Neither of you say anything else to each other for the rest of the walk to the armory. You could probably cut the tension between you and Sunset with a knife. It was incredibly uncomfortable.
Your ribs hurt. A lot. Sunset didn't hold back when she punched you. She has very seldom been this angry before. You really messed up this time.
A few minutes of walking and tense silence later, you both finally reach the armory. Racks of blasters, grenades, vibroblades, and other weapons line the shelves on either side of you, leading to the cruiser's forge and smelter on the far side. On the outer walls are more heavy weapons, like missiles , miniguns, and jetpacks.
As you pick up the pace to walk beside her, Sunset picks up the pace as well, actively keeping you a couple steps behind her. Now you feel really bad.
Maybe she's right... While Mandalorian control of the entire galaxy does sound nice, things are not the same now as they were during the war. You can't deny that you have made a few worthwhile connections with the Republic lately too. Granted, you're in hot water with them right now, but that doesn't change the fact that there are a few individual people worth respecting.
Besides, history has shown that if the Sith aren't an immediate threat, then there is always another faction of crazed psychopaths the Republic will need to deal with.
...
Kind of like how the Mandalorians would be in the hypothetical future you just suggested...
You sigh and rub your neck as you walk. What were you thinking, Anon? That is not the right way to do things. Sunset is right. You're not conquerors anymore. If you were, then you'd be no better than the Sith are.
"...I'm sorry." You say softly.
Sunset doesn't reply. She doesn't even acknowledge that you said anything, even though you're sure she heard you.
You don't blame her. Comparing her to Gilda was a very spur-of-the-moment comment that was very uncalled for. If you could turn back time, you'd prevent yourself from saying that to her. She didn't deserve that.
You don't say anything else to her. Best to let her be mad.
As you both finally reach the smelter, you see Mandalore talking to the armorer, Bulk Biceps. He's an extremely large man. Even larger than Big Mac. He's wearing white armor, along with a thick leather apron containing all kinds of tools used in forging.
They look at you as you approach. Mandalore places his hands on his hips. "There you two are. I was starting to think you got lost."
You and Sunset stop walking and the pallet droid halts as well.
"Sorry, Mandalore. We were held up by something stupid." She says matter-of-factly.
You glance at Sunset as she speaks, but she continues to look at Mandalore.
He and Bulk Biceps both approach you. Bulk picks up a chunk of cortosis in his hand and looks at it closely.
"This stuff will be pretty hard to work with..." He presses a button on the droid's chassis and leads it to the furnace. "...But not impossible."
He looks back at you and beckons you over to him.
You step toward the armorer and he points at your arm. "What happened?"
You look at your robotic arm as you remember how it felt when Sunset cut it off. The pain you felt then was nothing like the guilt you feel now.
"Rakghouls." You reply. "I was bitten by Rakghouls, but I was saved by Sunset before the infection took hold."
You look back at Sunset, but she just crosses her arms, saying nothing. Mandalore looks back and forth between you two.
After a moment, you look back at Bulk and clear your throat. "I was given a replacement arm by the Republic as a gift for saving one of theirs from the Rakghouls. This arm is a replacement for that one."
Bulk Biceps cocks his head slightly as he looks at your arm.
"Let me see it." He holds your wrist and raises your arm in the air in front of you. "Keep it there."
You nod and hold your arm still in front of you while he goes to the furnace and pulls out a small device. It looks like a scanner of some kind, and it's connected to the furnace by a cord. He activates the scanner and runs it all over your arm. Even getting between your fingers. When he's done, he turns off the scanner and a holographic image of your arm appears beside the furnace.
"Whoever designed this prosthetic knew what they were doing. This is really impressive." Bulk comments.
You nod. "She's a very clever twi'lek."
Twilight Sparkle.
He walks back to the cortosis and picks up one of the containers. It took three of you to comfortably lift one of those back at the hanger, but he's lifting one all by himself like it's nothing.
He grunts as he sets the container down next to the furnace and begins setting a few chunks of cortosis inside. "I'll see if I can't make it better. If I can infuse this cortosis with beskar, your arm will be able to withstand any conventional energy damage. Nothing like a direct hit from a capital ship's artillery cannon, of course, but a lightsaber or two? No problem."
...Why you? You don't deserve it.
"I'm thankful, but what about Sunset?" You ask.
Bulk looks at her for a moment before looking back at you. "She saved you, so she gets something special."
He beckons Sunset over and she approaches him, walking past you without even glancing in your direction before sitting down on a chair in front of Bulk.
He looks at her for a moment, inspecting her armor. "I'm thinking a shield for you. It'll also be made of cortosis-infused beskar, and it will be able to retract from your gauntlet so you can defend yourself and your loved ones from blasterfire."
He presses a button and the holographic image of your arm is replaced with a metallic hexagon. It looks almost like an umbrella. It's not a very large shield, but it is large enough to cover one's chest and head. It will come in handy.
Bulk turns back to the furnace to begin work on the shield. "Like Anon's arm, it won't defend against everything though. So be sure to use it only when you need to."
Sunset nods. "Thank you."
Bulk Biceps begins melting the cortosis in the furnace while Sunset sits and watches.
You look at her and sigh. She deserves this prize more than you. You are still so racked with guilt over what you said to her. You'd give your other arm to take it back.
The sound of footsteps catches your attention. Behind you, Rainbow, Rarity, Pinkie, and Coco have entered the forge and joined you.
Pinkie waves at you with a big smile on her face and you walk toward them. "Hi, Anon!"
"Hey guys." You reply.
Rainbow looks at Bulk. "What's going on?"
You look back at the armorer. "We're getting some new stuff. Sunset's getting a shield."
"Ooooh! Cool!" Pinkie says.
Rarity takes a step forward, looking at Bulk. "My word. He is enormous."
You nod. "Yeah. I don't think he's human. I've never seen his face before."
Rarity hums and looks at Sunset. "Is she alright, darling?"
You sigh as you look at her as well. She hasn't moved or turned around at all to look at you or your friends.
"She's... mad at me." You say. "On our way here, I said something and pissed her off."
"Oh dear." Rarity comments.
Mandalore crosses his arms. "I thought I sensed some tension in the room between you two."
Bulk Biceps takes a few sheets of the newly formed cortosis shield and starts hammering them on an anvil. The rhythmic clanging echoes off the metal walls all around you.
Pinkie turns to you. "What did you say to make her so mad, Anon?"
You sigh. "Just... We had an argument. I said something and crossed a line."
Rarity puts a hand on Pinkie's arm. "Don't pry, darling. That's rude."
While Sunset keeps her back to you and watches Bulk work on her shield, you keep watching her.
Mandalore grunts a little. "Well, work it out, Anonymous. You and Sunset are crucial to what's about to happen, and I won't have either of you distracted by petty nonsense like this."
You look at him and nod. "Yes, Mandalore."
He nods and looks at Sunset, speaking louder. "Did you hear that, Sunset?"
Sunset turns her head to look at Mandalore for a moment, nodding as well. "Yes, Mandalore I did."
"Good." Mandalore replies. "Both of you collect your new things from the armorer and rest up. We meet with the Republic over Concord Dawn tomorrow."
You nod. "As you say, Mandalore."
With that, he uncrosses his arms and proceeds to the exit, leaving you and your friends behind. You turn back to look at Sunset as Bulk works. Already, you're thinking of ways to apologize.
After a few more minutes, Bulk finishes assembling Sunset's new shield. She stands up and proceeds to the armorer, where he disassembles part of her left gauntlet and installs the new hardware.
A few sparks of flashing lights later, he steps back and Sunset turns around to face you all. A series of large metal sheets are hooked to her arm in the shape of a wide hexagon. She presses a button on her gauntlet and the sheets retract back into her gauntlet within the blink of an eye.
The rest of you react in awe.
"Ooooh! Very cool, Sunset!" Pinkie says.
Rainbow smiles. "It's awesome!"
Sunset admires her gauntlet for another moment before turning back to Bulk Biceps.
"Be careful with that." Bulk says. "It is beskar infused with cortosis, like I said. It's great against blasters, lightsabers, and can also withstand more physical attacks, but like anything else, it will wear out if you don't use it wisely."
Sunset nods. "I'll be careful. Thank you."
Bulk Biceps returns the nod before looking at you. "Anon."
You step toward him, passing Sunset as she walks back to your friends. She glances at you briefly, but doesn't say anything.
When you reach him, Bulk looks back at the holographic image of your arm on the furnace. "This will take a bit of time to get all the pieces together. Normally, you'd wait here until I was done, but Mandalore has said that you and Sunset have some issues to work out."
You pause for a moment. "Yes."
"Then you would be smart to listen to him." He says. "We need to be at our strongest for what lies ahead... This is the way."
"This is the way." You repeat.
Behind you, Sunset also repeats the phrase. Along with Coco and Rainbow. "This is the way."
Bulk starts grabbing more chunks of cortosis from the crates and moving them to the furnace. "Come back here in about an hour or so. I'll have your arm ready by then."
"Thank you, armorer." You reply.
Bulk nods again and starts melting the cortosis while you stand up and head back to Sunset. She isn't saying anything, but she's showing off her new shield to Rainbow and Coco, while Pinkie and Rarity admire from further away.
"This is really impressive, Sunset." Coco smiles.
"Thanks." She replies.
When you approach, she finally looks at you and retracts her shield.
"It will definitely be useful." You say.
"Yep." She replies blankly.
There's a bit of an awkward silence as you just stare at each other. Neither of you can see the others' face, but her body language alone is enough to tell you that she's still angry. Not that you're surprised.
Finally, you sigh. "Sunset, about before, I'm-"
She holds up her hand and cuts you off. "Look. I know you're sorry, and I'll forgive you in time, sure, but right now, I just need to be mad. I am in no mood, whatsoever, to talk to you."
You hesitate for a moment but nod at her silently.
She looks to everyone else. "I'll see you guys later."
As she walks off, Rarity rushes behind her. "Darling, wait."
She doesn't stop walking, but she does slow down to wait for Rarity to catch up to her, and the two of them walk off together. Probably to chitchat and gossip about what a stupid boy you are. Hopefully, she can get through to her. It kills you to see Sunset mad, but it hurts exponentially worse to know that it's entirely because of you.
As they leave the room, you're left with Pinkie, Rainbow, and Coco, looking after her as she walks away with Rarity.
"Sunset..."