The Solar guard commander who strode out to meet them was obviously unimpressed. “A pitiful handful of elderly thieves and peasant swine,” he spit. “This is what the great ‘High Commander Luna’ sends to aid us?”
Sunset’s blood boiled and even as Shining reached to stop her, she drew her short sword. “You think yourself better than any other soldier who would defend our great nation? Perhaps you also think yourself above the wrath of the Night Princess?”
The commander smirked, “I don’t see Luna bringing her skinny rump down here to fight.”
In one swift motion, Sunset dismounted and stuck the man in the face. The blow sent him stumbling backward and he gave a shout of indignant rage.
“You can’t-”
“I can! By order of High Commander Luna, Princess of the Moon and Night, I hereby place myself in command of you and yours.” As if to punctuate her words, Pinkie Pie presented a scroll with Luna’s seal upon it. “This scroll gives orders directly from her highness that you are to obey my commands. I am Sunset Shimmer, Commander of the Dark Regiment, Red Right Hand of the High Commander. Any man who does not wish to fall in line, is welcome to take his chances with the Changelings.”
Giving her a dark look, he snatched the scroll. His eyes flickered with rage and it grew with every word. “… so be it. If it be the Princess’s orders… You will kill us all.”
Sunset and her soldiers set up their tents away from the others, keeping to themselves. The solar army made no effort to hide their distrust and she had no desire to further it. The next day in the early hours, she called together the commanding officers from the solar guard and relayed her tentative plan.
“You’re a mad little bich.” The Commander’s snarled, when Sunset announced her plan to spring a trap. “You’ll kill us all.”
“You’re input was not requested, Commander Blueblood. I am presenting my plan to the officers who actually do battle, not noblemen with unearned titles. I know very well that you’re here because your father wanted you to earn a bit of respect. From what I’ve heard you do little more than drink and throw tantrums. I want warriors, not people who hide while their soldiers are slaughtered.” The enraged commander stormed from the tent, red faced. A few of the other officers smiled.
“It not a half bad plan,” said one, a slim man with a pronounced scar above his eye. “A little light on the details, and it is a bit mad, trying to trap the Queen herself but at least it’s better than waiting for another raid to kill half our men.”
Sunset smiled, “and what is your name? Do I detect an Eastern accent?”
The man stepped forward, “Lieutenant Soarin, ma’am from Smokey Mountain.”
“You’re awfully young for a lieutenant.” Sunset surveyed him as he cringed at her comment. His boyish looks were clearly visible even beneath layers of grime.
“I inherited the rank from my sister; she died last week in an ambush.”
Sunset frowned, “then I extend my sympathy. What do you and your unit say to making those responsible pay?”
“Hell yes!”
Another officer cleared her throat, “Captain Spitfire, Cloudsdale. How do you plan to coax the changeling’s forces into your trap?”
Sunset smiled, “we’re going to set up an ambush.”
The room erupted with cries of outrage. Sunset simply raised her hands in a gesture of peace and with only a few harsh looks from AJ, the room fell silent.
“I know many of you see dishonor in these tactics but the facts are as they are. We have gained no ground, but neither have our enemy. They have the advantage of the cliffs, but the narrow gorge in which we sit has never been breached. Everyone here knows that Queen Chrysalis is after the falls because the access to water there is a perfect way to cut off our allies in the North. If she manages to make it past us, the falls, Princess Cadence's Empire in the North, and eventually Canterlot will become vulnerable. We must hold the line with everything we have, we must push them back. Ideally we would have more men, enough to trounce Chrysalis and her blights right here but she is clever.”
Pinkie stepped forward and spread a massive map out, having AJ and Flash hold it for her. Shining Armor indicated their location, the great fissure in the earth, Ghastly Gorge.
"They’re attacking all along our border to keep us spread thin. Their underhanded tactics have killed so many that we can’t hope to hold out indefinitely. Our best chance is to attack from within the gorge,” his face was grim, “you may have kept from your men the reality of our situation thus far. Continuing to do so would be a mistake. Sunset’s plan, if it works, will grant us some sorely needed breathing room.”
The same captain as earlier, Spitfire, stepped close and surveyed the map, “aren’t you Lord Night Light’s boy?”
Shining swallowed, “Not anymore. All I am now, is Sunset’s friend, advisor, and lieutenant.”
Spitfire smirked and glanced at Sunset, “I like this lot… and I like your plan. The enemy doesn’t know you’re here, so we have surprise on our side. Tell us everything you have so far.”
Sunset drew a deep breath, “who here has made the biggest dent in Chrysalis’s numbers? We need someone who will really torque her off.”
Captain Spifire grinned evilly, “I have that distinct honor… why?”
Sunset glanced up with a smirk of her own, “you’re bait.”
“…”
Most of the other commanders suddenly seemed to be looking everywhere but at Sunset. Spitfire was gaping at her.
“Uh,” Soarin said uneasily, “What-”
“What the fresh fuck does that mean?” Spitfire growled.
“We send you out with a small cadre of soldiers, some of yours and some of mine. From all I’ve heard and read about her, Chrysalis is vain and arrogant. She is someone who thinks she’s smarter than everyone around her. If she sees you out there, practically defenseless except for a few scouts… there’s no way she doesn’t make a move.”
“So what? She comes after me and then you idiots jump out of the bushes? All you said was that we were going to spring a trap in the gorge!”
Sunset shook her head, “she comes after you, and you fight just long enough to look good and then you sound a retreat.”
“I have never had to retreat in my life! I don’t want to start now!”
“I understand," said Rainbow Dash, speaking for the first time. “I’m not one to back down from a fight either, but this isn’t a true retreat… This is you faking a retreat to trick the enemy into the gorge.”
Spitfire glared at Dash. Dash glared right back. “… fine.”
A broad shouldered lieutenant raised a hand, “Lieutenant Rockhoof, Whitetail Woods. What happens when Captain Spitfire sounds her retreat?”
“If all goes to plan?” Sunset indicated the map, “the rest of the solar guard will have circled around unseen and close off their retreat. My men will be at this end, preventing them from breaking through. We’ll have them trapped between a rock,” she pointed at Rockhoof, “and a hard place,” she motioned to herself.
He studied the map closely for a moment, nodding along. “We should go through Froggy Bottom Bog to trap them then,” he commented. “But, it will take at least three days to trudge through the bog, even at it's narrowest point.
Sunset nodded, “for the plan to work, we need to hold this portion of Ghastly Gorge for at least three days. And then, we must keep the enemy engaged so that you have time to cut them off.”
Spitfire looked troubled, “if we fail… if you falter… the Changelings will take the gorge and overrun the Falls.”
Sunset swallowed but nodded resolutely, “then I had better hold fast.”