Chapter 41: The Alicorn Path
At the Brighthouse, Sunny put on her tote bag and flipped her mane with a smile as she flipped a basket onto her back. "Heading to the market now! Anypony need anything?!" Sunny called out to her friends with a smile while she raised a hoof to her ear.
Toothpaste!/Printers out of ink!/Supersized gummyponies!" Pipp, Zipp, and Izzy called out while Sunny nodded at their request, before stopping when she heard Izzy's.
"What?! Izzy! It sounded like you said supersized gummyponies!" Sunny repeated strangely.
"Oh, yeah! You heard me! I need seven! If they got them!" Izzy called out, which made Sunny flinched as she looked at her basket, not sure if they even have those kinds of gummies or if they will fit.
"Uh, okay! Heh!" Sunny called with a nervous smile. "Seven supersized gummyponies!"
"Thanks, Sunny!" Izzy called before a thud was heard, hearing that Izzy either fell or dropped something as Sunny gave a small smile.
"Uh, sure that'll be easy to find… no problem." Sunny said to herself, but when she was about to head to the door, it became transparent, which made Sunny stop as she touched her hooves through it before it sparkled and a magical door appeared in front of her.
"Whoa! Okay, wow, this is new." Sunny commented in surprise before she gave a smile. "Ooh! Maybe it's a shortcut to the market." She added as the door opened up, revealing a magic portal as Sunny then walked through it out of curiosity as it closed behind her.
Sunny then exited through the portal as she was in the magical room as she saw the stained glass tapestries. "Whoa! Look at this place! And all this stuff!" Sunny called in excitement as she put her basket down and looked at the tapestry of when Twilight and her original friends first used the Elements of Harmony. "Crystal B, you sure are full of surprises!" She commented with giggles as she continued forward while looking at the stain glasses.
In the main room, Sunset, Twilight, and Misty are looking at Misty's Spellbook. "Almost got it that time." Misty said with a small smile.
"You were closer than you were before." Sunset added with a smile.
"Try again, and this time, put your heart into it." Twilight encouraged her.
"Okay." Misty nodded to them before going to her book. "Deep breath, then try once more." She took a breather as she began to glow.
Behind them, Sunny saw her three friends and gave a smile. "Misty? Sunset? Twilight?" She asked with a smile.
"Magic always starts from the truest part of your heart." Misty chanted as her Cutie Mark glowed as she twirl around and made magical butterflies around as the four mares looked awed.
"Wow. Amazing, Misty." Twilight said with a smile.
"You're getting better at those butterfly spells." Sunset commented with an impressive smirk.
Sunny giggled as she twirled around as the butterflies flew around her, which got the three attention. "Sunny?" They asked in unison, surprised to see Sunny here as well.
"Girls, what is this place?" Sunny asked with a wide smile. "It's-"
"Pretty incredible, huh?" Misty finished with a smile. "The crystal Brighthouse gave me this room to practice my magic, and Sunset and Twilight been helping me with it."
"Yeah. Remember the time when we told you about the secret room in the Brighthouse that Misty and I found, Sunny?" Sunset asked.
"Yeah." Sunny nodded.
"Well, this is it." Sunset said with a smirk while gesturing to the room.
"Pretty amazing, right? Misty showed me this room and it has many things from my time and the stain glass windows of the most important histories." Twilight added with a smile. "Pretty amazing, huh?"
Sunny looked around in amazement as she went up to the shelf. "Look at this stuff. It looks so old… and important." She commented.
"Of course it is. They're important spells and ingredients from ancient times." Twilight stated.
"Yeah, and everything is full of magic, Sunny!" Misty said with a smile. "You never know what's going to happen in here. It's so cool!" She added as she giggled as Sunny took out a book.
"Uh, Sunny, wait-" Sunset tried to say as Sunny opened a book, which released a cold blast that made her mane straight up and trapped in ice while she shivered from the cold as the three mares gave awkward chuckles.
"Yeah, really cool." Sunny shuddered with a freezing smile.
"Yeah, you kinda need to be cautious around those." Sunset said with a cringed as she then used her heat spell to warm Sunny up and melt the ice.
"I have yet to label the entire room." Twilight added with a sheepish look. "But so far, it's going great."
"I can tell." Sunny said with a smile before she looked up and saw an Alicorn tapestry. "Whoa. Girls, look, those are Alicorns." She said with a smile. "I know you two told us about them, but are there anything else we should know about them?" She asked.
"Sunny, you know that-" Sunset started before she stopped as she noticed something different as she gave a brow. "Hey, wait, wasn't the tapestry of Celestia and Luna being there before?" She asked, seeing that the tapestry was showing a different Alicorn, one that is white and the other a bit dark in the night sky.
"Yeah, you're right. This is a new one." Twilight said with a thoughtful look. "Misty, was this here before?"
"No. Not that I remembered." Misty said while rubbing her head in confusion.
"Who are they?" Sunny asked in confusion as she looked at the dark one. "Is that one… bad?"
"Uh, sorry, Sunny. We don't understand most of this stuff in here." Misty said with a small smile.
"Even it's beyond our limits." Sunset said with a shrug on behalf of her and Twilight.
"And we have barely scratched the surface on what this room has." Twilight added.
"But, when we have a question, we just ask." Misty finished while Sunset and Twilight nodded in agreement.
"Ask? Akk who?" Sunny asked in confusion.
"Well, truth is, we have no idea who it is." Misty said sheepishly. "But, a mysterious voice always help us when we need it."
"Mysterious voice?" Twilight asked with a brow.
"When Misty and I found this place, a mysterious voice spoke up to us before we left." Sunset said to her. "We think it might've been the Brighthouse or something, but we're still not sure who it was."
"Interesting." Twilight said while rubbing her chin.
"But maybe they answer your question, Sunny?" Misty suggested as the center of the room glowed as it sparkled up.
"Um, okay." Sunny said awkwardly as she looked around. "Hello, whoever-you-are, I was just wondering if you could tell me about the Alicorns on this tapestry?" She asked while gesturing to the tapestry.
But then suddenly, the magic and lights went out in the entire room as everything goes dark, which caused Misty, Sunset, Sunny, and Starlight to squeal and startle and hold each other. "What's going on?" Sunny asked her friends in fear.
"We don't know. This has never happened before." Misty said in fright.
"The moment you mention Alicorn, this place went from bright to darkness in seconds." Sunset said a bit worried.
"That's interesting and a bit frightening." Twilight said in concern.
Misty then stepped forward as she looked around. "Mysterious Voice, could you please tell us something about the Alicorns on this tapestry, oh, and maybe turn the lights back on, please?" She asked with a nervous smile.
Just then, a portal opened up below the four as it made the mares give startled screams as they all fell through it as they were thrown out of the room.
It was night time as the mares were sleeping in their beds as Sunny tossed and turned in her bed as she visioned the Alicorn tapestry and then magic and lights in the room faded, which made Sunny startled awake as she gave a thoughtful look.
"One question about Alicorns and the magic room throws us out?" Sunny asked as she tossed and turned on her bed. "But why? Even with Sunset and Twilight Alicorns and yet even it doesn't want to tell them? There has to be a reason." She said to herself as she tried to sleep again, but she had that vision again as she woke up. "Who are those Alicorns? Why didn't the room want me to know about them?"
Sunny kept asking herself as she then gave a serious look. "That's it. I can't take it anymore." She declared as she quietly walked out of the bedroom and to the front door as she tapped onto it, hoping it would lead back to the magical room, but nothing as she gave a sigh. "It's no use. The door is gone now." She said sadly as she began to walk off.
But then magic showed as it sparkled, which made Sunny turn and saw the door appear again. "Hello, Sunny. I was hoping you be back." The mysterious voice spoke up as the door opened as Sunny smiled and giggled as she rushed through the portal.
Sunny entered the magical room as it was back with lights and magic around while butterflies flew around as she looked at the Alicorn tapestries. "Mmm. Who are they?" Sunny wondered.
"Something on your mind?" The mysterious voice asked, which startled Sunny as she looked around.
"Well, actually, yes." Sunny said with an uncertain smile as she looked around. "But a little afraid to ask. Last time, it didn't go so well."
"Now is the perfect time to ask your question, Sunny." The mysterious voice ensures the mare.
"Well...I just can't stop thinking about this tapestry." Sunny said while looking at the Alicorn tapestry. "Lately, I've been trying to understand more about what it means to be an Alicorn. Sunset and Twilight have been trying to teach me, but I still don't know what it means to be an Alicorn."
Suddenly the in the room takes on a bit of an ominous vibe as the tapestry in front of Sunny comes to life and the Good and Evil Alicorns from the fabric glows and takes off as Sunny looked in awed as the Alicorns then flew in an environment then started a battle with each other.
"Since the beginning, alicorns have been the rarest of creatures." The voice spoke as the good Alicorn flew to a mountain peak. "Given incredible power, their potential is limited only to their imaginations." It explained as Sunny looked in awed before she saw some ponies in the field. "Over the years, some has use their powers to spread goodness and hope, and to protect ponykind." It continued as the ponies gathered around the Good Alicorn as she shined bright.
Sunny looked in awed before the light faded as she frowned and looked behind her and saw the Evil Alicorn as it gave an evil look. "And some become so obsessed with power, that they would do anything to have more." the voice continued as the Evil Alicorn fired a magic blast at the good one, knocking her down as she was surrounded by fiery flames as the Evil Alicorn and Good Alicorn then started fighting as Sunny watched them clash magic in the air as she looked in shock as the two sides clashed.
"Being an Alicorn is a great responsibility, Sunny." The voice siad as Sunny moved around to avoid the conflict of the two Alicorns. "But the path you choose is always up to you."
Sunny couldn't take it anymore as she ducked down and covered her eyes. "No! Stop! Stop it! No more!" She yelled out as the Good and Evil Alicorns clashed. "Enough!" She yelled as she got anxious and shen started flickering as Dark Magic began to slightly formed, wanting to end it and not see this clash anymore.
"Heart!"
"Magic!"
"Empathy!" Misty, Twilight, and Sunset called out as they glowed and shot their magic at the two Alicorns, causing them to fade and clear the room as they returned to the tapestry as they looked down at the trembling Earth Pony.
"Sunny!" Sunset called in concern as she kneeled down along with Misty and Twilight. "Are you okay?!" She asked in worry.
Sunny panted as her dark magic faded as she looked up and saw her three friends. "Sunset! Twilight! Misty! It was awful!" She cried out as she gave an anxious look. "Sometimes I wish I wasn't an Alicorn at all!" She added.
"From seeing the two different sides of an Alicorn, we can see why you would think that." Twilight said with a worried look.
"It's just, I can't believe that Alicorns can be good or evil just like with Opaline!" Sunny cried out as she sat up and gave a worried look. "Do either of you think there is bad inside of me?" She asked, which shocked the three.
"Ah, are you kidding me?" Misty asked with a small smile. "You are the kindest pony we have ever met. Your friendship changed my life forever."
"Yeah, Sunny. I mean, you are the purest of mares I know." Sunset added. "There's not even an evil bone in your body."
"I agree. I've seen how you are and you're so good." Twilight added with a smile.
"But, I summoned dark magic back to the Crystal Empire. It goes that there is a hint of darkness in me. You all saw it." Sunny said with a frown. "And I nearly went into it again when I tried to convince Allura to help us when you, Posey, and Zipp went through that rainbow falls portal, Misty. And I… nearly crossed a line." She said in guilt.
"Those were when Allura tempted you and got on your nerves twice, Sunny." Sunset said to her. "You didn't mean to do it."
"But still, I'm not sure if I can control it." Sunny said with a frown.
"Sunny, did you forget you have experts who went down that road before?" Twilight asked while gesturing to Sunset and Misty.
"Yeah, Sunny. I mean, I may not have been pure evil, but working with Opaline, I did some terrible things before you and the others turned my life around for the better." Misty said to her.
"Even if it was only a mild evil, it was still the same." Twilight added. "Yes, there were a couple of times recently that you came dangerously close to crossing lines, but then, I've done things I'm not proud of too." She added with a sheepish look, remembering the times when she had not had her best moments like making a fool out of herself or taking terrible risks in the past.
"We all have, especially me." Sunset added with a small warm smile. "But, by and large, you've done a lot more good than bad. And, as long as we all have friends that help us see the better ways and bring us back from the brink in our darkest periods. You will continue to have a really good chance of not going down the paths of Opaline or Nightmare Moon."
"Really, girls?" Sunny asked. "You all think I'm good?"
"Of course we do." Misty said as the three mares helped Sunny up as the magic formed around them.
"And we can understand that being an Alicorn is kinda scary. Trust me, I've been there." Twilight added with a knowing smile while Sunny looked away, knowing that they were right.
"But no one is perfect, Sunny. Not even Alicorns. And we've seen that many times." Sunset added with a smile.
"And we know you. You could never be evil." Misty added with a warm smile.
"Not even if it's from a terrible incident, nothing can break your spirit, Sunny." Twilight added.
"And with our friends by our side, none of us are going down that road." Sunset said with a warm smile as well. "And we'll always be by your side. No matter what." She added as the three gave Sunny a nuzzle.
Sunny gave a small chuckle while giving a heartfelt smile at their words. "Thanks, girls." She said before she gave a frown. "Sometimes, I just feel so alone."
"Trust us, we get it." Misty said with a small smile.
"From what Misty went through, and from how Twilight and I are a bit out of place in this era of Equestria, we can understand fully, Sunny." Sunset added while Twilight nodded.
"Even the strongest can be vulnerable." Twilight stated.
"But you're never alone." Misty continued. "You have us. And our friendship is stronger than anything." She said with a determined smile.
"You are never alone, Sunny." Twilight said with a smile. "You will never be. None of us will."
"And as long as we're together, nothing can break us apart." Sunset finished with a smile, which Sunny returned while feeling better by their words. "Now, come on, sis. Let's get you back to bed. It's late as it is." She said with a smirk and a wink.
"And past your bedtime." Twilight teased as Sunny giggled.
"Agreed." Sunny said with a smile as they all walked out of the magical room to get back to bed while the Alicorn tapestry stood where it was while the Evil Alicorn flickered a bit as it's menacing stare blinked before it settled back to how it was.
End of Chapter 41.