Applejack was waiting when Sunset pulled into the driveway, her bike’s tires slinging gravel as she stopped sharper than normal. One blonde brow arched as the farmer helped Sunset wheel the bike out of the way under a tree. “Ya look like a carcass dragged half a mile behind a plow, Sunset. Wanna talk about it?”

“Not really,” she replied, feeling drained for the moment. The brief confrontation with Twilight at the base of the stairs and the rough, somewhat reckless drive to the farm had left her feeling emotionally wrung out, but the former unicorn knew that feeling wouldn't last. Not after what she’d sensed when she went digging this morning through Twilight’s essence—there, almost invisible, were the barest tendrils of dark magic, fresh but already withering, and Sunset’s touch had burned them up, just like at the Battle of the Bands, or the day she’d stood between Shining and his mother.

The fury was simply banked for the minute, the slowly building inferno in her chest gaining strength the more she thought about the fact that something malicious was trying to use her adorable nerd for some terrible end. She wanted to take that available time to sort through the unimportant things cluttering up her mind after the night before. Being reminded of snotty aristocratic brats who had long aged past her in a world and kingdom she may never return to was painful and distracting and a lot less important than the more immediate fact that there was something using dark, corrupt magics on her best friend, or the fact that her other closest friends were practically bursting at the seams with magic they were struggling to learn how to use and control.

She looked up to meet worried emerald eyes, and hugged the tall girl impulsively. “Thank you for caring, Applejack…I…I won't say I’m fine, but I need to organize my thoughts before I’m ready to talk.”

Scratching at the back of her neck, AJ nodded. “Alrighty then…c’mon then. Best way Ah know ta clear yer head is a bit of mindless work. Gotta muck the barn and pull some bales down from the loft.”

“Sounds good…” Sunset followed her into the larger stock barn, where they kept the cows and the family’s few horses during the winter cold. It was still unnerving to have wall-eyed primitive equine faces hanging out over stall doors at her, but at least they smelled better than the pigpen. “Are you putting them out in the field today?”

“Eyuuuup. Think ya can set the horses out while Ah muck out the stalls?”

With a noise of agreement, Sunset fell in beside her friend for the work. It turned into a longer, more grueling and physically taxing endeavor than anticipated, especially when Sunset caught the distinctly off gait in one of the horses that she knew all too well—something was caught putting pressure on the fleshy pad on the underside. That had led to her appropriating the Apple family’s hoof care kit, and with more than a little grumbling about how awful it was to get something stuck up between the hoof wall and the frog, had cleaned the offending foot until she located a sliver of thick, unyielding haystalk that had wedged itself in good and was jabbing awkwardly into the one part of a hoof that was sensitive to pressure. Its removal had been met with such approval from the mare that she’d practically knocked Sunset over when she’d headbutted the redhead.

Applejack was still giving her plenty of teasing as they headed in to wash up. “So…looks ta me like yer part of the herd now,” she laughed, “an’ Ah think Daisy is sweet on ya! Gonna take her ta prom?”

Blowing air out her nostrils in a snort, Sunset gave her friend a glare with no heat behind it. “She was just appreciative for me getting the annoyance out of her hoof,” she grumbled. “There's no comparison to what that feels like for a pony, not even a rock in your shoe. Maybe a sliver under your fingernail, or a piece of wood stuck in your foot, but even that’s not quite the same.”

“Sunset, she done followed ya around the paddock the rest of the morning, making doe eyes. An’ after ya put Rufus in his place, it was like Moses an’ the Red Sea!” Applejack stepped into the mudroom and stripped off the soiled work clothes and muck covered boots.

Sunset just removed her boots and went to wash up in the big basin sink. “…he’s a gelded stallion, AJ. Of course he’s going to give way to an assertive mare. He just wasn't expecting a unicorn mare to walk into his home wearing this body.” She rolled her eyes. “Also you have the weirdest take on pony body language I’ve ever heard of, by the way—none of what that mare was doing would count as flirting, even in the most primitive fashion. She was trying to make a friendly overture after I made one to her.”

Green eyes study her. “Uh huh.” Her expression turned sly. “So what would count then? Magic ponies give each other flowers? Show off their ears and shiny coats ta each other?”

Her face grew hot as her mind wandered to Twilight and parts of the girl that most assuredly were not her ears. “Um…we don't look at ears. Flowers are a pretty good way to show interest though—there's so many plants and ways to arrange them in bouquets, and a lot of them do have meanings…” Sweet sunfire, this was not a conversation she really wanted to have with anyone. Especially not things that counted as instinctive flirtatious gestures for her species. Redirect, Shimmer! “Especially since many of them are delicious too. I used to buy this snack, during late spring and early summer in Canterlot, where the vendor would sell spring flowers coated with other things, like chocolate or honey, and sometimes, she’d add things like chopped nuts or dried fruit. Her dark chocolate walnut daffodils were so decadent they should have been illegal.”

“Chocolate covered flowers? Huh. Ah guess Ah can see why pony-folk would like those.” The farmer joined Sunset at the sink, to wash the worst of the grime off her arms, hands, and face. “So ponies give each other flowers just like people, huh? Guessin’ pony flower language ain’t the same as human ones.”

Sunset blinked. “You guys have flower language?” She paused, thought about it for a minute. “You know flower language?”

The blonde laughed. “Aw, Sunset…don't sound so shook up!” Her eyes danced with humor. “Rares loves gettin’ flowers, so Ah made a point ta know what Ah was sayin’ years ago.” Then she sobered a bit. “‘Sides, Ma was big on flowers and Ah used ta help in the garden.”

Wincing, the former unicorn tried to focus on something that wouldn't poke at the loss of her friend’s parents. “I guess it makes sense. I never considered that humans would have a particularly complex flower language, but…you guys do cultivate a lot of them, despite the fact that almost none of them are edible for you….”

“Eeeeeyup. Most people know the big ones. Red roses fer a lover, white or pink fer yer mum or granny, yellow ta say yer sorry. But there's lots more, and ya can send all kinds o’ messages with how many of what kinds and colors, and even how they’re arranged together.” There was a measure of smugness to Applejack’s grin. “Ah like sending Rares flower notes an’ seeing how long it takes her ta figure out what Ah said.”

There was an amused throat clearing from the inner door. “And you are quite exceptional at subtle messages, dearest,” Rarity said. “But if you keep wowing Sunset with your exploits in the fairly lost art of speaking with floral arrangements, breakfast will get cold.”

At this rate, Sunset was going to end up with mental whiplash. She turned to stare at Rarity, who was already dressed—though her hair was still damp from a shower and pulled back in a simple ponytail. “…I didn't know you were here,” Sunset blurted without thinking.

Rarity smiled, beckoning her inside. “Mother and father are off on an anniversary trip, so Sweetie and I are spending the next two weeks here. And I took the liberty of assisting Granny with cooking breakfast.” She paused, her expression faltering. “That alternative is Sweetie helping in the kitchen.”

Sunset tilted her head in confusion, until AJ leaned over to whisper, “Sweetie Belle can’t make a sandwich without burning boiling water.”

“That…I…how?”

Rarity made a face. “We aren't sure, darling, but it's just best to keep her out of the kitchen.” She led them inside. “Thankfully, Applebloom helps keep her distracted on mornings such as this. They're off doing minor chores upstairs.”

Granny patted Sunset’s shoulder as she set a bowl of sliced fruit on the table in front of the former unicorn. “Mornin’, young’un. More trainin’ today?”

Pushing her hair back from her face, Sunset shook her head. “Not really…until later maybe. We’re getting the supplies for our park clean up. Maybe painting some bird houses or feeders. If we have time after we’re done, I might do some more training or research.”

“Eat up first. Can't get any real work done fer the day if yer belly’s chewin’ on yer backbone!” the old woman instructed before she shuffled back to the kitchen, half muttering to herself about teenagers. Sunset just looked at her friends—she had a hard time grasping Granny Smith’s behavior on a good day, and this was not a good day. Applejack just shrugged and started loading up a plate with a heaping mound of eggs and sausage, along with several large biscuits of a type Sunset had only ever seen come out of the Apple kitchen. Rarity just rolled her eyes and pushed the eggs her way, mouthing ‘Just eat,’ at her.

Deciding to take her friend’s hint, Sunset filled her plate—despite her awful night, she had an appetite, and managed to eat more at the breakfast table than Applejack…who had gone back for thirds. It…was a nice change of pace from the normal tendency to be ill before, during, and after nightmares, but it was still embarrassing when she got teased about it, especially when it was Applebloom and Sweetie Belle poking fun at her during the clean-up.

It was overwhelming enough that she ended up fleeing outside as quietly and quickly as possible, leaning against the battered farm truck to wait on AJ and shivering in the February sunshine. It was stupid, she berated herself, to get agitated over a couple of middle schoolers teasing her in a way that was clearly not malicious, but she couldn't help it. She was still a little too raw to be able to deal with any teasing. Even Applejack’s earlier jibes had felt a little more pointed than intended, and she knew perfectly well that that had been her blonde friend’s way of trying to get her mind off whatever was bothering her and to maybe make her laugh a little.

Footsteps crunched along the gravel nearby, and she looked up into green eyes, even as Applejack unlocked the truck. “Ready? Rares gave me the list. Said you have all the donation money.” Sunset just nodded, and climbed into the passenger seat, hunching her shoulders inside her jacket and fiddling with her scarf.

As they sat there, in the idling vehicle, the tall girl cleared her throat. “So…ya ready ta tell me yet about what's got ya lookin’ like yer dog just died and snippier’n Rarity when she’s got a weeks worth of sewing ta do two days before a deadline?” She gestured. “Ain't one here but us, and no one ta overhear.”

It was an oddly familiar scenario, sitting in the passenger side of a vehicle, trying to decide whether or not to spill what was on her mind. Sure, it was a truck instead of a sporty car, and Applejack in the driver’s seat as opposed to Flash, but it held the same mental and emotional feeling, with her friend offering the same quiet patience and open ear as her ex. Sunset blew air out her nostrils in a heavy sigh, absently chewing on her fingernail as she warred with herself.

“None of that now,” her friend interrupted, nudging her hand away from her mouth and offering her a bag of fruit flavored lollipops instead. “Chew on one of these, not yerself—no need ta risk needing medical attention if ya bite too hard.”

Flushing, the former unicorn took one and then took her time unwrapping it. Her hand was still sore from the abuse her cribbing had subjected it to the night before, and she didn't really want to subject it to any more. “I’m…worried,” she admitted.

“‘Bout what?” Tanned fingers fiddled with the truck's heat, and soon the chilly cabin was being flooded with warmer air.

She warred with herself, then decided to tell as much as she could without mentioning Twilight by name. “This might sound a little out there…I’ve been having nightmares,” she started. “…and…not-quite…visions. Like what happened the day we blew the school’s power out.”

Green eyes studied her, before AJ turned her attention to putting the truck into gear and pulling out of the gravel patch into the driveway proper. “So not just weird shit cuz ya ate too many jalapeños durin’ a slasher movie marathon right before bed then.”

“Um…no?” She gave her friend a somewhat confused glance. “That’s…weirdly specific.”

There was a snort of laughter. “Dash did it on a dare when we were eleven. Still not sure what kept her up more—nightmares or her gut’s opinions on an entire jar of jalapeños.”

Well. That…was certainly something. Sunset shook her head to dispel that mental image and refocus on the topic at hand. “…right. No, it's…not like that. Because there's more…I’ve…encountered people affected by dark magic—” There was a sharp sound from Applejack, and she paused to give her a chance to absorb that, before continuing. “Except it's not the same as with the sirens. This dark magic is…hidden…somehow, until it activates.”

“That ain't good. Any ideas on who these folk are?”

Taking a deep breath, Sunset said, “The only link I’ve seen so far is that they are either Crystal Prep students…or the family of Crystal Prep students. Obviously, I can't just go up and ask about who might be casting dark magic on them, or what they have in common with each other, you know? Most people would call the cops, and I’d like to avoid that.”

Applejack made a noise in her throat. “Yeah, Ah can see that. Prolly shouldn’t draw attention ta ourselves and our magic.” She was silent for a minute, but the expression on her face suggested she had more to say, so Sunset waited.

She was not disappointed. “…gonna be honest, though: wouldn't surprise me all that much if it were someone at CPA behind it. Some of them folks are…not exactly ethical types. If it’d give them a way ta get what they want, they’d go fer it.”

Thinking about the way Wallflower had acted, even without the presence of dark magic, Sunset grimaced. “I’ve…gotten that impression,” she acknowledged, rubbing her face. “Which is part of what worries me. Dark magic…can be addictive…to those who crave power.”

The farmer makes an unhappy sound. “Definitely ain’t good. So what do we do?”

Sunset rubbed the back of her neck, trying to relieve some of the tension in the muscles. “We prepare ourselves. We can’t exactly go hunting for whoever or whatever is responsible, but dark magic users usually seek out more power. And with you girls acting like living vessels of Harmony magic…”

“Then it's only a matter of time before the next magical so-and-so comes a’knockin’.” Applejack shook her head.

She let air escape from her nose slowly in something that wasn't quite a sigh, but was filled with tired resignation. “Exactly. So us practicing, getting all of us to the point where we can access and then use our magic is important—unfortunately, I highly doubt whatever is responsible for what I’ve sensed is going to give us the time we really need before it comes looking for our magic.” Sunset rested her head back against the seat. “It doesn't help that there just isn't enough time in the day to get everything done I need to do.”

The truck pulled into the parking lot of the local hardware store, and AJ turned to face her once the vehicle was safely parked in a space. “…Mebbe you should start delegating.”

Delegate? Blue-green eyes must have showed her confusion because Applejack sighed. “Look…Ah know yer doing what Rares suggested, talking to us and not keepin’ everything in all the time…but yer still trying ta do most of everything by yerself.” She tapped her fingers on the steering wheel. “Some of it, Ah get. Yer the only one with know-how about using magic, so yer the only one who can teach us. But there's other stuff we can do.”

The redhead frowned. “I’m not dismissing it, but…what exactly do you think I should hand off to you girls? I…can't exactly see Dash being particularly enthusiastic about research.”

Her friend laughed. “Aw, shit…no, Dash’d be bored and playin’ hangman in the margins before ten minutes was up! Ah meant…okay, research is a good place ta start. Lyra’s already organizing what folks at school bring in, and any of that stuff she finds on the internet. So…why not let her do more? Give her…and Flash, mebbe, since he’s level headed, a way to sort the good from the bad, an’ let them read through it all. Then you only have ta go through the most promisin’ stuff ta see if its legit at all.”

The more she mulled it over, the more she liked the idea. “…I could…I’d still have to be the one to go through the books from Equestria, but…that would save me a lot of time with all the human folklore…”

“Sure would. Bon-Bon and Flash are already handling the rest of the school—with some help from Rarity—and Miss Luna seems ta have the teachers under control…” AJ took off her hat and fiddled with it. “Ah also thought mebbe you could teach Dash ta work yer scanner, and let her fly around town at night ta take all those readings. Takes you a few hours, dont it?”

Sunset nodded slowly. “Yeah, because I’ve been driving out to both the observatory and near the beach to get ambient baselines far from the epicenter of our school. It eats up a good bit of my Saturday and Tuesday afternoons.”

Applejack shrugged. “Let Dash do it at night. She can fly, and it’ll let her use her magic. She can get it done in less than an hour, without having ta pay money fer gas.”

This was not the conversation she expected to have, but that wasn't a bad thing, Sunset decided. “I…could do that. Make a list of locations and teach her the thaumameter’s scan functions…I can read the data later for myself, and she wouldn't have to learn more than four or five glyphs.” She ran a hand through her hair. “That would give me more breathing room…Thanks, Applejack.”

“Oh, Ah ain’t done,” the farmer responded. “Ain't just magic Ah think could use delegation. Like…this park project. Ah get that it was yer present ta Fluttershy, but…we can help more. Like the feeders and birdhouses. Pinkie and Ah had an idea fer getting them painted all nice and colorful if yer willing ta let us handle it?”

Warily, Sunset arched an eyebrow and made a ‘go oooon….’ gesture.

“We take ‘em over ta Starlight House with the paint, and let the girls there paint them and sign their names on the bottom. Mac and Ah can put them all together lickety-split with our nailgun, and the kids can paint them. They’ll be ready ta go up in the park by the time we get ta the event.” She worried at her hat’s brim in a way that suggested the action was an old habit. “Yer not gonna be able ta help anyone, Sunset, if you work yerself ta death. Ah know how ya feel—like if you don't do it yerself, yer letting folks down…”

Sunset’s eyes couldn't look at her friend, gaze falling instead to the dashboard. “…because this is my fault. I brought the Element of Magic here. I put it on. I unleashed all that energy here. Everything that’s happened since is my fault, and if people get hurt or killed…that’s my fault too. I've got to do my part in keeping that from happening!”

“That's not true, Sunset. Not entirely. Yes, the whole mess at the Fall Formal? The Crown and the demon and that? Sure. That is yer fault. But…yer not responsible fer what the sirens did. You weren't holding a gun to any of ‘em, telling them ta enslave the school or drain our magic. It wasn't you that was making us act lousy ta each other. Just like yer not the one using dark magic on Crystal Prep students, right?” Applejack’s voice was firm, and magic hummed between them.

The former unicorn shook her head. “No, but—”

She was interrupted by a loud noise from Applejack. “No buts, Sunset. A person—or a pony,” the blonde joked, eliciting a faint laugh, “is only responsible fer their own choices and actions. You ain't gotta carry the world on yer shoulders alone, Sunset.”

Tears burned behind her eyes, and she tried to respond, but the sound got stuck in her throat. Movement caught her ears and then she was being held in a warm hug by her friend. “Ah mean it. Rares has been telling you that you can rely on us ta help, and she’s right. We ain't gonna get anywhere working alone—we’re a team, and our magic works best when it's working with each other. We’re here ta take some of that weight from you, but you gotta be willing ta trust us.”

Swallowing hard, Sunset managed to get out, “I do trust you girls…I just…” She hesitated, realization coming slowly to a tired mind. “…I guess that’s something Princess Twilight and I have in common…” she admitted as she pulled back from the hug.

AJ slugged her shoulder lightly. “Well, take yer own advice.”

One hand rubbed her eyes—she hadn't cried this time, but her eyes still felt gritty and sore like she had. “I guess I’m so used to having to do things on my own that I…don't think about asking other people to do things. That's…something that’s…as hard to let go of as it is to trust people.”

“And do you? Trust us?”

Sunset fell silent for a minute, mulling the question over. Her mind nudged the faint sense of fear away with a memory of another time, the first time, really, that anyone in two worlds had ever asked that question. The mental image of a lavender skinned hand extended to her, palm up, a body close enough to her own that she could feel the warmth radiating off it, and purple eyes fixed on her face danced across her mind’s eye, and she could hear the soft question whispered by the girl who was her first and best friend. “…would you be willing to try and trust me?” Twilight had asked her then.

Just like Applejack was asking her now. Did she? Did she trust the girls with something this important?

Magic filled her senses, solid as the earth itself and it plucked at her soul, making her laugh quietly as she became aware that this waiting magic would accept nothing less than the truth…and neither would AJ. She lifted her head, meeting green eyes, and nodded. “…yes….I do…because it's not enough to be honest with your friends is it? You have to be willing to trust them with your truth too.”

********

The sound of AJ’s nailgun at work was a passive background sound, one that let Sunset know she was somewhere real while she had her focus turned inward, her magical senses wide open as she walked Rarity through meditation exercises designed to help unicorn foals strengthen their connection to and awareness of their magic.

“In ponies,” she was explaining, “our magic follows what we call ‘thaumic pathways’—imagine it as a sort of…cross between a nervous system and a circulatory system, designed to carry our magic through our bodies.”

Rarity made a thoughtful, considering noise. “Humans don't have anything like that. Is that why your magic can’t be used the pony way here?”

She felt her expression turn wry. “Pretty much. The energy feels like it tries to borrow my nerves instead, and that’s dangerous. In Equestria, thaumic energies passing over the nerves can create degenerative conditions and is one of the most common causes for mental decline in elderly unicorns. But that's…beside the point here. Those energies still come from within our cores—you girls aren't using any kind of spellform or ritual to pull magic from the ambient environment, and everything I can feel shows me the magic is inside you. What I want to learn is…how the magic is traveling through your bodies without a thaumic pathway system, and without using your nerves. I can’t look at myself, because I’m a unicorn despite everything, and I likely have spell damage from the dark magic at the formal—the princess and I discussed it, back during the battle of the bands, and my forays into trying to cast since support it.”

A concerned frown twisted the corners of Rarity’s mouth. “Are you sure we shouldn’t be more concerned about you, darling?”

“Weirdly, I seem to be fine as long as it's whatever magic is causing the Pony-Ups in me. My problem is the unstable surge fluctuations I’m encountering, but that's a completely different situation, one I’ve dealt with most of my life.” Sunset waved her hand. “Anyway. What I want you to do is just…focus on the feelings, your friendships, the things that draw out your magic. Don't force it, but…let it happen slowly, and naturally. Don't try to control it—we’re alone in a grassy field, and I can handle any surge that might happen. Just let it come, and focus on what it feels like as it moves through you.”

Her friend studied her, one of those scrutinizing looks that always left Sunset feeling a little exposed. “I will try, of course, but I will also not have you attempting to change the subject on me, Sunset Shimmer, not when the subject is your well being.” The designer’s tone was serious and firm. “I understand you are much better educated on the matters of magic, but if using it presents some kind of danger to your health, we should like to know. I speak for all of us when I say that we would much rather have to muddle through our powers and have you hale than learn them faster at the expense of you. You are not expendable, do you understand?”

Thoroughly chastised but also feeling warmed by the sentiment, Sunset sighed and nodded. “…okay, I…I will tell you girls if it becomes something to worry about, but I really don’t think it will, as long as I don't push it. The magic that makes us Pony-Up is…different, and I’m not entirely sure my Pony-Ups are…the same as yours. For all I know, it could be simply my body responding to the large amounts of magic you five radiate when your powers are active—keep in mind that being a pony is my natural state of being and this form is just…”

“…some kind of complicated illusion?” Rarity offered with a hint of a smile. “Very well. I shall bow to your knowledge in the field of magical studies, but I stand by my concerns and will say something if it seems as though you are at risk. There will be no more repeats of your collapse in the school, darling.”

Sunset didn't respond verbally, but Rarity seemed to take her lack of argument as agreement. The pale skinned tailor relaxed and closed her eyes, her breathing becoming slow and steady. The former unicorn tuned out everything else but her magical senses, focusing those on Rarity and the area immediately around them both.

She sensed the magic well before Rarity actually Ponied-Up, and it was nothing like the former student of Princess Celestia was accustomed to. It didn't come from a particular location or source, wasn't energy traversing the body like she would see with a pony… In hindsight, it almost made sense why she’d never really been able to catch the moment the magic started before, because it…didn't ‘start.’ It just…was, a faint presence of magic that, for lack of a better term, suffused Rarity’s whole being, starting out barely there—what she realized she had dismissed as being simply part of the ambient energy in places like the school—and growing stronger and more…concentrated?’ Sunset was finding it hard to put into words, even with her own culture having terms for magic; what she was perceiving was different in ways that pony scholars had never encountered before.

With a bit of strain in her voice, the redhead told Rarity as much. “Do you believe it cause for alarm, Sunset?” Rarity questioned in response, pony ears flicking and twitching erratically towards every sound.

“…no…” she answered after a minute. “It…it feels like Harmony magic, and while my…debacle at the Formal might suggest otherwise, I don't think I know of any other occurrence in any story where the Elements brought harm to any wielder…”

“Darling,” her friend pointed out dryly, “I don't know if it’s dawned on you yet, but the only one in this group who has wielded anything of the sort…is you. We all touched the Crown, briefly, but the rest of the set were in your world….and the Crown was taken back by Twilight.”

“Tirek take me for a horncap,” Sunset swore distractedly, realizing Rarity was right. The former unicorn wracked her brains for some kind of answer, someway to make sure this wasn't a reason to panic.

Strangely, an idea nudged her, the faintest scrap of…memory? Maybe? From long ago, when she was a very young filly but too old for the magic surges she was still having, and how the palace doctors had run a barrage of tests. She kept melting down the equipment, shattering crystals and otherwise causing a problem. It had been at that point that the fox-folk ambassador, the sweet, nice fox she had met at one of the fancy dinners and had loved baby Philomena so much happened to step into the palace infirmary, offering his assistance…

Shaking her head to dispel the memory, Sunset frowned. It was a long shot, but maybe…

“…I…I want to try something—is…that alright?” she asked, still focusing on the magic.

Rarity was looking at her—she wasn't looking at Rarity, but Sunset knew that the tailor was staring at her, could feel it in the same way she could feel the magic, a sense separated from the other five, but bearing touches from all of them. “Will it hurt you?”

“…It shouldn't,” Sunset admitted honestly.

A heavy sigh that actually sent a curling zephyr of magic into the world sounded, and she could sense the head nod. “Go ahead then, darling.”

Sunset steadied herself with a slow, deep breath of her own and reached out to touch Rarity’s hand, lowering the barriers that kept her magic in check slowly, letting her senses mingle with it, and that faint pulse of power came into contact with Rarity’s magic.

What happened next was nothing she could have prepared for.

If there was a word to describe the unfathomable, she would have chosen ‘abundance.’ The magic, Rarity’s magic, was a woven tapestry of Harmony magic and something else that could only be Rarity herself. Her own awareness was surrounded by it, warmth and light and familiarity, tickling her senses with half flickered, hazy impressions of other things: a bite of oven fresh bread, rich with real butter and a drizzle of cloudflower honey, laughter, rich in her ears with a vibe of welcome, the touch of arms drawing her into a place of warmth from the bitter cold, a hot drink pressed into her hands that smelled of rich chocolate…

It was comfort. Joy. Friendship’s endless depths from which there always seemed to be more to share, no matter how much there already was filling a room or a person… Something deeper called to her, a ringing that seemed to be excitement and greeting and undiluted happiness, and with a sudden shock she realized that the magic itself was…happy she was there studying it.

That made her pause, and the welcoming joy paused in turn, and now she felt she was the one being studied. She could feel the magic touching back, followed by…reassurance? It was hard to translate, to wrap her mind around something that wasn’t thoughts but rather emotions and impressions of them that were not her own…yet…

Reassurance was closest, and the magic drew her in more, its power dimming enough that she could really get a good feel for how it was woven into her human friend. Woven…that was a good word for it, she decided, in the end. The source was not latched onto Rarity like some kind of parasitic force, nor was it seeming to be in danger of taking her over. Instead…it seemed as though it had actually joined with her the way one could weave threads together to make fabric, each still their own substance and singular identity, but much like the power of the Elements of Harmony themselves, the magic that had come from Equestria had come together with Rarity to help her become…even more herself than she’d been before.

Sunset pulled herself free of the connection, trailed by a sense of farewell. She swayed as her own magic retreated, leaving her feeling worn and more tired than before. “Sweet sunfire and moonlight ice,” she whispered, not really connecting with her surroundings for the moment.

“—nset?”

That wasn't…what had the Crown done to her friends? This wasn't residual magic from the formal catalyzing their own potential, nor was it just the leftover energy of the Elements of Harmony.

“…Sunset? Darling?”

Fingers touched her arm, jolting her back to the present. She blinked rapidly, as Rarity came back into focus. “Are you okay?” the tailor asked, worry etched into her features. “You went completely still, and you were glowing all over, but you didn't seem to hear anything I said.”

Breathing deeply, Sunset rubbed her neck. “I’m okay, Rarity…it was just weird…and intense.”

Rarity watched her. “What happened? Do we need to be concerned? I could…feel some of what your magic was doing…but it was so strange…”

Did they need to worry? The redhead thought back to the way the essence of Harmony…of Generosity, she corrected absently…had looked, how it had interacted with Rarity’s core, her essence. “No,” she said with certainty. “The magic is not a danger to you…it…if anything…it just seems to make you…” She found herself echoing her initial perception. “…more you.”

Her friend relaxed some. “I suppose that is a relief then.”

Sunset distractedly ran her fingers across the grass beneath them, glancing down when she discovered it felt different than it had felt when she sat down. It was longer and softer—the yellow brown had been replaced with dark green fresh growth in a circle around her and Rarity. It wasn’t as extreme as the grounds of their school, but it was enough that Sunset made a mental note to look into if it was a normal side effect of Harmony magic and the Elements, or if this was just magic in general. Such things fell more into the scheme of Earth Pony magic, and as a unicorn whose talents lay in spell construction, she was only loosely read up on the magic of non-spellcasters.

It wasn't the only thing she needed to look up. She wanted to read back through the book she had stolen from the palace on the Elements. The old, strange one that had no title, that didn't have a duplicate among any of the other texts Princess Twilight had sent her. It had a lot of theories about the Elements that officially published works seemed to lack…

It was the text that had suggested the idea that separating an Element from Its world and the other Elements would “confuse” the object enough to allow someone other than a chosen wielder make use of Its power. She had built her entire plan off the one text, once she had realized the Elements had been found, saving her the trouble of having to hunt for them.

And it was also the only text she’d read that suggested the Elements were more than just powerful artifacts…she’d assumed that was exaggeration, a way of articulating the way Harmony magic worked, the way the Elements chose wielders, bearers, relating it to the way thinking beings thought…

But now…she was starting to question it. What she had encountered was…more than just energy, and while it was part of Rarity, it was also…not her subconscious or conscious mind as far as Sunset could tell.

Were the Elements…aware? Had the Element of Magic…left something behind besides energy? The memory of that dry, somewhat cutting voice that had picked apart her excuses and her actions during her transformation into the demon and in that strange white void surfaced. At the time she had assumed it was the Element drawing on her own subconscious, of Harmony magic acting in accordance with its nature and stripping away lies, falsehoods, and corruption, combined with the deleterious effect dark magic had on the psyche. What if it…wasn't just that? What if there was more to it? What if the Elements of Harmony…were…not alive, per se…but sentient somehow?

And what did that mean for her friends? What had her hubris done to them?

She didn't know. At present, Sunset didn't have definitive answers, only half formed worries and suspicions…something she didn't want to scare her friends with unnecessarily. Not without some kind of proof. But she couldn't lie to them either. That was wrong and the mere thought made her feel nauseous.

“I—” the former unicorn began, only to be cut off by yelling.

“The Great and Powerful Trixie demands you put her down this instant, you ham-handed giant! Before Trixie decides to punish you by turning you into a toad!”

Sunset and Rarity were both on their feet, turning towards the yelling in an instant. Sunset found herself staring at the scene that met her eyes. Big Mac had Trixie Lulamoon slung over his shoulder like a sack of flour, and was carrying her over to where Applejack and Fluttershy had been quietly constructing birdhouses and animal feeders. The wannabe stage magician was yelling, pounding on Big Mac’s shoulders and demanding to be let go, her feet kicking futilely.

“Oh for heaven’s sake,” Rarity sighed, sounding more than a little exasperated as she grabbed Sunset’s arm and began to stalk towards the impending disaster.

They interrupted the early stages of an argument, with Big Mac having set Trixie on her feet in front of Applejack, one meaty hand gripping the intruder’s shoulder firmly to keep her from running. Applejack was already scowling. “…ill trespassing,” she was saying, her voice tight. “And spying.”

“It was not! Trixie was ensuring that amateurs did not accidentally cause problems with more mismanagement of ill-gotten magic that you were never meant to have!” Trixie crossed her arms over her chest. “Trixie is also a member of the Canterlot High Student Defense,” she added in a petulant tone.

Great. Not that again. Also, who was she calling an amateur? Arrogant little—

Sunset forced her emotions down, breathing deeply as Rarity interjected smoothly, “Trixie, while we appreciate the thought, Sunset has things well in hand with our magic tutelage…”

“Ah, yes,” Trixie said with more than a hint of mockery. “How could we forget Sunset Shimmer’s command of the craft after her phenomenal display during this year’s past Fall Formal. Tell me…was the rampaging demonic transformation ‘working as intended?’”

“Now that tears it!”

AJ started forward, but Sunset held her hand in the way. “No, Applejack, she raises a good question…and she deserves an answer, if she’s willing to answer a few questions of mine in turn.” She could play this game too, and she was starting to get tired of being a verbal punching bag, especially about the formal. Besides, trapping Trixie in her own ego would feel cathartic without being harmful.

The other girls stared at Sunset, completely lost and confused. She smiled pleasantly, thankful for years of having to put on a public face. “To answer, no. The power I acquired was the initial intention. The forced transformation and the warped worldview was unintentional, and a very good example why you are right about amateurs dabbling in those powers unguided, since even an experienced Magus can be caught if they aren't careful.”

“Um…Sunset?” Fluttershy started. Applejack was staring at Sunset like she’d grown an extra head. Rarity was watching with shrewd eyes.

Trixie preened, and Sunset could practically see her ego growing in real time. “Exactly! Which is why the Great and Powerful Trixie was here!”

Sunset nodded again. “Of course, completely logical. You wanted to ensure that all moral and ethical practices were being followed when teaching fledgling spellcasters how to use an incredible amount of power safely. Again, completely logical and reasonable.” She turned her attention briefly to her friends. “It's not really that big a deal, girls. The same thing happens in Equestria—the Equestrian Board for the Standards and Ethics of Thaumaturgical Practices exists for a reason and they are very firm about the standards for behavior they set forth, more so than just about any other such body except perhaps the Equestrian Board of Alchemy and Apothecarium…for the same reasons, really.”

Applejack blinked. “The…who-whut-now?”

“Magical Ethics organizations…kind of like how all the major human nations agree to follow certain rules about science or war, kingdoms in Equestria have similar rules for magic and potions.”

“Huh.” The farmer rubbed her chin. “Never thought about that. Interesting.”

Rarity arched an eyebrow, looking between Sunset’s easy smile and Trixie’s self assured expression. “Indeed, that’s very fascinating, darling, but…I trust you are going somewhere with this?”

Trixie couldn't help herself. “Clearly, Sunset Shimmer understands that Trixie is the best qualified teacher of the magic arts that you all could have, and she is going to turn herself and all of you over for Trixie’s instruction!”

Gotcha! Sunset couldn't help but feel more than a little smug at how easy it was to trap Trixie like this.

“When Hell freezes over!” came the retort from a now very irate Applejack.

Waving a hand, Sunset said calmly, “No…Trixie has the right of it…provided, of course, that she can produce her certifications.”

Trixie’s triumphant expression faltered. “Uh…my what?”

By this point, Rarity had caught on. “Why your official documents in regards to being qualified to train others in using magic, darling. What else would Sunset be referring to?”

The teenage magician couldn't seem to formulate a response, eyes wide as it started to dawn on her that she’d been caught in a situation she couldn't win from. If she backed down about the ethics and standards, then her justification for trespassing and spying would fall apart, but if she persisted, she would likewise be escorted away from the situation she was trying to insert herself into with no reason to argue for being allowed to stay. She resorted to her only option. “Well, what about you, Sunset Shimmer! Where is your paperwork!? Trixie demands to see it!”

Sunset’s smile became a smirk. “I’d be happy to show you,” she responded, suddenly glad for the pit stop home to grab her enchanted saddlebag-turned-backpack. “Fluttershy, hand me my bag?”

As they watched, she opened it up, reached into a pocket inside, and retrieved a rather official looking leather-bound object about the size of a human passport. She showed it to the whole group, first the cover—with the impressed and gold embossed seal of the kingdom of her birth marked deep into the smooth, chocolate brown leather, and then flipped it open to reveal the two page spread of legalese inside. On the one side was a photo of herself, as a teenage unicorn, her hair still slightly frazzled from a week’s worth of certification exams, along with her name, species, birthdate, place of residence, a copy of her cutie mark, as well as a few other notations that only mattered to government and bureaucracy for records purposes. On the other was her official certification for her Magus level masteries.

All written in Ponish, of course.

Sunset traced a finger over the glyphs. “This side is just my personal details, a lot like what's on my driver’s license here. Sunset Shimmer, born…well, it’d be about early August here. Different calendars. Species, unicorn pony, native of Canterlot, my cutie mark…that sort of thing.”

“And this side reads: ‘On this day, the twenty first of…I guess it would be about April?…in the year nine hundred and eight four SSC, the Equestrian Board for the Standards and Ethics of Thaumaturgical Practices certifies that Sunset Shimmer has attained board-certified Magus level Mastery in the following areas…’ followed by the listing of the various branches of magic and subjects of study I passed the examinations for. A bunch of them are not really important here—like my basic mastery in artificing—but among the list are transmutation, teleportation, spellcraft and deconstruction, and a minor mastery in artifacts and enchantments. If I hadn't come to this world, I would have gone on to finish my Archmagus certifications in spellcraft and deconstruction.”

Silence.

She couldn't even hear them breathing. Looking up from the object in her hand, she punctuated it by snapping it shut. “No sensible Magus goes anywhere without theirs.” Blue-green eyes bored into Trixie’s. “If your certifications out-rank mine, Trixie, and you can produce them, then, of course you can teach the girls magic and how to use it…but given where I’m from, that's going to require you to do more than make a rabbit appear out of a hat. Especially if you expect to be trusted with the safety and lives of my friends. Magic in the hands of amateurs is one of the most dangerous types of magic, as you pointed out…”

By now, Big Mac had let the stage performer go, and Trixie stared long and hard at Sunset, giving the redhead a glimpse behind the ego and the mask at something…much more serious…and holding a faint glimmer of something that almost felt like…respect?

From Trixie? No, she must have been more tired than she thought, Sunset decided.

And yet…as the girl broke the stare down to look at the closed certification booklet, she nodded. “Perhaps…you have a valid point, Sunset Shimmer—your time is best spent teaching your friends control. Trixie will spend her time seeing to defenses around the Canterlot Campus. Such a project is a more appropriate use of the Great and Powerful Trixie’s time and skill.”

She gave an arrogant sounding sniff, and inclined her head. “And perhaps someday, you can provide Trixie with a demonstration of your skill that does not involve property damage or a power outage?” With an expression that was challenging, the girl with silvery hair made a hand gesture that created an explosion of blue smoke, blocking their view of her. When it cleared she appeared to have vanished from view.

Applejack snorted derisively. “Overblown showpony,” she said with an eye roll. “Prolly just hidin’ behind a tree ta sneak off when we ain’t looking. Waste of fifteen minutes. Now…about that thing-a-ma-jigger ya showed off…Ah gotta know..is that really what ya looked like as a pony?”

As Sunset stammered out a response and found herself having to let her friends get a good long look at her frazzled teenage filly self, she couldn't help but disagree with Applejack’s assessment. The day had given her a lot to think about, even the encounters with Trixie.

How many references can I stick in one chapter? let's find out!

Looks like Sunset is trying to get her shit together, and her friends are no longer asking to help, they're telling.

More little peeks into Equestrian culture there, several of the many random rambles my team and I have gone off on over the last few years. Complex botanical arrangement language, and of course, the existence of rules and regulations on magic to help minimize crazy shit like people randomly reanimating whole villages worth of corpses or doing freaky medical experiments or selling drugs/poisons.

...the plot thickens about the girls' magic...

and what is Trixie up to?

Hmmm...

I do apologize for the delay on the chapter--its been kind of a very rough month due to IRL family drama, and it all came crashing down on my head this past week, meaning i just couldn't deal anymore and needed to just hibernate and be away from everyone for a while while my psyche rebooted.