“Sunset...”
Sunset Shimmer ignored the voice. Her bed was far more comfortable, and far more warm.
“Sunset... Time to get up. You mom and i have a quest for you.”
“Mmmm mmmmmm.” Sunset shook her head beneath her sheets.
“Sunset?”
Sunset felt something jump onto her bed. A four legged, hoofed something. The four legged something proceeded to crawl up onto her and bounce it’s forehooves on her stomach. “Sunset! Hey Sunset! It’s time to get up Sunset!”
“Nnnnrrrrrggggggggg......” Sunset growled and roughly sat up, throwing her sheets onto the form that tumbled to the end of the bed. “Damn it, Dad!” I was sleeping!” She snapped, her horn flaring to life in a mixture of blue and gold.
“No, you were dozing. There’s a difference.” The sheet covered lump, responded calmly. “Anyway, now that you're up. Your mom and I have a quest for you.”
Sunset frowned a yanked the sheets off the lump. The revealed form was an earth pony stallion. A blue-grey stallion, with a long white mane and ice blue eyes and an ice covered skull for a Cutie mark. He would have been almost indistinguishable from any other pony for one fact. His eyes were glowing.
Glacier Frost, grinned at his daughter as he laid on his side at the foot of her bed. “Morning sweetie.”
“Morning dad.” Sunset grumbled as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes then yawned. “So what’s this quest you want to send me on?”
“Well, it’s not just you. It involves Twilight and Spike too.” Glacier got up then sat on his haunches.
“Okay?” Sunset said slowly. Her head was still a little fuzzy from sleep. “Explain.”
“Well, the Summer Sun Celebration is coming up in a couple days, and this year it’s in Ponyville. Your mom and I want Twi, Spike, and you to head down there to make sure everything’s in working order. Also, we want Twilight to make some friends, she spends too much time in her workshop.” Glacier’s face scrunched up a bit. “Last time I went in there it smelled like oil and sex.” He shuddered. “I am beginning to regret giving Twi that Bolter for her birthday all those years ago.”
“Ponyville. Sure.” Sunset blinked slowly at her dad. A small smile formed on the stallion’s lips as Sunset’s eyes slowly widened. “Ponyville!” She snapped.
“Ponyville.” Glacier nodded.
“This means- Auntie Luna! Wait- No! Nightmare Moon!” Sunset ranted as she leapt out of bed with enough force to launch her father off the bed to land in a heap on the floor. The anthro unicorn tore across her room, making it to her closet in three long strides. She almost tore the door off it’s hinges as she disappeared into the depths of her walk-in.
Glacier righted himself and took a seat on the floor as his daughter continued her ranting form the innards of the closet. “Nightmare’s connection to Luna is strong if what you told me is right. So I need to beat the evil out of her, or.... Dad do we have any exorcism scrolls? For that matter could I borrow Chillwind or one of your Necroguard?”
“No and no. I’m sorry, but a simple exorcism won’t cut it for the thing calling itself Nightmare Moon.” Glacier shook his head.
Sunset popped her head out of her closet and gave her father a confused look. “Why no- Right! The Elements!’ Understanding dawned on her face as she disappeared back into her closet. “Dammit why are jeans so hard to put on with hooves!?”
“So what are you going to tell Twilight?” Glacier asked with a chuckle.
“I’ll figure something out.” Sunset said as she stepped out of the closet. She was wearing slightly holey jeans, with a blue tee shirt and her black leather jacket. “Probably something to do with you and mom telling her to get out of that workshop and making some friends.”
Glacier took a breath, closed his eyes and spoke in an even tone. “Dear Twilight; I understand that armor maintenance is important to you, but you really need to get out of that greasy workshop. The Princess and I, as your teachers, think it’s important for you to socialize more. It’s for this reason that the Princess and I are sending Sunset, Spike, and you to Ponyville to oversee the upcoming Summer Sun Celebration. More importantly than that however, is actually making some friends outside of Spike and Sunset. We hope that you enjoy your time there. Sincerely; Glacier Frost. P.S. Please resist the urge to summon your armor.”
As Glacier finished a scrolled appeared in a burst of frost and plopped to the floor. Opening his eyes, the stallion smiled up at Sunset. “Think that’ll do it.”
“Thanks dad.” Sunset said, briefly bending over to grab the scroll and kiss her father on the forehead. “Twilight can’t seem to resist royal orders.”
“True point.” Glacier chuckled. “Gonna go get Spike first?”
“Yep. Where is he?” Sunset asked, raising a curious brow at her father.
“Where do you think?” Glacier grinned.
“You know... There’s nothing wrong with being gay. I’m not saying any of you are, but the way you’ve all been fighting, you suck more cock than a starving changeling at convenience store glory hole.” Spikoran the Black, or Spike as he was more commonly known, stood in the middle of the Royal Guard Barracks Training Arena. The small black and green scaled dragon was surrounded by a dozen guards, all of which were panting heavily. He had his claws behind his head, looking quite relaxed. Everything about the dragon radiated an eerie calm. However The dragon’s face betrayed how he truly felt. A downright unnerving grin split Spike’s face, and something approaching madness glinted in the abnormal dragon’s glowing green eyes.
From behind the the dragon, a unicorn shakily tried to steel himself as his horn lit. A bolt of magic shot out and smashed into Spike’s back, causing the small dragon to stagger forward. Spike righted himself, and slowly turned his head until his manic gaze fell on the unfortunate guard. “Stunning spell huh?” Spike hissed as his fist clenched with a few audible pops. “Tingly.”
The other guards look at the unfortunate caster with something approaching pity. Said caster was visibly shaking.
Spike slowly turned around to face the poor unicorn. “Let me show you how you really stun somebody.”
“Spike stop emasculating the Royal Guard. They have adequacy issues enough as it is.” A voice made Spike instantly brighten, his mania gone like a switch was flipped. He turned to see Sunset Shimmer standing on the ledge overlooking the arena.
“If they just collectively grew a pair, I wouldn’t have to emasculate them.” Spike responded with a grin. “What’s got you up so early, it’s like seven.”
“It’s nine. You’ve been beating on them for a couple hours according to dad.” Sunset said with a little frown. “They’ve been rotating out, not that you’d notice.”
“Huh, time flies when you wrecking shit.” Spike shrugged. “Alright guys, your weekly beating is over. Go rest.” Spike said with a chuckle. Instantly every guard in the immediate vicinity relaxed. Spike wandered over to the ledge and leapt up next to Sunset. “What’s up, did you need something or did you just come here to drink in my scaly glory?”
“Hmmm, smooth.” Sunset said somewhat blandly. “First one, Dad gave Twi, you, and I a quest.”
“Oh? Do tell.” Spike unnerving grin returned.
“Tell you as we walk. We’ve got a Twilight to pry out of her workshop.” Sunset said with a slight groan. “Also, hold this.” She handed the small dragon the scroll.
“Oh joy, a scroll. Just what I always wanted.” Spike said wistfully.
“Goofball.” Sunset rolled her eyes.
“Why does it always look like a bomb went off in here?” Spike asked as the pair entered Twilight Sparkle’s workshop.
Said workshop was formerly a defunct storage room, left unused for decades. Twilight Sparkle had converted the rather large room into a massive workshop filled with schematics, various weapon parts, more ammunition than was ever necessary, and of course Twilight’s Power Armor-slash-Mechanised Battle Suit. The workshop was always appeared in a state of clutter. Table’s were covered in papers, ammunition, parts, and tools littered the ground, and the walls were covered in various schematics and diagrams. Twilight claimed that she knew where everything was.
“Okay...” Sunset breathed as her gaze roamed over the mechanical landscape. “Where are you?”
“Twilight?” Spike called out. There was no response. “We sure she’s in here?” He asked, looking up at Sunset.
“She never leaves.” Sunset groaned. “Twilight, mom and dad have a job for us.”
“There was the sound of a wumph, followed by a purple flash from the back of the room. A second flash, accompanied by a second wumph, erupted not two feet from the pair, blinding both.
“My eyes!” Spike cried.
“Dammit Twi! No teleporting indoors!” Sunset snapped rubbing her eyes.
“Sorry,” came the apologetic voice. Spike and Sunset blinked away the stars in their eyes and saw the small purple unicorn herself. The tiny, rail thin mare grinned at them weakly. “I was caught up calibrating a Stalker Pattern Bolter.”
“It’s fine.” Sunset kneeled down to Twilight’s level and smiled at her.
“So, Celestia and Glacier have a job for us?” Twilight asked curiously, coking her head to the side.
“Here. I come bearing thing.” Spike held out the scroll and Twilight took it in her purple telekinetic aura.
Unrolling it, she mouths the words as she read them. As she read, her eyes widened and a look of horror crossed her features. She looked up at Sunset.
“I don’t wanna go outside!” The mare whined. “I have some much work to do here!” Her horn began to glow.
Sunset’s right hand snapped out and covered Twilight’s horn. With a breathy gasp, Twilight’s magic died. Her cheeks flared bright red. “S-Sunset!” She squeaked.
“Heh. Kinky.” Spike smirked.
Sunset shot him and angry glare before turning her gaze to Twilight, her face visibly softening. “I’m sorry Twi, but this if for your own good.” She reached out her other hand and scooped up the unfortunate unicorn.
“Noooooooo!” Twilight flailed weakly in the anthro mare’s arms. Her cries echoed through the castle, all the way to the waiting chariot.