Twi,

Sorry I haven't had a chance to update you in over a week—things have gotten crazy here. Thanks again for the books. Light reading they certainly aren’t, but at least I can search for some answers. Please convey my gratitude to Princess Luna for the information on Nightmares and Fearlings as well—her insight, I suspect, will prove invaluable in the long run.

As always, updates first.

The biggest and most important one is that I’ve confirmed the source of the dark magic, and…

Tap-dancing Tirek in a turquoise tutu, Twi, it's BAD.

The school my other friend goes to is a corrupted forsaken pit of the darkest magic I have ever felt in my whole life. The whole place is saturated with it, and while I’m not a hundred percent certain if the original creator is still around, it's not accidental. I had to go there to help her, and the wards almost killed me. If I was a lesser unicorn, we wouldn't be having this conversation. And while I was inside, I saw…I can't call them spellforms, because they aren't Equestrian magic the way we think of it. I’d at best classify them as a cousin to some of our earliest magic, before magi started getting fancy with how they constructed spells…but these were…beyond dark. Vice Principal Luna referred to them as evil, and I think her belief is correct. This magic isn't just dark, Twi, it's evil beyond anything I’ve ever heard of.

Thankfully, my friend…her family is trying to remove her from that school for good, but in the meantime, I’m watching over her as best I can.

The other concern is that this is the same school that will be sending members to CHS for the Games. I suspect that if there's going to be a conflict between our magic and whatever is at that school, it will be then. I’m going to recommend that as we get closer to the Games, you move the mirror to a secured room under guard, just to be safe.

At this point, I’ve got the girls on an accelerated curriculum to master their abilities. Time is not on our side.

I’ll be honest…I don't even know if I’m handling this all in the best way. I keep second guessing myself, and the girls can only help so much. They're human, and this is still new for them. What if I make a terrible mistake somewhere? What if I get my friends hurt…or worse? I’ve already proven I can't be trusted with power and authority.

Which brings me to the important bit of this letter. I need to talk to you about something urgent, but…it's a talk that needs to be had face to face, not over the journals. Are you willing to come through and meet up as soon as possible? It's…not something that can wait.

Please let me know as soon as you can.

Your friend,

Sunset Shimmer

Sunset,

I’m so sorry for reading your letter to Twilight, but she has asked all of us to check on the journal when we come over, and it was glowing. She’ll be back shortly—she had to go to the train station for a big book delivery from Canterlot. This is Fluttershy, by the way. I’m sorry, I probably should have led with that.

It's okay, Fluttershy. Thanks for telling me. Could you definitely make sure she knows I need to speak with her?

Of course, and it's lovely to meet you, Sunset. Are…you okay? You seemed a little upset in your letter.

Stressed more than upset, honestly. There's a lot going on, and I’m trying to oversee all of it. There's not a lot that can be done to help that though.

…oh…well, please remember you have friends here in Equestria who will help too, if you need us. I…don't know much about magic like Twilight, but…I can help you with something. You…said you’re afraid of making a mistake…

Because I don't have the best history with being in charge and not making things worse for everyone around me. I’m sure Twilight has told you what happened after she followed me through the mirror.

…she did, but…she’s also told us about the kind and good pony you’ve become since then…which is something you need to remember. You might have been bad before, Sunset, but you’ve changed and you don't WANT to be that pony anymore.

…I really don't.

Then you won't be. Trust the good pony you are now, and do your very best to just be good and kind. It will be okay as long as you do your very best to be the pony you’ve become. The same goes for your worry about making mistakes.

Nopony can ask you to do anything but your best effort, and to do what you think is right. It won't always be the right choice, because sometimes bad things just happen or other creatures make bad choices of their own…but that's okay too. Just do your best, and your friends will support and love you no matter what.

Sunset?

…sorry, Fluttershy. I…did anypony ever tell you that you're really good at putting things in perspective?

I don't do anything special, Sunset, but if it helped, then I’m glad I could help. Spike just came back by the way, so I’m going to have to leave you with him. Rainbow Dash is getting a little impatient, and I promised her we’d go check on Tank today. He sprained a leg a few days ago, and she’s worried about him.

Oh! It's fine, Fluttershy. Go see to Dash’s pet—I know I used to worry about Philomena when I was a filly and she even molted funny before her burning day.

You know Philomena? I guess that makes sense…Princess Celestia’s former student knowing the princess’ pet phoenix. She’s a very pretty bird, even if she did play a mean trick on me.

Princess Celestia’s pet phoenix? The princess kept her?

Yes? Sunset, is something wrong?

No, Fluttershy…it's just that Philomena was…she was my pet, back when I lived in Equestria. I was surprised to hear she’s Princess Celestia’s now. Makes sense, I guess. I left, so somepony had to look after her. Is…she happy?

I think so, but I only met her once, just before she immolated. I thought she was sick, and I didnt know she was a phoenix, so…I thought I killed the princess’ pet. Except it was apparently a joke by Philomena.

…yeah, that sounds like ‘Mena alright. We used to prank the palace staff a lot. I’m sorry she pranked you, though.

It's okay! I learned a valuable lesson that day, and I think Philomena is a sort of friend now. But I do need to go—Rainbow is getting antsy. I hope things get better for you, Sunset!

Thanks, Fluttershy.

Hey Sunset, it's Spike. Fluttershy caught me up—Twilight should be back soon. She was getting more books for the castle library from Canterlot. Lots of research and reference materials. This whole project to study the Elements and Harmony magic is becoming a huge deal on this side too. Especially with them being returned to the Tree but the Elements and the Tree creating this castle and Twilight going back to study the Tree.

Well, if anypony is qualified to study the Elements of Harmony and Harmonic magic, it's Twilight. I’m trying to do what I can, and I’ve ended up with more questions than I’ve managed to answer.

I don't understand a lot of it, but Twilight was talking about testing your theory about the Elements having the ability to think? Like a pony?

…not exactly like a pony, but yeah. I…encountered something in my Rarity that was part of her magic and it possessed some kind of thinking awareness. Emotions, maybe? They weren't words as much as feelings, memories even? And since the only powerful magic any of them have been exposed to was the Elements…I thought maybe that would be a good idea. It might explain how they choose Bearers, at the very least.

That is not how Twilight put it.

Let me guess, she used a lot of big words and didn't stop to breathe between them.

Oh yeah. I see you’re familiar with it.

More than you know. But she wouldn't be Twilight if she didn't have these traits…and I kind of like her how she is.

I guess you're right.

Are you okay, Sunset? The dark magic thing sounds like it's gotten really dangerous, and I know I wasn’t allowed to go with Twilight on the trip to see the ruins of Moongale because Princess Celestia didn't think it was safe for me. She almost didn't let Twilight go. And you’ve already got that bad reaction to dark magic.

…I am not going to lie to you, Spike…it was awful. The wards there tried their best to kill me, and I think I did some real damage to them. That place is horrible and that's not even counting the fact that the school itself is like CSGU—all the bad parts of it. You know the parts. The entitlement, the arrogant noble foals who only like those with the right pedigrees? That treat anypony different like they are beneath them?

The parts that wanted me banned from campus when I was a hatchling? I know them. The bullies and the ones who used to make fun of Twilight for having a baby dragon when she couldn't hear them.

I see some things never change, if they still have it out for orphans.

Is that what they targeted you for?

Among other things.

Point is, the school here is toxic like that, but the magic makes it worse. I think it's…feeding on the dark emotions that it encourages. I think that's what sustained it before the magic I brought here and that keeps triggering in the girls gave it more power. I’m okay, but it wasn't fun. I'm more worried about my friend who has to go there every day.

I don't blame you—I wouldn't want any of my friends or Twilight going someplace like that every day. Which includes you, Sunset.

And you didn't answer my question. Are you okay?

I’m…okay. It was bad at the time, but a weekend off and time spent with friends has made it better. The one benefit to being exposed daily to the Harmonic magic the girls produce means that any nasty magic I run into doesnt get a chance to stick around.

…that's good. I’ll lead with that when I tell Twilight about your letter. Otherwise, she’ll panic and be through the portal before she even finishes reading the letter.

Please. I don't need her rushing through in a panic.

Don't worry. I've got a lot of practice with how to handle Twilight.

…she just walked in. Let me go prep her before I let her at the book.

Gee, I wonder what super sensitive thing Sunset wants to talk to Princess Twilight in person about.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm..