//------------------------------// // Chapter 11 // Story: Hostile History // by Jest //------------------------------// Sunset Shimmer felt herself falling through the air, and nearly screamed in protest. Her arms flailed, but except for a few brief moments when the artifacts had recognized her more than Celestia ever had, Sunset had never had wings. She could do little more than fall inexpertly beside her friends, rolling and tumbling to a stop in a pile of bodies.  Sunset groaned, shaking the frost from her sore limbs and finally rising up onto unsteady feet, pushing her way free of the others. Even being close to Twilight couldn’t tempt her now, not when they were all terrified and smelling like sweat, blood and ice. Finally she looked around, trying to understand where they’d ended up. It was dark, and at first she couldn’t see anything—but as the seconds passed, her mind finally started to process what she was seeing. This wasn’t just an open field, this was somewhere familiar. There were white lines sprayed onto the grass, and metal stands rising a little distance away. Off to the left were the familiar structures of Canterlot High. Perfect Tempo had been true to his word. He’d taken them home. She winced, lowering her head a little in expectation for the sirens that would surely be ringing. It might be the middle of the night, so there would be no other students in the school, but the agency they’d escaped from would know where they’d gone, and would be looking for them. Apparently she wasn’t the only one to think that, because Twilight somehow managed to be brave enough to speak, looking towards Perfect Tempo. Unlike the rest of them, he’d been prepared for the portal to drop them in midair, and had landed with poise, not even getting his pants dirty in the process.  “Is this really the safest place for you to return us? This is our home… won’t they check with our families before they look anywhere else?” Twilight asked hesitantly. “They won’t look anywhere else,” Perfect Tempo stated confidently. “Interfering with Canterlot was a violation of their orders. Their command structure has been… appropriately restructured. They will cause you no further inconvenience.”  Perfect Tempo smiled and turned to Sunset Shimmer “Oh and I also procured your confiscated possessions. Because the DSA has no idea what it’s doing, they studied them for all manner of fictional supernatural phenomena. Which they did not find for obvious reasons.” “You mean I got their stuff back,” Ghost retorted, tossing a large duffel-bag, covered in military markings at their feet. “And there’s a car waiting to take you girls home, because my husband has a bleeding heart.” Tempo clutched at his chest in mock defensiveness. “The tragedy of my human frailties,” he whispered, almost mockingingly. “Yet Ghost is correct. Yes, it’s parked there now, just past the bleachers.” Sure enough, there were a pair of limousines parked by the curb, their engines quietly idling, and all the lights switched off. “You’re meanin’ to tell me that we aren’t gonna get no trouble from that little jailbreak?” Applejack asked, marching right up to Tempo and glaring at him intently. “I saw people…” She choked up, looking sick. “Hurt. Mighty hurt. They ain't about to look the other way after all that.” “You mean impaled, maimed, bruised, or otherwise brutalized…” Ghost ticked them off on her fingers one at a time. “We did tell them to run. The ones who ran or surrendered are still alive by the way. Imagine that.” Tempo settled one hand on her shoulder, silencing her.  “We made every effort to make your rescue as bloodless as possible,” Perfect Tempo stated calmly. “But you must understand, it was your lives or theirs. This disaster will grant leverage to attempts to further isolate Canterlot. They ought to leave your city alone. Besides, you’re more than capable of protecting it without their help, are you not?” No one argued. Sunset had many more questions, but she knew her friends wouldn’t have the context to even know what to ask. They didn’t understand who this person was, and apparently were shocked enough after what had happened to them that they weren’t even asking the more obvious questions. Except for Twilight, because she was brilliant and insightful in ways these others just couldn’t match. While they took their phones and old clothes from the bag, the bespectacled woman kept watching Tempo.  “You got us out using a stable Einstein-Rosen bridge. How did you create it without Equestrian magic? Except… you must have some object of your own, like the stones that grant us our pony magic? And the ice creatures that fought our way out…” Twilight questioned. “And just like that my sympathy is gone,” Ghost remarked, turning towards the cars. “I’ll be waiting for you there, Perfect. Don’t entertain these children for too much longer.”  With that said she turned and left. Which didn't seem to be something Perfect Tempo was keen on doing.  “Now isn’t the time to discuss all that,” he stated calmly yet firmly. His tone was friendly enough, but also completely unyielding. He wasn’t interested in a debate. And though her friends might’ve argued with him on principal in better conditions, each of them could clearly barely believe they were even free in the first place. “I will explain all relevant details to your friend here. She’s had a change in housing arrangements while she was gone, so I’m going to take her there in my car. She can share everything you need to know Monday at school,” Perfect Tempo explained, gesturing to Sunset Shimmer. Again, it seemed like her friends might argue at first, but understanding passed between them rapidly. This man was the only reason any of them were free and he’d obviously spent enormous resources to get them out of Area 7. It didn’t make sense not to give him what he wanted. Especially when it was such a comparatively small request. Sunset winced as she heard it, though. She’d only been barely making her rent month over month, and being gone for… weeks? Had it been weeks? However long it was, she certainly would’ve lost her spot. She was homeless all over again and worse still her poor pet may very well have passed on without her being there to take care of him. The small group of girls walked to the cars together, with each of them watching their surroundings nervously for signs of danger. They weren’t attacked, either by the police or some less reputable creatures. There were no unmarked vans parked by the side of the road. In every way that mattered, it looked like a normal night in Canterlot. “We’ll see you soon,” Twilight murmured, hugging Sunset Shimmer tightly when they reached the cars. “Tomorrow. And…”  She glanced down at her phone, an unspoken signal that Sunset could’ve guessed even without her powers.  Call me if anything happens. Sunset finished for her. Sunset nodded, then turned away from Twilight. Sunset hugged each of her other friends in turn, then walked away to join Tempo and his wife in the second car. The first limousine had rental stickers on it and looked pretty basic inside. As she stepped inside this one, she could see it was different. The leather of the seats was so real she could smell it as she sat down and though a luxury on Earth, it also made Sunset’s skin crawl just a little. Humanity’s collective treatment of animals that would’ve been on speaking terms with Equestrians in her world was still more than a little disconcerting. But aren’t these people from Equestria too? Sunset Shimmer thought to herself. The young girl pulled her arms in close, touching as little of the leather bench as she could. The other luxuries of the limo were far less painful to experience. The music was relaxing, and there was a cooler of drinks within reach. She took the one Ghost offered without even knowing what she was drinking, and with the first few sips of what turned out to be apple juice Sunset started to feel more relaxed. “You said you knew Celestia,” Sunset began, as soon as they were all inside and the car began to move. “So you’re from Equestria? I’m guessing… you both are.” Perfect Tempo nodded curtly. “Equestria and Star Swirl in particular acted in their usual heady flavor of ignorance and pride. What do you do with a creature who shares unpleasant truths? You make them go away. What do you do with a creature who has done nothing but good, but whose powers have grown beyond your control? Make them go away. Sirens and mystics and sorcerers all found their way from Equestria to this… thaumaturgical wasteland, where Celestia hoped that we would lose our bite,” Perfect Tempo explained. “No magic,” Ghost remarked, grinning with a mouth full of strangely sharp teeth. “That’s what they think. No magic in human land and that’s what you thought too.” Sunset had indeed thought that, though it was now clear how wrong she had been. “You know a way around it?” Sunset Shimmer asked hesitantly. “A way to keep using your powers on this side. You must since you were both using magic during our escape. There has to be some secret I never realized…” Something rubbed up against Sunset’s mind, something she hadn’t realized at first. The personal bitterness Tempo used when he invoked the name of Star Swirl which suggested a personal connection that shouldn’t be possible a thousand years removed. Yet the sirens were that ancient and they had been driven so mad by their time away from Equestria that they thought taking over a high school was a worthwhile use of what little magic they had. And you’re so much better, Sunset? She banished the thought quickly, before she could feel even stupider. “You have powers of your own,” Tempo stated. “You and those friends of yours. It’s true that magic is difficult here. It took me many years to understand how to avoid this planet’s restrictions. Though in the end they’re only guidelines, made to be broken by a master spellcaster.” He smiled, and spread his hands. “I can teach you, in time. Your old powers will return and you can live as you were destined to live, instead of as a slave to the restrictions for lesser creatures.” It was clear then that they weren’t headed off to some wilderness to make Sunset disappear. If they’d wanted to do that, they never needed to save her friends or make such a vague yet intriguing offer. Rather, she recognized the direction they were driving—towards Uptown, where Canterlot’s wealthier families lived. A place Sunset had only ever been when she was visiting Twilight. “But not tonight,” Tempo went on. “For there are other injuries that must be healed before you can be taught to overcome those limits. You know the one I mean.” That was your dragon? She felt her cheeks flush with anger, and she nearly threw the drink at him right there. Only her shock and weakness from the night kept her from doing something so stupid. There must be some misunderstanding. He wouldn’t just have sent a monster to attack the city to get my attention when a letter would’ve worked just as well. She almost reached forward to touch his skin—but only his face was uncovered, and something told her she wouldn’t get anywhere close to touching it. “Was that your dragon?” Sunset asked, her voice low as she gripped her drink tightly. “Of course not,” Perfect Tempo replied quickly, waving a hand dismissively. “Why bother with such barbarity when a simple letter would suffice?” Sunset Shimmer let out a long sigh, her shoulders falling slack. “Then who was it?” “An old associate we had jetessoned some time ago due to his more unpleasant methods,” Perfect Tempo explained, a scowl briefly marring his face. “But we can speak about him at a later date. Now we must speak of the collar still fastened securely about your neck.” “You mean the elements?” Sunset Shimmer inquired. “That’s right. Equestria’s commanded your mind long enough. Trapping you along a single path of thinking, as though any problem can only be solved with friendship and any use of force is evil. But Celestia herself knows such a message is a lie. The Elements of Harmony are themselves nothing more than the magic of powerful ponies turned into a brainwashing device. They’ve dug deep troughs through your mind, forcing you to repeat the same emotions until you respond the way you’re supposed to,” Perfect Tempo explained. “Enlightened isn't it?” Ghost whispered, her voice full of spite. “The kingdom of kindness and friendship is built on a foundation of manipulation and lies.” Celestia lied to me about my destiny. She accepted the other Twilight and rejected me. Sunset Shimmer thought bitterly to herself before pushing those thoughts away. “I-I’m not brainwashed,” she stammered. “I love my friends. I know we weren’t… maybe the Elements of Harmony did something to me at firs and I’m not saying you’re wrong but I don’t want to go back to the way I was. Bitter, miserable, alone. That’s not the person I want to be.” “And you don’t have to be,” Tempo exclaimed. “Friendship is a virtue. Not only that, but the friends you’ve made are valuable magical talents in their own right. I would never tell you to abandon them even if you could.” The car slowed to a stop beside a large apartment building, the kind fancy enough to have a door guard. Tempo held out his hand, offering a simple silver ring with two keys on it.  “I hope you don’t mind but I’ve taken the liberty of having your possessions moved to somewhere more… comfortable. Show that key to the doorman. Top floor suite is waiting for you,” Perfect Tempo stated calmly, extending his hand. Sunset froze, eyes widening in shock. She might’ve been afraid of his intentions, except that his wife was sitting beside him in the car.  Sunset couldn’t help herself and she sniffed, wiping tears from her eyes. “W-why? Why are you being so nice to me?” She begged. “Because we exiles should stick together,” Tempo whispered calmly. “Go on upstairs. I’ll give you a few days to recover, and call on you again next week. Then I will teach you what Princess Celestia never would.” Sunset reached out, and snatched the keys from the man’s hand.