. That got the pink royal’s attention. “Well good morning Sunset!” “Good morning, your highness.” She made a gagging noise. “None of that, Sunset. You are to address me as Cadence, Cady, or gorgeous.” “Is that a royal decree, dear?” Shining asked. “It is now!” Sunset giggled some more, “As you command, my Cadence.” then ducked to avoid a flying pillow. “Rude. Honestly, what do I do to deserve this.” “Take hour long showers.” “They’d only be half hour long if you didn’t choose to join me!” Both of the mares ‘oooohh!’ed at him as he shook his head. “Mares.” Once the commotion died down some, Sunset spoke up. “So I think I have my plan all figured out.” That got their attention. “I think I’ll spend a week or two here, seeing the sights and perusing the library, before I head out. My next destination is Seaquestria, then the shores of Gryphonia. Who knows how long I’ll be there before I can arrange passage back. Then I’ll probably return to Ponyville to bum around the friendship school for a while until I figure out what I’m going to do with my life.” The couple shared a look, a wordless conversation passing between them. They nod in unison and look back to the perplexed unicorn. “We were thinking of something a little different.” Cadence began. “Different?” Shining this time. “Yes, different. We’ve talked about it, and we were hoping you would stick around for longer.” Sunset raised a brow, “How long is longer? A month?” “Well..” Cadence picked it up, “We were thinking you could stay here.. permanently.” Sunset’s mouth gaped. “Come again?” The couple sat on either side of her. “Let’s put it this way. We love having you here. Flurry loves having you here. In a short time, you’ve made an impression on all of us. And we’ve decided that we want you to stay here with us.” Sunset swallowed a mouthful of saliva, struggling to make sense of it all. “L-like…” Cadence’s wing draped across her back, she held Sunset’s hoof in her own. “Like a member of the family.” “F-f-f-f…” Her eyes were wide, words failed to come. “Celestia is my aunt. She’s already written letters to me about your reunion. You’re her daughter, my cousin. We’re already family. But we would love it very much if you would choose to stay here with us. Twilight will say the same, you need to be around ponies who love you and care about you.” “You won’t find any better place in the world for that than right here.” Shining held her other hoof. “We can get you your own suite in the palace, or an apartment in the city. If you want to find work, we can help with that too.” “We want you to be happy.” “So, will you stay with us?” Sunset was still speechless. She never would have imagined in her wildest dreams that the couple would offer such a thing. That they would want her there. She should take a few days to consider it. This shouldn’t be something that is made in the spur of the moment. But she really didn’t need a few days to decide. She knew her answer as soon as they finished asking. “I’d love to.” THE END Author's Note That was the alternate, just friends, ending to this fic. Great, right? I really enjoyed writing this fic. It was a real challenge for me to work with two very different characters (that aren't Rarity or Twilight) in a close space. Trying to build a meaningful connection between two characters who meet on a train ride was particularly difficult. It was also a big of a challenge to resolve it without it being romantic. And the moment with Cadence was especially new and challenging for me, trying to write with emotional depth. I think I pulled it all off pretty well, but be sure to tell me what you think in the comments! Thank's for reading! P.S. Like what you read? Want to read more sorta like it from probably better authors? Check out the rest of the fics written for this event thing HERE!
