//------------------------------// // Ch 5 - The Choosing - In Over her Head // Story: Phoenix-born Rising - The Ascension of Sunset Shimmer // by The Voice in the Water //------------------------------// The light of the late afternoon sun shone down on Sunset as she headed back to camp. It had been a short hike to a small river nearby, where she’d been sent to gather water for the evening. Grunting, she adjusted the carrying pole balanced on her shoulder, the buckets of water attached to each end swaying slightly.  The caravan had stopped for the day, and they had set up camp along the main highway to Heliopolis. Over the last four days, there had been a gradual transition of the highway from dirt, to gravel, and from gravel to cobblestone. The wagons were currently parked in a circle just off the highway in a small clearing in the oak savanna they were traveling through. Entering the circle, Sunset walked past the other members of the caravan, and up to a cauldron suspended above the ground on a metal tripod. Setting the buckets on the ground, she hoisted one up and poured its contents into the cauldron. Once that task was done, she brought the other bucket to the cook’s table, and filled a wash basin, the sound drawing the attention of the other crew member at the table. “Ah, good, you’re back.” The cook, a silver haired, purple skinned fire caller with cobalt eyes and soul gem named Field Prep said. “Go put those up, then add a bag of lentils to the cooking pot. Once you’re done with that, come back and we’ll wash the vegetables.” “Yes, ma’am.” Sunset said as she went to collect return the empty buckets to their proper storage space at the back of the cargo wagon. Climbing down from the wagon, Sunset walked over to the dry-goods box, and pulled out a large bag of lentils. Hoisting it onto her shoulder, she made her way to the cauldron, opened the drawstring and poured the lentils into the pot, then returned to Field Prep and, using a ladle to scoop out some water, washed her hands. “Okay girl,” Field Prep said without looking at Sunset, her attention focused on retrieving a large sack of root vegetables, and emptying their contents onto the table, “You can start by washing the turnips and potatoes while I take care of cleaning the hares we caught. After that, wash and cut up some cabbages like I showed you last night. Got it?” “Yes ma’am.” Sunset replied evenly as she began her task. Unlike when she worked with Tender Heart in the kitchen back home, there was little in the way of warmth or comradery here. Instead, it was all business, with Field Prep issuing orders, with the expectation that Sunset would immediately obey. Scooping out a few ladles full of water, she filled a smaller vessel and grabbed a washcloth. Dipping each root vegetables into the water, she vigorously rubbed the dirt off its surface, before setting it down and repeating the process with the next. After she’d cleaned all of them, she grabbed a knife from the supply box and began to cut them into medium sized chunks. After twenty or so minutes of work, she finished her current task, and pulled a couple of cabbages from the cold box and cut them into eighths vertically, so that the stem held most of the leaves together. “Done!” Sunset called out to Field Prep, who had finished cleaning the hares, and had cut the meat off the bones. “Alright. While I get the stew started, get a loaf of bread out and slice it up.” Field Prep said as she gathered the cut vegetables in a large bowl and headed to the cauldron. Sunset did as she was told, pulling a loaf of dense, dark bread from the supply box, and began slicing it into thick pieces. Once she was done, she wrapped them in a cotton cloth to keep them from drying out, and put them into a basket. Leaving the basket on the prep-table, she headed to the center of camp to find Field Prep had finished adding the ingredients to the cauldron. “Do you need anything else ma’am?” Sunset asked. “Grab me the spices, then see if Open Trails has anything else of you to do before we serve everyone.” Field Prep said as she stirred the contents of the pot with a long ladle. Nodding to herself, she stepped back and, performing a short spell dance with her upper body, ignited the wood below the cauldron. Sunset didn’t reply. Instead, she simply went and grabbed the spice pouches and brought them to Field Prep. Passing them to the cook, who acknowledged and dismissed Sunset with a simple nod, she turned and walked away, fighting down a desire to make a rude gesture as she went to find Open Trails. Once she was out of earshot, Sunset growled to herself and clenched her fists. Six days of this. They’d been on the road for six days now, and the other members of the crew barely treated her with any respect. Only Open Trails ever referred to her by name, while the others simply called her “girl” or “kid”. Open Trails had assured her that was just how the crew was, particularly since Sunset was only a member temporarily. She supposed she understood.  But it still chafed. And it was a constant, cold, stark reminder that none of these people were her friends. They were her employers. Even her relationship with Bronze was warmer, despite them technically being master and apprentice. The difference was that Bronze was actually invested in her well being, since she was the one he was passing on his knowledge to. That wasn’t the case here. So, as much as she wanted to tell them off, she had to hold her tongue. Lest she get left somewhere in the middle of nowhere. As Sunset exited the circle of wagons, she spotted Open Trails setting up the temporary corral to hold the horses for the night. Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she approached the caravan leader, then cleared her throat once she reached him, announcing her presence. “Ah, Sunset.” Open Trails said as she approached, “Can you hold these upright while I drive them in?” “Yes sir.” Sunset said as she did as she was asked, thankful that at least he called her by name.  Holding the metal arch in place, Sunset winced as Open Trails banged on the top, driving the spikes at the base into the ground, the sharp clang of metal on metal ringing in her ears. Once they were sufficiently driven in, they set about putting up the rest of the corral. The process took around half an hour, but at the end, they’d set up a temporary pen large enough for the twenty horses in the caravan. One quick inspection for anything awry with the frame, and the two of them went to collect the horses. “How many more days till we get to Heliopolis?” Sunset asked as they reached the animals. “We should be arriving mid-day tomorrow.” Open Trails said, grabbing hold of the reins of the first few horses, which he passed to Sunset. “Why, getting tired of the open road?” “A little.” Sunset said without thinking. “Oh, sorry.” “It’s fine Sunset. It takes some getting used to.” Open Trails said with a laugh as he grabbed the reins of a few more horses. “Right, let’s get these boys to the corral for the night. Bet they’re looking forward to a nice rest.” ***** After bringing the horses to the corral and setting them loose inside to graze, Sunset and Open Trails headed back into camp. By the time they arrived, they could smell the delightful odor of spiced stew wafting through the air. Field Prep was still at the cauldron, stirring the now bubbling brew, while a dozen other sun-gazers, both passengers and crew, were seated on stools around the fire, each clearly anticipating the evening meal. Hearing Sunset and Open Trails approaching, Field Prep looked over her shoulder to see the newcomers. “Ah, good, you’re back.” She said, “Girl, get the bowls, spoons and the bread so we can get started.” Sunset bristled a little, but did as she was told, watching as Open Trails went to his spot in the circle and sat down. Making a quick trip to the prep-table, she grabbed enough bowls and spoons for the camp, stuffed them in a basket, grabbed the bread basket, and headed back to Field Prep. “Alright, line up everyone.” Field Prep said once Sunset arrived. Soon, each member of the camp was lined up by the cauldron, passengers first, followed by crew. Sunset passed the first person in line a chunk of bread, a spoon, and a bowl, which Field Prep filled with a ladle full of steaming hot stew. Once all of the passengers had their share, Open Trails and the rest of the crew took their turns. After everyone else was fed, Field Prep served herself and Sunset, and they joined the others. Sunset gravitated towards Open Trails as she found a place to sit. By now, everyone else from Golden Tree had left the caravan, and had picked up new passengers at the towns they’d passed through. Passengers that Sunset had learned to avoid. There were two in particular, a pair of fire-callers named Fractyl Cut and Silver Frame, who had been particularly awful. It began when they joined the caravan two days prior in the town of Valleywind. From what Sunset could glean from Open Trails, the two of them worked for a minor noble from the city of Fulgurus in the north east ray of Heliopolis, and had been sent to the west on a prospecting trip. Sunset hadn’t cared about that. She only cared that the two of them treated most of the crew, and her in particular, with unveiled contempt.  At first, they just seemed like they were stuck up and rude, but not that bad. But, it got worse as time went on. More than once, she heard the two of them call Open Trails, the rest of the crew, and herself “dirt-eaters” when they thought nobody was listening.  Sunset had never heard anyone called a dirt-eater before, and not knowing what that meant, she’d asked Open Trails. As soon as she asked him,  his expression darkened considerably. When she asked what was wrong, he demanded to know where she’d heard someone say that. One quick explanation later, and his anger subsided, only to be replaced with bitter resignation. “I don’t understand.” Sunset had said. “It’s an insult.” Open Fields had said, “Something that the people in Heliopolis call anyone not from the city. ” “Oh…” Sunset had said, looking back at the two fire-callers. “What does it mean?” “That they don’t think you’re a person.” Open Trails said with a sigh. “That you’re some sort of animal, and only deserve to eat dirt, because only ‘true’ sun-gazers are worthy of eating actual food.” “But… we are sun-gazers!” Sunset had protested. “But not ‘true’ sun-gazers. Not in their eyes.” Open Trails said with a sigh. “Because we aren’t blessed enough to live in Celestia’s city, we can’t be her true people.” Sunset dipped her bread into her stew, soaking up some of the warm, spicy broth, before taking a savage bite. Chewing the dense, starchy loaf, she glared daggers at the two fire-callers, who were sitting on the far end of the semi-circle, subtly away from the others.  It was yet another reason to dislike the Heliopolans. She’d asked Open Trails why they didn’t just leave them out in the wilderness if they were going to be jerks like that. The older earth-weaver has only sighed. As much as he’d love to do just that, he couldn’t. They were retainers of a noble, and if they went missing, it would be his head. His reputation would be shot, and he’d probably have the authorities on him for murder. So, as much as he loathed it, they had to put up with their attitude. It wasn’t fair, but it was just the way of things. Sunset didn’t like it. She didn’t like it one bit.  After everyone had finished their meals, Sunset and Field Prep gathered the dishes, and, after a quick cleaning spell dance, put everything away. Sundown was rapidly approaching, so everyone began to head to their tents, with Sunset joining Open Trails and the rest of the crew in the crew tent. Unfurling her bedroll, Sunset crawled under the simple, wool blanket and lay on her back, staring up at the roof of the tent. One more day. And she’d be in Heliopolis. For all the good and ill that entailed. ***** “Wow.” “I know.” Open Trails said from beside Sunset. Sunset was riding in the lead wagon with Open Trails, and they had just emerged from a light woodland, when she’d spotted something in the distance. At first, she thought it was an immense, white mesa among the rolling hills. But, as they drew closer, she realized her mistake. It was no mesa. She was looking upon Heliopolis, city of the Sun, capital of Solaria, and home to Queen Celestia.  What Sunset had originally mistaken for the vertical walls of a massive flat topped mountain, she realized were in fact the white marble wall that formed the main wall of Heliopolis. According to legends, Celestia had raised the walls from very earth itself, and had shaped the city in the form of her personal symbol: an eight rayed sunburst. Within the main ring, known as the corona, was the Queen’s castle and private sanctum. Even from the distance they were at, Sunset could tell that the corona was enormous. She’d heard Open Trails say that the corona was close to 40 kilometers in diameter, and at least 3 kilometers high. Sunset hadn’t believed him at first, but seeing the city in the distance, she was starting to believe it.  As they drew closer, more details came into focus, and she began to make out the wedge shaped arms of the rays. Like the corona, the walls were built with white marble, and reached halfway up the corona. Even closer now, and Sunset could see the walls of each ray were capped with golden stone, forming a palisaded crown. Tearing her eyes off the wall, she also saw that the landscape they were traveling through had changed from open grassland and woodland topped hills to massive fields and orchards. Sunset marveled at the amount of food being grown all around her, but seeing the scale of the city, it made sense. That many sun-gazers meant lots of mouths to feed. This close to the city, the number of sun-gazers on the road began to steadily increase. Where the caravan had the road to themselves for most of their journey, only occasionally running into another lone traveler or caravan, the number of other travelers had grown almost exponentially, and now they were regularly seeing dozens of others on the road, many of which were driving carts to and from the vast farms surrounding the city. ***** It was nearly noon when they reached the outer edge of the city proper. Open Trails informed her that they were going to be entering the north west ray city of Candesis. Sunset nodded, recalling that was where she’d arranged her arrival with Lady Inkwell. Hopefully whoever the Queen’s senechal sent to retrieve her was there. She didn’t like the idea of waiting in the loading area without knowing where to go. Sunset was drawn out of her thoughts as they reached the main gate to the city, and her marvel increased yet again. Now that she was face to face with the walls, she could see that they were composed of solid marble, just like the legends said. Even if Sunset knew that Celestia was powerful on an intellectual level, to see the manifestation of that power staring her straight in the face like this was mind blowing. It would take thousands of fire-callers and earth-weavers weeks of continuous spell dancing to raise a wall even a fifth of the size of one ray in scope. Legend said Celestia did it on her own in days. The road turned towards the city, and they began to move towards the main gate of Candesis, situated on the inside curve of the ray that held the city. Since it was the middle of the day, the gates were open, with carts, wagons, as well as various sun-gazers on foot and horseback passing in and out. As they approached the gate, Sunset spotted dozens of heavily armed Sunblade earth-weavers, sky-runners and fire-callers near, inside and patrolling the road leading to the gate. Sunset swallowed nervously. Even if these were Celestia’s personal soldiers, they were still scary. Minutes later, they’d passed through the gate, and into the wall. The corridor itself was square in shape, something Sunset thought was odd, until she started noticing strange indentations in walls. These indents lined up with the faint lines in the ceiling of the tunnel. Her curiosity piqued, she pointed one out to Open Trails, and asked what they were. “Siege defenses.” He said simply. “What?” Sunset replied as they passed under another square cut into the ceiling. “If a ground based attacker were to try to enter the city, those blocks can be dropped to seal off the gate. And potentially crush dozens of the invaders.” Looking up, Sunset’s eyes went wide, and she hoped that whatever mechanism was holding those blocks in place was sturdy. Several nerve wracking minutes later, and they emerged from the tunnel and into Candesis proper. If she’d been awed by the outside of the city, she was dumbstruck by the interior. Buildings as far as the eye could see, some of them constructed of wood, others of brick, while some of the tallest looked to be sculpted out of marbel, like the walls. But they were larger and there were more of them than Sunset had ever seen. The caravan turned to the north-west, and began to travel along the inner edge of the wall. Sunset was still shellshock at the scope and splendor of the city she was now traveling through. As she passed her eyes across the rooftops, she spotted something odd above the buildings: a series of long, thin, metal lines crisscrossing the sky, held up by giant marble pylons. “Hey, Open Trails, what are those things?” Sunset said, tugging on the driver’s sleeves with one hand, and pointing at the strange metal lines with the other. “Those?” He asked following the line of Sunset’s fingers, a smile spreading across his face at her excited curiosity. “Those are sky-rails. They let non-sky-runners move around the city quickly in a device called a sky-car. It's like a coach, but it travels along that metal rail instead of on a road.” “That’s… whoa. How fast are they?” Sunset said in awe. “If you tried to walk from one end of just Candesis to the base of the corona, it’d take you most of the day.” Open Trails chuckled, “Take a sky-rail, and you’re there in less than half an hour.” “Wow.” Sunset said, staring up at the rail in awe. “How do they work?” “Couldn’t tell ya kiddo.” Open Trails chuckled. “Probably something made by one of you fire-callers. There’re a lot of your tribe in the city.” “That’s… I didn’t know things like that existed.” Sunset said breathlessly. “With how big this place is, someone was bound to come up with something to help folks get around faster.” Open Trails said with a chuckle. “I’m sure you’ll get to ride one soon enough. We’re almost at the end of the line.” Sunset nodded as she continued to watch the sky-rails, hoping to see one of these supposed sky-cars go by.  Before she knew it, they’d pulled into a large, depot near the tip of the ray. All around her, there were dozens of large buildings, with sun-gazers loading and unloading carts, wagons and carriages into massive warehouses. As they pulled up to the edge of the depot, a yellow skinned, blue haired earth-weaver man in an official looking uniform approached them, a clipboard in hand. “Name?” He said. “Open Trails.” “Papers and business in Candesis.” “Passenger and goods caravan.” Open Trails said as he handed over several sheets of paper from a box behind the driver’s bench. Taking the documents, the man read them over, writing on his clipboard as he did. “Okay. Everything looks in order. Depot fee is 30 radiants.” The man said as he handed the paperwork back to Open Trails, who pulled out a sack of coins and handed three, ten-radiant pieces to the man. Nodding, the man made a few notes on his clipboard and waved them through. “Head to station 35.” “Can do.” Open Trails said as he gently whipped the horses forward. ***** Twenty minutes later, Sunset finally finished helping unload the other passanger’s luggage, and had retrieved her own bag. Pulling out her letter from Lady Inkwell, she reread it again, seeing that she was supposed to meet her contact at the ‘passenger skyway station’ at the Candesis depot. Nervously gripping the paper, she looked around, the chilling realization that she had no idea where the ‘skyway station’ was, or how to find it. After her experiences with Heliopolans so far, she wasn’t exactly enthusiastic about asking one for help.  Then she saw Open Trails unloading some of their cargo with several other depot workers. If she couldn’t ask the depot workers, she could ask Open Trails. She knew he was trustworthy.  Hefting her bag onto her shoulder, she approached the wagon he was unloading, and waited until he handed off the crate he was holding. “Open Trails?” Sunset said, drawing his attention. “Yes Sunset?” He said as he wiped his forehead with a sleeve, then lifted another crate. “I… don’t know where I'm supposed to go.” Sunset said nervously, “I’m supposed to meet someone at the… ‘passenger skyway station’… but I don't know where to find it.” “Ah, I see. Give me a second.” Setting down the crate, he cupped his hand to his mouth, and shouted, “Hey, Field Prep. Got a minute?” Upon hearing her name, the woman in question turned away from the conversation she was having, and looked at Open Trails. Turning back to the others she had been talking to, she politely extracted herself from the conversation, and walked over. “What’s up, boss?” She asked. “Sunset’s supposed to meet someone at the skyway station. Can you take her? I need to finish unloading the cargo.” Open Trails said, pointing his chin at Sunset. Field Prep looked down at Sunset with what Sunset could only interpret as mild irritation, only to roll her eyes. “Yea. Sure. C’mon kid.” Field Prep said as she turned away and gestured for Sunset to follow her. “Thank you.” Sunset said with a smile, “I’ll see you in a month.” Then, re-adjusting her bag on her shoulder, she turned and scampered after Field Prep. “Of course Sunset. See you soon.” Open Trails said with a smile as he went back to his work. Catching up to Field Prep, Sunset fell in line with the older fire-caller. “So… where are we going?” Sunset asked after a minute of walking in silence. “Other side of the depot.” Field Prep said evenly. “Skyway stations are where you pick up the sky-cars to get around the city. Did Open Trails explain them to you?” “Yea, he did.” Sunset said, some of her enthusiasm dying down. “Good. Glad I don’t have to.” Field Prep said. Sunset was stunned by Field Prep’s continued bluntness. Finally, her frustration reached a peak, and she couldn’t hold her tongue anymore.  “Why are you treating me like this? What did I do to you to make you hate me?” Sunset asked Field Prep. Stopping, Field Prep looked over her shoulder at Sunset, her expression unreadable. Sunset stopped too, but continued to glare at the older woman. “I don’t hate you, kid. I’m just not interested in being friends.” Field Prep said without any change in her tone of voice. “You’re a passenger, and a temp. In our line of work, it doesn’t pay to get too attached to either. Job’s to get you to where you’re going safe and sound. That’s it.” And with that, she resumed her walk. Sunset watched her, too stunned to respond, before rushing to catch up. The rest of the walk was made in total silence, neither fire-caller looking at the other. Eventually, they reached a large building on the south-east side of the depot. Sunset could see several sky-rails coming from within and stretching off into the distance towards the corona. As they approached, Sunset saw a long, metal carriage emerge from within the building and speed off into the distance, gliding smoothly along the rail. “Whoa. That’s incredible.” Sunset whispered to herself as she stopped to watch the vehicle speed off into the distance. “You get used to it kid. C’mon.” Field Prep said, pulling Sunset out of her reverie. Grumbling, Sunset resumed her walk. Walking up the stairs to the platform, Field Prep went up to the main entrance of the building and, pulling the door open, ushered Sunset inside, following close behind after she entered. Looking around at the other sun-gazers milling about, Sunset tried to spot anyone that could help her find whoever it was she was supposed to meet. “Well well well, looks like you made it. Glad to see you arrived safe and sound kiddo.” A jovial and hauntingly familiar voice said from behind. “Hope your trip was fun.” Turning around, Sunset spotted a sky-runner woman with brick red skin, and black hair and eyes approaching her and Field Prep. She was wearing nice, if plain clothes, and gave off an air of unremarkableness. Yet, there was definitely something familiar about the woman, but Sunset couldn’t quite place it, though it was almost like dejavu. “Um, can I help you?” Field Prep said, eyeing the newcomer suspiciously. “Nah. I’m just here to pick her up.” The woman said, a cocky half-smile on her face. “Kid’s got a date with the Queen’s senechal. I’m just here to make sure she gets there.” “Really?” Field Prep said. “Pardon me for being suspicious, but how do I know that you work for Lady Inkwell.” “Well, there’s this.” The woman said as she pulled out a letter and a golden badge, the former of which she handed to Field Prep, both of which bore Celestia’s sunburst, and Raven’s dip pen and inkwell symbols. “And, I know the kid. Isn’t that right Sunset?” “Um… you do?” Sunset asked nervously.  “Wow. That hurts kid.” She said with a teasing tone of voice. “It was about two and a half months ago. You and your little friends were spiral dancing in the backyard of your home. I think that mint-green musician friend of yours was playing guitar at the time.” Susnet’s mind wandered back to the last time she’d done a spiral dance with the others. The night that she’d gotten her invitation to the right. And the woman who’d delivered the letter was… “You!” Sunset shouted as she pointed at the woman, drawing a few odd looks from the other people in the station. “I remember you! You’re the one who brought my letter!” The woman smiled a little more fully at that as she softly applauded. “Good job kiddo. You remembered me. Heh, you’re sharper than I thought.” Turning to Field Prep, the woman’s smile turned smug as she reclaimed the letter she had handed the fire-caller. “Well, I take it that’s enough proof for you?” She said with a smug smile. “Hmph. Yea, it is.” Field Prep said as she looked down at Sunset. “Well, good luck kid. If I’m on the same crew on your return trip, I’ll see you around.” And with that, she turned and walked out. “Charming woman.” The sky-runner said sarcastically as she watched Field Prep exit the building, before turning to Sunset and chuckling. “Well, enough of that. You ready to go kiddo?” “Yes.” Sunset said with enthusiasm, and a little nervousness. “Um… are we riding a sky-car? Is it safe?” “Oh yea, pretty safe.” The woman said with a chuckle, before turning and walking towards the ticket booth. “Or as safe as a metal box being flung along a thin piece of metal over a hundred meters in the air can be.” “Um…” Sunset said, now even more nervous. “Don’t worry kiddo.” The woman said with a chuckle. “There’re fewer than ten sky-car accidents a year in all the cities. You’ll be fine.” “That’s not really all that reassuring.” Sunset said as she ran to catch up with the woman. “Well, if it's any consolation, more people die from food poisoning or getting sick, so from that perspective, they’re pretty darn safe. Sure, they’re not as convenient or fun as these,” She said cheerfully as she brought her arm over her shoulder and pointed to her back with a thumb, flexing her wings a little, “but with how heavily enchanted the cars are, they’re as safe as they can be. Now, c’mon, you’ve got a date with Raven, and it's best not to keep her waiting.” ***** Sunset watched in awe through the window as the sky-car sped over the city below. Buildings flew past at such speed, they looked like a blur. Was this how Rainbow felt when she was flying? If so, she was kinda jealous of her sky-runner friend, if she got to experience the world from this perspective all the time.  Meanwhile, her guide was sitting next to her, smiling at the sheer joy on the young girl’s face. “Hey, kid, try to blink every once in a while. Your eyes are going to dry out at this rate.” Sunset heard her guide say. Pulling back from the window, Sunset narrowed her eyes at the woman, who was currently giving her a good natured, if a little smug, grin. “So I’ve never ridden one of these things.” Sunset retorted with a pout. “This is all new to me.” “No kidding? I couldn’t tell.” Her guide replied. “Well, if you think this is amazing, wait until we get to the corona.” “We’re going to the corona?” Sunset said as she sat back down in her seat. All around her, there were a dozen other sun-gazers on the sky-car, some having got on at the station where she’s met her guide, while others had gotten on or exited at later stations. Most of them were ignoring her and her guide, but a few were giving her odd looks. She even swore she heard one of them ask “what’s that dirt-eating brat doing in the city?”, but she couldn’t tell where the whisper had come from. “Yup. But not just to the corona, we’re going to go up it, and into Chromos.” Her guide said. “But, that’s where we’re going to part ways. I’ve got other things to take care once I hand you off to Raven.” Sunset studied the woman to her left. There were so many things about her that the young girl found odd. To start, she still hadn’t given her name. Not once. Even when Sunset asked, she’d said her name didn’t matter, only that she was here to get Sunset to Raven.  That was another odd thing. She spoke of the queen’s senechal with such casualness. Sunset wasn’t sure about all royal protocols, but she had to imagine that if she wasn’t referring to the queen’s senechal as Lady Inkwell, she must be close to the eldest phoenix-born. Or just impossibly rude. Given their interactions, she wasn’t sure she could rule either out. With a sigh, Sunset turned to look back out the window, noticing that they were rapidly approaching the outer edge of the corona. Instead of wondering about it further, she decided she’d just watch the scenery go by. The whole situation was overwhelming and confusing as it was. She didn’t need to waste precious mental energy on trying to figure this weird woman out. ***** Minutes passed quietly as the sky-car moved from station to station, until finally reaching the corona, coming to a stop with a slight jolt. Looking up, Sunset noticed most of the others in the car had departed, leaving only her and her guide.  They were now at some sort of platform, but there were no other passengers preparing to get on, like at the other stations. Instead, there was only a small building.  Slowly, the doors opened, and, much to Sunset’s surprise, two Sunblades entered the car, armed with shotguns and batons. The one at the front was an older sky-runner with dark grey skin and wings, aquamarine eyes and powder blue hair. The other was a younger fire-caller with forest green skin, fuschia hair, and red eyes and soul gem.  “What’s going on?” Sunset whispered to her guide. “Security check. Getting into Chromos requires special clearance.” The woman whispered back. Seeing the panic starting to form on Sunset’s face, she chuckled. “Don’t worry. You’re with me. And, that letter from Raven will get you through, no problem.” Sunset tried to take her guide’s assurances to heart, but her stomach was still churning as the Sunblades approached and stopped next to the bench they were sitting on.  “Pass.” The sky-runner, said. “Right here.” Her guide said, pulling out the same badge she’d shown Field Prep. The sky-runner nodded, then turned to Sunset. “Pass.” He demanded. “Um…” Sunset said nervously, watching as the Sunblade’s scowl deepened. “Don’t worry about it, she’s got the clearance.” Her guide said casually, resting her arms on the seatback, “Sunset, show him your letter from Raven.” Her nerves fraying, Sunset opened the drawstring of her bag and quickly pulled out her letter, which she shakily handed to the Sunblade. The man gently took the letter from her. Yet, as he read, his scowl deepened in a way that made Sunset want to hide under the seat of the bench. But, she was too paralyzed to flee. “Hmmm, so you’re from someplace called Golden Tree.” He said, looking at Sunset suspiciously, causing her to shrink down into her seat. “Where is that?” “Um… in the Western Territories.” Sunset squeaked. “I see. How do I know this is legitimate?” He said with a growl, waving the letter back and forth in the air. “This could be a forgery, you little dirt-eater.”  “Oh, is that so?” Her guide said, narrowing her eyes. “So, you don’t trust in Raven’s personal seal on the letter? You think that a child could forge such a document?” “I’m just saying that it's possible. Better safe than sorry.” He growled. “Beside, her kind aren’t welcome in Chromos.” Sunset scooted away from the Sunblade as he continued to glare daggers at her. Would he try to throw her off the sky-car? Would her guide let him? “Really?” Her guide said, now rising to her feet. Sunset could have sworn that the air in the car suddenly became much thicker. “You’re walking a very dangerous line right now. You know that the Queen doesn't approve of that sort of talk, particularly among her soldiers.” “Bah.” The man said, now scowling at Sunset’s guide. “And what makes you such an authority on what the Queen believes?” “Aside from the fact that she’s publicly and repeatedly decried the very thing you’re doing right now?” Sunset’s guide said as she stared directly into the Sunblade’s eyes. “Oh, and what is it that I’m doing?” The Sunblade sneered, “Because if you’re referring to my job of keeping the city safe and keeping undesirables out of Chromos, I’ve never heard any such thing.” “Wow. You’re an idiot if you think that’s what I’m talking about.” The woman said as she took a step closer, “I’m talking about that whole ‘little dirt-eater’ bit. You’re a Sunblade, and yet you don’t seem to remember that Celestia has personally put a bunch of anti-discrimination laws on the books. Do you think that those are just there for show?” At that, the Sunblade threw back his head and laughed. His partner, still standing a little way back, smirked and chuckled too, clearly amused. “Those old things? Bah, they are just for show.” The Sunblade said, his smirk becoming even more smug. “And even on the off chance that they aren’t, what makes you think that the Queen would take your word over mine. One of her own soldiers?” Sunset watched her guide’s smile become almost malicious at that, her eyes becoming flinty as she pulled out her badge again, holding it up in her right hand for the Sunblade to see. “Let’s just say that the Queens’s eyes see wide and far, and those who fly too close to the sun have their feathers burnt black.” The woman replied calmly, tapping her right temple three times with the ring and middle finger of her left hand. Before she could wonder what was going on, there was a change in the Sunblade’s demeanor. In seconds, Sunset saw every gram of bravado drain out of him, only to be replaced with horror as he took a step back, his eyes going wide and his face going pale, beads of sweat starting to form on his forehead. “You… you’re…a…” He stammered. Sunset watched as her guide only smiled more broadly. “I…I’m sorry ma’am.” He stammered, nearly dropping the letter in his hand. “I didn’t realize…” “I’m afraid it’s a little too late for that.” Sunset’s guide said coldly, holding out her hand. “I want her letter, and your badge… now.” With shaking hands, the Sunblade reached to his belt and pulled off a small, golden disk. Handing it and the letter to the woman, Sunset watched her examine the badge for a second. Nodding, she turned her attention back to the sweating man. “Rest assured,” She said with thinly veiled venom, causing the Sunblade to gulp, “you’re lucky that I need to be elsewhere, or I’d personally drag you to Raven. I don’t care how high and mighty you think yourself. Beyond you just spitting in the face of the very laws and ideals you’re supposed to uphold, this girl was personally invited by her grace to work at the phoenix-rite, and I will not have her treated with any less respect than any Solarian is due, particularly one chosen to aid in this celebration.” The guard was sweating beads now, and had taken another step back, trying to put some distance between himself and the mysterious woman. “You…” The woman said as she pointed to the other Sunblade, who had been trying to make a surreptitious exit from the car. At her guide’s call, he froze, and slowly turned back to face her, his face just as ashen as his partner. “Under Heliopolan code 17-A-64-Gold, I want this man put in custody, and brought to the fifth precinct of Chromos. He is not to be released except by explicit and personal order of the Queen or her senechal, am I clear?” “Y…yes ma’am.” The other guard stammered as he approached his fellow Sunblade, pulling out a set of manacles and cuffing the first guard’s hands behind his back. As the fire-caller began to lead the first guard away, Sunset watched her guide’s eyes narrow. “I want him at the fifth precinct by sundown.” Sunset’s guide said, prompting the second guard to stop, gulp and nod fearfully. “If he’s not there when Raven arrives, I’ll be issuing warrants for both of you with the Prominence Knights. Am I understood?”  Another fearful nod was the only response she got. “Good.” She said, before turning back to the first guard, scowling at him. “I find it very disappointing that this… unfortunate attitude has begun to seep into the Sunblades. Rest assured, you will be subjected to disciplinary action. Pray that Raven is feeling merciful. Now, get him out of my sight.” And with that, the disgraced Sunblade was dragged off the car. Sunset watched, wide eyed, as her guide let out a deep, angry sigh, before rubbing her temples and muttering under her breath. Sunset was too stunned to move, let alone speak. Just who was this woman, that she could do something like that to a Sunblade? Forget that, how could she scare one like that? Sunset shrunk back into her seat as her guide turned back to her and handed her the letter she’d reclaimed from the guard. “I’m sorry you had to see that Sunset.” The woman said sadly. Sunset gingerly reached up and took the letter back, staring fearfully at her guide. “Who… are you?” She squeaked. “The less you know, the better off you are, kiddo.” The woman said as she put her hand on Sunset’s shoulder, causing the young girl to flinch away in fear. At that, her guide let out a sad sigh, closed her eyes and shook her head. “I’m not going to hurt you Sunset. I want you to trust in that. You’re here because Raven invited you. That means you’re under her protection for as long as you’re in Heliopolis. Which means as long as you’re not breaking the law, you’re under my protection too.” Just then, the car lurched and Sunset’s stomach started to churn as she felt herself being subtly pressed down into her seat. Pulling her hand off Sunset’s shoulder, her guide sat back down next to her. “Looks like we’re on our way.” She said with a wan smile, as if trying to defuse the tension that was now thick in the air. “Try to enjoy the view kiddo, it’s something special.” ***** After their unpleasant encounter with the Sunblade, the two of them had traveled in silence, Sunset retreating into herself as she tried to process exactly what had just happened. Her guide, on the other hand, was all but unreadable, outside a subtle sadness in her eyes. Sunset did her best to follow her guide’s advice, and tried to enjoy the view. Despite how upset she was, Sunset had to admit that the view was quite something. If she looked down, she could see not just Candesis, but the adjacent rays as well. Eventually, the car came to a stop just below the top of the corona, and moved into a narrow tunnel that led into its interior. The moment they passed into the tunnel, a light rune ignited, filling the sky-car’s compartment with soft, artificial sunlight. Normally, Sunset would have been fascinated by the effect, but her mind was still elsewhere. After a few minutes of travel through the tunnel, they emerged back into the natural light of the sun. Listlessly glancing out the window, Sunset’s eyes slowly went wide as the pain and sadness she’d been feeling was burnt away with an overwhelming sense of pure wonder. Half way down the inside of the corona, the wall formed a series of terraces. On each of these terraces were kilometers of majestic buildings, with a web of sky-rails connecting all of it. Unlike Candesis, these buildings were interspersed within vast landscaped gardens, some of which looked like they might as well be actual forests with enormous mansions within their boundaries. Other areas were more densely packed with buildings, but even these areas were vibrant with green life. Yet, all of that paled in comparison to what was inside the corona’s ring. Sunset gazed out across the massive, enchanted landscape that made up the Queen’s home. Nearest the edge of the corona, the land was dominated by rolling hills, many of which were colored by the blossoms of thousands of wild flowers. Interspersed with the hills were vast stretches of woodland, breaking up the sea of vibrant color with patches of different shades of green. Every so often, a river would break up the green with clear, brilliant blue.  Dotting the landscape were both massive, crystalline spires, and enormous gold and marble statues in the shape of various mythical creatures. Feathered serpents, phoenixes, kirins, wyrms, and others that Sunset didn’t recognize created the feeling of being in a vast statue garden. Trailing her eyes to the south, she saw the countless rivers began to flow into one another and give way to a vast network of wetlands and marshes, which eventually transformed into a massive, kilometers wide lake.  Tearing her eyes away from the lake, she took in more of the landscape, as it slowly rose towards the center to become a small mountain covered in a vast forest of conifers. At the base of the mountain were several buildings, including what appeared to be a giant amphitheatre. No roads cut across the unspoiled landscape to reach these buildings. Instead, Sunset could see there was a lone sky-rail leading to them from the lowest terrace of Chromos. But, Sunset’s eyes didn’t linger on these other wonders, for there was one more that eclipsed all of them in its splendor, and stole her breath away. Resting on the slope halfway up the mountain, there was a castle. The castle itself was the same white marble that made up the walls of Heliopolis, but somehow, gave off the impression of being purer, more perfect… more… divine. The walls of the castle and tops of the towers were gilded in gold, causing the structure to shine brightly in the light of the sun. The castle itself was flawlessly constructed, and appeared to be less for defense, and more to express pure artistry in its creation.  But what really threw Sunset was its size; the castle was enormous. But, it wasn’t simply larger by virtue of having a more complex structure. No, it was as though someone had taken the entire building, and upscaled it. Even with the great distance between their current position and the castle, at Sunset’s best estimate, each of the four walls that made up its perimeter were at least four kilometers long each, and the building itself easily rose high enough that the top of the highest tower was just in line with the top of the corona. The majesty and splendor of all of it were almost too much for Sunset. She could do nothing but stare out the window of the sky-car, paralysed with awe at what she was seeing. A strangled choking sound escaped from her throat at the sight, as tears of joy began to trace down her cheeks. In all of her life, she had never beheld something so beautiful, and would likely never again once she had completed her duty at the phoenix-rite. “Sunset, are you okay?” She heard a voice say somewhere far away. She was vaguely aware that she knew the voice, but it barely registered with her. “I…” Sunset began, before almost being overwhelmed again, her tears of joy flowing freely now as she stared out at the landscape below, “I…” She was vaguely aware of a hand gently wrapping itself on her shoulder, and giving it a soft squeeze. “I know the feeling kiddo. Even after all these years, it can still bring a tear to my eyes.” Tearing her eyes away from the window, Sunset looked up at her guide, who was also looking out at the valley below, a warm, wistful look on her face, before looking down at the young girl with a smile.  “We’ll be arriving soon. Why don’t you enjoy the view for a little while longer? Once we get to the end of the line, it's a short walk to our destination. After that, you’re going to be too busy to really enjoy it.” “Okay.” Sunset said dumbly as she looked back out the window, trying to savor the pure exaltation she felt at the sight of her goddess’s home. ***** With a lurch, the sky-car came to a halt, before the doors slid open. A few moments later, Sunset and her guide emerged from the car and walked onto the station platform. Sunset had more or less recovered from her awe, but there was still a lingering flutter of euphoria whenever her mind wandered back to the memory of seeing the heart of Heliopolis. Shaking herself free of her stupor, she turned to follow her guide as she made her way off the platform and into the sky-rail station. Unlike the station in Candesis, this one was sparsely populated, with only a few very affluent looking sun-gazers making their way towards the various sky-car loading zones. As she looked around, her initial joy was rapidly being supplanted by panic. Even with her new clothes, she knew she stuck out like a fractured bone poking out through the skin. Thankfully, most of them did not appear to notice her, or care in the least that she was even there. “So… where are we going now?” Sunset asked her guide. “To the Academy of the Sun.” Her guide said, pointing over her shoulder with a thumb. “You’ll be meeting both Raven and the rest of the kids chosen to work the event there. C’mon, don’t want to burn any more daylight than we need to.” And with that, she turned and began to walk down the marble paved road, with Sunset falling into line behind her.  It was twenty or so minutes of walking before they finally reached the Academy of the Sun, as her guide had called it. Much like the rest of the buildings in Chromos, the academy was surrounded by a tall, wrought-iron fence, and situated at the center of a large, open area filled with an immaculately maintained garden filled with plants of all different types, many of which Sunset didn’t recognize. The academy building itself was three stories tall, and, like the rest of the buildings in Chromos, seemed to be formed from the very marble of the corona itself, with dozens of large windows decorating its sides. The gate leading to the academy was flanked by two statues of Queen Celestia facing one another, the great centaur’s arms forming an arch as they reached towards their twin, their palms meeting in the middle. Stepping through the archway and onto the academy grounds, Sunset took a moment to admire the landscape around her. Beds of flowers of all kinds. Fountains spilling water over statues of famous Solarians long dead, including both heroes and scholars that had made life better for those around them through their actions. Sunset also spotted a few other children out and about on the grounds, some playing on the lawns, some reading under the shade of lovingly manicured trees, others sitting on benches talking with one another. Soon enough, they’d reached the front doors, and with little fanfare, pushed them open and entered the building. Once inside, they found themselves in an elegant entrance hall, decorated with paintings of important Solarians, past and present, half a dozen velvet covered couches, and a large reception desk with a red and pink haired, orange skinned fire-caller woman with emerald green eyes and soul-gem. “Welcome.” The fire-caller said, then smiled warmly as she noticed the two that had entered the building. “Ah… welcome back ma’am. I take it that this is Sunset Shimmer?” “Hello Sparkler.” Sunset’s guide said warmly, before gesturing to Sunset with an open hand. “Yes, this is Sunset. Could you help her get set up in her room? And, do you know where Raven is? I need to speak with her.” “She’s in the main hall, getting set up for the first assembly.” Sparkler said, her voice dropping a little and her expression turning serious. “What happened?” “A Sunblade tried to stop Sunset from entering the corona despite her being with me and presenting her invitation.” “Any reason?” Sparkler said with a frown, her eyes going steely. “Three guesses, and the first two don’t count.” Sunset’s guide said with an equally serious frown. “Unbelievable. Actually, no, it's not. I just don't want to believe it.” Sparkler said, closing her eyes and shaking her head. Walking around the front of her desk, she knelt down in front of Sunset to bring herself to eye level with the young girl, her smile coming back. “I’m so sorry you had to go through that sweetie. But, in any case, welcome to the Academy of the Sun. My name’s Sparkling Fire, but you can call me Sparkler. Everyone does.” “I’m… Sunset Shimmer.” Sunset said, before laughing nervously. “Oh, wait, you already knew that.” Sparkler gigled, the sound of which was like the soft tinkling of a wind chime. “It's alright sweetie.” She said, “It's a pleasure to meet you. Now, I bet you’re tired, so how about we figure out where you’re staying. Once we get you settled, I can show you to the cafeteria. I’m sure you could use something to eat after such a long day.” Sunset nodded enthusiastically, her nervousness starting to evaporate. “Wonderful.” Sparkler said as she rose to her feet and clapped her hands together, then tilted them to her right, along with her head. “Well, now that that’s out of the way, let's get going. Orientation is in a few hours, and I’m sure you want to freshen up first.” Turning away, Sparkler held out her hand to Sunset. Taking the offered appendage, Sunset began to follow the other fire-caller deeper into the building.  “Good luck kiddo.” Sunset heard her guide say from behind. “Thank you.” Sunset said over her shoulder. “For everything.” “Don’t mention it kiddo.” The woman said with a smile and a wink, before she turned and walked in the opposite direction.  ***** One meal and bath later, Sunset headed back to her room and changed into some of her new clothes. They were simple and functional, consisting of a pair of black-dyed cotton pants, and a white, cotton blouse. After getting dressed, Sunset spent some extra time brushing her hair, allowing the natural cascade of her flame like locks to show through. One satisfied, she flopped down on the bed she’d claimed to kill some time by reading one of her smithing books on rune carving.  After some time, there was a knock on the door. Rising and opening it, she found Sparkler outside, looking to inform her that the first assembly was starting soon, before giving Sunset directions to the assembly hall. After a quick thanks from Sunset, Sparkler went on her way to find any of the other children. Going back to her bed and stowing her book in her duffel bag, Sunset made her way to the assembly. A few minutes, and a couple of wrong turns later, she found herself sitting in a large classroom among the other children chosen to serve at the phoenix-rite. Looking around, she started to feel even more out of place than she already did. Even with all her attempts to make herself look presentable, she was self-conscious of just how much she stuck out among the others, many of whom were wearing exceptionally fancy and expensive looking clothes. Even those who weren’t as well dressed still looked like their outfits would have cost at least a four months of her wages to buy. The looks she was getting from some of the others also were making her nervous. Before her nerves could get the better of her, she heard the doors at the head of the classroom open. All chatter died down as a lone figure entered and began to make her way towards the podium. Head held high, the woman moved with an ease and grace that struck everyone dumb. She was dressed in a simple, yet elegant white blouse and sleeveless, black silk vest, with a red ascot wrapped under her collar, a simple, knee length black silk pencil skirt, and black high heels. On her right shoulder was a leather pauldron, upon which rested a majestic, flame colored bird that glared out at the assembled children, as though assessing them. The woman herself had light grey, almost white skin, and wore a pair of red glasses over her off-orange eyes. But most striking of all was her hair. Rather than the simple strands of a mortal creature, her head was crowned with a cascade of deep brown flame, shaped into a high bun. Sunset held her breath as she watched her walk to the center of the stage before them. This was Raven Inkwell, seneschal to the Queen, and her bond partner Dylis. Even knowing that she was going to be training under her, Sunset was still struck speechless by the sheer weight of the phoenix-born’s presence. Standing before her was the Queen’s right hand woman, a sun-gazer that had lived for over a millennium, the oldest living phoenix-born, and one of the most powerful and influential Solarians in existence. Reaching the center of the stage and crossing her arms behind her back, Raven looked over the assembled children, her ancient eyes regarding them with a strange mixture of maternal warmth, and the crushing weight of her authority. “Welcome, to all of you.” She began, her voice carrying with the weight only one with over ten lifetimes of experience could manage. “It is my great pleasure to see so many of you volunteer to aid us in conducting this, one of the most sacred ceremonies in our great nation of Solaria. In one month’s time, the newest phoenix will hatch, and with that birth, the most worthy among our nation shall join the ranks of Queen Celestia and Lumina’s chosen.” Pausing, Raven regarded the youngsters staring down at her from the auditorium seats. “In these scant few weeks before the event, it falls upon me to not only train you to perform your duties, but to assess where each of you will be placed. Perform well, and you will be placed at the front of the theatre. Perform poorly, and you will be placed further away. Consider this your motivation to push yourselves to learn. Not many get to see the hatching of a phoenix up close, outside the most elite of the elite. Will you be in their company when the time comes?” Another pause as she surveyed the room. “For now, you are free to go. Enjoy your dusk before the light fades. But, bright and early tomorrow, you will begin your training. I expect nothing less than your best efforts, and to treat each other with respect. Here, in this academy, we are all Solarians. It doesn’t matter where we come from, or who we are. Within these walls, the only thing that matters is that we are the children of Celestia. Remember that.” “Dismissed.” And with that, they began to disperse. ***** Sunset made her way back to her room, intent on spending the evening with some quiet reading and relaxation. When Sparkler had brought her to her room earlier, she saw that she’d be sharing it with at least three others. The thought didn’t bother her too much, since she normally bunked with at least ten roommates back at the orphanage. With any luck, her roommates wouldn’t be from Heliopolis. Or if they were, they wouldn’t be jerks. As she approached the door, she heard a trio of cheerful voices coming from inside. Well, they sounded friendly, so that was a good start. Pulling out the key Sparkler had given her, she unlocked the door and entered. Upon her entry, the three girls stopped talking and turned to look at her. All three were fire-callers, like herself, and couldn’t have been much older than she was. Of the three, the girl Sunset immediately took notice of was the only one standing. The first thing Sunset observed about her was how pretty she was. She was slightly taller than the others, and was wearing a very expensive looking golden yellow silk dress and blouse, her long, dandelion-yellow, sapphire streaked hair done up in ringlets. Her skin was light, sky blue, and both her eyes and soul-gem were a shimmering turquoise. The next one Sunset looked at, who was sitting on the edge of the bed to her right, was a fairly average looking girl wearing slightly less opulent clothes, comprised of a simple blouse and skirt made of fine, blue-dyed linen. Unlike her companion, her curly hair was bobbed short, and was a tri-colored rose, tangerine and amber, while her skin was deep ochre, and her soul gem and eyes were emerald green. The final girl was seated on the bed to Sunset’s left, and was short, stocky and baby faced, giving off the impression of youthful innocence. LIke the first girl, she wore a similarly expensive looking full length black dress, that highlighted her pearly pink skin, shoulder length white hair, and deep, yellow eyes. Unlike the other two, her soul gem didn’t match her eyes, and was instead a soft, lilac purple. Sunset suddenly felt very self conscious. These three very clearly came from wealthy families. That meant they were probably Heliopolans. “Oh, hello. You must be our final roommate.” The tallest of the three said as she approached, her eyes appraising Sunset like she was some sort of animal. Still, the girl didn’t immediately comment on Sunset’s obviously less expensive appearance, instead choosing to stop before her and clasp her hands behind her back. “I don’t believe we’ve been properly introduced. My name is Sapphire Prism. These are my friends…  “…Orange Spice,” Sapphire indicated the girl on Sunset’s right with a casual bob of her head.  “…and Rosy Mist.” She said, indicating the other girl with a similar bob of her head. “Hello / Hi” Both of them said as they continued to stare at Sunset. Forcing down her trepidation, Sunset smiled and extended her hand to Sapphire. “Pleased to meet you. My name’s Sunset Shimmer.” Sapphire took Sunset’s offered hand and shook it lightly, giving her a slight smile. “It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance Sunset.” Sapphire said, “Tell me, which ray of our great city are you from? My friends and I are from the upper district of Aurorias.” Sunset froze, unsure how to respond. She didn’t know where Aurorias was, or even which ray it occupied. The only ray she knew was Candesis. In her moment of hesitation, she could see the gears turning behind Sapphire’s eyes, and her brow knitted down into a slight scowl. “You’re not from Heliopolis, are you?” She said as she pulled her hand out of Sunset’s and wiped it against Rosy Mist’s bedsheets as though she’d touched dung. Growling internally, Sunset met the other girl’s eyes. She was beyond done with this bull. She might have put up with it when she was on the road, because it was her job. And she might have held her tongue with the Sunblade, because he might have killed her. But this was the last straw. She wasn’t going to be treated like this by someone her own age. Not  after Lady Inkwell had just finished all but telling them that she wouldn’t put up with this sort of thing not ten minutes ago. “Not that it's any of your business, but no, I’m not.” Sunset said defiantly, “I’m from Golden Tree, in the Western Territory.” Sapphire’s eyes narrowed dangerously as both Orange Spice and Rosy Mist rose to their feet and flanked the taller girl. “Well, this simply won’t do.” Sapphire said with a ugly sneer. “I will not share space with some dirt-eater. Please, leave my room this instant. You can sleep in the hallway until we can sort this out with Lady Inkwell.” “No.” Sunset said, her fists clenching. “I’m sorry, do you have something to say, dirt-eater.” Sapphire growled. Sunset could see Rosy Mist and Orange Spice starting to move out to flank her. Sunset didn’t like these odds, but she wasn’t going to back down. Not after everything else she’d had to put up with today. “In case you weren’t listening, Lady Inkwell told us that it didn’t matter where we came from. We are all equals here.” Sunset growled as she watched the girls start to surround her. “So, if you don’t like it, you can leave. But I’m not going to be tossed out of my room because you’re too stuck up Luna’s ass to get that.” Sapphire tossed her head back and started to laugh, as did Rosy Mist and Orange Spice. “Oh, that’s rich!” Sapphire cackled. “You think Lady Inkwell actually meant what she said? That she honestly believes that? Please. The Queen’s seneschal wouldn’t lift a finger for some dirt-eating waste of light. She just says that to keep you creatures in line. Now…” Before she could react, Sunset found herself grabbed from behind, her arms pulled behind her back painfully by Orange Spice . “…I’m going to tell you one last time, dirt-eater, leave my room, right now, or I will throw you out.” Sapphire said as she drew closer. “Do I make myself clear.” “Kiss the moon, night-lover.” Sunset hissed back. Whatever response the three of them expected, it certainly wasn’t that. Her face twisting into an angry scowl, Sapphire brought her right hand up and slapped Sunset across the face. Sunset’s head turned with the force of the impact, but she refused to cry out in pain, instead turning back to glare at Sapphire. “Wrong answer.” Sapphire snarled as she spat in Sunset’s face. “Rosy, grab her bag. Lets see if this dirt-eater has anything worthwhile before we toss her out.” “With pleasure.” Rosy said, as she pulled Sunset’s bag out. Ripping the draw string open, she dumped the contents of the bag onto the bed. All of Sunset’s new clothes, her bag of pens, paper and ink stones, letters from Raven, and her books, including her tome of legends came tumbling out unceremoniously onto the floor. “My my my, what have we here.” Rosy said as she picked up the tome, casually inspecting it before passing it to Sapphire.  “Well, would you look at this.” Sapphire said as she leafed through the book. “An unabridged, first edition of Solarian Legends. How did such a rare and valuable book end up in the hands of some dirt-eater.” Sunset’s eyes went wide with horror, and she started to struggle against Orange Spice’s grip. “Put that down!” Sunset growled as she nearly tore herself free, Orange Spice desperately straining to hold her. “Oh, so this is important to you, eh?” Sapphire casually lilted. Then, grabbing one of the pages in her fingers, she tore it out of the book and tossed it over her shoulder. “NO!” Sunset screamed. “What was that? Do it again?” Sapphire said, grabbing more pages and ripping them out. “Well, if you insist, dirt-eater, I’m more than happy to oblige.” “STOP IT!” Sunset screamed, nearly tearing herself out of Orange Spice ’s grip. “Ha ha ha ha ha. You can’t tell me what to do, dirt-eater. You have no say in the matter.” Sapphire said as she tore more pages out. “This is the price of your defiance, so you have nobody to blame but yourself.” As Sapphire tossed the now torn and ruined tome to the ground at her feet, the fight left Sunset and she slumped forward, head bowed. “Glad to see you understand.” Sapphire said as she approached. “Spice, toss her out on her…” Sapphire didn’t get the chance to finish her sentence as Sunset, sensing Orange Spice’s grip slacken once she stopped struggling, capitalized on the opportunity and wrenched her arms free. Lunching forward, she swung her fist in a rising uppercut, slamming it into Sapphire’s stomach right on her diaphragm, knocking the wind out of the taller girl. Without missing a beat, Sunset grabbed Sapphire’s head, and wrenched it down as she brought her knee up. There was a sickening crunch as Sapphire collided with Sunset’s knee, blood erupting as her nose bent at an unnatural angle. Sapphire wheezed in pain, the blow to her stomach keeping her from properly screaming. Before she could follow up, Sunset felt a savage blow to her back as Orange Spice shoulder checked her. Releasing Sapphire, Sunset tumbled forward. Before she could recover, a second blow struck her in the stomach as Rosy Mist rushed in, kicking her in the gut. Falling to the ground, Sunset curled up into a ball, trying to protect her head as Rosy Mist and Orange Spice stood over her, kicking and stomping on her relentlessly. “You…*wheeze*… you… miserable… filthy… animal…” Sapphire wheezed as she got back to her feet and began to stumble towards Sunset’s prone form. “You’re going… to pay… for that!” “What is going on in here?” A cold, calm, and terrifying voice said from the doorway. All four girls froze. Slowly, they turned their eyes towards the voice, each one dreading who they suspected it belonged to. There, standing in the doorway, arms crossed in front of her, face impassive, was none other than Raven Inkwell. With her was her bond partner Dylis, perched on her shoulder, eyeing them hawkishly. “Lady…Inkwell… what are you…” Sapphire wheezed, only for Raven to silence her by raising her right index finger. “I was heading to my room when I heard someone screaming, so I decided to investigate.” Raven said levely as she took in the state of the room. “And apparently it was a good thing that I did. I think the four of you have some explaining to do.” “My Lady, this isn’t what it…” Rosy Mist started, only to be cut off with a look from Raven. “I’m sure it’s not, because if it is, I’m going to be very displeased in all of you.” Raven said, her features and voice calm and impassive, but the subtle fury in her words was more terrifying than facing down a seethe of linnorms. “My office. Now.”