Sunset Eclipsed

by EldritchNexus

The Weekend Off, Part Two: The Library

Scarlet Blaze continued galloping through the forest, panting heavily. She had gone on for what seemed like an hour, but there was still no clear end to the sea of trees. Eventually, she wound up in a clearing, where she decided to rest for a moment. She laid her cowled head flat against the grass, and steadily closed her eyes. She let the silence around her sink in for a while.

Suddenly, she heard a loud rustling, and she involuntarily rose up in response. Scarlet looked all around the area, her horn glowing in anticipation of any Changeling attacks. She looked left, then right, then upwards. But before she could turn herself around, she heard a whoosh! in the air, and saw a black cord-like object spiraling towards her. As she gasped in surprise, the cord wrapped itself around her legs, and felt herself being hauled forward by telekinesis. She fell forward, and lay struggling to get back up. Suddenly, more cords appeared and entrapped the rest of her body.

"Well, it would seem your rope-conjuring spell is a success, Sigma." said a cackling voice.

"Yes, Ghost. It certainly is!" said a raspy voice with a thick accent. "Now then, let's go an' extract our prisoner."

There was a sickening beating of wings, and the decaying front hooves of a Changeling appeared before Scarlet's face.

"Go on then, and geddup!" snickered Sigma, prodding the unicorn's neck. "Oh, that's right. You can't, cuz of me! Better show her yer stuff then, Ghost."

Another set of hooves climbed onto Scarlet's cloaked back, and there was a bright flash of light. Before she knew what was going on, she was now indoors, in a dark, cold cave-like chamber. Scarlet was able to raise her head ever so slightly, and she could see what appeared to be several pony-shapes pinned to the walls by a thick green substance.

"Drat, they've caught another one!" cursed the voice of a nearby pony. "Why are those Changelings keeping us all here, anyway?!"

"Oh, stow it." said a deep, but smooth voice. "Even if you did know what we wanted, it wouldn't make the slightest difference regarding the predicament you are already in."

There was an echoing series of hooves plodding heavily on the stone floor. They stopped just in front of Scarlet, and turned in her direction.

"Ah, I see our newest prisoner has arrived." said the voice. "Do not worry, lovely one. Allow me to relieve you of that cord on your muzzle."

There was a faint glow of light, and the black cord binding Scarlet's mouth had vanished. She was now free to speak.

"What do you want with me?" she demanded, angrily.

"I learned from my subordinates that a lone unicorn had been wandering about my territory. I trust that you were that unicorn."

"I was trespassing on nopony's territory!" growled Scarlet Blaze. "I was just leaving my house when--"

"So, you are under the impression that your house is--hang on." said the voice. "Let me take a good look at your face."

Scarlet felt the cords tied around her neck disappear, and she bent her hooded head to look at her captor. She had a surprised expression on her face as she looked at him:

Scarlet Blaze was laying before a large Changeling. He was at least three times bigger than the others that she had seen, and his holey legs were strong and thick. Two sets of dragonfly wings extended from his ridged back, and curved spikes rose from his shoulders. The Changeling's face was broad and feral in appearance. His horn was curved and bore swirly textures. His snout rose up in a horn-like shape between his nostrils. His mouth was wide and curved in a smile that was lined with bestial teeth.

But the most disturbing feature of this Changeling was his eyes: Large and egg-shaped, with green-blue schlera, and horizontal red slits in the middle.

"Ah, I thought I would never see you again." said the Changeling, feigning relief. "And I see the years have indeed been kind to you!"

"What in the name of Celestia are you talking about?!" Scarlet asked, impatiently. "Who are you, anyway? How do you know who I am?"

"I am Lord Umbriel." said the large Changeling, pridefully. "And I do believe we already met...fifteen years ago, to the day."

Meanwhile in Canterlot, Sunset Shimmer and her two friends were in the archives of the palace. Lightning flew around the room, collecting books for Sunset and Trixie to read through.

"A Guide to Equestrian Beasts, I think it was." Sunset described to Lightning, who took off to a high bookshelf.

When Lightning returned with a broad green book with its title laid out in silver letters. She dropped it in front of the two unicorns, who opened it with their telekinesis.

"So this book mentions alicorns, bicorns, pegacorns, and various other pony hybrids..." Sunset moaned. "But nothing about Changelings? Lightning, could you fly over and get A Guide to Bestial Equestria? I think I might've gotten the titles mixed up."

"You've got it, boss." Lightning saluted, before taking off again to the high bookshelf and returning with a gilded black book. "There ya go!"

"Let me check first, Sunset." said Trixie, opening up to book and scanning its table of contents.

"Yep, we've got an entry on them in this book!" said Trixie with a smile. "It's on page ninety-five."

Sunset telekinetically moved several bunches of pages to the right, until she found the article on Changelings.

"'Changelings are a morally-ambiguous race of creatures that exhibit both equine and insectoid traits.'" she read to Trixie and Lightning. "'They are not essentially good or evil, though their methods of sustaining themselves, which include draining a living being of whatever love or happiness they possessed, have made them the enemies of many civilizations throughout this world.'"

"So, they're like leeches or something?" asked Lightning.

"'Their true origins are largely vague, but it is rumored that they are descended from a renegade tribe of pegacorns that had been banished from Equestria before either of the regal sisters rose to power.'"

"Pegacorns?" asked Trixie. "I know what an alicorn is, but what's the difference between it and a pegacorn?"

"Hang on, let me check." said Lightning, who was skimming through A Guide to Equestrian Beasts. "This book says that while an alicorn is an all-powerful unicorn that gained the wings of a Pegasus, a pegacorn is a pegasus that has acquired the horn and/or magical properties of a unicorn."

"Well, I don't recall the offspring of unions between pegasi and unicorns having both features." said Trixie. "If, say, you and Sunset's brother decided to have a foal together..."

Lightning blushed, but said nothing.

"Then that foal would be either a unicorn like him, or a pegasus like you." finished Sunset Shimmer, who interjected. "But by the sound of things, pegacorns are often created by somewhat artificial means. Like through a ritual or incantation."

"What kind of ritual?" asked Lightning Dust, excitedly. "Because being a pegacorn might not seem too--"

"I mean a ritual that involves performing a heinous action upon one of us unicorns." Sunset growled. "One that could easily deprive him or her of their ability to use magic forever. I will not go any further on the details, since it is both a disgusting and degrading thing to do. It is also one of the most abominable crimes that a pegasus such as yourself could be punished for in Equestria. Bottom line: It's illegal! Do you understand me, Lightning?"

"Um...sure thing, ma'am." said Lightning, who was taken aback. "So, what else does that article say about those Changelings?"

Sunset continued reading the entry in A Guide to Bestial Equestria.

"'Notable abilities that the average Changeling is inclined to have includes the ability to assume the form of any pony, griffin, etc. that they desire.'" Sunset Shimmer read on. "'They are also capable of flight and using magic'."

"And of course, there were the ones that you and your brother fought in the mayor's office in Filydelphia." pointed out Lightning Dust.

"Yeah." nodded Sunset. "There was the white one, named Ghost. He had that teleportation spell that could warp anypony over a great distance. Then there's Lord Umbriel, who somehow was able to shrug off one of my strongest spells without even trying! And finally, there's General Synthe, who looks like he got his flank handed to him in the most lethal sense possible, and still lived to tell about it. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find out what his abilities were, since he was teleported away before we could really start fighting."

"I don't think he could've used his magic that much, anyway." said Trixie. "His horn looked like something broke it off at the tip, and did it hard."

"And then there's Umbriel's sister, Queen Chrysalis." said Sunset. "I haven't met her yet, but she doesn't sound like somepony I'd wanna mess with, either. At least, not yet."

"So, we've found out about those Changelings." said Trixie. "Now what do we do now?"

"Simple: We get something to eat." said Sunset. "It's half-past noon. A good time for a lunch break, don't you think?"

The three mares left the library together, giggling cheerfully. As they went down a hallway, they found themselves crossing paths with Captain Shining Armor.

"Hello, girls." he said, in a gentlemanly manner.

"That's Twilight Sparkle's older brother." Sunset Shimmer whispered into Trixie's ear.

"Um...hello, captain." said Trixie, nervously. "Nice day, isn't it?"

"Yes, actually." said Shining Armor. "A nice day for traveling."

"What do you mean?" asked Lightning Dust.

"Well, I'm going back to the Crystal Empire, to be with my wife." explained Captain Armor.

"But who will be the Captain of the Royal Guard in your absence?" asked Sunset.

"Who else, but me?" asked a familiar voice behind the three mares.

Sunset Shimmer, Trixie, and Lightning Dust turned around to Captain Star Shield standing before them, clad in purple-and-gold armor.

"But aren't you the Captain of the Night Guard?" questioned Lightning.

"Indeed, I am." nodded Captain Shield. "But I was once the Captain of the Royal Guard, as well, before I surrendered the position to my noble lieutenant, who you know as Captain Armor..."

Shining Armor nodded his head humbly.

"But since he has his own duties, ruling the Crystal Empire alongside Princess Cadence," continued the pegasus captain. "I find myself stepping back into my old horseshoes every other weekend."

He turned to Shining Armor, and gave him a salute.

"I'm relieving you, Armor." he said. "Have a great weekend. Send the princess my regards."

"Thank you, Captain Shield." said Shining Armor, who turned to continue walking down the hallway.

"So, what are ya gonna do now?" asked Lightning Dust.

"Well, the weekends in Canterlot are not quite as tightly-guarded as the weekdays, so it should be a lazy day to be a captain, even if Shining Armor stayed here." answered Star Shield. "Right now, I have to keep Shining Armor's newest recruits in check."

"Can we come along to watch?" asked Sunset.

"Of course, Miss Shimmer." the captain bowed his head. "Be it night or day, I cannot bring myself to say 'no' to the savior of Fillydelphia."

"Thanks, captain." smiled Sunset.

The two unicorns and pegasi went on together to the training area of the Royal Guard, which was opened up in a large courtyard. As they went on, Lightning Dust decided to talk with the aging captain.

"So, you were doing this job for twenty years straight, right?" Lightning asked.

"That is correct." answered Star Shield.

"So, when'd ya retire?"

"About two years ago." said Captain Shield. "It was either after that infamous Grand Galloping Gala, or after Discord broke free from his stone prison."

"What was so imfamous about the Grand Galloping Gala that year?" asked Sunset. "I've been to that before. Apart from a few stiffs here and there, there wasn't really anything infamous about the ones I've even been to."

"Oh, that was the year that Twilight Sparkle and her friends wound up making a big mess of the place." answered the middle-aged pegasus. "I can tell you that I do not envy the ponies responsible for cleaning up that fiasco."

Sunset and Trixie found themselves sniggering for a moment, but quieted down in respect.

"But the worst part of it was the morning after the whole thing." said Star Shield. "Princess Celestia's nephew, Prince Blueblood, was in a fetal position for five hours straight. He was crying on and on about...carnival fare, or something. I mean no disrepect for the Princesses or their relations, but Blueblood was...quite a lot to deal with, especially for someone as old as me. If he wasn't the reason I retired, he was definitely one of them."

"Where's Prince Blueblood now?" asked Trixie.

"I do believe he mentioned that he was managing a resort in Las Pegasus." said Star Shield. "A rather charming place, too, based on the postcards and booklets that are sent here. In fact, I have one of them right now."

Star Shield shook one of his wings, and a pamphlet dropped to the ground. Sunset's horn glowed, and a teal aura engulfed the pamphlet. She levitated it up to her face, and took a look at the various photographs of what reminded her of one of the many vacation homes she saw on television in the human world. Lightning Dust took a look at the pamphlet, and looked positively awestruck.

"Wow, that looks like a great place to go if you're on vacation..." said Lightning.

"Or on a date?" suggested Trixie, sarcastically.

"Well, yeah...I guess." blushed Lightning Dust. "Wait, what are you talking about?"

"Never mind, Dusty." said Trixie. "Let's go check out those guards now."

As they went on, Trixie whispered to Sunset:

"Hey, did that book really say that about pegacorns?"

"Nah." Sunset whispered back. "I just wanted to give Lightning a little scare."

She chuckled, and so did Trixie.