Fluttershy strode confidently down the road and towards the meeting place her friends had told her of. Her hooves glided across the ground, the semi-ethereal nature of her body allowing her to pass by without disturbing so much as a single blade of grass. Which was good in Fluttershy’s opinion, as it was a pleasant evening, and one which she didn't want to ruin. With the sun having just set, and the moon remaining in its usual position high in the sky, the world was awash with deep yellows.

Though it had not strayed from its spot above her head, Fluttershy continued to watch the cratered satellite. As now, with the burning rays of the sun falling behind the horizon, its sibling was able to shine without being overshadowed. It was a pleasant sight, though one that Fluttershy soon put out of her mind in order to focus on what was right in front of her.

Namely the small gathering of creatures who were standing next to a large oak tree at the edge of the Everfree Forest. Surprisingly enough, everyone was there, including Rainbow Dash and Rarity, the two most infamous for being fashionably late. With that in mind, Fluttershy picked up the pace and made her way up to them, only to slow back down when she noticed something odd.

In addition to the usual members of their party such as Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Applejack, and Twilight Sparkle, there was one more. Though Fluttershy didn't know who this newcomer was, she could tell that they were from Canterlot at just a glance. They had the same fish-out-of-water look that Twilight had upon arrival, only this strange mare was far more confident.

Standing nearly as tall as Twilight and with a horn slightly longer than most, she shared a lot in common with the undead unicorn. Including a mane and tail that were two tones, only hers were a deep purple, with a light strip of teal running through it. Her fur was a few shades lighter than Twilight's, and her eyes weren't quite as bright. She also had a cutie mark resembling a single fallen star not unlike the one which adorned the other unicorn’s flank.

She was also clearly alive, as well as the center of attention, with the others all gathered around her. The mystery pony was in the middle of some story, with everyone else listening closely to the tale. Even Rainbow Dash seemed fascinated by whatever the newcomer was saying as the thestral sat on the ground and looked up at the speaker.

Fluttershy took an unneeded breath and steeled herself to meet someone new.

“Hello, welcome to Ponyville,” Fluttershy greeted with a smile.

“Oh, hey Fluttershy,” Twilight replied. “This is Starlight. Starlight, this is Fluttershy.”

“Ah yes, the ghost,” Starlight remarked. “I’m surprised you would be invited along on such a dangerous mission.”

Fluttershy waited a moment, expecting her friends to defend her, only to be a bit unnerved when that didn't happen.

“Well, it's not like I can get in the way,” Fluttershy exclaimed, making her hoof immaterial and waving it through Applejack’s head.

“True,” Starlight remarked with a smirk.

“Now before we get out there, does everyone remember the plan?” Twilight asked.

“Find a flower called the Queen of the Forest, then locate a Sethano, and finally track down this mysterious Pool of Seven Tears,” Rainbow Dash immediately declared.

“Then bring it all back to the hospital before the infection costs that poor dragon her wings,” Rarity added.

“Exactly,” Twilight declared. “Does everyone have what we need?”

While everyone else checked their bags, Fluttershy sought out a nearby bird and gently called it down to her. The slightly overweight white pigeon flew to the ground after a small amount of prompting. It then divulged what it knew about the things Twilight had mentioned after Fluttershy promised to come back with food later that day.

With that done, the bird flew off, and Fluttershy proudly approached the group.

“I have a lead on-” she began.

“I’ve got the first location,” Starlight interrupted, her horn glowing brightly. “Three clicks south of our position. Once we get closer, I should be able to tell you exactly where it is.”

“Alright, Starlight!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

“You are turning into a valued member of the team,” Twilight stated.

“Thanks. Someone’s gotta guide us to our destination,” Starlight exclaimed.

Fluttershy wilted. “I was going to do that.”

“Did you say something, Fluttershy?” Twilight asked.

“N-no,” Fluttershy murmured.

“Alright then, Starlight, lead the way!” Twilight declared.

Starlight nodded. “Gladly.”

Fluttershy sighed and fell into the back of the group, taking up the rear while the others jogged into the woods. Though they didn't quite sprint, they put on enough speed that Fluttershy had to run to keep up with them. Within a few moments they were deep into the forest and obstacles began to show themselves everywhere.

The first of which came in the form of a fallen log.

“Watch ou-” Fluttershy began.

The dryad was interrupted by a blast from Starlight’s horn which turned the minor barrier to dust. None of the other members of their group even seemed to notice this and just kept jogging along at a good pace. Starlight herself was completely unbothered and continued to follow her spell in a southerly direction.

Though she felt a bit snubbed by the action, Fluttershy reasoned that it was for the best as time was a factor here. Sure it wasn't a huge one, and they assumed they could get back to town before things got worse. Starlight clearly wasn't taking any chances though, and Fluttershy could begrudgingly agree with that sentiment.

“I wonder if she knows this dragon we’re trying to help,” Fluttershy thought aloud.

Pushing deeper and deeper into the woods, the group found themselves entering a rocky ravine. Towering walls of stone sporting numerous deep gouges rose on all sides, though thankfully none of the many boulders seemed loose. After passing through the narrow pass, they entered a wide pit-like area with a single towering flower at its very center.

Its main body was the size of a large, but squat bush, and its thin, numerous petals hung down around the flower’s main top half. In its middle rose a nearly six foot tall pillar of orangeish-black stem from which sprouted several thousand seeds. Like a great flag raised to the heavens, it was impossible not to notice the great mass ready to be dispersed on the first stiff breeze.

“Wait,” Fluttershy exclaimed, stepping forward. “We have to be really careful.”

Starlight ignored Fluttershy’s call and used her magic to cut off the top of the plant, causing the entire thing to shake. Fluttershy gasped, and prepared to pull Rainbow Dash to safety the second the plant began to tremble. Thankfully the tremor that ran through it was small and ended just as quickly as it started.

“That was very dangerous. You could have gotten everyone hurt,” Fluttershy stated.

“Because the seeds once airborne erupt with incredible force and have the cutting strength to pierce steel?” Starlight replied.

Fluttershy blinked twice. “Yes.”

“I am aware,” Starlight retorted.

Fluttershy watched the unicorn walk away without saying another word.

“Woah, Flutters, not cool. You should trust her more,” Rainbow Dash admonished.

“Yes, she had this all in hoof, darling,” Rarity added.

“That wasn't very nice of you,” Twilight pointed out.

Fluttershy stood there and watched her friends all walk away, leaving her alone. That was until she picked up the pace and followed after the others. After a short sprint, Fluttershy caught up and walked alongside them, her gaze lingering on Starlight’s back.

The first thing Fluttershy wondered was if she was being replaced, as that certainly seemed to be the case. Here they had found someone who wasn't quite so easily frightened and who appeared to have a considerable amount of knowledge pertaining to the forest. That thought made Fluttershy feel a little sad as it meant her skills were less useful, yet she was also a little bit glad for it.

At least they have someone who can actually help them in a fight, Fluttershy couldn't help but think. Unlike me.

Slowly but surely, the surroundings changed until they were in the midst of a large swamp. The smell of rotten eggs and unpleasant vapors tickled the nostrils of the living and unliving alike. Those who trod upon the ground found their hooves weighed down by mud and grime.

Fluttershy opened her mouth to offer a suggestion, but was once more beaten to the punch.

“Make sure to walk on the sections with blue-bladed grass. Their roots go much deeper so you know the ground is thicker,” Starlight exclaimed.

“Thanks, Starlight,” Rainbow Dash remarked.

“Yeah, no kidding. What would we do without you?” Applejack added.

“Other than get muddy,” Rarity muttered.

Everyone chuckled, save for Fluttershy whose smile had become so forced that she struggled to maintain it all. Her heart hurt, and tears welled up at the edges of her vision, though Fluttershy refused to shed them.

This was a good thing, she reminded herself. Starlight was better for her friends and would be a more suitable teammate. Despite how many times she repeated it, the words never quite felt right to Fluttershy.

The dryad was startled from her thoughts when they stopped next to a small hill amidst the swamp. Though not overly large, it was big enough to support the massive form of the Sethano which called it home. Its midnight black scales covered a body several dozen meters long. Which was as thick as the trunk of a young redwood.

On the southern end of the rise were the beast’s three heads, each of which rested half in the water, half out. Each was a varied color of grey, their dark scales losing a bit of luster at that point in their body. They also sported what looked like green mossy beards, though Fluttershy knew that it was just a kind of symbiotic weed that clung to the snake’s body.

Starlight hushed the group and motioned towards the ground while she began to slowly walk forward. Fluttershy wanted to interrupt, to tell the cocky unicorn that what she was doing was incredibly dangerous, but did no such thing. Instead she just sat there as the newcomer dexterously plucked a scale from the creature’s back. Then when it stirred and began to wake, Starlight waved a hunk of lion’s breath flowers beneath its noses, putting it right back to sleep.

“Done. Let's go,” Starlight declared.

Fluttershy followed as the others began to move, though she had tuned out of the conversation.

She had been made redundant, her skills useless in the face of a more confident and knowledgeable being. This was good, Fluttershy told herself, as it meant that noone expected anything of her anymore. She could never disappoint someone, never let them down, in fact, Fluttershy would never have to worry about struggling again.

All she had to do was sit back and let Starlight do it.

The world grew paler, and though Fluttershy was mere feet from her friends, she could no longer hear their words. The sounds of splashing water and thumping hoofsteps were soon gone, made so quiet that they were inaudible. Even the color seemed to drain from her surroundings, leaving Fluttershy feeling numb and unpleasant.

All the positives Fluttershy had piled up in her mind soon sounded false, and she couldn't help but feel strangely queasy. That feeling only grew stronger as her mind drifted, and the dryad no longer paid attention to what was happening around her. Lost amidst the endless halls of her memories, Fluttershy wandered at random, reliving moments until she stumbled upon something that gave her pause.

Guided by a strange feeling, Fluttershy had suddenly recalled her first meeting with Twilight Sparkle. She remembered warning her vulture friends not to eat the unicorn who was lying face down on the ground. Covered in mud and sopping wet, Twilight had been an absolute mess, in addition to appearing quite dead.

That hadn't been the case, and after a little prodding, the unicorn had awoken. After that they had gone on a small adventure of their own as Fluttershy guided her new friend to Ponyville. There they got a brace for Twilight's broken leg, and Fluttershy pointed the confused mare towards those who could help her.

“I did that,” Fluttershy whispered, her confidence surging. “I saved her, and no matter how skilled others may be, they can't take that away from me.”

The affirmation lifted Fluttershy’s spirits and brought both color as well as sound back to the world.

“How do we approach this?” asked a voice.

Fluttershy blinked and glanced over to a hesitant Twilight. “What was that?”

“I asked how we approach this?” Twilight asked, gesturing to the strange pool of water at the bottom of a long flight of stone stairs which was itself in a large cavern.

Fluttershy couldn't help but smile. “Well, you see-”

Applejack hummed contentedly to herself as she moved about her room with a duster in her hoof. She wasn't a big fan of cleaning itself, but there was always something so calming about setting things in their proper place. Like most things in her life, it was the routine she enjoyed, not the actual action itself. With the exception being apple bucking, which she still enjoyed, even after all these years.

“Even if that damn orchard is cursed,” Applejack muttered to herself.

She paused, grimacing as the tree on her back shifted slightly, sending a bolt of pain through her body. The sensation was short-lived, though it still left the female’s knees shaking, and her jaw clenched tight. Thankfully it faded just as quickly as it arrived, and Applejack was able to breathe easily once more.

The warm smell of aged wood and pine-scented cleaning supplies tickled her nostrils, easing her worries. The gentle caress of the ancient boards beneath her hooves helped to set her mind at ease. A look around her room only increased that sensation as Applejack noted that everything was done.

“All that's left is doing the dish-” Applejack’s statement was cut off when something enormous slammed into the ground just outside her home.

The floorboards rattled, and a few shingles shook loose, falling down the sides of the house. Random keepsakes tumbled from shelves, prompting Applejack to leap towards a porcelain dog. Her hooves, though clumsy, caught the tiny object deftly, stopping it from shattering on the ground.

The quake was brief, but the damage was significant, with nearly everything in her room having fallen over or been moved. Rather than see what had happened outside, Applejack tugged the curtains closed a little tighter and went back to work. Thankfully it didn't take nearly as long to clean everything a second time as it just took a bit of rearranging.

With all that done, Applejack swiftly gathered up her supplies and made her way downstairs. Usually she’d stop at Granny Smith’s room and see what the old girl was up to this time of day, but Applejack didn't feel like it. She passed by her other siblings’ doors without looking in on them or even saying hello for that matter. Applejack could tell they were occupied, but the urge to be friendly to her family was absent at the moment.

Instead she simply kept her head down and continued to move down to the main floor.

Upon reaching the bottom step, there was another thunderous boom that came from the front of the house. With a sigh, Applejack ran about the kitchen, pushing things back into their place or picking up stuff that had fallen. There was not an ounce of curiosity in her heart, and she tried her best not to think about what was causing the noises.

With things in some semblance of order for the moment, Applejack trotted up to the sink. Standing upright at the counter was always a pain, made worse by the parasitic plant gripping her back. She was an Apple though, which meant she pushed down the pain and kept on workin’ no matter how hard things got.

“That smarts,” Applejack muttered as she rose up.

The first thing she did was pull the curtains closed a little more, ensuring that the front yard was completely obscured. Hidden from view, the thing in the orchard was swiftly pushed from Applejack’s mind. In its place was the comfortable routine that she had grown up, the familiar motions a balm for all of the mare’s worries.

A gentle twist released a surge of water, as well as a blast of iron from the aged pipes. The scent was unpleasant, but familiar to the farmer, so she savored it all the same. That was until the sink was full, and she was finally ready to add a little bit of the homemade cleaner to it.

Another pleasant aroma tickled her senses, only this time it was the apple solution that her family used to clean their dishes. It wasn't perfect, but when all you had was apples, you made due with what you could. So it was that Applejack was once more dipping her hooves into the slightly cool water and reaching for a plate.

Another thunderous crash made her nearly leap out of her skin and toss the plate across the room. Thankfully she stopped that urge before it could finish, and she ended up just awkwardly holding the piece of fine china over her head. Like the rest, this didn't last long, and soon Applejack was washing dishes once again.

Deciding that a song would help her stay focused and distract her from the thing in the orchard, Applejack began to hum. At first it was nonsensical and half-hearted, the farmer racking her mind for some tune that could help raise her mood.

“Apple queens and endless greens,” Applejack began, humming along to the imagined twang of a guitar. “Wait and see what tomorrow brings.”

Though she recalled the rest of the lyrics with ease, Applejack decided not to utter them. Merely continuing to hum along as she recalled them in her head, too embarrassed to actually sing to herself. With the return of the familiar, Applejack was once more able to calm herself back down after the sudden shock.

The smell of soap, the feel of the well-worn plates, even the ever-present pain caused by the plant on her back, it all served to calm the farmer down and give her a bedrock from which she could build herself back up. Though it took time to do so, she was eventually able to focus on her work and swiftly get through it all.

Careful to not make the stacks of clean dishes too high lest they topple over, Applejack reached towards the towel dangling over the handle of the stove. She stopped the second another earthquake rattled the house and sent things careening towards the edges of whatever they were on. Applejack was prepared for this eventuality however, and swiftly moved to save the plates before they could get far.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Applejack pushed herself back upwards, only to immediately gasp in shock. For when the brief tremor had run through the home, it had rattled the curtains open ever so slightly. Giving Applejack just enough space to see the thing in the orchard which had been the cause of the near constant shaking.

Towering over even the tallest apple tree stood a strange unicorn with even odder proportions. Her fur was such a dark shade of purple that it was nearly black, and her legs seemed longer than they should be. She had only the barest stump of a horn, though that didn't mean she wasn't able to cast spells.

Numerous greenish-purple hooves extended from her body and reached down into the orchard. There they plucked trees from the ground, tore out bushes, or otherwise seemed intent on altering the landscape as much as possible. Applejack didn't know why the creature was doing this, but she wasn't exactly considering motives at the moment.

She was too busy staring at the weirdly gaunt pony who was currently ripping through the orchard. Skinny to the point that her ribs were exposed, the creature didn't even seem truly alive and had more in common with a corpse than a unicorn. A sentiment reinforced when she turned suddenly towards Applejack, causing a spike of fear to shoot through the farmer.

The creature’s faintly glowing eyes were unnerving, but it was the raw power brimming behind those orbs that scared Applejack. In that instant the farm pony knew that if the creature wanted, it could snuff the life out of her without any effort. In fact, Applejack was so far beneath the great creature that it would barely need to lift a hoof to crush the farmer flat.

Applejack stared back at the creature for several seconds before reaching forward and attempting to close the curtains. This act seemed to enrage the creature, as it immediately began barrelling towards the farmhouse at a sprint. The ensuing thunderous earthquake felt like it was going to tear the ancient building from its foundations.

Despite everything rattling and crashing down around her, Applejack sprinted unerringly towards the back of the house. Her instincts took over, and she ran straight for the cellar, the loud clatter of her hooves rendered inaudible over the cacophony of noise. So terrified was the farm pony that she didn't even think to check on her family, merely fleeing as fast as possible.

Screeching around the corner, Applejack threw open the door to the basement and leapt down the stairs two at a time. Chunks of wood fell from the ceiling, loose boards knocked free by the thundering hooves approaching ever closer. Panic and chaos was everywhere, including her heart which had grown so full of the stuff that it felt close to bursting.

Applejack dodged a falling shelf filled with preserved apple products and dashed towards the rocky room at the back. Originally having served as the family’s cistern, after a new one had been dug outside of the home, the old one had been turned into a cold storage room. Within it there were dozens of canned goods, but more importantly there was also safety and the promise of survival.

Despite all the good promised by those four stone walls, Applejack felt her hooves begin to falter. Fear still dominated her mind and heart, but a new sensation now accompanied the awful emotions. Curiosity, for as Applejack thought of that great titan striding through her family’s orchard, she felt recognition.

She knew that… thing. Yet Applejack couldn't put a name to it, though she felt like she should be able to.

“Twilight Sparkle,” Applejack muttered in shock. “That's who is out there.”

Applejack stopped dead in her tracks and looked around to find that the walls were no longer shaking. The walls no longer quaked, and the furniture was no longer under threat of being toppled by the rumbling. Which all made sense to Applejack, as it wasn't as though Twilight wasn't powerful, that was undeniable, but she was also good.

Putting one hoof back in front of the other, Applejack trotted back up the stairs. Ignoring all the broken china and shattered glass, Applejack walked calmly back to the front door. Which she pushed open and stepped through, glancing up at the towering undead standing on her front lawn.

“Well? Are you going to come in or not?” Applejack shouted.

The creature cocked its giant head to the side questioningly.

“Yeah, you might scare me sometimes, and sure you might have spooky powers, but I know yer heart,” Applejack declared. “So come on down already and help me with the mess ya made.”

The monster glared at Applejack for several quiet seconds as if attempting to stare down the farm pony. Applejack was unshakable however, and maintained the gaze until the giant smiled faintly. It then began to melt, its extra mass billowing off of it in the form of a faint purple haze that was swiftly blown away by the wind.

Leaving behind the familiar unicorn mare standing on Applejack’s doorstep.

Applejack gestured towards the farmhouse. “Well, are you comin’ or what?”

Though Twilight was incapable of producing tears, she sobbed anyway, her chest rising and falling rapidly. The magic that had washed over her began to fade, leaving the pony feeling both empty and full at the same time. Her heart was packed to the brim with emotion, while her shoulders felt abent of the burden which had weighed them down.

“She's back!” Spike eagerly exclaimed.

“Are you alright?” Midnight Moon inquired, the shadowy creature cupping Twilight's chin. “You look paler than usual.”

“I’m… okay,” Twilight replied.

The dark creature stepped away, a frown crossing its blackened features. “You sure don't seem like it.”

“I’ll explain things in a moment. Right now there is a certain young man who needs a hug,” Twilight smiled and opened her forehooves, allowing the young drake to hug her tightly around the midsection.

“Sorry about that Spike. Were we gone long?” Twilight asked.

Spike shook his head. “No. Just a few hours, but Chrysalis and Cadance were beginning to grow worried about you guys.”

“Wait, us?” Twilight muttered.

The unicorn glanced around the room to find that the rest of her friends were all beginning to regain consciousness as well. Each one emitted a faint rainbow light from their eyes upon awakening, though it faded within a few seconds. The grogginess and confusion they all felt continued to hang over them all, even as they slowly regained their bearings.

“What happened?” asked Fluttershy curiously.

“One minute we were watching Cadance and Chrysalis escape and be all lovey dovey, and the next I was racing Twilight,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, the thestral cracking her neck with an audible pop.

“Yeah I had something similar, only Twi was like a hundred feet tall,” Applejack added.

“I know,” Twilight exclaimed. “I saw it all.”

Rarity winced. “I’m sorry you had to witness that. You must think I am quite petty.”

“No way! We conquered our fears, and Twi Twi knows that. Ain't that right?” Pinkie Pie half asked, half stated.

“I do,” Twilight answered while Spike returned to his seat. “I know that Rarity doesn't need to feel bad because she can't help us in a fight. Rainbow Dash doesn't have anything to prove. Pinkie Pie isn't bothered by what she might have missed. Fluttershy is no longer frightened of being replaced, and Applejack knows that I would never harm her or her family.”

“Darn tootin’,” Applejack exclaimed. “‘Cause you're a part of it sister and don't you forget it.”

“Pardon me,” Cadance interrupted in her usual, gravelly tone. “But I’m afraid there is one of your friends who has not been freed from the spell.”

“What but this is…” Twilight's words died on her lips the second she laid eyes on Sunset Shimmer.

The skeleton had sat apart from the others and had evidently not expected to be roped into the events taking place.

“But I thought we were the ones learning the words,” Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

“The spell is harmonic in nature and is guided by intent rather than will,” Chrysalis explained. “Sometimes strange things happen.”

“What do we do?” Fluttershy inquired.

“I don't know,” Cadance admitted. “It could just wear off, though I have a feeling as though Twilight has an idea.”

The necromancer nodded. “I do.”

“Well, let's hear it! We can't just leave our friend like that!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

“Just think about it,” Twilight began. “The spell’s intent was to help us heal Cadance, right?”

“It was,” Chrysalis admitted in a slightly confused tone. “Though I was trying to impart upon you the necessary skills to invoke the word cooperation.”

“And we have that,” Fluttershy exclaimed. “How do I know that?”

“The words become a part of you upon learning them,” Twilight explained.

“I think you were onto something, Twilight, but what do you mean about the intent?” Cadance pressed.

“It's just that. You wanted to be healed, and it isn't enough that we know cooperation. You need Sunset as well,” Twilight stated.

“Her special telekinesis spell!” Pinkie Pie proclaimed.

“But why is Sunset stuck in the dream thingy?” Rainbow Dash questioned.

“We all overcame some mental hang-ups of ours. Perhaps she has yet to do the same,” Rarity reasoned.

“I think she needs our help,” Applejack offered, waving a hoof in front of the skeleton’s face. “Somethin’ tells me her problems are a little bigger than ours.”

“I would caution you from touching her. You may be brought into her mindscape,” Chrysalis warned. “And though admirable, I would not go in before you have at least thought up a plan.”

“What's there to think about?” Rainbow Dash retorted. “A friend needs our help, and we can give it to them.”

“It's a little more complicated than that,” Fluttershy pointed out.

“Exactly,” Rarity agreed. “You must remember that dear Sunset has been used by Celestia for a very long time and has a lot of… baggage, as it were.”

“It's nothing we can't handle,” Pinkie Pie proclaimed.

“Still. I think it would be prudent to remind everyone that this won't be easy,” Twilight exclaimed. “She's suffered a lot over the years, and we will likely see some very uncomfortable scenes.”

“Wait, why are you all going?” Spike asked.

“Why else would the spell work the way it did, if it didn't intend on us all helping Sunset?” Twilight retorted.

Spike frowned. “I still don't like it.”

“You don't have to like it, but Sunset needs us right now,” Twilight stressed.

“Oh alright, but make it quick,” Spike declared.

Twilight chuckled and glanced to the rest of her friends. “Ready, girls?”

“Ready!” they all called.

“Just be cautious. Her troubles are likely more violent than yours,” Cadance warned.

“We can handle it,” Twilight exclaimed.

“Hell yeah we can. Now let’s go kick some nightmare butt,” Rainbow Dash stated.

“Excuse me?” Midnight Moon interrupted.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean.”

“Everyone grab on,” Twilight offered, extending a hoof.

The rest of her friends walked over and grabbed hold of the undead unicorn’s limb.

“Just remember to be patient and try not to judge Sunset too harshly. She's been through a lot, and likely won't be in a pleasant headspace,” Cadance warned.

“We understand,” Twilight stated, her hoof reaching towards Sunset’s forehead. “Now then, let's finish this.”

“Sunset Shimmer, you are under arrest,” stated a gruff royal guard adorned in full plate mail and armed for battle.

He was joined by an entire squad of unicorns like himself, each one of which was ready for a fight. Their golden armor gleamed like beacons in the small office, reflecting what few muted rays of sunlight pierced the curtains. Taking up nearly a third of the entire room, the new arrivals stood and watched as Sunset Shimmer blinked in confusion.

“What?” Sunset Shimmer muttered.

“You are under arrest for creation and dispersal of an illegal spell. Surrender immediately,” demanded the largest of the guards, whose horn glowed brightly.

Sunset didn't even need to be a magical expert to know that he was preparing something rather nasty. Joining the others, who were all seemingly prepared to blow Sunset away the second she did something aggressive. Seeing that she was outmatched, and that this was not, in fact, a dream, Sunset Shimmer raised her forehooves over her head.

“You must be mistaken. I’m just an assistant professor,” Sunset Shimmer explained. “I only do a bit of research on the side for the university.”

“Is this your spell?” demanded a shorter guard, who pulled a large scroll from his bag and displayed its contents for all to see.

“That is one of the prototypes, yes. How did you get that? I locked it in a safe,” Sunset Shimmer replied.

“We’ll be asking the questions here,” stated the previous guard.

“Wait,” Sunset Shimmer urged. “Since when was my spell illegal? I haven't even had a chance to finish the thing.”

“This morning. Celestia herself has decreed it so,” explained the first soldier.

“But why?” Sunset Shimmer asked. “It's just a medical spell intended for doctors.”

“You invent a spell that can turn someone’s insides to soup and you don't think that's a bad thing? You really are a monster,” exclaimed the lone female guard in a disgusted tone.

“That's why it's a prototype,” Sunset Shimmer began. “It's intended to have several restrictions placed on it so such a thing could never happen.”

“Do you think I care? Now submit to an inhibitor ring or start praying,” demanded the nearest soldier.

Sunset Shimmer lowered her head and bit back her pride, allowing the closest guard to place the band of iron around her horn. Immediately the familiar flow of magic was gone, and in its place was a cold, unfeeling void. Though incredibly unpleasant, Sunset had gone through inhibitor training before, so this wasn't too unnerving for her.

“Good, now start walking and don't stop unless I tell you to,” barked the soldier.

Sunset Shimmer wanted to say something in her defense, but found her mouth too dry to speak. So she simply rose up from her desk, abandoned the papers she had been grading, and trotted towards the door. Along the way she passed by the glares of the various guards, shrinking under their furious looks.

Upon reaching the faculty hallway, Sunset found that another surprise was waiting for her. Only this one came in the shape of what looked like a mix of a giant spider and a unicorn with a horn defect. Her fur was white, her perfectly coiffed and curled mane a deep purple, and her eyes were a deep azure.

“Get moving!” shouted the royal guard.

“Don't keep your captor waiting, but don't give him the pleasure of acting like a whipped dog,” Rarity exclaimed. “Shoulders back, nose up.”

“W-what?” Sunset Shimmer stuttered.

“What did I just say?” bellowed the guard.

Sunset Shimmer scurried forward, the small bolt of lightning hitting her flank and singeing a small patch of fur. She was joined by the strange creature, while the guards took up position behind Sunset. Trotting hastily down the hallway, Sunset Shimmer noticed that she was being watched, not only by the other staff, but by students too.

Numerous faces stared out at her as she was all but paraded by her capturers. It was demoralizing, unpleasant, and downright shameful.

“Shoulders back, nose up,” Rarity commanded. “You may have been wronged, but you will keep your dignity.”

Despite the ridiculousness of it all, Sunset Shimmer couldn't help but follow the weird creature’s orders.

“Now then, don't you feel better?” Rarity inquired.

“A little,” Sunset Shimmer whispered.

“You are not some common criminal caught with their hoof in the cookie jar,” Rarity continued. “You are a bold magical genius who has been wronged by her government. You are in the right, act like it.”

“Do you want me to escape?” Sunset asked.

Rarity sadly shook her head. “That is not possible right now, but what you can do is keep your head held high. Let your friends and colleagues remember you as unbroken and confident.”

Sunset Shimmer nodded and though curious as to how the creature knew anything about her, Sunset kept her mouth shut. Instead she simply focused on appearing as tall and as proud as she could, even if she wanted to curl into cower. Keeping her head up and nose held high helped more than Sunset Shimmer would have thought.

It gave her a sense of confidence she didn't previously have. Not only that, but she felt like she was the wronged party and not like she was at fault for what occurred. Self-pity turned to righteous anger in her breast, and Sunset Shimmer strode calmly down the hallway.

“There you are, darling,” Rarity commented. “Remember that you are not a criminal, you are a lady and so long as you maintain your dignity, you will weather any hardship.”

“Thanks, I guess. Who are you, by the way?” Sunset Shimmer asked, turning to find that there was noone there. “What the heck?”

“Court will resume at eight A.M. tomorrow morning, food will be delivered at seven,” droned the bored tone of the jailor.

“And don't try anything funny,” declared his royal guard escort, who shoved Sunset Shimmer into the waiting cell. “I don't want Iron Bars over here to have to clean you off the wall.”

“Can I at least talk to my lawyer before the hearing?” Sunset Shimmer asked.

The guard and the jailor both exchanged a look before erupting with laughter.

“Good one,” remarked the less armored of the two stallions.

“Lawyer, ha! As if there's any defense against something so obvious,” added his associate.

Sunset Shimmer bit her tongue, and watched as the pair trotted away, already chatting amongst themselves. Forgotten and alone, Sunset Shimmer trotted over to the small, unpleasant smelling bed waiting for her in the corner of the room. Plunking down onto its abnormally hard surface, Sunset Shimmer released a long sigh.

“Do you want to talk about it?” asked a soft, kind voice from somewhere very close.

“Bwah!” Sunset shouted, leaping away from the source of the question.

“I’m sorry to startle you. Would you like me to sit further away?” offered the strange creature.

She resembled the dryads of legend, only the creature sitting on the bed next to Sunset was clearly a pegasus. Or at least part pegasus with a few strange details added on, and she was slightly see through. On top of all that, she had vines growing up her legs, and pink flowers bloomed from around her neck like strange jewelry.

“Where the heck did you come from?” Sunset demanded.

“Does it matter?” Fluttershy replied.

Sunset Shimmer opened her mouth to respond, only to stop herself before saying a word.

“I guess it doesn't,” she admitted after a short pause.

“So…” Fluttershy shifted a little closer to the unicorn. “Would you like to talk about it?”

“You know what? I would like to talk about it!” Sunset Shimmer declared. “Figment of my imagination or not, it would be nice to get this all off my chest.”

The strange dryad-like creature stayed silent, merely motioning for Sunset to continue.

“Well, to start things off. I didn't do anything wrong!” Sunset Shimmer threw up her hooves. “No procedures violated, no rules broken, I even had my early work signed off on by the department heads.”

Sunset Shimmer sank back into the bed, unaware of the wing which had extended across her back. “That's the part that really gets me. How was I supposed to know that making my spell was wrong? I didn't get warned to stop, I didn't get a polite suggestion to change focus, nothing!”

The unicorn stood suddenly, pacing back and forth in the small cell.

“I would have dropped it in an instant if I knew that doing so would guarantee my freedom and allow me to continue teaching,” Sunset Shimmer complained. “I know my spell is useful and would help others, but I’m not so headstrong that I wouldn't have given it all up if demanded of me.”

“That seems rather cruel of them,” Fluttershy offered.

“It was!” Sunset Shimmer shouted. “I could be grading tests, preparing lesson plans, and helping Mister Lucky Hooves with his grant proposal. Instead I’m rotting in a cell and waiting for a sham trial that will no doubt end in my imprisonment.”

Sunset Shimmer fell back to the bed with a thump. “All because I wanted to help avoid the time-consuming and bloody task of cutting ponies open in order to operate on them.”

Fluttershy rubbed the unicorn’s back in slow circles, remaining silent as seconds turned to minutes.

Sunset Shimmer sniffed. “I just don't understand. I always looked up to Celestia and wanted her to make note of my contributions. Yet in my quest for validation I’ve earned not her gratitude, but her ire.”

“You couldn't have known,” Fluttershy whispered.

“I know that, but it doesn't make things any easier,” Sunset Shimmer muttered. “I’ve still lost everything and will likely spend the rest of my life rotting in a cell much like this one.”

“I wouldn't be so sure,” Fluttershy offered.

Sunset Shimmer snorted. “I doubt that, but thank you for listening. I don't know why, but I really felt like I needed to vent like that.”

“It's totally understandable given what you’ve gone through,” Fluttershy remarked.

“I guess so,” Sunset Shimmer murmured. “Are you going to stick around longer than the last one?”

“That depends, do you want me to?” Fluttershy replied.

“I… do,” Sunset Shimmer stated. “I don't want to be alone right now.”

“Then you won't be,” Fluttershy exclaimed, squeezing her wing tight about Sunset Shimmer’s shoulders. “And I’ll be here for as long as you need me to be.”

“Thanks,” Sunset Shimmer whispered.

Sunset Shimmer was thrown bodily through the air, landing in a heap near the middle of the cell. The blood coating her fur helped her to slide across the ground and land with a thump against her bed. Her jailor stood at the entrance to her cell, a disgusted expression on his helmeted face.

“What you did to those ponies was sick. Each time you get let out of your cage, you just prove why you should be in it,” he declared before slamming the cell door shut and walking away.

Leaving Sunset Shimmer to lay on the floor, her entire body aching and wracked with intense shivers. Muscles clenched and unclenched at random, her mind awhirl with enough agony to leave her unable to move. Despite being unable to even formulate a thought, she cried, sobbing heavily as her body trembled.

She remained that way for several minutes before she was finally able to move and turned over onto her back. Still breathing heavily, Sunset Shimmer stared up at the ceiling, silently going over her newest batch of injuries.

Her fur was ruined, matted by blood and viscera that she could no longer remove due to mental compulsions placed on her. Even thinking about using magic within the halls of the castle was enough to make a sharp lance of pain jab into her skull. Thankfully she was used to such torture and quickly refocused her thoughts on finding out if there was anything broken.

Turning each limb individually, Sunset Shimmer found that she was more or less intact. She had two sprains, over a dozen shallow cuts, and probably twice as many bruises. That would come later though, for now she was worried about how swollen her eye had become.

“That guy had a mean right hook,” Sunset muttered to herself.

Awkwardly shifting onto her own four hooves, Sunset trundled over to the sink and the mirror which hung above it. An uncomfortable bird bath would come later, for now the unicorn focused on just getting her face cleaned up. Doing so took time as she had to avoid the many open wounds, but thankfully her vision had cleared up by the end.

“Must have just been some dir-” Sunset’s statement was cut off when she noticed she wasn't alone.

Sitting on the bed directly behind her was a strange bat-winged pegasus with long, fur-tipped ears. Though small, she was well-muscled and watched Sunset Shimmer with a veteran’s eye. Her mane was a ragged, short and multi-colored array that resembled a slightly muted rainbow.

“Don't stop just for me. Finish clearing up that face of yours at least,” Rainbow Dash encouraged.

Sunset Shimmer gaped silently for a moment before turning back to the sink once more. Where she swiftly finished her odd routine, cleansing the last filth from her features before facing her guest.

“Who are you?” Sunset demanded. “Are you like the others I’ve seen?”

“Others? Nah, doesn't matter,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. “I think the more important thing is whatever mission you had just been sent on. Seems like you got a lot on your mind.”

Sunset gritted her teeth, and was for a moment gripped by an intense anger. Though that swiftly dissipated, leaving behind an uncomfortable coldness that settled on her heart.

“I’m just going to pretend like you're some hallucination of mine,” Sunset remarked.

Rainbow Dash shrugged. “Whatever makes it easier for you.”

“Celestia sent me out to destroy a group of supposed terrorists near the sky docks,” Sunset Shimmer began, her expression becoming distant. “My only real talent with magic is fire, but I only ever used it in the context of healing ponies.”

“How would you do that anyway? Like cauterize a wound?” Rainbow Dash asked.

Sunset Shimmer snorted. “Nothing quite so brutish, though in extreme circumstances, yes, that was a possibility. Fire can be used to burn away infections, to remove unsightly blemishes, or, in a pinch, sterilize tools.”

The unicorn began to pace back and forth, wincing occasionally.

“I’ve always strived to use fire as a way to heal others, never offensively, yet I was forced to do so,” Sunset Shimmer muttered. “Ironic, really. She feared that my magic could be used in that way so she locked me up and forced me to employ it in such a manner.”

“I think that's more coincidental than ironic, but continue,” Rainbow Dash encouraged.

“Why do you want me to tell you about that anyway? It isn't pretty and though I don't particularly care about your opinion of me, you’d certainly hate me after I told you,” Sunset Shimmer exclaimed.

“Because I’m your friend, and I know it's weighing on you,” Rainbow Dash replied. “I promise you that once you’ve finished, I won’t think any less of you.”

Sunset Shimmer raised an eyebrow. “Really? How could you promise such a thing.”

“It's just a feeling,” Rainbow Dash answered with a shrug.

“Whatever. I suppose it doesn't matter now. Those ponies are dead, and I’m not,” Sunset Shimmer muttered, straightening her back and standing tall. “I thought that if I were able to eliminate them in a showy enough manner that Celestia would be unable to spin things in her favor.

“I was wrong,” Sunset Shimmer admitted after a short pause.

“What happened, exactly?” Rainbow Dash pressed.

“I waited until they were all inside the abandoned apartment they were using as a base, and…” Sunset Shimmer hesitated. “I went in, snuck up to the fifth floor hideout, and threw a fireball at them.”

“So you got ‘em, what's the problem?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“I didn't just get them, I burnt them alive!” Sunset Shimmer shouted. “I had only ever used the spell in miniature before and had no idea how to properly gauge it. Fire went everywhere and the entire building went up so fast that I had to jump out of a third story window to avoid it.”

Sunset Shimmer held up a hoof, stopping the question Rainbow Dash was about to ask.

“That's not the worst of it,” Sunset Shimmer muttered. “It spread immediately, and I tried to contain it, only to be stopped by Celestia herself. She said that it would, quote, galvanize support for her efforts.”

Rainbow Dash nodded knowingly. “Yeah, that sounds like something she’d do.”

“I knew she would make me into a murderer, but I never thought I’d become her butcher,” Sunset Shimmer muttered.

“Hey now. I said I wasn't going to think less of you, and I don't,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. “You screwed up, yeah, but you were going to make up for it and would have if you hadn't been stopped.”

“Yes, but-”

“But nothing,” Rainbow Dash interrupted. “Celestia may vilify you, but you know that ultimately she is the villain here, not you. She’s the one forcing you hoof in all this.”

“I guess,” Sunset Shimmer muttered.

“Hey, chin up. It gets better,” Rainbow Dash declared.

“Yeah… right?” Sunset Shimmer whispered, looking around to find that she was alone once more. “What was that?”

Sunset Shimmer lay face down on her bed, mind empty, and body slack. The quiet of the small, nearly empty cell was all-consuming, leaving little room for thought. All color, emotion, and experience simply drained out of the space like it was a void in the universe.

The unicorn wished to be thankful to be free from pain of the physical variety and though true, she was still experiencing another kind of agony. Guilt, shame, self-loathing, and other destructive impulses fired at the back of the mare’s mind. Those emotions were distant, however, abating just enough to give the pony a sort of peace.

“Hey, look,” whispered a voice.

Sunset Shimmer groaned and looked over to where a strange earth pony mare was standing near the wall. She appeared normal enough at first glance, though she was also a frightening bright shade of pink. Then Sunset looked a little closer and found that the creature had a rocky coat which sported large stony protrusions. Her guest was also very, very large, and would likely loom over even some of the tallest stallions Sunset knew personally.

“What?” Sunset Shimmer muttered.

“C'mere, you gotta see this,” Pinkie Pie whispered, pointing to the wall.

Sunset groaned and lay face down once more, unable to muster the strength to move.

“Go away,” Sunset Shimmer grumbled.

“Aww, come on. This is cool, you gotta see it,” urged the strange creature.

“Why do you people keep popping up and trying to help me? Where are you coming from?” Sunset Shimmer asked.

“That doesn't matter. Just c'mere, I promise you won't regret it,” Pinkie Pie reiterated.

For a second Sunset Shimmer was prepared to ignore the newcomer, only for her curiosity to spark. She wondered what exactly the stranger was speaking of and why she was here. It gave Sunset just enough strength to push her way out of bed and slowly trot over to the creature.

“What, what is it?” Sunset Shimmer demanded.

“Just look,” Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

Sunset Shimmer followed the creature’s hoof to the wall, where she saw a narrow crack nearly three inches long. Barely wide enough to slide a deck of cards through, it was however enough to gaze out over Canterlot. The view was stunning and despite the lingering lethargy clouding her mind, Sunset Shimmer found herself smiling ever so slightly.

“I know, right? Keep looking,” Pinkie Pie urged.

No prompting was needed, as Sunset Shimmer was eagerly inspecting her surroundings. The first thing she saw was the sun slowly setting in the west and bathing the world in its shrouded yellow rays. The faint and fading illumination cast the already golden city into an even more resplendent light.

Despite her anger at the city and its mistress, Sunset Shimmer felt herself unable to resist admiring the vista. Cloud-piercing towers, wide city streets painted bright colors and sporting tall, bright markings. Even its many inhabitants added to the settlement’s beauty, placing splashes of pastel at random places.

Sunset Shimmer wanted to hate it, to detest the very sight of her home, but she couldn't. Its beauty may have been marred by Celestia’s hoof, but it was not an extension of the tyrannical alicorn. It existed within her control, but even she could not claim ownership over its allure.

“Can you hear it?” whispered the stranger.

“Hear what?” Sunset retorted.

“The music, it's enchanting,” Pinkie Pie added.

The unicorn leaned as close as she could get, her ears standing straight up in an attempt to capture the noise. She remained there for several quiet minutes and was about to quit when she caught the distant sound of notes. They faded and grew, rising then swelling along with an entire orchestra of unseen instruments.

“A heart song,” Sunset murmured.

“Somewhere close too,” Pinkie Pie pointed out.

Sunset nodded, unwilling to further mar the song with her voice.

The words themselves were muddied to the point of being inaudible, but their purpose was clear even to Sunset. Duty, honor, respect, dignity, all these things and more were carried by the wind, directly to Sunset’s ears. Though they granted Sunset little respite from her situation, the music did give her strength she had not had a minute earlier.

She could almost imagine some naive and brainwashed guard signing up to serve. They may not know what they are getting into, but Sunset knew they had good intentions. The words contained within them a sincere passion to help people, to give mercy to the less fortunate, and assist when they could.

Sunset pitied the speaker, but hoped they would be able to put more good than bad into the world. Beyond the impression and intent of the song, it was also just beautiful, adding background to the view. Which when put together, eased Sunset Shimmer and made her feel strangely at home.

“Take what joy you can when you can,” offered the stranger. “It might be small, but those are the things you should relish the most.”

“I suppose I should get used to it. It's not like I’m ever going to get out of here,” Sunset Shimmer muttered.

“You will eventually, and things will get better, but that won't be for a while,” Pinkie Pie remarked.

Sunset Shimmer blinked. “Wait, how do you- and she's gone.”

Glancing around the room revealed that Sunset Shimmer was alone once more.

“Damn,” she cursed.

Sunset Shimmer landed with a thump back in her cell, her right forehoof clenched tight against her chest. Wheezing and out of breath, she didn't even hear the comment her jailor shot her way before disappearing. Not like she cared, as she simply lay there on her stomach until she was certain that she was alone.

Then she uncurled and glanced over her shoulder to find that yes, she was the only one around. The realization made her grin manically and pull out the shard of glass she had been hiding. Immediately she moved the sharp edge against her fur a few inches above her hoof.

“Woah there,” warned a voice. “I wouldn't do that if I were you.”

Sunset Shimmer stopped and looked up to find that there was an earth pony with a tree growing on her back standing right before her. It wasn't just growing on her however, it also covered her entire body like armor, even the majority of her face. The plant seemed to be an apple tree, and other than bark, the pony only wore a beaten up stetson that sat atop her head.

“I know this is just a memory, but for you the pain would be real. You don't want to experience that all over again, now do ya?” Applejack pressed.

“What?” Sunset Shimmer muttered.

“That ain't the point though,” Applejack remarked. “The point is that things are going to get better.”

“I’m a slave,” Sunset Shimmer deadpanned. “It's never going to get better, and the longer I live, the worse it will get.”

“What if I told ya things would indeed get better for ya?” Applejack questioned, squatting down in front of the pony. “And that you’d make friends who would be willin’ to bleed for ya if necessary?”

“I’d tell you you're insane,” Sunset Shimmer exclaimed. “Though I guess since you're a hallucination like the others, that would mean I’m nuts. Not unexpected, to be honest.”

“Well, it's true,” Applejack asserted. “I know it's dark now, but you know what they say. The dawn always comes.”

“It's the dawn I am regretting,” Sunset Shimmer retorted, stepping back and pressing the glass against her wrist. “I’d settle for eternal night if it meant I never had to see her symbol again.”

Applejack clicked her tongue. “Sorry ‘bout that. Thought one of your phrases would help matters. Regardless, what I said was indeed true.”

“I don't care,” Sunset Shimmer spat. “I want out, and this is it.”

“That ain't it,” Applejack retorted. “Besides, you're stronger than that. Heck, you’re the strongest person I know.”

“How do you…” Sunset Shimmer sighed. “Look, just leave me alone, okay? I really don't want to make you watch me die, but I will if pushed.”

“Sunset,” Applejack whispered, lying on the ground in front of the other mare. “You ain't alone down here, girl. You may not know it right now, but you’ll find a whole buncha folk who will love ya.”

“What the hell does a random figment of my imagination know anyway? You can't see the future anymore than you can… exist!” Sunset spat.

“I assure you I’m quite real, but that's neither here nor there,” Applejack replied.

“You aren't real, you don't know what's going to happen, and you don't know what it's like to be made into a tool!” Sunset Shimmer shouted.

“Yer right, I don't,” Applejack admitted. “I can't imagine how painful this is for you, but I do know that this, this ain't the answer.”

“Then what the hell is, hmm? Just let her torture me more?” Sunset demanded.

“Bide your time,” Applejack answered. “I know it ain't what yer supposed to say, but if spite gives you strength, then do that. At the end of everything, hold onto anything.”

“You aren't a very good councilor, you know that?” Sunset Shimmer pointed out.

Applejack chuckled. “Nah, I admit I ain't the best at this type of thing. All I know is that if it's revenge, hatred, or whatever that ties you here for now, then grab that by the knickers.”

This time it was Sunset Shimmer’s turn to laugh. “That's the most uplifting advice you’ve given so far. Though I don't think any therapist would agree with your methods.”

“Nah, probably not,” Applejack admitted. “They’d probably say something like forgive, then forget about them.”

“Ha! Like that would happen,” Sunset Shimmer scoffed.

“That was my thoughts,” Applejack extended a hoof. “Now do ya mind if I take that off ya?”

Sunset Shimmer hesitated a moment, only now aware of the fact that she had moved the shard far away from her hoof. Her grip tightened, only to loosen almost immediately, and she slowly moved to drop it. The second she released the sharp hunk of glass, a weight seemed to lift from her shoulders, and she released a sigh.

Applejack took the glass and crushed it between her hooves with a satisfying crunch, leaving behind nought but dust.

“There we go,” Applejack declared. “Now let's hear about those revenge plans of yours.”

“What, you're not going to disappear all mysteriously once I look away like the others?” Sunset Shimmer asked.

Applejack blinked. “Now why would I go and do a silly thing like that? You may not be hurtin’ yourself, but your still hurtin’.”

Sunset Shimmer shook her head in disbelief. “I don't know who the heck you are, but I like you.”

“Well, that's mighty nice of you, Sunset. I like you too,” Applejack declared.

Sunset Shimmer hopped up onto her bed. “Right, so this is what I’d do-”

Celestia suddenly lurched forward and slapped Sunset Shimmer hard enough to make the unicorn’s neck strain as far as it could go without snapping.

“Fuck, what the hell?” spat Sunset Shimmer.

Celestia wiped the blood from her hoof onto Sunset’s flank. “Language, young one. Now I will not repeat this again. In your own words, what happened to Twilight Sparkle?”

“You know very well what happened, you crazy bitch! I popped her heart with my spell,” Sunset Shimmer snarled, her very blood demanding that she spit in her foe’s face, only to find herself unable to do so.

“Ahh, yes,” Celestia began. “Your evil spell you intended on using to kill hundreds without getting caught. I remember that one.”

“Kill hundreds? Celestia, I was trying to enable doctors to perform surgery without ever having to open a pony up!” Sunset Shimmer shouted. “But all you saw was a weapon and jumped to the stupid conclusion that I was-”

Celestia delivered another backhoof, this one just as hard and just as fast. Thankfully Sunset saw this coming and was able to brace herself at least a little before the blow came. As Sunset stood there, reeling from the blow, she thought she saw a shape move at the edge of her vision. Glancing over to the movement revealed that nothing was there, so she turned back to Celestia just as she opened her mouth.

“I will not be spoken to in such a manner. You have lost your right to speak until somepony asks you a direct question.” Sunset felt something spark to life within her, and the insult that was forming on her lips became unintelligible noise. “There, much better. Maybe a stay in the tank will set you straight. This should give you ample time to regret underestimating a necromancer and undermining the utopia I have spent millennia building.”

The alicorn’s face morphed into one of overdramatic pity. “What is it, Specialist Shimmer? No comeback, no spit of defiance? Why, I am shocked.”

The alicorn tossed aside the blade and walked towards the door, ignoring the incoherent rambling coming from the unicorn. Celestia continued walking through the door and moved to close it behind her, only to stop at the last possible second. “Oh yes, I almost forgot. Silly me, here I was so preoccupied with thoughts of a massage and cake that I nearly forgot to enact your punishment.”

The mare lit her horn and with a flash of power, the room went pitch black and the unicorn’s nonsense cries were silenced, the only light or sound emanating from the still open door. “There we are, oh yes, and one last thing. Miss Shimmer?” The unicorn blinked and looked up towards the door. “Burn.”

“No,” interrupted a new voice.

Sunset Shimmer looked over in shock as the shadows melted away to reveal a towering unicorn of incredible height. As tall as Princess Celestia herself, the newcomer had a much darker coloration. So dark was her purple fur that it looked nearly black. Though her horn was a mere stump, Sunset Shimmer knew instinctively that the newcomer was incredibly powerful.

“What?” demanded Celestia, who turned fully towards the strange unicorn. “Who are you?”

“Irrelevant,” Twilight replied. “Out of the two of you, only one truly deserves the chance to speak. Isn't that right, Sunset Shimmer?”

Sunset Shimmer gasped, the compulsion which had gripped her vanishing in an instant.

“How did you-” Sunset began.

“Silence!” Celestia shouted. “I don't know who you are or how you got in here, and I don't care.”

Celestia’s horn began to glow, only for the light to vanish the second Twilight waved her hoof.

“Don't bother,” Twilight remarked. “You’re a figment of Sunset’s mind and don't deserve agency in this dream.”

“Wha-”

“And by that I mean you can just stand there, quietly,” Twilight interrupted, turning back to Sunset. “Now then. I sense a lot of anger, wanna take that out on a worthy target?”

Sunset Shimmer looked down at herself to find that she was completely nude, and not only that, but she looked healthy. She still had all her hair, and even her scars were gone.

“How?” Sunset Shimmer questioned.

“Do you care?” Twilight asked, stepping back and extending a hoof at Celestia.

“No,” Sunset Shimmer answered. “No, I don't.”

“Enjoy, and once you're done, come back and talk to me,” Twilight offered.

Sunset Shimmer nodded as she passed the strange unicorn by.

Twilight stood there, purposefully looking away while Sunset Shimmer lit her horn. There was a sharp cry followed by a dull explosion a moment later. What occurred right after was five uninterrupted minutes of what sounded like the cruelest torture imaginable. Then when it was done, Sunset Shimmer emerged once more, a small smile on her face.

“Feel better?” Twilight offered.

Sunset Shimmer nodded. “I do, actually.”

“Good, now this might be a bit jarring, but I need to connect your sleeping mind to your waking one,” Twilight warned.

“I feel like I should ask more questions, but I’m just going to let you do your thing,” Sunset Shimmer exclaimed.

Twilight chuckled. “Good choice.”

The strange mare then waved a glowing greenish hoof over Sunset’s head.

The unicorn then fell to the ground, groaning in pain as her flesh began to melt from her bones. In seconds there was nothing left but a familiar bleached skeleton.

“Are you alright?” Twilight questioned.

“Yeah…” Sunset Shimmer muttered. “Just… dealing with a lot all at once.”

“Sorry for intruding by the way. That wasn't our intent,” Twilight apologized.

“I get it. And… thanks,” Sunset Shimmer offered. “The pain is still there, and the memories will still haunt me, but now… now I’ll think of the girls.”

“I hope that's not worse,” Twilight remarked with a smirk.

Sunset Shimmer chuckled. “You girls are always a joy.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” Twilight exclaimed. “Ready to wake up now?”

“That depends. Can I destroy another Celestia first?” Sunset Shimmer asked.

Twilight giggled. “How about this? I’ll teach you how to both sleep as an undead and how to do lucid dreaming. Then you can live out your fantasy every single night.”

“I love you,” Sunset Shimmer exclaimed.

Twilight rolled her eyes. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

“What, you're not going to ask me out now?” Sunset Shimmer asked in mock confusion.

“And take away a certain assistant of mine’s chance? No way,” Twilight replied.

“It's not Beaker, is it?” Sunset asked.

Twilight scoffed. “What do you think?”

Sunset Shimmer chuckled. “I should have expected as much. Maybe after this fight I’ll ask her out. It would be weird given that we are both not alive, but I think I’m asexual to begin with.”

“So are they, I think. She doesn't talk much,” Twilight explained.

“She does listen quite well though,” Sunset Shimmer added.

“Very true, now do you want to go heal Cadance?” Twilight offered. “We kinda need you for this.”

“You need my spell, right?” Sunset Shimmer asked.

“I’m afraid so,” Twilight answered.

Sunset Shimmer sighed despite her lack of lungs. “I probably would have said no, but after seeing what she’s been through, I can't deny that she deserves to be healed.”

“So long as you're comfortable,” Twilight offered.

“Oh, it won't be pleasant at all, but then again that's fine. For her, I’d push through a little discomfort,” Sunset Shimmer exclaimed.

Twilight smiled. “I’m glad you think that way, and that you feel at least a little better.”

“Me too, Twilight,” Sunset chuckled. “You know, who would have thought dying would have been the best thing to ever happen to me?”

“I know the feeling, Sunset,” Twilight declared.

“You would, wouldn't you?” Sunset Shimmer asked, reaching out with a hoof. “Well then. Let's make sure Cadance doesn't need to have that particular revelation.”

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