Shared Warmth and Discourse
Cadance
Glancing back I could see Sunset still trotting behind both myself and Mistletoe. Her eyes opened but considering that I kept having to readjust her course she was currently lost to the world. Mistletoe seemed amused by the entire ordeal, how every so often I would break our conversation to go ensure Sunset, or her disguised form Dawn, would not stray from the path and head straight into the surrounding forest.
It was hard to see the demon that threatened Discord in her at the moment. Almost lost to the world as she was. Umbrum was wrong, Sunset herself was wrong, they had to be wrong. She couldn't threaten the entirety of Equus. She was barely following in my hoof steps.
She loved Celestia. Even with all her rage from her foal-hood she still showed deference to the Alicorn that raised her. She however did not care for many other ponies other than my adopted Aunt.
She cared about me. Even if she didn't want to care about me she admitted that she did. Even before she dared admit it to herself she had grown to like me. She had waited to save me from the griffon that had torn my wing. Refusing to eat the food she scrounged, ensuring that I ate it in her stead. She had thrown herself between me and the embodiment of Chaos.
Here we were but barely a month of knowing of one another's existence and yet she was throwing her life onto the chopping block for me. She at this point saved my life far more than she had threatened it. I knew that she would disagree with that statement, however. She always thinks the worst of herself. Refusing to believe that she could be more than what she is.
What was worse she believed that I would still abandon her. No, she believed that it was the right thing to do. For the Sun to continue in the sky she must be left in the dark forgotten by everyone. Celestia herself had shown her inability to help Sunset so I in her stead would help her.
Even when I had performed my first true feat of Alicorn magic. When I became the center of everything for that short moment. She still all but begged me to leave her, all the while looking like she was carving her horn off. Something was wrong with her. If I didn't know any better I would even claim that she wasn't even a pony.
“Any helpful ideas Umbrum?” I silently asked my ancestor who had been rather chatty. Now silent once more. Ever since his last helpful piece of advice had been to flee north after gaining the cloak that Sunset had made me. Leaving her behind to rot. “I thought so.” That was another creature that I would have to have a heart-to-heart with when I could. Unlike Sunset I could however talk to Umbrum when I went to bed.
Eventually, it seemed that Mistletoe was unwilling to hold her tongue any longer. She had been staring at us ever since both Sunset’s and my magic wore off. It was a good thing that I had chosen to be a Unicorn otherwise Sunset would have likely scarred the innocent Earth Pony in her attempt to remove the memory.
“What sort of magic did you even cast when I couldn't see you? My gaze was being pulled towards the two of you. Even when I could see you I couldn't tear my gaze from you.” She asked. It was a fair question, a reasonable one. However, not one that I could answer.
“I'm not sure what kind of magic I even use at times. That’s why Dawn is teaching me. If you would want to know the specifics I would recommend asking her.” Hopefully, Sunset would be able to come up with a more believable lie. She had plenty of experience in this field while I didn't.
“So how did the two of you meet?” She cheekily asked. “I mean after your little tiff, you haven't been able to keep your eyes off of her.” I turned to face the pony that had a teasing smirk on her lips. Ignoring that for the moment I answered her question.
“My aunt requested her assistance in teaching me magic,” I answered her question not exactly lying but most definitely bending the truth. After all, the truth was far stranger than what I had even expected. However, I couldn't help but wonder how she would react if I informed her that our first meeting was one where she attempted to execute me with extreme prejudice. “I’m not the best at it and Dawn is a little bit of a prodigy.” Mistletoe nods along with the story I was painting.
“Dawn must be rather talented, especially if she is teaching a pony that's older than herself.” I couldn't help the frown that formed. I didn't think that I was older than her. I mean I hadn't bothered to ask Celestia what the difference between the two of our ages was, but we were around the same age.
“You're cute, she is the one teaching you yet you're the one keeping her on the road..” She said as she stopped her trotting, the cart rolling to a stop behind her. I stopped in turn with her as she glanced back at Dawn who narrowly missed going off the trail again. “However if you're the lesser in the magical sense I would rather not like to see what Dawn could do. Especially if she is the one who is teaching you how to control whatever it is you did.” After a pause, she continued. “Why don't you go wrangle her back to some form of sanity while I find a place to set up camp for the night.”
“Are you sure you don't want me to help?.” I asked even as Mistletoe began to detach herself from the cart. “We have already imposed a great deal on you. I-.” She cut me off with a wave of a hoof.
“It's fine Umbra. The two of you looked like you had been chased through the woods by something nasty. You two can get some rest.” She said as she began to look for an appropriate clearing to lay down camp. Turning from the quickly retreating form of the green Earth Pony to the now much more red Unicorn as I made my way towards her.
“Are you feeling any better?” I hesitatingly asked as her eyes met my own. Still, the ever-piercing shade of emerald that I had always associated with her eyes… Why did that feel wrong? Why were her eyes emerald?
“I am fine. My magic has not fully returned to me but I should be able to protect you.” She immediately answers. Even though we both know that she is lying. Is it a learned reflex of hers or was she born like this? Eventually, my gaze gets through to her. She sighs before once more speaking, this time in a more defiant tone. “I have been worse. I should be fine after I get some rest.” Not exactly what I was hoping for but it was something.
“Is there anything I can do to help you recover?” It was only fair after all. She had done her best to care for me. Even if my wing still wasn't too usable it had stopped bleeding for the most part. Sunset just continued to unblinkingly stare at me. I was about to ask if she had once more fallen asleep but she did eventually respond.
“Unless you can somehow prevent me from getting trapped by my nightmares again tonight. No.” She said emotionlessly however after a moment in a much less monotone way she continued. “Thank you for trying but I'll be fine.”
I grimaced at the mention of her night terrors. The past couple of days had proven that what I had seen at the library was not a one-off occurrence. I wish I could have done more but more often she would stay awake longer than I could. The few nights I managed to stay awake later I would fall into the crystal realm accompanied by the whimpers of my long-tortured companion.
I had made plans to… Oh no.
“The book. I left it on my bed. Celestia is going to kill me.” Sunset’s gaze hardens at the name of Princess that she had long expected to smite her. I would more than likely be on that executioner's block right next to her.
“What book?” Sunset questions as her gaze further sharpens. It perhaps should have been threatening however this time it was not.
“I may or may not have gotten a book on dream magic to help you with your night terrors and I have left it underneath my pillow Celestia is going to find it and then she is going to kill me,” I informed my partner in a single breath. Please have some way to get me out of this.
“You left a book of dark magic underneath your pillow?” She asks dumbfounded. I could feel the blood rush to my face as she restated what I said. “You managed to acquire a book of forbidden magic underneath Princess Celestia’s watchful gaze and you left it hidden underneath your pillow?”
“Yes.” I hissed out, my cheeks ablaze. “Now please do the thing where you have a plan for everything under the Sun and help me,” I begged the pony before me. If Celestia saw that book would she understand that I was planning to help Sunset with it? Would she care that I was trying to do good with it? Would she strip me of my horn?
Sweet Celestia, could she do that? She was the one who had taken me through the process of Ascending. She had been there in that strange realm when I had awoken. She had chased away that awful thing that had stalked me.
She adopted me as her niece. She had supported me through the aftermath of that horror. She had taken me in after Prismia… After she had-.
“Cadance?” My name shattered my thoughts into fragments of crystals. I could feel a warm hoof on my good side. Snapping back to reality as Sunset shook me slightly. “Are you alright?” She asked with concern evident in her eyes. Hah, would you look at that? See Umbrum she isn't a danger to me. I forced a smile as I responded.
“You know usually I’m the one shaking you out of your thoughts.” She frowned at my words but did not refute them. “Thank you.” Her lips pursed but she nodded all the same. I enjoyed the warmth of her hoof for another moment before I decided to face reality again. I would have enjoyed it for longer had Sunset not retracted her hoof and decided to speak.
“Did you truly hide it underneath your pillow?” She once more asked as the blood that had left my cheeks returned with a vengeance. I glared at her and she thankfully moved on. “I have a plan. You'll be fine.” Thank Celestia, Sunset continued to work her miracles. Ignoring the pain from my wing as I gave her the biggest hug I could.
“You are the best,” I exclaimed into her side. I could feel her stiffening once more underneath my hoofs. She had done the same last time. The exhilaration drained from me as I let go of Sunset who once again looked as if she had been caught with her hoof in the cookie jar.
“Why were you even looking into dream magic?” She asked after a momentary respite. “Where did you even find a book on the subject? I haven't even been able to find anything on it.” Her eyes lit up as the conversation went to a much more comfortable topic for her. Dark magic that Celestia had banned across Equestria. I couldn't stop the chuckle.
“To help you with your nightmares. I felt horrible after your near-death experience and wanted to help you out.” Not that I had managed to learn much from the book I had chickened out learning from Umbrum that field of magic. Not that I was planning to continue to learn from him again tonight. He had some explaining to do. For some pony that claimed to remember so little aside from his magic, he seemed awfully insistent on me either killing or escaping from Sunset.
Sunset had a frown on her face. She had her mouth open somewhat but she didn't speak for a moment. Instead closing her mouth with a click. Opening it once more she was about to speak, but Mistletoe's shout silenced her before she began.
“Found a decent stomping ground to last the night.” Came from a short distance away. Turning my head I could see the green Earth Pony making her way back toward us. I heard Sunset mutter something so quiet under her breath that I couldn't even pick it up. I would have asked her to repeat what she had said but she was already moving forwards. Following Dawn, trailing in her footsteps I could see Mistletoe shooting a smile toward the both of us.
She quickly hitched herself to her cart once more before beginning to pull it to the campsite that she had found. I chose to instead of trotting next to her, moving in stride with Dawn. We followed after the cart as Mistletoe began to hum a small tune in the growing dusk. No longer content to listlessly follow, Dawn kept her head on a swivel.
Staring into the growing shadows. Searching for something. Some pony perhaps or more likely the shades that she had so often mentioned. She had referred to seeing my shade far more frequently. I was unsure how to take that information. She had on one hoof attempted to obliterate it before it could sink into me. Whatever that meant. On the other hoof, she had burned me when I was caught in the crossfire.
It took a little bit before Mistletoe announced we were at the proper place for the camp. It was a small clearing a little off the road. “Either of the two of you know if that smaller Sun in the sky is going to keep on burning throughout the night?” Mistletoe asked after she got her cart situated. Sunset, who was in the process of pulling out a blanket, stopped moving. Her head twisted to face Mistletoe. I stepped in between the two of them before the inevitable happened.
“I think it's a flare and more than likely. It's giving off a lot of magic.” I answered Mistletoe in a far more polite and non-confrontational way than what Sunset would have. I met Sunset's gaze and silently pleaded with her to let it go. This wasn't a fight she needed right now. This wasn't a fight that any of us needed. She glared at me but tossed me the blanket before settling down herself.
I would have thought she was attempting to go to sleep but I knew her better than that. There was no way she would allow herself to fall asleep near some pony that she didn't trust. Especially without having access to her magic. I thought back to her and Umbrum’s lessons in spellcraft. How intent could substitute with enough power could replace ancient equations that had been etched in Equus.
I gathered my will, my power, and my desire, and had them converge in my horn. Sunset’s eyes flashed open as my spell completed. It was a simple thing so much less than what she could have brought into existence. I was proud of myself, however. This was a spell that had no name. No theorem. Only the Love I had used to fuel it.
“A shielding spell that you have layered upon itself twice. Set to alert the caster when it falters.” She notes Turning my accomplishment into an emotionless equation of arcane formula. “Impressive work.” She concluded to my growing joy. “I have a question about it, however.” I nodded my assent to whatever question she could dream of asking. I was once more in the clouds. “When did you learn to layer your spells together, as I have not yet taught you to do so?”
I was quickly struck down from the high heavens as I crashed into the salted earth. Sunset’s eyes glowed in the darkening world around us. Her question stayed frozen in the air. Sucking the remains of my elation from me. Gulping I spoke almost without thinking.
“I found out how to do so from inside my castle.” I thankfully didn't disclose Umbrum. Taking a breath I continued in a less panicked state “That's where I got the -” lowering my voice even further “- dream book.” Sunset's gaze immediately took a calculative sheen.
“You have a-. If it was from your dream how-. That goes against at least three laws of magic I can think of off the top of my head.” It was impressive how quickly she pieced together what had happened. “How many more books of the same nature do you have in your castle?” Her attention refocused on arcane knowledge as she sat up. I couldn't help but shake my head in amusement. Only when her lips pursued did I respond.
“My library is about the same size as Celestia’s.” I didn't brag at all but I did enjoy the way that her eyes widened as she shuddered in anticipation of arcane secrets. “And it is not as curated as hers.” That was the final straw as Sunset pushed herself up and was in front of me in an instant. Her eyes sparkled like green embers in the dark.
“Do you have any books on-.” She forced herself to pause as her head twisted to where Mistletoe in her cart was dozing a few dozen feet away from us. “What do you want in exchange for you bringing out a few specific tomes from your library?” She asked as if she was in a candy shop. I couldn't help but coo at the sight as the normally rough pony was acting more her age.
“You don't have to exchange me for anything. We are partners, remember?” I reminded her with a smile. “Perhaps in the future, I can even learn to bring you with me into my castle instead of having you enter your nightmares” I offered. Enraptured by my offer, Sunset looked at me for one moment as she did Celestia when she thought no pony was looking.
“I would gladly take you up on that offer.” She said as she forced herself to calm down. Her words came out in a gentle tone and manner. That did little to hide the enthusiasm that bled from the pony before me. She was almost vibrating with the thought that I had given her. “You can get some rest, I will keep vigil.”
“You do need to sleep. You can't just stay up all night whenever you choose to do so. You're going to hurt yourself if you do.” Seeing that my argument for her well-being wasn't working I changed my approach. “If you get as sleep deprived as you did last time you may end up speaking your inner thoughts without realizing it again.” That did it. Sunset flinched back at the spoken words.
“Look, you can trust in my magic to keep us safe. Even if Mistletoe wakes up and tries to do anything I will wake up when my shield shatters.” I continued ensuring my victory over the now red Unicorn. Who looked like she swallowed a sour grape. She however couldn't refute the magic that I had conjured. “Let's just go to sleep, Sunset we have a long day ahead of us.” I offered her half the blanket which she nearly glared at. “You are going to be warmer than a blanket. You wouldn't want me to freeze to death would you?” I teased. She channeled her glare from the blanket to me but relented all the same.
We settled down against the sack that she had been dragging with her. It was surprisingly soft and made for a decent enough pillow. We fell into silence as we both settled down underneath the blanket. She was far warmer than the blanket. Must be all the fire that she throws around. I snuggled into her side as the cool winds began to blow. The last thing I saw before I closed my eyes for the last time was the clouds separating and revealing the Mare on the Moon in all her splendor.
Opening my eyes to the splendor of the crystalline realm that constituted my dreamscape. I immediately leaped from my throne and began to hunt down my prey. Allowing my wings to catch air as I flew through my castle. Feeling the feathers on my wounded wing stretch and flex, catching up on the current was a bliss that I could not yet experience in reality.
Soaring through the crystal hallways I made my way to what Umbrum had named the training hall. Coming across the grand doors of darkened crystal propped open, I knew that he was within. “We have to talk.” I declared as I entered the hall. Sparing no time for the ornately carved warriors and ponies that decorated the walls. My gaze sought out a blackened figure who I needed answers from.
Spying Umbrum in the center waiting in his ever-present bow. With one final flap of my wings, I was before him touching down. “Explain!” I demanded of my ancestor. He simply brought his twin orbs of crimson to meet my eyes.
“My descendant you must -.” That was all he managed to get out before I cut him off.
“I am not interested in your games. You have claimed on numerous occasions that you could not remember more than your magic.” I reminded him of his words. Breaking off the tirade before it could even begin to form. “Knowing Discord I could understand. However, agreeing to his words and recommending I allow Sunset to expire does not. You will explain. Now.” Umbrum simply nodded to my reasonable demand.
“My descendant, my words are the truth. Your partner is suffused with magics that do not belong in Equestria much less Equus. It took me until now to confirm my suspicions.” Seeing that I wasn't backing down from his words. He hastily continued “No pony, not even Celestia should have been able to escape from the confines of Discord. Not without something aiding them.”
“So? Could she not have constructed a spell to get around his magic?” This was Sunset after all. In her own words, ever since she was a filly she had been going against Celestia herself. Getting out from a bubble formed from the spirit of Chaos seemed reasonable compared to that. “Just because you believed that she couldn't escape doesn't mean that it was impossible,” I concluded. However, Umbrum did not appear to agree.
“It may not have been impossible my descendant, but the fact that a Unicorn alone was able to do so implies that there is far more to Sunset Shimmer than you choose to believe. She has warned you of that fact.” He said as he rose from his bow. “Discord himself has confirmed such a thing. You-.”
“You want me to believe in Discord’s words?” I interjected before he could continue. “The being you described as the antithesis of harmony. A being that you were coaching me on what to say to not draw his ire. Your plan didn't work.” I reminded my grandfather. “If anything it annoyed him to the point where if Sunset hadn't stepped he would have certainly done something to me.” I didn't start off shouting, but I certainly finished with my voice raised.
Umbrum would have spoken if not for me raising a wing to silence him. “You have thought that something was wrong with Sunset ever since she layered that illusion over herself.” I hadn't known that those whispered words were Umbrum’s back then but now I know. They had yet to be brought up, but with his actions today, they could no longer continue unspoken.
Silence permeated the air in the training hall where I had been spending my time learning magic. Under the tutelage of my final blood-related family member, who was now staring unblinkingly at me. Unmoving without any signs of life other than the calculative gleam that rests within his gaze. A cruel smirk forms upon Umbrum’s lips before he tore through the silence and tension alike.
“My descendant, I am glad to see that even growing up in this era of peace has not extinguished your intelligence. Yes, I did indeed observe something wrong with your partner the first time I spied her through your eyes. It was likely the same thing that Celestia spotted when she had initially taken her in.” His words tore through the air, leaving uneasiness in their wake. Sunset should never find this out. She would go completely off the edge.
Umbrum of course decided that after that revelation that this was the time to continue to ‘help’. “Tell me my descendant out of every Unicorn that you have met who can hold a candle to the pony you slumber against? Who amongst them could defy her strength? Her spells? Her very existence?” Umbrum’s horn glowed pitch black as a crystal form of Shining Armor formed from the ground. “Could this colt contest in any form or manner? He may not be the greatest no, but she is no Alicorn. A mere mortal Unicorn. He should have a chance to come out on top, yes? Perhaps when she is exhausted from her magic?”
Shining Armor’s statue of dark crystal exploded with a cacophonous boom as Umbrum blasted a black flame at it. “Wrong. You have seen what Sunset Shimmer can do without her magic. She will rip her life force out of herself and use it until she can forcibly reconnect to the magic of Equus. You felt it yourself my descendant even if you have chosen to ignore it. That what she did when she defended you was wrong.”
I wanted to defy his words but I couldn't. Just like when Discord had pulled out that book of his when Sunset had grown a horn made of her blood and flame, I could feel it tearing reality asunder. Unlike the book that was far more weighted against existence itself. Her actions were a blight on all of existence, that promised nothing but the corruption of all. That moment when she had reforged her broken connection I could feel the incorrectness of the action as if she went against the entirety of Equus herself.
Umbrum took my silence as assent to continue his tirade. “Were she a normal Unicorn she would have quickly extinguished her life. Long before she could have assaulted Discord. She however continued her attack against the spirit himself. Even harming him. Another impossibility was performed by her hoof. I am unsure what Sunset Shimmer truly is but I tell you, my descendant, that she is no closer to being a pony than I am.”
I stared at my grandfather. Thoughts rampaging against each other as I attempted to grasp his words. “Whatever she is, we would be better off with her a withered husk that no spark of life could reignite. It sounds cruel my descendant but Celestia herself has recognized such a fact. Why else would she have given you a pendant that would bring you safely to her side?” Finding a reproach against the unrelenting tide I leaped upon it.
“Her brooch didn't work. When I was fleeing from the griffon I twisted the Sun and I wasn't teleported away. Sunset saved me. She saved me then and again with Discord.” I defended my partner against my grandfather's words. He of course sighs as he shakes his head.
“The brooch works just fine my descendant. Just because she has saved you now does not mean she will not end you later.” His eyes flashed as his voice grew in volume. The shattered remains of his black crystals began to grow around him in a perilous vine that promised pain and death. ”Did she not nearly kill you when you first met? I can remember the fear you felt back then. How Celestia after dealing with her wayward student comforted you and whispered soothing words. How you were terrified of her. You were terrified of meeting her again without Celestia to be your shield. You may choose to believe the best of that demon but I will not have my blood extinguished by your misplaced goodwill and your choosing to forget her actions.”
Umbrum finally realized that he had been shouting as looked at the crystal vine and shattered it with a smack of his hoof. “Smother the flame you hold for her, it will only blind you further. My descendant, I ask that you not force me to watch you die.” With that, his black form faded into an inky black smoke that quickly fled from my sight. Leaving me alone with the pounding of my heart and the thoughts I could not silence.
I hadn't forgotten our start. I-. No, we are better now. Sunset was protecting me and in turn, I was protecting her. Just because I was currently infatuated with her thanks to her saving my life doesn't mean that I thought she was perfect. I was the Alicorn of Love, I would not be led around by my emotions.
Just like when I had saved Blueblood from Sunset. It was a simple case of being saved and having a deal of temporary affection for the savior. Such a thing would quickly wilt with time and space. Not that I had exactly had either for the moment. I knew that Sunset was a cruel and spiteful pony. That she could care less if some pony died before her.
A part of me didn't allow me to forget that I was one of the two ponies that she admitted to caring about. That was even against her wishes that she cared about me. That I was the only pony besides Celestia whom her heart held space for. That she was willing to cause great harm to herself for my benefit. Standing between me, an Alicorn, and the spirit of Chaos. That she was happy to starve herself so that I could eat a few more bites.
There I stayed in the training hall battling with my own emotions. Refusing to consider that Umbrum’s words were right. That I should have allowed Sunset to expire. That I should have slit her throat myself. That I should abscond away to the frozen north, far from her. It was only when the crystals began to fill with light and my vision began to fade did I finally admit to myself. Perhaps it would be better for this crush I had on my emerald-eyed savior to quickly fade. Such a thought went against what I represented, yet it didn't stop me from thinking about it nonetheless.