Esquestria: The House of the Sun - A pony cultist experience

[DelightedOne]

"Why?"

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Well, the character itself is very interesting from a multitude of viewpoints: a genius, a rebel, an interdimensional traveler, a villain turned hero-savior, a student. All of these are amazing.

But personally I always felt like what made people like Sunset so much(me included) is that we saw her change of mind happen, the struggle to prove to others and even to herself that she changed. That went so well she even managed to become an Element in the human world.

Her personality itself is also quite pleasant to see: level headed yet emotional, dedicated and talented, a knack for understanding others and common sense(something some characters really need). She is also quite confident when she is feeling confortable in her own skin, that gives her a high level of charisma.

But in true MLP fashion, she still kept her flaws: she can be impulsive, quick to anger, insecure, the list goes on.

I think what I'm trying to say is that she is a charismatic well-built character with a lot of potential. And that leads to people wanting to see more of her.

 

[Pittauro]

After some consideration, I have realized that approval voting is better, so we don't get bloated with too many plans in a time that will, in all honesty, be a short voting period.

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I was thinking about it, I admit.

Unless you're planning for hidden synergies (or anti-synergies), there's literally no downside.

IF there are hidden synergies (example, my idea of "Rarity+Fluttershy + Internet + Axe's errand" to try and become some kind of internet celebrity to show off the medallion online to many more people), then plans make a LITTLE more sense.

You can (and should) consider this as your go-to statement:

Once/If you complete DoA's objective, your "return home" option transforms into "successfully return home". DoA will be willing to open the portal for you as long as you have not yet fulfilled her request. Once you fulfill her request, you cannot guarantee she will be willing to open a portal back. This really boils down to DoA's willingness to open you a portal through the foggy mirror.

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That makes sense. Depending on how the errand goes she might be more or less grateful. If we find answers she likes, or also find the Frangiclave and give it to her... well, she might be more willing to help.

Of course coming back here will still cost actions, so depending on what we find and don't find we might not WANT to come back again...


[X] They are young and impressionable. Thankfully, you are a responsible adult. (Hang out with Rarity and Fluttershy, your real-life confidantes)
[X] You are here for a reason. Get. It. Done. (Further your search for Axe's… contact)
[X] What is this "cellphone" all the kids are talking about? Why do you have one? And what is this "Internet" thing?
[X] This feels like a dream. Treat it like one. Explore this strange place.

The bacon horse is quite, well, notorious in the fandom. Some would even say "beloved".

I would like to ask a question about that.

"Why?"

And I don't direct this question to you alone, Ro. Anyone who would like to chime in is welcome to, both for and against. Extol on her virtues or her vices as you will. But I still would like to ask, and see what you have to say. Who knows, we just might speak something into reality. It has already happened before, even.

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Bacon Horse...?

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As someone who's experience with MLP largely comes from this quest… Can someone explain to me who or what this bacon horse is?

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Let me give you a short introduction to

SUNSHET SHIMMER

Spoiler: The Mare

So.

Spoiler: Sunset Shimmer's story

Sunset Shimmer is the antagonist of the first Equestria Girl movie, and then the main character of the two sequel movies, the specials, and the youtube shorts, for the most part, together with the "human" counterparts of the Bearers of the Elements/Main 6 (and, basically only in the first movie and some other shorts, pony twilight visiting here).

She was the student of Celestia BEFORE Twilight. She was a very talented unicorn (honestly from what we saw she was better then Twilight in the first few seasons at magic). But she wasn't really "friendly" She was kind of arrogant.

Celestia was trying to push her to make friends, and she didn't see the point in it.

She wanted to become an Alicorn Princess, not knowing that it's not something Celestia can just "grant" or "teach". She thought Celestia was holding her back.

After she was discovered studying magical books from the forbidden section of the Library, Celestia basically tries to punish her (not sure how severely), and she decides to escape inside the magical mirror that leads to EQG.

She then... joins Canterlot High School as a student, becomes a bit of a bully, wins the local celebrity contest for their equivalent of the "Prom" for 3 years in a row, and, in the movie, decides to come back to Equestria to try and steal the Element of Magic (she succeeds), which... for some reason becomes the prize of that year's prom, so when Twilight tries to recover it she basically tries to win the local election instead of, you know, stealing it and go back.

Why did Sunset Shimmer want the Element of Magic? Something Something I'll control the students and use them to attack Equestria.

Yes. Really.

In any case by the end of the movie she gets the Element of Magic, for some reason it turns her into a she-demon

she's later rainbow-blasted by Twilight + the human counterparts of the main 6 (no human twilight yet. She goes to a different school and only appears in the second movie, trying to study this weird energy (Magic) she sensed with a special machine she built).

She has a change of heart, she befriends the local main 6 (-1, so really main 5) (with a little push from Princess Twilight), she later helps against a few threats that... well, let just say that Starswhirl has a bad habit of banishing threats to other dimensions when he couldn't deal with them conventionally.

Like the Sirens and their brainwashing magic. or a magical stone that can remove memories. Also Equestrian magic starts to affect this reality and sometimes accidents just happen... and the local main 7 (human main 6 + sunset) later basically get a superpower each, in addition to rainbow lasers triggered by playing music.


"Bacon Hair" is mostly a reference to the color of her hair. You know, yellow and red.

this song is a decent summary of her story:


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qhsmjeQyyA&ab_channel=MyLittlePony-OfficialChannel

(Side note, for those not already fans of MLP: even if you don't care about the show, maybe check out the songs? They're pretty cool)

In short, Sunset Shimmer was Celestia's previous student, she wanted to become an alicorn princess, she escaped in the EQG world to escape from punishment, she becomes a bully and a minor villain, she's later redeemed and basically later becomes the main character of the Equestria Girl Series, kind of like the equivalent of Princess Twilight in that she's the "unofficial" leader of the group.

Sunset Shimmer from the first movie is... bad. not horrible, but she's kinda boring. She has a STUPID plan about defeating Celestia with mind-controlled Teenagers, you can't go much worse than that!

SECOND Movie Sunset Shimmer is FAR more interesting. She's basically a repentant villain, nearly everyone hates her, and she's trying to make amends. It helps that the second movie has the Sirens as the villains, and they're super cool

like... THIS is how they introduce themselves to the school:


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3oIOoaQHuI&ab_channel=MLPsongs

they're feeding on the hostility they create, by the way. Kinda the opposite of changelings, now that I think about it.

EQG kinda alternates between forgettable and really cool songs. And there's a LOT of youtube shorts which are basically original songs with mini stories attached to them (3 minutes or less)



My thought... Sunset Shimmer could potentially make for a powerful and useful student/apprentice/ally to Velvet. the main problem is, we don't have that much time to teach her, AND until redeemed I'm not sure how trustworthy she could be.

By the way, Sunset EVENTUALLY meeting with Celestia again:


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2YqYalRF1I&ab_channel=Flutter525

Because she is like Luna, except around Twilight's power level and with a reason for turning bad that is actually relatable. That means that most fanfiction involving her has her turn good through character development instead of by rainbow lazer cannon and that she can interact with other characters and challenges without trivialasing them as opposed to the pony demigod sisters.

Like, I only know Bacon Horse through fanfiction, but I have yet to read a fanfic involving her that I didn't like, both as a human and as a pony. She is a character that was literally built to make a redemption story out of them and is very easy to make her the token evil teammate. She is the closest we get to a mlp vegeta or piccolo (at least in fanfiction, albeit she usually gets a main character role in those).

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as for her canon, the first movie has her kinda boring, but the SECOND is where she "fights" for redemption, and it's pretty good.

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

as for her canon, the first movie has her kinda boring, but the SECOND is where she "fights" for redemption, and it's pretty good.

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On a somewhat tangential note, this is a bit of a theme with MLP in general. There are some "misses", and plenty of great "hits".

For example, I still vividly remember how unimpressed I was by the VERY first two episodes (the pilot, or episodes 1 and 2 of first season, where all characters are introduced and Nightmare Moon is defeated). That was, honestly, just a bland kid's show.
Fast forward to Winter Wrap Up (which is just a few episodes later, all things considered), and that music quite literally bought me into the fandom.

So aye. Sunset's character development (and MLP arcs in general) get better as they progress.

 

[Nate700]

[X] "Miss Sparkle? See me after class." (Approach Twilight Sparkle)
[X] What is this "cellphone" all the kids are talking about? Why do you have one? And what is this "Internet" thing?
[X] You are here for a reason. Get. It. (Further your search for Axe's… contact)

 

[Anjaxis]

[X] "Miss Sparkle? See me after class." (Approach Twilight Sparkle)
[X] This feels like a dream. Treat it like one. Explore this strange place.
[X] You are here for a reason. Get. It. Done. (Further your search for Axe's… contact)

 

[Pittauro]

On a somewhat tangential note, this is a bit of a theme with MLP in general. There are some "misses", and plenty of great "hits".

For example, I still vividly remember how unimpressed I was by the VERY first two episodes (the pilot, or episodes 1 and 2 of first season, where all characters are introduced and Nightmare Moon is defeated). That was, honestly, just a bland kid's show.
Fast forward to Winter Wrap Up (which is just a few episodes later, all things considered), and that music quite literally bought me into the fandom.

So aye. Sunset's character development (and MLP arcs in general) get better as they progress.

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I found them decent, but yeah, they PALE in comparison to what comes after.

And while there had been a few, mostly minor, songs before that point... Winter Wrap Up was the first episode/song where you could actually say "you know, this is disney classic tier in terms of song".

Already I think that episode 3 (Ticket Master) was a big improvement over the pilot, and...

uh. I definitely didn't remember GILDA the griffon being from episode FIVE. I thought she was from much later!

Honestly, to everyone following this quest who hasn't already watched MLP... give it a shot. it's very short episodes, you can probably already tell if you'd like it by episode 3, and if you don't like it by episode 11 (or, at the latest, episode 1-2 of season 2, with Discord) then it's not for you.

the best of MLP's episodes and songs are better than most disney stuff. Admittedly there's some bad to go with the good.

 

[Earth-Destroyer]

[X] What is this "cellphone" all the kids are talking about? Why do you have one? And what is this "Internet" thing?
[X] They are young and impressionable. Thankfully, you are a responsible adult. (Hang out with Rarity and Fluttershy, your real-life confidantes)
[X] "Miss Sparkle? See me after class." (Approach Twilight Sparkle)

I like Sunset she a more proactive version of Twilight with some fire in her. Sunset is a much much much better mirror character to Twilight then any of the other attempts.

 

[Potdl]

[X] "Miss Sparkle? See me after class." (Approach Twilight Sparkle)

[X] You are here for a reason. Get. It. Done. (Further your search for Axe's… contact)

[X] This place has a library. Go take a look.

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

Authors note: Normally, updates are written on the order they are meant to be posted. This is a rare exception. But yes, this part of the story takes place here, between the two threadmarks it is nestled.

Spoiler: Winning Plan

[X] Plan Prudent KISSing
-[X] (AotL) Lantern
-[X] (Forge) Forge 3 reagent
-[X] (Knock) Explore the Summit
-[X] (Winter) Invoke a Risen
-[X] (Social) Teach Selene
-[X] Fleeting Opportunity: Family
-[X] Fleeting Opportunity: Friends (but Cadance remains to be spoken to)
-[X] Perform the Forge's Redemption
--[X] Sacrifice Forge 3 reagent
--[X] At Jade's old house
-[X] Sacrament: Through the Foggy Mirror (4x)

[X] Plan Spreading Ourselves Thin Always Gets Us Punished
-[X] Do not leash anypony.
-[X][DETECTIVES] Follow Up: Changelings
-[X][CONSTABLES] (FOLLOW UP) Your detectives have given you a very long list, of ponies and places involved in the attempt against your life. Round them up and put them all in jail, before this trail goes cold.
-[X][COMMISSIONER] The Lunar Bureau is not the only recently-minted institution in Equestria. Try to contact the others.
--[X] Eclipse(?), and Midday Dew.
-[X][JADE] Research "A Memory of Light" (Current progress 0/100, uses Learning and LANTERN)
-[X] (Baldomare-Gift) Edge 6 book
-[X][BALDOMARE] Channel an Influence. (Secret Histories)
-[X][AXE] Ask for a Knock lesson.
-[X][MAREINETTE] Channel an Influence. (Grail)
-[X][SELENE] Soothe the night. (Her Winter realization. Unknown effects, if any.)
-[X][RARITY] Take a Commission.
-[X] Needs must. Ask somepony to procure you a dead body from the local cemetery.
-[X] Three extra Velvet actions! (Costs 9 follower actions)
-[X] Something Else (lend Heartifact to Comet)

You are Velvet Covers.

It is night.

You are at your home, sleeping with your husband, and you are almost entirely sure that this is one of those dreamless nights where you will just wake up on the next day well rested.

Yes, everything is quiet. Everything is in peace.

Everything is just fine…



[Edge Realization: Velvet Covers is immune to ambushes]

[All guarding characters have been alerted]



… until it isn't.

You don't wake up. At least, not in the sense that you open your eyes and slowly stretch your body while hugging your husband's chest.

Oh no, nothing like that happens. You don't wake up like that. You do not wake up in peace.

Instead, a creeping tide of anger slowly wells up inside of you. First as a puddle, then as a pool, until is finally becomes an ocean that threatens to spill out of you.

Because you can sense it. You can smell it as clearly as you would be able to smell a flower in spring.

You can sense that somepony just invaded your house. Which means somepony is going to die.

You do not get up. You don't want to wake your husband. This is not something that is worth waking your husband for. Because anything, anything that threatens your family's peace is nothing more than a bug that deserves to be squashed.

You will not wake him up. You will not even mention to him that this ever happened. You will just kill whoever intruded upon your home, and then creep back to your husband's warm embrace.

And no, you do not care that you are barely thinking straight.

With nothing in mind but your bubbling anger, you carefully stalk out of your bed.

And then you make your way to your home's self-appointed guardian.



"Smells like wolves in here. Are you quite alright, my employer?"

"Just get to the point."

"Ah, it also sounds like wolves. Fascinating."



Your silent hoofsteps eventually take you to the balcony that oversees the central garden of the estate. And there, as always, you find Biedde.

The moon has not yet reached the top of the sky, and its light is shining down on everything you see. The stallion himself is still sitting on his rocking chair, smoking from his pipe. And everything around you is so quiet that, if you didn't know it yourself, you would have never guessed your home is currently being invaded.

"Well…?" you ask the stallion, your tone and thoughts still clouded by the fact you have not yet fully woken up.

"See for yourself," he answers.

His tone is utterly calm, and you don't feel even a hint of urgency from him. But then again, you don't think there is anything in this world that would make him tense. Not even the threat of death works against him, given his nature.

Still, the old stallion looks a little too calm and… no, it's not that.

You shake your head, trying to bring wake yourself up a little more to help you piece together this puzzle.

It's not that Biedde is calm… yes, that's right. Biedde is too professional to not act when needed. So, the fact that he is still here smoking his pipe probably means that…

You take another sniff, smelling the air for a few more seconds as you try to track this unwelcome scent.

"They… no, not they. It's only one pony. The intruder is… on my brother's building?" you ask, narrowing your eyes as you look at the nearby building where your younger brother took residence.

"Indeed. But try to look a little harder, will you? I wasn't even sure if you would qualify him as an intruder to begin with."

Biedde's words make you raise an eyebrow, and that helps you brush off a little more of your sleepiness.

Because why would he not qualify somepony who invaded your house as an intruder?

You take another whiff at the air and…

"Wait, that's Beyond Reproach?" you say, not even bothering to hide your surprise.

"So that's his name? He was quite adept at sneaking past your bodyguards," Biedde says, although more as an idle thought than anything else. "Still, he went straight to your brother's building, and from what I can tell he is currently sifting through his business archives."

That finally wakes you up for good, and the gears of your mind begin to grind as you try to make sense of your situation.

Because why would one of your detectives, one of your best detectives, be here? Why would he be sneaking into your brother's office of all places? And why in the heavens didn't you hear about an investigation on your family?

Oh, wait, no. Something clicks inside of your head, and suddenly everything makes sense.

Biedde didn't say Reproach went into your brother's office. He said he went into his business archive. And although you are not entirely familiar with how your brother operates the farmlands, a "business archive" sounds exactly where your brother would store all the old paperwork and legacy ledgers you have created, in case his accountants ever had need of them.

So Beyond Reproach is not investigating your brother. He is investigating you. He is looking at your ledgers, and your paperwork.

Ah…

You figured something like this might happen. In fact, given your ties to the cult, and Copper, and even the Lores, you have always dreaded this moment. Because you are very much aware that you are witnessing the first stone throw at what could potentially become an avalanche.

However, as much as you dreaded this moment, you also planned for this. You also considered what you could do in response, if something like this ever came to pass.

Still, you will need time to assess your situation and prepare. You need to find out if he is working alone, or if this is a problem that is slowly spreading through your agency. You need to figure out who you can count on to help you handle this. And several other things besides.

But for tonight, you only need to make one decision.

"So, your orders?" the old stallion asks, as casually as if he was asking for the time.

Although you are acutely aware of what exactly he wants to know.

"Let him be. And I mean it, don't kill him," you say doubling down to make sure he understands you do not want your top detective killed in your own home. "In fact, don't even show yourself to him."

The stallion answers with a slow nod, as he takes another long drag of his pipe.

"Although you can intervene if he tries to come to the second floor of the mansion," you add as an afterthought, as you turn your back to him and walk back into the house. "Don't want him snooping around close to where my daughters sleep."

Biedde answers you with a soft chuckle, and an understanding nod, but nothing more. He just turns his attention back to the garden, like an old pony who is appreciating the breeze.

As for you, well you are already yawning before you even reach your bedroom door. And you are snuggling into Stormchaser's warm embrace not long after that.

No need to kill anypony tonight, it seems. No need to wake up Selene, or hammer down Axe's door, or bargain with Mareinette for her aid against some unknown assailant. Just a small surprise, that you knew would appear sooner or later.

You will worry about this tomorrow.

And you are back to sleep before your head even hits your husband's foreleg.



- - -



It is almost noon. Lunchtime is maybe one hour away, and you think you are building up quite the appetite. But still, you aren't so hungry that you can't focus on the task at hoof.

And in all honesty, this is a very important task. This is something you have been meaning to do for quite a while now, and something that Selene has quite vocally been looking forward to.

Because although this might not be your idea of a mother-daughter activity, since you would much prefer a leisure stroll or a short trip for that, you are still doing something very important with your daughter.

Namely, you are teaching her. You are teaching her everything you know, and even some things you don't, to better prepare her for the future. After all, she is a Princess, and you know you won't always be there to protect her. So, passing on your knowledge to your daughter is the second-best thing you can possibly do.

So, that is why the two of you are currently in your former office, as your filly pours over the several stacks of paper that are on the ground all around her.

This is still a work in progress, but you are quite happy with how things are going.

And yes you are referring to both your office, which you are still slowly transforming into a workshop, and Selene's progress in her studies.

Although you are under no illusion that you will be able to teach her everything today, or even in just a few days. Oh no, this will take a while.

"This is… a lot," your daughter says, with the expression of a filly who is trying to memorize so many things that some of them are falling out of her ears.

"Well, it is. But there's a trick to it," you say, making your way towards her. "The more you learn about it, the more it all starts to make sense. This, all of this, clicks together in the end. But don't worry, we will take it one step at a time."

You say that to a Selene that is surrounded (literally surrounded) by a circle of papers. This all began with you giving her a formal lecture on the Lores, finally putting names and terms to the things you taught her over the last year. But eventually, as she began to take notes, and as you began to write things down as you spoke, it came to the point that you two ended up creating a small pile of papers that is currently all over the floor.

Well, there is that, and then there were also your drawings of sigils and icons that can be used for basic rituals. Which you also began to draw for educational purposes, until it eventually evolved to you creating a "mock" ritual circle by drawing the correct runes on paper and placing them on the floor on the spots where they should be.

In short, you agree with your filly that it has been a lot.

But you are also proud of the speed she is picking things up!

"I think I can see what you mean, about all of this stuff coming together," she says, as she looks around at the literal circle of notes surrounding her. "But a lot of this just doesn't make any sense to me. And I don't mean to say that I'm not understanding the theory of it. But some of these things don't make sense in principle. They almost sound silly, to be honest."

You narrow your eyes slightly, as you follow her gaze and see what she is looking at as she says that. And sure enough, as you expected, Selene is looking at the notes that refer to the Lores she is, well, less familiar with.

The look of confusion she had on her face when you tried to explain to her the leap of Lantern into Forge was adorable. But still, the fact remains she is not taking kindly to certain parts of the material, for very obvious reason.

But of course, your daughters are perfect and they can do anything and everything. So you will never say that she is "unsuitable" for anything.

Still, her interests have been mostly focused on four specific Lores, so that is where most of her progress has happened this morning.

"I'm sure you will get it eventually," you say. To which she replies with a half-hearted nod, her expression still deep in thought.

That is, until she finally blinks as if she just snapped out of whatever she was thinking about.

"Oh, I also, um…" she looks around her, at the several hours' worth of material you two have gone over, until her eyes finally fall on you. And then, for some reason, she looks slightly embarrassed as she gets up on her hoofs, "I also forgot to tell you something important, mom."

You tilt your head slightly, but you let her continue.

"Thank you, mom. I know you don't have a lot of free time anymore, when you're with us during the weekend. And I also realize I must have annoyed you a lot these last few weeks, when I was asking you to teach me. So, well, thank you!"

She says that, with the slightly tense expression of a pony who is maybe too self-conscious. But still, she also gives you a short curtsy once she is finished.

And your heart practically melts at the sight of that.

"Oh, Selene, you don't have to say any of that!"

You say that, and for some reason Selene immediately starts to float towards you. Which doesn't make any sense, because she is a filly right now, so she can't fly.

Of course, she is floating because you just lit up your horn, and because the glow of your magic is quite literally surrounding you as you bring her towards you.

But you don't notice any of that, because you are focusing on something much more important right now.

"You. Don't. Ever. Have. To. Thank. Me. For. Anything!" you say that, planting a kiss on the top of her head, while you hug her, with each word you say.

And your daughter is embarrassed. Oh, you know for a fact she is embarrassed. But thankfully, she never really pushed you back. Not now, and not when you did something like this in the past either.

Because although she is hiding her face behind her hoofs, her cheeks flustered by how much attention you are giving her, you can still see she has a smile on her face.

And that will always be enough for you.

"Now, I know we have covered a lot, and we will have to meet several more times these next few weeks," you say, as you reluctantly let her down after you fix up her mane. "However, we still aren't done for today."

You say that as you light up your horn, but this time for a purpose less important than foalnapping your daughter. Instead, you light up your horn and you begin to gather all the papers and notes that are sprawled on the floor.

"I… you mean we are still going to cover something?" Selene asks rather hesitantly.

Of course, she isn't backing down from whatever you have in store for her. After all, like she said, she was the one who asked you to teach her.

However, you can also hear an edge of nervousness in her voice, because her mind is very clearly no longer capable of reading even a single line of writing. Let alone go through another lecture about esoteric terms, or what have you.

After all, she is Princess Selene! And her mother (read: you) did not raise a quitter!

But still…

"… I mean, lunchtime is right around the corner, and…" she continues, and you hold back on smiling at the fact that she is clearly mimicking the tone Silky uses, whenever she is trying to convince you of something. "Will it at least be about something easy? And not about the… Secret Stories or any of that?"

She asks that just as you finish piling up all the notes and locking them in one of the nearby cabinets. And you don't even bother to shoot her an amused grin once you are done with that.

Because clearly, there is a reason why Silky, and not Selene, is the one in charge of sweet talking whenever they get into trouble.

"Don't worry about it. In fact, I think you might enjoy this," you say.

After that, you look towards the door to make sure it is locked, and then you light up your horn once again, directing your magic towards yet another one of your closets.

From that closet, you float out a gramophone. An old piece of history that your maids found while clearing up the building your brother would move into. But despite its appearance it still works, and your maids also found a small collection of disks that turned out to be quite to your liking.

So, under Selene's confused gaze, you set up the gramophone, place one of the disks on it, and crank its handle with your magic for it to play.

And moments later, a soft melody begins to flow through the room.

"Mom, what are you doing?" she asks.

You are glad that she doesn't sound nervous. After all, she didn't really understand much about Heart, and you can picture her cringing a little if she thinks you are about to teach her a short lesson on that.

Luckily, you have other plans in mind.

"Well, it's obvious isn't it? I am a noble, you are a noble's daughter, so it only makes sense that I teach you certain things, no?" you ask, as you make your way to the opposite side of the room and give her a long and elaborate bow. "So, nopony will think it's weird if they hear some classical music while I teach you. And they certainly won't suspect if they hear the sound of hoofwork to accompany it."

And as if to make a point, you raise your right foreleg just a hair's breath above the ground-

Clip-clop

-and you strike the ground twice, the movement as quick as a blur, faster than your daughter can blink.

But for all that the sound of your metal horseshoe hitting the wooden floor echoes throughout the room, you don't really think anypony would think that was suspicious. Nopony will ever figure out what is truly happening, as long as you make it sound like rhythm and hoofwork.

Well, except for Biedde. But you are sure this will be like music to the old stallion's ears.

"So, would you like me to teach you how to dance?" you ask.

And the adventurous, excited smile she has on her face, as her body glows with light and she assumes her larger form, is a sight that you will always cherish.

With that, you begin your next lesson with your alicorn daughter.

Because she is strong, yes. She is strong, and she is fast, and she is powerful in the way that only a pony with wings and a horn can be. But deep down, you know she is worried that she will rely too much on those things.

Whereas on the other hoof, you, a thin and formerly crippled mare, have learned how to hold your own ground. Not because you are strong, but because you have acquired finesse. Because you have learned the technique.

So, as every mother should do, you will teach your daughter all you know. You will teach her the technique, so that she may add to her strength rather than merely rely on it. You will help your little filly be more than you ever could be, and that will bring nothing but happiness to your heart.

You give Selene another elaborate bow, which she mirrors from the other side of the room.

And then, you begin to teach your daughter how to dance.





You have taught Selene all you know, and she has learned all she can. Once you are done with your lessons, Selene's training will be officially complete.

Selene's Lore levels have all been upgraded to Level 4.

Selene has gained an additional +5 on her General bonus.

Selene has gained an additional +1 to her total health.

Spoiler: The rules were simple

The rules for it were very simple. Or at least, that is what you thought.

Your mother told you to think of it like chess, or like any other board game where you have to think. Because in truth, that is how she told you to face these kinds of situation.

Quick thinking will be crucial when the time comes, she said, but you can't develop quick thinking if you first don't learn how to think about it to begin with.

So, she told you the rules, and the two of you began your game.

The rules were simple. Each of you could only move one leg at a time, taking turns. And you had to plant your hoof somewhere, so you couldn't just leave it up in the air.

That made you appreciate how much work really goes into walking, to begin with. After all, it basically took each of you four "turns" to take a step towards each other, moving one leg at a time.

But things got a lot more complicated once you got close to each other. Especially given how, your mother explained, you would score points by "planting" a hoof on each other.

And, as you would come to learn time and time again, you would lose all your points if you lost your balance and fell to the ground.

...

You lost time of how many times your mother swiped your legs from under you, making you fall face first towards the floor. You lost how many times you thought you could "plant" a hoof on her chest or her face, simulating a punch, only to realize you were a little too far, or that you wouldn't be able to keep your balance if you moved that particular leg.

And you lost count of how many times she would somehow close in, and kiss you on the cheek, right before booping you on the nose for the maximum number of points.

Dear moon, so many kisses. You felt so humiliated.

But in the end, you still thanked her, and in the end you still had a smile on your face. Her curious way of teaching you was... actually useful, and it gave you a greater appreciation of how little you have to work with, even though you have four legs and two wings, and of how nerve wracking a fight can actually be. Even when played out one motion at a time.

And one of these days -one of these days!- you will be able to evade your mother's kisses on your cheeks.

You are a Princess for star's sake!

Selene's trait "DILIGENT" has matured into the trait "DEDICATED".

Her character sheet will be updated, but all of these changes will only take effect at the END of this turn, to be used from turn 22 onwards.

 

[Shaper47]

"Smells like wolves in here. Are you quite alright, my employer?"

"Just get to the point."

"Ah, it also sounds like wolves. Fascinating."

Click to shrink...

Desire for Wolf Sacrament growing.

In fact we should get Selene to level 5 Winter and Edge as well with a Wolf Sacrament.

 

[DelightedOne]

[DEDICATED]: Selene no longer has to spend her free time training, and has decided to instead fully dedicate herself to your cause. She has an additional action per turn, for a total of three.

Click to shrink...

Hmmmmm, tasty action points. And also soothing the night forever.

 

[Fouredged]

Boop the nose for maximum damage.

 

[spiderhellian]

The Same Day, A Different Mare

You wake up in the morning. Looking back, you'll realize today is a very important day, but in the moment you do not. Your mind is focused on the project you've been working on, turning over the words your mentor mentioned last night. She was worried you were a little too focused, that you should reach out to other people more. Oh — oh! Of course! You had been drawing directly from Starswirl's notes, but of course that was misguided! He was a genius, but he had contemporaries, antecedents, pupils! It was ridiculous to just pull your sources from one author, it would be like exploring with but one hypothesis! Time for another trip to the library, this time with a cart!

As soon as you stopped outside, however, you realized something was off. The whole town was abuzz with the latest news, and it would be no exaggeration to say that literal festivities were popping all around at the drop of a horseshoe, parades forming spontaneously on the streets as ecstatic ponies brought out their instruments and joined each other in songs. Food was practically being distributed for free by merchants and bakers, and everywhere one went the repeated cheers could reach even the ears of the most inattentive creature.

"A princess! A new princess has appeared! A pegasus became an alicorn! Hail princess Cadance!"

A new… a new princess?

A Pegasus, become an Alicorn?

Become. An Alicorn?

BECOME. AN ALICORN?

But… but… she had said— she had warned you away— and all this time—

Had you done something wrong? Had you made a mistake? Had you erred fundamentally, fatally, and your mentor was just too kind or too cowardly to tell you?

No Sunset. Wait. A true scholar doesn't leap to conclusions with one shred of evidence. Gather more data, and then your life can fall to pieces.

The story spread like wildfire, and you couldn't help but to overhear bits and pieces of it, slowly forming the bigger picture. You paused in your journey to the library, and the ebbs of the crowd pushed you into a bar. A bar? Well, perhaps that was the equivalent to the royal archives when gathering this sort of information.

The barkeep looked at you askance, and was clearly about to tell you to leave, when another patron laughed. "C'mon, Lee, let the filly stay! Everyone gets to celebrate on a day like today!"

The earth pony behind the counter gave you a look, and then rolled his eyes. He stuck a glass in front of you, filled it with milk, and then dropped a few ounces of some creamy brown liquor in it. You took a sip. Wow, delicious! You took a deeper sip, before the barkeep grunted. "You get one, and then you're gone," he said, before turning to the mass of other customers that had quickly formed.

Okay, you could work with that. You weren't going to turn down the free drink!

Apparently, from what you heard from several ponies around you, a certain pegasus named Cadance had performed some deed. The details on what exactly were a bit confusing, something about a potion and whatnot. You needed information, and all you were getting was rumor! But the bottom line was that in the end she turned into an alicorn. Horn appearing in her head and magic coming to her like second nature.

She did it. You had studied. You had worked. You had begged and pleaded and barely made progress.

And she just did it? How many hours had she spent in the archives, staring at books until her eyes ached? How many nights had she spent practicing magic, until her horn throbbed? How many lessons had she earned from Celestia, and how many concerned looks had they earned her?

Nopony was really sure of the details. Some insisted that princess Celestia transformed her, while others said it must have been some sort of personal merit or magic. A merit you lacked? A magic you missed? You needed details!

All you got was an agreement: the most important part was that a new Princess had presented herself to help rule Equestria. A new all-powerful, immortal alicorn had come to watch over the land alongside the Princess of the Sun. And it wasn't you. It was never going to be you.

That's the thought that turned you away from the cacophony. You finished your drink, slamming it a little louder on the counter than intended, and turned to leave. You needed to think, and this wasn't the place for it.

You walked through crowded streets, your busier than any of the parties unfurling around you. Ignore their judgments. Focus on the facts. She was young. She hadn't trained, you'd have known if she'd trained. You were doing everything you could to earn that power, to be able to bear it responsibly, and she was not.

Was this even a good thing?

You were startled out of your drinking, and your innocent eavesdropping from the background chatter, by a mare sitting by your side. It took you a few moments to realize that she was talking directly to you, and not just to herself or the ambient in general.

… that was probably your self-pity talking, wasn't it. Princess Celestia was wonderful, you loved her. Why would another princess be a bad thing?

Okay, run with the hypothesis. You can argue a position you don't believe in.

Okay, how could it be something bad? Hm. Your first instinct had been wrong — Celestia would teach her and train her just as she had been teaching you. Heck, maybe that's all you'd been, the test run! And that's why— no. Stop. Don't get sucked in, consider alternative hypotheses.

What does it mean to have another princess. It's a change. Is that bad? Wait, is it a change at all? Another princess to help out your mentor. Less need for her to teach others, to teach the nation, to teach you. Easier to keep things the same. To keep Equestria the way it is. And, and— is Equestria itself the way it was supposed to be?

Uh. What do you mean by that, Sunset? That is a peculiar research question, elucidate!

Your thoughts were startled by a particularly loud group cheers as someone hailed the name "Cadance". You gulped, and turned down a somewhat quieter alley. You needed… you couldn't… you just couldn't be there right now,

With a little fresh air, you continued your thoughts, how ever peculiar they might be.

Why would Equestria be different than what it's supposed to be? Well, well…

Oh.

You couldn't hold it in any longer. You sat on the cobblestones, and slowly started to cry.

Because Equestria had been so full of mysteries, so filled with unexplainable things… and you thought you'd be allowed to answer them. That if you were thoughtful, and studied hard, and worked diligently, you could solve them. That the way you men— Celestia kept it could adjust to include you. Would adjust, like a puzzle piece sliding into place.

But whatever world that is, is the one where some stupid pink Pegasus becomes an Alicorn, and the Unicorn who has studied for exactly that all her life is left with nothing. And that just … that just can't be right. That can't be how things should be. The regular course of the world cannot involve Sunset Shimmer sobbing in a lonely street as the capital erupts in parties around her. It can't.

Okay, take that as axiomatic. This isn't the way the world is supposed to be. What does that imply. If this isn't truly the nature of the world, then… something is off. If something is off, and it has remained off, it must be kept like that through constant effort?

That… you didn't know what that meant. But you it resonated with something inside of you, all the same.

Your sobs grew deeper. Your thoughts grew more disjointed. They ran down bizarre courses, the straight line of your intellect become spirals and zig-zags. By the time you drifted off, you only knew one axiom for certain: something was in the wrong shape. Although you couldn't tell if it was the world, or yourself.

But either way, the consequence was the same.

If something was in the wrong shape, you had to get out of here.

And you had an idea of how you might do just that…

Spoiler: AN

I still know next to nothing about this pony. I sure do hope her name is Sunset Glimmer, I may have gotten it wrong.

But if the obvious parallel is to Twilight? I think there's a less obvious parallel to a much more important pony. And it was one I wanted to explore here. Credit to Bird for so many of the words I lifted!

…Wait a second. I wrote this. It was fun. But I don't think I really want to see her? Sigh. I'll write a post about why.

 

[Machine Elf]

I still know next to nothing about this pony. I sure do hope her name is Sunset Glimmer, I may have gotten it wrong. But if the obvious parallel is to Twilight? I think there's a less obvious parallel to a much more important pony. And it was one I wanted to explore here. Credit to Bird for so many of the words I lifted!

Click to shrink...

I know it's easy to mix up the magic-focused unicorn villains that get redeemed by Twilight Sparkle in an adventure through alternate worlds and go on to become protagonists in their own right, but Starlight Glimmer was the one with the time travel. The mirror portal had Sunset Shimmer.

 

[Calico J]

[X] They are young and impressionable. Thankfully, you are a responsible adult. (Hang out with Rarity and Fluttershy, your real-life confidantes)
[X] "Miss Sparkle? See me after class." (Approach Twilight Sparkle)
[X] This place has a library. Go take a look.
[X] You are here for a reason. Get. It. Done. (Further your search for Axe's… contact)

This update was a hell of a thing just on basic principle; hey, she's a monkey now! But to compare and contrast a Twilight hitting her stride and living her best life with the Twilight we have back in Equestria is just crushing. Ouch, ouch, ouch.

 

[spiderhellian]

I know it's easy to mix up the magic-focused unicorn villains that get redeemed by Twilight Sparkle in an adventure through alternate worlds and go on to become protagonists in their own right, but Starlight Glimmer was the one with the time travel. The mirror portal had Sunset Shimmer.

Click to shrink...

I knew I had gotten it wrong. They ever rhyme, gah! Thanks.

 

[MisRAR1]

[X] They are young and impressionable. Thankfully, you are a responsible adult. (Hang out with Rarity and Fluttershy, your real-life confidantes)

[X] You are here for a reason. Get. It. Done. (Further your search for Axe's… contact)

[X] What is this "cellphone" all the kids are talking about? Why do you have one? And what is this "Internet" thing?

 

[K4lepo]

"So, would you like me to teach you how to dance?" you ask.

And the adventurous, excited smile she has on her face, as her body glows with light and she assumes her larger form, is a sight that you will always cherish.

With that, you begin your next lesson with your alicorn daughter.

Because she is strong, yes. She is strong, and she is fast, and she is powerful in the way that only a pony with wings and a horn can be. But deep down, you know she is worried that she will rely too much on those things.

Whereas on the other hoof, you, a thin and formerly crippled mare, have learned how to hold your own ground. Not because you are strong, but because you have acquired finesse. Because you have learned the technique.

So, as every mother should do, you will teach your daughter all you know. You will teach her the technique, so that she may add to her strength rather than merely rely on it. You will help your little filly be more than you ever could be, and that will bring nothing but happiness to your heart.

You give Selene another elaborate bow, which she mirrors from the other side of the room.

And then, you begin to teach your daughter how to dance.

Click to shrink...

Only Velvet could arrange a sparring session with an Alicorn shorty after healing her crippling injury.

 

[Random Anon]

[X] This feels like a dream. Treat it like one. Explore this strange place.
[X] This place has a library. Go take a look.
[X] What is this "cellphone" all the kids are talking about? Why do you have one? And what is this "Internet" thing?

 

[EigengrauFox]

[X] They are young and impressionable. Thankfully, you are a responsible adult. (Hang out with Rarity and Fluttershy, your real-life confidantes)
[X] You are here for a reason. Get. It. Done. (Further your search for Axe's… contact)
[X] What is this "cellphone" all the kids are talking about? Why do you have one? And what is this "Internet" thing?
[X] "Miss Sparkle? See me after class." (Approach Twilight Sparkle)

 

[Pittauro]

[Edge Realization: Velvet Covers is immune to ambushes]

[All guarding characters have been alerted]



… until it isn't.

Click to shrink...

well, I wasn't expecting an out-of-order update... and an ambush, nonetheless!

"Smells like wolves in here. Are you quite alright, my employer?"

"Just get to the point."

"Ah, it also sounds like wolves. Fascinating."

Click to shrink...

I kinda expected more disgust for the Wolf.

"Wait, that's Beyond Reproach?" you say, not even bothering to hide your surprise.

Click to shrink...

... I suppose we became too suspicious for him...

...maybe we should just introduce him to Luna and hope for the best.

The look of confusion she had on her face when you tried to explain to her the leap of Lantern into Forge was adorable. But still, the fact remains she is not taking kindly to certain parts of the material, for very obvious reason.

But of course, your daughters are perfect and they can do anything and everything. So you will never say that she is "unsuitable" for anything.

Still, her interests have been mostly focused on four specific Lores, so that is where most of her progress has happened this morning.

"I'm sure you will get it eventually," you say. To which she replies with a half-hearted nod, her expression still deep in thought.

Click to shrink...

reminder that Velvet's omni-talent is beyond bullshit, even if we FINALLY know where it comes from.

And one of these days -one of these days!- you will be able to evade your mother's kisses on your cheeks.

Click to shrink...

maybe in 10 years! We'll soon get the Edge Sacrament JUST to stay ahead of you!

Selene's trait "DILIGENT" has matured into the trait "DEDICATED".

Click to shrink...

oh?

The only issue you have with this whole situation is that, to this day, she has not yet called you "mother".

Click to shrink...

Bird, it's a TRAVESTY that this has yet to be corrected!

[DEDICATED]: Selene no longer has to spend her free time training, and has decided to instead fully dedicate herself to your cause. She has an additional action per turn, for a total of three.

Click to shrink...

Yay! That's what I hoped for!

3 actions... She's perfect for low-tier expeditions, to start with, so she could do multiple ones. There's her "soothe the night" actions, then there's how she can dreamwalk and spy... and plenty more, really.

Desire for Wolf Sacrament growing.

In fact we should get Selene to level 5 Winter and Edge as well with a Wolf Sacrament.

Click to shrink...

 

[Shaper47]

The Wolf is not a trap vote.

Surely nothing could possibly go wrong from introducing another of our daughter to them.

 

[Quaxotia]

[X] They are young and impressionable. Thankfully, you are a responsible adult. (Hang out with Rarity and Fluttershy, your real-life confidantes)
[X] You are here for a reason. Get. It. Done. (Further your search for Axe's… contact)
[X] This feels like a dream. Treat it like one. Explore this strange place.
[X] What is this "cellphone" all the kids are talking about? Why do you have one? And what is this "Internet" thing?
[X] "Miss Sparkle? See me after class." (Approach Twilight Sparkle)

Honestly I won't be surprised if the Twilight option does nothing for Velvet Covers but it will probably be interesting to read.

 

[steampvnc1880]

I really really like this quest. People suggesting we take even one more step towards the wolf make me angry because it is the one thing that is absolutely guaranteed to make me drop the quest immediately and never look back. I only barely talked myself into sticking around after the last time it happened.

 

[Clueless777]

[X] You are here for a reason. Get. It. Done. (Further your search for Axe's… contact)
[X] This feels like a dream. Treat it like one. Explore this strange place.
[X] This place has a library. Go take a look.
[X] What is this "cellphone" all the kids are talking about? Why do you have one? And what is this "Internet" thing?

I don't really want to talk to anyone here. After all, why speak to the copies when we could just talk to the originals? I just want to get in, gather power, hopefully find that key, and get out as fast as possible to spend time doing things in our world.

 

[Limabot]

I really really like this quest. People suggesting we take even one more step towards the wolf make me angry because it is the one thing that is absolutely guaranteed to make me drop the quest immediately and never look back. I only barely talked myself into sticking around after the last time it happened.

Click to shrink...

Thankfully we seem to have a relatively decent pace for ourselves right now and can probably get the Winter and Edge sacraments without too much cost, so I doubt there will be another majority vote in favor of the Wolf.

 

[Thamuzz]

[X] "Miss Sparkle? See me after class." (Approach Twilight Sparkle)
[X] This place has a library. Go take a look.
[X] You are here for a reason. Get. It. Done. (Further your search for Axe's… contact)
[X] What is this "cellphone" all the kids are talking about? Why do you have one? And what is this "Internet" thing?

 

[Alan975]

[X] "Miss Sparkle? See me after class." (Approach Twilight Sparkle)
[X] You are here for a reason. Get. It. Done. (Further your search for Axe's… contact)
[X] This place has a library. Go take a look.
[X] This feels like a dream. Treat it like one. Explore this strange place.

"Why?"

Click to shrink...

Legit, I think this has twisted the knife you've planted in my heart the most.
No, Second to Twilight and just surpassing when I realised that the alternate Comet meeting was, in fact, NOT secretly locked in because of Biddies "no hesitation" boon.

People have already waxed poetically, so let's go at it from a simple angle.
She is a spicy twilight. The first spicy Twilight. The shadow to her Sonic.

There's nothing super complex to her character that should draw attention, a neat design with a basic plot stapled on. Though that and the sunk cost fallacy describes basically every MLP character soo...

Sure, all of her value comes from extrapolation, she is well positioned in the story to easily play up the drama with some of the most lore and story involved characters.

Legit, I thought things were leading up to her?
A reflection of Twilight, at once a punch to the gut and second chance for Velvet. To finally have some kind of avenue to offload some guilt since we have a restraining order on us from the real deal.
The perfect "Gift" to bring back to Cadance, reunion with one of the few that could have passed for family back in the day.
Not to mention that it should be a trait on our character sheet by now that Ponies with problems are at risk of being surprise adopted.
The fact that she's one of the "Magic talent" ponies, that she should be a perfect lore candidate.
...And how her return could impact Celesta's current mental state. I would assume for the worse, in the most glorious way.

 

[Talon Tiger Dino]

The Wolf is not a trap vote.

Surely nothing could possibly go wrong from introducing another of our daughter to them.

Click to shrink...

Yeah, he works exactly as advertised, he makes the world worse in exchange for whatever your current goal is.

 

[Venerable Ro]

I would like to ask a question about that.

"Why?"

And I don't direct this question to you alone, Ro. Anyone who would like to chime in is welcome to, both for and against. Extol on her virtues or her vices as you will. But I still would like to ask, and see what you have to say. Who knows, we just might speak something into reality. It has already happened before, even.

Click to shrink...

My friend, ask and ye shall receive.

(So says the 4X6 case of Red Bull and some rather lovely pipe tobacco...)

Sunset Shimmer.

Noted CSGU alumnus, personal student of Celestia, arcane prodigy.

Orphan, aloof outsider, fugitive exile.

Aspirant, Titanomach, Penitent.

Pony, Human.

What is the difference really, between a pony and a human when you get right down to it? Spiritually speaking? It's a question worth asking, both in the sense of Sunset in general and in terms of this story in particular. Or in terms of Cultist Simulator in general I suppose, you don't hear of Percussigants or Caligines climbing the Mansus of their own volition...

Speaking of humanity, it's rather difficult to get a pipe lit while sitting on one's balcony in 20-something degrees plus a stiff wind. Dratted thing did not want to light or stay lit. But I persisted and had my smoke by way of carefully guarded embers and that bit of sheltered heat. You've got to work for what you want, great or small, if you aren't happy with the status quo then it's your responsibility to change it.

Prometheus taught us that, we've never forgotten it. The soul of humanity is fire, ever-burning, the audacious insistence that the world itself be made to accommodate man's whims, and that man by his own whims shall accommodate himself to every habituation. Not exactly a, Ponish idea, hmm?

But it's certainly a Sunset Shimmer idea.

Indefatigably ambitious Sunset Shimmer, so extraordinarily human, for worse and for better. A temptation to power, certainly, but underlying that a temptation towards love. A desire, a desperate yearning, a hope denied perhaps, for belonging. Or perhaps a will towards domination turned aside with a revelation of ultimate solitude?

Answers and speculation abound.

Personally, I've always been fascinated with the potential explorations of her relationship with Celestia. The immense miscommunications between them, the echoes of Celestia's mistakes with Luna, the way Celestia potentially overcorrected by managing Twilight too closely, ect. Most profound of all, Sunset's unspoken desire for a mother figure and Celestia's tragic failure to understand that fact.

(It's my speculative interpretation of comics canon, I'll perceive it as I wish!)

Well what did Celestia expect? You take an orphan, put her through an exclusive school and then further her education as your private student, all while providing for her as your ward, how was Sunset meant to take all that? Of course, the underlying tone of "I chose you specifically because of your magical potential" can't have helped anything, especially with Celestia trying to stay on the far side of an impassive teaching relationship. Then, as many authors observe, once Cadance turned up fluffy wings and pointy horn and all Sunset started to feel a bit, trapped. Self-imposed expectations really are the worst expectations to fall short of.

Even before we meander all the way to Rainbow Rocks that's an absolute basketful of applicable themes so far as our own little story is concerned.

Desires for power and belonging, fears of failure and isolation; a Wish, Oh Author Mine, for a mother's unconditional love.

Let's continue on. The first movie observes the classic story of getting everything you ever asked for and discovering you want none of it. Magic it seems has a harsh sense of either humor or admonishment, though its Bearer was/is/would-have-been of a gentler nature. A choice between What Could Be and What Could Be, with Twilight Sparkle right there acting as the faithful fulcrum that she is.

(Speaking of What Could Be...)

View: https://youtu.be/5etBtfPQUsY?feature=shared

"You were not meant to be an alicorn, that was not my fault!"

"Not. Your. Fault?"

Click to shrink...

It's a good thing we didn't go there canonically, hmm? Though I do note we're currently rather short on faithful purple ponies, princesses or otherwise, fit to the task of bringing hope to hopeless souls. We've rather badly undercut that particular conceptuality, it is right and meet to fix what you break.

Now, Velvet is a mother, she is in the habit of accumulating troubled souls, and she is extremely concerned about Celestia's stability. These are reasons for her to care about Sunset. On the other side of the coin, Velvet is deeply charismatic, inexplicably in possession of powerfully subtle magic, and close to Celestia. These are all reasons for Sunset to care about Velvet. Between the two of them Velvet and Sunset have, I feel, significant narrative pull bringing them together. In terms of story beats, human!Velvet's previous demeanor would have had Sunset dismissing her out of hand, and pony!Velvet's dramatic change in behavior would grab her attention immediately.

Overall, Sunset Shimmer is a character deeply associated with the concept of Grace on a narrative level, which is a theming I revere. On a lighter note she's also the pony voted most likely to save the day via liberal application of fire, which is a strategy I also revere.


View: https://imgur.com/a/COuyh4X