Sunset continued to act as she normally did prior to three days ago when she had first arrived and settled into Canterlot Castle. If anything, she seemed to be more withdrawn and afraid than normal. She appeared to be trying to sink into the large, cushioned, high-backed armchair in Celestia’s office, and had tucked her head in so much that she could barely see the headmistress over the lip of her desk.
At least, she couldn’t when the woman was seated. She had gotten up at the moment to fetch a three-tiered tray and set it in between them. She went on from there to set up some teacups and a kettle as well. Only once she had placed everything from the cart the servant had pushed in did she walk around and sit across from her. She purposely pulled her chair in closer so she could see the girl.
“Have you ever had tea before, Sunset?”
She shook her head.
“I know there isn’t much tea time in Hoofheim, but they have it all the time in Trottingham. Equestria adopted the tradition…or,” she snickered, “my family did. Here, let me get you set up. I know you haven’t had any before, so I’m starting you off on a very basic one. Easy Sunset. See? It even has your name.”
Her voice was so warm and friendly that even the normally-withdrawn Sunset smiled for a moment. Celestia poured, then leaned over and set the cup and saucer in front of her. “Take a sip.”
After a moment of hesitation, Sunset leaned forward and tentatively reached for the teacup. She seemed afraid to touch it, both due to natural anxiety as well as fear of touching something so fancy and fragile to possibly break it. Finally, she grasped the cup, holding it like a glass rather than by the handle, and brought it to her lips. She glanced at Celestia one more time, who nodded encouragingly, before sipping.
She made a small face.
“It takes a bit of getting used to. Would some sugar help?”
She was still again for a moment but then nodded. Her attention was soon aroused as Celestia went into a sugar bowl, especially at the preformed cubes. She was fascinated by them as the woman dropped one in her cup with a set of tongs. “Stir that up and take another sip. If it’s still not good, I’ll add another.”
Sunset, a bit more readily, did as was told with the small teaspoon before she brought the cup forward and sipped it. As she did, Celestia gestured to the tray.
“We’ll have a little something to eat too. I usually start at the bottom and work my way up. We’ll always have some scones with jam and butter, and then follow up with some small sandwiches. A little something sweet is on top but…” She smiled again. “That’ll be a little surprise. At least until you’re old enough to look over the top.”
Her wordplay caused Sunset to sit up more out of her chair in an effort to see the top. Unfortunately, the eight-year-old was far too short.
“What would you like to start with?”
“What do you start with?” she asked after a moment; the first thing she had said since being called to the office.
“Well, the scones are on the bottom, so I start with those.”
“I’ll have one.”
Celestia nodded and served her up one, leading her to marvel a bit at the size, but also the nature. It was unlike any bread roll or biscuit she had ever seen. “Would you like me to butter and jam it for you, or would you like to?”
She thought for a moment. “I’ll do it.”
“Alright. I think that’s best anyway. Some folks like to butter and jam each bite, some like to do entire halves at once…but only everyone knows what’s best for them.”
Sunset put down her teacup afterward. She nearly reached for her own butter knife as the older woman began to cut into her own scone. She actually had a pat of butter on her knife and began to use it before the child spoke up again. “Headmistress Celestia?”
“Yes dear?”
“Am I in trouble?”
She smiled reassuringly at her. “Not at all, Sunset. This is just a time for us to get together. Just the two of us. While we’re in here having tea, I’m not the headmistress. I’m just your friend. You can tell me anything on how you’re feeling or how you’re doing. How have you been? Are you liking your new room?”
Sunset paused. She leaned back in the chair. She resumed much of her former shyness, but she didn’t sink into the cushion. “It’s alright.”
Celestia set her scone and knife down. “Are you sure?”
Sunset looked down at her lap, but didn’t answer.
“It’s not uncomfortable, is it?”
After a moment she shook her head.
“It’s not too hard for you to get around in, is it?”
She shook her head again.
“But it’s new and different, isn’t it?”
A long pause before she nodded.
“Are you missing home at all?”
Sunset shook her head, far more readily this time.
“Really? You don’t feel just a bit lonesome?”
She shook her head again. “The rest of my brothers and sisters were always busy. Mom and dad never talked to me except at supper…”
Celestia showed some regret at that. She pushed her plate aside to lean in closer.
“Are you angry at your family, Sunset?”
The girl looked up. It seemed like she had never been asked that question before, and it surprised her a little. However, after a moment she bowed her head again. “No.”
“Do they make you feel sad?”
She shook her head.
“How do you feel about them?”
She was quiet for a very long time, not due to shyness but thinking this over.
“I feel…the same.”
“The same?”
“The same as with everyone else. They act just like everyone else around me.”
This made Celestia look more regretful yet. Her own expression fell. “I’m sorry, Sunset.”
The girl looked up, confused. “Sorry about what?”
“You’ll understand when you’re older. For right now, though, I want you to know something. I’ll always be here to listen to you.”
“Listen to me?”
She nodded. “You’ve wanted to say things before to your family and none of them wanted to listen, haven’t you?”
The child winced. Her hands grasped the folds of her dress and clutched them.
“Sunset, you can always feel free to come to me with anything. I’ll always have time for you. And if I don’t have time, I’ll make time. If it’s important to you then it’s important to me. I want you to know that and believe it. If you need any time or a favor, please never hesitate to come to me.”
Sunset stared at Celestia as she said all this, but her face softened. The expression was uncertain and puzzled…or even amazed. As if this was the first time she had ever heard someone say this sort of thing to her. And seeing the sincerity on the headmistress’ face only left her more astonished. However, it also seemed to set a warmth off in her. She was rising in her chair and slowly looking less nervous.
Smiling again, Celestia finally got up to reach over the desk. She put her hand on top of Sunset’s comfortingly.
“You can always trust me, Sunset. Because I’m your friend…and that’s what a real friend is.”
The Nighttouched and Light Eaters surrounding the shipyard hadn’t diminished in the least over the past few days. Far from it. The number had tripled, and more fantastic and grotesque ones had emerged from the gloom in that time. Many of them even Sunset had never seen before and, in all honesty, the sheer number combined with the fact that there had been a giant one not too long ago made even her begin to doubt the efficacy of the Morning Glories.
That, however, was all the more reason she scheduled the meeting on the top deck of the Rising Sun. So that all talk could happen in full view and exposure to the eternal night.
Sunset commended the Regent on her choice of ships. Unlike the more all-purpose Rising Sun, this ship had been selected right from the front lines of the Eastern Front. The Victorious Path, if she wasn’t mistaken—the Regent’s favorite. It wasn’t the favorite of the admiral by any means, but no doubt that was why he had spared it. And it was still outfitted with twice as many guns and far more armor than her own vessel. Worse yet was that every last musketeer stood at the ready on deck and it didn’t fly with the normal colors of being at peace. It was also flanked by two support skiffs, both with two heavy artillery guns.
Nevertheless, Sunset only smirked as she watched them slowly land. The fact that it was such a rough one made it clear that the pilot was terrified of aerial docking in the darkness of Equestria. When they finally did land and dismount, she could see the visible hesitation as well as how they looked around when they came over onto her own deck.
Only now, after making them wait in that darkness for three minutes, Sunset, flanked only by Snips and Snails, emerged from below and went out to meet the representative. It was a bit hard to pick her out from the twenty armed Trottingham soldiers that were part of her retinue, but she identified her in the ship gaslights while still far off.
“Well, well, if it isn’t Lady Sugarcoat herself,” she greeted. “I must really have the Regent’s attention if she pulled you away from the Eastern Front. I figured the admiral would have had you shacking up with him by now.”
Sugarcoat, her face almost perpetually in “poker” mode, crossed her arms. “The admiral has been delegating most of his authority to his new force captain, but that’s not what we’re here to talk about. You are to return to Trottingham immediately and to report to Regent Cinch as soon as you arrive.”
“Is that so?” she smugly retorted, crossing her arms. “Well, you can run on back to Regent Cinch and tell her I still haven’t gotten her what she sent me out for, so I’ll be needing to stay in the field a bit longer. Just remind her that I warned her about all this. She’ll know what I’m talking about.”
Sugarcoat didn’t budge. “This is non-negotiable. The Regent was very specific about that point.”
“Oh she was, was she? I don’t suppose she happened to mention what I’m doing out here for her, did she? Or at least gave an indication of how important it was?”
“She said that you might say something like that. She told me to tell you that getting Appleloosa accusing Trottingham of invasion, causing 37 international complaints, forcing her to spend two days trying to negotiate to keep a war from breaking out, agitating any potential military alliance with Griffonstone, getting dignitaries from four different countries to accuse her of illegal weapon testing treaty violations, keeping her up for a weekend trying to field demands for answers as to what Trottingham knows about the people with symbols, stirring up the Dragonlands to renew their offensive during a cease-fire, and not leaving her a single new weapon while robbing her of three of her ships outfitted with Morning Glories is a bit more important.”
Sunset’s smile had faded a little. She almost snorted at Sugarcoat’s signature prattling off of facts without missing a beat or pausing for air. Nevertheless, she remained calm and sighed, removing one of her crossed arms and rubbing it against her shoulder.
“Fair enough points. Though if the Regent really wanted me back unconditionally, I don’t think she would have bothered with sending a member of her council. She would have just sent the guns. Still…I can see her side.”
She rolled her eyes and let out a long sigh.
“Unfortunately she’s right. A lot of this operation has gone, oh…south would be a good word to use. And by now I really hoped to be done with it.” She glanced back to Sugarcoat. “I wouldn’t say you could lay most of the blame on me, however. There were other factors involved. And other people, for that matter. Things could have gone much smoother if not for them, but it seems that trusted individuals are a hard thing to come by nowadays…”
Sugarcoat leveled her stare at her. “Why are you telling me all this?”
“Well, as I said, I don’t think if the Regent wanted me back unconditionally she would have sent a representative. It sounds to me like what she really wants is the real ones responsible, and wants me to help out in picking them. If nothing else, I figure they would give something to throw to the wolves, so to speak. Maybe keep them from barking until I’m done with my task?”
Sugarcoat’s eyes narrowed. “And what are you thinking of doing if I decide to take you back whether you like it or not?”
Sunset look faux-shocked, even hurt. “Why…how could you suggest such a thing! I’m only doing my best to help Regent Cinch in this trying time, and in the wake of all this awful mess. I would never be trying to provoke a fight anywhere in Greater Everfree! Never in Trottingham, never over any other country, and certainly never in Equestria.”
She turned and gestured out there. “Why, just look at all those Nighttouched and Light Eaters. All chomping at the bit. All eager to get their hands, claws, teeth, or whatever on us. If it wasn’t for these Morning Glories, we’d already be in pieces ten times over since you arrived.”
She glanced back to Sugarcoat and her group. The bureaucrat managed to keep a straight face, but she could see the soldiers beginning to squirm and shift where they stood.
“Oh…on that note, I do hope I didn’t neglect anything when I taught the engineers how to use those devices. I’d hate to have left out a way that any hostile could use to disable them on another airship and leave it and its crew out like a buffet.”
The soldiers were very uncomfortable now. Sugarcoat still showed nothing, but she didn’t need to. The point had been made. She took a deep breath instead.
“What did you have in mind?”
“Oh, something that’s been on it for quite a while.”
The first officer pulled out her pocketwatch again as she walked along. It was only one minute until quarter past the hour; the exact time the captain had told her to meet with her on the upper deck. There was no such thing as a “casual order” when it came from a captain, and even less for Sunset. And in light of recent events she was making sure that she followed the order to the letter.
She climbed the access ladder up to the upper deck and turned down the corridor. Just ahead and around the corner was the exit hatch to the upper deck. In moment she rounded it and slowed almost to a stop.
The royal guard was there; back from his latest special assignment. However, he wasn’t taking his normal spot. Instead he was leaning against the wall right next to the outer hatch, arms crossed and spear balanced against his chest.
She stared at him as she approached more slowly. He glanced up as she neared, but then simply looked away.
In spite of the fact she normally stayed quiet, something in her prompted to ask a question. “Aren’t you supposed to report to the captain?”
“At twenty past. On the dot. She was very explicit.”
The first officer felt a little uneasy at the time, but looked away from him without a word. She reached the hatch soon after and placed her hand on it. She gave one last look to her watch, seeing the final few seconds tick down, before she put it away and gave the handle a turn. She swung it open wide and stepped out.
She was just in time to see a chorus of gunfire rip into four crew members of the Endeavor.
She froze after barely clearing the doorway. A muted gasp went out as her mouth involuntarily hung open. Her mind took a moment to take in the scene as the bodies of the crew finished falling. The entire bridge of the Rising Sun was on deck now, standing to one side, nervously watching the execution. A squad of Trottingham soldiers were finishing stowing their rifles, standing alongside the Minister of Defense. Snips and Snails were to another side, helmets off but grinning.
And as for the captain herself, she stood before them, arms crossed, and smiling slyly at the whole thing.
That lasted only a moment before she turned her head. For a moment, those confident, smug eyes met hers. Then, all at once, they broke into innocence and obliviousness. She uncrossed her arms and gestured.
“Oh, there she is, Lady Sugarcoat. I’ll leave you to do your duty.”
The first officer stammered. She was still trying to process what was going on when several of the Trottingham soldiers turned and marched to her. In seconds, they were flanking her on both sides. Two of them reached out and grasped her by the upper arms, and before she knew it she was being pulled out onto the deck. Seeing her rapidly being brought before the cold face of Sugarcoat and the still-bleeding bodies, she stammered. “I-I-I…what’s…what’s going…?”
“Commander Wallflower Blush?”
Sugarcoat’s unsympathetic attention directed her head forward. “Y…yes, what’s-”
“Commander, you are under arrest for conspiracy, mutiny, disobeying a direct order from a superior officer, violating rules of warfare, breach of international treaty, and willful and intentional endangerment of civilians.”
Her jaw dropped in shock. “How…? How can you possibly charge me with…with…?”
“So sorry, commander.”
The voice, not sounding terribly sorry, came from Sunset. She turned to her as she shrugged and walked forward.
“Sorry that I put so much trust in you to carry out my orders,” she sighed wearily. “Who would have known that you would end up committing so much insubordination? Creating such a mess? Using those four…” She gestured to the remains of the officers “…to fire on escapees on a riverboat? International tensions? And civilians to boot.”
Her eyes bulged; finally realizing what was going on. She spun back to the minister. “I didn’t do any of that! It wasn’t me! It was the captain! She’s the one who gave all the orders! I just carried them out!”
“Oh really?” Sunset coolly answered, still walking forward. She reached into her jacket, and emerged with a folded-up piece of paper. On looking at it the first officer went rigid. Sunset passed it over to Sugarcoat soon after. The minister paused momentarily before opening it up and looking over it.
“Then why, oh why, would you have attempted to bribe eight officers to stage a formal mutiny against me?”
The first officer paled. Her mouth slowly aped the word: “bribe”.
“I don’t know why you would have been so silly as to write out the document requesting the money from your own payroll, though, and leave it where anyone could pick it up. Perhaps you’re the sort of person who doesn’t read the fine print on something before signing it.” She grinned so wide she flashed her teeth.
Sugarcoat finished looking over the document and folded it up. “It’s all fairly clear cut. Enough to place an arrest.” She gestured forward to her gangplank. “Take her into custody and place her in the brig. She can state her defense to the Regent.”
“Along with everyone else,” Sunset threw in. “I imagine a lot of people want to hold someone accountable.”
The first officer was left immobilized in shock as the soldiers quickly went about getting out a set of irons and fastening them behind her back. She kept glancing to the document as Sugarcoat put it away, the dead officers, Sunset’s smug look, and her own sudden predicament. It wasn’t until she was bound that she came out of it. For a moment, a look of anger filled her eyes. Her arms and jaw tightened. However, it went no further than that. She relaxed soon after, realizing it was useless.
As for Sugarcoat, she looked back to Sunset. “We’re done here. You’re ordered back to Trottingham as soon as you complete your mission or within ten days. Whichever is sooner. The Regent’s final word is that if we have to come out to you again you better not expect us to dock for negotiations first.”
“Alright then.”
She turned and motioned to the soldiers before turning around to begin her own march back.
“Better hurry on back and relieve that new force captain the admiral’s so fond of.”
Sugarcoat stopped in her tracks, but didn’t turn around.
“Actually,” she threw over her shoulder, “when she heard that this mission was to potentially put you under arrest, I had to deny five separate requests that she be the one to lead the mission.”
Sunset turned her head around when she heard that, but Sugarcoat said no more. She resumed marching, and her soldiers began to fall in behind her as she reached the gangplank. Finally, Sunset simply ignored it and looked forward to watch her soldiers leave with their new inmate. She took one more look at the first officer, but she didn’t look back up to her. Her head was to the ground now, her eyes open and burning, but showing no other expression.
At last, Sunset turned away to go back to her own group.
“I’ll get you for this.”
Sunset stopped where she was, hearing the first officer’s quiet voice seethe at her. She merely smirked.
“I’ve already forgotten your name. In a week, I won’t remember you ever even existed.”
Whether she turned back to look at her or not, Sunset didn’t know. The soldiers shoved her on soon after. Soon they were on the gangplank as well, and not long after she vanished into the hull with the rest of them.
Within a minute, the gangplank was withdrawn and the engines began to turn again. The Nighttouched retreated slightly as the airship fully came to life and lifted off. Soon it was rising into the darkness and vanishing. Aside from the feeling of wind and the sound of the turbines, there was no sign it had ever been there. That faded shortly after. When all was said and done, Sunset, her own crew, and the bodies were left on the deck.
She reached into her pocket and pulled out her own timepiece. As she snapped it open, she was just in time to see the last few seconds tick off to twenty past. Sure enough, the royal guard stepped around and on deck not long after that.
When that happened, she spun around and faced them all. Her smirk vanished and turned into an angry glare.
“When I went out of my way to recruit each and every one of you, one by one, generously offering to give you each a share in the power that I would attain, I made myself very clear in each occasion that I demanded one thing out of you first and foremost: obedience. That means you follow my directives when I give them and you don’t try and cross me.”
She pointed to the bodies.
“Let that down there…”
She stuck her thumb in the sky.
“And what you just saw over there serve as a reminder to everyone that none of you are irreplaceable to me and that none of you will get away with snubbing me. You can also consider that a warning. The next person who tries to get away with ignoring me doesn’t get to wait for the Trottingham authorities to show up to get dealt with. Do I make myself clear?”
The crew stared back silently and at attention, clearly still tense from both her angry voice as well as what they just saw.
Sunset scowled. “I can’t hear you.”
“Ma’am! Yes ma’am!”
She gave them a long, burning look, but then finally waved her hand at them. “Get lost, already.”
Most of the crew quickly turned and began to file back into the ship; too fearful even to go and claim the bodies. Sunset herself stood there with arms crossed, looking out to the side of the ship, as they went in one after the other. Soon only the royal guard was left, who began to approach her.
“Was that really necessary?”
“This close to what I’ve been after for a decade, I’m not going to tolerate anyone undermining me. On that note…I think I liked you better when I addressed you first.”
The royal guard didn’t respond. He stood tall and at attention instead.
“So, what did you turn up?”
“The tracer I put in one of them is mostly gone, and by now they must be in a populated area to dilute it even more. The best I can figure is they’re hiding somewhere in Manehattan.”
She smirked again, but it was bitter and accompanied by a snort this time. “If trying to follow her into Fillydelphia was insane, then trying to follow her right into a major city in Manehattan is suicide one way or another.”
“Are we giving her up for now?”
“Of course not. Not when I’m already on a ‘grace period’ from the Regent. I want her and I want her now.” She turned about and began to walk back into the airship. “We’ve wasted enough time here. We’re taking off and resuming this afternoon. Let’s start finding a weak link on the border we can cross into.”
“We’re actually going to try and get her out of a large city when we don’t even know which one?” the guard responded as he quickly fell in behind her.
“Of course we aren’t. We’re just flushing her out is all. I think it’s time we helped the countries to the west find little miss Twilight Sparkle…”