I streaked after the fleeing Harpy, my wings leaving a slight contrail in the wake of my passing. I could tell he was still feeling the effects of our attack, his flight was erratic and he would drop in altitude on occasion. Despite his difficulty staying aloft, though, his destination was clear.

He was headed for Canterlot High.

I gave a fresh thrust to my wings, giving me a bit of an added boost, and then tucked them in close, streamlining my shape to cut down on wind resistance. I knew from study and experience that magic played just as big a role in Pegasi flight as their wings did.

I saw Acerak slow, almost stop in the air, looking like he was turning to look behind him. I saw the look of surprise as I closed in quickly, horn lighting with magic fueled by rage and pain.

“You can't just give up, can you?” he hissed as he charged me as well. However, his attack was slower than the others, and I dodged it easily before sending another gout of flame into him.

“I don’t like to leave a job unfinished,” I said, pulling up a shield to block off his next attack. “If you don’t make it to the curb, did you really take the garbage out?”

He righted himself in the air and made a grasping motion, his talons curling in and I felt a tug in my mind.

I shoved my awareness out into him, filling him with every piece of pain I had ever felt. He started to scream, but he didn’t stop trying to rip my magic away again.

Don’t like it, do you? I thought. It isn’t quite the same when the agony is in your mind.

I severed the link when I felt his concentration falter and cast a spell that I had only heard of in passing, one that had once stymied an Alicorn bookworm. Acerak looked around as the transparent cube formed around him, hovering in mid-air. Our momentum had carried us over the football field of CHS, and I drifted over to the containment spell.

“I wonder if you’ll survive this,” I mused as I kicked the cube, causing it to start tumbling down towards the ground. I watched as he was thrown around inside, but as he neared the ground, the spell shattered and he managed to spread his wings and land safely.

I swooped down and tried to roast him again, but he easily batted the flame away.

“I can feel the portal, Seer,” he purred, his burns starting to heal over. “This close, I can draw on it all I want.”

The ruby in my hand started to pulse, and I recognized it as my own rapid heartbeat. I raised it to my choker and it melded with my element again, and I set my feet. The pain from the gash in my side seemed to fade.

“That just means I get to kick you around a bit more,” I said, gathering my magic, tip of my horn beginning to light.

I was flying as fast as I could as I followed the owl, who kept stopping from time to time to land on a branch and look around. I had already figured out what he was looking for.

Sunset’s blood. She had been hurt in the fight and was flying quickly without binding the wound. If she wasn’t careful she could pass out from the blood loss, and if that happened while she was airborne….

I took off quickly, the owl barely able to keep up. The general direction of the blood trail was heading towards the school.

And the portal.

Hold on, Sunny, I thought as a tear slipped free.

I panted as we stared at each other. I had blasted him with magic constantly and the only remaining sign of our fight was the scorched landscape.

The groundskeepers are going to hate me in the morning, I thought grimly. I could feel my heartbeat in my ears, and my magic pulsed in time with it. I should have started feeling tired, but I felt like I could go on without stopping. My vision, however, was starting to blur.

“Seems you are tiring, Seer,” Acerak chuckled, brushing some ash from his shoulder. “Your aim is getting a bit spotty.”

I pushed more mana into my horn, but instead of firing, I sent it through the jewel, causing it to start singing out its resonance again, a memory sparking in my mind. This close to the portal, it fed off the emanating magic just as easily as Acerak did.

I started to sing a loud note, and I heard harmonizing as three ghostly figures began to form between myself and the Harpy. I kept my note going as they resolved into the same shapes the Siren’s had attacked us with at the Battle of the Bands. I continued pouring mana into the illusion spell until they were solid, singing the same angry attack that had defeated the Rainbooms while I had stood back in the wings.

Acerak put his hands to his head, trying to block the Song from his mind, to concentrate, but his physical form started to waver, his edges becoming blurred.

I charged him, using my magic to wrap the spectral being in ghostly chains. “You won’t get away that easy,” I said, gritting my teeth and trying to keep a grip on him.

Pain flooded through my mind. I saw the angry look on Acerak’s face before I realized what had happened. His taloned hand had become lodged in my abdomen, and I felt my concentration falter slightly.

“Why won’t you just die?” he snarled, twisting his claws.

“You…first,” I gasped, grabbing his shoulders tightly. I shoved him back toward the portal, the gateway powering up and suddenly forcing the Harpy to maintain his physical form. He ripped his talons from my stomach and scrabbled against the marble of the statue, trying to fight back. His human guise was failing, his avian nature showing through again. He tried to peck at me with his beak, but the portal was starting to pull him in. I shoved an arm up under his chin to keep his head back.

My glowing wings beat a steady pulse, giving me the leverage to hold the violently thrashing Harpy in place as I reached up and pulled the ruby Adagio had handed me free from my Element. It glowed and pulsed with power, it’s angry red glow even brighter this close to the Harpy that had drawn her blood. I had an idea now, a glimmer of how it worked, and reached out and tapped it against the stone of the statue, and it started to sing like a crystal, the note filled with overtones. The illusory Sirens faded and the gem began to grow louder.

Acerak saw it and panic filled his eyes.

I love you, Twilight, I thought, tears leaking from the corners of my eyes as I shoved power through my horn and into the gem, watching as it’s angry glow increased to blinding radiance. I shoved it into Acerak’s chest and smiled grimly as it passed through his body. He stiffened, eyes going wide. Then the gem and my hand reached through him, coming out his back and touched the portal…

And then it exploded, and white light filled my vision.

I love you, Twilight, the voice vibrated through the bond, stronger than it had ever been. Something in the voice made me push myself even faster, the spire of the school coming into my vision

I reached the school just in time to see Sunset shove her hand into Acerak. I was thrilled to see her win, but a violent explosion blinded me for a moment and the shock wave buffeted myself and my owl guide. After the flash faded, a cracked marble podium was all that was left of the Wondercolt statue and the portal. I landed before the portal, my wings folding behind me and I raced to it…

And rebounded off. It was closed, and when I regained my bearings I saw that there were cracks in what appeared to be plain glass. I saw the form I had taken, its dark beauty now balanced with the good as opposed to the evil. Tears were streaking down my face.

I reached out and touched the portal, my hands feeling only cold glass, not the warmth of the magic gateway.

“No,” I sobbed. “Sunny, no,” I collapsed before the place we had met, the Midnight Sparkle form fading, leaving just my ponied up form.

Leaving just a broken me, mourning the loss of half of myself.

The grief continued to build, and I screamed out in rage and pain.

“NO!”

Glass shattered all around me, the windows of the school falling in crystal tears all around.

White light and swirling mist surrounded me. I felt no pain from my midsection. Where am I? Is this the afterlife?

“Not quite,” a voice said.

I turned and realized suddenly that I was in my Alicorn form. Before me in the mist-strewn landscape was a wizened old unicorn, a long beard trailing from his chin.

“Star Swirl?” I asked in shock.

“Yes,” he said sheepishly. “And I’m afraid I have to apologize to you, Seer.”

“Please,” I said, raising a hoof. “Don’t call me that.”

“Alright,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “What is your name, by the way?”

“Sunset,” I said. “And if you don’t mind my asking, where exactly are we?”

He smiled and lit his horn, the mist slowly clearing away to reveal a towering pair of doors, seemingly hewn from granite, their rough forms covered with Equestrian script and the same runes that had covered the book.

“I give you the Grey Gates,” he said. His horn stayed lit, and he brought the gem out before my eyes. “I must admit, I never thought about the whole using this like a magic grenade, but hey, when in Roam.”

“I kinda did that on the fly,” I admitted. Then memory flooded me. “Where’s Acerak?”

“All around us,” the wizard said. “Inside the portal, he has no physical form, his essence bound into the matrix of the planes.”

“Then how did he get out?”

“I suspect that he somehow hooked onto you when you passed through in the recent past,” he said, eyeing me critically. “Have you been through the portal while in the grip of physical or psychic pain? Perhaps when possessing someone? OH! Or when being possessed?”

I blinked. “Last fall,” I said. “My mother had passed, and I returned to Equestria for the memorial.”

“Oh dear,” he said. “Returned? Oh, that’s not good at all.”

“Why?” I said as he started to pace. “Why isn’t that good?”

“Well, magic tries to keep a balance, you see,” he said, his pacing slowing. “If you were on the other side of the portal than your origin, a small thread would keep the portal open and it would allow a slight magic seepage.”

“We kind of gathered that much for ourselves,” I said.

“Oh?” he said, honestly looking surprised to see me there still. “Oh, yes, right. Right!” he said. “Then the only thing left to do is to seal the Gate and return you home.”

“How do I do that?” I asked.

Star Swirl gestured at the monolithic gates. “Shut them, and put the gem in the center. That should take care of things.”

I powered up my horn, and the gates slowly swung shut. They were heavy, ponderous, and when they finally slammed shut, the feeling reverberated through my being. I stepped up and took the gem, covered still in my and Adagio’s drying blood, and pressed it into the socket. I loud click sounded, and a glowing red line spread out, fusing the two sides of the Gate closed.

Then the entire area started to shake and I heard a voice screaming, a voice I recognized.

“Twilight,” I whispered.

The scream grew in pitch, and Star Swirl looked confused.

“The Royal Voice,” He breathed. “But from the other side of the portal? That doesn’t make any sense!”

“Twilight tends not to sometimes,” I said offhandedly as I fought to hold my footing. Then I saw cracks start to form in the Gate. “What?”

The Gate shattered and began to crumble to the ground. I looked at the wizard with concern.

His face held no worry. “It’s just the edifice,” he said calmly as the scream died away. “The seal is still in place.” he pointed with his horn, and I saw that the gem was still hovering in place, spectral doors to either side of it.

“And now, my little pony,” he said. “It's time for you to go home and me to finally get some rest. Give my regards to my pupils. Oh, and one last thing.”

“Yes?”

“Did anyone ever figure out if penguins liked living on icebergs?”

White light filled my vision again before I could answer. I found myself stretched out on a cold surface, and a voice filled my ears.

“Sunset?”

“Twilight,” I said, pushing myself up before freezing.

I still had hooves, and as my eyes focused, I realized I was standing on a crystal floor. A scroll rolled away from me as I stood.

I looked around, seeing the Princess and Starlight standing there, the pieces of the apparatus strewn about. I whirled to the mirror and reached out to it.

And it was sealed.

“The book,” I said, whirling around. “Where’s the book?”

Twilight levitated it over to me, a frown on her face.

“Just what is going on?”

I ignored her while I scribbled out a message in the book hurriedly. “I’ll tell you in a moment, but first,” I followed the quill as it danced over the page. “I have to let someone know it’s ok.”

I entered the apartment slowly, not even bothering to turn on the lights. I could hear Spike snoring in the bedroom, but tears covered my vision. I saw my glasses sitting on the table, but I didn’t want to see the empty apartment. I collapsed on the couch, tears still streaking down my face. I had long since sobbed my voice out, but that didn’t stop my tear ducts from doing their job. The fact that the pillow I grabbed as I sat still smelled of Sunset didn’t help.

That’s when I realized a soft glow and a thumping sound was coming from the bookcase.

And the spine of the book glowing held a two-toned sunburst.

I watched as Twilight moved various pieces over to the mirror, making delicate connections. I was itching with impatience, despite having heard back from Sunshine about everyone being ok. I fought down the blush as I remembered how she had closed it out.

Keep your promise, Come back to me.

“There,” Twilight said, stepping back from the mirror. “That’s all I can do for now.”

“What do you mean, ‘for now’?” I stood, the bandage around my midsection protesting the motion.

Twilight patted the air with a hoof. “Relax, Sunset,” she said. “I’m waiting for a piece from Canterlot. One of the components had fused and we had to buck it off to disconnect the portal.”

I fidgeted in place. “How long?”

“Starlight should be back before dark,” she said. Her horn lit up and brought out a scroll. “This is all that remains to deal with.”

I recognized the scroll that had somehow exited the portal with me after sealing the Gates. “What’s it say?”

“I don’t know,” she said. “It’s sealed with a locking spell. The sigil is your cutie mark, though, so…”

I took it in my magic grip, and as soon as the teal aura covered it, the seal lit up and the scroll opened. There were just a few glyphs inside.

“Well, that was anti-climatic,” I said.

Then the glyphs blazed with light, and a ghostly image of Star Swirl appeared.

“To the ponies that hear this,” he intoned. “I am Star Swirl the Bearded. Reports of my death were somewhat premature. But then, my body did pass away, I suppose, so it's natural for you to think I had died. I hope I had a good funeral. Hopefully, Celie and Lu didn’t cry too much. I hate it when they cry.”

“Was he really that scatterbrained?” Twilight asked as the recorded image rambled for a bit about funeral hopes.

“Looks like,” I replied. “Hero worship sucks, don’t it?”

She nodded, a slightly glum look on her face.

Star Swirl shook his head. “That’s beside the point,” he said, standing straight again.

“In my research of the Gates, I discovered that I lacked the needed power to permanently seal the Harpies behind them. Part of that was my age, and part was my nature. I was too calm and too disconnected from their depredations to be able to effectively counter their magic. After sealing them into the rift that became the trans-dimensional portal matrix, I realized it wouldn’t hold them indefinitely. I knew from texts that Sirens could neutralize their abilities, but the only remaining ones were mere children and were set on wreaking their own havoc.

“It was then that I set about to prepare the final locks. I began by banishing the Sirens beyond the portal, hoping that eventually they would stop feeding on negative energy and return to their roots. I also sealed the book of the portal magic away with the Tree, trusting it would hold it until needed. I then sealed my spirit into the matrix to hold the balance and to recharge the Siren’s magic when they came to understand their purpose.”

He smiled. “So if you’re seeing this, then I finally got to go on to rest and the Harpies are sealed beyond the gate. Thank you, whoever it happened to be.” The recording faded and ended, the scroll burning away with a slow glow of blue fire, revealing a key with Star Swirl’s cutie mark on the shield.

Twilight eyed the key, a look of hunger that I recognized. “Have at, Twi,” I said. “I’m done with magic and mysteries for a time.”

“Then I presume you are not too busy for an audience,” a voice came from behind Twilight and I.

I turned and saw Princess Celestia standing in the doorway, her hair drifting slowly in the dim light. I immediately bowed, but her trilling laugh made me look up.

“We’re now equals, Sunset,” she said. “And in private, so the bowing is not needed.”

I grinned sheepishly. “Sorry,” I said. “Habits I thought I had lost.”

The ruler of Equestria nodded. “We have not finished discussing the issue of your ascendance,” she said, a serious look crossing her face.

“If you’re here to take the wings, feel free,” I said, feeling a small tinge of regret that I forced down. “I’m ready.”

Celestia smiled. “I’m not here to remove the wings, my darling student,” she said softly. “I’m here to ask if you wish it to be confirmed through a coronation.”

I blinked. “A coronation?” I parroted numbly.

“You have earned the right to wear the crown of a princess by the self-sacrifice you were willing to make,” she said. She tilted her head towards Twilight. "I have discussed it with the other princesses, and we are in agreement.”

I looked at Twilight, who was studiously avoiding my eyes. “You are, are you?” I said wryly.

Celestia giggled slightly. “Yes,” she said. “We know that you will not remain here, but we have agreed to give you the title, rights, and authorities as Princess Sunset Shimmer, Princess of Compassion.”

I felt tears in my eyes.

“And I charge you to defend the other world, as it is given unto your care,” she said, her smile turning into the maternal look she had held during my tutelage. “With the advent of magic blossoming there, someone has to keep an eye on it, my little pony.”

She levitated a small tiara out and set it upon my head. It fit perfectly, but for some reason, it felt uncomfortable. Twilight seemed to sense my discomfort.

“You get used to it, eventually,” she said, walking over and hugging me. “It just takes some time.”

“Looks like I missed the coronation,” Starlight said as she walked in, a set of tubing hovering behind her in her telekinesis. “Congratulations, Princess.”

I flushed at hearing someone refer to me like that. “I’m still Sunset to you, got it?”

She smiled and shot me a wink.

I stepped through the portal, seeing the devastation left in the aftermath of my fight with Acerak. I wondered briefly if the shattered windows had come from the gem exploding. I started to reach into my pack to pull out the scroll Twilight had given me when suddenly I was bowled over by an enthusiastic young girl.

“You came back,” Twilight sobbed, kissing me repeatedly.

“Promised you, didn’t I” I said, smiling and laughing past the pain in my abdomen.

She helped me to my feet, and I looked at the damage. “I made a mess of the place, though,” I said self-deprecatingly. “Didn’t I?”

She twiddled her fingers. “The glass was my fault,” she said softly.

“You?”

She turned a bright red and nodded.

I laughed. “No worries, Sunshine,” I said. “Twilight and Starlight loaned me a scroll that has a repair spell on it. Should take care of it in no time.”

She looked at the scroll as I unrolled it and then ponied up, spreading my wings and lifting myself high enough to see the entirety of the destruction. I channeled magic into the scroll, and the shards of glass began to lift themselves back into their frames, windows reforming. The scorched gouges in the football field filled in and regrew green, and the statue of the Wondercolt slowly floated back onto the pedestal. When the spell finished, I lowered myself to the ground and closed my eyes for a moment.

I sensed no extra magic from the portal, and through the bond, I could feel Twilight’s exuberance radiating out, filled with love and relief.

“Let’s go home,” I said, releasing my pony form and smiling at my fiancé. “I’m beat.”

She slid her arm around my waist.

“Whatever you say, Princess,” she whispered in my ear before kissing my neck.

I looked at her.

“Who told?”

I started the first song, pick flowing across my guitar for the simple intro. Twilight and I had written it, based off of thoughts we had had prior to the Friendship Games.

Everyone here likes who I am

And it’s not from a magic spell’s command,whoa-oh

We look past the things we’ve done

And remember all those quests

Mythic creatures, magic tests

This was great, but’s it’s

Not who I am anymore

We had a different dynamic now, having a few extra members on stage playing with us. As I ended the first verse, not only did the rest of the band join in, but so did Octavia and the string quartet of hers, adding a different slant to our music. Twilight stepped forward to continue the song.

We’ve walked these halls before,

Been in and out of every door, whoa-oh.

Theres no part of this school I don’t know

Every class, you try your best

Try to pass on every test,

And now it seems it’s time for us to go

I know there's more that's out there,

And I just haven't found it yet.

I know there's more that's out there.

Another me I haven't met.

We all joined in on the second part of the chorus, including the Sirens, standing behind the stands since they hadn’t worked on forgiveness from the school yet.

And I know there’s more that’s out there

Maybe folks that we can help

I know there’s more that’s out there

Because we’ve seen it for ourselves

There’s only so much this town can offer

And I’m not saying that’s so bad

But I know there’s more that’s out there

Cause it’s the life that I once had

Rainbow slid into a slow solo, the notes sounding both plaintive and hopeful at the same time. I looked out at the audience, seeing the seven girls sitting near the back with looks of awe on their faces, one, in particular, grinning madly as the solo ramped up near the end.

The door is open our path is set

But that doesn’t mean we’re ready to move on yet.

Yet sometimes staying safe

can make you feel out of place

And I know there’s more that’s out there

Another world to explore.

And I know there’s more that’s out there,

Are we wrong for seeing more?

And I can't wait for it to happen;

And what it is I cannot say.

I just know there's more that's out

there, and it's calling out my name.

And we’re searching for the answer,

And you’ve all shown us the way.

We may not know what's really out

there, but we'll find out someday!

I waited for Rainbow’s bent note to end before Twilight and I finished the song.

"We'll find out someday..."

The assembled students and adults exploded into applause, and none were as fast to clap than the seven in the back. We all bowed and stepped off the stage to take our place among the other capped and gowned students.

I don’t remember a lot of the speeches given by the principal or the guest speaker Sapphire Shores outside of some brief compliments thrown the band’s way. All I do remember clearly is the look of pride Celestia had as she shook my hand while handing me the diploma.

My apartment was packed with all of us girls and two dogs all the glamors dropped. We all were enjoying the small mountain of sweet baked goods that the Pinkies were churning out as though they were racing, despite there only being the one oven. Sadly, Starlight had a show with Trixie that night so she had returned early. The Applejack from Equestria came back up from outside, a small crate of rainbow-hued apples in her hands.

“Now Ah’ve saved these here for a special occasion like this,” she said, setting it down on my dining room table. “From what ya’lls AJ says, this world doesn’t have anything like it, so Ah suspect it’ll be a treat.”

I picked up one of the apples, my mouth watering in memory. “It’s been years since I had a zap apple,” I said, biting into it and savoring the unique taste, somewhat tart and sweet at the same time.

My AJ bit into one and chewed thoughtfully for a moment. “Why don’t you have a bigger trade in these?” she asked as the apples were sampled by everyone.

“You can only pick them one day of the year and they spoil quick,” Applejack replied. “Fortunately, it looks as though the portal preserves them for a bit.”

Between the apples and the baking going on, I had a feeling that the place was going to smell like a pastry shop for a while after tonight.

And that was just fine with me.

“Hey Sunset!” my Rainbow Dash called from the doorway. “It’s here!”

I hopped outside to watch as a box truck pulled up. A single young man climbed out of the cab and came to me, holding a clipboard.

“Sunset Shimmer?” he asked.

“That’s me,” I said.

He handed the clipboard out for me to sign. “Anyplace special you want it?” he asked.

I jerked my thumb at the building’s awning as I passed the clipboard back. “Under there, if you please.”

Sunshine came out with a puzzled look on her face. “I didn’t know we were expecting anything,” she said.

“It’s something I ordered after we finished with Acerak,” I said, watching the delivery man roll my order up to the spot I had indicated. “Something to occupy my time over the summer and something that I’ve been a little afraid to do.”

“What are you going to do with your car?”

“Share it with you, as usual,” I said, walking over to the battered chassis of an older cruiser style motorcycle. “Can’t ride this in the heavy rain anyway.”

“Looks rather worn in,” she said, eyeing it critically.

“Oh, it’s a fixer-upper for sure,” I said. “But nothing worth it is without effort.”

She kept her gaze on the scarred metal of the bike, eyes distant. I could tell through the bond she was remembering her captivity. She knew now that it hadn’t been months, but the acts that she had been forced to do, including repeatedly destroying illusions of her friends, had taken a toll on her. I reached out and put a hand on her shoulder.

“And you are more than worth the effort,” I said, sending as much love and warmth through the bond as I could.

She reached up and gripped my hand.

“I do hate to interrupt,” Rarity said. “But I was going to go show my counterpart my shop and get some pointers.” She adjusted a bracelet on her wrist. “When are we expected to be back so they can return?”

I shrugged. “Twilight said they weren’t staying the night, but I’m sure it wouldn’t matter if the two of you stick together late.” I subconsciously put a hand on my side, where I still had an angry red scar from Acerak’s talons that not even the Siren’s Song could heal. “It’s not like the portal is dangerous anymore.”

She squealed in delight and dashed in to grab her purse, the twin fashionistas’ hurrying to the convertible to go obsess over designs in Rarity's private studio.

I sighed. “You feel any different?” I asked.

“From what?” Twilight asked.

“Being a High School graduate,” I said. “This time last year we were facing off against each other in the Games. Now we’re adults in the eyes of the world.”

She slid in and slipped an arm around my waist, careful to not touch my scar.

“C’mon, Princess,” she said, teasing me with my title. “Let's go enjoy the party. There's time enough to be adults in the morning.”

We went back inside and proceeded to enjoy celebrating with friends from both sides of the mirror.

That for this story arc next time Arctic Ace and Sirens fend off from Crocovile