//------------------------------// // Chapter Two - Opportunity Knocks // Story: My Little Pony: Shadows of the Setting Sun // by Starswirl the Beardless //------------------------------// If there was one thing that could be said about Sunset Shimmer, it would be that she was definitely not a morning person. If she had had a bit for every time Nova had had to drag her out of bed in order to get her to her lessons on time, she would have been a very rich mare indeed. When she had the chance to do so, there was nothing she enjoyed more than curling up in her warm bed on a lazy morning. Because of this, it should come as no surprise that Sunset was not in a particularly good mood as her carriage rumbled through the streets of Canterlot not an hour after sunrise. Sunset had already found it difficult to stay awake as Nova had helped her get out of bed, make herself presentable, get down to the carriage, and get onboard. Even after getting settled, Sunset had to fight off the lingering drowsiness that threatened to pull her back into the sweet embrace of sleep. The interior of the carriage was dark, the curtains having been kept closed at Sunset’s request, but a few pale beams of light managed to sneak their way inside and provide enough illumination for the two ponies to see one another. Despite being so early, the air was pleasantly warm, reminding Sunset of the gentle embrace of her blankets back at the castle. The steady rumble of the carriage’s wheels was the only noise that broke the early-morning quiet. The seats were soft, designed to accommodate the hindquarters of dainty aristocrats, inviting Sunset to stretch herself out and take a quick nap. A sudden jolt of the carriage made her sit up, momentarily distracting her from the temptation. Sunset silently cursed the city’s road maintenance ponies, as if they had intentionally put the pothole there to annoy her. “Are we there yet?” Sunset groaned to no one in particular. Nova, not sharing Sunset’s lethargy, responded to the inquiry with an upbeat attitude. “The airdock is only a short journey away by carriage. We’ll be there soon, Sunset,” she said. A mischievous grin appeared on her face. “Or should I say 'Madam Ambassador'?” Sunset rolled her eyes and leaned her head back against the seat. “I told you not to call me that,” she said. Nova stifled a chuckle and continued. “I’m sorry, but you really must get used to it. You’re a big, important pony now,” she said. Sunset’s annoyance only increased. “Yeah, now I’m important, now that I’m ‘Sunset Shimmer, Royal Ambassador of Her Highness Princess Celestia’,” she said, putting air quotes around her new title. “Who cares about anything else?” Nova’s smile faded as she recognized the implication of her comment. “Sunset, I...” she began, struggling to find the words to rectify her mistake. “That’s not what I meant to say. I didn’t mean to imply that you...” Sunset kicked herself, realizing that she was upsetting Nova by pointlessly venting her frustrations at her. “Nova, it’s alright,” she sighed. “It’s not your fault. I’m just...tired. I didn’t get much sleep last night.” Nova’s expression changed to one of concern. “Was it that dream again?” she asked. “Yeah,” Sunset sighed. She had told Nova about the recurring dream she had been having. She had first had it over a week ago, then again a few days later, on the day of the incident in the park. It had come to her again early that morning, once again denying her a peaceful night’s rest. She had thought she would have gotten used to it by then, but the horrific images burned into her brain still unnerved her, even in the daytime. “You’re probably just stressed,” said Nova, trying to sound comforting. “And I’m not surprised, given how busy you’ve been lately. A change of scenery might do you some good; help you relax and take your mind off of things.” “We’re not going on vacation, Nova,” Sunset said flatly. Although, the thought of relaxing on a warm, sandy beach and listening to the waves was very appealing to her at that moment. “Where exactly are we going?” asked Nova. “The only thing I was told is that we would be traveling by airship. Did the princess tell you anything else yesterday?” “No, she didn’t,” said Sunset, annoyed that she still didn’t know where they were going either. Nova looked like she was debating whether or not she should say something. Eventually, she must have decided to risk it, as she posed Sunset a follow-up question. “If you don’t mind me asking, what did you two talk about?” she asked. Sunset didn’t see the harm in recounting her private meeting with Celestia the day before. If nothing else, she thought, it would help her stay awake. “Well,” she began, “when I got there...” Sunset stood outside the door to Princess Celestia’s study, but could not bring herself to knock. Despite being called to meet with her under more normal circumstances, Sunset was still somewhat trepidatious of the prospect of speaking with the princess. The memory of her embarrassing audience several days earlier was still fresh in Sunset’s mind; the two had not spoken since. On top of that, there was also the subject of Sunset’s new role and responsibilities to discuss, which was presumably the motivation for the summons. Sunset raised a hoof as if to knock, but hesitated before she could follow through. In her head, she ran through various conversation starters that she thought might steer things in a favorable direction. One by one, however, she realized that none of them would help her very much in that time and place. As she stood there, lost in thought, she heard Celestia’s voice emanate from the room before her. “The door is open,” said the princess in a matter-of-fact tone. Sunset snapped to attention, momentarily stunned by Celestia’s uncanny perception. Sunset sighed, knowing that there was no way of backing out now, and that every further second of delay only compounded the awkwardness of the situation. Slowly, Sunset lowered her hoof to the door handle, opened the door, and stepped inside. She had never been particularly enamored by architecture, but even Sunset could not help but admire the beauty of the room that she found herself in. The study was shaped like a large cylinder, stretching up for two stories before tapering off into a domed ceiling. A ring-shaped walkway separated the room into two levels, with a curved staircase serving as the only conventional means of traveling between them. The walls of both levels were covered with tall bookshelves, too large for a normal pony to access unassisted, but the perfect height for somepony of Celestia’s stature. On the ground floor, a grand fireplace was situated near the door, the hearty blaze within bathing the room in a comforting warmth. Even in such an impressive room, the thing that most drew Sunset’s attention was the massive planetarium built into the ceiling above her. A masterpiece of the magical arts, the planetarium was capable of accurately simulating the sky above the castle at any given time. When seen during the daytime, the dome would shine bright blue, complete with a miniature sun that moved in time with the real one. At night, as she saw it then, one could see a dark expanse blanketed by hundreds of tiny stars, all in their proper places. Not to be left out, the bright white orb that was the moon could be seen as well, casting a pale light down on the study. Sunset fought off the temptation to stand there stargazing and scanned the room to locate the princess. She was not immediately apparent, not able to be seen on either the first level or in Sunset’s limited view of the second. Quickly, however, Sunset spotted her upstairs, her having been off to the side and hidden from view by the curve of the walkway. “I’ll just be a minute,” said Celestia, walking further into view. She was scanning the bookshelves in front of her as she went, her back turned to Sunset. Sunset gently pushed the door closed behind her and moved further into the room. As she waited for the princess, she looked over at the large desk sitting at the far side of the room, facing her. Like all of Celestia’s furnishings, the desk was much too large for a pony like Sunset to even think about using. It appeared even more immense due to the large stacks of books and papers that littered it. The sides were decorated with carved images inlaid with gold, silver, and precious gems. Among the scenes depicted were Earth ponies bringing forth crops and beautiful flowers from the soil, pegasi whipping up powerful storms, and unicorns conjuring magnificent displays of color and light. Sitting in front of this work of art, a short ways away, was another desk. This desk was of a size appropriate for a normal, adult pony, although it seemed as no more than a foal’s desk when compared to its ornate companion. It was plain and unadorned, but not shabby. Significant skill and care had obviously gone into its construction, resulting in a product that would look handsome in any more mundane location. The desk belonged to Sunset Shimmer, and she had many memories of the long hours she had spent sitting at it under the princess’s watchful gaze. Sunset saw movement out of the corner of her eye and turned to see the princess slowly descending the staircase, levitating several books along with her. She did not appear as she had the last time Sunset had seen her. There in her inner sanctum, Celestia was able to let her guard down slightly, not needing to project the image of power and majesty that she did in public. Although, even in her natural state, the princess was still an impressive sight to behold. Right then, she seemed to be deep in thought, her eyes downcast and her face bearing traces of worry. Celestia reached the ground floor and moved over to her desk, adding her selections to the mountain of books and papers already there. While hesitant to take the lead in the conversation, Sunset also did not want to begin without first clearing the air between them. “Princess Celestia,” she began, lowering her head into a slight bow, “I want to apologize for my behavior in our last meeting. It wasn’t my place to speak out like that.” Celestia snapped out of her concentration and turned to face Sunset, as if she had forgotten that her student was in the room. She took a moment to process the words being spoken to her before responding. “No apology is necessary, Sunset,” she said, returning to a neutral expression. “What’s done is done; besides, we have more important matters to discuss.” Sunset visibly relaxed at the princess’s words, but remained curious as to the purpose of their meeting. “Is this about my first assignment?” she asked. “Indeed,” replied Celestia. “I trust that you’ve finished preparing for your journey tomorrow.” “Yes, princess,” said Sunset. She and Nova had spent the past few days preparing for what lay ahead of them. Luckily for Sunset, Nova had more of a head for such things than she did. She had been the one to make sure that Sunset packed for whatever weather they might encounter. She had been the one that coordinated with the servants to ensure that their accommodations aboard their airship would be adequately supplied and made fit for a royal ambassador. For those and a thousand other reasons, Sunset was glad that Celestia had appointed Nova to be her secretary. Although, her feelings had been mixed when Nova had first told Sunset of the reason for her private meeting with the princess. She had felt relieved that Nova had not been subjected to some more extreme punishment; the possibility of being forcibly separated from her had made Sunset fearful. At the same time, she felt guilty that Nova had been punished for her actions and embarrassed that she had made such a scene over it. Nova had repeatedly tried to assure Sunset that she did not mind her new responsibilities and that she was alright with leaving Canterlot for a while; her parents had been more enthusiastic about it than she was, apparently. “Excellent,” continued Celestia. “Although, I must admit that I’ve fallen a bit behind on my own preparations. I had thought that selecting your first destination would be a much easier task than it turned out to be. There are just so many choices, so many ponies out there who could use your help. Even now, I am still making my final decision.” Sunset was disheartened upon hearing this. “So...you didn’t summon me here to tell me about where I’ll be going, then,” said Sunset. “No,” said Celestia, “but you needn’t worry. I will make my choice before you depart tomorrow and relay the necessary information to your escort.” “Well then,” said Sunset, “what did you want to talk to me about?” “I called you here,” said Celestia, a gentle smile appearing on her face, “to give you a gift. Two gifts, actually. The first...is this.” She turned her head back toward her desk, her horn glowing. Out from the piles rose a large bound book which floated gently over toward them. When it got close enough, Sunset could see that the brown-covered tome was decorated with a very familiar shape. Right in the center of the cover was emblazoned a large, fiery sun with swirls of red and yellow burning within it. It was her cutie mark, an image she knew as well as her own face. Celestia held the book out in front of her, presenting it to Sunset. Curious, Sunset reached out with her own magic and took hold of the book, bringing it closer to her. She inspected it, running a hoof across its smooth surface and the emblem upon it. The book was obviously new, no sign of wear visible on either the bindings or the pages. “It’s beautiful,” Sunset remarked. She then opened the book to see what it was, only to find that the pages were blank. “Oh, it’s...a journal,” she said, trying not to sound disappointed; Sunset had never really been the journaling sort. “Not just any journal,” said Celestia, levitating over a quill from her desk and offering it to Sunset. “Try it out.” Confused, but intrigued, Sunset took the quill from Celestia. She turned to the first page and tentatively wrote out “Property of Sunset Shimmer”. As she wrote, Sunset became aware of a strange sound nearby. It sounded like rhythmic buzzing, and it seemed to be coming from the direction of Celestia’s desk. The noise continued for several seconds, ending shortly after she finished writing. Sunset stared in the direction the noise had come from, a puzzled expression on her face. Once again, Celestia lifted a book off of her desk and brought it towards them. This book looked remarkably similar to the one Sunset was holding, with one significant exception. The sun that decorated this book burned golden yellow, and was ringed by a corona of uniform, orange flames. It was not hard for Sunset to guess what the image was meant to depict; she could see the real thing right before her eyes on the princess’s hindquarters. Celestia moved the book toward Sunset and held it just above the other. “Take a look,” she said, opening the book to its first page. Sunset’s jaw dropped when she saw, scrawled on the page, the words “Property of Sunset Shimmer”. Her eyes darted back and forth between the two books, her brain struggling to comprehend what she was looking at. The text was exactly the same; the handwriting, positioning, and even a small ink spot she had made had been perfectly reproduced. Celestia chuckled softly at Sunset’s amazement. “I wouldn’t dream of sending my pupil off into the big, wide world without giving her some means of contacting me,” she said. “So, I made these. This journal will allow you to speak to me whenever you have need of me. Now, no matter where you may go, no matter what you may do, you can rest easy knowing that I will never be out of your reach.” Sunset felt mixed feelings at the idea of having the princess keeping an eye on her in this manner. On one hand, the gesture reassured Sunset that Celestia was not simply disposing of her to alleviate her own suffering. On the other hand, it meant that Celestia did not consider Sunset capable of going off on her own without her assistance. Remembering her manners, Sunset put her feelings aside for the moment so she could thank the princess properly. She put away the journal and bowed her head respectfully. “Thank you, princess,” she said. “This means a lot.” Celestia smiled warmly, returning her own copy of the journal to the desk. “I will write to you regarding your missions and provide you with whatever useful information I can,” she said. “In return, I hope that you will not hesitate to ask me for advice should you need it. I would also enjoy hearing from you about your exploits; your perspective on the lives of Equestria’s citizens would be greatly valued.” Her tone did not imply it, but Sunset could tell that Celestia was not making a mere suggestion when she said this. “Of course, princess,” said Sunset. She paused before speaking again. “But, you said you had two gifts.” “I did say that,” said Celestia. “My final gift to you is my blessing.” Sunset tried to hide her disappointment, having been somewhat hoping for another magic item, or perhaps a new spell. Celestia continued, seemingly unaware of Sunset’s feelings. “I’ve known you for many years, Sunset Shimmer,” she said. “I’ve watched you grow from a little filly into the pony you are today: a strong, intelligent, and beautiful young mare.” Celestia raised a hoof and brushed the hair away from Sunset’s face, looking her in the eye. “And I wouldn’t trade one minute of that time for all the jewels in Canterlot.” Sunset couldn’t help but crack a smile at such heartfelt praise coming from her mentor. “While you have had your rough spots,” said Celestia, “you have also demonstrated that you are no ordinary pony. You have shown tremendous skill, determination, and resourcefulness of the sort that I have rarely seen in anyone, even my other students. Time and time again, you have exceeded my expectations, and you have made me very proud. You have come so far, Sunset, but I know that you could go even further still. It is for that reason that I have given you this task. “Everything I have ever done for you, I have done to help you, to help you grow, to help you learn, to help you become the pony I know you can be, but as much as it pains me to admit it, there is not much more that I can do for you. Part of me wants to keep you here at my side, forever and always, and I would very much enjoy that...but I couldn’t bring myself to do something so selfish. I cannot give you what you need; I cannot teach you what you need to learn. You must take it upon yourself to go out and look for it. I do not know where or when you will find it, but I know deep in my heart that you will. I only hope that, when that day comes, you will return to me so that I may look upon this shining star once again.” Sunset had been trying her hardest to maintain her composure as Celestia spoke, but finally broke down as the princess finished. Tears which had been building up in Sunset’s eyes began to freely flow forth. Almost reflexively, Sunset sprung forward and buried her face in Celestia’s soft shoulder. Celestia wrapped a leg around Sunset, holding her close, and lowered her head into the embrace. Sunset cried heavily, remembering similar times from her youth when she had taken refuge in the princess’s gentle limbs. In between sobs, she said, “I will. I will, princess. I’m gonna go out there and I’m gonna become the greatest unicorn who ever lived. And then, I’m gonna come back and show you and everypony else just what I can do.” Celestia stroked the back of Sunset’s head and whispered in her ear. “All I want is for you to be happy,” she said. “All I want is for you to be safe. That’s all I want, Sunset.” Sunset gradually calmed down, and pulled back from Celestia. When they could see one another again, the princess held Sunset’s head in her hoof and leaned down to plant a gentle kiss on her forehead. Sunset looked up into Celestia’s eyes and saw that they too were moist. The two stood there silently, neither wanting the moment to come to an end. Eventually, however, Celestia took it upon herself to bring them back to the real world. “It’s getting late,” she said. “And you have a big day ahead of you. I regret that I will not be able to see you off tomorrow, so I must bid you farewell here and now. Go, Sunset, and may the earth support you, may the winds give you speed, and may the sun and moon guide you on your way.” Sunset did not want to leave, but somehow found the mental strength to bid her mentor farewell. “Goodbye, princess,” she said, “and thank you; thank you for everything.” Sunset tore her gaze away from the princess and started her walk to the door. As she put her hoof on the door, she hesitated. She turned her head, taking one last look at the princess before she left. Celestia smiled warmly, but her eyes were sad; Sunset imagined she probably had a similar expression on her own face. With one final burst of willpower, Sunset turned, opened the door, and walked out. “And...then I left,” finished Sunset. As she reached the end of her story, Sunset realized that her negative attitude toward her new role had not been entirely justified. While she was still unenthused at the prospect of working in public relations, she also felt a renewed sense of hope that her time as royal ambassador would not be a complete waste. There had to be some opportunity to prove herself out there, she thought. Nova had remained quiet throughout Sunset’s retelling, but took the chance to speak as Sunset was reflecting. “It sounds like the princess has a lot of faith in you,” she said. Sunset had glossed over the more sentimental details of the story, but Nova could read between the lines well enough to imagine what sort of things had been left out. “I do, too. I’m sure you’ll do great things out there, Sunset.” “We’ll do great things out there,” Sunset corrected, giving Nova a smile. They continued on talking for a while, Sunset having finally shed her drowsiness. They speculated as to where they might be sent, and shared stories and rumors of far-off places that they had only ever heard about. As they did, the carriage continued rolling along, out past the gates of the city, down a long, winding road carved into the side of the mountain, before finally arriving at its destination. The royal airdock was nestled in a small, oval-shaped natural harbor in the mountainside. It was reserved exclusively for the use of the royal guard, civilians being forced to use one of the several other docks located around the mountain. The guard did not maintain a large fleet there, having little need for warships in times of peace. Several ships of various shape and size were moored there, floating parallel to the gently-sloping inner side of the harbor. Several dozen guards, repairponies, and other assorted workers moved about the dock, each hard at work at their own tasks. The carriage ground to a halt in front of one airship in particular, on which most of the dock workers’ attention was fixed. One of the guards pulling the carriage detached himself and went to open the door. “We have arrived, Madam Ambassador,” he said, pulling it open. Sunset and Nova gathered their belongings and stepped out of the vehicle, Sunset leading the way. They stood there for a moment, wincing as their eyes slowly adjusted to the bright sunlight. When they could finally see, the two were amazed at what lay before them. The airship they were looking at was of middling size, larger than the small yachts owned by some of Canterlot’s wealthier ponies, but smaller than the large cruise ships that Sunset occasionally saw out her bedroom window. Its balloon was sleek, unlike the more bulbous blimps Sunset had seen before, and was as white as snow. The main body of the ship had a similarly streamlined shape, looking to be less than twenty feet tall from its belly to the deck, and was painted sky blue. Two powerful flippers extended out from the back of the ship’s lowest level, which ended abruptly about two-thirds of the way from the front of the ship. The flippers were side-by-side, and were oriented parallel to the ground. Altogether, the ship presented an image of grace, speed, and power. The ship swarmed with ponies, all busy with their own jobs. They could see pegasi flying around the balloon, inspecting it and making minor repairs. Porter ponies dashed about, carrying crates and barrels up onto the ship. There was even somepony flying about the hull, touching up the paint. The visual flurry was accompanied by a cacophony of noises: gruff shouting, the creak of wood, the ring of metal striking metal; Sunset even thought that she could hear singing somewhere. As they stood there gawking, Sunset became aware of a pony approaching them. He was a Pegasus pony that looked to be a little past middle age. His coat was a dull sea green, and his short, wavy hair was a dark grey. Despite his venerable appearance, his body seemed fit and well-maintained, only showing minor signs of aging. On his shoulders hung the golden armor of the royal guard, which he moved around in as easily as if it were made of cloth. His wrinkled face was pulled back into a slight smile, his expression appearing friendly, but composed. When he reached them, the stallion bowed deeply before them. “Madam Ambass’dor,” he said, rising back up again, “Please allow me to introduce myself. I am Olive Ridley of Her Highness’s royal guard, and I will be your captain on this voyage.” If nothing else, Sunset enjoyed the sound of Olive Ridley’s voice. He sounded just as she would have expected an old ship captain to sound like: like the sound of old wood creaking and bending in a strong wind. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, captain,” said Sunset in a friendly tone. “I’m Sunset Shimmer and this is my friend, Nova Obscura.” “How do you do?” said Nova in a similar manner. Olive Ridley chuckled warmly. “I can assure you, the pleasure is mine,” he said. “It’s not often I get to captain on behalf of such polite young ladies as yourselves. Why, half the time it seems like folks don’t even know I’m here. You get used to that sorta thing workin’ in the guard. Still, a nice ‘hello’ and a smile go a long way for warmin’ these old bones.” One of the carriage guards cleared his throat loudly, which did not escape the captain’s notice. “Beggin’ your pardon, madam; don’t pay me no mind,” he said. “You’re not here to listen to an old guardspony ramble on about this and that.” He straightened himself and gestured to the ship. “Please, allow me to escort you aboard.” The carriage guards, their mission complete, began their long walk back to the castle as Sunset and Nova followed the captain to the ship. The three passed amongst the hustle and bustle going on around the ship, with the captain providing a running commentary on the preparations. He described the types of supplies they were loading, the repairs being made, the inspections taking place, all in a casual, long-winded manner. Sunset tried to pay attention for the sake of politeness, but quickly found herself getting lost in the nautical jargon and the captain’s anecdotes. Eventually, they all arrived at the ship proper, where they crossed the wide gangplank that connected the ship to the dock. As they stepped off the plank and onto the ship, Olive Ridley paused and turned to them. “Madam Ambass’dor, Madam Secretary,” he began, “it is my honor to welcome you both aboard the Opportunity, the finest airborne vessel in Equestria, in this old guardspony’s humble opinion.” Looking about, Sunset could see that it was just as busy on the ship at it had been on the dock, with ponies running about, carrying supplies into the ship’s interior, swabbing the deck, and making a lot of noise doing so. But throughout the clamor, one voice could be heard rising above all others, sounding out sharp and clear like a bugle. The voice belonged to a mare standing atop a raised deck in the middle of the ship. She was surveying the goings-on about her, barking out orders and offering words of “encouragement”, if it could be called that. Ponies would occasionally approach her from the air and from the deck to bring her reports and updates, typically being sent away with a few stern words when they had finished. Olive Ridley noticed Sunset looking up at the loud mare. “Say, you two wouldn’t be interested in meetin’ the rest of the crew, would you?” he asked. “Um, sure, why not?” said Sunset, figuring that it would probably be in her best interest to know who the rest of the ponies in her retinue were. “As long as we’re not bothering them,” added Nova. “Nonsense,” said Ridley casually. “They love meetin’ new ponies. He raised his head to look at the mare above them and shouted out to get her attention. “Ahoy there, Miss Rain!” he said. “Could you spare a moment to come and join us down here?” The mare took notice of the captain and immediately responded to his request. In one swift motion, the mare spread the pair of wings on her back and flapped them hard, propelling herself into the air like a rocket. With machine-like precision, she soared through the air, swooping down and landing before the trio on the deck with a powerful impact that made Sunset and Nova jump. The Pegasus pony standing before them was far older than Sunset, but still too young to be called middle-aged. Despite this, her face looked worn and hard, like a rock weathered down by wind and water. Her eyes were stern, cold even, and looked at Sunset as if she were no more than another piece of cargo to be loaded. Her body was lean, but well-toned, as Sunset would have expected of a pony that could perform such an impressive feat of aerial agility. Her coat was a light blue-gray color, and her short hair, bound tightly behind her head, was a deep, dark blue. Her golden armor was spotless and shone brightly in the morning sun. Olive Ridley turned to address Sunset and Nova. “Ladies, I’d like to introduce you to my first mate, Steel Rain,” he said. “Miss Rain, these are our passengers: the royal ambass’dor, Madam Sunset Shimmer, and her secretary, Madam Nova Obscura.” Steel Rain gave the two a swift bow before they could greet her. “Madam Ambassador. Madam Secretary,” she said curtly, before addressing Olive Ridley. “Captain, the launch preparations are proceeding on schedule, despite a few minor setbacks. We should be able to depart within the hour.” “Excellent,” replied the captain. “Although, I shouldn’t be surprised.” He turned to address Sunset and Nova. “Steel Rain here is the finest young guardspony I’ve ever had the honor of servin’ with. You’d be hard-pressed to find a more dependable pegasus this side of Cloudsdale. Why, when she first came here, fresh out of the academy, I could tell right away she was somethin’ special. And sure enough, just a few short years later, there she was, standin’ beside me on the bridge.” Steel Rain kept a straight face as the captain spoke, but Sunset thought she noticed the slightest hint of a blush on her face. “You flatter me, sir,” the first mate said flatly. Olive Ridley chuckled at her comment. “Well, I won’t keep you any longer,” he said. “I wouldn’t want us bein’ delayed on account of me fawnin’ over my officers all mornin’. Speakin’ of which, are the rest of the crew onboard?” “Aye, captain,” replied Steel Rain. “They are at their posts, performing their final inspections.” “Well then,” said the captain to Sunset, “we’ll have to go pay them a visit too, won’t we?” He looked back at his first mate. “As you were, Miss Rain.” Steel Rain gave the group another bow before moving off to yell at some of the other ponies on deck. “Let’s head on up to the bridge,” he said to Sunset and Nova. “There’s somepony else there I’d like you to meet.” Sunset and Nova followed the captain to the raised deck in the center of the ship, where they climbed a set of stairs to reach the top, the place Steel Rain had been standing earlier. At the top was a large room with wide windows facing the front of the ship. The captain opened a door on one side of the room and held it open for his passengers, gesturing them inside. Sunset and Nova stepped through the door and into the bridge beyond. The room was spacious, presumably built to accommodate a large number of ponies at one time. On the front-facing side of the room were the large windows they had seen from outside, which provided an excellent view of the deck and the ship’s surroundings. Also there was the helm, the large wheel used to steer the ship. The center of the room was dominated by a large table, which a brightly colored map had been attached to. Upon closer inspection, Sunset saw that the map showed Equestria in its entirety, stretching from the Frozen North to the Mysterious South. On the walls of the room were scattered other maps, charts, and diagrams of various size and shape. Interspaced with these were an assortment of instruments, the function and purpose of which Sunset couldn’t begin to guess. Large gauges looked down on her like eyes; switches and levers that weren’t even labeled could be seen everywhere. In several places, tubes jutted out from the walls, ending in wide mouths shaped like megaphones. Finally, standing at the back of the room, Sunset noticed a stallion talking loudly into one of these pipes while surveying the dials before him. “It’s still not there,” he said, clearly annoyed by something. “Can you two consummate professionals get it together down there and fix this, or shall I come down there and do it myself?” The pony’s voice was full of condescending sarcasm and restrained anger. Out of the pipe came a sound that, from a distance, seemed like a muffled voice. Sunset couldn’t make out the words, but she got the impression that whoever’s voice it was was just as incensed with the pony before them as he was with them. Olive Ridley spoke up and addressed the pony. “Mister Herald,” he said, “how go the preparations? Everything shipshape?” The pony took note of the captain amidst his heated exchange with the tube. “Hold on a minute,” he quickly barked into the opening, before turning to face him. “Everything is shipshape up here, captain,” he said in a much more mellow tone. “Although, I can’t say the same for the rest of the ship. Our dear engineers seem to have forgotten how to shovel coal properly.” Sunset looked at the stallion closely, trying to get a read on him. His deep purple coat contrasted greatly with the short, bone-white hair on his head. He seemed to be about the same age as Steel Rain, although looked a bit younger due to his relatively softer features. He had bags under his droopy eyes and a frown upon his lips. A long, purple horn on his forehead marked him as a Unicorn pony; although, some might have said his attitude was just as much of a giveaway. Olive Ridley laughed at the stallion’s comment. “Oh, always a kidder, aren’t you?” he said. “If they’ve hit a snag, I’m sure they’ll work through it before it’s time to shove off. They’ve never failed us before, have they?” “Indeed not,” the stallion replied dryly. Olive Ridley suddenly remembered that Sunset and Nova were there as well. “Ah, where are my manners?” he said. “Ladies, this here is our navigator, Bleak Herald. Mister Herald, I’d like you to meet Madam Sunset Shimmer and Madam Nova Obscura, the royal ambass’dor and her secretary. “It’s nice to meet you, Bleak Herald,” said Sunset, Nova echoing her. Bleak Herald’s eyes narrowed, looking the two mares up and down. He said nothing at first, breaking his silence just before the moment became awkward. “Likewise,” he responded curtly. Olive Ridley chuckled slightly. “Well, how’s the weather lookin’, Mister Herald?” he asked. “Did that pesky wind that was givin’ us trouble earlier die down? We wouldn’t want to be swept off to Manehattan, now would we?” “Ideally not,” Bleak Herald replied. “Thankfully, the currents have normalized on schedule and we should most likely have no trouble reaching our destination on time, given the present atmospheric conditions.” He turned his head to survey the instruments on the wall, giving one of them a light tap with his hoof, before turning back. Sunset’s curiosity was piqued by this comment. “Where exactly is our destination,” she said, “if you don’t mind me asking?” Bleak Herald looked at her as if she had said something stupid. “As the royal ambassador, I had hoped that you might be able to provide us with the answer to that question,” he said. “Supposedly, the details of our voyage are need-to-know only, and apparently, nopony thought that the navigator needed to know the place he was navigating to. If we don’t get some sort of communication soon, we’re not going anywhere, ready or not.” Sunset was troubled by this. She was very much aware that the princess had not yet written to her to tell her about where she would be going on her first mission as ambassador. When she had last checked its pages back in the carriage, her journal had been as blank as it had been the day before, and she had not felt it activate as she had carried it aboard in her saddlebags. Sunset opened her mouth to speak, trying to come up with some excuse to give for her own ignorance, but found she was at a loss for words. Luckily, Olive Ridley swept in to save Sunset from the awkward situation. “Now, don’t you fret none, Mister Herald,” he said. “These things happen. I’m sure the pencil pushers are just dottin’ their ayes and crossin’ their tees and whatnot.” He turned his head to glance at Sunset. “It’ll get here soon enough,” he said with a wink. “Aye, captain,” said Bleak Herald, his tone betraying his lack of optimism. “Well, I’ll let you get back to work now,” said Olive Ridley. “I’m takin’ the ambass’dor belowdecks to see the boiler room.” Bleak Herald gave the group a bow. “If you’re going down there,” he said, “you might see if you can help our friends find their brains; they seem to have misplaced them.” He returned to the pipe from earlier, where Sunset could still hear a muffled voice. “Yes, yes, I’m still here,” he spoke to it. “Come along, now,” said Olive Ridley to Sunset and Nova, chuckling. He turned and once again held open the door for them. The three exited the bridge, the agitated voice of the ship’s navigator being cut off as the heavy door closed. They walked back down the stairs to the main deck and circled around the raised central deck, coming to another door. This door opened onto another staircase which led them down into the interior of the ship. The first level below the main deck seemed to be the residential part of the ship. A single, long hallway stretched the length of the ship, with a row of cabins on each side. Olive Ridley led the way down the hall toward the front of the ship, where the floor opened up into another staircase, leading down. The trio descended these stairs, arriving at a small section of the ship. On one end of this section, the right and left sides of the ship gradually came together to form the gentle slope of the ship’s bow. On the other end, a wall spanned the width of the ship, with a large double door in the middle. Olive Ridley approached one of the doors, pausing before opening it; he turned back to address Sunset and Nova. “Now, before we head in here, just a word of caution,” he said. “Watch where you step; it’s a bit messy in here. Also, try not to touch anythin’; the boys get a bit ruffled when ponies mess with their toys.” Sunset was a bit confused by this warning, but didn’t have time to ask about it before Olive Ridley threw back one side of the door. Immediately, Sunset was hit by a wave of heat emanating from beyond the door; it felt like she was holding her face in front of a roaring fire. She and Nova entered the room as the captain gestured them inside. From what Sunset could tell, they were standing in a single, unbroken room that was almost as long as the ship. The smell of soot permeated the air, tickling her nose. On each side of the room was a large machine with pipes running out of it and up through the ceiling; Sunset could not begin to guess what they were. What really drew Sunset’s attention, however, was the large collection of metal at the other side of the room. Something that could only be the the boiler that she had heard mentioned previously stood tall and proud there, a large metal chamber with a gaping mouth burning with red-hot flames. The boiler was adjacent to another large machine of unknowable purpose, a machine with two large wheels on its sides that were, in turn, connected to the back wall. As Olive Ridley led Sunset and Nova toward the boiler, Sunset could distinguish several distinct sounds in the air. The first was the roar of the fire burning in the boiler, which was amplified by the boiler’s sizable volume. More noises were being made by the two stallions that came into view as they approached. One of these was stoking the boiler, repeatedly shoveling loads of coal from a large pile nearby into the fire. The other was standing off to the side, speaking into another one of the speaking tubes they had seen in the bridge. The rhythmic clunk of coal as it was dumped in the boiler competed with the raised voice of the pony at the tube. “Like I said before, we’re working on it!,” said the tube-pony. His booming voice was just shy of shouting, although his angry tone did more than enough to convey his emotional state. The sound of muffled words came from the tube, presumably originating from the bridge, which seemed to only further incense him. “Oh, yeah? Why don’t haul your dainty hindquarters down here and say that to my face, you puffed-up, arrogant—” “Gentlemen!” said Olive Ridley, loudly and sternly. At the sound of his voice, both of the unknown stallions froze, their heads snapping towards him. After taking a moment to recognize who it was that had addressed them, the two quickly turned away from what they were doing to face the captain. The room was significantly quieter without the sound of shoveling and borderline-yelling going on. Sunset saw that the stallion who had been talking was an Earth pony who looked like he was just on the cusp of middle-age. His coat was a yellow-orange color, while his mane was a darker red-orange. A large but well-trimmed mustache of the same color adorned his upper lip. He was powerfully built, his large frame covered in muscle. His face bore the marks of chronic stress, which made him look older than he was. At that moment, his face was red, but Sunset couldn’t guess whether the cause was the heat, his anger, or the awkward situation. The other stallion was also an Earth pony, and looked several years older than Sunset, the youngest-looking crew member she had seen so far. His coat was an orange-brown color, and his scruffy hair was a much darker shade of the same color. He was muscled, but had a more average build than his coworker. Sweat and a light smattering of coal dust covered his body, with his hooves the dirtiest of all. He had a youthful face, with a barely-restrained grin on his lips. His eyes had a mischievous glint, quickly glancing over at the other stallion’s face every once in a while. After a moment of silence had passed, the older stallion spoke. “Um, captain, I...uh,” he said, he stammered at a much more normal volume than he had used earlier. “Mister Herald and I were just...uh...” “Now, Mister Firebrand,” Olive Ridley interrupted in a stern but non-threatening tone, “is that any way to be talkin’ in front of a lady? Especially a lady who happens to be our passenger?” The older stallion gulped. “No, captain,” he said quietly. His already-red face reddened even more. The younger stallion snorted, trying very hard to restrain his rising mirth. Olive Ridley looked over at him, evidently unwilling to spare him a lecture either. “I wouldn’t be laughin’ if I were in as sorry a state as you, Mister Tinker,” he said. “Wipe that soot off your face boy; make yourself presentable.” The stallion swallowed his laughter, his smile fleeing; his cheeks reddened a bit as well. “Aye, captain,” he said submissively. He grabbed a rag that was hanging nearby and hastily wiped his grimy face, succeeding in removing most of the soot from his features. “Now that that’s settled,” said Olive Ridley, returning to his normal, friendlier tone, “I’d like to introduce you two to our special guests. This is the royal ambass’dor, Madam Sunset Shimmer, and her secretary, Miss Nova Obscura. Ladies, this is our chief engineer, Firebrand, and our junior engineer, Little Tinker,” he said, gesturing to the older and younger stallions, respectively. “It’s nice to meet you both,” said Sunset, trying not to let the awkwardness get to her; Nova followed suit. Firebrand seemed to calm down a bit as he finally got to speak to somepony other than the captain. “Madam Ambassador, it is a great honor to welcome you to my humble corner of the ship,” he said heartily, dropping into a deep bow. “I can assure you, we will do everything in our power to deliver you swiftly and safely to your destination, no matter how long or hard the journey may be. Why, we would fly into the depths of Tartarus itself if you asked it of us.” “Yeah, what he means to say is that we’ll get you where you need to go, no problem,” Little Tinker chimed in nonchalantly. “You don’t gotta worry about a thing, Your Ambassadorship.” Firebrand rose and looked over at Little Tinker. “I don’t need you to choose my words for me, Mister Tinker,” he said through gritted teeth. “Maybe if I did, you wouldn’t find your hoof in your mouth so often,” Tinker said with a smirk. “Why you...” Firebrand said, stopping himself before finishing his sentence. Olive Ridley chuckled. “I swear, I don’t know how your mama managed to raise the both of you under one roof,” he said. “You two are brothers?” asked Nova. Sunset had also been curious, as their bickering had seemed a bit too fraternal for them to be merely coworkers. “Yes indeed, ma’am!” said Tinker, placing a hoof on Firebrand’s shoulder. “He’s the strong one, and I’m the smart one. And the handsome one. And the funny one, for that matter.” “You’re also the irritating one,” said Firebrand, pushing his brother off of him. “As you can see, our trusty engineers might not get along all the time,” said Olive Ridley to Sunset, “but when push comes to shove, these two can pull off miracles. We’ve never been in a pinch they haven’t been able to get us out of right as rain. Speaking of which,” he said, addressing the two engineers again, “you boys wouldn’t happen to be having any problems down here, would you?” The engineers appeared annoyed by the mention of this subject, but managed to keep their composure to a reasonable extent. “If you’re referring to any concerns raised by our good friend Mister Herald,” said Firebrand, clearly trying to keep a polite tone, “I can assure you, captain, that everything is under control. We’ve just been...having a slight issue maintaining the proper boiler pressure is all.” “We?” said Tinker, raising an eyebrow. “Yes, Mister Tinker,” said Firebrand. “Rest assured, it’ll be taken care of in a jiffy. We just need to recycle the circulation matrix and recalibrate the turbine intakes. Won’t take more than twenty minutes; half an hour, tops.” “Well then, I leave the situation in your capable hooves, Mister Firebrand, Mister Tinker,” said Olive Ridley. “We’ll get out of your manes, now.” “Yes, sir,” said Firebrand. He and Tinker bowed their heads to the three. “And, Madam Ambassador, please let us know if there’s anything we can do for you during your stay with us.” “Yeah, and feel free to pop down here whenever you want,” said Tinker. “One of us is always here.” “Thanks,” said Sunset politely, “I’ll keep that in mind.” Olive Ridley led Sunset and Nova back the way they came. Behind them, the two bickering brothers returned to their work, resuming their shoveling and arguing, respectively. The three walked back through the large door of the boiler room; as it closed, the noise and the heat from within were cut off, leaving Sunset feeling suddenly cold by comparison. “Well, that was the last of them,” said Olive Ridley. “A motley crew to be sure, but worth their weight in gold, every one of them. I thank you for indulgin’ me; most of our passengers scarcely have time to talk to me, let alone my crew. And tryin’ to get a high-born dignitary down here would probably be more trouble than even I could handle. No offense intended, of course.” “None taken,” Sunset chuckled, finding humor in the thought of dragging some of the hoity-toity mares she knew from the castle down there to speak with the soot-covered Tinker. “Anyhow,” continued Olive Ridley, “You two are probably tired from walkin’ the ship top to bottom. Why don’t I show you two to your cabins now, let you take a load off?” Sunset and Nova followed the captain as he led them back up the stairs to the residential level of the ship. This time, he pointed out the rooms to the sides and said what they were for. A common room toward the ship’s front served as the ship’s dining room, as well as whatever else the crew needed it for. The cabins in the middle of the hall were unoccupied; as Olive Ridley explained, the ship was designed to accommodate a larger crew than it did at that time. As they reached the end of the hall, at the back end of the ship, Sunset saw that the rows of cabins on each side terminated at a wall with a single door. “There’s the state room,” Olive Ridley said to Sunset and Nova. “Your room while you’re with us. The rest of us are in the nearest cabins, in case you ever need us in an emergency.” He pointed out several cabins on each side as he said this. Sunset noticed that, aside from the state room, all the cabins seemed to be about the same, relatively small size. “Isn’t the captain supposed to have a bigger cabin than everyone else?” she asked. Olive Ridley chuckled heartily at Sunset question. “Well, I don’t know about ‘supposed to’. That there’s been my space ever since I first started servin’ on this fine vessel, all those years ago.” He gestured towards the cabin in question, adjacent to the state room. “When they decided to make me captain, they offered me the bigger room, the captain’s quarters I mean. I turned them down, as you can probably tell. I just wouldn’t have felt right in there, havin’ all that space for myself and nothin’ to do with it. So, I stayed in my cozy little corner next to all my friends. And the good thing about bein’ captain is that I can sleep wherever I want and nopony can say a darn thing about it. “I suppose it all worked out for the best, though. When they needed to put in a bigger cabin for guests, I just let them use the old captain’s quarters rather than havin’ to do a whole mess of rebuildin’.” “Wait, we’re staying in the old captain’s quarters?” Sunset asked. “The very same,” replied Ridley. “You can even make believe that you’re the captain while you’re in there,” he whispered, putting a hoof to his mouth, “I won’t mind.” The captain laughed at his own joke. “Alright, you two have put up with me for long enough. I’ll give you both some time to get settled in to your accommodations. And if you happen to be needin’ anythin’ while you’re with us, don’t hesitate to ask.” “Thanks, captain,” said Sunset, grateful to finally be at her home-away-from-home, despite enjoying the old guardspony’s company. “Thank you very much, captain,” said Nova politely. “You’ve been a most gracious host.” “Don’t thank me too much now,” said Olive Ridley. “We still have the whole voyage ahead of us.” He bowed before them. “Madam Ambass’dor, Madam Secretary, I take my leave, now. Enjoy your stay here on the Opportunity.” With that, he rose and turned, walking back to the stairs and climbing back up to the main deck. “Well, he was certainly a friendly fellow,” said Nova. “You can say that again,” Sunset chuckled. She turned to the door of their cabin and placed her hoof on the handle. “Shall we?” she asked. Sunset threw the door open and stepped inside, casting her eyes around the room. It seemed to span the width of the ship in one dimension, and was long enough in the other dimension to not feel cramped. A divider had been set up around the middle of the room, splitting it into two smaller spaces of about equal size. Each side had a modestly-sized bed, a small wardrobe, and an office desk. Two large windows in the back wall let the sunlight in and provided a view of the dock. A soft carpet had been spread across the floorboards of each side. Sunset and Nova’s luggage had already been delivered, the various chests and bags scattered throughout the room. Sunset found the room to be cozy and inviting, if a bit smaller than what she was used to. She went over and sat down on the bed, depressing the soft mattress slightly. Breathing a relaxed sigh, Sunset leaned back and lied down on the bed, setting her bags aside. Nova began moving about, examining the furnishings and checking their luggage. “Everything seems to be in order,” she said hesitantly. “Oh, I do hope I didn’t forget anything.” Sunset looked over at her. “Relax, Nova,” she said. “You did a great job getting all this set up.” She wouldn’t have even known where to start if she had had to organize their trip, Sunset thought to herself. Not for the last time, Sunset was grateful that Nova was coming along with her. Nova began to unpack their luggage and get the room in order. Sunset offered to help, but Nova insisted that she could do it herself and that the royal ambassador shouldn’t be bothering herself with such menial tasks anyway. Although she felt a bit awkward letting Nova do all the work, Sunset decided to humor her, as she seemed to be enjoying herself. Sunset rested her eyes and listened to the wind and the sounds of the dock that flowed into the room after Nova opened the windows. After a little while, Sunset became curious and once again pulled out her journal. She flipped through the pages, finding them to be just as empty as they had been earlier. The navigator’s comments from earlier creeped back into her mind and worried her, despite the captain’s reassurances. Sunset knew the princess was a busy pony, but she had figured that she would have been a bit more reliable than this, especially after her promise the day before. A loud noise drew Sunset’s attention to the window; she got up from the bed and went over to see what it was. It sounded like a huge gust of wind blowing by, only it sounded oddly rhythmic, not like any normal wind she had ever heard. She followed her ears, leaning out the window and looking down below her. There, she could just barely make out the tips of the ship’s flippers moving. They pumped slowly but powerfully, sending out a great gust with each flap. Sunset couldn’t help but feel a bit excited seeing such a sight from so close. “It sounds like we’re getting ready to leave,” said Nova. “Why don’t you head upstairs and watch the launch while I finish up here?” Sunset turned away from the window to face her. “You sure you don’t want to come watch with me?” she asked. “I bet it’ll be really cool.” “No, it’s alright,” Nova said with a smile. “You run along and have fun, Sunset. I’ll catch up with you when I’m finished.” Sunset left the room and began her journey upstairs, excited to see them depart, but also a bit bummed that Nova did not want to see it as well. Back on the main deck, Sunset could see that the hustle and bustle from earlier had vanished. All the repairponies and porters had left the ship, and the gangplank connecting them to the dock had been removed. She walked up the stairs toward the bridge to get a better view. When she got up there, she could see that they were indeed preparing to launch. The ship had been detached from the dock and the crowd had largely dispersed. As she stood there looking around, she heard the door of the bridge open behind her. She turned and saw Olive Ridley emerge, looking pumped up. “Come to see the show, Madam Ambass’dor?” he asked. “Yeah,” Sunset admitted. “I didn’t want to miss this.” “Is this your first time travellin’ by airship?” asked Ridley. “Yep,” Sunset replied. “It’s my first time traveling at all, really.” “Well then,” said Ridley, a gleam in his eye, “I think you’re going to enjoy this.” He turned and shouted back through the door into the bridge. “Are we ready to depart, Miss Rain?” “Aye, captain,” Steel Rain replied from inside. “The final checks have been performed and all systems are fully operational.” “Very good!” said Ridley. “And how about our heading, Mister Herald?” “Our course has been plotted, captain,” replied Bleak Herald. “Minimal meteorological interference is expected. Our projected time of arrival is within acceptable limits.” “Glad to hear it,” said Ridley. He noticed that Sunset was visibly confused by this last exchange, so he explained. “We got our orders in a few minutes ago, just like I said we would. I’ll fill you in on where we’re goin’ after we get out of the harbor.” Sunset was relieved to hear that the princess had not gotten distracted and simply forgotten to tell them their destination. Still, she wondered why the princess had waited till the last minute like she had. Sunset banished the thought from her head; she was overthinking things, she realized. They were about to set off on their adventure and, so far at least, everything had gone according to plan; she had nothing to worry about. Olive Ridley spoke up again, interrupting Sunset’s thoughts. “I have to stay up here and keep an eye on things,” he said, “but if you’re wantin’ a nice view, I’d recommend headin’ down to the bow.” He motioned toward the front of the ship, before stepping back into the bridge. Sunset decided to take the captain’s advice and headed back down the stairs and up to where he had indicated. In the bridge, Olive Ridley addressed his first mate, who stood ready at the helm. “Miss Rain, take us out.” “Yes, sir,” Steel Rain responded, tightening her hold on the wheel. “Mister Herald, slow ahead.” “Yes, ma’am,” said Bleak Herald, reaching out and puling a lever attached to a large dial with several settings marked in writing. He adjusted the dial to the setting marked “slow ahead”. Down in the engine room, a similar-looking dial on the wall switched to the corresponding setting, accompanied by the sound of a small bell. Firebrand looked up at it and relayed the message to his brother. “Slow ahead, Tinker,” he said. Little Tinker, standing over by the engine, pulled a lever on the controls. “Slow ahead,” he echoed back. The great wheels of the engine, which had been spinning at a sluggish pace, gradually increased in speed, causing a corresponding increase in the speed of the beating flippers. Outside the ship, the flippers sent out progressively more powerful bursts of wind, which could have sent a pony flying had they been standing in their path. At the bow, Sunset watched with excitement as the ship began to inch forward. It moved slowly at first, its change in position barely detectable unless one looked down at the dock beside it. Soon, however, Sunset could feel the movement of the massive vessel as it got up to speed. When the ship was moving fast enough, Steel Rain in the bridge gently turned the wheel to the side with the precision of a surgeon. In response, the beating of the ship’s flippers changed speeds, one slowing down and the other speeding up slightly. The imbalance of forward force slowly veered the ship away from the dock, toward the mouth of the harbor. Sunset watched as the solid ground of the dock moved away from her, leaving only the sheer drop of the mountainside in its place. She was not especially afraid of heights, but that particular view probably would have made even the bravest of ponies uneasy. Looking away, she turned her gaze to the mouth of the harbor, which the ship was quickly turning to face. When they had lined themselves up with the opening, the ship ceased its rotation, moving straight ahead. The ship advanced at a decent pace, the walls of the mountain moving past them slowly but surely. Suddenly, Sunset noticed the sound of hooves on wood coming from behind her. She turned around, and was greeted with the sight of Nova Obscura trotting across the deck toward her. “Hey, there you are,” Sunset called out to her. “I was starting to think you weren’t gonna make it.” Nova reached Sunset at the bow and took a second to regain her composure. “So was I,” she said. “I finished up as quickly as I could so that I could join you up here.” Nova glanced out at their surroundings and noticed the steep drop below them. “Oh dear,” she said nervously, reflexively taking a step away from the side of the ship. “I suppose I'll have to get used to this.” “We both will,” said Sunset, giving Nova a playful nudge and a smile. Nova looked back at her, appearing somewhat at ease. Sunset turned her gaze ahead of the ship and saw that they had almost reached the mouth of the harbor. Nova took a deep breath to calm herself. “Well, here we go,” she said. “Here we go,” Sunset echoed back. As the two mares stood watching, the Opportunity left the rocky enclosure of the mountain and entered the open sky beyond. Neither one of them could have imagined what lay in store for them as they flew away from Canterlot, the only home they had even known, and into the magical land of Equestria beyond.