ACT 3 - TRAUMATIC MEMORIES

CHAPTER 9 - CRASHING THROUGH MEMORY LANE

Lightning crackled, and the rain continued to pour.

And from the safety and dry warmth of her carriage, Trixie yawned and stretched.

“You know what? You were right, Glimms.” Comfortably, she leaned back on her hammock, blowing raspberries, and stretching some more.

“Oh, I was right, was I?” She chuckled, while preparing dinner, humming to herself. “What’s the occasion?”

“The occasion is this.” The Magician laid as seductively as she could on the hammock, which was absolutely not very seductive. “If we were performing out there in this rain, we’d probably have drowned by now. And I looooove a lazy day.”

“Me too.” She giggled, with a sigh of delight. “Though I will say, it’s a shame. I would have liked seeing Twilight and those friends of hers again.”

Trixie snickered mischievously. “How much of a small world is it that that peasant and that wingless princess would wind up on Twilight’s friend group? I love that stupid pink one though– She’s the best.”

“I think that’s a pot-to-kettle situation, Trix.”

“Oh, are you making tea?”

“No, I meant– nevermind.” She shrugged, chuckling. “Get ready, cause I’m mixing salad and apple slices, Trix.” She grinned confidently. “And making hot chocolate.”

“Oh, my body is ready!!” The magician cheered quietly, shuffling while laying down.

They remained quietly for a moment, humming together, enjoying the noise the rain made as it rocked the carriage quietly.

Until their ears twitched.

Outside, distant, and yet distinct, they could hear it: Some sort of alarm. Like a deep horn, echoing through the rain.

Trixie, not getting up from her hammock, glanced at one of the windows. Outside, the streets and outskirts of Canterlot. In the distance…

“Huh. That’s coming from the palace…?” She could see it, even through the darkness of the storm, a few airships were in the air, shining their spotlights around the castle. “Dang! In the rain, too?”

Starlight stopped her cooking and walked over to a window, and eyed the sight with concern. “Huh… looks serious, but at least nothing is on fire…?”

“Meh, not our problem. There’s always something going on in central Equestria. Not gonna ruin my day!” Trixie laid back on the hammock, covering her face with her hat. “Ah, sometimes it’s wonderful to mind one’s business…!”

Starlight’s eyes narrowed, as she observed the sight with worry. “...Still, though. I hope Twilight’s okay, if nothing else. That looks serious.”

“Eh, she’s living in a darn castle, and has a whole royal guard at her disposal. She has no problems ever!! Cozying it up with royalty with her perfect little life. Blergh, heheh.” Trixie Shrugged, but then raised her head and arched an eyebrow with a smug grin. “I do have something she’ll never have, thouuuugh.”

“Oh really?” Starlight could read her girlfriend’s body language easily, coming closer with a flirtatious smile. “What’s that?”

“A great and powerful girlfriend.” Leaning forward, they kissed, and then began making out, but it was short lived, for there was cooking to do.

“D-dinner! Ahh! Down, girl!!” She yelled out and ran to attend to it, still flustering from the avalanche of kisses.

Furniture trembled and tinkled. From outside of the windows, they saw large spotlights passing through, illuminating the road from above as an airship flew by.

“Dang! That’s pretty close!” Trixie’s eyes widened, looking outside. “I wonder what they’re up to.”

“Eh, I guess we’ll never know.” Starlight shrugged. “Maybe we can ask Twilight next time we see her–”

The carriage shook. Noise above them indicated someone landing on the roof, and they both beheld it with confusion.

With a flash, a mare suddenly was teleported inside their home near the door, panting, seemingly exhausted, drenched in water, mud, and with blood staining her face.

With incredibly quick breathing, she took cover on the walls, eyeing the windows fearfully, hiding from the spotlights outside.

“Hey! Excuse me!” Starlight called out angrily. “This is private property!” Her horn crackled.

Trixie didn’t even stand from her hammock, just waved dismissively. “Hey hot stuff, If you want an autograph, wait for a show, we’re off the clock.”

“Do you know me? Do you know my name, my face?!”The mare asked in a frantic panic, stepping closer, completely unintimidated, but still incredibly fearful, trying to move her drenched mane away from her face.

“No? Now back off!” Starlight commanded, gritting her teeth, huffing.

The exhausted mare took a few steps back, eyeing the windows, still, and her breathing was lightning fast. Just like that, she began losing balance, as her vision blurred, and she had to lean on a wall to remain standing.

“S-she looked at me… She looked at me like s-she didn’t know me…!”

The two owners of the carriage shared a look with each other, then at the frightened mare, who seemed unresponsive.

“Um… Hey, me and Trixie don’t want to be involved with any more criminal nonsense, okay? We can’t be involved with whatever you’ve done.” Starlight spoke a bit more quietly, a bit more gently. “So… Please just leave our carriage and go… Turn yourself in or something?”

“Don’t listen to my lovely assistant. Turning yourself in is not the solution, hot stuff.” Trixie giggled from the hammock, waved her hooves, still relaxed. “But she is right, we don’t want to be involved with any more trouble. At the very least, stop dripping on our carpet.”

“R-raven, Flash, and Celestia. Raven, Flash and Celestia. They knew me. They knew me.” She muttered to herself quietly, looking at the floor, curled up in the corner. ““B-but… They looked at me, like I was from before. From before… But all of my things were in the Captain’s quarters, they were all there, just, just, just…!”

She choked, and wheezed, and grimaced with sorrow, finally connecting the dots of just how terrible her circumstances were.. “O-oh, oh god, they, they weren't just trying to hurt me, they… They were erasing evidence that I exist…! This isn’t time travel, it isn’t an alternate universe, it’s… O-oh no…!”

And finally, she had the strength to look at the other two. “T-they… They erased the memories of everyone that knew me. Wound back the clock to after I was banished. O-oh no…” She laid her head even lower, even more defeated, in complete despair. “I-I d-don’t know how to fix this…!”

Any anger had vanished from Starlight’s gaze completely, swiftly replaced with pity. If nothing else, the mare before her was deeply disturbed.

“Um… Look, it’s going to be okay…? Whatever you’re going through…?” She tilted her head, coming a bit closer. “...Just hang in there, you know?”

“Not your best pep talk, Glimms.”

“Shush.”

“I-I’m Sunset Shimmer. I’m meant to be Sunset Shimmer. I… I…” She raised her head. “Do you two not remember me? Do you not know me?”

“Can’t say that I do, no?”

“Nope?”

“B-but we’ve met! Several times!! Hell, we’ve gone on double dates before, you two, and me and Twi!!”

“Twi who?” Starlight tilted her head. “You don’t mean Twilight Sparkle, do you?”

“Giiiirl you don’t look like you know a Princess. Just saying.” Trixie grimaced at the drenched, wounded mare before her.

“I’M LITERALLY HER LOVER AND THE CAPTAIN OF THE ROYAL GUARD!!” She yelled out, stomping a hoof on the floor.

The two were taken back, but not for long. Trixie broke out into laughter. “HAH! As if! The Princess of Friendship is a turbovirgin if I’ve ever met one!”

“U-um, yeah, sorry, but… Twilight’s always been single. And the captain of the royal guard, um… Who is he again?” She fidgeted in confusion. “Wait, it was a ‘her’, right?”

“Definitely a ‘her’.” Trixie nodded, but then trailed off. “Wait, was it?”

Sunset was exasperated. “It’s ME!! I’ve been the captain for over a year now– Been with Twilight for over a year!!! I’ve met you two on multiple occasions, too, hell, we went drinking together!! We… We went drinking…” Her tone trailed off, as she gritted her teeth in pensive embarassment, realizing something. “...They burned my quarters, but… There’s no way they erased all evidence that I exist.”

“Hot stuff, you’re talking crazy. Please keep going.”

Sunset narrowed her eyes, steadying her breathing. “...Trixie. Do you have a place where you keep your… Blackmail?”

“Um… No? What blackmail, haha?” She lied, poorly.

Starlight rolled her eyes and groaned, approaching her girlfriend with annoyance. “Trixie Lulamoon, you told me you didn’t keep dirt on anypony we knew anymore!! Where is it?!?!?”

“Okay, okay, fiiiiine!” She threw her hooves in the air, and reached for one of many little boxes under her hammocks. “The great and powerful Trixie enjoys having leverage and making fun of others. Sue me.”

She took out a small, hidden box that was covertly lodged within one of the many card sets she had, and Starlight immediately snatched it.

“You’re unbelievable, you know that?” She huffed, opening the box and cycling through its contents. “When did you even have time to take these? C’mon, why would–”

She stopped. Looked at the pictures. Then at Sunset. Then back to the pictures. Her face flustered.

Trixie’s eyes widened as she looked at the photos, eyeing Sunset, flustering, then snickering. “Holy heck. Is that paladin armor? During sex?”

“There are pictures of me there, right?!” Sunset’s face lit up, and she immediately snatched them. “YES! YES, OH MY GOD I NEVER THOUGHT I’D BE HAPPY TO SEE THESE STUPID PICTURES AGAIN!!” She laughed out in a desperate burst of joy. “See?! SEE?! We know each other!!”

“Quite intimately, actually. Oh, wow.”Starlight fidgeted with a fluster.

“Well this is crazy! How could we forget these?!” Trixie pouted, still blushing, taking the pictures back and clutching them. “It looks like we were having the time of our LIVES!!!”

“We were!! You two even lived in my apartment for a while!!!” She emphatically waved her hooves. “B-but your memories were erased! Everypony’s memories of me somehow w-were erased!!”

“For clarification, um.” Starlight eyed the pictures, then her, then back to the pictures, then back at her, with the same fluster. “Um… Us three, were you a part of me and Trixie’s…”

The Magician’s eyes widened and she grimaced with sorrow. “O-oh my gosh. Did we forget a great and powerful girlfriend?? How could we!! Forgive us, Bunset Bimmer!!”

“Sunset Shimmer.” She groaned. “And no, we weren’t in a relationship, we just fooled around.”

“This looks like a lot more than just fooling around.” Starlight still glared at the pictures.

“The great and powerful threesome, if you will.”

“Okay, stop, both of you, I just– UGH.” She sat back, leaning on the wall, letting out a sigh of despair. “...What the hell am I going to do? Every friend I made only met me after everything I-I did, the temple, and… I… I trained the royal guard to excellence and now they’re after me. My own men. Twilight, she… Twilight doesn’t love me.”

Starlight sat and thought to herself, looking away, while Trixie approached Sunset, and sat down next to her, regarding her with genuine pity. “...So you have this idea of who you’re supposed to be, but no one sees you that way…?” She sighed, closing her eyes. “...Trust me, I get it.”

Letting out ironic laughter, Sunset couldn’t help but smile at how terrible her present was. “A-and of course I’d run into your carriage. You two. Of course. Of course you’d believe me, Trix.”

“Hey, those photos don’t lie. We had fun together, clearly.” She smugly snickered, and shrugged. “I can tell that you must have been a big deal, considering that armor.”

“It's gone now. It’s all gone. The Umbrum won.” She muttered, looking down. “I… I don’t know what to do or where to go. I knew things were going to end eventually, b-but... Better late than never, I guess...!”

“Was it a spell or a curse?” Starlight raised her head, looking at her analytically. “That caused this, I mean. If it’s a curse, it’s affecting you, all you’d need to do is do some curse breaking– But if it’s a spell….”

“I… Think it was a spell. This affected everyone except me… I think? I don’t know how far this has spread…” Her eyes narrowed. “That motherfucker said they had a witch on their side now. She has to have cast something– Done something.”

“A witch? Those are still around?” Trixie tilted her head in confusion. “Who is it?”

“I only know one witch– She’s a zebra that lives in the Everfree forest that would never side with the Umbrum.” She let out an exhale, shaking her head. “... So I have no fucking clue who it could be.”

“Well, making every single pony that’s ever known you forget you is a pretty powerful spell to cast. She must be really good.” Starlight fidgeted pensively. “There sure aren’t any existing spells that could possibly do something of this caliber– Hell, memory magic in general isn’t very known or practiced, it’s super unethical. So whatever they did to spread the magic that far…”

“Ladies, ladies!” Trixie grinned, waving her hooves. “You’re forgetting the obvious answer here!”

The two of them glared at her in confusion, and she snickered. “To perform a trick, you need props. If a witch wanted to do something this big to our beloved Shunset Simmer here–”

“She’d need an artifact!” Starlight and Sunset said in unison, agreeing completely, and the latter continued: “She’d need some sort of specific tool that is capable of it! I know where to go!”

The captain made motions for the door, but immediately stopped herself, sitting down and exhaling. “...I’ll never manage to infiltrate the palace again with my heightened security… And hell, reaching the library would be near impossible…” She muttered in defeat.

“Maybe alone.” Trixie raised an eyebrow with a smile. “How about together?”

“NonononoNO, Trix! No more heists!!” Starlight commanded immediately, shutting her down. “We’re not going to infiltrate the Canterlot Palace for a mare we just met!!”

“It’s okay. Both of you.” Sunset shook her head, staring into the rain outside. “I wouldn’t ask either of you to get in trouble with Twilight again, not after everything. You two are not a part of this, and… That’s ideal, right now.”

“Look, Sunset. I’m sorry for your whole ordeal, whoever you are or what you’re going through.” Again, Starlight affirmed, regarding her with pity. “But we can’t go back to doing things like that.”

“I know. You two don’t deserve to be roped in with a criminal like me. I… I'll just have to try it alone.” She murmured, looking down.

Trixie shrugged, blowing raspberries. “Hey, don’t you have any more friends? Maybe you can find someone that’s gullible enough to believe your crazy story. Or maybe somepony that you also have a bunch of pictures of you banging with? Hah!”

Sunset’s eyes widened as her vision blurred. “...I’m going to Ponyville. I need to find Pinkie.”

“Out in the storm?? You’re going to try to catch a train while the royal guard is after you?!” Starlight approached her with concern.

“I’ll ride on top of it, easy.” She muttered, already making her way to the door. “Whatever it takes.”

“Hey, hot stuff.” Trixie gave her a genuine smile. “If none of that works out for you, feel free to come back, okay? We perform shows pretty far from central Equestria. A fugitive would be right at home with us.”

A genuine, weak smile manifested into Sunset’s lips, as she beheld those two with weariness.

It was ironic.

Because things were so bad, she was actually considering it.

Outside, the storm raged. But inside the sugarcube corner, many pleased and cheerful ponies gathered, clapping along to the song, taking shelter from the rain, a weekly event where Pinkie Pie got to party it up on the place, even if a little bit after sundown.

“...Through winter, summer, fall and spring– There’s a first time for everything! Through the worst poison and its sting– There’s a first time for everything! Until love is proclaimed with a ring– There’s a first time for everything! Through all hardships, whatever life may bring, There’s a first time for everything!”

Pinkie played her guitar emphatically and with profound joy, standing atop a counter, as everyone clapped along, and she finished the song with a flip and a hop to the ground.

“That was ‘The Princess and the Peasant!!!’ Thank you, everypony!!” She yelled out with gusto, catching a breath, and the onlookers clapped along with glee.

She leaned back on the counter, taking a long swig of water offered by Miss Cake. “Okay Pinkie, wrap it up, let’s close for the night, the babies had enough fun!” She whispered with a smile, pointing at her two children who clapped on their shared stroller.

“Okidoke! Alright everypony, that’s enough for tonight, be safe in the rain, okay? It’s a doozy!” She ushered the customers out, leading them outside. “Don't forget your umbrellas, okay? Take care!”

“Pink.” One of the customers called out, drenched, covered by a cloak, having not yet left. “We need to talk.”

“Sure thing, stranger!” She waved the last customer away, before addressing Miss Cake. “Hey I’m gonna talk to this cloaked weirdo, okay? See you soon!”

“Pinkie, y-you don’t recognize me?”

“Nope! Why, have we met?” She asked absentmindedly, waving away the final customers, and shaking off the little bit of rain that had blasted in.

“Y-yeah… We have. I’m Sunset Shimmer.” She removed her hood, trying to hide her general air of despair and hopelessness.

“Well gosh, you kind of look familiar! And you smell familiar, too–” She sniffed the air curiously. “Are you okay? You seem kind of banged up– And you have a general look of despair and hopelessness, of which I’ve got a no-frown policy–”

“--Can we talk somewhere privately?” She commanded immediately, seeing the rest of the cake family, who were closing up shop and shutting off lights, eyeing her suspiciously.

“I don’t see why not!” She responded without a care in the world, peppily leading the way.

They sat together in a quiet, small, but at the very least private hallway, with the sounds of the rain still echoing in the distance.

“Pinkie, you’re sure you don’t remember me, right?” Sunset pleaded wearily again.

“...Can’t say that I do, no! But you got me all curious now, what did we do together?”

“...A lot.” She sighed, leaning back on the wall. “Listen, this is hard to explain, but… I think a witch cast a spell that made it so everyone forgot about me– You included– And I was the captain of the royal guard, too… I need help fixing it, and since you’re my best friend…”

“Best friend? Really??” Her eyes gleamed, as she bounced quietly. “Gosh, I usually say everypony is my best friend, so I’m not sure you’re narrowing it down?”

“Pinkie, listen–” She rubbed her temples in despair-fueled frustration. “Your sister, Limestone Pie, got a job as royal guard. Who gave her the suggestion to join?”

“...I don’t think anypony did?” She fidgeted, pouting pensively.

“T-that doesn’t make sense, right? Because why the hell would Limestone do that without a referral?? Because it was me!”

“Hah! That’s silly!” She giggled, waving her off.

“D-damnit, okay. Marble Pie. She has a job in the archives of the Canterlot palace– How did she get the gig at such a prestigious place??”

“Through a referral!” She nodded without hesitation.

“Okay, who referred her??”

“Um… I dunno?”

“ME!” She pointed at herself emphatically. “G-god damnit, okay, Maud Pie, she was one of the main foremen on the project of sealing up the tunnels and caves beneath Canterlot. How did she get the job??”

“Also… Through a referral…?” She scratched herself in confusion.

“Okay, do you see what I’m saying? You know what happened, but I’m missing from your memories!! Damnit, and if this is happening here in ponyville…” She let out a sigh of defeat, realizing how far of a reach this spell could have ranged to.

“Gosh this story you’re telling is so sad!!” The Bard pouted, regarding her with pity. “I bet it’d make for an amazing song, though…!”

“Pink, I’m serious–” She stopped, blinking, thinking. “...That’s it! Pinkie, you wrote songs about me! We wrote songs about me! Check your notebook thing you carry everywhere– ‘The lyre on fire’, ‘Dull blade’ and ‘Runaways’. Those are the songs you wrote about me! About us–”

“Hah! That’s funny– My songs aren’t just about one thing, you know? I’m inspired by all sorts of stuff from my life when I write those!!” She dismissed her with a giggle. “Plus, I never co-write songs. Why would I do that with a stranger?”

“Please just humor me, I’m begging you.” She spoke in a single breath.

“Okidoke!” With a swift movement, she snatched the notebook from her bag, and began cycling through it, humming to herself, while Sunset shot fearful suspicious glances at every window.

The first song's lyrics were angry, meant to be shouted out. They were aggressive, the kind of song you’d break an instrument over.

“Hah! What a riot. The ‘Lyre on Fire’ isn’t much like my usual work, sure, but I was just having fun making a song that was a bit more aggressive for once!!” She snickered, shrugging. “It’s not about anything specific, really. But I did get inspired by some Tartarus stuff–”

“--By me!!! By– Ugh, just go to the next song…!” She groaned in frustration, leaning on a wall for balance.

The second song’s lyrics were about violence, but not the angry kind, but the inevitable kind. The kind of violence you’re made for and can’t escape from.

“...Well, I don’t usually write depressing songs or moody songs, yeah, but…” Her mind trailed off, as she regarded the lyrics, and eyed the stranger in front of her. She could feel it, now– There were pieces that weren’t fitting. There were memories of practicing, writing and planning that didn’t make sense.

A hole in her memories where Sunset Shimmer should have resided.

“...This doesn’t make sense…” she muttered, eyeing the lyrics.

Sunset’s eyebrows arched, as she saw the change in demeanor. “O-okay, Pink, think; where did you write these songs, in the Captain’s quarters of the Canterlot palace, right?”

“I… I did. I think so…?” She murmured pensively, eyes fixed on her notepad.

“Okay, and why were you there? How were you there?! Why would a bard be there, and where was the captain??” She got emphatic, desperate.

“...There was no one there…?” She thought, scratching herself. “There wasn’t anypony there! I was just visiting, I guess! I’m sorry, but this doesn’t prove much!” She shrugged with an awkward smile, weirding out even how her own dismissive attitude seemed immediate.

“Pink, I’m begging you to try to dig deeper.” She muttered, pointing at the notebook. “J-just… Look at the next song.”

She did, quietly, without saying a word, reading every part carefully.

The lyrics were sad, but they were happy. It was a bittersweetness of a thing that would never be. Running away together, leaving your old life behind, trying something new.

A do over.

Slowly, she looked at Sunset, as a realization dawned on her.

“...We were more than just friends, weren’t we…?”

“Yes… yes. We were lovers once.” She sighed out, looking down. “You wrote that song after I said that… If things were different, we could have left everything behind together.”

“...And I forgot about it. I forgot about you.” She murmured, as tears began swelling in her eyes. “U-um, so, well… Look at this…!”

She showed Sunset the sketchbook. Pinkie had drawn the paladin on the sketchbook near perfectly, right next to the song. It was a reliable likeness, a confident smile.

“...That’s not the face of a stranger, there.” The Bard giggled through sniffles. “G-gosh, I… What was your name again?”

“Sunset Shimmer. Please tell me you believe me. Please.” She pleaded.

“I-I believe you. I mean, this is crazy, but… I believe you.” She affirmed with a determined nod. “We’re best friends, aren't we? …So, you’re captain of the royal guard…?”

Before saying anything, Sunset let out a huge sigh of relief. Then she regarded the bard with complete seriousness. “I was. A-and that’s not all, I… Me and Twilight Sparkle are in love– Not that she even remembers that I exist right now–” She shuddered, exhaling.

“O-oh my gosh, Twilight isn’t single??” Pinkie’s eyes widened. “A-and it’s you?”

“Yeah. It’s me. Not that it matters, though. She looked at me like she didn’t even damn know me. A-and… And I have no idea if she’ll ever…” She swallowed her words, and shook her head.

“I’m glad she has somepony at least. Well, had.” Blowing raspberries, the bard shrugged. “And there’s no way you could convince her or remind her…? I mean, weren’t you two living together or something? You can’t erase that, right?”

“Our relationship was secret, it was–” She bit her tongue and grimaced, remembering how this was the same day Twilight had suggested they broke the secret, and immediately swallowed that pain. “We weren’t public about it, so… I don’t have any evidence I could show her, not after they burned my quarters.”

“Dang, and she didn’t keep anything of yours?!?” Pinkie pouted.

“She–” Sunset’s eyes widened. “My jacket. I forgot my jacket in her room, in her closet– And it’s my favorite jacket, the one where you convinced me to keep a picture of all of us together inside it, Pinkie you’re a GENIUS!”

“I get that a lot!” She giggled, wagging her tail. “So, what do we do next, we go tell Twi she’s got a hot piece of ass to smooch?”

“N-no. No. I can’t be near her or Celestia. I need to try to break the spell first– They won’t believe me otherwise. I can’t convince them, not like this.” She muttered with shame. “...We need to break into the Canterlot Palace library… And I can’t do it alone.”

Pinkie didn’t even hesitate. “Well, if you want to do a heist, you need a full team! And I just so happen to know a ragtag group of trustworthy misfits– Follow me!”

Lightning crackled, Rarity’s tail whipped about– But she wasn’t going to let a little storm get under her skin. She grinned, as she continued to adorn her latest outfit. “How is it feeling, dearest? Do you like the hat?”

They couldn’t see each other, covered by their own individual curtains she had temporarily established in her room in the boutique– This night was just for them. “Oh, I love the hat, sugarcube. I’m surprised at the rest, though. Never been a jacket gal myself…”

“There’s a first time for everything, darling.” She amused herself, touching up her hair. “And for what it is worth, you will look good on anything, I’m sure.”

“That’s my line, rares! Hah!” Applejack responded with a snicker from her side of the room. “I’m just about ready, you?”

“Oh, I’m getting there.” She grinned, incredibly confidently, applying the last touches. “Ready, dear?”

“Ready.”

They moved the curtains aside, and displayed themselves with joy.

Applejack was dressed head to toe like a sheriff. A tight leather jacket with tin stars, followed by spurs, and of course, a brand new hat made by her lover, the entire outfit mixing with brown tones and gold accents.

While Rarity dressed fancier, like a royal lady, big frills, emphasis on curves, and had her hair on a neat bob, perfectly accompanied with ribbons and an overall pink and red tone.

“Good evenin’, lil’ lady.” Applejack tipped her hat with a grin. “Now who might you be?”

“Oh, I am merely a duchess– Incredibly successful and beautiful, but still, only a duchess, passing through…” She waved a hoof, and swayed her step, as she came closer.

“Well I happen to be the sheriff around these parts. Ya need anythin’, ya ask me.” Applejack responded immediately, stepping closer with jingles on her spurs.

“Oh, I have a mighty need, sheriff…” Rarity affirmed with a delighted, naughty smile.

Breaking character for only a moment, the Farmer snickered. “I can’t believe ya haven’t made a princess outfit yet.”

“Oh darling, you are not ready for my princess outfit.” Rarity responded immediately, with a single breath.

Clearing her throat, the farmer got back in character. “Now, duchess, I’ll have ya know, I been keepin’ an eye out for a thief around these parts. Bank robber, takin’ money from rich folk, the sorts. Ya wouldn’t happen to know anythin’ about it, would ya?”

“Me? Why, whyever would I know of the sort?” She looked away, shooting her muzzle up, feigning innocence. With a movement of her hoof, a coin fell from her sleeve, and tinkled onto the floor. “Oops!”

“Now now, what do we have here?” The sheriff raised an eyebrow, keeping the duchess in her sights, coming closer and closer. “I’m afraid I might have to search ya, lil lady.”

“Oh feel free to be as thorough as you like, dear sheriff.” They could feel each other’s breaths, already touching each other closely. “I have nothing to hide.”

“We’ll see about that, beautiful.” The Farmer came closer and closer, until…

…The doorbell rang.

Rarity screamed in frustration. “SOMEPONY HAD BETTER BE DYING!!!!”

“Ugh, dangnabbit, I’ll go get it.” She sighed, rolling her eyes, taking off her hat and heading to the door. “Stay here n’ keep yerself warm sugarcube, I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“We finally get a night where you don’t have work in the morning and Sweetiebelle and my parents are out of the house– And of COURSE we can’t enjoy it!!” Rarity paced, infuriated, walking in circles, and proceeded to jump on the bed, yelling into a pillow. “MAMA HORNY!!!”

With a groan of annoyance, the farmer made her way downstairs of the boutique, reaching the main door as the doorbell rang again.

“...Bad idea, Pinkie. We shouldn’t get them involved in this.”

“Hey, the more the merrier! We can trust them!”

“They’re probably just fucking at this hour, we should leave them alone...”

“Wow you really DO know them, hihi!”

The door opened to an angry Applejack. “Pinkie Pie, ya better have some darn good explanation why yer knockin at our doorstep at this darn hour!!” She huffed, not even acknowledging Sunset.

“Hi AJ!” She made a friendly wave. “An evil witch put a spell on us all and we have to go kick her ass!”

A few seconds passed where the farmer simply glared at her in complete silence, seeing these two drenched individuals simply idle outside. With a sigh, she looked back to the stairs behind her, then back at them. “...Is this world endin’? It better be world endin’.”

“We don’t know what else the Umbrum have planned, but I know they won’t stop with me.” Sunset affirmed with determination.

Applejack tilted her head. “I’m sorry, who are ya and what the heck were any of those words ya just said?”

“Pleeeeease AJ! We need help on this one!! Every memory we had of Sunset has been erased!!” Pinkie pleaded with a pout.

“Who the hell is Sunset??” She groaned, with a despondent shrug.

“Pinkie, I told you this was a bad idea. Let’s just do this with the two of us.”

“Okay. Applejack.” Pinkie glared at her with a serious look. “I’m cashing in EVERY favor you owe me, right now; Every single time I helped you with protecting Rarity, every time I tried getting you two together, and especially, especially, me leaving you two alone in the river of fireflies. Get Rarity down here and listen to us.”

With a sigh, she gave in, nodding. “Alright, alright, twist my arm why dontcha. I’ll get her down.”

“Also what the heck are you wearing, are those spurs??”

“Get yourselves dried up and warmed up by the fire.” She refused to respond, walking up the stairs.

They stepped inside, and Sunset let out a weary exhale. She had been at this boutique many times before, but now it felt alien to her. Those two didn’t know who she was.

In the distance, they could hear the muffled noises of an indignant Rarity.

“Nonono, sex NOW!!”

“Ugh, darlings, this all sounds interesting, but no matter how much you repeat it…” Rarity groaned, huddling closer to applejack to stay warm. “It continues to make no sense whatsoever.”

“Sorry, y'all. But in the dead of night, ya bring a stranger to our house and tell us she’s a friend we forgot? C’mon, how don’t we know yer not under a spell yerself or somethin’, Pinkie?” Applejack embraced her love, as they sat by the fire.

Sunset pursed her lips, narrowing her eyes, trying to stay warm. “This was a mistake... I should go.”

“C’mon, Sunsun! Convince them!! You got through to me, maybe saying some stuff that you did together like you did with me will work?”

She spent a few seconds thinking, then raised her head. “...Applejack. You became a millionaire and earned the right to be with Rarity by beating Prince Blueblood in a duel, right?”

“That’s right, partner.” She snickered, nuzzling the seamstress. “That was a rough day, but dang it, it was worth it.”

“Oh, and what a day it was…!” She giggled back. Huddling closer.

“Okay. And in that duel, you wound up bruised and wounded, right?” She raised an eyebrow.

“I sure did. That was one tough fight!”

“Oh yes, darling. I had to tend to her wounds very thoroughly after!”

“Okay. Who caused the wounds?” Sunset tilted her head analytically. “Did Prince Blueblood fight you himself?”

“Hah! ‘Course he wouldn’t, he was a yellowbelly coward who never threw a punch!!” She smiled with teeth.

“Okay. Then who did? Who wounded you in that duel?”

“Well, it was–” Applejack stopped, and began fidgeting pensively. “Huh. Who was it?”

Pinkie gasped, nudging Sunset. “O-oh my gosh, you’re right! Prince Blueblood chose a champion for that fight– But I can’t remember who it was!!”

“Because it was me.” Sunset affirmed sternly. “Because through loopholes in rules and general asshole behavior, he got to pick me as his champion, and we fought to convince him to step into the ring so you could kill him… Don’t you remember…?”

“Are ya sayin’ you were loyal to that bastard?!” She gritted her teeth.

“No! I’m saying that I was there, but you don’t remember it!!” groaning, she shot her head back. “Seriously think about this, okay? You were hurt, badly bruised, and nearly died that day. But you can’t remember who you even fought– Isn’t that weird?!”

Rarity wasn’t listening, she was thinking, as she looked at the fire intently.

With a huff, Applejack looked away. “I dunno, partner. That don’t sound right to me, it don’t make no sense.”

“And that right there– You called me ‘partner’, you only do it with close friends, right?” Sunset then pointed at Pinkie. “She called me ‘Sunsun’, a nickname she always used on me, despite the fact that she has no memory of me before today!! Explain that!”

“Oh my gosh, that's true!” Pinkie vibrated in her seat. “It just felt so right, I just kind of blurted it out, it's so weird!!”

“Whadaya want me to say, Sunset?” The Farmer leaned back shrugging. “That don’t prove nothin’, it don’t mean nothin’. And yer askin’ me to go with you into that blasted rain to Canterlot at this hour? Me and Rares? C’mon. Sorry, but yer both bein’ unreasonable. And Pinkie? Yer bein’ gullible.”

“Ugh, I can’t do this alone, and the Umbrum aren’t going to stop here, they have to be planning something!” She emphatically waved. “We have to do something!”

“Get Twilight on it. I didn’t even know Umbrum were a thing before tonight, c’mon!” She shrugged. “Ain’t that a Princess’s business or somethin’, to fight evil?”

“Ugh, this is infuriating!!” Sunset got up from her seat, turning around. “Fuck it, I’ll do it all myself if I have to!”

“Love is worth the risk.”Rarity muttered gently, and the others went quiet. “That is… That is what Twilight convinced me of, when I was separated from Applejack… The night before the duel with Blueblood.”

Sunset’s eyes widened as she regarded the seamstress.

“I remember Twilight calling for somepony that night. Using a spell to call them.” Rarity stated quietly. “And… I remember her convincing me that love was worth the risk. But she didn’t say that… She didn’t say the words… It was you, wasn’t it?”

“YES! Yes it was!!” Sunset stepped closer. “Me and Twilight were together then– Investigating Blueblood for corruption! And hell– Don’t you remember that you had your letter sent by one of my royal guards?”

“T-the letter ya sent to convince me to come save ya…!” Applejack muttered quietly, regarding Rarity. “It was by one of the Canterlot guards, yeah…!”

“Flash Sentry. One of my Lieutenants at the time.” She pursed her lips. “Look. If I can’t convince you, I’ll leave now. But you have to see that there’s something more going on here, right…?”

“Okay, let’s do it.” Rarity affirmed without hesitation. “We may not know you, but it is undeniable that something strange is going on with our memories.”

“Rares, are ya sure?” Applejack grimaced, looking outside. “I mean, that rain could mess up your mane, and we were, kind of, well, busy…!”

“As if I’ve let a little bit of rain stop me before.” She grinned, coming closer, caressing the farmer’s chest. “Worst case scenario, well… We ask Twilight for a suite in Canterlot and continue our business there, my love.”

“Alright. Alright…” Sunset nodded pensively. “Okay. If I got through to you two, then maybe… maybe I’ll get through Fluttershy and Rainbow too. Let’s go.”

Fluttershy never minded things like rain or strong winds. She had lived in forests most of her life, and in the wild. Now that she had a proper shack, small as it was, she felt surprisingly comfortable.

All of her animal friends were cozying up by the fire, much like her, and quietly, humming to herself, she brushed a fox’s tail.

Lightning crackled in the distance, and some of her friends raised their ears and perked up, and she was quick to hush them, quick to calm them down gently.

An emphatic knock was heard on the door outside.

“Oh! That must be Dashie!” She affirmed with a giggle, stepping away from her cuddle pile.

The second she reached the door, another urgent knock resounded on the door, and the Druid opened it swiftly.

Outside, the rain still poured– And a drenched Rainbow Dash awaited, with a silly grin on her face. “Flutters! Oh my gosh you have no idea, I have the BEST news!! The COOLEST!!” She stepped inside, dropping a bag onto a chair, and quickly looked around. “Alright everypony take cover…!”

Fluttershy flew to the rafters, and the Rogue proceeded to shake herself like a dog, wings and all, spreading water all over the floor, but drying herself in the process, with a happy “WOO!” of celebration afterwards.

“D-dashie, you didn’t fly through that storm did you…??” Fluttershy asked with concern, while swiftly grabbing a towel and helping the Rogue dry herself.

“Where else would I have flown through? Don’t worry, Flutters, Lightning’s not fast enough to catch me, heh!” She stretched and breathed, settling down, then proceeded to reach into her bag. “Okay. Okay. So, remember when I told you about my mentor?”

“Daring Do?” Gently, she led her partner near the fire, settling down to help her dry up. “Um… how long has it been since you’ve seen her again…?”

“Over a decade!! But here's the thing–” She gleefully began rummaging through her bag. “I was emptying out my old hideouts– Our old hideouts, since I’m living around here now, you know? And I found THIS in a mailbox!”

She presented what seemed to be an old, worn journal. Several dents and markers decorated it, and a compass symbol was drawn on the cover. She presented it like it was everything. “This– THIS is her old journal! And the notes are recent, too– A few years recent!! And somehow, the journal was just dusting up my mailbox!!” Opening its pages, she rummaged through them, reaching the final pages. “Now, get this– After a while, it’s all blank, but in the last annotations, there is a buncha stuff regarding directions on how to find the lost city of atlantis!!”

“O-oh my!!”

“I know, right?? This has to be what she was searching for, when she left!! Maybe if I find it, I'll find her…?” Her tone trailed off, both with hope and expectation. “So, um, I was thinking, I definitely can’t go at this alone. S-so maybe… maybe I could invite the girls too? And you, of course?”

“You want to go on an expedition…?” Fluttershy finished, with the towel, hanging it up to dry.

“I mean, yeah! Twilight’s an egghead, I bet she’ll want to go for the history– And having a Princess’s resources would be really good on an adventure like this. Heck, maybe Applejack and Rarity will want to go too! If they’re not too busy macking on each other to want to adventure again, of course. And Pinkie… Well, Pinkie makes for good company, heh.” She snickered, clutching that journal.

“She does… They all do.” Fluttershy responded with a warm smile, lounging. “I thought you wanted to join the royal guard…?”

“I do! I think. Maybe.” She pondered, fidgeting. “B-but like. Maybe this could be one last big adventure before I go straight, you know? For all the marbles. Searching for treasure, treading uncharted lands, and finding my mentor… So… What do you think, are you in…?”

With a giggle, the Druid kissed her and nuzzled her. “Of course, Dashie. But we’re not going after any lost cities at this hour in this weather, okay? You need a break, druid’s orders.”

“R-right! Alright! It's chillaxing time!” With one motion, she laid on the belly of a sleeping bear that was by the fire, giving him a quick scratch behind the ears, and letting out a sigh of relief.

Fluttershy joined her, and the cuddle pile reformed, and they both let out weary sighs, as the sound of rain still echoed from all sides, but they were safe and warm. “You're right, Flutters. What was I thinking? Adventure can wait. For now, we can just…”

Several urgent knocks resounded from their front door.

“Fluttershy, think– You met Cerberus, right?” Sunset made pleading eye contact. “How did you? Who did you do it with? You didn’t just stumble into him!”

“Hm… You’re right, I… I was escorted there, but I can’t remember by who?” She thought to herself for a moment, fidgeting with her mane.

“See? Because it was me!” She pointed at herself, and then at Rainbow. “You were considering signing in for the royal guard, right? Who gave you the papers, who gave you the referral, the idea?!”

“Well that’s easy! It was, uh…” She stopped herself, and looked away. “Huh. I dunno? Can’t remember…”

“See, girls??” Pinkie stepped up, nodding with determination. “Our memories were all scrambled, and Sunset was erased from them!”

“It does seem rather strange, darlings. She knows an awful lot about us– While I scarcely know anything at all…”

“Ya’ll, it’s pretty weird, and it don’t make no sense, but… We believe it.”

Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash looked amongst each other, pensively, and then back at the others.

“...Well, what are we supposed to do to help…? Sunset, was it…?”

“I… I don’t know. Not exactly. The thing is, it’s probably a spell that caused it, used by a witch. I suspect one that maybe has an artifact made for this, but… That’s not enough to work from.” Sunset sat back, fidgeting. “...But when Celestia was raising me, she showed me a restricted section of the palace library. A place with knowledge of all sorts of history and magical artifacts that reaches back for a thousand years. If I’m going to figure out how to reverse this, or what even THIS is, I… I think that’s the best place to start. Maybe the only one.”

“Oh, that’s nice!” Fluttershy nodded with a smile. “Twilight loves libraries, and Celestia is super friendly and understanding! I bet they won’t mind being bothered at this hour…!”

“Sorry, but… I can’t just walk in there, not when they think I’m an enemy. The way their memories got scrambled, it's… It’s bad.” She shuddered, looking down. “I hope I can talk to and explain everything to Twilight and my– And Celestia, when I get the chance, but… The only way I’m going in that palace is as a prisoner.”

“Then it sounds like we already have a plan!” Pinkie peppily and cheerfully clapped.

“Look, all of you…” The Captain exhaled, looking at each of them. “Thank you. And thank you for believing in me. I thought I lost everything, but… I’m glad I still have all of you.” Her smile was genuine, no matter how tired.

“Of course, Sunsun! We’re besties, right?”

“Don’t mention it, darling.”

“Hell, I’m curious about where this is endin’ up, partner.”

“Hah, we might not know you, but it’s pretty clear you’re awesome!”

“We’re here to help! Um, hopefully we’ll remember you soon.”

“There’s one more thing.” Sunset’s gaze turned serious, as she looked down. “I don’t know how the rest of today is going to go– Hell. Maybe there’s no way to get everyone’s memories back, maybe…” She grimaced, and closed her eyes. “...Just in case, I want you all to promise me you’ll look after Twilight. If… I'm not there to do it anymore. …Okay?”

There were many things that piled on that made this night incredibly hard to endure for her.

Out of the many, was the creeping realization that she would never get to tell Twilight she loved her.

And with that realization forming itself fully within her, she prepared for the worst.

Eerily uneventful.

That’s how she saw her infiltration of the palace.

She had been bound by ropes on every limb, and escorted by her five friends, seemingly their prisoner.

Once at the gates, her guards recognized her easily as the assailant from hours before, and with some quick convincing, her escorts stated that they would take the prisoner to Celestia directly.

After all, as a captain, she had already introduced her five friends to many of them– With Twilight, they had visited the castle before. They were to be trusted– At least that trust hadn’t vanished from her guard.

She did shiver with anticipation, because as is protocol, several of the guards left to warn the Queen.

As they passed by the barracks, she didn’t look. She didn’t look at the rubble of her life, the piles of ashes that were her many mementos of her life, and everything she had gone through.

She didn’t look at the burned remains of her quarters.

If she got to the restricted section, she would close the door behind her– No one would be the wiser, and her friends could search the library unimpeded for as long as it was needed to find any information on what had happened.

It was desperate. Grasping at straws. She felt it, even if she didn’t want to accept it, that she might have no way out. After all, the library was enormous. There were hundreds upon hundreds of old tomes there. The idea that they would find what she needed was passable, if not a mere pipe dream.

She had to try. If not for Twilight, then for herself.

The hallways passed with eerie quiet.

“...Turn left here.” She commanded quietly, and the whole group obeyed. “We’re going up these stairs.”

They moved quietly, if not for the occasional sound of Pinkie humming to herself.

“...So darling, if I may ask, what are we to expect here…?”

“There’s a secret passage in the library. Incredibly ancient historic artifacts down there.” She murmured, looking forward. “It’ll definitely be easier for all of us to search everything together.”

“Aw man…!” Rainbow groaned. “I was hoping we’d get to fight some bad guys, not read through books…!”

“Quit yer yappin’, Dash. We’re doin’ this for a friend, alright?”

They passed by a group of guards who were walking in the opposite direction. Sunset recognized every face, and had a name to match for each. And they were all glaring at her.

She didn’t look back, she refused to. Eyes forward, focus on the mission.

All that mattered was getting everyone’s memories back.

Twilight’s memories back. Then she could tell her she loved her.

And everything was going to be okay.

She hoped.

“F-finally…” She muttered weakly, undoing the weak bonds that tied her, and stepping forward. Before her, were the library doors. “Okay, it’s unlikely that there’s anypony in there at this hour, but still, let’s be quiet.”

Her friends agreed, and inside they went.

Once again, the foreboding feeling settled on her, since she had first arrived.

That this castle wasn’t her home anymore. That it wasn’t safe.

She swallowed her fears and stepped forward.

The library was as quiet as a tomb, and she beelined it for the entrance of the restricted section.

…But she didn’t reach it before a familiar voice called out to her.

“...So Celestia’s hunch was right– You really were planning to come back here.”

She froze. Her heart froze.

Twilight Sparkle teleported onto the room, and was standing between her and their friends.

“And she is using all of you to get in, too? Ugh.” The Princess of Friendship frowned, with an anger that boiled beneath the surface. “How dare you use my friends like tools for your evil ploys!”

“T-twilight, it’s not like that, I promise–” She barely managed to breathe out.

Pinkie stepped forward apologetically. “Twi, you don’t understand, she’s not evil or anything! She’s just trying to make things right! She needed help, so she came to us–”

“--And you all bought it???” The Princess of Friendship spread her wings, keeping her eyes on Sunset. “She’s possessed by the Umbrum, carrying out their will! They would lie or cheat or use anypony to achieve their goals, and you all fell for it!”

“Twilight darling, I’m not sure that is really what is going on here…!”

She was emphatic, seeing her friends fall for a ploy so easily. “You just broke into the palace through the guise of escorting a prisoner, and for what?!”

“It’s egghead stuff, Twi, you’d be right at home, actually–”

“She said she wanted to go to a secret place with hidden artifacts, right!?” The Princess huffed, flaring her wings. “And why do you think that is?? You all don’t even know what’s there that she wants to take!!”

“C’mon partner, she doesn’t seem like a liar…?”

“You can’t trust her. Did she tell you that she rampaged through the castle earlier tonight? She hospitalized DOZENS of guards, including the Captain!!”

That comment did make them all flinch– Sunset had indeed plenty of fresh wounds on her face. Fluttershy was the last one to plead for her. “U-um Twilight… S-she, um doesn’t seem evil…?”

“A-appearances can be misleading.” Twilight stated coldly, glaring at Sunset. “You can’t underestimate her– She’s dangerous, I've seen it first hand. And she used you– All of you.”

“...And what would she even want to steal from the library…?”

“The Elements of Harmony.” Celestia’s voice resounded across the room as she flew down from the upper floors, sending shivers down Sunset’s spine.

The captain could only recoil and flinch as the queen towered over her. “She is one of the little few that know of the restricted section. How she has discovered that the elements lie there now, I do not know– But it is undeniable that the Umbrum would want to destroy them. The one weapon that was capable of cleansing even an alicorn from their control…”

“W-what, what…??” Sunset shivered as she stepped back. “I-I didn’t know about that, I swear! I’m not with the Umbrum, I promise!!”

“I will not entertain your lies.” Celestia’s gaze was cold, but held sorrow. “Your rampage through this castle speaks for you. You are done running, Sunset… If there is anything left of you in there… please, come quietly.”

Her heart pounded aggressively in her chest, as she shot many nervous glances around her. Her friends were completely swayed, and if not, were simply lacking the courage to defend her.

After all, she was a stranger.

And little by little, the royal guard presented itself. They were hiding, prepared for ambush, in the multiple floors of the library, all keeping their eyes on her, some held chains, other weapons, they were ready for her.

Prepared for ambush, like she had taught them.

“You won’t get away this time!” Twilight affirmed mercilessly, stepping closer, making Sunset flinch.

There was nothing else she could do. Escaping this was impossible. There was no way out.

The passage that led to the restricted section mocked her.

This plan had been foolish. There was no hope.

“...I surrender.” She affirmed, hanging her head low.

“Restrain her, and take her to detainment.” Celestia stated immediately, nodding to the guards. “We will ascertain how far gone she is in the morning. Do not underestimate her.”

Guards were upon her immediately, shackling her legs, her neck, her horn. Tightening those restraints swiftly, pulling at her, pinning her down.

“P-please, you have to understand, Queen Celestia!!” She pleaded, while being pinned down. “I’m not with the Umbrum! I escaped years ago– Twilight saved me years ago!! B-but some witch erased all of the memories of us since, I swear–”

Celestia said nothing, regarding her with pity, sorrow, and regret.

But one thing was clear, she was not convinced.

“P-please, I’m telling you the truth, I didn’t know the elements of harmony were here, I just wanted to see if I could discover what spell was cast on all of you!! Y-you’re being played, you KNOW me!! I-I’m the captain of the royal guard!!”

Celestia turned away, grimacing with the same stirred emotions.

“MOM, P-PLEASE JUST LISTEN TO ME!!”

She pleaded once more, begging, yelling for the whole room to hear.

Celestia turned, and the sorrow on her expression doubled…

…Until it was replaced with anger.

“T-that is a low blow, Umbrum.”She spoke through gritted teeth, suppressing tears. “I-I will not allow you to play with my emotions.” She turned to the guards, trying her best not to look at her daughter. “O-one of you, please muzzle her.”

The guards pushed her head down, binding her restraints, bringing a muzzle.

Her gaze finally landed on Twilight Sparkle– Who seemed to look at her with both pity and pain. Of course, the Princess was an empathetic person, and she could easily rationalize why seeing Sunset hurt would make her feel uneasy.

This might be the last time they saw each other. So Sunset pleaded with all she had.

“T-Twilight! Listen!! In your quarters, in your closet– I forgot my jacket! My favorite jacket!! There’s a picture in the breast pocket of us together– I’m not lying, I promise–” But she could say no longer, as a muzzle was placed tightly around her face, and she grunted and snarled in pain, trying to get more words in, but being shoved away.

With force, guards began moving her out of the library.

Her friends, her mother, her love, all regarded her with pity and confusion– She struggled at first, but realized soon that it was pointless.

There was no hope.

They bound her to a cell. A temporary one, but one built to contain unicorns like her.

Every limb bound by chains, connected to a wall. The pose she was forced to be in was uncomfortable, and powerful magic dampening cuffs were bound to her horn.

The cell was dark. Torchlight only shined from across the hall, where distant echoes of guards conversing on their final shifts could be heard.

And she ignored all of it. Her vision blurred. Her thoughts spiraled.

Her first instinct was breaking out– And immediately, she realized…

…For what?

She had nowhere to go.

There was nothing else to be done.

Maybe, just maybe, in the morning she would wake up and discover this had all been a nightmare, nothing more.

The position was profoundly uncomfortable, but she closed her eyes.

Sleep was all that she could do to pass the time.

Minutes passed. Maybe an hour.

“...Memory is a funny thing, isn’t it…?”

Her ears twitched. She raised her head as an unfamiliar voice called out from the shadows.

She heard a quiet shuffle in the dark room she was in.

From the darkest corner, a three-legged, cloaked mare appeared, and walked towards her silently, sitting in front of her cell.

Wallflower Blush removed her hood, and stared at Sunset Shimmer, face to face.

“Remember me?”

Author's Note

It only took us 9 chapters, but finally, we're here. I hope you've enjoyed the ride.

And that's a wrap for act 3! only three more chapters to go >:)

This particular chapter was really hard for me to put down! Might be a bit depressed about my art currently, but it's no biggie, I'll keep writing n drawing at my own pace.

Don't worry, next chapter will have plenty of Twilight's perspective, heh. And for once, Sunset and Wallflower are going to get to TALK hdfvbhdf. Only took us 9 chapters yayyy

So this chapter had SO many little payoffs and allusions and things that came before! Of course, i had to do Trixie and Starlight cameo-- But I specially referenced what they did on the bender fic, heh. And of course, plenty of Princess and the Peasant references as well!

Pinkie was always going to believe sunset, lets face it. she's gullible AND incredibly trusting, that's a wicked combination. And hey, got to reference the songs they did together and the bender some more.

Rarity and Applejack were so happy on their happily ever after, Sunset just HAD to bring plot into their doorsteps, goddamnit. They coulda had it all. Sunset is a goddamn cockblock

Also I will say. Slight mistake of mine, all of the fluttershy and rainbow dash content originated on P&P, and they absolutely did NOT have their time to shine; I'm a bit guilty of not having many ideas with them. Well I do, but a lot of the time i'd rather spend my time with the more interesting characters that are more likely to get themselves onto epic adventures.

The Atlantis thing is actually an idea I had to a fic just with the two of them! An adventure led by rainbow where she has to keep Fluttershy and Scootaloo safe while they search for a lost city and kindle their love and find Rainbow's old mentor. But I'm not sure I wanna make a full fic of it, so I left it in this universe, heh.

I've put a kind of deranged attention to detail on my setups and payoffs here. Like. Chrysalis pretended to be sunset once, and called her mom to try to appeal to her emotions, and it obviously didn't work the next time either.

And well, Sunset's plan was foolish. As if she could find all of her answers at a library when she's a fugitive... Mission failed, we'll get em next time boys

I hope the comedy wasn't a tonal whiplash, its just impossible to write characters like starlight and trixie and rarity and AJ without being funny as hell lmao

Not sure what I'll do next, between writing more of this fic, writing a one shot, or a short chapter of the shimmerverse!

Anyways. Three chapters left. This has been one of the most gratifying narratives to put together ngl, and I hope you've enjoyed it too =v=