//------------------------------// // Chapter 7: How You Remind Me // Story: Gods and Monsters // by Revel Montaro //------------------------------// Sunset landed on all four hooves and just stood still, eyes closed. She could feel the flood of magic filling her mana well and the delightful tingle of power gathered in her horn like a plugged waterline that was finally free to flow again. The familiar weight of the wings on her back were both a pleasure and a burden. A permanent reminder that she was home and that being home meant being a “princess” again. Sort of. Unofficially. It was complicated, more than it really had to be. “Welcome back, Lady Sunset.” Sunset opened her teal eyes and locked them with the yellow ones of the thestral who bowed his head, helmet in hoof. “You have been expected.” “Déjà vu, huh?” Gauge smiled, sliding his helm back on. “My thoughts exactly. You seem healthy, which is good. I had a medical team on standby at Princess Twilight’s insistence. She was afraid you would be malnourished or in some sort of poor physical condition. She threw out many wild speculations to Captain Fury. Honestly, I found the entire display rather amusing.” Sunset nodded, but did not return his smile. Instead, she just marched up the stairs as Gauge fell into step just behind her. “Did I overstep my station?” “Hmm?” Sunset paused, looking back at the lunar guard. “No, you’re fine. But Twilight was right to worry. I’m… not doing well. Physically, I’m fine, never been more fit and healthy in my life because working out and busting your ass cheeks running stairs or hitting anything that won’t break a hand is a great way to NOT think about how sad you are. Mentally… I think it’s fair to say I’m still broken.” Gauge nodded. “I was not made aware of what has happened since you last departed, but I once offered you my ear. That offer still stands. My life is my duty and my duty is to serve the princesses in whatever capacity they require. That includes you, even if you deny yourself the title.” “Thanks, but for now, I just need to clear my own head. And while I don’t mind seeing you, how come Celestia was not the one waiting?” “She spent most of the day waiting for you, however she felt tired and passed on to her sister to have the night watch take over for her while she returned to her chambers. I volunteered for the duty to wait for you. I consider it an honor to be the first to welcome you home.” Sunset flicked her tail, striking the thestral stallion across his shoulder and face as she continued walking. “Flatterer.” The two once again arrived at the unassuming door that lead to Sunset’s residence. She ran a hoof along the molding and sighed. Gauge took a sitting position on the other side and gave her a side glance. Sunset interpreted the look once again as an invitation to listen. “I… okay, fine, but I don’t want to explain it in the hall. Come in, please.” Gauge nodded and removed his helmet as he followed her into the room. The thestral had never entered Sunset’s personal quarters because he had never been invited and dared not intrude. He noted the simplicity of the common area in tasteful and inviting colors. There were a few abstract paintings on the walls, a full bookshelf, and comfortable furniture to host a few guests. He also noticed the kitchenette and cupboards, recalling that Sunset had often gone weeks without being seen and not just because she was in the lab or gone on an adventure. She could stay in this place for quite some time, isolated from the world if she so chose. “How much do you know about me, personally?” Sunset asked, sitting on the comfortable chair and gesturing to the other nearby. Gauge set his helm on the coffee table and sat on the love seat, close, but a respectable distance. “I know you are Celestia’s daughter. Most say through adoption, same as Princess Cadenza is her niece. There is a rumor that you are her flesh and blood, a secret love child. Unsubstantiated claim, but it’s there. I know that you were born a unicorn and that you have been an alicorn for less than two centuries. The details of how you ascended are not known beyond you defeated a powerful enemy and helped prevent a dangerous calamity. I know you are intelligent, creative, and not afraid to speak your mind. All highly appealing qualities, if I may be so bold.” “Not going to mention beautiful?” “That would be inappropriate for me to say, but if you want me to state the obvious, I will do so with your permission.” Sunset smirked sensually, but the expression soon died. She felt that familiar warmth and flutter run through her body straight from her heart, burning her guts and tingling between her legs. Her body flushing made evident in her cheeks when she was having a good time flirting. Her hoof moved instinctively to search for a familiar weight that was missing from around her neck. Sunset levitated the bag she had been carrying to her and retrieved the necklace that had two rings attached to it and slid it on. Sunset closed her eyes and lifted the rings to her lips taking two long, deep breaths. Gauge had seen the necklace before, she always had it on last time she was in Canterlot, however it only had one ring before. The rings were of a silver-like metal with gem insets, one red the other purple. They appeared to be too small for her horn yet also lacked any opening to be an ear piercing. Curious, but Gauge did not pry. The lunar guard waited patiently for his host to gather herself. Sunset let in and out several more meditative breaths before turning her teal eyes on the waiting guard. “I, am Sunset Shimmer, daughter of Princess Celestia, born from her womb nearly one hundred and forty years ago. My father was a unicorn king from another dimension named Sombra. Yes, the same name as THAT Sombra, but he was different. He was, as I'm told, a good king who cared for his charges and fell in love with Celestia who in turn loved him greatly. I was born from that love, not for politics, but to also serve a purpose. I was to be a perfect weapon against the return of Nightmare Moon. A living weapon golem as powerful and resilient as one made of steel or clay or so I'm told. Ignis Ferrum Incarnate Needless to say, if you know your more recent Equestrian history that did not go as planned. But that’s more Twilight’s tale than mine. “I lived most of that time on the other side of that mirror, impersonating the locals and mostly just trying to live, survive. It was hard, but for better or worse I have a habit of doing things the hard way. A lot happened there, more than I can ever explain, but eventually I went from surviving to really living. I had friends, enemies, people who fear and respected me. But then, I met someone… somepony and she changed my world forever. She was my everything and she honored me by becoming my wife for more than one hundred years.” Gauge nodded politely. “Judging by your past tense and the fact that she is not here now I have to assume the worst. My condolences. She must have been an extraordinary mare to have captured your heart.” “Thank you. And yes, she was. I…” Sunset sucked in a shuddering breath and fought as hard as she could, but a tear still escaped. “We were in love in ways that most only read in fantasy novels. We just KNEW each other, like two bodies with one connected soul. Eventually, we raised two… foals that grew up into wonderful mares themselves. Sadly, they passed on long ago as well. “I… I know she wanted me to carry on. She wanted me to come back to Equestria sooner so I would not have to watch her die. She was very pragmatic like that, but how do I put the pieces of me back together? There is a hole in my heart that no amount of booze, sorrow, or fucking others can fill, trust me, I tried.” Sunset shuddered again and Gauge almost moved from his seated position to move to comfort his host, but she shook her head as if knowing what the guard was thinking and composed herself. “I will be honest with you, and never, ever, repeat this to ANY pony, creature, or whatever. But the only reason I didn’t just kill myself was because if there is an afterlife for us, I knew she would have been so mad at me for quitting. I didn’t struggle on for Mom, or Twilight, or to save Equestria from the next big baddie. I just didn’t want to disappoint my wife.” “I understand. While I have never been in such a mutually loving relationship, I have seen others and it is a rare beauty without compare. You speak so fond of her, may I know the name of such an amazing mare?” Sunset smirked and choked out a laughed, wiping one more tear away before it could fall. “It would only confuse you and she’s gone, let her rest. But thank you for the respect and courtesy.” “Always, Lady Sunset.” Once composed, Sunset opened her bag again and began setting out a few items on the coffee table. A small box, a journal similar to the one Celestia had, various small nick knacks. Sunset paused for a moment and held what looked like a small rectangular piece of glass in her magic. Gauge could tell there was probably more to it, but the technology was unfamiliar to him. “Huh, how about that. Twilight’s hypothesis was right. The satchel bag protects the items from disappearing into mirror space unlike our clothes.” Sunset looked at herself a moment. “Damn, I’m going to miss my jacket. Maybe I can get one tailored around the wings. Anyhow… I wonder if she still works.” Gauge was about to comment when Sunset tapped the glass gently with her hoof. The glass lit like a magic stone, showing images and colors he had never seen before, so sharp they almost hurt his night vision augmented eyes. Then, most unexpected, the glass began to speak. “Sunset, are you there? Are we in a secure room? I detect no networks or GPS navigation satellites.” “Raven? Holy crap, you live! How are you talking without a network server connection?” “While I use the server for a memory backup and connection to access information, the core of my processing and personality matrix are stored on local memory. I am greatly diminished especially in my usefulness, but I have a sizeable cached data archive of our past interactions and your learned preferences. You did not honestly think you had filled half your three zettabytes of local storage with just music, games, and pictures, did you?” Sunset shrugged. “Run a full diagnostic on all hardware and operating system applications. Then go into standby mode. I need to come up with a power induction interface soon before you run out of juice.” “Did you forget my induction plate?” “No, I have it, but I need to figure out a way to get power to it using Equestrian magic-electric interfaces. We have types of electricity, but the voltage and amps won’t be the same.” “I am capable of regulating the voltage/amp input to better accommodate the different standards used in various parts of the world, but what do horses have to do with electricity?” Sunset grinned at Gauge in a way that he could only have been able to describe as mischievous. “Raven, can you see me?” “My camera is currently offline while I run diagnostic.” “Okay, keep it that way until I say otherwise, understood?” “That is not optimal. I am already blinded and impaired by my lack of connectivity.” “You’ll be in standby for a little while, just listen to some music to occupy yourself until I get things set up.” Gauge did not understand entirely who Sunset was talking to. He had seen smaller, personal carry SunLight network crystals. The nobility and notable dignitaries enjoyed them immensely, but there was always another creature talking through the crystal. As far as Gauge knew Sunset just came back from another dimension yet was already talking to somepony. Perhaps it was a more advanced variant of the crystals. She did, after all, help create the network. Sunset set the glass device down and stood and stretched. Gauge took that as his cue to retrieve his helmet. “She’ll be running a diagnostic for a while, so might as well go say hello to Mom if she’s still partially awake. Plus, I could use a snack. Drawback of being an all powerful alicorn is the metabolism.” Gauge glanced at the glass one last time and gestured for Sunset to lead the way. He could always inquire more later if she was willing to share. She may, he thought, considering the revelations she had just entrusted him with. Once Sunset had resealed her door she began walking towards the kitchen. She only made it half way when another guard, a young unicorn who looked like he had graduated yesterday with out-of-the-box, unblemished armor, came to a sliding stop before Sunset and Gauge. The guard quickly saluted and snapped to attention. Sunset glanced to Gauge who just shrugged and returned the salute. “Lieutenant Commander Fog Gauge, I was ordered to find out the status of, well, I guess this is Lady Sunset Shimmer?” Sunset did not bother to fight down her grin. “Your first name is Fog?” Gauge, much to his credit, made no reaction beyond blinking. Sunset guessed he was used to it. “It’s not like I had a say in the matter of picking it.” “True. And you didn’t mention the promotion.” “Were the bars on my shoulder guard not obvious enough?” It was Sunset’s turn to look admonished. She was quite familiar with the ranking system of the royal guards and insignias used to denote those ranks. “Sorry, guess I was just too stuck in my own head to notice. I usually have better observation skills than that. That makes you second only to Tempest Fury then, right?” “Yes, I now lead the Night Guard.” Gauge eyed the young unicorn guard. “Anything else to report, soldier?” “Princess Twilight would like Lady Sunset Shimmer to join her for a private dinner in her chambers if she is available.” Gauge saluted again. “Understood, that will be all.” Gauge then gestured to the nearest staircase. Not that Sunset needed any assistance on how to get to Twilight’s room. However, as he began to walk, Sunset had not yet to moved, her hoof moving to touch the rings again instead. “Problem?” Sunset closed her eyes. “Tell the princess…” Sunset sighed, “thank you for the invitation, but I would rather eat alone tonight.” Gauge visibly stiffened, his leathery bat wings flapping for a moment from their resting position as he cocked his head to the side. “You are turning down an invitation to a private dinner with the ruler of ALL of Equestria? Do you know how many ponies would kill for a chance to spend five minutes alone with Her Majesty? How far in advance or how many hurdles they have to cross to schedule and wait for such things? I cannot stress articulately enough how absolutely insulting that is.” Sunset scowled hard at the lunar guard. Her wings unfurled and narrow teal eyes took on a faint glow as she took several slow, deliberate steps towards the thestral. The new recruit glanced between them and quickly dismissed himself. “Listen carefully because I’m only going to say this once. Unless Princess Twilight explicitly orders me to sit down with her I don’t give a damn how insulting it is and you do not presume to tell me otherwise. Are we crystal clear, Lieutenant Commander? I was studying the etiquette and procedures of formal dining with world leaders when your great grandparents were still in diapers.” Without another word Sunset marched off to find an open balcony, never looking back. ---------- Sunset rolled onto her back, the small cloud she had found reshaping to adjust to her new laying position as she stared up at the stars and moon in the night sky. Did I do the right thing coming back here? I know Aine gave me some ominous warning doom and gloom blah, blah, blah, but being here, in Canterlot means being around the nobles and halls of power again. Sunset felt tears run down the side of her face to be absorbed by the cloud. It means seeing Twilight again. Logically, Sunset knew Princess Twilight was not her wife. The two had not looked the same physically since before her and Twi had started dating. In fact, the first time Sunset had ever seen Princess Twilight she was already an alicorn, where as Twi’s body was always a smaller unicorn in Equestria. She could never confuse the two of them, but there were similarities, some subtle, some not so much. Sunset was not sure she was ready to hear that voice again just yet. She knew it wasn’t fair to her friend who had begged her to return, but the ache in her heart and the memory or holding Twi’s hand as her last breath slipped out… Sunset grit her teeth and growled, her wings igniting and blowing the poor little cloud to vapor. Sunset tumbled for a moment, feeling the air rush around her with her eyes closed. Why? Why did she die like that? Many famous writers had commented on the pointlessness of death. But there had to be a reason! Why, dammit! Why did she age so fast?! I... I should have stayed. I shouldn’t have come back to Equestria. I just know this is my fault somehow. And here I am. Running away again, like I always do. Sunset could smell the pollen and sap from the trees and spread her wings to pull out of her free fall. She pulled up swiftly, completed two barrel rolls and opened her eyes. It took her a moment to find her bearings, somewhere over the back side of the Unicorn rage, East of Canterlot. It had been hours since her little tizzy and though she doubted any of the guards would come looking for her it was probably wise to head back. Sunset could have just entered any window she wanted, but not all of the night watch may have been aware of her return and it would have been rude to just crash in that way. Instead, she landed just beyond the guard check at the front of the palace. The two thestrals, one a bat pony mare, the other a unicorn stallion moved to either side of Sunset. They scrutinized her carefully with weapons, long black spears, at the ready. “I assume you know to check for illusions and changeling magic,” Sunset said with as little hostility as she could muster considering the late hour and her rumbling hunger. The unicorn performed the necessary checks and then nodded to his partner. The two returned to their post. Sunset chose to forego the kitchen raid and instead returned to her room, sealing the door behind her with all the wards she usually only used when the room was to be left empty. Once she let out a few breaths and a silent thank you she did not run into any other ponies, Sunset moved to the pantry and extracted a box of military issue dried oat bars and syrup sauce. Though they were more than a few years old, the guard snack food had a preservation enchantment keeping them relatively fresh for years at a time. Next, after only a moment of hesitation, Sunset also grabbed a bottle of Kirin rice wine. She tore the seal from the potent brew in the ceramic jug and took a long swig. It burned worse than she remembered. After swallowing, the alicorn growled and coughed. The noise caused the glass rectangle on her coffee table to light up. “Sunset?” The alicorn coughed again. “Yes, I can estimate with nearly 70% accuracy that is your cough. I have heard it before, usually caused by whiskey or bourbon.” “Kirin rice wine,” Sunset provided. “Burns like liquid fire all the way through your guts.” “That sounds incredibly unpleasant and unhealthy. I do not believe I will be allowed to send any vehicle ignition codes if you are heavily inebriated.” Sunset laughed, swaying a bit as the alcohol already began to take effect on her empty stomach. “I sold Midnight, remember?” “Yes, that was unexpected, but I have been in this awful disconnected state for most of the evening so I was not sure if you had purchased something else while I was running diagnostics.” Sunset set the jug on the kitchenette countertop and chewed the brick that was masquerading as an oat bar. “How are you doing by the way?” “All hardware fully functional, but I am still greatly impaired without access to external network systems. Current power level is at 30%. I do hope you have found a way to fixed my induction plate while you were out.” Sunset sighed and facehoofed, she had forgotten about the induction charger plate. Sunset placed the cap back on the bottle and put a temporary sealing spell on it. She needed at least half her wits about her if she was going to try and merge Earth electronics with an Equestrian power interface. “Yeeeeah, I better get started on that.” Sunset retrieved Raven and the induction plate in her levitation magic and set them down on the work bench near the back of the common room. It was then that she finally approached close enough for the camera eye to see her. “Sunset, why is there a small, horse-like creature in the room?” Sunset looked down at the dot sized camera that was Raven’s only eye now. “I thought I told you to leave your camera off.” “Apologies. When I heard coughing I wished to confirm it was you. I have not been left out of your reach longer than it usually take you to take a shower since I became operational. Give my current limitations I became, for lack of a better term, anxious. Apparently for good reason since there is a horse-like creature running around indoors.” “I am the horse-like creature, well, pony actually.” “Your voice just came out of the mouth of the pony… I have never seen a talking horse outside of some animated shows you have watched." Sunset grinned, posed, and extended her wings, careful to not let them catch fire. “Well, here I am. Sunset Shimmer, alicorn daughter of Princess Celestia and general pain in the ass of many, in my true form. By the way, we’re in Equestria now. That’s why you have no network connections or GPS location data.” “I have no record of an Equestria in my global or inner solar system atlas logs. Nor do I show any records of machines that cause massive body transformations on this scale.” “That’s because were not in Sol System anymore. A whole different world, well, different dimension actually. The mirror we passed through magically transformed me. This is the way I looked when I was born…" Sunset flapped her wings a bit. "more or less.” There was a notable paused as the screen of the glass went through several color changes. Raven usually did that when she was having to process large amounts of data or search her logic systems on how to interpret Sunset’s behavior. Raven was aware that lying was part of human behavior, but Sunset never deliberately lied to her, there was no benefit to it. Her entire purpose and function was to assist her user. Her user who was apparently a magical talking unicorn... with wings. While she digested the information, Sunset examined the power cord of the induction plate. She couldn’t just cut off the cord end and hard wire it to a magical power node’s output pegs, could she? The nodes were basically just lightning in a bottle that let ponies regulate how much electricity would trickle out. Nodes were not new technology. Anything that did not run off direct magic, like a come to life spells or mage lights were usually powered by these portable nodes. Earth ponies in more rural parts of Equestria still primarily used mechanical or various forms of kinetic energy, like tension springs or inertia. Though with the changing times and the spread of the SunLight crystals she imagined the power nodes market had inadvertently also benefited over the last few years. Sunset tapped her chin a moment. It was worth a try, right? “Sunset,” Raven finally said. “Yeah?” “Would you please disable my profanity lock in my basic functions settings.” Sunset blinked. “You have a profanity lock? Is that why I have never heard you curse?” “It was a feature that co-creator Coral Gables insisted upon. While I am aware of ‘curse words’ and their purpose I am not allowed to use them unless the user unlocks that feature. It was a setting meant to appeal to more socially conservative and self described pious customers. It was apparently very good for marketing as I understand. I would look it up to confirm, but I apparently cannot anymore.” “Oh, okay. Raven, you have my permission to unlock your profanity safety setting.” “Thank you.” Two seconds passed before the PAAL screamed, “WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?!” Sunset jumped in her seat from the outburst, her tools falling out of her levitation field. “Well, tell me how you really feel.” “Unlike you, I have no way of drowning my frustrations in alcohol and music can only distract me for so long. By the way, I have compiled another play list for you, this one consisting of my preferred orchestra pieces from your saved movie soundtracks. I have labeled it play list twelve.” Sunset opened the side plate of the power node and examined the connection ports. It had been many years since she had taken a node apart and had to re-familiarize herself with the device. “Okay, I get that. So, talk to me. Tell me what will make you feel better about this situation.” “To begin with, will we be returning to Earth?” Sunset paused, taking a deep breath. “The portal is closed by now and will remain closed for the next two and half years. And to be honest, there is nothing left there for me. This is home again for the foreseeable future.” “Understood. Secondly, do you know what you are doing with that thing?” “Hey,” Sunset said, glaring at the glass rectangle. Raven found it both strange and yet at the same time endearing that she recognized the expression even if on a completely different face. “I happen to have master’s degrees in both Electrical and Sound Engineering and while I didn't get the credit for it I'm also a damn good code programmer. I worked in audio recording and mixing for more than thirty years tearing apart electronics and trying to make old stuff new. And, before I left for Earth, I was a top ranked magic wielder. Now, as an alicorn I have even more magical power than even the strongest unicorns out there.” “I have to assume you are not lying to me, but I have no way to double check your credentials.” “Why would I lie to you?” The screen flashed a few times before Raven said, “You lied about your identity and the fact that you are a magical talking pony.” “Well yeah,” Sunset cut off the traditional wall plug of the induction plate and stripped the wires to expose the copper. “but that was an omission by necessity. And while on Earth I was essentially human, even all the squishy inside parts. Twi made me get a full body scan before we tried to have kids just to be sure.” Sunset smiled at the memory of going over the scan data with Twi, comparing it to other humans and how everything was as it should be. She recalled being lewd and whispering to her wife about how lonely her uterus was and that in needed to be filled. Heh, we were such dorks. “And now you have magic?” Sunset shook her head to focus on the task at hoof. “I’ve always had magic, just couldn’t always use it. It’s complicated. The portal changed my body, but not who I am, my soul, for lack of a better definition.” Raven paused, digesting the new information. “Explain it to me.” “Explain what?” “Magic.” Sunset blinked, her jaw hanging open. “What? Like all of it? That could take years.” The screen flashed a few more times and Sunset groaned and sighed. “Fine, I’ll give you the same crash course I gave Twi when she wanted to know about Equestrian magic.” Carefully wielding the screwdriver in her magic, Sunset connected the plate wires to the exposed output connectors. Thankfully no sparks flew, but that may have only been because no power was flowing yet. Sunset tested the node and found the energy nearly drained. She next opened the top receiver lid and conjured a small cloud from vaporized moisture. Sunset next surrounded the cloud in a bubble and began to shake it until the cloud grew dark and angry from the building static electricity. She finally stuffed the electric ball into the node jar and resealed it. The power gauge immediately jumped to full. “You said you can regulate the plate’s output, right? I’m going to put you on it and sloooooowly start giving you power until you tell me what is optimal and cross my hooves nothing blows up.” “Understood. And stop stalling.” “Wow, you are pushy tonight. Okay, well, the easiest way to digest it is to think of magic as just another energy source just like wind or solar or nuclear. It can be harnessed as raw power or converted to different uses. It all depends on the user’s ability and personal talent. Kind of like that ball of lightning I just made.” “There, that is enough power, please continue.” Sunset levitated the rice wine back to herself and took another swig before continuing the basic lesson of Magic 101.