THEN
In the frozen lands of the crystal empire, a mare was about to find her way home...
Sunset Shimmer burst out of the mirror. Its surface rippled then stilled. Leaving only light frost on its now glossy surface.
As Her shoes hit the tiled floor, She stumbled. Little sound echoed through the once throne room of Queen Amore.
Curiosity pulled her to play with the thing in her hand. Smooth as it was with little adornments. Runes glowed in patchy bits seemingly at random. Her hand squeezed harder. Its bright blinking light seemed to overwhelm her, speaking whispered convictions of deeds yet done.
She turned staring at the mirror.
Our doom and Theirs. The phrase played over and over in lilting tones. Our doom and Theirs. Slowly rung with the finality of a funeral pyre.
With light steps, her feet took her back to the mirror. Standing there staring at the thing, She reached out a hand. A hairs breadth away from away the surface. She could see the pores of her hand and the scars that it bore.
"Not yet, soon, Lovely." A voice said, fondness oozed from every pore. She shivered. Taking a breath of growing stale air. She turned back, ignoring the deep seated thing that wanted it dead, with fire.
She wiggled her tense hand.
"Not yet, indeed."
Instead, She breathed even and calm, for a moment all was silent and waiting. Only in the din of the night did the frost-crows lay awake and hunting.
The burning took first. Her seals flared with a suddenness that made her draw breath, sharp and tight. She coughed meekly.
Sunsets throat spasmed violently, Twitching madly. She covered her mouth with her hand. She bit her lip to keep the blood from spilling onto the floor.
She paid no heed to the blood that plopped down below.
She swallowed.
"I should have brought a mask. Your slipping off the roads." A gurgling voice groaned out.
Wiping the blood on her cloths, She stomped her foot after a particularly biting jolt. A gloom of light blossomed from the runes engraved into her clothing...burned into her skin.
"You can do this." She said, her words echoed through the large chamber.
She walked towards the door.
Standing at what amounted to opening old wounds. Her hand found the door handle.
She allowed herself another moment to breath.
The soft whistle of her breath was the only sound to be heard in the room.
She smelt the air and tasted...memory's. The smell of floor polish and cake wafted in the air. Cake...She smiled then as if the bitter thing of memory was only a fancy, a dream. Allowing the warmth of those memory's to flood her.
She remembered a warm wing wrapped tight, the games of tag In the courtyard, And the faint taste of chocolate on her tongue.
Before she could open the door. The force of what she was surely about to do, came upon her.
After she opened that door it would be the first time. No last time she would be on Equestrian soil..
How long was it, again?
She didn't have a answer.
Fortunately, She opened the door.
What greeted her was a strange mix-match of body's, some crystal pony's, others having the softness of flesh. All Lay still, unmoving.
She did not smile and did not wave about in glee. She merely took one step and then two.
Taking on the burden of saving her home.
NOW
In the royal suites tongues were wagging...
Twilight Sparkle awoke to someone licking her face, enthusiastically.
Light blinded her eyes briefly before she could fully open them. Blinking away the spots, she smiled at the sight.
"Spike." She whispered, her brother cooed softly as she rubbed her hoove against the frills of his head. She brought her face over to his. She stared as he twisted this way and that. Until she had a brilliant idea. A Smashingly Brilliant Idea.
She grinned with the spark of madness or sibling rival...she meant bonding. Sibling bonding.
The words of her brother echoed through her head. Dork Dork Dork.
She opened her mouth and brought her tongue closer to his face.
She waited a moment to savour the imminent glory that would be her satisfaction.
She would the top Sibling! Top Sibling! No more cooking for her! She-
She felt the touch of a finger on her face.
On her nose.
Her eyes crossed and her face scrunched up. She turned her face away, ready to sneeze.. And then…
She sneezed. Unfortunately the residue of magic in her nose decided enough was enough and blew the tasteful and very VERY old furniture, into a wall, and cracking. She rubbed her nose furiously. A vivid red bloomed at its tip.
"Ugh-" she groaned. "-My nose."
She heard the sounds of laughter. Her nose growing redder by the moment. Shone brightly and starkly against the crystal floor.
It positively glowed in vivid maroon against her purple fur.
"Spike!" she growled.
"Ha ha ha." his voice resounded in the spacious room. Little motes of flame escaped his maw. Slowly and surely burning away the blankets of their bed and the furniture...that was already broken. Twilight Smiled and couldn't help but laugh.
Her own laughter joined her brothers amide broken furniture, flame and the growing redness of her nose. Twilight Sparkle was happy. Truly happy.
As Twilight Sparkle heard the door door handle jiggle. A tired and hopeful smile played on her face. Today Obviously couldn't get worse, right?
She got off the slowly burning away bed. unhindered by the flames as her trait as part Fire-pony.
"Fire-pony....ha ha ha ha." Spikes resounded from behind.
She swiftly turned around.
"Ohhh."She said, pushing her bright burning nose into his scales that burned equally bright.
"I was Five." She said. her hoove dug into the smouldering flames. Pushing dyeing ash this way and that, she smiled as she felt the warm body of her oldest friend and cousin.
"I told you that in confidence"
After a thought she asked the question. "How did you know I was thinking that?"
He brought a talon to her brow rubbing softly at the edge of her confusion.
"I could say that I just knew and that is true." His voice trailed off.
"But when ever you think about being a Fire-pony." He said with air quotes and a grin.
"You well, look."
He pointed down at her tail.
"What?"
"Oh."
"Yup."
"My tails on fire."
"Yup."
"Your not the only one who burned things in your sleep, are you?"
"Nope." He said, grinning a devilish grin that spoke of sharp teeth and flame.
She smiled too. A tear welling in her eye.
With a look around the room, Green and...pointedly purple flames continued to burn things.
She whistled softly.
"I think I might be a bad princess."
"Celestia was off her wings making...Me...princess."
They held each other tighter.
Suddenly a thought buried deep came to the surface of her mind.
Looking this way and that as if her fear had a face and name.
"I.."
Im only telling you because I trust you. I...
"Poppycock"
"Boulderdash"
"Marooo-Nose!" He sung, breaking the fifth octave.
"Why Doesnt she work to make anyone else long-lived?"
"What is she afraid of?"
"Why?...Why not Shiny?"
"Momma and Dad?"
"Why not...I DON'T KNOW" She whispher-yelled into her personal heater.
"Granny Smith?"
He scoffed.
"She...Nice."
He clung tighter. With the weight upon her, he whispered.
"She hit me ounce and called me a bad dragon."
He shivered not with fear, no, he was a dragon, and he wasn't scared of pony's.
He was strong and even with their magic...and the ability to teleport. Crush those different from them. came unbidden.
"Am I a bad dragon"
They held the moment. Allowing their bond to cement and deepen, sometimes silence was all that was needed.
Though neither would they forget.
Lingering in the back of their minds. Would their questions and their true answers..
"No." They said together in unison. A family.
With a flash of her horn she squelched the flames with her magic.
They looked askance at the now crispy room.
She-
"We were family before we ever met." He said.
"I know, Cousin." She said.
"Sorry, Twily."
"No No " fitting snugly her head on his.
He whispered into her fur. "What happened?"
"Well, You licked me in your sleep. So..."Her voice trailed. Her face found the bright maroon of her nose and went with it.
"I..."She said.
To Tartarus with it!
She licked him.
Sputtering he laughed falling to his side.
"Revenge never tasted so dirty." She said, her tongue hanging out. Rubbing a spout of water that she had magicked.
For a moment she considered leaving him to his unclean fate, but...
"You want a wash" She said with her horn aglow.
The tip and tap on the door resounded as a opening to a song.
"Princess and Saviour!" A voice bellowed from the door way. They both turned strangely tense. Taking a moment to cling together ounce again, just a little tighter too.
"Yes!" they rung out in unison.
Blinking owlishly at one another.
The voice beyond the door grew soft at their voices. There a pause, a concern as the tell tale signs of a stallion swallowing.
"Come on. Its not..."
"Tell us, sir." The Princesses voice rang out, wings straightening.
"There was a incident and." His voice became ruff at the edges
"There body's...they...Its."
His silence held the silence of the grave.
Author's Note
The next chapter will be coming soon. I hope you like it. Naturally point out the flaws and all that.
I hope you had fun reading as much as I had fun writing this thing.
Me? I am looking forward to telling my first long form story.
Have any questions? Thoughts? Concerns? I will be happy to answer them in the comments. Maybe? 
You know what have two Twilights!
THEN
Passing the long strips of guards that remained breathing.
Their armour gleamed gold…under…the sun. Sunset smiled, a strained thing.
A wave of her hand and the runes that marked her glowed brighter still.
She shook only briefly and the pain that wrecked her body made her bleed only a little.
"Still not worth it. Not bucking worth it." She took a moment to unwind.
She leaned against the wall. The inlay of gold flourish sparked her eye. She ignored the obvious attempt at replicating the common colours of The Celery Dus Sol Palace.
She sighed.
"I will never be free of the past, will I?"
She looked to the body to the left of her.
"I bet you didn't sign up for this. Did you?"
Taking a moment to withdraw a bit of food. Smolish, a delicacy as any food made at the palace.
She brought the tasty bundle of vegetables and spiced rice to her mouth. Best part of the other world…not all that other…stuff…
...people…people…Marigold. Buggle. Tora. and baby Fluffyshy
She stared hard at the mare in front of her. Her face had the look of youth, all softness and baby fat. Ruffled rich blue mane and drool completed the picture.
Of bucking course. You Monster.
Even the sunlight seemed to gaze fondly from the high above window.
Celestia's Own. The term fell like rubbing salt on a old wound.
Rubbing the tense hand that carried the future of their world. She thought of how…ironic…that was.
Scars Scars everywhere old mare old mare.
At that she scoffed at herself. Celestia's own.
Rubbing the crumbs away on her clothing…again. ugh.
All this time and you didn't learn manners?…Sun-butt.
"Ugh." She groaned.
She meant to go down head to the train.
Surely, when she would tell the story later, it would be of her daring and torturous filled run-down towards the train. Celestia herself would give chase and they would soon do battle as the fate of the world…
In a blink. She found herself leaning the baby mare against the wall. She was old enough to guard…things.
That moment caused her to really look at the mare. Her face was young…too young.
She turned her head away. Just as mine where.
"Why are you here?" She asked, Almost with her hand raised to touch her cheek. Only…
You have no right. More then that you…When she awakes you will ruin her carefully world.
"She's innocent" said another.
Setting her hand at her side. She got up taking the moment to at least gift her with a touch of magic. For the days to come…
She broke into a sudden run. By passing the body's that littered the hallway. Thrusting herself out and above a window. She meet the roof with heart beating and sweet gleaming.
Dwelling in shadow.
Breathing in the fresh air. She took in the fragrance of what pasted for summers here on the other-side.
She took a moment to observe the outlying lands. Her eyes flicked studiously to the tall statue of a dragon child. Smaller and less defined (deliberate insult?) was a mare.
A unicorn.
Twilight Sparkle
She stepped down to a slanted hallway.
Sunset Shimmer went onto the palace grounds.
Walking ahead, She leaned into a shadowed nook.
She looked to her flank. She saw nothing but the worn cloth inked in the blood of Aria.
She knew just as Celesta was her mother. If she parted by blade or teeth her dress, all that remained would be scars.
That shiver of pain felt long over due…and it wont be the end either.
With ease born of time honed skill and more then a little luck. She stepped into the shadows. Every step breathing new life into the words: bittersweet.
This in truth was the part of her journey she dreaded the most. She trusted herself and knew that the later half would bare her emotions into livid relief.
She was ready.
She was Sunset Bucking Shimmer.
Under the cover of hood and cowl her hand was wrapped around a old mares hoove.
She was helping a old mare down the road. Her eyesight apparently so poor that the six foot tall (to her mind)…monster. Was in fact a skinny minotaur.
Balding too.
Hocking a loogie at the nearest pony in disgusted surprise. Sunset Shimmer cringed Hard.
The voices laughed.
The old mare leaned over. "Having fun?"
Still in her guise as it was she tentatively looked around. Blinking at the sight of what surely was her old friends dream.
The sheen of sweat that covered her neck, she ignored-deliberately.
Many body's pressed all together yammering and walking all the while. No one was hidden away in a forest. No one had taken to living in the slums.
Her throat felt dry and thick.
"How are you, deary?" Her voice firm and not the wispy thing that marked some.
Sunset Shimmer shifted her hunched form.
She knew never to under estimate the old and the truly young alike.
why do you doddle? You know what needs to be done?
…I know. Only…I want to do right by them…at least a little before the end.
She called the old mares hoove to her. Leading all the while towards what she assumed was her home.
The sun fell into its greater sister-the moon. Rising Rising still higher till stillness made itself know. Standing in the sky for all to see the moon, its soft glow gave gentle tidings to the hearts of the many peoples of the great crystal empire.
"You never answered my question…girl?" The old Mare said.
A sense of things made her want to duck- to hide. To find a weapon to bludgeon the old mare to bits.
If she was a younger mare, she would have. She was sure, enough.
She did not.
She unclenched her steel grip from the mares hoove.
"Hello…Earth-Mare." Her voice gained an edge.
"Hello Burnt Sun."
"That's not my name."
No. We wont court with names here.
Or anywhere. The mare shifted then leading her towards a path unseen by her skill and eyes alone.
The old shell of the student, the seeker, the ever-eager mare couldn't help it. She…Just…couldn't.
"You can't burn the sun. Its already burning."
The old mare just turned off into alley the clawing scent of old waste and still older bones hung loose and heavy.
Taking the moment to duck under a particularly nasty overhang. The sharp of its steel looking rather dangerous in the right hands.
A poke.
"Come on mare. Get a move on. I don't want to be dyeing over with you wool-gathering."
Another poke.
And Another poke.
The old Firebrand, The burning anger long since tempered into steel.
That never truly went away. Whipped out with liquid steel.
"Old Mare, I am doing you a favour. I don't care how old you are. you will respect me. Or…I will…tell your mother."
Airs of some nebulous tension held.
They continued walking past the further over hangs and through a thin crack in between buildings.
As they wove through
"She's dead." The old voice gave out in greeting.
"I can imagine. "
Mine..too. She would have said. A part that she knew in truth was right. Her mother was dead in all the ways that mattered. Only she still loved the shell, anyhow.
She probably always would. Probably in other ways hate for all she did. But that strange mix of love and hate. Longing…
Was it so wrong to want a home?
And if she had the words. In so many ways that mattered did she ever have one to begin with?
Author's Note
Good evening.
If your still confused...well.
Each chapter...or part of a chapter has a Now
Or
Then
Sunset = Then
Twilight = Now
In the intervening chapters they will converge.
Thank you.
The Author
lol
