Bellosh

If there was one lesson relentlessly drilled into Empress Yuè in preparation for her unexpected coronation, it was to never let her royal mask slip under any circumstance whatsoever. Do not break decorum by expressing uncouth joy, refrain from showing anger towards those who’ve wronged or offended you, and absolutely never show signs of emotional frailty. If a ruler unwisely took his or her mask off, their subjects — along with the rulers of other lands — would no longer be able to believe that an imperial sovereign possessed the draconic serenity required to sit on the Dragon Throne. This was why the Empress found it disturbing to spot an increasing amount of instances where her peryton counterpart allowed his royal mask to slip. A wagging tail, twitching wings, an uncontrolled burst of excitement... and not to mention doubling down on the chivalric rhetoric. Maybe Yuè’s first impression had been spectacularly wrong; Oisin seemed less of a slick talker and more of a mischievous, happy-go-lucky imp who stumbled onto the Peryton throne by chance. Although it could also just be the buck’s little fangs coloring the newest assessment. On the plus side however, Yuè believed she found a new potential friend to send Serpent King Àilóng’s way. That dragon never did seem to care whatsoever about wearing the ruler’s metaphorical mask. As it just so happened, the Empress’s guess about Oisin stumbling onto his throne wasn’t that far off the mark. Truth be told... was that not how Yuè herself, a qilin mare who had intended to spend a humble life walking the Harmonious Path, ascended above her elder step-siblings to claim the highest title in the entire Dragon Kingdom? Just like Yuè, Oisin was now obligated to follow in his father’s hoofsteps; a task that wasn’t easy by any stretch of the imagination. Now sensing that the two of them shared the same boat in more ways than one, Empress Yuè began the ceremonial ritual of getting up from her Dragon Throne and gracefully walking down the steps to stand on equal level with King Oisin. It was an honor accorded to all heads of state granted audience with the imperial sovereign, although this was the first time in recorded history it was granted to the Peryton monarch. Yuè finally betrayed a gleam in her eyes as she trotted over to Oisin’s side, close enough to closely inspect the winged deer’s physical form. To her surprise, the qilin surmised that her counterpart couldn’t have been any older than her; most likely he was even a little bit younger! But no startlement was evidence in Empress Yuè’s voice as she commenced the usual diplomatic boilerplate expected of all empresses. “Ever since Long Guo was founded, we have always believed that to maintain balance and harmony in the world, all nations must stand together as one. Although our civilizations are separated by vast distances, there is no denying there is much that Long Sun and Peryton can learn from one another. Therefore, we hereby declare our intention to seek a lasting friendship with His Majesty, and the great nation of the Velvet Strand.” All throughout her speech, the Empress assertively but warmly bore into the King’s dream-like purple orbs.....

!!! Being lost in a cloud of negative thinking didn’t prevent Sunset Shimmer from hearing a stallion’s words aimed precisely at her direction. The young mare turned towards the stranger; a stranger who either knew Celestia’s former apprentice by reputation or somehow saw straight through Sunset’s heart. Both options seemed highly unlikely to the unicorn, which mentally put her on guard. Oddly enough, Sunset Shimmer identified the stranger’s companion as none other than Tempest Shadow, a defector from the Storm Empire whom Princess Twilight had spoken about before in great length. In truth, Sunset had always been curious to meet this villain-turned-heroine, but the fiery-maned unicorn couldn’t let go of what the longma stallion had just said to her. “Uh,” Miss Shimmer trotted over to Tempest and the longma, filled with suspicion; “I don’t believe I’ve ever met you before. Are you supposed to be some sort of... eastern mystic?”

Who was King Oisin? It was a question that the entire Imperial Court had been failing to find answers for ever since receiving a message stating the Peryton King’s desire for a formal audience with the Empress of Long Guo. Not much was known about perytons in eastern lands, for their kind were seldom spotted outside their small realm. Of the Velvet Strand, Empress Yuè knew a little more than most, as those isles were identified as one of the great western sanctuaries of nature according to the accumulated knowledge of her monastic mentors. Up-to-date records of the Velvet Strand also indicated that King Tiarnán ruled the Perytons. No news had come from across the sea indicating any sort of peryton succession, so word of this Oisin caused a massive scramble for information and overseas gossip. Unfortunately, perytons didn’t have much of a habit for traveling abroad and relaying news about their homeland, so the Imperial Court lacked any idea at all of the mystery buck’s temperament and desires. Regardless, the protocols of courtly courtesy demanded that King Oisin’s request be granted. Empress Yuè paid very close attention as the Peryton King strode towards the Dragon Throne. Outwardly, Oisin looked every bit the stately cervine as his fine clothes and grooming would indicate, but the royal qilin was well-practiced in seeing through the hearts of others. And just through rigorous observation of Oisin’s movements, something about him seemed a little out of the ordinary compared to the usual visiting dignitary. The Empress couldn’t quite put her hoof on it, however. Yuè’s assessment of the King turned sour once he opened his mouth. She’d heard this all before; from eager suitors vying for the honor to be wed to an Empress to conniving petitioners spewing sweet words to conceal their selfish aims. As a seasoned sovereign, the qilin mare withstood the temptation to roll her eyes, instead relying on the one tried-and-true method of acknowledging overly fairspoken guests with the respect they were owed. “I am not worthy of the praise you lavish upon me,” the Empress expressed modesty in an unfailing regal tone; “But I cannot deny your gift with words, King Oisin. Undoubtedly, there must be many a doe in your realm who believe without question that you will give your future queen the attention a faithful wife deserves.” With Yuè having subtly thrown her shade, it would be up to Oisin to grasp the full implications behind the Empress’s counter-compliment. That being said, Yuè pressed on with other matters. “In the Dragon Kingdom, little is known about your kind, as the paths of Peryton and Long Sun rarely cross. As such, we are immensely honored that you have crossed over land and ocean to bestow Long Guo with the fabled grace of the Perytons. It pains us admitting to ignorance concerning news of the natural sanctuary once tended to by King Tiarnán, so we would be most grateful to be enlightened to recent developments.” That was a polite long-winded way of asking Oisin what the heck was going on?

Humoring Àilóng, Yù Yuè allowed herself to be led by her companion over to the tables. The qilin blushed at the glamored stallion’s question; normally such a cooperative activity by two unrelated individuals wasn’t done unless there hearts were... especially entwined. Maybe the dragon DID possess deeper feelings for the young mare afterall. Yuè would dwell on the ramifications (and question Àilóng on the matter) later; right now she had a sky lantern to focus on! While the royal qilin hadn’t reveled in Huangjing’s streets for years, lantern making had been a festive activity that Yuè has continuously partaken in along with her fellow students back at Fenghuang Monastery. Yuè still remembered the ancient art, but what of the King of Longri-La? Taking careful notice of Àilóng’s comfortableness with the lantern construction materials, Yuè asked; “How do the Wise and Noble Dragons of the Abode mark the occasion of the First Moon, if I may ask?” Although the royal qilin had often been brought to Longri-La in her early youth, she had never been there for the dawn of the new year. Traditionally, Long Sun always spent the holidays with their own families.....

Oh look, another OOC thread by me. In case you don't know already, I've recently apped Sunset Shimmer. The thing with her is that while she'll pop by Ponyville occasionally to speak at the local School of Friendship, she spends the vast majority of her time in a place not found on any map in the Known World, heh heh. Therefore, for the most part, I'm primarily interested in establishing past acquaintanceships and family connections for my fiery unicorn in this OOC thread. Note that with due to the nature of Sunset's past, she wouldn't have closely bonded with the vast majority of ponies from her past. As a matter of fact, there would be a good probability of them not being fondly remembered at all. That being said, let's get this ball rolling: ----------- Family Members - Mom and Dad must be Hope Hollow residents, although distant relations might live elsewhere. Sunset has bitter memories of her parents, so don't expect a warm relationship to start with. Residents of Hope Hollow - With only a couple possible exceptions, Sunset Shimmer won't have fond memories of her fellow townsponies either, especially those from her own age group. Any character who was introduced in the Rainbow Roadtrip special is fair game, so I strongly suggest watching it first. The more Hope Hollow ponies that get apped, the more likely that Sunset will end up making a return trip to her forgotten hometown one day. Faculty & Graduates of the School for Gifted Unicorns - Sunset Shimmer will have more agnostic feelings towards those she met during her time as Princess Celestia's prized pupil. Any magic school student intended to be slightly older than Twilight Sparkle is eligible for this category. Note that while Sunset never made any friends at Celestia's School, she never became a bully until after she dropped out and abandoned Equestria, so keep that in mind. Those With Crushes on Sunset - While theoretically anypony from Sunset's past who's of the same age can fit this role, all characters who reside in Ponyville, the School of Friendship, or Canterlot (but mainly the first two places) are welcome to develop feelings for this mystery mare. Be warned: your character WILL get shot down in flames if they attempt to ask her out, so this option is only recommended for those who like putting their characters through romantic misery. Ex-Antagonists - Lastly, I think it would be nice to have Sunset Shimmer bond with other peeps who were once villains before being redeemed. No matter which world they hail from, troubled souls who manage to cast off the Darkness deserve some affection.

If you're interested in having Oisin meet the Empress in a formal setting, I suggest posting here (even if it means committing a grave act of thread necromancy). It'll save me the trouble of having to write up an entirely new OP, haha. PS: if you do post in that thread, just assume your King presents himself to the Imperial Court on a far later date then everything else in that RP so far.

Since I feel I am to blame for King Oisin's existence, I'll offer some RP partnering possibilities: Lími - Resides in Canterlot as a de facto ambassador for the Viking Caribou, making him somebody the Peryton King should consider getting to be acquainted with. Princess Cadence - If the Peryton King is feeling particularly cocky, he can attempt flirting with the Crystal Princess (double bravery points if Shining Armor's around). Should a wiser head prevail, Oisin should definitely think about writing a letter for advice. Empress Yuè - The most eligible bachelorette in all the Known World. Assuming competing against a Serpent King and a devoted Imperial Watcher aren't issues, the Peryton King is more than welcome to throw his hat into this romantic clusterstorm.

“Uggghhhhh... THAT could have gone way better.....” If only Sunset Shimmer had made that final shot, she would’ve won that ribbon for sure and have been able to brag to Twilight all about it. True, she had a projected 1-in-25 chance of hitting that Golden Cupcake, so the odds were never in the Equestrian girl’s favor to begin with. Still though, although she choked on the last shot despite doing everything right, Sunset could have gotten lucky had she bothered composing herself correctly on ALL her attempts. But nope; Miss Shimmer blew it by repeatedly letting frustration get the better of her while target shooting. *groan* .....It was that ring toss debacle at Equestria Land all over again. Etched with a permascrowl face, Sunset Shimmer wandered the grounds aimlessly, spectating the occasional challenge here and there. The fiery-maned unicorn needed a little bit more time to cool down first before she could return to Twi’s Castle and convincingly claim everything’s fine. Who knows; maybe Sunset would find something before then that’d keep her mind off her loss. Without realizing it, Miss Shimmer had neared the Iron Pony pavilion, not taking much heed of what was going on around her.....

Yù Yuè scanned her surroundings, checking to see which else she and Àilóng could do in the side plaza they were at. Over on the far side, she noticed numerous small groupings of outsider creatures — tourists from other lands who’ve come to experience the First Moon celebration for themselves — congregating around what appeared to be festively-decorated workshop tables. A few more seconds of spectating suggested that the creatures were assembling lanterns, under the guidance of friendly locals. “Oh my,” it dawned on Yuè; “I almost forgot the sky lanterns are launched at midnight!” The qilin mare glanced towards her companion; “Nearly everyone else would have had a head start already.” To a traditionally-minded Long Sun, it was almost sacrilege to bask in the full light of the First Moon without crafting their own sky lantern.....

So... this was the Iron Pony deal that Twilight was yammering about. Sunset Shimmer initially intended to play no role in the affair, having only planned on a brief voyage to Equestria for a face-to-face touching base session. But Twi, bless her heart, she was SO excited over an opportunity to expose her visiting friend to the Ponyville-grown magic of friendly competition. Sunset tried to politely reject Twi’s offer... but who could say no to such an adorkably sweet mare? Definitely not Sunset. Sunset Shimmer didn’t like admitting it, but back in the old days, these sorts of local carnivalesque contests always intimidated her. Yes, you heard that right. You see, it was commonplace for event challenges to ban participants from using unicorn magic, the one attribute that had allowed the little filly to stand out above the rest. Without magic, Sunset had nothing to defend herself from the mockery of others. .....That, and the festivals she remembered back in her hometown of Hope Hollow suffered from appalling mismanagement issues, with contestants accusing rival competitors of cheating over the slightest excuse. But that’s a traumatic foalhood story for another time! Resolved to humoring Twilight, Sunset Shimmer began the hard task of training for Iron Pony. Because no matter what game she chose to play, Sunset never settled for anything less other than the win! First she studied every challenge in detail, assessing what each contest entailed and what potential unicorn-friendly loopholes to exploit were available. Determining that the Super Sure Shot Sniping Session gave her the best chances of total victory, Sunset Shimmer next used the prep day she had available before Iron Pony to set up a practice target range. And by target range, she actually meant placing a single extremely small target on the extreme edge of an empty field. From what Sunset had gathered, SSSSS operated on Harry Trotter logic: whoever hit the Golden Cupcake would more or less win the match instantly, invalidating all successful attempts by others striking easier targets. Then there was the issue of Magic itself. Sunset Shimmer figured that according to the Rules, once the projectile was launched via hoof... anything goes. She could get away with taking total levitational control of the projectile to remove gravity and wind from the equation, and nopony would be able to do a thing about it! In other words, the perfect crime!!! So then leave it to the Princess of Being a Killjoy to remind Sunset that blatantly excessive use of magic would ruin the spirit of the game for everyone. Sunset tried to counter that there was no fun in playing without crushing the opposition... but ugggggh, Twilight was probably right, as usual. Alrighty then, so Sunset Shimmer conceded that it wouldn’t be fair to give her projectiles any further momentum other than what she physically provided upon launch. Nor could she use spells to 100% cancel out gravity and wind direction. However, several options remained that would help Sunset stack the deck a little bit in her favor. Firstly: ammunition choices. Metal shot sounded the best on paper for its theoretically good accuracy, but its heaviness severely limited its range. However, that was no problem at all for the magic school drop-out. One molecular reconfiguration spell later and PRESTO: Sunset’s round shot was now made out of a metal far lighter than any naturally occuring one found in Equestria. And thanks to magic, her ammo wouldn’t lose its accuracy properties in the process. After that: guiding the enchanted metal shot on its path. Outright controlling them was out of the question, but each projectile could be given little magical course corrections here and there along their flight trajectory. That in itself would also tip the scales in Sunset’s favor. Next up was the boring part: practice, practice, practice. The entire afternoon before Iron Pony, Sunset got a feel for her slingshot, what her are pulling strength measured up to, how to perceive where her airborne projectile was it in relation to its ground target, and so on and so on. Yet despite all her magical advantages, the Mock Cupcake remained a very hard target to strike (hence its huge worth in points). By Miss Shimmer’s calculations, she’d have about a 1-in-25 chance of hitting her mark each time she fired her slingshot. To a sane pony, those were poor-as-heck odds. But Sunset Shimmer liked looking on the bright side of things: most ponies didn’t get 10 consecutive chances to score it big on the Las Pegasus roulette table. With skill... and a whole lotta’ luck, the fiery mare just might prevail tomorrow. Only time would tell..... ------------- *THE NEXT DAY* The decisive hour has come at last: 10 shots, 10 chances. Sunset Shimmer was determined to show the ponies of Ponyville what this gal was capable of! Attempt #1: The enchanted metal shot fell far short of the Golden Cupcake. But that was to be expected: Sunset accepted it would take some trial and error to make the proper aiming adjustments. Attempt #2: This time, Sunset’s shot fell just a little bit long. Again, not bad at all: this signaled that barring any wind changes, she’s found her range. Attempts #3-4: Sunset’s next two shots straddle the target on each side, but fail to aim true. Alas, even with a glowing magical aura surrounding the projectile, it was rather difficult to make it out as it flew off into the distance, making course correction difficult in the process. Attempts #5-6: Impatience taking hold, Sunset failed to take adequate time to adjust for wind when making her next few shots. The next two enchanted projectiles dispersed more wildly than previous shots. Attempt #7: In a rather bothersome turn of events, Sunset’s next shot managed to ricochet off a closer target, sending the metal projectile back to its sender! OWWW!!! Those things really hurt! Attempt #8: Losing her cool, Sunset inadvertently cast a fire enchant on her next shot. That of course added severe drag onto the projectile, and so it failed to even land in the same zip code as the Golden Cupcake. How humiliating! Attempt #9: Fuming with rage, Sunset took her frustration out by aiming at a nearby cutout siren. Something about its smug stare ticked the fiery unicorn off, so it needed to be taught a lesson! Maybe that blow-hard siren would think twice about mocking Sunset if she hit that confounded jewel of her’s!!! Attempt #10: Last shot, last chance. Sunset pulled herself together, sobered by the realization that she blew her last several shots thanks to poor anger management. Recalling advice that Twilight had once given her friend, Sunset placed a hoof over her heart, closed her eyes... and calmly exhaled as she gracefully extended her arm outward. Calmness was key here; she needed to keep a level head in order to have any chance of clutching this final shot. The fiery unicorn took her sweet time in aiming her final shot. She took careful heed of the blowing flags around the field, patiently waiting for the opportune moment. Sunset waited and waited and waited; at last, the breeze started blowing consistently from behind her. That meant no need for horizontal compensation, and no fear of the wind blowing against the projectile to slow it down. Sensing her moment had come, Sunset took the shot. Her heart pounded as she tracked the metal projectile along its flight path, praying she didn’t overcompensate for her course corrections. Please please please please please make it!!!!! *INSERT TENSE CLIFFHANGER HERE* [OOC Lottery Numbers: 10, 33, 47, 59, 66, 73, 78, 81, 92, 97]

Name: Sunset Shimmer Sex: Female Age: Young mare Species: Unicorn Eye Color: Cyan Coat: Ember Mane/Tail: Long flowing red hair, with curvy yellow highlights Physique: Typical of a mare her age Occupation: Guest speaker & substitute teacher at the Ponyville School of Friendship Residence: Whenever visiting Ponyville on business, she always stays at Twilight’s Castle Cutie Mark: Sunset’s cutie mark is a sun with curvy rays. The rays on one side are pale yellow colored, while those to the other are dark red. In the center of the sun are shapes reminiscent of a yin-yang symbol, also featuring the contrasting yellow-red color scheme. Unique Traits: Although technically a drop-out alumnus of the School for Gifted Unicorns, the accelerated rate at which Sunset Shimmer blazed through her classes (and various other “extracurricular studies”) long ago gives her a spellcasting repertoire equivalent to that of a typical summa cum laude graduate. Alongside Sunset’s relatively well-rounded magical skill set is a natural aptitude for fire spells... as one might expect of a unicorn with a fiery appearance and a sunny cutie mark. Back in her earlier troubled years, Sunset Shimmer discovered for herself how emotions could be drawn upon to further enhance a unicorn’s power. Filled with overwhelming feelings of pride and resentment, Celestia’s then-pupil readily channeled her anger and will to dominate to give herself power that exceeded those of nearly all her contemporaries. Not helping matters was Sunset’s brief flirtation with the learning of forbidden black magic. Although the unicorn didn’t get too far in her illicit studies before getting caught by her mentor, she learned enough to gain a rudimentary knowledge of the dark arts. Yet given Sunset’s desire to atone for her past mistakes, she vows never again to willfully wield negative emotions as weapons. How her resolve holds in the face of great emotional distress, however, remains to be seriously tested..... A curious recent development for Sunset Shimmer is the acquisition of advanced empathic abilities. These powers actually first manifested as a result of her adventures in the so-called “Mirror World”, after having come across rogue elemental magic that escaped from Equestria. If she wills it, Sunset can “touch” another creature with her magic in order to perceive their thoughts and memories. While using her empathy magic, the unicorn’s eyes glow with an unearthly white light. Foalhood: The tale of Sunset Shimmer is a tale of Villainy versus Redemption; of bondage to the past and the power to rise from one’s own ashes. It all began in the quaint town of Hope Hollow, a once idyllic community located “at the end of the rainbow.” But by the time Sunset was born, what had once been a popular weekend getaway for city ponies was beginning to fade into obscurity, and in the process falling into economic — and quite literal — depression. As ponies grew more hopeless, bonds between neighbors and families started withering away like flowers deprived of nurturing sunlight. So thus it was that in her first years of life, Sunset Shimmer knew nothing of love or friendship. Whenever her parents weren’t busy sniping at one another, they were taking out all their frustrations at their daughter. As for cordial playmates... well, such a concept was simply unheard of that day and age! Few foals ever congregated in Hope Hollow without getting into bickering matches or bullying one another. Little Miss Shimmer escaped all that by spending as much free time as she could in the local library; by then, nearly all townsponies avoided communal spaces like the plague. While piles upon piles of books were absolutely no substitute for the instinctive equine need to be loved and part of a herd, they did provide Sunset with the gateway she believed would lead her to the acceptance she desperately craved. In particular, the library’s unusually large Magic section (even divided into Arcane, Elemental, and Theory Of subsections!)..... Reading about amazing spells and great conjurers of old filled Sunset Shimmer with inspiration, igniting the fires of passion and ambition within her heart. Refusing to succumb to the scourge of despair, the young unicorn naively dreamed of a future where she’d shake the dust of her crummy old hometown off her hooves. First she would go to school in Canterlot to see what they knew, and then it would be off the see the world! She’d tour the castles of Kastrot and explore the arctic wastelands in search of the mythical Crystal Empire, fight magical beasts in the Everfree Forest, and write spells a volume long and forge a dozen- no, a HUNDRED enchanted relics!!! Sunset was going to be the greatest unicorn spellcaster since Starswirl the Bearded, and be praised and beloved by every single pony in Equestria!!!!! Naturally, Sunset Shimmer’s parents derided these lofty dreams as nothing more than foalish nonsense, but the filly had long since stopped giving a hoot about what they thought (at least, that’s what she told herself anyway). With the educational resources at her disposal, Sunset plunged head-first into the world of magic, starting first by learning how to conjure fire. Obviously, self-learning was no substitute for a proper education at an EEA-accredited institution, but Sunset couldn’t care less! So what if a few things accidentally caught on fire while taking the first steps on her journey? The fiery filly was making her dreams come true!!! It may not have been much of a surprise then that Sunset Shimmer’s first public debut of her talents to a crowd of jeering schoolkids ended rather controversially. Lacking the know-how to properly control her powers... and by subconsciously channeling her will to succeed at all costs, little Sunset’s clumsy attempt to magically create a fake sun out of flames left the manes of many a foal burned that day. But hey, that hovering sphere of fire actually turned out wondrously when all was said and done... and those neighsaying kids were jerks to her anyway. In that moment, Sunset Shimmer demonstrated the internal strife fueling her determination... and that in spite of everything she went through, an inextinguishable light burned brightly deep inside her heart. And so, Sunset was awarded with her cutie mark. Almost immediately afterward, the unicorn filly left Hope Hollow behind and never looked back. Judging by how she never heard or read of any news from that place since, Sunset simply assumed that crummy old town was finally abandoned and left to rot. Not once did she ever bother inquiring about the state of her former home or her family; those were all in the unicorn’s past... and her past was no longer today..... Under Princess Celestia’s Tutelage: If Sunset Shimmer’s first performance as a spellcaster could be described as a rocky rehearsal, then her entrance exam into Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns was an epically disastrous opening night. Reflexively channeling her feelings of extreme frustration, Sunset resorted to blasting the dragon egg she had been encouraged to try hatching. It might have actually worked too if the filly could have better controlled her powers. Instead, all Miss Shimmer accomplished was exhausting all her magical strength... and trapping herself in an inferno in the process! Had it not been for the timely intervention of Princess Celestia, things could have ended up a lot worse. Recognizing that Sunset Shimmer possessed powerful magic that she didn’t know how to handle, Celestia offered to take the filly on as a personal student so that she could learn to safely harness her abilities and use them to help her fellow Equestrians. Having believed just moments before that her dreams had forever shattered into pieces, this was understandably quite the turn of events for little Sunset. Needless to say, the young unicorn wasted hardly any time in hugging her new mentor out of gratitude. Sunset Shimmer turned out to be quite the fast learner of Magic… maybe too fast. Still embittered from her early foalhood experiences, the new royal apprentice continued to focus on studying to the exclusion of nearly everything else, Friendship most of all. That turned into a grave concern for Princess Celestia, who had come to believe that Sunset was destined to play an important role in forestalling the inevitable return of Nightmare Moon. Celestia knew full well that only those with Friendship in their hearts could wield the Elements of Harmony. Accordingly, the alicorn expected — perhaps unfairly in retrospect — that Sunset spend more of her time bonding with her fellow schoolponies. But Miss Shimmer failed to grasp the vital importance of making friends... nor did she even know how to make friends to begin with! All Sunset heard was a nagging mentor being a nag for its own sake. While Celestia may have been the most knowledgeable magic practitioner known to ponykind... her attempts at guiding Sunset towards Friendship proved woefully inadequate. This would bite Celestia in the flank a few years down the line, after Sunset started suspecting that she was being held back in her studies due to her mentor’s apparently nonsensical whims. Everything came to a head on one fateful night, when Princess Celestia caught her disgruntled student illicitly reading a forbidden tome on dark magic. During the insuring confrontation, Sunset Shimmer tearfully accused Celestia of having no faith in her student; the faithful student who only ever wanted to make her mentor proud. But when Celestia responded that declaring Sunset would have to be put on probation for her actions, the fiery pupil finally snapped. Cruelly mocking Celestia as a worthless hypocrite with no real friends of her own, Sunset betrayed and abandoned the mentor she had once loved as a daughter. Employing an enchanted mirror she stumbled upon earlier during her extracurricular studies, the unicorn fled Equestria altogether. Rising From the Ashes: As if living in self-imposed exile in the bizarre Mirror World wasn’t traumatic enough for Sunset Shimmer, the fact that she was now incapable of using Magic at all was nothing less than the ultimate insult. Magic meant everything to Sunset; without it, she was nothing. With her lifelong dreams utterly crushed, Sunset’s heart blackened and became filled with hate and rage. If she could not prove herself a girl worthy of praise, then she would prove herself a villain and hate the idle pleasures of those days. Plots did Sunset lay in her adoptive community, setting friend and clique alike against each other. Through manipulation and intimidation, the Unfaithful Student rose to a position of unquestioned prominence amongst her peers... though of course, petty social standing was absolutely no substitute for the Power of Magic. Swiftly consumed by megalomania, Sunset covertly returned to Equestria in order to steal the Element of Magic and exploit it in the Mirror World. However, as irony would have it, her diabolical plans were thwarted by the girl who took Sunset’s place as Celestia’s Faithful Student: Twilight Sparkle. Yet again in her life, Sunset Shimmer hit rock bottom... only for Twilight to unexpectedly offer the very foe she opposed mere moments before the opportunity to not only accept her Friendship, but to study it under her tutelage. Sunset was overwhelmed; all her life, she was led to believe that only by mastering Magic would anypony ever provide her with the acceptance she’d desperately craved since birth. But to be offered Friendship unconditionally, with no ill will and complete acceptance of who she was? ........................... .....Frankly, it was all that Sunset Shimmer ever really wanted in the first place. To this day, Sunset Shimmer deeply cherishes the pony who currently reigns as Princess of Friendship. With the additional help of a band of special companions from the Mirror World, the former villain has managed not just to turn her life around, but to transform into a genuine inspirational figure in her own right. While Sunset considers it her primary responsibility to keep tabs on Equestrian magic and exiles which escape into the Mirror World, more and more she finds herself returning to her homeland for both business reasons and for fun. And if the Headmare of the Ponyville School of Friendship gets her way, those trips of Sunset’s may become even more frequent..... Character Personality: The Sunset Shimmer of today barely resembles her past self. Kindled by the fire of friendship instead of personal ambition, Sunset is an outgoing individual, community-minded and always happy to lend support when needed. Additionally, Sunset nowadays appreciates the joys of recreational hobbies, art being chiefest among them. Although she presents herself as a cool laid-back girl, Miss Shimmer in reality possess a sharp analytical mind that many wouldn’t suppose at first glance; a lasting legacy of her time as an aspiring sorceress and Celestia’s prized pupil. Whilst undoubtedly Sunset Summer’s demonstrated her reformed nature many times over, other lingering elements of her prior life remain under the surface. For one thing, she hates losing; absolutely HATES IT! If placed under enormous stress, Sunset is also prone to lashing out in anger at others around her, although her temper usually subsides rather quickly. Oh, and if someone ever dares threaten one of Sunset’s friends, it will take a herculean effort on her part to avoid giving into the temptation to end them right there and then. Sunset Summer’s greatest fear is that one day, she’ll end up failing her dearest companions when they need her the most. Likewise, the Redeemed Student hopes that in the far future when all is said and done, she would have lived a good life, becoming someone earnestly worthy of love..... Character Summary: Sunset Shimmer understands that within her — along with the potential to cause great harm to others — is the power to lift them up with the light of friendship. But rather than dwell on her past mistakes, Sunset recognizes that everyone on some level can face the internal battles she once suffered through. If anybody is capable of both great evil and great good, then shouldn’t they be treated like they’re worth giving a chance?

*CLACK* *CLACK* *CLACK* *CLACK* “What a thrill With darkness and silence through the niiiiight” Ladders... what do ladders represent? Are they a symbol of the link between the Material World and the greater Cosmos? Is the Ladder a metaphor for Chaos, and by extension the willingness to elevate one’s standing in life via the self-serving exploitation of Opportunity? Or maybe it’s more simple than that; maybe ladders simply represent the ultimate challenge for a vertigo-challenged pony to overcome? *CLACK* *CLACK* *CLACK* *CLACK* “What a thrill I'm searching and I'll melt into yooooou” According to the life philosophy of Derpy Hooves — pegasus of Ponyville and one of the participants in the Cloud Diving event — ladders meant something more horrific than any of the aforementioned possibilities; Boredom. Remorseless... spirit-crushing... boredom. What’s the point of ladders if one could just fly to the top and skip the mind-numbing tedium of a ladder climb? But alas, Rules were Rules; meant to be fair to all ponies, even those without wings. Even with fairness in mind however, did they REALLY have to make the ladder all the way to the top so excruciatingly high? *CLACK* *CLACK* *CLACK* *CLACK* “What a fear in my hearrrt But you're sooo supremeeeee!!!” With nothing to keep her company other than the aloof howls of the wind, Derpy found herself employing other means to keep the dullness at bay. Luckily for the mare, it seemed singing the lyrics of a bombastically suave tune she listened to not so long ago was doing the trick. With the power of her off-key performance, she could finally focus on the task she set out to do; wowing everypony with her cloud diving skills and taking home the gold... err- do they award gold medals at Iron Pony events these days? *CLACK* *CLACK* *CLACK* *CLACK* .....Eh, no biggie either way. “Someday you gooo through the raiiiiin And someday, you feeeed on a tree frooooog.....” ----- “Next up is another hometown challenger, it’s your local part-time electrical weather specialist and mailmare, Derpy Hooves!” The moment had come at last; the moment where the googly-eyed pegasus would show everypony her awesomeness at cloud diving! She had everything planned out, each move having been rehearsed and refined over the course of countless weeks. There was absolutely no way that Derpy could mess this- *WOOSH!!!!!* “Ahhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” One sudden burst of gusty turbulence was all it took to blast the mare off the diving board, sending her into a flailing panic as she fell back-first towards the surface below. Fortunately, Derpy had plenty of time to instinctively recall the aerial recovery procedures that all pegasi learned in Flight School. Of course, having to readjust her body so that she was diving head-first meant her well-rehearsed routine was all but thrown out the window. In fact, the mare had completely forgotten momentarily she was participating in a cloud diving event to begin with. Derpy had been a bit too slow to readjust her body; discovering she was rapidly reaching the point of impact with the lake, the pegasus’s instincts took over as she executed a surprisingly graceful swoop to level out just before hitting the water. It was a beautiful sight indeed as Derpy used the energy she built up in her dive to rapidly glide upwards. ...It was only at this point when Derpy remembered she was supposed to dive INTO the lake below. Recognizing her chances at getting a good score were effectively blown at this point, the googly-eyed mare took things rather well. With a sheepish grin, Derpy let herself drop back downwards with a patented Awkward Cannonball Fall, not bothering to make any fancy maneuvers as she let gravity do all the work. And thus curled into a ball, the pegasus at least managed to get one big splash in. All this just goes to show that in life, you win some, and you lose some. Either way, no biggie....

...Of course, Àilóng would be the sort of dragon who'd weave a half-serious plea into reality. Yuè wouldn't have batted an eye over the promise of weekly offerings of exotic foods, but daily visits? That truly gave the qilin mare a reason to ponder. Was her friend looking for excuses to get away from Longri-La? Or... did Àilóng really badly wanted to see the mare as often as he could? But wasn't that sort of behavior limited to lovesick adolescents who were only just discovering the power of romantic attraction? Àilóng didn't think of Yuè in that sort of way... did he? Had he become yet another being who had fallen for the charms of an empress? Not being quite sure what to think yet had left Yuè's face blushing with the passion of a thousand suns. Maybe if she pretended that Àilóng merely wanted reprieves from his kingly duties... "Oh, but surely the Wise and Noble Long would start questioning why their king is making extended daily journeys beyond the Abode of the Ancients." The qilin recomposed herself to smirk with impish purpose; "What would Auntie Yuchou have to say about that, hmmm?" Ah yes, bringing up the specter of the Matron was enough to remind Yuè that the handsome stallion at her side was no other than dragon she'd held dear for many years.....

Against all probability, Àilóng managed to find an unoccupied bench for he and Yù Yuè to sit on. Nodding to confirm her companion got Mei's name right, the qilin took another handful of flakes as Àilóng offered to provide further treats from outside the Imperial Palace. Yuè swallowed her food; "Well, actually-" Yes, that was her first instinct; to remind her friend that as Empress, she could ask her own personal palace chef to prepare anything her heart desired. But the qilin quickly corrected herself; letting Àilóng feel appreciated required her to think like Yuè the young mare instead of Yuè, Heavenly Daughter of Dragons. "...That would mean very much to me." A warm smile and heartfelt glance at the supposed longma's direction accompanied her words, but then Yuè turned away with thoughts of mischief. "I've always longed to taste delicacies freshly made from the farthest reaches of the world..." An utterly unreasonable request to make of 99% of sentient beings, but Yuè has seen serpent dragons in flight... ridden on at least two of them! For Àilóng, such a world-spanning odyssey would be but a minor inconvenience of a day trip; a jest Yuè didn't seriously wish the Serpent King to continuously go through anyway.....

...So maybe Àilóng went a little overboard with purchasing an extra-large order of Flamin Fire Flakes. Then again, just because Àilóng no longer appeared as a dragon didn't mean he longer lacked the appetite of one either. Either way, Yuè gave her friend a flawless smile to show her gratitude before munching on her cherished snack... making sure she didn't come off as too much of a barbarian slob, of course. "Mmmmmmmmmm, these flakes are perfect." By that, the content qilin mare meant that these particular Fire Flakes were made with a ridonkulous amount of chili spices. Not too long ago when her sworn sister Mei visited the Imperial Palace, she told the Empress a story about how one time smoke billowed out of her deerest mate's mouth and ears when he inadvertently consumed too much chili sauce. Not even a glass of water could cool that poor caribou's inwards. But what was absurdly hot and spicy for the average being's palate was pure bliss for Yuè, who welcomed the burst of heat and flavor on her tongue. "This brings me back," she took a break from eating to reminisce; "I remember long ago when my sworn sister and I would venture all by ourselves to the Outer Ward and buy treats like these, and eat them without a care in the world....."

Sensory overload, here we go! Long accustomed to the orderly halls of monasteries and palaces, Yù Yuè experienced much difficulty just even trying to process the bustling scene around her. There were throngs and stalls as far as the eye could see, and this was just the far end of the Imperial Avenue! And with no guards or servants around the incognito Empress, the royal qilin felt a peculiar sense of vulnerability she never felt before. One mare — virtually alone in a sea of thousands — nothing more than a small insignificant fish in a pond too large for any lone being to make any noticeable ripples. Yuè grew tense, cognizant of the fact that inattentiveness on her part could potentially lead to getting lost in the crowd's hustle and bustle, which would put a rather large damper on this night the young mare was supposed to spend with her dear friend. Under the light of the First Moon, even an empress could be helpless in the face of a mighty current. ..... Ah, but was that not what the Balance of Nature was all about? Life was a current best served by flowing with it; such is the primary teaching of the Harmonious Path. Yuè's spiritual training kicked in, and she momentarily detached herself from her surroundings as the qilin exercised her breathing. Deep... calming... breaths. Let yourself flow with the Current- wait, was that smell what Yuè thought it was? Were those... Fire Flakes? Hmmm, apparently that is where the current will take Yuè first. "This way Àilóng!" she beckoned, cleansed of anxiety, as she daftly maneuvered through the crowd in the direction of a cherished smell from her Huangjing foalhood.....

Àilóng was flying past the city limits? Hmmm... he probably had his reasons for coming to this secluded spot first. With those thoughts in mind, Yù Yuè initially seemed rather nonplussed as she dismounted and watched Àilóng do feats of dragon breath and summon Long Pearls as if they were just a mundane part of her daily routine. Granted, the qilin mare HAD been fostered among the Serpent Dragons, so of course she found none of this particularly shocking. At least, not at first. Yuè assumed that Àilóng would go for something like the Breath of Change; dragons using pearls for shapeshifting was not unheard of. As the vapors dissipated, the qilin mare the form into which her counterpart transformed to and... ..... Oh my. Who Àilóng was now heavily contradicted with Yuè's lifelong perception of him. Instead of the playful mischief-making cousin figure she's always known, there stood a longma stallion with the bearing of a, forgive the vulgarism, a stud. Yuè stared with eyes agape and cheeks burning red, unable to process this new vision of Àilóng. The young mare's blushing only intensified as the drake stallion trotted over to undo her hair. That had almost been enough to cause spontaneous combustion. "Errr, right," a reeling Yuè answered the longma's question, forcing her mind to remember the sweetheart dragon Àilóng really was. But while that process went on, the qilin couldn't help but inquisitively caress the other's cheek, then the scales underneath his chin, and finally the stallion's cyan mane, curious to feel how effective the dragon's magical transformation was. "You... pass for a longma quite well."