//------------------------------// // Act I – Slaves – Chapter 2 // Story: Sunset in the gods // by red-sun //------------------------------// Sunset was in front of the old man who called himself Discord, curiously it reminded her of a statue that he had in the castle gardens in his world, although he didn't remember which statue it was. “I saw it, I saw it all. The girl has just been severely beaten.” Discord examines Twilight's injuries. "You would do anything to save her, right?" Discord smiles. "I want to hear you promise." "No". Sunset answers after calming down a bit. "No?" Discord was a little surprised at the answer. "No". Repeat again. "A moment ago you wanted to save her, I offered you an opportunity for that and now you reject it... why?" “She protected me, she took all those hits for me. But you're offering me a way to save her in exchange for me doing anything and I've seen what pon... people ask for when they make these kinds of offers. And whatever you ask me to do would make her feel guilty and she's no use to me like that." "You're not funny. How about this? I won't ask you for anything you don't have, nothing you can't give, and I definitely won't ask you for anything that gets in the way of your plans. What do you think of the deal?" Sunset thinks about the deal Discord offered her. “And what are you supposed to ask me for?” Then Discor puts on a serious face and answers. "An act of mercy." "What do you mean by that?" "That's the only thing I'm going to tell you...". Discord smiles again. "So is there a deal?" Sunset looks at Twilight still unconscious and answers. “Am I going to regret this?” “That depends on how you will be in the future.” "Well we have a deal." "Excellent!" Discord starts looking for something in his pockets. "Here it is". He hands Sunset a small bag that has something resembling red raisins. "Make her eat one every day, she'll be completely healthy in a week." Sunset takes one of the raisins, making sure Twilight eats one. "I hope this works... Where did you go?!" Discord disappeared without Sunset noticing. She decided to leave it that way and go back to the cave where the slaves slept. Twilight's parents thanked Sunset for taking care of her and she just told them to make sure their daughter doesn't do anything stupid again. At night Sunset looks at Twilight to see how far her recovery has progressed. Look around the cave. Sunset knew that she was just a slave now. Those rules, the work of the slaves, that filled her with anger, but she was determined to resist. And before he knew it, a week had already passed and Twilight had almost fully recovered. Sunset managed to meet the carnelian quota in order to get her proper food ration, but it seemed that Old Brother still resented Sunset for the way he challenged his authority. As Sunset continues to work together with Shining, she notices Applejack, Flash Sentry and Big Macintosh approaching. "Hey, Sun you sure are working hard." Flash says. “What are you doing here? If you see them with me Old Brother will be angry with you too”. Sunset says. “We came to help you theron of sugar cube, do you really think that you two can finish the quota by yourself? It will be easier if you have more co-workers”. Applejack answers. "I understand but why?" "We came to this place together and it's natural that we take care of each other... and besides, I don't like how the foreman treats us, right brother." "Yep". He replies Big Macintosh as he grabs a big mallet and starts to work. Sunset had to admit that she needed help. "You know? I enjoyed watching you yell at the foreman... except when he started hitting you. He thinks he is the owner of the mine only because he is a foreman... besides, he has the support of other slaves”. Applejack says. “It is natural, the foreman gives priority and benefits to the old slaves and the old slaves receive food first and take advantage of the new slaves.” Flash said. "Are all the new slaves from the kingdom of equestria?" Sunset asked. "Yep". “At least the vast majority. And as equestria had no slavery almost no one is familiar with how things work. Shining said. "What was your life like before the war?" “I was an apprentice blacksmith, my father taught me the trade. He had a blacksmith shop in Canterlot but we fled before the siege started... too bad the slavers caught us on the way”. Flash responds. “Me and my family had a farm in a town outside of Canterlot but we had to leave too. Granny Smith didn't like the idea of leaving our land but she didn't like that his family became slaves. So she decided to run away with my little sister Apple Bloom, big macintosh and me. We were supposed to meet up with other Apples on the way and head to a colony in the east but my brother and I were captured...luckily Grandma and my sister managed to escape...so What is your story Sun? if that is your real name?" Sunset stops working and looks directly at Applejack, then notices Shining Armor gripping her mallet tightly. "What do you want me to say?" "He wants to know who you are." Flash says. “I can see it in you. There is something in you, I could not say what it is but... I have seen the way the family that accompanies you treat you, the way they talk to you, when you tell them something they do not hesitate to obey... Right now I can see how Shining is waiting for you to give an order.” Sunset was thinking what to do, she didn't want to attract too much attention and she didn't know if they would trust her but she was planning something and to achieve it she would need more people. "How did you know she was lying to you?" "Why do you think I'll answer you...?" "It's not a big deal, it's a family thing, we just notice when someone is lying." Says big mac interrupting her sister. Applejack gives her brother an angry look. "That? Not that that was a secret." "Brother I know you don't talk much but please learn to keep your mouth shut!" Sunset weighs her options and decides to take a chance. "My name is Sunset Shimmer." That surprises everyone. Applejack stares at Sunset. "You're not lying, but I had heard that you had died during the Siege of Canterlot." "I look dead to you." "Nope." Answer Big Mac. “But what are you doing here?” Flash asks. "A group of slavers captured us while we were escaping, me and my family took care of protecting and serving His Majesty." Shining responds. “And that's why I had to lie about my name. Although the truth is that being here is convenient.” "And how is it convenient to be captured?" Applejack asks. "I needed to spend some time in hiding... And what better place to hide than here?" "Thank you for telling us the truth." Applejack says. "Don't you want to know anything else?" Sunset decided to push her luck by asking. “With that it's fine, what happens is that in my family we don't like being lied to and I also don't like calling you by a false name without knowing what your real name was. Don't worry, your secret is safe with me and my brother." "Yep". "I'll keep your secret too. You can trust me". Flash also says. Sunset didn't know if she should take the risk but she had no choice but to trust them, not that she had another alternative, she decided to stop thinking about it for a while and continue working. "Take this". Sunset hands a piece of bread to Velvet. "Give it to Twilight, she's already on the mend and we need her to go back to work... Has she told you how she feels?" “She's already feeling better, she should be able to go back to work tomorrow, Your Majesty… she shouldn't just give her share of the food. And the foreman is still upset about the way I talk to him. You have worked for her for too long and yet every night she goes out to explore… Why does she overexert herself for my daughter?” Velvet asks. “Because I am planning something and I will need people to achieve it and...”. Sunset can see on the outside of the cave a silhouette that she recognized as Discord. “Stay here with your daughter. I have to do something". And she takes off running. Sunset followed Discord to one of the caves that were in the highest area of the mines. “Hey girl… I didn't lie to you, right? Your little maid has made a full recovery.” But Sunset ignores her words and changes the subject. “You are not a slave”. “How did you know? No matter. I take it you've been digging around and looking for clues about me, right?" "No, I just noticed that you didn't have a mark on your arm." Sunset replies. And Discord looks at his arm and sighs. "I guess I should fix those little details... well, what else did you notice about me?" Discord smiles like it's a guessing game. "There's something about you... like a kind of presence... Discord, you're not human, right?" "Hahaha! You're right, I'm not human and neither are you. Sunset was scared for a moment but she tries to stay calm. "What do you mean?" She asks a little nervous. "I know a lot about you... Sunset Shimmer." Sunset couldn't hide how worried she was. "I know you're not from this world, I know the 'agreement' you made with another Sunset Shimmer, I know you're a unicorn." Sunset tries to stay calm again and says. "Assuming you're right... you still haven't told me it's you." "Isn't that obvious...? I'm a god! … Why aren't you surprised?” Sunset decided to tell her the truth. “You are right, I am a unicorn. And I'm not surprised because Velvet has been explaining to me how this world works, she has also been explaining to me what the gods are, compared to what she told me and what I've seen in my world, the truth... I'm disappointed". “Fuck… you're not funny… but what I am shouldn't matter to you. Tell me something, why did you come to this world? "I came to this world because I thought I could get something that in my world was denied me...". "And what is it that is denied you?" Discord waits for Sunset's response but there is only silence. "Well don't tell me but will you honor the deal you made with the other Sunset?" Sunset answers. "Don't worry. I will keep my word after all, maybe this will help me achieve my wish.” Discord and Sunset fall silent, then Discord starts laughing. "Hahahaha!! Well girl, I'll have to settle for this!" "What do you mean?" "I'm going to help you... I also want to keep a promise." "And how will you help me?" "I will help you gain power, but first you have to escape from the mine... let it be your first test to see what you are capable of...". Discord looks around. "We are not alone". Discord and Sunset were going to check the cave but it wasn't necessary because Discord immediately saw in the dark part that there was a ten year old girl with fluffy bright raspberry hair. "Hello... who are you?" "Hello... my name is Pinkie Pie." The girl answers. "When did you get here?" Sunset asks. "I was here a little before you guys got here, I was going to leave but you guys were in the way of the exit and I didn't want to interrupt your conversation." Pinkie replies with a wide grin. "Does that mean you heard everything?" Discord asks. "Yes. Listen to every word of their conversation." "Would you keep a secret?" Discord asked. Sunset interrupts Discord. "Why do you ask him that? do you think we can trust her?” “If you're going to escape, you'll need more people. I take responsibility if something happens." Discord whispers Sunset didn't like the idea but Discord was right. "Fine, but you don't have to say anything you heard." "Yes! Secrets help to forge friendships, it will be a secret between the four of us." “We four?” Sunset asked, finding what Pinkie said strange. As Pinkie rubs her hand on the back of her neck, she says. "Excuse me, my sister Maud also heard." Discord and Sunset look at the shadow next to Pinkie and saw a teenage girl with short grayish-blue-violet hair. Sunse tries to contain her anger and responds. "Okay... it will be a secret between the four of us...". "Five...". Maud says in a flat voice, interrupting Sunset, and everyone looks at Maud. "Boulder listened too." He says maud as he shows a rock.