Chapters Author's Note
Hi! Hello! It is I, the author.
One
Sunset Shimmer hated it. Hated everything about it.
After all, it should never have happened. She shouldn't be in this situation. But here she was, dressed in black, stood over an empty pit, trying her best not to break down crying, and the coffin hadn't even arrived yet. Some part of her knew it wasn't her fault, but the rest of her blamed herself for not being stronger. For being better.
She should have been able to stop this.
Her breath caught in her throat as it came into view. A delicately carved oak wood coffin, carried on the shoulders of four earth ponies. Sunset felt her heart, already broken and smashed to tiny pieces, shatter into a million miniscule parts. The quartet carried the coffin carefully, delicately, like it was a piece of fine china owned by Princess Celestia herself. Sunset appreciated it, as if they'd dropped it, she wasn't sure she would have been able to stop herself incinerating all four of them on the spot.
Wind-chimes tinkled in the warm, soft, spring breeze, and Sunset smell the cherry blossoms that surrounded them mixed in with the scent of a nearby brook that could be faintly heard in the distance. It was peaceful, it was serene. The sun shone brightly in the sky, and Sunset couldn't help but realise how much she would've liked this if she was still alive. She could picture it now, sat together under a blossom, staring out as the sun set on the horizon. Words snapped her back to reality.
The sad, cold, lonely reality.
"We are gathered here today to celebrate the life of the Pegasus, Sunray Shimmer, lieutenant of the Celestial Guard."
Sunray swooped past Sunset's head, snatching the ball from her magic's grip.
"Wha- hey!"
"Too slow, Sunny!"
Sunset laughed at her little sisters lopsided grin as she flew past her, upside down.
"Just wait, Ray! I'll get you yet!"
The duo giggled as Sunset began chasing after Sunray, the formers magic occasionally grabbing at the ball in Sunray's hooves. Sunball was a game of their own invention, not too dissimilar to the hoofball enjoyed by Earth Ponies, but instead tailored to place Unicorns agains Pegasi. And the sisters were the best players around. Of course, they were the only players around, as none of their other friends had the magical skill or wing strength required to hold the ball or fly for long enough. Sunset and Sunray were different, gifted, stronger than their peers.
Sunset, born during the sunset of the summer sun celebration, was a magical prodigy, having already mastered basic hold and illusion spells, and was beginning to practice limited levels of fire magic. Her parents wouldn't allow anything more until she got into Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, or CSGU. Nopony had any doubt she'd get there.
Sunray, born during a rare solar eclipse, was a gifted flyer, who had basic control over her wings before she could talk, and that trend had only continued, with Sunray quickly becoming the talk of her school and the fastest flyer of her age bracket. With skills like hers, there was no contesting that Sunray could easily become top of whatever flying thing she wanted to do, be it the Wonderbolts, or, Sunray's preference, the Royal Guard.
Sunset was a couple years older and loved her sister more than anything. The pair would often go missing for a day to be found in a field playing games together, or Sunset would be practicing magic while Sunray watched, or Sunray would be flying while Sunset watched. They were inseperable.
"Hah! Catch me now, slowflyer!"
Sunset had finally grabbed the ball from between Sunray's hooves, and quickly darted underneath her sister and headed for her goal, closer to the forest. She hear Sunray gasp in mock astonishment at Sunset's taunt.
"You didn't!"
Sunset giggled as she ran at full gallop towards the goal, flicking her head as the tossed the ball towards the posts set in the ground.
"She shoots! She-"
Sunset watched in astonishment as Sunray's amber body streaked past her, grabbing the ball in outstretched hooves and skidding to a halt. Sunray let out a cheer, and Sunset couldn't help but laugh. Her sister was incredible.
"I didn't even know you could go that fast!"
"Neither did I!"
They giggled together in a heap scuffling loosely over the ball.
That was when Sunset heard it. A low growling, followed by a creaking noise, and then the smell hit her. It was overpowering. It could be only one thing, but they weren't meant to come this close to town. Timberwolves were meant to stay away.
"Sunray! Run !" She gasped.
"Wha- oh!"
Sunray's eyes widened in panic, and she grabbed Sunset between her hooves and began flying away, but Sunset knew she was too heavy for Sunray to carry and outfly a fully grown timberwolf. She shook herself out of her sister's grasp.
"No! Get help! If we run straight to town, we'll be endangering anypony outside! Go to the town hall!"
"I can't leave you!"
"You have to! Sunray, quick! I'll be fine!"
Sunset could see the hesitation in her sisters eyes, so to prove her point, Sunset lit up her horn and span, shooting fire at the timberwolf. It wasn't controlled, and Sunset couldn't focus it into an efficient spell yet, but she could summon it, and that would be enough to hold it away until somepony else arrived. She hoped.
Sunset gasped as she let flame flow from her horn, burning the nose on the closest timberwolf. It yelped before leaping at Sunset, and she scrambled under it before rolling under the second and burning it's belly. Dodging Sunray's flying grabs really did help in a pinch. Sunset fled from underneath the first timberwolf as it reared away from the flames, and noted with satisfaction that the second had yet to recover from the leap. Sunset sprinted towards the town, and in the distance she could see a party of unicorn and pegasi headed her way, Sunray in front. It would be enough - she just needed to wait for them to get to her. With a grunt, Sunset span, unleashing an arc of fire that lashed at the pursuing timberwolves.
Then, Sunset squeezed her eyes shut, muttering to herself. She felt magic building in her horn, felt power flowing through her. She could do this.
Sunset let out a yell, and opened her eyes to see a magic flaming arrow slam into the chest of the closest timberwolf, watched it pass through, and watched the timberwolf collapse into a burning heap.
I did it. I actually did it. I made a fire arrow, I destroyed a timberwo-
Lights exploded in Sunset's brain, and she felt herself lift off of the ground. She could feel magic swirling through her body and felt a heat on her flank. It ended as quickly as it began, and she stumbled as she hit the floor. The second timberwolf reared at her, hesitated, and then fled back to the wood.
"OhmyCelestia , Sunset, you did it!"
Sunset did a little celebration dance as she squealed, tapping her hooves on the floor one after the other in rapid succession, like she was running in place.
"I did it! I did it!"
"And wait! You've got your cutie mark!"
Sunset froze.
"I do?"
"Yes!"
Sunset turned to look at her flank, and there sat a dual-tone sun emblem, a kind of ying yang of yellow and red.
"Sunray was a kind and selfless soul, and an inspiration to all of those around her."
Sunset watched, trying her best not to cry as the coffin was lowered into the grave, and found herself biting back a sob. It was just so unfair . Sunset had been able to deal with the loss of their parents primarily because she'd had Sunray. The whole experience had brought them closer together, but now...that close to her parents anyway, they'd spent far longer caring about their own reputations and pushing the pair to their absolute limit than they had spent actually loving them. But it had still hurt.
Losing Sunray hurt over a thousand times more.
The coffin came to a rest at the bottom of the pit, and the earth ponies who'd been carrying gave her a respectful nod before moving away. Sunset scrunched her eyes shut and reached out with her magic, lifting the Fire Lillies into the air, each one surrounded by a teal aura. Fire Lillies had been Sunray's favourite, and Sunset remembered the day well.
Sunset kicked at a pebble in the road with one hoof, knocking it to the edge. The sun was going down, there was still no sign of Sunray, and her parents didn't care enough to come out looking with her. Sunray was only 8 ! Sunset was only 10 ! She scoffed. Sunray deserved better than those pathetic excuses for parents. But there was nothing she could do about that, other than finding her sister. She sighed as she trailed along the road, brushing her yellow-and-red mane out of her eyes as she walked.
Where is she?
Sunset's head snapped up as she heard a distant cry.
Was that?
The cry came again.
"Sunray!"
Sunset took off sprinting towards the noise, barely looking to make sure she wouldn't be hit by a cart as she ran across roads. She passed by the marketplace, which had fallen silent as the sun set, and eventually skidded into an alley. It was different to others, in that most in their hometown had lights strung across from building to building, but this was dark. She gulped, suppressing her fear and cast a soft light spell as she entered the alley. A few rats ran across in front of her, and she flinched reflexively. She let out a breath before continuing to walk, confident Sunray was here.
"Sunray? Sunray, are you here?"
"S-Sunset?"
Sunset turned a corner, finding her sister curled in a ball, head raised to look in her direction. Her usually bright red-gold mane was matted with dust, her wings were missing feathers, and her yellow skin had blood stains.
"Sunray! What happened? Who did this? I swear I'll-"
"Sunset, it's fine. I'm fine. I just want to go home."
Part of Sunset wanted to refuse and hunt down the criminals who had done this to her sister. But the rest of her was too busy making sure she was okay.
"Okay. Can you stand up for me? I just want to make sure you're fine."
Sunray nodded hesitantly and stretched out, revealing a few gashes on her side. Sunset gasped and let the magic build on her horn, quickly patching up the wounds, then began nudging Sunray forward.
"Where are we going?" She mumbled.
"I'm taking you to get looked at by a professional. Then we go home."
Sunray nodded, and it broke Sunset's heart to see none of the usual vibrant, energetic pegasus in her actions.
"Sunray, let me know if anyone does something like this again, okay?"
Sunray turned to face Sunset, tears in her eyes.
"You promise?"
"I promise on my life. Sunray, I will fight all of Equestria for you. I promise, I'll keep you safe."
Sunray nodded, tried to bite back her tears, failed, and then buried her head in Sunset's shoulder as she cried. Sunset wrapped her hooves around her sister, pulling her into a hug as she lifted a fire lilly from a nearby flowerbed, settling it into Sunray's mane.
Sunset let out her first sob as the last petal landed, and felt her legs shaking underneath her. Princess Celestia stepped up next to her, giving Sunset a quick hug with her wing before raising her own set of flowers, blue orchids, the symbol of the Celestial guard, and letting them drop onto the coffin. Sunset buried her head into Celestia's wing as she tried in vain to stop sobbing. The Princess pulled Sunset in closer, and not for the first time, Sunset found herself likening the Princess to her mother; the loving side of her mother; just always available rather than in rare circumstances.
She knew she was supposed to show a brave face here, as Celestia's personal student, it was her job to be a good example to others, to do her Princess, her mentor, proud. But in that moment, she didn't care. She was a sister first, but as a sister, she'd failed. Sunray hadn't even been supposed to be there; it should be Sunset being buried instead.
She would have preferred that outcome a million times over, but fate had had other ideas, and Sunray had ended up on convoy instead of Shining Armour, Princess Cadances' coltfriend. She couldn't really blame the pair for taking a holiday, and it was sheer bad luck that Sunray had ended up on the convoy instead. A case could be made that it was wrong to put a Pegasus on a cold weather convoy, but Sunray had been pushing for the promotion, captain of the Celestial Guard. It hadn't been a bad thing, at first, but when it went wrong...
It should have been me. Sunray had had so much life ahead of her...
Sunset and Sunray stood side by side, watching dimly as the two coffins were lowered into the ground. Sunset, personally, didn't know how to feel. Her parents had never been particularly caring to her and Sunray, but the times they had been were often the best memories she had. Now 14, Sunset was top of her class at CSGU, and Sunray, at 12 was quickly rising the ranks in flyer's schools.
Their parents, as apathetic as they'd been, had always been supportive of them, always pushing them to be better. Sunset wished they'd been more focused on making good memories with them, and now the option to make more was gone, she could feel her heart breaking slightly. She wanted to be sad; she really did, but the bitterness of her parents indifference to events, such as when she'd found Sunray injured in an alley made it hard to be completely sad.
Sunset sighed and pulled Sunray, who was crying, closer. Sunset had always done her best to shield Sunray from her parents' indifference, and so it didn't surprise her that her younger sister was genuinely distraught. Unfortunately, Sunset was starting to get the feeling life wasn't ever going to be fair to the duo, as they now had to deal with the social care services, and Sunset had heard enough horror stories of siblings being separated for the prospect to terrify her.
She supposed that ponies desperate enough for bits to break into a home didn't care who they hurt. Maybe her dad, Solar Flare, shouldn't have fought back. Maybe Cloud Shimmer, her mother, should have just shut up. Given them what they wanted. Maybe then they would still be alive. It was thoughts like these that haunted Sunset, thoughts that wanted to blame her parents for not trying to put her and Sunray first, rather than their wealth.
Maybe then she wouldn't be so completely terrified of what came next.
She sniffed sadly as she lifted a bunch of flowers in her magic, dancing them in the sky to follow a small ritual that had been in the Shimmer family. She remembered watching Cloud Shimmer do the same ritual when Gran died, hoping beyond hope that it would grant her the rest that she clearly had deserved. While part of Sunset wasn't sure her parents deserved to rest for all the turmoil they had put her through, the rest of her still loved them, and so she cared.
Sunset let go of the flowers, and watched them float onto the coffins, Orange Foxgloves for her dad, Red Roses for her mother. She sighed sadly, and rested her cheek on Sunray's head as she continued to cry into Sunset.
"Sunset Shimmer?"
She didn't recognise the voice, and wasn't sure it could be anything good. Not now.
"I'm sorry, can it wait? I want to spend some time with my si-"
Sunset was turning as she spoke, but found her voice failing her as she realised she was face to face with Princess Celestia. The Princess Celestia. Of course, she'd seen her at the school before, but they'd never spoken. It took a moment for Sunset to realise she was staring, and she shook her head before bowing quickly.
"P- Princess Celestia."
She felt Sunray look up in surprise from her shoulder, and then copy Sunset's bow.
"Such formality won't be necessary, My Little Ponies. I'm here to talk to you about your living situation."
Sunset shuffled nervously.
"We- uh, we don't really... have... one..."
Celestia only nodded.
"I thought as much. Sunset, I would like to make you an offer."
Sunset nodded hesitantly.
"You're easily the most talented unicorn to ever come through my school, and I have recently found my schedule to be free enough for me to consider this. I would like it if you became my personal student, which would put you in my care at the castle."
Sunset couldn't believe her ears.
"Me? Student? Castle?"
Celestia nodded, and Sunset took a moment to steady her breathing and stop herself from freaking out where she stood. Then a thought occurred to her.
"Sunray- can she stay with us? If she can't I won't accept. I won't leave her alone."
Sunset wrapper her hooves protectively around her sister and Celestia's eyes softened.
"I wouldn't dream of separating you. She would have a room next to yours."
Sunset shared a look with her sister, and saw her own amazement, excitement and confusion reflected in them. She turned back to the princess.
"Then yes, I'd love to."
The Princess smiled at her.
"I'll come and find you at the end of the ceremony. I truly am sorry for your loss."
Sunray could only nod next to Sunset, who found herself barely able to reply.
"Th- Thank you, Princess."
Sunset pulled her head out of Celestia's wing, and her mentor smiled comfortingly at her. Sunset sniffed and wiped her eyes with the back of her hoof, took a deep breath and slowly looked back at the grave, letting her eyes trace the detals on the coffin. Carved into it were leaves, intricate patterns and other details Sunset had given, many referring to things Sunray had held precious to her.
Some part of her knew it didn't matter, but another part of her hoped her sister appreciated it. If she did, that was more than enough for Sunset. While she never had a belief in any sort of higher power herself, she knew Sunray did, and for some reason found herself hoping that such a thing was true, if it meant she got to see Sunray again. Sunset's eyes reached the top of the coffin, where the glass faceplate formed a diamond shape, allowing Sunset to see in.
Sunray looked so peaceful where she lay, golden and crimson mane streaming out around her. She looked so peaceful, blossoms resting on her face with a content smile on her face, her features smooth and the freckles that dotted her face were easily visible in the light.
Sunset was just glad that whatever her last thoughts were, they were happy ones.
It was a simple enough task; their convoy was to go a few days ahead of Princess Celestia's in order to help set up a welcoming committee for her arrival in YakYakistan. Naturally, as her Student, Sunset was in charge, but that didn't mean she didn't enjoy the company sat next to her.
"Nonono, you don't get to dodge the question that easily Sunny! Who is he?!"
Sunset giggled.
"She is a well respected pony who doesn't need to be bothered by my little sister."
Sunray sighed dramatically and flopped onto Sunset.
"Oh dear sister, why do you tell me so little about yourself? One would think you're locked behind a mirror to another world."
The pair looked at each other for a moment, then started snickering.
"So," Sunset began through snickers, "enough about my love life. What about yours?"
Sunray shot up in her seat and a slight blush appeared.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Sunset gasped and thrust her muzzle closer to Sunray's face
"You do! You totally do! Ohhhhhh, I can't wait to meet him!"
"Sunny, stawp!"
Sunset giggled more and pushed at Sunray's armour.
"Bet he always gets excited when these come off-"
"Sunset!"
More laughter, and a glowing blush appeared on Sunray's face.
"You are, like, actually the worst."
"You started it."
"Hmph."
Sunray stuck out her bottom lip in mock annoyance, and the duo soon began laughing again.
"So how much further is it to YakYakistan anyway? I hate not being able to fly out here!"
Sunset smiled.
"Even if you if it was warm enough for you to fly, you'd cause an avalanche if you flew at your speed."
Sunray rolled her eyes.
"But we passed Snowybury a while back. Should be about 1 and a half days."
Sunray smiled.
"And then I can fly!"
"For like, 5 minutes before you have to get your wings warmed."
Sunray nodded and grumbled absent-mindedly.
"Will somepony invent wing-warmers already?"
Sunset leaned back in her seat and looked out the window of the cart she shared with Sunray, awarding herself with an idyllic view of a large valley, like something you'd see in the travel magazines her parents used to have. The mountain path they were taking wasn't exactly the safest, but Celestia had suggested that they take it in order to have more preparation time, and to allow Sunset to do some studying with Yak scholars. She snorted.
If they have an-
Her thought was cut off by a loud crack and a rumble. She and Sunray sat up in their seats, exchanging a look before quickly diving out of the cart. Her worst fears were confirmed as she saw a large wall of white barreling down at them. For a moment Sunset could have sworn she saw a yak-sized figure at the top of the mountain, but then she was too busy spell casting to check again.
While her immediate thought was flame, Sunset knew it would only result in water pushing them off instead. Without another proficient flame-caster, she had no way to produce enough flame at the two different heats required for most efficient conversion, and while she could do it on her own, she couldn't with as much faced her now. Instead she opted for a shield matrix Shining Armour had taught her, creating a barrier before slamming it into the mountainside at an angle.
Sunset would never find out who fired the shot, or why. She only knew that somepony did, presumably in self defense from the figure at the mountaintop. But it was enough to break Sunset's concentration, just for one moment. In that moment, part of the matrix faltered, then failed. Before Sunset could react, she felt herself being swept of her hooves and carried off the edge of the path.
"Sunray!"
"Sunset- hold on!"
Sunray, who had been stood in one of the protected sections, leaped after Sunset as she was swept off the mountainside, reaching deperately for her sister through the snow. Sunset wasn't sure how long she fell for, but she felt her hoof brush against Sunray's, and then plummeted into the trees and snow.
Sunset bit back a cry as the gears on the faceplate began to whir, slowly pulling a wooden panel up the coffin to cover the plate. She found not crying to be the hardest challenge sge could have ever faced, and as the plate covered more and more of her sister's face, ever so slowly, she gave up altogether, breaking down into more sobbing.
She was unsteady on her feet, but tried her best to stay upright as she blinked tears from her eyes, wiping them yet again with the back of her hoof. The cover continued to move, and Sunset found herself leaning further and further forward in an effort to keep the entirety of her sister's face in view.
And then the plate closed. And Sunset was alone. Part of her knew she wasn't actually alone; she had Raven, Princess Celestia and Princess Cadance. She had a few friends, too. But none of them were Sunray, none of them were her sister.
Sunset woke up in darkness, cold, very cold, and confused. Where was she? Where was Sunray? She attempted to stand up, but let out a scream of pain as her front right leg gave out from under her the moment she put pressure on it. Which meant it was probably broken. Sunset started to take stock of her surroundings, and realised it was snowing hard around her, and very windy. A blizzard must have blown off course.
Sunset took a deep breath to try and steady herself despite the pain lancing through her head, and cast a soft light spell. The snow around her was stained red, and she realised she was bleeding from numberous scratches of varying lengths on her side. She felt something warm dripping down her cheek, and she dimly registered she had a head wound. She needed care, she knew that. But she also needed-
"Sunray! Where are you?!"
Sunset let the strength behind the light spell grow, but couldn't find a sign of Sunray anyway.
"Sunray?!"
There was no response.
Sunset staggered to her hooves, careful not to put any pressure on the broken one, which she now registered was at an odd angle. Not a major break, but still too much for her to deal with. She let magic flow through her, feeling a comforting warmth as it tried to close most of her bleeding wounds. She then exchanged her light spell for a flame, as even though it would weaken her faster, it would keep her warmer. She needed to get out of the valley.
Come on Sunray. You'd better be fine.
Sunset let out a deep breath and pushed on through the snow, steadily approaching the edge of the valley. She found herself incredibly greatful the snow wasn't yet past knee height, as otherwise she wouldn't have been able to move at all without her leg causing her to pass out. As it was, dragging it forwards through the snow was already painful enough. It was around this point that Sunset's emergency training re-emerged in her brain, and she took a deep breath before launching her flare spell. It was a specialised spell that she and Princess Celestia had created together, and she watched as the flaming ball flew high in the skies, casting light over the valley.
Sunset looked up to the sky, and felt tears and blood dripping down her cheek. The snow around her glittered with red light, and the trees were pushed forwards and back in the wind. Her mane whipped at her face and followed the wind, and she watched the flare arc higher into the sky, and for a moment she felt serene.
Then it exploded, sending red lines shooting across the sky in all directions, leaving a ring above her.
As well as being a way for ponies to find her, it was also magically linked to her shared journal with the Princess, and would trigger a notification roughly ten times stronger than an ordinary message. It didn't matter that it must have been early morning, Celestia knew something had gone wrong now. With that done, Sunset began pushing forward in the snow, but it wasn't long before she heard a cry and a whump behind her. She turned, and-
"Sunset! Oh Celestia, you're okay! I was so worried when I couldn't find you and I-"
"Sunray!"
Sunset felt herself begin to cry as she used her good hoof to pull in her sister.
"Sunset! You're injured- your leg, your head! We need to get you to town, now!"
Sunray settled in next to Sunset, supporting her leg and wrapping a wing protectively around her, which would also help warm them both up.
"Y- You've been flying?"
Sunray bit her lip.
"I know it's dangerous, but I always landed before I got too cold!"
Sunset had no choice but to nod, knowing that if Sunray was wrong about her limits, she would end up eith a frostbitten wing and possibly be forced to lose it.
"Now come on, there's a cave not far from here. We can rest up in there and then push for town when the storm ends."
The walk through the snow was long and cold, but they didn't encounter any other problems as they reached the cave. Sunset was dimly aware she was in a worse state than she'd previously thought, as she'd been forced to return to a simple light spell, and even that was starting to falter. As well as that, fog had descended over her brain, and she couldn't think clearly as she sank to the floor.
Sunray looked at her before quickly diving out of the cave to scavenge fire materials. This warmed the cave considerably, and Sunset found herself beginning to drift off to sleep as Sunray stroked her mane comfortingly.
"I'm going back out, Sunset. I need to get you help."
"N-No. Too dangerous. Stay."
"Sunset, I'm sorry, I have to. You'll die otherwise!"
Sunset shook her head dimly, aware that she wasn't putting on a very convincing show from where she lay, sprawled out, barely able to lift her head.
"Ray, stay. 'M n charge."
"I don't care if you're in charge, Sunset."
Sunray backed up to the entrance.
"You need help."
"Ray, please, stay-" her voice was barely a whisper.
Sunray looked at her sadly, then dived back into the blizzard.
With the faceplate closed and flowers settled, next came the part that Sunset truly hated. She stood at the edge of the grave, and reached out with her magic for the dirt that was being offered to her and a few others. She held the dirt over the coffin, but couldn't bring herself to let go, not yet. She wanted nothing more than to give Sunray one last hug, one last mane stroke, one last anything. But she knew it would never come. Sunset was entirely unable to hold back the sob that shook her, and she dropped the dirt onto the coffin before sinking to the floor after it.
Other ponies around her, those closest to Sunray, all dropped their dirt onto Sunray's coffin after Sunset's, and all backed away. Sunset couldn't bring herself to move. She couldn't leave. Not yet. She knew she was getting sympathetic glances from all of the attendees behind her, but she couldn't care.
She just wanted Sunray.
Sunset woke to the sounds of scuffling around the entrance to the cave, and she lifted her head as best as she could.
"S-Sunray?"
The scuffling stopped, and soon after a few unidentifiable ponies gathered in the entrance of the cave, led by a unicorn in purple armour wearing goggles and a scarf. Sunset's eyes narrowed, and they took a step forward.
"St- stay back! I can still fight you!"
To prove her point, Sunset created a fire wave with the flick of her head that fizzled out after a few feet, and but she stumbled and let out a groan as she felt pain lance down her body. The unicorn took another step forward before pulling off his goggles and scarf.
"Tell Princess Celestia we've found Sunset Shimmer! Now!"
Sunset looked at the stallion in bewilderment as a group of medics rushed towards her.
"I- I thought you w- were on vacation?"
"I was, but once I learned the caravan I was meant to be on had gone missing, I rushed back to Canterlot in time to join the search party."
Sunset nodded slowly until she felt the medics grip her head and begin treating a wound.
"Sunray?"
Shining Armour's smile fell, and he exchanged a look with another guard.
"We- we don't know. We haven't found her yet."
"Sh- she went t- to town."
The stallion nodded comfortingly.
"We'll find her, I promise."
Sunset heard wingbeats outside which she could only assume to be Princess Celestia, but she let out a cry of pain and pushed at the medics.
"L- Let me go! I h- have to find her!"
"Sunset, you're in no sta-"
"Let me find her!"
Celestia entered the cavern and looked at Sunset's broken and bleeding form in shock, but Sunset staggered to her hooves and towards the entrance.
"Please! I have to find my sister! Celestia, tell them to let me go!"
"I can't, Sunset. You can barely walk!"
Sunset grunted in annoyance, and pushed into Shining Armour, who was now stood in front of her, blocking her way out.
"Let me go! I'll use fire, get out of the way!"
"Sunset, we all know you can't use enough fire to escape."
Another grunt, because she knew they were right.
"I don't care! I'm- I-"
Sunset felt a sharp sensation in her hind leg, and turned to see one of the medics looking up at her, needle held in their magic. The world started to go fuzzy again, and Sunset felt the fog settling over her brain again, but she tried her hardest to stay upright, to fight it.
"You- how could-"
Celestia and Shining exchanged worried glances as Sunset began to stagger, her hind legs giving out and leaving her propped up on one hoof only. Despite the fog smothering her brain, Sunset tried to drag herself forward, slumping into Celestia.
"I need- need to fi- S- Sunray-"
Sunset felt her final hoof give out, and she sank down, but she wasn't done fighting, stretching her head forward in a final, futile attempt to get past her mentor. The last thing she felt before falling asleep was Celestia's hooves catching her head before she could hit the floor.
Sunset felt somepony walk up next to her, before settling down to the ground. She turned her head slightly, and, realising it was Celestia, buried her face into the Princess' warm fur, tears streaming down her face as she screamed. Celestia's wing settled around Sunset, supporting her and pulling her closer, and she noticed that Celestia was careful enough to use her magic to lift Sunset's broken leg, now in a cast. She didn't know how long she spent crying into her mentor, having her mane stroked while she was held tightly.
Part of her wanted to blame Celestia and Shining for drugging her and pulling her away from Sunray's search party, but she knew she wouldn't have fared much better luck than them. It didn't stop her for blaming herself for losing her concentration on the spell, blaming herself for not getting out of the way of the avalanche, blaming herself for not refusing to let Sunray leave without her. But she knew it was too late now, and she cried harder, knowing that Sunray was gone. And there was nothing she could do to bring her back.
A thought took hold.
Well, almost nothing.
Sunset woke slowly, pressing her face into the pillow as the sun shone into her eyes. That failing, she turned over slowly in her bed.
Wait. In my bed?
Sunset was up like a shot, staggering out her doorway, unsteady on her broken leg. She banged the next door over, Sunray's room, but there was no response. She pushed on through the hallways, rapidly approaching the throne room, passing several confused nobles and guards. Occasionally one would call out a greeting or a question, but Sunset ignored them as she pushed her way through the small queue outside Raven Inkwell's, Celestia's assistants, office.
She heard a few ponies in the queue complain, and one unicorn even tried to grab her with magic, but Sunset quickly brushed it off with a forceful counterspell that would accidentally disable the noble's magic for the rest of thhe day. But Sunset didn't care, grabbing the door in her magic and flinging it open.
Celestia looked up from her throne in surprise, and the small council around her, from Whinnyapolis, if she remembered correctly, looked even more surprised.
"Where is Sunray?!"
"Sunset, I-"
"No! Where is she!"
Celestia took a deep breath and sighed, before descending from the throne and approaching Sunset. It all but confirmed her fears, but the words broke Sunset's heart as she was pulled into a hug by her mentor.
"I'm so, so sorry, Sunset."
She stood in shocked silence for a moment, disbelieving.
She can't. She couldn't.
Then she burst into tears, burying herself into Celestia's chest.
"We found her a few miles from Snowybury. Her left wing was frostbitten, and it looked like she'd been attacked by a timberwolf, judging by the damage to her armour. Her wounds and the cold were- were too much."
Sunset's world had already shattered, and she could only bury herself further into her mentor as she sobbed uncontrollably.
Sunset felt numb as she was led away from the funeral by Celestia, but her mind had started working in overdrive. She'd heard the myth once, an alicorn who managed to breathe life into a fallen hero. It was a long reach, and Sunset wasn't even entirely sure she could become an alicorn, but in that moment, she didn't care.
The cost didn't matter. If it meant losing her friends, if it meant isolation, if it meant fighting all of Equestria, she'd do it. She'd promised as much, so many years ago, and she wasn't going to back out on it now. She had broken the promise once, and Sunray had died. But she could fix it. She could bring back Sunray.
No matter what.