[FFML] [MLP] [Alt U] [Dark] Sunset - Through a Mirror Darkly - Chapter 01 (Revised)

[Ariel Schnee]

Sunset - Through a Mirror Darkly

by

Ariel Schnee



Chapter 01



Deke was bored. There wasn't much to do while sitting around the guardroom 
in the dungeons. And playing poker with his buddies was getting... old.

"You gonna make a bet?" asked his buddy Zack.

"Yeah." said Deke, his attention drawn back to the game. "I bet fifteen." He 
put fifteen bits in the betting pile.

"I'll see your fifteen." said his buddy Lance, putting his fifteen in. "And 
raise you fifty." He put another fifty in the betting pile.

"[b]FIFTY![/b]" exclaimed his buddy, Shining Armor.

Deke suddenly wasn't bored anymore.

Lance just smirked.

"I fold." said his buddy Erick.

Lance just smirked even more.

"Fold." said Shining.

Deke looked at Lance, at the bits, and then at Lance's cards.

"He [b]does not[/b] have a straight." said Shining.

Deke gulped. He made his decision. "Call." he said.

Sighing, Lance turned over his cards. Revealing a [b]very[/b] poor hand. 
Just some twos.

"[b]YES![/b]" Deke exclaimed in joy. He quickly started raking his winnings 
in towards himself.

"How did you know I was bluffing?" asked a resigned Lance.

Deke smirked, and said "It's the way your left eyebrow raises when you 
bluff."

Lance startled, and looked at him shocked.

Deke laughed, and said "Just kidding."

Lance grumbled good-naturedly, and sat back in his chair.

*CLACK*

Instantly, the guards were alert.

"What was that?" asked Shining.

"Dunno." said Deke. "Go check it out Lance."

"Why me?" asked Lance.

"Because you're the one who lost this poker game tonight." said Deke.

"Fine." said Lance, as he got up to go and check out the noise.

Lance trotted off into the shadows.

...

...

...

...

"Lance?" asked Deke. "You okay back there? Did you decide to take a piss, or 
do something else, dude?"

...

...

"LANCE?" asked Deke a little louder.

...

"[b]LANCE![/b]" Deke shouted.

...

The others all looked at each other.

"Something's not right." said Shining. "Get your weapons ready. There's 
trouble coming."

The others quickly got their weapons, and armor, ready.

*CLACK* *CLACK* *CLACK* went a little round ball of... something as it 
rolled out. Then it exploded, and filled the room with a thick cloud of 
smoke.

"[b]GET YOUR WEAPONS AND SHIELDS UP![/b]" shouted Lt. Shining Armor. 
"[b]WE'RE UNDER ATTACK! BE READY![/b]"

*[b]GROOOWWWLLL[/b]* some[b]thing[/b] growled in the smoky room.

'I take it back!' thought Deke. 'I'd rather be bored than this!'

"[b]ARRRGGGHHH![/b]" screamed a pony.

"[b]ERICK![/b]" yelled Deke. "[b]ERICK![/b] ... ... [b]IT GOT ERICK![/b]"

"[b]KEEP YOUR GUARD UP![/b]" yelled Shining Armor. "[b]DON'T LET IT GET PAST 
YOU! ... WHATEVER IT IS! WE CAN'T LET IT GET INTO THE UPPER LEVELS![/b]"

Deke felt some...[b]thing[/b] brush against him. Then he grunted as it 
lunged into him. The last thing he felt was a sharp pain in his neck as his 
consciousness left him. His vision turned black. And then, Deke knew no 
more.

[hr]

Sunset silently crept out of her cell, and into the corridor. She looked up 
and down it. Cells, cells, cells, cells, and more cells. All of them empty. 
Seems nopony else was locked up in the same cell block as the undead 
soulless vampony. To the south was the supply room. To the north was the 
guardroom.

Sunset carefully crept into the supply room. She could easily see in the 
darkness. She started searching, and found some... things.

'Bingo.' she thought with a scary smile. 'This is [b]just[/b] what I need. 
Yes, this will do nicely.[/b]'

In a soft voice she said "Snowbank, I've got a plan."

Snowbank chuckled softly at what was to come.

[hr]

Sunset heard the guards in the room. They were... playing poker? Ok, that 
would make it easier since they were so distracted now.

She waited until they were joking around a bit. She hefted a rock, and threw 
it into a dark area opposite of where she was.

When the guard went to investigate, she got the drop on him. Quickly sinking 
her fangs into his neck, she drank enough of his blood to weaken him. She 
then laid his unconscious body on the ground. She was as careful as she 
could be. She didn't want to kill him afterall.

When one of the guards started yelling his name, she threw the smoke ball 
she had 'acquired' from the supply room. It filled the room nicely with 
thick black smoke.

She heard somepony yelling about being under attack. Strange... That voice 
sounded almost... familiar.

She stepped into the room. Everything as clear as possible, thanks to her 
vampony radar.

She growled, making them scared.

She quickly got another guard, sinking her fangs into him. But, not before 
he let off a yell. Setting the guard down, she then moved to another 
location in the room.

She quickly lunged, and rammed into another guard. She sank her fangs into 
him, weakening him even further. She laid him down when he fell unconscious.

She started heading toward the last guard, when all of a sudden... the smoke 
started clearing.

'Uh oh.' she thought. 'What's going on? It was supposed to last for thirty 
minutes.'

The smoke cleared, and she found herself looking at...

'Oh horseapples.' she thought.

[hr]

Lt. Shining Armor of the Royal Guard was... nervous. Listening, he could 
tell he was the last guard left standing.

'If only this smoke wasn't everywhere.' he thought. 'Then I would be able to 
see. If only it would clear out, then maybe I could...'

He facehooved.

'Shining, you idiot.' he thought to himself. 'Are you a unicorn, or aren't 
you? Cast a spell to get rid of this smoke.'

He quickly cast a spell to make the smoke disperse, really hoping it 
wouldn't reveal the dead bodies of his fellow guards.

The smoke cleared.

And he found himself looking at...

'Oh horseapples.' he thought.

[hr]

Sunset just stared. And stared. And stared. And then she waved, and said "Hi 
Shiny."

Shining just looked at her, and snarled. "Traitor." he spat. "So, it's you." 
He looked around, and spotted the bodies of his guards. "Did you kill them?" 
he asked, while glaring at her.

Sunset winced at that glare. And the fact that he thought she would kill 
innocent ponies.

"What kind of monster do you think I am?" she asked in a hurt tone. "I would 
[b]never[/b] kill the innocent! It's against every belief that I have!"

"Do you expect to believe you, you [b]monster[/b]?!" snarled Shining.

Sunset felt a tear trickle it's way down her muzzle.

"Shiny..." she pleaded.

"You don't have the [b]right[/b] to call me [b]that[/b], you Tartarus 
spawned [b]thing[/b]." he hissed at her.

Sunset reeled back, as if struck by a mighty blow. In a way, she was.

'That [b]hurt[/b].' she thought. 'That really, really, really [b]hurt[/b]. 
Oh Shiny, do you truly hate me [b]that[/b] much?'

"You know [b]what[/b] they'll do to me." she said in a shaky voice. "You 
know [b]where[/b] they'll send me. Please... Just, step aside. Please.....?"

"[b]Never![/b]" he snarled. "After [b]what[/b] you have done! It's a place 
you [b]deserve[/b] being sent!"

Sunset closed her eyes, and sniffled. Tears running down her muzzle, from 
both eyes. Then she opened her eyes, a determined expression on her face. 
One that scared most other beings into running. "So be it." she said in a 
resigned voice.

[hr]

Shining just stared. And stared. And stared at the abomination before him. 
And then... it..... waved at him and said "Hi Shiny."

Shining looked at the [b]thing[/b] before him. The [b]thing[/b] that had 
caused so much misery/pain/anguish for the ponies that had made the mistake 
of caring for a monster. He snarled at this... this... [b]thing[/b] that had 
dared to wear the body of a filly he had cared for. "Traitor." he spat. "So, 
it's you." He looked around, and spotted the bodies of his guards. Ice 
clenched in his heart. [b]What[/b] had that monster [b]done[/b] to them? 
"Did you kill them?" he asked, while glaring at it.

The... [b]thing[/b] winced at his glare.

"What kind of monster do you think I am?" it asked in a hurt tone that was 
obviously false. "I would [b]never[/b] kill the innocent! It's against every 
belief that I have!" it lied to him.

"Do you expect to believe you, you [b]monster[/b]?" he snarled.

It shed a false tear that trickled it's way down it's muzzle.

"Shiny..." it pleaded.

He felt [b]rod hot anger[/b] at that. How [b]dare[/b] this [b]THING[/b] 
address him as that special little filly had. "You don't have the 
[b]right[/b] to call me [b]that[/b], you Tartarus spawned [b]thing[/b]." he 
hissed at it.

It reeled back, as if struck by a mighty blow. He wondered if it really 
thought he was buying it's horrible acting.

He waited for it to attack. Surely, it realized stalling like this was doing 
it no good. So it'd drop the act soon, right?

"You know [b]what[/b] they'll do to me." it said in a really shaky voice 
that was obviously fake. "You know [b]where[/b] they'll send me. Please... 
Just, step aside. Please.....?"

He thought of the real Sunset. Of what she had meant to him. Of how this... 
[b]thing[/b] had [b]murdered[/b] her, and taken her place. "[b]Never![/b]" 
he snarled at it. "After [b]what[/b] you have done! It's a place you 
[b]deserve[/b] being sent!"

It closed it's eyes, and sniffled. Obviously fake tears running down it's 
muzzle, from both eyes. Then it opened it's eyes, a scary expression on it's 
face.

He felt a stab of fear at seeing it. He carefully did not let it show on his 
face, and hardened his resolve. He [b]would not[/b] be intimidated by that 
expression.

"So be it." it said in a resigned voice.

[hr]

A moment passed...

And then... Shining collapsed as somepony hit him on the back of the head.

"Keep your hooves off my marefriend!" the somepony said.

Sunset just stared at the somepony. "T... Tw... Twinkleshine!" she 
exclaimed.

"The one and only." Twinkleshine said, dropping the bedpan she had hit 
Shining with.

"What are you doing here?!" asked Sunset.

Twinkleshine grinned. "Well, you didn't think I'd let them send my 
marefriend to Tartarus now did you?" She then giggled. "I came here to break 
you out." She looked at the unconscious guards. "Though it looks like you 
took care of most of that on your own." She giggled again.

Sunset blinked, and then asked "You're not repulsed by me being an undead 
soulless vampony?"

Twinkleshine laughed, a sound like pretty bells chiming. "No, it doesn't 
bother me. In fact... I want you to turn me into one too."

Sunset was shocked. "What?! ... Why?"

"So that I can be like you." Twinkleshine said. "Then we can be together 
forever. And nothing will be able to separate us."

"Are you sure?" asked Sunset. "You'll be an undead vampony. Forever."

"I'm sure." said Twinkleshine.

"Are you really sure?" asked Sunset. "You'll still be you, but... You'll 
also be forever damned."

"Sunset, I love you." said Twinkleshine. "I don't care if I become an undead 
bloodsucking vampony, and am forever damned. I don't care about any of that, 
just so long as I am with you."

Sunset felt a tear of happiness fall down her muzzle. "Alright. If that's 
what you really want now."

Sunset approached Twinkleshine.

Twinkleshine tilted her head, baring her neck.

Sunset sank her fangs into Twinkleshine's neck, and drank deeply of her 
blood. Twinkleshine groaned in ecstasy as Sunset drank her blood. Sunset 
adjusted her position as Twinkleshine laid down on the floor.

...

After a little while she disengaged. Then she cut her foreleg, and held it 
to Twinkleshine's mouth. "Drink." she said.

Twinkleshine gladly gulped down Sunset's undead vampony blood. It tasted 
like the finest ambrosia. And spread a warmth through her.

"Liananna." Sunset intoned. "Goddess of Darkness and Shadows. I submit to 
you one who wishes to join us, and to worship you and all you stand for."

Darkness and Shadows appeared over Twinkleshine's form, and then seeped into 
her body. Twinkleshine stopped drinking Sunset's blood as her head laid down 
on the floor, and she stopped breathing. Then there was a flash of darkness, 
and Twinkleshine was... changed.

Twinkleshine gasped, opened her eyes, and asked "What happened Sunset?"

Sunset smiled at her and said "Liananna has accepted you, and you are now 
one of us. An undead vampony. If you want to be Truly Immortal you'll have 
to do a separate ceremony, and sacrifice your soul to Liananna. But, now you 
are an undead vampony."

Twinkleshine smiled at her. "Good." she said. "I'm so glad. Now we are truly 
together." She blinked a little then. "Uhhh... Why do I feel so hungry?" she 
asked as her retractable fangs emerged then.

Sunset grinned, and said "Come on. Let's get to the upper levels. And I'll 
find you a maid to snack on."

Sunset helped Twinkleshine to her hooves.

Twinkleshine stood, a little unsteady at first, but then with more sureness.

[hr]

"Just a little more." said Sunset. "And we'll be at the top of these stairs. 
Then we can get you a maid to snack on, and you'll feel better."

"Alright." said Twinkleshine, in a slightly weak voice.

Just then, a guard emerged from the top door. He locked it behind him. Then 
he looked at them, and said "You're not going anywhere. Except straight to 
Tartarus."

"Do you think you can bar us?" asked Sunset in a menacing tone.

The guard smirked proudly. "I've got triple shields that will stop any 
spells. I've got anti-vampony armor that you can't touch without bursting 
into flames. I've drunk holy water, so my blood will be poisonous to you. 
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Try your worst vampony monster!"

Sunset was a bit... nervous. This stallion was well armored. The chances of 
getting past him without serious injuries were... small.

*CLICK-CLACK*

The guard stared wide-eyed at the object Twinkleshine was holding. He paled 
considerably. "Oh.. Oh holy shit, you've got a gun!?" He held his forelegs 
up in a warding gesture. "Oh... I... I didn't know you had a gun. Here. Take 
the key." He dropped the key. "Fuck this! Guns are dangerous." He jumped out 
a window, and into the river far below to swim... somewhere else.

Sunset just stared in dumbfounded shock. Then she looked at Twinkleshine. 
"W... When... When did you get a gun?!"

Twinkleshine set the safety back on her double-barreled shotgun, and 
holstered it. Then she smirked. "I got it out of one of Celestia's Weapons 
Rooms."

Sunset just looked at Twinkleshine. "You... are soooo wonderful."

Twinkleshine just smiled, and said "Yes. Yes I suppose I am, aren't I? Never 
really thought about it before."

Then Twinkleshine gave out a grunt, and clutched her stomach. "Errrggg... 
Let's go to the upper levels. I think I really need to find that maid 
sometime soon."

Sunset quickly went to her, and supported her. "Alright. Let's get you to 
the upper levels."

Sunset used her magic to pick up the key, and unlock the door with it. Then 
she opened the door. And helped Twinkleshine into the upper levels.

[hr]

Some time later...



In a flash of darkness, Snowbank appeared in the room.

"Sunset!" he exclaimed. "I did what you said to do. I got as much as I could 
into your Saddlebags of Holding." Then he noticed Twinkleshine. "Sunset... 
what's she doing here?"

Sunset smiled, and said "I turned her. She's coming with us. ... ..... She's 
also my wife now."

Twinkleshine just giggled, and nodded.

Snowbank gasped softly. "Sunset... You did [b]WHAT?![/b]"

Sunset giggled. "I turned her. Liananna accepted her. I married her. We also 
did the other ceremony. She's soulless, and Truly Immortal."

Snowbank just shook his head. "This day is just full of surprises. We'd 
better go before we miss the deadline."

Sunset nodded. "Right. We don't want to miss that now. Let's get to the 
mirror room. And get out of here."

Snowbank just nodded. "As you wish. Let's go."

Just as they were about to go, a pony stepped out of the shadows behind 
them.

"Sunset." said the pony.

Gasping, Sunset turned around.

So did Twinkleshine.

Snowbank quickly turned around as well, getting ready to attack.

Sunset looked at the pony in the dark cloak, hood, and outfit.

"Who are you?" she asked, preparing herself in case the pony assaulted her.

The pony made a sign with his hooves and said "In Death their is peace. In 
Death there is calm." And then, he waited.

"In Death there is light, dark, and grey." said Sunset. "In Death their is 
balance."

"In Death there is Harmony." said the two together.

"There's a secret sign and chant?" asked Twinkleshine.

Sunset looked at her. "I'll teach them all to you later." she said. Then she 
looked back to the hooded pony.

The pony lowered his hood.

Sunset gasped, and then ran forward glomping onto him. "[b]Sunburst![/b]" 
she exclaimed in pure happiness. "It's really you!"

"And me too Sunset." another pony said, stepping out of the shadows, and 
lowering her hood.

"[b]Starlight![/b]" Sunset exclaimed. "You as well?"

Starlight joined them, and soon they were in a three-way hug.

Twinkleshine joined in as well, making it a four-way hug. It didn't matter 
that she didn't know these two. She, like all ponies, didn't need an excuse 
to hug somepony.

After a while, the ponies parted hugging.

"What are you two doing here?" Sunset asked.

"We couldn't let you go without saying goodbye." said Sunburst.

"Same here Sunset." said Starlight.

"Thank you, both of you." said Sunset in happiness.

The two looked at Twinkleshine.

"Who's she?" asked Sunburst.

"She's my wife." said Sunset.

... ... ... ... "[b]WHAT?![/b]" went Sunburst and Starlight.

[hr]

*Timeskip*



"And that's how it happened." said Sunset.

"Oh." said Starlight.

Sunset, and Twinkleshine, giggled.

"I've always felt a 'special' connection with you Sunset." said Sunburst.

Sunset blushed. "Ummm... Sunburst..... You're currently together with 
Starlight. ... Not that I object to herding. But... I'm [b]married[/b] to 
Twinkleshine here."

"She sure is." said Twinkleshine, scowling at the other two.

Starlight smiled and said "And you'd [b]both[/b] be [b]very[/b] welcome in 
our bed." in a sultry voice while checking Sunset, and Twinkleshine, out.

Sunset and Twinkleshine let out an adorable, and cute, "EEEP!".

Sunburst just gawped at them, and then he blushed. "N...N...[b]No![/b]" he 
stammered. "That's [b]NOT[/b] what I meant! Not like [b]THAT![/b]"

Starlight just giggled.

Sunset giggled too.

Twinkleshine giggled also.

Sunburst just sulked.

Then Sunset asked "How did you mean it then?"

Sunburst looked at her and said "I have my suspicions. But, I'll need to ask 
you something. Can I have a vial of your blood?"

Sunset looked shocked. "My [b]BLOOD[/b]?! But... [b]why[/b]?"

"I need to run a test on it." said Sunburst. "It's very vital. It'll explain 
everything."

Sunset just looked at him, and then nodded. "Allright." she said. "I trust 
you Sunburst. And you too Starlight. And you Twinkleshine. If it was anypony 
else, I'd tell them 'no'. But, I do trust you. All of you."

Sunset used her fangs to tear open a gash in her right foreleg, and then 
filled a vial that Sunburst provided. The gash healed quickly. Thanks to 
vampony healing.

Sunburst took the vial. "Thank you." he said. He took another vial out of 
his cloak, and then cast his spell. Both vials glowed with an identical 
color.

Sunburst just nodded. He hoofed Sunset's vial back to her, which she took 
and stored away in subspace. "The spell confirms my suspicions. Alright... 
Sunset, we're siblings."

Sunset just stared.

So did Starlight.

Twinkleshine blinked confusedly.

"[b]WHAT?![/b]" they all exclaimed.

"I'm your [b]brother[/b]." said Sunburst. "And you're my [b]sister[/b]. 
[b]That's[/b] our connection."

Starlight just shrugged. "You'd both still be welcome in our bed."

All three just looked at her in shock.

Starlight noticed them looking at her, and looked back at them. "What?" she 
asked. "We're [b]undead vamponies[/b]. And we're [b]soulless[/b]. There's 
nothing wrong with a little incest. We're not weighed down by the same 
inhibitions that normal ponies have. Our moral/ethical outlook is different 
too. So, there's nothing wrong with some incest. And it's not like we can 
get pregnant. Well, I suppose we could if we asked Liananna for a favor. 
But... I'm not ready to experience undead pregnancy just now. ... Maybe 
later though."

Sunset was staring in shock. After a while, she shook herself out of it. 
"You are one kinky mare." she said to Starlight.

Starlight just smiled a little perverted smile.

Sunburst laughed. "If you think this is kinky... You should see what she can 
do with some whip cream, padded cuffs, chains, a whip, and a dead 
manticore."

"I am getting [b]so[/b] turned on now." Sunset said in a low voice.

"Ummm... me too." said a blushing Twinkleshine.

Starlight giggled, and kept smiling pervertedly.

...

...

...

...

"Anyway." said Sunburst, breaking them out of their decidedly x-rated 
fantasies. "You are my sister. Any thoughts on that?"

Sunset snapped out of it, and wiped the drool off of her mouth. She thought 
about it some. "Why did She never tell me..." she mumbled.

"Why did [b]who[/b] never tell you [b]what[/b]?" he asked, looking at her in 
confusion.

Sunset shook her head. "I've got a story to tell you three. It's a 
[b]doozy[/b]."

[hr]

*Timeskip*



Sunburst and Starlight were off in a corner, talking to each other. Finally, 
they came back over to her. Sunburst looked at her. "We're going with you." 
he said. Starlight nodded affirmation.

Sunset reared back in shock. "[b]What?![/b]" she exclaimed. "[b]Why[/b] 
would you do [b]that?![/b] You have a [b]family[/b] here! One that 
[b]loves[/b] you! One that [b]you[/b] love!"

Sunburst nodded. "It's [b]precisely[/b] for that reason we must go with 
you." he explained. "Celestia was all ready to send you to Tartarus. 
[b]You.[/b] Her [b]own daughter[/b]. Do you [b]really[/b] think She'll spare 
Her [b]son[/b] and his marefriend when She learns we're in this [b]just as 
deep[/b] as you are? She'll send us to Tartarus too. ... ..... I 
[b]don't[/b] want to even [b]think[/b] about what she might do to my 
family."

"And I'm [b]not[/b] letting him go without me." said Starlight. "I fully 
intend to [b]marry[/b] him. I [b]can't[/b] do that if I'm not [b]there[/b]. 
I also intend to seduce you into a threesome with us. Hard to do that if 
we're not on the same world."

Twinkleshine *growl*ed.

Starlight smiled at Twinkleshine very pervertedly and said "And you'd be 
welcome to join us too, and make it a foursome."

Twinkleshine stopped *growl*ing, blinked, and just blushed.

Starlight happily giggled.

Sunset just stared at them, and then made her decision. "Alright. Come on 
then. We've only got thirty minutes before the gateway closes. But, I must 
warn you. This will be a [b]one-way[/b] trip [b]only[/b]."

Sunburst nodded then.

So did Starlight.

As did Twinkleshine.

Sunset whirled around, and headed to the mirror room. Sunburst, Starlight, 
and Twinkleshine following her.

[hr]

The Mirror Room



Sunset looked about the room that she, Snowbank, Sunburst, Starlight, and 
Twinkleshine had just teleported into.

It was crowded with much magical... junk. Lots of magical junk. Magical junk 
practically everywhere.

She briefly remembered the last time she was in this room.

[i]Sunset was looking around the room, doing an inventory assignment... 
thing for Princess Celestia. She was trotting around the room, marking 
things down on her clipboard. She couldn't believe how much... junk there 
was here.

"Can I help you miss?" an old voice asked.

Sunset turned and found herself facing an old, greybearded, balding earth 
pony. The pony had a dark-brown coat, and a balding grey mane done in an 
afro.

Next to him was a taller earth pony. This pony had a dark-brown coat, and a 
black mane. The mane was full, and done in an afro style. He had a big black 
mustache on his face.

"Ummm... hello?" said Sunset. "I'm here on an inventory assignment from 
Princess Celestia. Who are you?"

The old one got a shifty-eyed look, and smiled a smile at her.

Sunset had seen this kind of smile before. It was exactly the kind of 
'smile' the used cart salespony had given her. She warily watched the old 
stallion closely.

"I'm Feed Sandford." said the old stallion. "And this is my son, Lament 
Sandford. We are in charge of this fine collection of priceless, and 
one-of-a-kind, magical treasures."

"Junk, pops." said Lament. "We're in charge of a room full of junk."

Feed looked sharply at Lament and said "Shut up Dummy!" Then he looked back 
at Sunset with that used cart salespony smile again. "Would you be 
interested in purchasing some of these fine magical treasures?"

Lament shook his head and said "Pops, we're supposed to catalog this stuff. 
Not sell it. ... Besides this is a bunch of worthless junk anyway."

Feed smacked Lament on the top of his head. "Be quite Dummy!" Then he turned 
back to Sunset. "Don't mind him. He's stupid. Now, can I interest you in 
this... um, tribal mask from Zebrica?" he asked holding up a... ... ..... 
Sunset wasn't sure what it was.

Lament sighed and said "Pops, that's an old lampshade with eyeholes cut in 
it."

Feed dropped the... lampshade and picked up something else. "How about 
this... um, genuine ball of magical blubber from a magical whale?"

Lament said "Pops, that's an old half-melted hot water bottle."

Feed dropped the hot water bottle, and picked up two something else's. "How 
about these... um, magical lenses crafted by Princess Celestia Herself that 
lets you see the truth?"

Lament said "Pops, those are the cut off bottoms of coke bottles."

Feed dropped the coke bottles, and whirled on Lament. He hit Lament over the 
head. "Shut up Dummy! Can't you see I'm trying to make a sale here?! Don't 
go ruining it with the truth!"

Sunset sighed. "I think I've seen enough. Sorry, not interested in buying... 
'magical treasures'. I'll just go back to doing my inventory now."

[hr]

A Little While Later



Feed was grasping his chest, standing upright on his hooves, and up against 
the wall. "OH! IT'S THE BIG ONE! ... THE BIG ONE! ... YOU HEAR THAT, 
ELIZABETH?! I'M COMING TO JOIN YOU HONEY!"

Sunset and Lament were standing a little ways away.

Sunset looked at Lament and asked "Does he do this often?"

Lament sighed, and said in a resigned tone, "All the time."

Sunset looked at Feed, then back at Lament. "You have my sympathies."

Lament just sighed.[/i]

Sunset grinned. Those two had been a [b]riot[/b]. Sweet Celestia, they were 
[b]sooo[/b] much [b]fun[/b]! ... She hoped they were doing well at their 
'Junkponies of Equestria' convention in Marewaii.

She trotted to where the mirror was, and accidentally bumped... something. 
And music started up. Fortunately it seemed to be set at 'low' volume.

[i]~It was 1989, my thoughts were short my hair was long
Caught somewhere between a boy and man
She was seventeen and she was far from in-between
It was summertime in Northern Michigan
Ahh Ahh Ahh
Ahh Ahh Ahh[/i]

'Where's Northern Michigan?' thought Sunset.

[i]Splashing through the sand bar
Talking by the campfire
It's the simple things in life, like when and where
We didn't have no internet
But man I never will forget
The way the moonlight shined upon her hair[/i]

'What's an enter-net?' thought Sunset.

[i]And we were trying different things
We were smoking funny things
Making love out by the lake to our favorite song
Sipping whiskey out the bottle, not thinking 'bout tomorrow
Singing Sweet home Alabama all summer long
Singing Sweet home Alabama all summer long[/i]

'Where's Alabama?' thought Sunset.

Starlight giggled. "Remember when we did that last month Sunburst?" asked 
Starlight.

Sunburst chuckled. "Yeah. That was fun. ... I've never been so drunk, and 
high, in my life. ... It took a week before I stopped seeing purple 
polkadots everywhere. ..."

Starlight just giggled again.

Sunset just looked at them. 'Why didn't they invite me?' she thought. 'That 
sounds like it was a lot of fun.'

[i]Catching Walleye from the dock
Watching the waves roll off the rocks
She'll forever hold a spot inside my soul
We'd blister in the sun
We couldn't wait for night to come
To hit that sand and play some rock and roll[/i]

'What's a wall eye?' thought Sunset. '... I [b]love[/b] rock and roll!'

[i]While we were trying different things
And we were smoking funny things
Making love out by the lake to our favorite song
Sipping whiskey out the bottle, not thinking 'bout tomorrow
Singing Sweet Home Alabama all summer long
Singing Sweet Home Alabama all summer long

Now nothing seems as strange as when the leaves began to change
Or how we thought those days would never end
Sometimes I'll hear that song and I'll start to sing along
And think man I'd love to see that girl again[/i]

'I'm glad I got to see Twinkleshine again.' thought Sunset with a smile. 
'And married her. ... My cute Twinkleshine. ...'

[i]And we were trying different things
We were smoking funny things
Making love out by the lake to our favorite song
Sipping whiskey out the bottle, not thinking 'bout tomorrow
Singing Sweet home Alabama all summer long
Singing Sweet home Alabama all summer long

And we were trying different things
We were smoking funny things
Making love out by the lake to our favorite song
Sipping whiskey out the bottle, not thinking 'bout tomorrow
Singing Sweet home Alabama all summer long

Singing Sweet home Alabama all summer long
Singing Sweet Home Alabama all summer long
Singing Sweet Home Alabama all summer long
Singing Sweet Home Alabama all summer long
Singing Sweet Home Alabama all summer long~[/i]

Sunset was staring at the device when the music ended, wondering where 
Celestia got it. Suddenly a sound distracted her. She looked back at 
Starlight and Sunburst... and gaped.

"STARLIGHT!" she yelled. "SUNBURST! DO I HAVE TO HOSE YOU TWO DOWN!"

Starlight, where she was wrapped around Sunburst and sniffing his scent 
while he was sniffing hers, stopped her sexy *growl*ing noises and got off 
of Sunburst. Starlight, and Sunburst, shook themselves like two wet dogs. 
They both blushed.

"Sorry Sunset." said a very embarrassed Starlight. "I couldn't help myself. 
Vampony instincts you know."

"Sorry sis." said an equally embarrassed Sunburst. "She made those sexy 
growling noises. I just couldn't help myself. ... And her scent. ... My 
vampony instincts reacted to hers. You know how that is."

Twinkleshine, blushing very red, just stared wide-eyed.

Sunset, her face flaming red tomato, said "You two can make love later. 
Right now we have to find the mirror. And get out of here." She didn't 
mention that she wanted her and Twinkleshine to join them. And that it was 
only the time limit that prevented her from grabbing Twinkleshine and 
jumping them and making love with them right now.

[hr]

A few minutes later...



Standing on a shallow pedestal, at the opposite end of the large and 
junk-filled chamber, sat a tall oval mirror. Its frame was a stylized 
horseshoe. Its open side pointing down to form a large archway. Sitting atop 
it was a smaller horseshoe facing the opposite direction... It was sitting 
on the larger one, like a tuning fork. From her research she knew that the 
parallel continued in its function. It acted as a tuning fork for the 
destination.

Sunset reached out and touched the mirror.

Suddenly, a loud series of alarms started blaring.

Sunset gave an "EEEK!", and then started moving very quickly.

"[b]SNOWBANK![/b]" she shouted over the blaring alarm sirens ringing in the 
vault. "[b]WE'VE ONLY GOT A FEW MINUTES UNTIL THE GUARDS GET HERE! YOU KNOW 
WHAT TO DO![/b]"

Snowbank quickly flew up to the tuning fork, and perched himself right atop 
it. He adjusted it to a random destination. Then he attached the [b]special 
package[/b] that Sunset had prepared to it, and set it.

"All done!" he shouted.

"Then get back down here!" Sunset yelled. "We've got to go now! We've only 
got minutes left!"

Sunset activated the mirror, and then gestured to it.

"May Liananna watch over us, and may She keep us safe in Her Darkness and 
Shadows." prayed Starlight.

"We've got to go now!" yelled Sunset. "The mirror will lead us to a world 
that can support our form of existence! Hurry! Go! I'll follow when I can!"

The three jumped in the mirror. Sunset prepared herself to jump. Then, just 
as she was about to jump into the mirror...

There was a bright flash of light, and somepony appeared in the room.

Sunset rubbed her eyes, and looked at who it was. ... ...

"Oh crap." she said.

[hr]

A little earlier...

Celestia's chambers...



Princess Celestia was feeling miserable, and contemplating how everything 
had gone to shit. Suddenly, a series of alarm sirens began to blare. 
Celestia sat up quickly, a startled look on her face.

"Auntie, what is it?!" yelled Cadence.

"It's the alarms on the Royal Vaults!" yelled Celestia. She concentrated, 
and searched the alarm system with her magic. She blinked in puzzlement. 
"Why would somepony be breaking into the junk storeroom?" she wondered. Then 
she gasped. "Princess Platinum's Mirror!" she exclaimed.

She turned to Cadence. "Cadence, no time to explain! Go find Shining! Get 
him, and the Guard, to Royal Vault 39-G! I'll go ahead! Follow as soon as 
you lot can!"

She concentrated, and teleported to the Vault. She blinked her eyes, and 
then saw somepony she had [b]NOT[/b] expected to see here. She just stared 
in shock.

"Oh crap." the other pony said.

Celestia wholeheartedly agreed with the statement now.