“Halt!” The two centurion knockoffs shouted, thrusting spears towards them.
Sunset, unamused at having a spear shoved in her face, retorted with threats. “Bitch, if you don’t get that out of my face, I’ll show you exactly where you can put that shaft of yours.”
The man flinched back at the venom in her voice, and smartly held his spear closer to himself. His partner was more on the ball, flinging orders at them. “Who are you? Why are you here? What is your purpose?”
One of the Hazop guys pulled himself forward to answer. “We’re a reconnaissance team, our forces discovered a portal years ago, it was closed by the time we investigated.” He said, stepping closer to Sunset. “It opened again a few days ago, and this time we caught it. We sent an exploratory vehicle through, but…” He trailed off, pointing towards the wreckage. “When it went dark we were sent through to find what happened to it, and any possible threats.”
“Whose in charge here?” ‘Centurion’ one, the braver of the two, demanded.
“I am.” Sunset said, stepping in front of Hazop man. “Captain Phoenix, Raiders, Special Ops.” She introduced herself. “Take me to your leader.” At that a couple of her men snickered.
“How should we trust you aren’t a-”
“Trust me, your boss’ll want to see me. It’s been a long time.” Sunset butt in, ignoring the slight frown on ‘centurion’ one’s face. Seeing him open his mouth again, she butt in, again. “Just take us to the throne room will you.”
Sighing under his breath, he turned and started walking out. “Follow me.” He ordered.
Being led out of the stone dungeon, the group looked around in awe at the castle’s architecture; the gleaming marble, shining gold, and colourful stained glass windows. “Well, good to see nothing’s changed since I left.” Sunset observed, looking at the few guards around- wait. “Was that a… mannequin?” Craning her head over her shoulder, she stared intently at the… yeah, it is a fucking mannequin. “Still competent as ever.” She muttered under her breath.
Glancing around Sunset noticed Rainbow squirming as they walked. “You okay there Specialist?” She asked.
“Yeah, just my harness. It isn’t sitting right anymore.” Rainbow answered, seeing Sunset open her mouth she quickly added. “It’s nothing critical, I can continue, fix it later.”
“If you say so. Tell me if it gets bad, I’d rather get slowed down than have you injured from bad kit.” Turning to Applejack, her First Lieutenant, she asked the same. “How you holding up Lt?”
“Ah’m good Cap, systems green.” Applejack said, cocking her arm. “Kinda hungry though.”
“Alright, same thing with you, it gets bad, tell me. I don’t know how well our electronics work here.”
Approaching the throne room doors, Sunset hesitated. Seeing this Applejack grabbed her shoulder. “Come on sugar cube, it won’t be that bad.” And led the group through the large doors, opened by the gold clad guards. Marching through the doorway, Sunset trailed behind the semi-V formation the squad made around her. It was an odd sight seeing the yellow sealed suits of Hazop under their black armour mixing with the greens and tans of Sunsets team. With Aj leading the formation through the crowd along the wall. Day court, Sunset thought.
The size of the entryway necessitating the V/box/blob to brush near the line, much to the chagrin of some. Nearing the front of the line one of them, probably a noble, decided to do something stupid, shoving one of the yellow-suited soldiers as he passed by. As the man fell from the, surprisingly strong, shove, the pompous douche had a dozen weapons pointed at him. Whether he realised their threat or not, he definitely understood when one of them squeezed a trigger; a belch of flame erupted in a flamethrower’s nozzle, smouldering away angrily.
“Hold ya fire.” Applejack ordered, pushing the nozzle down. “We ain’t here ta start shit. We’re here ta talk.” Pushing the trooper away from the, now terrified, man, she turned to Sunset. “You wanna take this one Cap?”
“Probably easier if I do.” Sunset agreed as she stepped forward, the formation splitting around her. She opened her mouth to speak, only to cut herself off as one of the men yelped when the, still smouldering, flamethrower brushed against him. “Dumbass.” She muttered, trying again she spoke up. “Hello Princess, it has been far too long since we last met, hasn’t it.”
“I’m sorry, but you seem to have me at a disadvantage here.” Princess Celestia replied, slightly confused.
“What? Don’t recognise my voice?” Sunset asked. “Well, I guess it has been quite a few years, and I have changed quite a bit since we last spoke.”
“Who art thou?” Princess Luna butt in.
“I’m getting there Luna, patience.” Sunset said, annoyed at being interrupted. “Here, maybe this will help you remember me.”
Her part said Sunset reached up to undo her helmet, pulling it off and letting her short, yellow and red hair fall free. Clipping it to her belt she reached for her face mask, undoing the straps she pulled the ballistic mask off. Sunset smirked at the shock and confusion on the two Princesses' faces as they stared at her scarred, broken face. Her smile split by a circular scar tugging her bottom lip down showing teeth, making her smirk seem much more vicious than it should; and it may have been the light, but Celestia could swear the scars glowed.
“From the look you’re giving me, I guess you finally figured it out.”
Slowly getting over her shock, Celestia finally spoke. “Sunset?”
“The one and only.” Sunset answered, giving a little mock bow.
“Where-where have you been?” She asked. “We looked everywhere, we couldn’t find you.”
“I’ve been around, if you got a few hours I can tell you some stories.”