//------------------------------// // 31 - The End // Story: Chasing Treasures // by Yukito //------------------------------// Shining Armor cuffed Tirek and moved him forwards, reading him his rights as he led him towards the helicopter Chrysalis had brought through the portal. Sitting inside were Cybil, Dexter, Reeka and Draggle, with Gilda sitting opposite to them, watching them closely. Sunset sat with Daring Do, letting Celestia treat her wounds begrudgingly. “So he got the Sage’s Stone. You’ll get it back,” Sunset said. “You always win in your novels.” “That’s because I don’t publish my losses,” Daring Do groaned, slumping over as she tried to ignore the starry-eyed ponies to her left. “Ummm, by the way, am I being watched?” “Hey,” said a blue pegasus, approaching Daring Do with a purple alicorn beside her. “You’re, like, the human Daring Do, right?” “Yeah?” “EEEEEE!” The pony jumped into the air, her wings flapping as she hovered for a few seconds. “I’m like, your bigggest fan! Well, I mean, biggest fan of you here, but also of you there, and like…” She presented a book to Daring Do. “Can I have your autograph?! I’ll trade you mine!” The purple alicorn rolled her eyes, and then presented her own book to the author. “Um, if it’s not too much trouble…” Sunset grinned. “Seems you’re already popular over here in Equestria. These are Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle, by the way.” Daring Do chuckled, and took out a pen from her pocket. She took Rainbow’s book first, and raised an eyebrow at the cover. “Is this… me? Y’know, as a pony?” “Looks like it,” Sunset said. “You’re a pegasus in this world.” “So I can fly?!” Daring Do asked excitedly. “Well, I mean, you can,” Rainbow Dash began, “But like, you always manage to break your wing during your adventures.” Daring Do sighed. “Figures. Beats almost being killed or sold into slavery, I guess.” She signed Rainbow’s book, and then Twilight’s. As she observed the alicorn, her brow furrowed. “Don’t I know you from somewhere?” “Uhh, you shouldn’t do.” “Ah! I know! You’re the girl who’s been to every one of my book signings since she was five!” Sunset snickered as Twilight blushed. “O-Oh. Is that so?” Twilight asked. “Guess the me over there is a big fan, too.” “‘Big’ is an understatement. Hey, your older brother is Shining Armor, right” Twilight nodded. “Uh-huh.” “Well, your brother saved my life, y’know?” Daring Do pointed to the human Shining Armor in the distance, conversing with Chrysalis. “Twice, actually. I first met him in Spain - a country in my world - during an expedition, and then recently, he took me in when Tirek was after my head.” Twilight allowed herself a smile of pride. “That’s my brother.” “Princess Celestia,” Shining Armor said as he and Chrysalis approached. “As agreed, we will extradite the prisoners from our world and see that they serve their sentences there. However, we still need to discuss them.” Shining turned his head to the Dazzlings, sitting in the distance in the middle of a ring of Royal Guards. “They are originally from your world, and though they have committed no crimes here recently, it is our understanding that they have a criminal history here.” “That’s true,” Celestia said. “But their sentence was banishment. That still stands; they are not welcome here.” Shining Armor nodded, a smile on his face. “You may be pleased to know that were of great help to us on this case.” “I see. Then it seems that Starswirl made the right choice all of those years ago.” “Sister!” Luna shouted, running towards the group hurriedly. “We have found the female! ‘Bon Bon’, was her name?” Sunset and Daring Do shot to their feet. “Is she okay?!” Sunset asked. Luna’s smile told all. “She is fine. She must have escaped the tower before it collapsed, and we found her some distance away, lying in a field. She was obscured by tall grass but that black clothing of hers made her easy to spot.” “What is her condition?” Celestia asked. “Asleep, but in no danger.” Sunset breathed a huge sigh of relief. “Thank god…” Celestia raised an eyebrow. “Who?” Sunset simply waved a hand, chuckling as she sat down. “Religious deity from the other side. Don’t worry.” “I didn’t know you were so spiritual.” “Anyway, it’s good that she survived. I’m the one who invited her along. It would’ve been my fault in anything had happened to her.” “That’s not true!” Twilight objected. “You shouldn’t blame yourself over something like that! It was Tirek who attacked, not you!” Shining Armor nodded. “She came along of her own will. She was aware of the risks when she took them.” “You’ve changed a lot since you left here, Sunset Shimmer,“ Celestia remarked. “So much must have happened.” “You have no idea,” Sunset chuckled. “When you left, your heart was filled with nothing but the desire to be great. Now, you’ve shown bravery and camaraderie that I have only ever seen in the noblest of ponies. Watching you grow, I was filled with dread, because I knew I had appealed to your ego at too young an age.” “Is this going somewhere?” Sunset deadpanned. “But now, I am certain that I was not wrong in choosing you as my student. No, my instinct was not wrong at all; it was my methods that were flawed. For allowing me to realise this, I thank you.” “… Well, if Twilight ever doesn’t want the princess position, I’m still up for it.” “Thanks, but I’m still a little young for retirement.” Celestia chuckled. “Sunset Shimmer, you have more than earned a second chance. Therefore, would you like to return here, to Equestria?” Sunset’s jaw dropped. Of all the things she was expecting, this was not one of them. “Return… here? You mean… come to back to my old life? My old home?” Twilight gasped. “Then we can hang out together! I can’t wait to show you around Ponyville!” Sunset felt her face fall. She turned to Shining Armor, but he simply stared back at her. She turned to Daring Do, who simply shrugged. “Gee, that sounds… like something I would’ve wanted unconditionally a year ago, but now? I mean, I spent most of my time here with you, so I never got to see much of this land. I’ve seen so many places in the other world, and I’ve met so many people. Some more… interesting than others.” Sunset pulled out her phone, looking at the desktop picture of herself with her five… friends, at Canterlot High. She looked displeased, but she knew that she never once complained when the picture was being taken. She looked back up, looking to the Dazzlings in the distance. They behaved themselves for the entire time, but they weren’t going to be fully-pardoned just yet. Wouldn’t it help if there was someone in their shoes there with them? Turning back to Celestia, Sunset smiled, and said, “Thanks, but honestly, I saw this house on the other side I’ve been really looking forward to buying.” Celestia simply smiled back. “Besides, this world doesn’t have internet! I couldn’t trade that, even for all the magic in Equestria!” Celestia laughed, though she wasn’t sure what she was laughing at. Daring Do laughed too, and playfully punched Sunset’s arm. Twilight frowned, and reached over to hug her friend. “It was nice to see you again.” “Yeah, and sweet job on saving the day!” Rainbow Dash said. “Practically one of us, now!” Sunset awkwardly patted Twilight’s back, before pushing her away. She rose to her feet and turned to Shining Armor. “Well then, that portal won’t be open for long, right?” Shining Armor nodded. “Without the stone, it’ll close on its own by the end of the day.” “Well then,” she said, walking past him with her head held high, “Let’s go! Back home to America!” Two weeks passed since their return. Radiant Hope, along with the other captive conspirators of Tirek’s forces, had been imprisoned within the FBI headquarters. Though Radiant Hope’s case was unique; Sombra testified on her behalf, claiming that she was following orders under duress and played a key part to defeating Catrina. He offered his own surrender for his testimony to be considered in her appeal, and the result was that she was given a probationary sentence, much like what the Dazzlings were given. Sombra himself was returned to his straitjacket and chains, though he was allowed to speak and walk about the headquarters freely, and was returned to duty. He knew that the only reason he was granted so much freedom was because Radiant Hope was essentially their hostage now… but it was fine. He had no qualms with returning to his work. In fact… “I want to thank you, Cadance,” Sombra said one day, surprising both her and Shining Armor as they shared lunch together. “Ummm… you’re welcome?” “You treated me like you treated my old self, despite the fact that I had chosen to become King Sombra.” Sombra smiled warmly at her. “You also appealed on my behalf many times, hoping I would accept a chance at redemption. You never gave up on me, and I am truly thankful…” Cadance smiled now. “It’s because we’re colleagues. We have to stick together and watch each other’s backs.” Cadance chuckled. “Really though, this has been the best day ever! And now, to hear you thanking me so sincerely, it feels like I’m winning all the greatest battles in my life!” “Oh?” Sombra asked. “The greatest day ever, you say? What could- Oh.” Sombra shot a sly look to Shining Armor. “So you gave her the ring, huh?” Shining Armor spat out his tea, and Cadance looked between the two confusedly. “Wait, what ring?” Shining grabbed Sombra’s collar and pulled him down. “It’s the best day ever because Twilie got accepted into MIT!” “So young?” Sombra asked. Then, he realised his mistake. “... Oh.” “Shining, what ring?” Cadance asked, tilting her head. “... This is where magic is okay to use,” Sombra decided, using a jewel hidden beneath his tongue to teleport out of the room. “HEY!” Shining Armor shouted, slamming his table in frustration. “Damnit! I’m gonna counter-appeal so hard!” “... Shiny?” Cadance asked, leaning across the table, her face inches from Shining Armor’s. “Were you going to propose to someone?” Shining Armor blushed fiercely. “Er,well, y’see… I was kinda… I mean, maybe thought had crossed my mind, but...” “Hmmm… Too bad!” Cadance said. Shining Armor regarded her with a worried look. “What? Why-” Cadance grabbed Shining Armor’s hand, and slid a small ring with a diamond on it onto his left ring finger. “I beat you to it!” Shining Armor’s blush deepened. He was unable to say anything. His mind was a chaotic storm as he was torn between overjoyous bliss, and wounded pride. Cadance quieted that storm with a kiss. Sunset received a text from Shining Armor, informing her of his engagement with Cadance. She sent him one back, congratulating him and thanking him for his work in making her an official citizen of the United States. “Would you just calm down already?!” Sunset looked up from her phone, chuckling nervously as she watched Bon Bon chasing Lyra through the school’s entrance. “Looks like it’s not a happy ending for everyone.” “You disappear for days to god-knows-where, you don’t respond to my texts, you call me to say you’re in the hospital of all places, won’t tell me how you got so injured, and now you’re moving?!” Sunset gasped. Bon Bon had never told her that. “Look, it can’t be helped! It’s my family!” Bon Bon explained. “Our work is- I mean,our visa’s up!” Lyra turned to her, tears in her eyes. “Then get a new one!” “It’s not that simple! It’s a long and a hard process, it’s expensive, we have family at home, it’s- There’s just too much going on, okay?!” “Then marry me!” Sunset’s eyes widened. “Then there’ll be no problem, right? I’m American, and if I’m your family-” “Lyra,” Bon Bon began, placing her hands on her friend’s shoulders. “... We’re not old enough.” Lyra stomped her feet. “I’M TRYING TO THINK OF SOMETHING!” Bon Bon smiled, and placed a single hand on Lyra’s head, patting her until she calmed-down. Lyra sniffed once, then brought a hand up to wipe her eyes. “Feeling better?” “No…” “Lyra, we can still talk, and we can meet during the summer. It;s not like this is goodbye forever.” Lyra sniffed again, and looked into Bon Bon’s eyes. She couldn’t contain her rage, but she knew her friend was right. “ARGH, darn it! Fine! You go! But don’t you dare forget about me!” she warned. “I expect to see you online every day, and to spend every last second of your summers here!” Bon Bon rolled her eyes. “Sure, whatever.” “And when I graduate, I’m gonna visit you in England, and I’m gonna point out everything wrong it so you’ll come to your senses!” “Can’t wait.” Bon Bon leaned forward and hugged her friend. “And I’m gonna pass every single test without your help! I won’t even need you anymore!” Lyra cried as she returned the hug. “Good, good.” Bon Bon patted Lyra’s back, and the two held the hug for a while, before Lyra pushed away and left. Bon Bon simply sighed and leaned against a nearby wall. That was when she saw Sunset Shimmer approaching her. “Breakups suck, huh?” “Eh, we’re just from two different worlds.” Sunset nodded. “You country and this one do have a history together.” Bon Bon raised an eyebrow. “I mean about how I’m… y’know.” “Oh… Yeah. Wow. Can’t believe I forgot that. But, are you really okay to go back now. Those injuries weren’t light.” Bon Bon gave a dismissive wave. “I’m mostly gonna be put on desk work while I recuperate. It’s too expensive keeping me here undercover. Soon, though, I’ll be back to regular job. Y’know, keeping the country, and the world itself, safe.” “Never a day’s rest, huh?” “For Her Majesty, it’s worth it.” Sunset’s phone vibrated. She looked down at her new message and grinned. “Looks like you’re not the only workaholic who’s already back at it.” “Oh?” Sunset showed Bon Bon the text, and the other girl sighed. “That Daring Do… One of these days, her next book will be her obituary.” Sunset’s phone vibrated again, and she looked down again. “Well, looks like the girls need me in the music room.” “I didn’t think you got along with them so well.” “Oh, they’re annoying, trust me.” Sunset laughed. “But y’know? Annoying is refreshing, after an adventure like that. It’s just… normal, y'know?” Bon Bon looked over to Lyra, standing at the bus stop just in front of the school, and nodded. “I know exactly what you mean.” “Go have fun with her!” Sunset said as she turned to leave, waving as she walked away. “You’ll regret it later if you leave on these terms!” As Sunset entered the school, she could see Bon Bon running towards Lyra through the reflection of the glass doors, catching her just as the bus arrived. Daring Do looked up at the large casino towering over her, its lights defying the darkness of the night and its shape mimicking that of the Lighthouse of Alexandria. The casino owned by Caballeron. “Keep the change,” she said as she handed a wad of bills to her cab’s driver, before adding, “Take the rest of the night off. Go drink so much you forget your customers.” She winked, and then left the cab. The driver flicked through the bills and grinned. “You got it, lady! Happy bettin’!” As the cab drove off, Daring Do approached the casino. Dressed in her finest, shimmering red dress with a slit down one side that elegantly showed off her slender leg, and with her identity hidden between a mask and long, blonde wig created by Chrysalis, ‘Lady Ambrosia’ entered the casino. Her eyes turned to a table where a group of men were playing poker, and she set her sights on one man in particular: Ernst Belloq, one of Caballeron’s informants. Approaching the table, Daring Do waved to the men as she caught their attentions. “You boys got room for one more?”