>The crown comes down on Shimmer's head
>time slows as she feels the weight start to settle on her head
>there is a burst of magenta in her eyes, filling her vision, and a streak of black that hovers around the edges
>and just like that, she's standing on a plane that stretches forever in every direction
>she brushes a lock of her fiery hair aside with a hoof
>a hoof
>she starts at that, staring down at her golden coat, only familiar because of the brief foray she'd made back to Equestria for the element
>uncertain, she puts her forehoof back down, moving to all fours as she searches her surroundings for some indication of where she is
>nothing but the warm magenta glow that had invaded her sight the moment she put on the crown
>cautious, she puts a bit of concentration into her horn, conjuring together the motes of power to cast a spell
>before even a glimmer of light can sheath her horn, the ground beneath her hums, like an orchestra tuning for a concert
>Looking down, she breaks her concentration, the humming heralding a circle of light that barely encompasses her
>"Bearer of the Element of Magic, Hail."
>it's not so much a voice as a thought, a memetic concept worming its way into her haid
"I... yes. That's me. That's me!"
>she barely finds her voice, looking around for the source of the echoing thought
>"We Know. What We Cannot Ascertain Is The Location of The Others."
>Sunset scrunches up her face at that
>the light below her spirals out, arcing along the ground and quickly beyond the horizon
>and again
>and again
"What others? I'm the only one! It's all me!"
>the arcing light builds pace, and a glow seems to be forming at the edges of her seemingly infinite world
>"Impossible. The Elements Require Paragons. Where Are the Others."
>This time, she stomps her hoof, before pointing it in a wide wave at the purple-pink world before her
"There are no others! I did it, I earned the power all by myself! Now give it to me!"
>The pulsing pauses
>"Impossible. The Elements Require Paragons. You Do Not Exemplify The Elements. Where Are The Others?"
>The pulsing resumes, stronger, faster now
>it's looking for something that it will never find
>finally, a blast of pure white light erupts in a ring away from Sunset
>and flows right to the edge of her world
>before returning, a pillar of light forming where it closes to a point, directly beneath her
>"...Very Well. The Others Are Beyond Our Reach. You Must Choose New Paragons."
>Sunset doesn't react
>the light had blinded her for a few seconds, but she felt a sudden crumbling in her mind, like something wrapping tendrils around her thoughts
>unbidden, thoughts of Celestia flashed in her mind
>then the faces of her two schoolyard allies
>the faces of ponies she'd left behind in Equestria
>ponies who couldn't keep up with her burgeoning talent in magic
>ponies who had once been kind to her, who she had spurned in return
>"Impossible. You Lack Kindness. You Lack Loyalty. You Lack Honesty. You Lack Generosity. You Lack Laughter."
"I... I do not!"
>She shouted, looking around, a hint of fear behind her snarl now
>"Disappointing. There Is Only Monotone. Only One Note."
>the humming noise reverberated, louder and louder, until it was deafening in her head
>it was the sound she heard in her mind when she concentrated
>it was the sound of pure magic
"Ahh! Stop! What's--"
>the pillar of light she stood in flashed, and tendrils of black appeared just outside of it
>"You Lack Harmony."
>The tendrils snaked up the pillar, until all that was illuminating her now confined vision was the light from her own eyes
>"We Shall Nurture Harmony Through Your Monotony. You Will Be The Force Which Binds."
>Sunset looked into the blackness, and saw a red-skinned face looking back
>its razor sharp teeth gleamed as it grinned a mirthless smile at her
>The last thing she remembered was Celestia's voice
>"Sunset, dear... you simply must make some friends."
>The phrase, once she thought an insult, pierces her heart
>She can feel a power welling up within her, magic more powerful than she'd ever wielded coursing through her entire body
>but it's different
>the hum inside her head is pouring through her ears
>she tries to open her mouth, but all that comes out is that single note
>far off, at the edge of her senses, she can feel other voices
>a timid voice, feathery and soft, asking if she knew of none who would care for others unconditionally
>another, strong and sure, demanding she tell who would stand against the lies and deceit of the world
>a bubbly, matronly voice asked when last she'd met someone who could make her smile
>a gruff, weathered tone gave an imperious snort and asked where the one who held with comrades eternal could be found, for it surely wasn't Sunset
>A regal voice sounded almost pitying as it called for one who could give so freely of themselves, rather than only take
>"We Can Share Only A Sliver Of Our Power. To Hold Them All, For You, Would Shatter you To Pieces."
>Sunset felt claws against her hooves, and a breath like molten lava on the back of her neck
>"So You Shall Hold The Shade of Magic. It Shall Cast Out, Burning All In Its Sight Until The Paragons Stand To Fight It."
"No! This isn't what I wanted!"
>Sunset feels tears running down her cheeks, even as the thing on her back breathes heavily into her ear
>"You Serve A Great Destiny, Shadebearer Of Magic. Such A Shame You Could Not Have Found The Harmony. Potential Wasted."
>Sunset felt her hooves
>no
>her hands, move all on their own, as the tears flowed freely down her now furless cheek.
>"Seek The Paragons. They Shall Be Your Doom..."
>the teenaged girl is embraced in a whorl of ethereal fire, and eyes no longer her own survey a land ripe for destruction
>they seek the conquest of worlds, but first and foremost, they must destroy those who would bear the elements.
>"And Your Salvation."