But the Sun Refused to Set

Twilight Sparkle found herself staring at a small neon sign above the door to the Salty Lick. The bright red magic flowing through the second L flickered erratically, and it briefly occurred to her that if bad omens did exist, this was certainly one of them. She shook her head violently, leaving her hair even wilder than before. The door was solid oak with a small metal grate at eye level. Even outside, the music was obnoxiously loud. She hesitated.

The Sun was setting, and a chill wind bit at her legs. The doorknob glowed purple but didn't budge. Twilight's eyebrows furrowed, and the door flung itself open. The large earth pony behind the door raised an eyebrow but said nothing as Twilight strode past to take a seat in front of the bar. Silence. She fidgeted in her seat for a moment, clearly uncomfortable with the attention.

The bartender waved a hoof at Lyra and the music started up again, although quieter than before. It was easily drowned out by the whispering clientele of the Salty Lick, but before the patrons of the bar got brave enough to approach, a dark gray pegasus behind the bar beckoned for Twilight to follow him, unlocking a small gate to his left with a deft flick of his wing. "You're in luck. The lady's in today. Follow me."

“Who are you? Who’s the lady?” The pegasus merely motioned towards the back, giving no indication that he had heard her. "I didn't come here to solve another mystery. I came here for a drink."

"Did you come to be a public attraction?" Twilight's ears flicked about as she looked around the room. "Look, you've got a private room in the back, and you're on the lady's tab. You don't even have to speak to her."

She sighed. “Fine, lead the way.”

The back room was cozy in both senses of the word. The bar against the right wall took up a quarter of the room, with the remainder taken up by a silver couch, two lounge chairs, a small crimson rug, and a half dozen bar chairs stacked against the wall. The beige walls appeared gray in the dim light, while the ceiling was dominated by a large onyx painting of a new moon. The unicorn behind the bar wore a black cloak covering everything but her head. Her orange hair was unusually short, closer to stubble than a real coat, while her mane was scarlet with pale yellow streaks. Twilight stared incredulously. "Sunset?"

"Hey, Twilight."

"What are you– I mean, the portal is closed– how long have you– how are you–"

Sunset laughed good-naturedly. "Breathe, Twilight. I'm not going anywhere."

Twilight took a deep breath. "I have so many questions."

"There will be plenty of time for that. How about a drink while we talk?"

Twilight nodded dumbly. She tried to grab a bar seat but found they were encased in a soft cyan glow.

"These seats aren't for my friends. If you're worrying about staining my furniture, don't. Anyway, what'll you have?"

“Do you have any hard cider?” asked Twilight as she sat down on the lounge chair closest to the bar. It was irritatingly comfortable. Sunset levitated a bottle of cider from the top shelf, uncorked it, and poured it into a large glass.

Twilight drank a deep sip of the cider. It was slightly sweet, but the sweetness was quickly replaced by a tart but pleasant aftertaste reminiscent of Granny Smith apples. It was perfect.

"Now, what do you want to know?"

"Everything. How did you get here? Why did you come? Are things okay in Canterlot High? How do you know that bartender?"

Sunset laughed. "Everything is fine in Canterlot High. Honestly, even I don’t know how I ended up here. I was leaning against the statue in the school courtyard where the portal appears and somehow, I fell through. The portal took me to a mirror in the castle of the two sisters. I tried to go back, but the portal was already closed."

Twilight stood up and began pacing on the small crimson rug, muttering to herself. "It's possible there are other portals to the human world open at different times, and if that's true, then it would also be possible for Canterlot High to be their focal point. I would think that Celestia and Luna would know about another portal, but perhaps the chaotic magic of the Everfree interferes with the portal's function. I'll have to write a letter to Princess Celestia."

Twilight finally noticed Sunset staring at her and sat down, blushing. "Sorry."

"Don't be sorry. It's just, you're not really what I expected. I've spent the past few weeks getting to know the girls, but I know almost nothing about you. All I know is what I've heard, and all anyone talks about is Princess Twilight. It's strange to see you as Twilight, the pony, instead of Twilight, crowned princess and element of magic."

Twilight laughed. “You think it’s strange to see me as a pony, but I find it strange to see myself as a princess. I was a small-time librarian a few moons ago, but now I’m somehow one of the four most important ponies in Equestria? It makes no sense. Nothing about me changed, except the wings.”

Sunset raised an eyebrow. “A small-time librarian who just so happened to be one of the elements of harmony and the princess’s personal student.”

“The princess has taken students before, and there are six elements of harmony, but now I'm the second ascension in a millennia. Before, I was a historical footnote, now I can't even leave my library without getting mobbed." Twilight snorted. "Sorry, it's just frustrating. I never wanted to be powerful or famous. I've always been a researcher at heart. It's not just that I'm not cut out to be a princess, it's that I never wanted to be a princess in the first place." Twilight and Sunset drank their cider in silence for a while.

"Did I ever tell you why Celestia and I fell out, back when I was her student?” Sunset asked softly.

“She said you were unhappy with your progress, but she didn’t give details.”

“It was those wings, Twilight. They were my only desire, that I could have the power of a princess.” Sunset stared at Twilight’s wings. “I see now that it was my thirst for power that kept me from it. If I had aimed to do good and had been happy with that, I could have been in your place now.”

Twilight cringed. "And here I am, complaining about an opportunity other ponies only dream of."

“That wasn’t my point. In a way, listening to your perspective makes me feel better. I know that when I pursued power, I didn't get it. And now I know that if I had pursued good and got power that way, I probably wouldn't have wanted it anyways… Trust in harmony, I suppose."

Twilight chuckled. "Easier said than done."

"Tell me about it." Sunset refilled their glasses, and they took another drink.

"You know, you never answered my last question. How do you know that bartender?"

"I've been to this bar for years, actually. It was a good place to lie low when Celestia was looking for me, before I discovered Canterlot High." There was a moment of silence. "So Twilight, what happened to you? You look terrible… no offense.”

Twilight put down her drink and frowned. "I don't really want to get into it."

"I take it the reason you're here at the Salty Lick is related to your problem?"

Twilight's jaw clenched slightly. "I said I don't want to talk about it."

"Hey, I get that. But you know, if it's a royal problem, I might be able to help."

Twilight blinked. "Why would you think that?"

"Simple. If it were a problem with one of your friends, you'd talk it out. When Celestia is the problem, though, you can't talk to anypony about it. Everypony thinks she's perfect. You're the crazy one for even implying otherwise."

Twilight chuckled. "You know, a few months ago, I would have ended friendships over a comment like that."

"What changed?"

"I grew up."

Sunset cracked a small smile. "So it is Celestia, then?”

"Not really."

"You didn't deny it was a royal problem, and I have it on good authority that you like Cadence more than your own family. That only leaves one possibility. It’s Luna?”

“No!” Twilight looked away. “It’s not.”

“Then what is it?”

Twilight looked back at Sunset. “Promise me you won’t tell anypony,” she whispered.

“I promise.”

“Pinkie promise me.” Twilight’s voice was insistent, desperate.

“Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye,” Sunset stammered.

Twilight looked silently into her eyes for a time, then sighed. “I’ve been having the same nightmare for the past week or so.”

“That doesn’t sound so bad,” Sunset offered tentatively.

“It isn’t a normal nightmare. It feels… real.”

“Yea, all dreams feel real.”

“No, dreams feel real while you’re having them because your mind is muddled. My thoughts are crystal clear during these nightmares, and they feel real even after I wake up.”

Sunset frowned. “That’s definitely weird, but I’m not really understanding how this is a problem with Luna. Doesn’t she fight nightmares? Is she refusing to help or something?”

“No, it’s not that. I’m sure she would help if I asked, but I can’t ask for her help.”

“Why not?”

“The nightmare is of the night that my friends and I defeated Nightmare Moon.”