//------------------------------// // 17 - Sunset - A New Journey // Story: Tales of an Equestrian Battle Mage // by Babroniedad //------------------------------// Aiko woke, stretching and smiling. Sunset was still snoring softly next to her. She gently stroked Sunset’s main with her forepaw. “Rise and shine, Sunny. Busy day today.” Sunset smiled and stretched. “Yeah, it will be. Good morning, Aiko,” she greeted, opening her eyes and gazing at her friend with a happy grin. She pulled Aiko into a hug, which Aiko warmly reciprocated. Together the rose and performed their ablutions, washed, and loped into the kitchen where they found the merchant preparing breakfast. “Good morning!” He greeted them. They bowed and returned his greeting. “You’re up early! Not even my parents are up yet. Would you care for some tea?” he asked. They both nodded, so he served them both green tea with honey. Sunset drank hers quickly. “Thank you,” she said, looking slightly more alert. “We have a long day ahead of us, trying to tie up any loose ends before we return to Equestria.” She smiled at that. “It will be nice to see my mom and sisters again.” “Sisters?” asked Aiko. “Sort of. Twilight and Cadance. They are both students of mom’s, like I am, and we’re pretty close. We do a lot together,” answered Sunset. “Should I be jealous?” teased Aiko. “Hardly!” laughed Sunset, giving Aiko a side hug. “I haven’t had to travel halfway around Equs to save them, and they haven’t been through what we have. We’re bonded, girl. Sisters forever.” Aiko laughed. “Sisters from another mister, Sisters forever,” she agreed, returning the hug. The merchant grinned at the exchange, bringing over two bowls of breakfast porridge. “You’re both too cute,” he laughed as he placed the bowls before them. “Enjoy.” They bowed their heads in thanksgiving, then ate. Thanking him for breakfast, and promising to be back to enjoy dinner with his family that evening, they made their way to the government offices to speak with Aiko’s uncle. The offices were not officially open this early, but when they knocked a functionary let them in and escorted them back to the Secretary's office. Announcing them, she left them with her uncle and another fox in his office as she bowed then shut the doors behind her. Sunset noted that the new Kitsune was a bit unkempt, his mane under the hat he was wearing a rat's nest of tangles, and was attired in a worn and wrinkled traditional haori jacket and kimono, and hakama skirt. He wore tabi socks and wooden clogs on his back paws, holes clearly worn into the socks. “Good to see you, Aiko, Sunny. This is inspector Kosuke Kindaichi (コスケ 金田一). He will be assessing the brothels for compliance with the new regulations and the taxes we’ve discussed. He will be joining you today for your tour of the brothels. Whenever you’re ready to begin, he is at your service.” Sunset bowed. “Thank you, Mr. Secretary. We should begin immediately, as there are several brothels to visit, and we have other tasks to accomplish,” she answered. The Secretary agreed, so with a hug for both girls he dismissed them and Mr. Kindaichi. Together they headed to the manse of the Yak-uza oyabun. The yaks guarding the gate opened it for them, one of them escorting them to the manse where they were let in and led to a spacious library to wait. Tea and cake had been left out for them, so after a quick scan of the food and surroundings, Sunset served up Mr. Kindaichi, Aiko and herself as they waited for the new oyabun. Several minutes later he came through the doors, accompanied by a large Yak-uza bodyguard and his lieutenant from the day before. “Hello Suni, friends. I see you found the tea and refreshments. Splendid. Suni, you remember my lieutenant? He will be escorting you today to see that you have everything you need.” Sunset bowed then introduced her companion. “This is Mr. Kindaichi. He is from the government office, and will be assessing the brothels for compliance to all regulations and auditing for tax purposes. He will be accompanying us as well today.” Introductions complete, the oyabun excused himself, wishing them good fortune. After finishing their tea and snacks the group left the compound together, heading for the first of the brothels, one of the common ones. It was an absolute mess. The accommodations for the sisters were near poverty levels. Even the Madam herself looked near emaciated. The government inspector insisted it be renovated, and the lieutenant agreed, so the Madam, her Mother, and their leash were taken to one of the other brothels that were found to be in acceptable shape by the inspector. There they were left in the care of the Madam of that brothel. They continued on in this manner right up to the hour before lunch, having closed out all but the last of the common brothels and moved their leashes over to the other more prosperous brothels while they were renovated. Things were moving along well, better even than Sunset had hoped. They had even discussed the renovations with the local builders guild, with the lieutenant and the inspector agreeing over the proposed changes. The builders guild felt they should be able to complete the renovations within the next month, given the priority that was being placed upon the task. Things were going very well. They came to the last of the common brothels. It looked in substantially better shape than the other common brothels from the outside. Entering, they saw the greeting area and bed chambers were nicely maintained, as were the halls. “Are you sure this is a common brothel?” asked Sunset of the lieutenant. He nodded. Sunset stopped for a moment, her hooves glowing with teal magic. Silent for a moment, she felt around the brothel, inventorying it with her magical senses, as she had at the other brothels. With a startled cry, she bolted upright, then rand down the hallway and around a corner. The others followed her, thoroughly confused. She stopped before a closed door, which she tried to open but felt it securely locked. Angered, she wheeled and bucked the door, ripping it from its hinges and cracking it in half as it fell into the room it secured. Sunset trotted into the room, light glowing teal from her mane and feet, her mane magically waving behind her. The others stepped into the room with her, then both the inspector and Aiko gasped in horror. There, stacked all around them, were the rotting, broken bodies of mares and vixens, wrapped in bloody clothes, stacked in piles around the room. At Sunset’s best count there were more than 50 lost souls here. Seeing this, she wheeled around, heading for the Madam’s room. She raced through the halls leaving most of her party behind, with Aiko herself bounding behind her. Coming to the Madam’s door, Sunset wheeled and bucked it off its hinges, completely blasting the door into the room where it crashed against the far wall. Sunset stormed in, her mane waving still in a magical storm behind her as she turned to face the cowering Madam before her. “Why!?” she shouted, the force of her Canterlot voice shaking the very walls. The Madam fell back in fright. “I don’t know what you mean? Why what?” she disambled. Sunset leapt at her, bowling her over to the floor where she stood over her. She stomped both forehooves down on her shoulders and she yelled again. “Why!” Her eyes glowed teal as the Madam fell unconscious, Sunset racing through her memories. She saw the fallen sisters, broken bodies savaged, being taken to the morgue, as the Madam had taken to calling it,where they were tossed in stacks, wrapped in their bedsheets, waiting for the Yak-uza to come take them away. She saw more mares and vixens being brought in, drugged near insensate, beaten and bruised, replacing the ones dead. She saw the Madam presenting her leash, bragging to her clients that for a modest surcharge, they could literally do whatever they wished with their escorts, with no consequences. She saw the Beast, a smiling repeat customer, regularly agreeing to the surcharge as he led an insentate mare or vixen away. She saw the Madam laughing with the Yak-uza, giving them half of her surcharges as they hauled away piles of broken bodies while more bruised, beaten, and insensate mares and vixens were placed in the now vacant rooms. She saw the large chest of gold coins the Madam kept holding her share of the surcharges. It was as big as a desk and took three yaks to carry. She saw pile after pile of broken sisters, their bloody bodies wrapped in sheets, left to rot until the next delivery of insensate mares and vixens the following week. Aiko, the lieutenant, and the government inspector watched in horror as Sunset’s mane turned to fire, her eyes white with power as she stood over the fallen madam. Magical wind whipped through the room, scattering sheets and papers as Sunset’s rage filled magic whipped out from her in streams of fire, lashing at the room around them. Without looking up, she called out to them in an eerily calm voice. “Get everyone out of here. Take them to the Exotics brothel, then stay there with them. I will join you shortly,” she commanded. The lieutenant ran out of the room, and finding the leash Mother, together they gathered all the sisters and headed to the Exotics Brothel with the government inspector. Aiko did not go with them, instead choosing to stay by her sister’s side. “Why are you still here, sister?” asked Sunset, still over the insensate Madam, still pulsing with fiery power. “I will not leave you Suni. I am by your side no matter what,” promised Aiko. “So be it,” said Sunset. She stepped off of the Madam, who blinked, then rose to stand before her. “What are you doing?” asked the Madam. “Why are you doing this?” “Why am I doing this? You have the temerity to ask me Why? Why did you kill your leash? Why did you not protect them, as was your duty!? Why are you surprised I would be angry at what you have done?” thundered Sunset. The Madam cowered. Sunset calmed a bit. “No,” she said. “Even now, you have no idea what you did wrong. You are truly a broken creature. Ask the guardian of Elysium if you cannot understand. I am sure she will make it abundantly clear to you. I don’t have the patience or time for it.” With a crack, a bolt of teal magic leapt from Sunset’s mane, consuming the cowering Madam and turning her completely to a pile of white ash. Flames leapt from her mane, burning the walls and ceiling of the room. As the back wall burned, it dropped away, revealing a room behind it containing a large desk sized chest. In a blast of teal it disappeared. “This will be for our leash sisters. No one will profit from the blood of our fallen sisters but their sisters themselves. This will pay to bring the weakened and drugged sisters back to health,” Sunset explained. Sunset wrapped Aiko and herself in a teal shield as the house burned down around them. Together they worked through the flames towards the front entrance, then out through the burning doors and garden to the street outside, where onlookers were gawking first at the fire, then the oni and vixen that emerged from it. They parted as Sunset and Aiko walked through them, the brothel completely consumed in flames behind them. As they walked through the crowd, whispered comments surrounded them. “Oni,” they whispered. Sunset and Aiko ignored them. They trotted to the offices of the commissioner to confront the Beast. When they arrived at the commissioner’s offices, his staff scattered, fleeing the sight of the angry pony oni and four-tailed vixen at her side. They ran from the offices in fright while Sunset and Aiko stepped up to the commissioner’s door. Sunset wheeled and bucked it sending splinters flying into the office as she completely obliterated the door. The commissioner leapt up on his desk roaring. “How dare you charge into my offices like that! Do you know who I am?! Do you know who you are dealing with?!” he shouted. Then he saw who had entered his office. “You!” he called out, seeing Sunset and Aiko. “What are you two doing here? My playthings are supposed to stay put!” He leapt down from the desk, darting forward to Sunset with his claws outstretched. A teal cloud of magic flowed out from Sunset. Two flashes of lightning shot together at the fox as he leapt at them both, catching him in midair and turning him to a charred crisp that crashed into the ground before them. Sunset stared down at him, eyes leaking teal magic. “Don’t mind us, we’re just here to take out the trash,” she spat, then smashed her hoof down on the foxes crisped head, scattering the ashes. Together, she and Aiko left the office, heading to the Exotics brothel to meet back up with the lieutenant and the inspector. As they walked, Sunset cooled, and before long was back to her usual adorable self. “Feeling better?” asked Aiko. “Much,” agreed Sunset. She grimaced. “That was unpleasant. I’m glad to see the Beast gone. And the Murder brothel. That had to go.” “Absolutely agreed,” nodded Aiko. “Almost done. Let’s collect our charges and get back to the manse and your uncle. Then we can put this day behind us.” Sunset nodded. They arrived at the exotics brothel and entered to find the leash Mother tending to the sisters from the common brothel. They both pitched in to help the new sisters get settled and secured. Afterwards, they said their goodbyes and left with the lieutenant and inspector. They entered the manse with the lieutenant, and stood by while he gave his report to the oyabun. When he was finished, Sunset approached. “I have a boon to request,” stated Sunset. “Name it,” answered the oyabun. “I would like the protection payments for my associates to be considered paid in full in perpetuity,” Sunset asked, then gave him the address of the merchant’s shop and their family name. The oyabun nodded. “Consider it done. Anything else?” “The government will be setting up a fund to treat the leash sisters from the brothels who need medical attention. I have set aside some money for it, and the rest will be paid by the small tax they will assess the brothels. They will contact you with the details, and will work with the leash mothers for access to the sisters that require medical and other assistance. They will keep you apprised of these activities as a courtesy,” added Sunset. The inspector nodded. “As effective partners in this endeavor, we will keep you apprised of our efforts,” he agreed. The oyabun nodded. “Thank you. Your consideration is appreciated.” The inspector bowed. Sunset and Aiko bowed as well, giving their farewells. The inspector left with them as they returned to the Secretary’s offices. They were escorted directly into his office where he was waiting for them. The inspector made his report, to the satisfaction of the Secretary. Sunset then spoke up. “I have the money for the treatment of the abused leash sisters here,” Sunset stated. With a teal flash and a pop, the chest appeared in the Secretary’s office. “This was confiscated from the funds one of the Madams was receiving for the recreational murder of her leash sisters. She has been dealt with.” The secretary turned to his niece. “Don’t ask,” Aiko said, shaking her head. “So, permanently then. Got it,” the secretary nodded. “You will also need a new commissioner. The former one has passed away,” Sunset added. “This was the Beast you mentioned?” clarified the secretary. “Yes, he was attacked by an oni in his offices, and perished in the encounter,” smirked Aiko, looking at Sunset. “How unfortunate for him,” agreed the secretary with a smirk. “I can only imagine his shock at the visit.” “The visit definitely didn’t go the way he had planned,” Sunset agreed. “But, he can take it up with Elysium's guardian now.” “Definitely out of my jurisdiction,” nodded the Secretary. “So, done for the day, heading back to your friends for dinner and the evening?” “Yes,” agreed Aiko. “We’re spending one more night with our friends, then will meet with you in the morning for our trip back home. Well, both homes, I guess. Right Soni?” “Sounds good to me. It will be nice to see your parents again for the day. And it will be nice to be headed back to Equestria. I miss my friends there, and I know they will love you,” agreed Sunset. They thanked her uncle again for everything, then said goodbye to him and the inspector as they left his offices, returning back to the Merchant and his family in time for dinner. On their last night together they had a wonderful feast, made all the better when Aiko explained that Suni had negotiated full payment of all their protection with the Yak-uza in perpetuity. They stayed up late with the family, trading tales of their adventures, then bathed, did the needful, then they snuggled up in bed together, looking forward to the next day. The next morning, they woke, excited for their trip. They performed their ablutions and cleaned up for the day, then had a wonderful breakfast with the merchant and their family. They exchanged information with them so they could correspond, thanking them again for everything. Departing, Sunset and Aiko returned to the Secretary’s office where they found him waiting for them. “Ready to say goodbye more properly to your old life?” smiled Aiko’s uncle, waiting by the carriage that was going to take them back to the Dan of Aiko’s family. She nodded. “Yes, this time with no subterfuge. An honest goodbye,” agreed Aiko. Sunset smiled. “And I hope they can find it in their hearts to forgive me,” she added. “I am sure they will feel there is nothing to forgive,” assured Aiko’s uncle. The footman loaded helped them up into the carriage, and the Secretary as well, then shut the door behind them. He climbed up into his seat, and the carriage rolled out into the street, beginning their journey. “So, when we return, I have booked passage for you both on an airship, the 優雅なアホウドリ (Yūgana ahōdori - The Graceful Albatros). You will share a stateroom, with its own bath and water closet. It will take you straight back to our offices in Manehatten, where you can assure your friends the news of your death was greatly exaggerated.” the Secretary informed them, with a pointed look at Sunset. “Thank you,” bowed Sunset, smiling. “I am sure they will be happy to hear they heard wrong.” “I’m sure they will,” agreed her uncle. Aiko smiled. “And then, you can meet the family,” smirked Sunset. “You mean your mom?” teased Aiko. “And sisters,” agreed Sunset. “Twilight will be delighted to meet you, and I’m sure so will Cadance.” “Your mom?” asked the Secretary. “It’s complicated,” said Sunset. Aiko rolled her eyes. “She means Princess Celestia,” said Aiko to her uncle. “She considers Sunset her child.” “Well, not sure I’d go that far,” said Sunset, backpedaling. “Just, she’s the closest pony to a mom that I have.” “Close enough, I’m sure, from all the stories you have told me,” laughed Aiko. “Do tell!” said the Secretary, smiling. At their prompting, Sunset related some of the misadventures she, Twilight, and Cadance had enjoyed, especially their pranks on mom. That prompted Aiko to share some of her misadventures growing up in the family Dan. Swapping back and forth with their stories, they passed the day entertaining each other and her uncle with their reminiscing. As darkness fell, the coach pulled into an inn, where they were escorted to a suite with dinner and tea already waiting for them. They ate, still sharing stories, then Aiko and Sunset excused themselves to prepare for bed. They enjoyed the private bath, performed their ablutions, then settled into the bed in their bedroom in the suite and snuggled up to sleep. Sunset watched as Aiko fell peacefully asleep, then mischievously slipped into her friends dreams, watching, laughing, and occasionally slipping into place in her dream to enjoy the parts where she was welcome. As the morning came, Sunset slipped back out of mind and smiled at her friend as she woke. “I had the most interesting dreams. And you were in them,” mused Aiko as she woke. Sunset grinned at her friend. “Did you, now? What did you dream?” she asked disingenuously. Aiko then began describing the dream she had, and after a moment Sunset interrupted her. “Wow, that sounds so much like my dream!” she grinned, then related the next few things that happened in the dream. ‘Wow! That’s what I dreamed too!” enthused Aiko. “Me too!” agreed Sunset with a grin. Aiko laughed, then stopped suddenly, her eyes widening. “You are such a brat!” she laughed even harder. “You didn’t!” “Didn’t what?” grinned Sunset. “Did you sleep at all last night? Or did you spend the entire night peeping at my dreams?” she grinned. “Uh… maybe both? Don’t know, I’ve never tried it before. I’ll let you know if the sleep counted, I guess,” acknowledged Sunset. Aiko bopped her muzzle. “At least I got to share my dreams with a friend,” she laughed. “If you fall asleep in the coach though, I am so mocking you,” she teased. “We’ll see,” agreed Sunset. “We’d better get ready to go. Don’t want to hold your uncle up.” They rose and wandered into the suite's bath, performing their morning ablutions and cleaning up for the day. They then joined the Secretary, who was seated at the table spread with their morning breakfast. Good morning, sleepy heads,” he smiled, greeting them as they joined him at the table, Sunset yawning widely. “Good morning, uncle,” greeted Aiko. “Forgive my friend, she stayed up all night playing,” she teased. ‘I did not,” laughed Sunset. “I slept fine,” she protested. “If you say so,” laughed Aiko. She poured tea for the both of them, preparing it the way her friend liked, with cream and sugar. Setting the tea before her, she joked. “This may not be strong enough for you, but I am not sure where we’d get coffee here.” “Oh ha ha,” snarked Sunset. “Thank you.” She sipped the tea, enjoying the warmth and feeling more awake with each sip. Aiko served them up the breakfast porridge, including her uncle who was sipping his own tea. When everyone was served, they bowed their heads in thanks, then enjoyed the breakfast. A few stifled yawns from Sunset later, they quit the suite and entered the carriage again for the day’s journey. Her uncle regalled them both with stories from his work as they traveled. They enjoyed a lite lunch in the carriage, stopping only briefly occasionally for the team of two yaks pulling the carriage to rest and refresh themselves. During their afternoon break they heard a challenge called out, then sounds of fighting. Alarmed, Sunset leapt out the door to see what was happening. A group of bandits had challenged the yaks and their footman, who were now engaged in fighting them off. They were badly outnumbered by the bandits, who numbered twenty in total and were clearly close to overwhelming their escort. Sunset leapt into the fray with a snarl, bucking and wheeling. Her sword appeared with a flash, parrying and slashing in a teal glow as she continued to wheel and buck at the bandits, knocking them flat with her touch. Seeing her engaged, Aiko drew her katana and leapt from the carriage to join her. Together, they waded through the ranks of the bandits, smacking them with their swords and dropping them with their touch. Several minutes later, they stood back to back, panting from their exertions, surrounded by the insensate forms of the bandits who had attacked. The yaks and footman rose up from where they had been fighting, seeing all their attackers subdued. Her uncle applauded from the carriage door. “Well done! I did not realize you were both such proficient warriors,” he smiled. Sunset nodded back. “Thank you, Mr. Secretary.” She looked around at the fallen bandits. With a teal glow, the surrounding plants grew vines and branches, pulling the fallen kitsune into their trunks and boles, binding them tight with growth while they slumbered. A sign grew up out of the ground, with the words 山賊 (Sanzoku - Bandits) carved upon it. Their work complete, Sunset tended to the wounds suffered by the pair of yaks and their footman while Aiko returned to her uncle. Her uncle marveled. “That was truly some accomplished fighting. You defeated them without slaying any of your opponents. Amazing.” “Sunset has been teaching me much. There is more to magecraft than just the use of our swords,” replied Aiko. “I can see why she wants you by her side. You make an accomplished team,” agreed her uncle. “Thank you,” smiled Aiko. “Yes, and with more instruction, I think we will accomplish much good,” she agreed. Sunset returned to them, their crew tended. “Well that was a surprise. I didn’t realize there were teams of bandits that large in these parts. I probably should have been outside with our livery. This could have gone very badly if they had just decided to attack instead of issuing their challenge. Then our crew would have likely perished, and I would be trying to pull us instead,” she noted. She smiled. “Thank the Maker for the small mercies.” Their team was in shape to continue, so Sunset stayed outside of the carriage, sitting up top with the footman for the rest of the day's journey, while Aiko stayed in the carriage with her Uncle. They arrived at the village inn that was their day’s destination. Sunset remained with the livery to secure the carriage while Aiko and her uncle secured the rooms for the evening and dinner for the company. Sunset joined Aiko and her uncle for dinner in the tavern, while the footman and Yaks ate in their room. Sunset had offered for them to join them in the tavern as well after everything they had gone through earlier, but they demurred, preferring to keep their own company. Sunset sat down, and the innkeeper came over and took their orders. As she left, Sunset scowled. “I invited them down to eat with us, but they waved me off. I figured after what we had been through together it would be welcome.” The secretary shook his head. “That is not our way, Suni. They are seeking to keep the honor of my office and status intact, and I can’t fault them for it. It’s just our way, they didn’t do it as a slight or mean any offense to you by it.” Sunset frowned. “I just wanted them to know we appreciated them and how hard they fought. They were completely overwhelmed, and they stood their ground anyway. That should be rewarded.” The secretary nodded. “They would see it as just being faithful to their word. But yes, you are correct, and it will be honored. I will see to it, in a way that is appropriate and that they can accept.” “Thank you,” Sunset said. “That would be wonderful.” The innkeeper returned with their drinks and soup, so they said their grace and started eating. “So, we should get to the family Dan by the end of tomorrow, you think?” Sunset asked. “If we travel as well as we did today, we should arrive there by late evening,” agreed the secretary as he finished his soup. Aiko smiled. “I’m looking forward to the reunion, though I am a bit concerned. I hope they can forgive me for the subterfuge we forced on them.” Her uncle smiled. “Trust me, they will be overjoyed it was only a subterfuge. They will be thrilled to see you again.” Sunset smiled. “If they are mad at anyone, it will be me. I agree, Aiko. They will be delighted to see you again.” “I hope so,” sighed Aiko. She finished her soup. The innkeeper brought their dinners as they finished, fish, rice and vegetable curry. They ate in relative silence, everyone thinking about the reunion with Aiko’s parents. While everyone expected it to go well, there was still plenty of concern, not the least of which was the guilt Sunset and Aiko felt for putting them through the heartbreak in the first place. When the dinner was over, they all went to their rooms. Sunset and Aiko said goodnight to her uncle, then performed their ablutions and went to bed, snuggled up against each other. Sunset slept fitfully, her dreams filled with her concerns about Aiko’s family, and Aiko had her own dreams. No shared dreams tonight, only shared company. Morning came and the girls rose, got ready and performed ablutions, then joined Aiko’s uncle and the rest of the crew for a quick breakfast before resuming their journey. Aiko settled the inn accounts with her uncle while the crew hitched up to the carriage. Then Aiko, her uncle and Sunset boarded and they made their way again. Aiko’s uncle looked surprised to see Sunset in the carriage with them. “Not joining them atop the carriage today?” “Nah, I realized I was being Bacca,” Sunset replied. “I’ll keep my senses sharp and use my magic. Which I should have been doing yesterday, then we would not have been surprised like that. I forgot the most important rule of magecraft.” “And what is that?” asked the secretary. “Mages are never off the clock,” answered Sunset. “I should never have let my guard down. Just because there is a team out there that is incredibly brave and responsible does not mean that I can just lay back and take it easy. I should have been paying attention.” The Secretary looked skeptical. “And you can do that from here?” Sunset nodded. “Yes, the same way I was able to keep tabs on what was going on in the brothels while I was in them. I can use my magic to sense what is happening around me through my connections to the air and earth. It’s part of the Zebrican way that I have been teaching Aiko and my leash sisters.” Aiko looked puzzled. “I have to ask. Zebrican way? So the zebras have this secret art and you learned it? How did that happen?” Sunset grinned. “Okay. Can you both keep a secret?” They both nodded. She laughed. “I made that part up.” Aiko looked shocked. “What?” she exclaimed. “This is all made up? What does that mean?” Sunset laughed. “No! No no no. It’s not all made up. It’s a mix of Earth, Pegasus, and Unicorn magic, mixed in with so-called forbidden mind and dream magic. I learned it from my studies of the restricted tommes as mom’s student. I just had to call it something besides Sunset’s magical mix bag of cool forbidden magic, and Zebrican just sounded really mysterious and awesome. So I went with that.” Aiko was laughing hysterically. “So you decided to teach forbidden magic to me and all our leash sisters because it seemed really cool! Oh my stars, Suni! You slay me! And your mom is okay with all this?” Sunset looked sheepish. “Well, not exactly. She doesn’t know that I started teaching it to all of you. She thinks I am just teaching my sisters back home. But hey, I couldn’t leave you all suffering like we all were in the brothels! You all needed to know what I know so you could survive! So I decided to call it the sisterhood, and teach you all. I’m sure she’ll understand. Hopefully. I think. Maybe?” The Secretary raised an eyebrow, smiling. “Well, I don’t know if your mother will approve or not. But I for one am thrilled that you did decide that. Anything that helps the vixens and mares in those places to survive has my wholehearted thanks and praise. And if your mother disagrees, you can tell her that.” Sunset smiled. “We’ll cross that bridge when we get there. We have to get home first. And we have to have this reunion first. We owe your parents that, Aiko.” “I wholeheartedly agree,” nodded Aiko. Nodding as well, Sunset leaned back and spread her senses out, feeling the terrain around them. “Okay. So on that note, time for some situational awareness.” She closed her eyes, smiling. “I’m not sleeping, honest,” she grinned. “I’ll let you know if something or someone else comes our way.” “You’ll have to teach me how to do that,” Aiko commented. “It sounds like a very useful talent for a battle mage to have.” “It is,” agreed Sunset, nodding with her eyes still closed. “I intend to teach you everything I know. With your magical aptitude and power, you should be a fantastic battle mage. I look forward to working with you.” “And I, with you,” agreed Aiko. They settled into a comfortable silence as they traveled. Aiko read while her uncle reviewed paperwork he had brought. They took a short break for lunch, the crew and them eating a lunch they had packed from the inn’s tavern, then they resumed their travels. Sunset scanned their surroundings the entire time, maintaining her situational awareness. Towards evening they finally approached the family's Dan, Sunset only having sensed peaceful fellow travelers the entire day’s journey. Aiko was nervous, looking forward to seeing her parents again, but dreading having to face the pain she had left them in with her necessary deception. She only hoped they could forgive her for her part in it. The carriage stopped before the family home, and as they discussed, the Secretary exited first, greeting his brother and sister-in-law as they descended from the house. His brother bowed, then hugged him close. “Brother! Welcome! We didn’t expect to see you back so soon! What brings you to our home, nothing amiss I hope?” The Secretary laughed. “No, I think we have had enough of poor fortune for a lifetime. I’ve come with some fellow travelers.” He turned to the carriage. Sunset took her cue and exited the carriage, bowing low. “Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Adobaizā. I come with a friend, and my sincere apologies and heartfelt sorrow for the grief I have left you with. Please accept my apologies and heartfelt love.” Aiko’s mom moved to Sunset’s side, embracing her and lifting her head back up, looking into her eyes with a gentle smile. “I do not fault you for your part in our daughter’s demise. You were her dearest friend, and faithful to her to the end.” “I am still her dearest friend, my lady. And will be for the rest of my life, fates willing,” agreed Sunset with a smile. Aiko’s mother smiled, if a bit confused. “Of course, dear,” she comforted, hugging Sunset close. “So brother,” said Aiko’s father with a smile. “You said travelers. Who is left in that carriage of yours?” Swallowing her trepidation, Aiko steeled her nerves, and smiling, emerged from the carriage. “Hi Mom! Hi Dad! I’m back!” She greeted them as she stepped from the carriage, then bowed low, her face completely to the ground. “Please forgive me!” she begged.