Chapter 7

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Twilight starts as I come through the portal, herself and Starlight clearly have been in some kind of conversation… though not looking too good.

Their rubbing their heads and have a distant look in their eyes, like you get when you’ve a massive headache, have to push through it.

“Did… I miss something?” I ask, looking between the two of them.

“What… was that?” Starlight groans, rubbing her head.

“That was some intense magic,” Twilight murmurs back. “I’ve… I’ve never felt anything like that before.”

I frown, looking around. Nothing seems out of the ordinary.

“Deku… would you mind going out and seeing if anything’s up?” Twilight says, from the table, still rubbing her forehead. “That level of intense magic… It can’t have been nothing. Ow.”

Shrugging, I nod and head outside, charging up 18% and hurrying off, scanning Ponyville for anything that looks like it shouldn’t be happening, but see nothing aside from every unicorn in town acting the same way Twilight and Starlight had.

Nothing seems odd, per say, but the fact it happened to every unicorn, while no other ponies or creatures seem effected is definitely something to be concerned about.

I keep searching for several hours, before heading back to the castle to, having found nothing aside from other unicorns having the same weird headache from sensing whatever magic it was Starlight and Twilight sensed.

Twilight is concerned, so has Spike send a message to Celestia, but, with no real evidence to go on, it’s clear we’ll have to wait to see if anything else happens before being able to follow up on whatever it was.

In the meantime, I ask Twilight to give me some directions for Sire’s Hollow.

When she asks why, I say it’s to test a theory of mine. It’s not an answer she likes, but she goes along with it, knowing she can trust me.

Once I have the directions, I take the train. It has to make a stop on the way, however due to engine trouble, so I head the rest of the way on foot.

Granted, traveling through the snow isn’t the best idea, but, thanks to One For All, I’m able to keep myself warm as I run through the snow across the hills and valleys leading to where Sire’s Hollow should be.

As I run up a hill that should overlook the village, I pause, looking around.

Did I just… hear something?

I could’ve sworn I just heard a murmur of some kind.

“Hello?” I call out, looking every which way. “Is somepony there?”

There’s silence for a few moments, before I hear it again.

It’s faint, but it’s a sharp breath, the kind you make when you’ve been in the cold for a really long time and are trying to just bear with it.

Looking a little closer at my surroundings, I notice what I thought was just some snow by a tree. It seems… misshapen.

Moving over, I start trying to move the snow, before my eyes widen and I start furiously digging.

There’s somepony under there.

Faster than you can say “freezing”, I’m pulling the pony out of the snow, the fact it’s a young pony making me even more nervous.

Judging by their size and weight, I’d say a young teenager or a preteen.

Once I’ve pulled them out, however, my brain blanks for a moment, confused.

It’s… it’s Sunset. But, she’s younger than she should be. Best guess, she looks like she’s maybe three years younger than the Sunset I know.

The hell is going on here?

Suddenly, the fact Sunset looks bluer than usual and the fact she’s faintly shivering pulls me back to reality.

I scoop her up in my arms and charge down the hill towards Sire’s Hollow.

I notice the fence Sunburst’s mother put that “Welcome to Sire’s Hollow” audio to, but simply leap over it, running to the nearest house and pounding on the door (making sure to stop using my Quirk, of course).

The door’s opened and I start to talk, before I realize who it is. “Firelight?”

He shows confusion. “Um, yes? That’s my name. Who’re you—?”

“No time!” I cut him off, holding up Sunset.

Firelight’s eyes widen, before he’s ushering me inside.

He leads me to a fireplace, where I lay Sunset down.

Firelight light’s the fire as quickly as possible. “Stay close to help keep her warm. I’ll go get some blankets.”

He hurries off somewhere else in the house, while I curl around Sunset, trying my best to keep her warm as the fire further heats her scarily cold body.

Firelight comes back a few minutes later with several blankets, which I quickly swaddle Sunset in.

We watch for several moments, worried, before she starts shivering, then calms down, her breathing normal.

We both sigh with relief, before the stallion looks to me with a confused frown. “So, who or… what are you and how did you find Stellar Flare’s daughter? And how’s she so young?”

I blink at him. Well, that answered several questions all at once, while opening up others.

I look back to the young yellow unicorn, frowning.

So, Sunset is Sunburst’s older sister. However, Sunset just being here in Equestria without explanation and younger isn’t something so easy to explain away, not in the same sense, anyway.

Sunset is definitely still in the EQG. Twilight didn’t mention anything about the unicorn coming through the portal while I was searching Ponyville, so this can’t be the Sunset I know.

That leaves only one other option: She’s Sunset’s human counterpart from EQG.

However, that does not explain why she’s here in Equestria or why she looks younger than Sunset did in the first move.

Something isn’t adding up here and I don’t understand what it is.

Of course, we can’t know anything unless we ask Sunset herself. She can maybe explain something about this. Til then, we’ll have to wait.

Firelight makes us some hot milk, since he’s out of coffee and we sit and chat, making sure to keep an eye on Sunset to make sure nothing goes wrong.

Sire’s Hollow does apparently have a hospital, but it’s small, basically just a clinic, and closed due to repairs, so we couldn’t take her there and have to make due.

As we chat, I tell Firelight about myself, what I do and how I found Sunset (making sure not to mention EQG or the fact I’m sure this is their Sunset and not the one from here).

He agrees that it doesn’t make sense she was just there on that hill in the snow, nor why she’s three years younger than she logically should be.

When I ask where Stellar Flare is (making sure to have Firelight mention her name in context to being Sunset’s mother) to let her know about Sunset, Firelight explain that Stellar Flare is currently visiting family for the holidays.

I inwardly frown, wondering if she’s looking for Sunset or maybe Sunburst, as I do remember the latter not liking all the letters his mother sent to him on the regular.

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Sunset stirs, lifting her head and looking around in confusion.

“A… house?” she mumbles sleepily. “Was… was that all a…? No, I’m still… What’s going on?”

“Was kinda hoping you could clear that up yourself there, Sunset?”

The unicorn’s head whirls around, her eyes landing on me leaning on the couch.

Her eyes go wide. “A… another human?! Please, you gotta help me!”

She scrambles to get up, before wincing, laying back on her side.

“Whoa, easy there, girl,” I hold up my hands, getting off the couch. “Your body’s still recovering. Firelight had a doctor come by while you were asleep. He said you’d barely avoided getting hypothermia. Even though you dodged it, your body is still going to need time, with how long you were out in the cold.”

“You’re a human. I need your help. I dunno why, but I’ve turned into a pony and…wait. Firelight?” Sunset blinks, before recognition enters her eyes. “Wait. Wasn’t that the name of my little brother’s best friend’s dad? He’s here?”

I smile, cocking my head to the side. “Well, this is his house.”

Her eyes widen. “I’m back in Sire’s Hollow?”

“How’s our little patient doing?” Firelight’s voice calls from the kitchen.

“Seems okay to me,” I call back, walking over and kneeling down to Sunset, helping her get more confortable.

Sunset blinks, something only now seeming to dawn on her. “Hang on. Firelight’s seen me, like this?”

I nod.

“And he’s not freaked out?!” she asks incredulously.

I cock an eyebrow. “Why would he?”

It’s at this moment the other unicorn comes in, a tray of warm drinks and a bowl of oatmeal levitating in his magic.

Sunset just stares at him in confusion, before her eyes go wide. “Your turned into a unicorn too?!”

The stallion pauses, glancing at me in confusion.

I sigh. “I think I know what’s going on here, actually. Sunset, can you tell us where you come from?”

I’d had time to think about it last night as I lay on the couch, trying to go to sleep and I think I figured a few things out, but confirmation from Sunset herself would be best before moving forward.

As she talks, my theory is proven correct.

This is Sunset from the EQG world.

Apparently, she’d ran away from home one day and, after some time, somehow found herself on a boat that got caught in a storm, herself being thrown overboard.

When she’d come to, she was on an island that, as she’s describing it, sounds awfully familiar, further confirmed when she mentions a giant Venus flytrap plant that tried to eat her, causing her to fall into quicksand, only to wake up later in an underground cave.

After finding her way out of the cave, she’d wandered around a forest, until she bumped into a tree, causing a yellow flower to fall and burst on her face.

After that, she’d started to get sick. She hadn’t been sure what she had, but she’d felt worse than any other time she’d gotten sick.

She’d managed to find her way out of the forest and just wandered around aimlessly, too sick to really think straight.

“Then I felt a pain I never had before and… then I was laying in the middle of a snowy field. No explanation, I was just in a field and not feeling sick at all anymore,” Sunset finishes. “After that, I tried to keep going, hoping to find some familiar landmark. I thought the area looked similar to some fields outside Sire’s Hollow, but… I don’t remember much after that. I was too tired and cold to really think properly.”

I sit there, rubbing my chin. There’s something familiar about the sickness Sunset mwentioned she’d had. Something that’s ringing a bell, but I can’t quite put my finger on it.

“But… I’m confused,” Sunset looks to the stallion. “You’re a pony now too, Mr. Firelight. Why is that?”

I shake my head. “Sunset, this is going to sound crazy, but you’re in another universe.”

She deadpans at me. “Please, take this seriously?”

I shake my head. “I am, Sunset. You’re in a world parallel to your own. In your world, humans are the dominant species. In this one, it’s animals, namely ponies or other equines.”

She just frowns at me, pointing to Firelight. “And I suppose Mr. Firelight ended up in this pony world too?”

It’s Firelight’s turn to shake his head. “Nope. I’ve lived here my whole life, just like you, Sunset… unless I’m wrong?” he glances at me and I shake my head.

“This isn’t the Firelight you know, Sunset,” I indicate to the stallion. “This Firelight was born a unicorn in this universe. The one you’re thinking of is back in your universe.”

Sunset frowns at me. “And I travelled from one universe to another how, exactly?”

I fold my arms. “You found the natural portal in your world that leads to this one. Frankly, it sounds like a good thing too. you somehow avoided the League, if they were still there to begin with.”

“League?” Sunset frowns.

I shake my head, holding up a hand. “Matters for another time. Anyway, there’s something we need to discuss, but we’ll need both version of your parents here for that.”

“That… might be a problem,” Firelight remarks nervously. “Sunspot left not long after Sunset was reported missing. He originally went looking for her, but nopony’s heard from him in years.”

I frown. “Well, that’s a problem. Still, both versions of her mother should be here for this. The way things are now, I think we need to work something else out that will be better suited for all involved.”

“What did you have in mind?” Firelight asks.

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Sunset looked around at all those gathered in the Apple Family’s living room, the festive mood of the holidays strong, filling her heart with warmth.

In all honesty, she hadn’t been sure she’d ever feel this kind of warmth ever again.

She hadn’t told the girl’s, or anyone, for that matter, about her family back in Equestria. It wasn’t a subject she wanted to bring up. The guilt was too much.

Now, though. She felt the warmth she used to get with her family, back before her ambitions took over and she’d ignored her family.

Anon-a-Miss had indeed been as Wallflower and Deku had told them, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo.

It wasn’t until the third post that they’d decided to confront the trio. Thankfully, Deku’s warning had prevented Sunset from being suspected and she’d not lost her friends, even for a short time.

Thankfully, since they’d confronted the CMC after the third post, nothing more came of it. They’d originally just been using what they knew from their own perspectives.

Sunset shuddered to think the damage that could’ve been done had the three kept going. Apparently, people had started sending emails to anonymously to the account not long after the third post, some of the stuff said being quite nasty.

After getting the girls to come clean, they’d gotten them to report themselves to Principal Celestia, who made them take down the account and they had three months detention, one for each post.

With the account gone, so too were all the other secrets and horrible things others had wanted Anon-A-Miss to post about.

The CMC, Sunset and Applejack were the only ones who had any clue what those were and they’d agreed they’d never speak a word of them.

With that behind them, Sunset had spent the rest of the week as the girls had originally planned and now, with the final night, she felt at peace.

Though, seeing Apple Bloom hugging her parents just now, she couldn’t say she wasn’t a little bit jealous and homesick for her own parents.

Suddenly, there was a loud knock on the front door, startling everyone.

“Alright, alright, we hear ya,” Granny Smith called, before looking to the man who looked like a male adult version of Apple Bloom. “Bright Mac, can you get that?”

“Sure, Ma,” the man nodded, walking out the living room.

Everyone heard the door opening, hearing him say “Ah, Deku, Miss Tiara and Mrs Rich. Wonderful you could it,” before a cry of confusion left them just as confused. “Wait. Sunset Shimmer? What? How? How’re you out here? And… who’re these folks? Are they all twins?”

Confused looks were shared around by all, which turned to shock as Deku came in, followed by Diamond Tiara and her mother, along with three other people.

It was Sunset’s shout that provided the most shock, however.

“MOM?!”

Standing before them were two women, who looked completely identical, both with deep orange skin and even darker orange hair and green eyes. Both were wearing the same outfit, a blue button up shirt, a navy-blue long skirt, white stockings, black loafers and a blue scarf around their neck.

Before Sunset’s shout, however, the girl standing between them had caused the shock, due to her looking like someone else too, the one who’d shouted, in fact.

Standing in front of the woman on the right was a girl who looked like a younger version of Sunset, maybe a year or two older than the CMC, with her hair tied back in a ponytail.

“Wha…? But… HOW?” was all Applejack could manage to stutter.

Deku smiled, looking to Sunset. “That’s a bit of a long story. However, it’s one I think everyone, especially Sunset, should hear.”

Author's Note

GARH! This was WAY harder to write than i'd expected.

Trying to tie the last two chapters together so i can establish the future family settings for Sunset NEEDED to happen for later in the story, but figuring out the HOW was SO FREAKING FRUSTRATING!

I struggled not to make it all tell and not show. i think maybe i managed to make it only half all tell, but i'm uncertain.

Anyway, i hope it fits well enough.

So, Sunset's EQG self has now been found and both versions of her mother have come face to face with her in the EQG, or Christmas Night, no less.

Not exactly the holiday surprise Sunset was expecting.

So, what does this mean for Sunset going forward? Will she live with her mother in Equestria and commute to school through the portal? Will her EQG self live with her as a younger twin sister?

you'll have to wait and see.

As the beginning of the AN might've clued you in, this took FOREVER to finish.

it started it this morning, then kept having to take breaks because i just couldn't figure out how to continue each part of the chapter i finished without just making everything tell and no show, so sporadically was start and finishing this all day.

was almost certain i'd have to wait til tomorrow to finish it, before a burst of drive hit me and i decided to suck it up and finish it tonight.

So, now that it's after 9:30pm and i'm posting this, i'll wrap up here so i can actually post this and not end up rambling here in the AN to the point my words make no sense.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter for what it is and, til next time, stay safe, stay clean and goodnight everybody