Nova was mighty nervous about the bus ride and even went so far as to sit down on the floor so that casual observers, or worse yet, intentional observers, wouldn't see her. When they arrived there was already a heavy Cloudsdale Guard presence outside. Nova got off the bus with the others, walked through what looked to be a gate of heavy mahogany set within a fairly substantial wall that was not made of cloud material.
A garden. Nova had stepped through the gate and into a garden. Not a typical Cloudsdale garden of plants in pots, but an actual landscaped ornamental garden.
“Impressive isn’t it?” Doctor Showers asked. “You might want to continue on through though.”
“Oh, right, sorry,” Nova replied and started down the meandering walkway.
To either side of the gate were small structures, one for guards, and one for processing visitors by the looks of it. The walkway itself coiled around to several buildings within the compound. Behind her, she could hear the heavy doors being shut and barred. Above her, a prismatic honeycombed shield formed giving the place the look of being within a greenhouse.
“Ah, Doctor, it’s so good you are back. We were starting to worry.” Offered a gray roan Earth pony with dark legs, tail, ears, and head.
“Minister-counselor Grey.” Doctor Showers said politely while dropping his head to shoulder level. Aria did the same maneuver so Nova thought it might be best to, mimic their movements followed by the minister bowing to Nova.
“Well, now that that’s out of the way…” Minister Grey offered just as a pale blue pegasus with a two-tone blue and silver main and tail came trotting out.
“Sun! Aria! You’re safe!” She called as she hurried up to them and gave each a hug. “And this is?” She turned to look at Nova.
“Bright Star Mustang.” Nova offered. “But I’m more likely to answer to Nova.” Nova was then surprised by a hug and was forced to twist her neck so as not to impale the mare.
“Ow… what in Celestia?” the mare asked feeling the horn jabbing into her.
“My mom, Gentle Rain.” Aria offered as her mother rubbed her chest, and then attempted to figure out what on Nova’s head had poked her.
‘Clunk.’
“Please stop,” Nova requested dryly as Gentle Rain bumped her hoof against the unseen horn. Several times.
“Come, let us go inside. And yes, we have been in contact with your adopted father. He had been curious as to what our motivations were and whether or not we would be his ally should any unforeseen problems arise.” Minister Grey offered and directed them to a modest-sized pavilion. “Miss Aria, I’ll trust you to look after the Hime while she is here.”
“Wait, doesn’t that mean princess?” Mrs Showers asked stopping right in her tracks.
“Yes mother, she is technically a princess.” Aria offered. “And yes, Minister, I am honored to be her companion.”
“A princess and not a princess.” Minister Grey offered as they went inside where tea had been made ready along with little sandwiches and cakes.
“Come, every pony, sit.” Minister Grey prompted.
“To dine with the princess will be our honor.” Doctor Showers offered as he sat down.
“I too am honored.” Nova offered as she sat on the cushion that had been pointed out to her by the Minister. And then added with a smile, “But don’t be too nice to me it might go to my head.”
“Doctor, I think you might be able to fill me in a little?” Minister Grey suggested as a maid poured tea.
Nova said thank you in what she hoped was the proper Neighpony thank you.
“Princess, I’m afraid there are few who still speak the old formal language of the court.” Minister Grey offered with an interesting smile as Nova’s inflection was that of a native speaker or someone who’d been in contact with a native speaker at a young enough age to pick up the proper inflections. “Fewer still who understand it.”
“I’m that out of date am I?” Nova asked. “And Nova is fine, please.”
“Miss Nova. I understand. You’ve been trying to avoid the eye of certain ponies. Not that I blame you either. The Platinum clan are a troublesome bunch. - Doctor?”
“The news isn’t good.” Doctor Showers offered with a consigned tone. “It seems that Archduke Blueblood has bitten off far more than he could ever hope to chew. It would seem he is attempting to take full control of the government to include controlling Princess Celestia.”
“Oh my, but how would that even be possible?” Gentle Rain asked.
“By taking into control certain assets whose safety could compromise the Princess.” Doctor Showers explained. “I am to understand that they attempted to abduct Princess Cadance right in broad daylight. At Flight Camp.”
📖
“Sunset, your book is ringing.” Offered one of the two women who’d taken Sunset in. Sunset had at first insisted that she was not the woman’s daughter and had wanted nothing to do with her. But she wasn’t stupid either. When Mrs Celeste Aureole pointed out what Sunset’s options were, she decided to just play along with her. After all, having a home with some ‘one’ who actually cared was far better then a life on the streets, orphanages, foster care, jail, prison, and for undocumented ‘persons’ with no apparent history, incarceration in holding facilities and deportation to not even Celestia could know where.
“I told you I don’t want to talk to her.”
“Well you don’t mind if I do, do you? Sun-set?”
“Knock yourself out.”
Celeste opened up the book and looked at the last bookmarked page.
“Well?”
“You know it’s difficult for me to read, she uses too many outdated characters,” Celeste replied. “Um, I’m having trouble with a word, but I think it translates to coup d'é·tat.”
Sure the language was more or less equivalent to English, but the alphabet was a rather interesting mix of Roman and Greek. Some of the characters dated back to the Poenicians and had no known translation forcing Celeste to make educated guesses as to what the sounds might be. As for the nature of the book, sure it looked like magic, but Celeste didn’t think that way. As far as she was concerned it was some form of advanced technology. And probably just as well that Sunset hadn’t fallen into the hands of someone less open-minded being the book had all the earmarks of a Necronomicon. Clark’s first law certainly fit that book. ‘Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.’ Sunset, as she insisted on calling herself, had also complained that she couldn't do magic in this world. A little gem she’d let slip after Celeste had first started to read the book. Something was missing. Celeste theorized it must be some form of background radiation that the native inhabitants had learned how to tap into just like humans learned how to use fire and then electricity. The book also provided indisputable proof that Sunset Shimmer was not her daughter.
“What?!” Sunset exclaimed dropped the book she was reading and rushed over to see what had been written for herself. “That son of a Minotaur.”
“Did I ever tell you I love the way you swear?”
“This is hardly the time.” Sunset scolded as she took in the words.
Sunset was finally looking at the book. That two-way diary. As upset as she’d been, as mad at Princess Celestia she had been she wanted nothing further to do with her. She’d even gone so far as to tell herself that Celestia had tricked her, but then knowing Celestia’s love of ‘tests’ she knew that she had failed miserably. As for why she kept the book, Sunset simply told herself that the only reason why she had kept it was so she could tell Princess Celestia off. Only now she was looking at the book her mind going a mile a minute.
‘Dear Sunset, my dearest little sun. As I write this Archduke Bloublood has seized control of the government buildings and taken hostages. I’ve received word that he attempted to take Cadance into custody but was thankfully thwarted by Bow Hothoof. Forgive me, but he is the reason I could never acknowledge you as my precious daughter. You have two sisters who have gone into hiding for fear that Blueblood has learned of them. Please forgive me but I have actually found that I am now glad for your rash actions because it means you are well beyond his grasp. I fear the Stallion is mad. If you don’t hear from me, assume the worst, and that Equestria is lost.
Your mother, Celestia.’
Sunset sat hard on the floor as her legs went out from under her, her surrogate mother Celeste, rushing to catch her.
“She was my mother,” Sunset said in barely a whisper. “All that time she was my mother and she couldn't admit it even to me because of that worthless piece of horse apple. All that time.” Finally, Sunset had had enough and the dam broke in a torrent of tears and sobs while Celeste did her best to console the stricken girl.
When Sunset had finally regained control of herself she went back and read all the messages she’d missed. Messages asking if she was alright, messages apologizing for being so cryptic about things she should have been straight forward with, an apology for showing her the mirror and not fully explaining it because she hadn’t fully understood the spell cast on it by Starswirl, and an apology for blowing up at her when she should have just told her what she needed to know to keep her from doing the very thing she’d done. There was also an experimental reply written in by Celeste, an answer, another reply, and a joy-filled answer. After that, the two had engaged in mostly small talk about Sunset.
Sunset picked up a pen and began to write.
‘Mom, that’s all I wanted. All I ever wanted was for you to be my mom, to call you mom, and for you to call me daughter. Thank you. Mom. I guess that deep down I knew. Sorry for every harsh word. Sorry for demanding what I hadn’t earned. I never really wanted to be an alicorn, I just wanted my mom. So what’s this about sisters?’
And then it was time to wait. Wait for an answer that might not even come. After all those weeks of ignoring Princess Celestia’s messages, now Sunset was desperate for some news. Anything to let her know that everything was going to be alright.
🚟
“Any chance we have a specific location?” Spitfire asked the Captain of the airship they were in as they launched.
“Not really, no. We were told to lay low somewhere until an all-clear is sent out.” Their captain offered.
“Head west to Tall Tale along the north side of the Smokey Mountains,” Sunshine suggested. “And then South through Saddleback Pass to the White Tail Woods.”
“You’re not thinking about dropping in on the Elk Kingdom are you?” Spitfire asked. “Why not just go straight there?”
“If any pony is following us or tracking us in any way we wouldn't want to telegraph where we are headed.” The Captain offered. “Name’s Strike Oars. I started out when ships still sailed in the water. We’ll go through Dragon Tale gap like we would to go to Seaward Shoals and then we can cut through Saddleback pass and down into the White Tail.”
“Just out of curiosity, how high will this go?” Sunshine asked.
“Operational altitude is sixteen thousand horns, the ceiling is a little over twenty thousand.” Captain Oar offered.
“I’m still new to flying, but how high can pegasi fly?”
“Typically no higher than ten thousand, and only for a short duration.” Spitfire offered. “You’ll know when you are up that high, the air is really thin. The newest airships are pressurized and the engines still have more than enough air to get the job done.”
“We are at ten thousand now. Want to go higher?” Captain Oar asked.
“Sure,” Sunshine replied with a big smile. “Take us all the way up. After all, I may never get the opportunity ever again.”
“You heard the young Filly, take ‘er up Mr Helm.”
“Aye aye, Captain,” Helm responded, pulled back on a leaver, and up they went.
A thrill washed through Sunshine as the landscape below fell away until everything was so small details she normally took for granted just kind of blended away.
A short time later they leveled out at twenty thousand. And then they waited. After all travel by any means takes time, and it would be nightfall by the time they reached Saddleback Pass. And that was if Princess Celestia holds to schedule.
“So, um, how do we know when it’s safe to return?” Spitfire asked.
“Short wave. The radio is set to receive only. And they have to authenticate. If they fail to authenticate we ignore them.” Captain Oar replied.
“Captain!” Sunshine called out. “A pony…”
“What, where?” Captain Oar replied.
“They’re gone now,” Sunshine said softly. “A unicorn. I think they fell off the top.”
He went over to her and gave her head a pat. “Sorry, if he was up there, and we can’t go chasing after them. There isn’t a pegasus alive who could have caught up with them in time. And if there are any other poor fools up there, may Harmony have mercy on their souls.”
“It’s my fault,” Sunshine said dropping her head.
“No miss, tis not yer fault. We’d been at ten thousand horns far longer then any pegasus could have endured.” Captain Oar offered. “The fault was their own for thinking they could hitch a ride up there.”