//------------------------------// // Chapter Twenty Four // Story: Save The World, Duh! // by TheKing2001 //------------------------------// Sunset I slowly trotted alongside Princess Cadence down the street as random ponies nodded in respect to the Princess. I didn’t know Cadence that well but I did know she wasn’t a push over. For the Princess of Love, she could be surprisingly strict and angry when necessary. It was a bit weird being so well sparkly and almost see through. “Is there something you needed Princess?” I asked cautiously as we approached the palace. I’ve only seen her angry once and let’s just say it left a lasting impression. I still think Blueblood hasn’t gotten over that talking to. “Cadence is fine,” Cadence said with an eyeroll. “You’re just like your brother. It’s scary. Don’t even get me started on how Spitfire is. You three are obviously each other siblings.” “Feels weird to call you Cadence no offense,” I scuffed a hoof on the ground before I continued walking. “Twilight is pretty much the only Princess I’m on a first name base with anymore. Cadence it is.” “Yes Twilight is pretty lax on her title,” Cadence readily agreed as two guards opened the castle doors. I didn’t respond as our hooves echoed on the crystal flooring. “What’s with you Shimmers and serving royalty?” “What do you mean?” I asked as we walked up some stairs. “Sunburst serves as my child’s foalsitter in a way, Spitfire serves all of us princesses and you serve Twilight. Plus your family technically served Equestria before and after the rebellion alongside the Kickers,” Cadence answered as some doors opened. “That’s over a thousand years of servitude.” “Good question,” I said as we approached what could be a baby’s room. “I don’t know. That’s the best answer I could give you.” “Fair enough,” Cadence admitted with a faint smile as entered the room with a crib in it. “Meet Flurry Heart.” My eyes widened and my jaw dropped as the baby alicorn jumped out at me. A natural born alicorn wasn’t possible. Not even Celestia and Luna were born that way. I had briefly seen the foal at the changeling kingdom but I was too busy and injured to pay much attention to her. “How is this possible?” I demanded as I levitated Flurry and started examining her. “There’s never been a natural born alicorn before!” “Nopony knows,” Cadence answered as she kissed Flurrys head. “Not a single pony knows. Twilight doesn’t, I don’t nor do the others. The doctors don’t and Sunburst doesn’t.” “This is incredible,” I mused as I set the foal down and she made some weird baby noise. “Sunburst thought you would say that,” Cadence smirked as she sat down on the rug. “He said you were a bit of a scientist and that’s all you really knew.” “Remind me to hit him when I see him,” I said flatly as I glowered. Cadence only laughed as the door opened and I flicked an ear. “I hope you don’t try to hit me,” a voice behind me said and I glanced back at unicorn with a beard and a weird cape stood behind me. “Sister.” I stood up and we briefly hugged as I looked over Sunburst. “The beard has to go,” I said finally as I smirked before lifting the hem of his coat with my hoof. “And what’s with the jacket?” “I quite like the beard and jacket thank you very much,” Sunburst said indignantly as he pulled his coat away. “It gives me a distinguished look.” “Yeah yeah keep telling yourself that,” a pegasus with a orange coat and a fiery mane scoffed as she landed and shook her wings. “This better be important, Sunburst. You interrupted Wonderbolt training and I got a bunch of recruits to intimidate.” Spitfire paused as she made eye contact with me. “You.” “Me,” I agreed as we glared at each other. Cadence’s eyes flicked nervously between the two of us as Spitfire approached me. “Should I take Flurry out of the room for this?” Cadence asked finally. “No,” Spitfire and I said as we sighed. “You know, if you weren’t injured, I’d be beating you up.” “Puh lease!” I scoffed and rolled my eyes. “I could take you on even with a broken leg. I easily took you on as a filly.” “At least I didn’t abandon everypony around me and run off to a different world!” Spitfire shot with a glare as she circled me. “At least I didn’t abandon mom after dad died to be a Wonderbolt!” I snapped and growled softly. “I stayed by her side with Sunburst and we worked our flanks off to help mom out while you were gallivanting off doing Celestia knows what.” “I was sending all of my check to mom!” Spitfire snarled as she sat down in front of me. “I barely had any money myself because I left to take care of her! If it wasn’t for Soarin letting me live in his apartment with him, I’d have been stuck on the street!” We both fell silent as we stared at each other and I could feel my brothers eyes on us along with Cadence and Flurry before Spitfire patted my shoulder. “You two get that out of your system yet?” Sunburst asked flatly as he tossed Flurry a ball. “The two of them used to solve their issued with each other by beating each other senseless. Mom and Dad had to lock up the blocks when they went in the room after Mom caught Sunset trying to shove a square block down Spitfires throat.” “I still say you using your magic was unfair,” Spitfire scoffed as she reluctantly hugged me. I gave her an incredulous look. “You can fly!” “And you can teleport!” Spitfire snickered as I hugged her back. “So what?” “Fair enough,” I admitted as Cadence coughed. “Before I let you three finish reconnecting, there is something I want to ask you Sunset,” Cadence said and I glanced at her. “So I assume you three all know about the threat somepony made against Twilight after her speech about letting the Changelings integrate with our society.” “Yeah,” I said and frowned. “You think she would be taking an assassination threat more serious. She’s been doing more public speeches instead. I get trying to not show fear is a good skill and all but she’s barely working with the guards.” “Stupid in my opinion,” Spitfire scoffed. “She only allowed Soarin and the other Wonderbolts there because of Rainbow.” “Exactly,” Cadence nodded and let out a frustrated sigh. “Twilight can be stubborn in her own way. Which is leading to my question. Your fighting skills against Chrysalis was good but you’re a bit of a loose cannon.” “Sunset and Spitfire both have that in common,” Sunburst quipped as Spitfire and I made eye contact before nodding. We both quickly smacked him upside the head with a hoof and he winced. “Shutting up now.” “Celestia and I are both permanently giving a couple hundred guards to be assigned to Twilight. They’ll technically be ours still but they answer to Twilight,” Cadence said casually as she levitated a toy to Flurry. “Spitfire here trained my guards along with Shining. You took him down in how long?” “Fifteen seconds.” “I blame my cooking for that one,” Cadence laughed sheepishly behind a hoof. “Otherwise he might have won. My question is, you want to join the Royal Guard? You can still live in the other world, I only need you to stay here for the training and then you can return. Only takes two months for leadership training. You’d be answering to me and Twilight of course.” Spitfire and Sunburst both looked at me curiously as I shrugged in response. “I’ll give it some thought. As long as I can stay with my partner and family,” I said finally. “I’m leaning to yes.” “That’s all I ask,” Cadence nodded. “Now I’ll let you three go. Thank you for walking with me Sunset.” “Anytime Princess.” I smirked as she laughed quietly and I led my probably only biological siblings outside.