//------------------------------// // Chapter 74: Another Rainbow Roadtrip // Story: Equestria Girls - The Tale of Two Sunsets // by HumanSunset63 //------------------------------// Twilight, Sunset, and Spike began making their way over to the School of Friendship, now that they were given the full extent regarding the Stagma Beetle infestation. It was around this time, Twilight understood that graduation at CHS was approaching even sooner than expected, urging the princess to remind her friend of the upcoming big event. After all, it would've seemed extremely unfair to force Sunset to miss her graduation at the one school she had spent nearly her entire human life at. Twilight then remembered the magical clock she had put into Sunset's journal, and decided to tap her friend on the shoulder. "So, Sunset?" Twilight addressed her friend and pupil from behind. "While we certainly appreciate everything you've done to help us acquire the Dragonstone, I'm getting a little more worried about your time in Equestria. Your graduation at CHS should be coming up pretty soon, so I was admittedly wondering if you wanted to return to your world now?" "Oh, the graduation, that's right..." Sunset replied, understanding that time would be particularly tight. "Well, if you really think it's best, maybe I should go back now. Though I should probably check the time in the human world through my journal, since you gave me that magical clock. But my journal's in... wait... where's my saddlebag? It just occurred to me that I never took it with me on that expedition. Uh oh, did it possibly get stolen!?" "No need to worry about that, Sunset." Twilight assured. "Remember how you left the meeting room to confront Chestnut on your own? Well, that's where you left it at, and I made sure to keep it in a safe place." The princess then used her magic to poof up the saddlebag, which was hidden away in a discreet location in the castle. "Well, I'm glad I can always count on my friends, I would have been really upset if it went missing." Sunset opened up her saddlebag and began searching for her journal, before taking out her Señor G. Echo plush. "Ooh, is that...?" Twilight gasped, realizing what the plush was based on. "Señor G. Echo!? I remember Celestia showing me that puppet show in Canterlot, when I was just a filly!" "I guess that makes two of us." Sunset giggled, whilst holding her plush, affectionately. "Princess Celestia gave this back to me when I was visiting her in Silver Shoals. The story surrounding how I found it in the first place? It's a pretty wild one, but it definitely embodied the heroes thwarting the villains in the end, much like one of his episodes. Are you rather surprised there's merchandise of Señor G. Echo?" "Well, sort of." Twilight replied. "I mean, it's been around for a long time, and I've heard that many older ponies used to watch it when they were younger. It's just that I didn't expect to see a plushie of him, I always believed they were nothing more than a rumor. So if this is actually real, I'd have to imagine that toy would be pretty valuable?" "Oh, you could say that again." Sunset grinned with confidence, knowing how she and her adoptive mother had foiled the nefarious schemes of Flim and Flam, much like the superhero leopard gecko himself would've done. "The fact that I even have this because of Princess Celestia, well, that certainly makes it a whole lot more special and priceless." "That's very interesting to hear, Sunset." Twilight smiled. "I'm glad you were able to find that toy, and I'm sure it holds a lot of special memories for you. But for now... we should probably get back on track. You wanted to check the time in the human world through your journal, right?" "Yeah, good call." Sunset continued digging through her saddlebag, until she found the clock within her journal. "Hmm, so it's only a little past 3 PM in the human world, that means I only have about one and a half days left before graduation. But... it seems I also have a message here from the other... you. Remember, the version of you who wears glasses? Pretty sure you've met her before in both worlds." "I have, not every day you get to see another version of yourself from another world." Twilight recalled. "So with that much time left, if you really need to get back to the human world now, I'd completely understand. The council and I will sort out what to do about Chestnut, so that you won't have to miss out on graduation. How does that sound?" "Actually, hold that thought, Twilight." Sunset began reading Human Twilight's message. "According to the other you, graduation at CHS has for some reason... been pushed back a day. She even included a picture of a notice signed by the principal herself. That means I have a little more time to help save Equestria, like I originally intended. Besides, I made a promise to Flash before he sacrificed himself, that I would stop Chestnut, no matter the cost." "I appreciate your enthusiasm, but I'm sure Flash wouldn't have held that promise over your head, if it entailed missing out on your big day." Twilight elaborated. "He might've simply meant that we should all use the Dragonstone to our fullest potential, and foil Chestnut's plans when the time's right." "You make a good point there." Sunset thought back to Flash's final moments before the sacrifice on Everfree Island. "But I still feel like I owe it to Flash, I can't just abandon this endeavor to save Equestria now. Besides, if we wait until after my graduation, Chestnut might do something even more horrible to Equestria, very soon. I wouldn't want to risk that, and come back through the portal, only to suddenly see that ruined future we saw with Starlight." "Hmm, alright... I understand." Twilight nodded, appreciating Sunset's willingness to stick around even longer than she had originally planned. "Sometimes, such things must be done, especially when it comes to having the responsibility to protect Equestria, now that Celestia and Luna are retired. In that case, we should probably head on over to the School of Friendship, meet up with the rest of the council, and decide where to go from there." But just as Twilight, Sunset, and Spike were about to do just that, a familiar security stallion stepped out of the castle, requesting the princess in regards to an urgent matter. "Uhhh, Princess Twilight?" Max Steele addressed from atop the staircase. "We... have a bit of a problem." "What's going on, Mr. Steele?" Twilight turned around, curious at what had happened. "You escorted Captain Spruce to the Canterlot dungeon, correct?" "Well, yes." Max replied, before he was about to address the more alarming news. "However, after locking him up to await his trial, I was patrolling the other cell blocks, and realized something quite alarming! Indigo Zap's cell had been melted open, and the pegasus herself had escaped!" "Escaped?!" Twilight shrieked. "But how could that be? We thought she was being held in the most secure cell of the entire Canterlot dungeon!" "We may still have hope at figuring out what had happened." Max began explaining. "Sour Sweet was in the cell directly across from hers, and she claimed to have witnessed what had happened. However, as best as I've tried to interrogate her, she's refusing to spill the beans." "In that case, we should try to get some more information out of Sour Sweet." Twilight said, rather determined to get answers from the one royal guard who had been proven to abuse her authority. "We'll head into the dungeon and see if she'll listen to us, instead. Be sure to keep an eye out for anything else suspicious here in Canterlot, Mr. Steele. Especially any red beetles." "Yes, Princess." Max nodded, before Sunset, Twilight, and Spike went on their way. The trio had rushed into the dungeon faster than Pinkie Pie chasing an ice cream cart. When they had approached the dungeon's main corridor, they passed by the cell containing Captain Spruce, who was still atoning for his crimes from earlier. Eventually, the two mares and dragon saw that the cell with Indigo Zap's inmate number had seen better days. The bars were melted away, and as expected, the pegasus herself was nowhere to be seen. As such, the only pony who could've seen anything at all, was sitting directly across from Indigo's cell, the former royal guard who had attempted to abuse her authority by wrongfully convicting Sunset during the day of Twilight's coronation. "Sour Sweet." Twilight turned to her former royal guard. "I do believe that since you were the only pony down here who could've witnessed what had happened, you owe us an explanation. What happened to that pegasus directly across from you?" "Well, good to see you too, Princess... but I didn't see anything..." Sour Sweet began innocently, before turning into a more grouchy demeanor. "I was just sleeping, so why don't you get off my back!? Especially since you're with that pony who got me locked up in here in the first place!" "You fully know well that you selfishly tried to imprison Sunset over some bonus, and that you've been abusing your authority for far too long!" Twilight raised her wings in hostility. "Now, I suggest you tell us exactly what happened in here, or I may add additional consequences when it comes time for your trial!" "Like I care about that anymore!" Sour Sweet huffed. "I already know how you work, Princess! You can't fool me with your bluff." "Alright, is that how you want to play things?" Sunset began, ready to add her own bargain. "How about... if you give us the answers we want, we'll let you out of your cell?" "Err, Sunset?" Spike began, unsure of Sunset's plans. "Are you sure that's a good-" "Trust me, Spike." Sunset replied, pretty confident with where she was going with her bargain. "Ooh, for real?" Sour Sweet began with her usual sweet demeanor, before shifting back into her sour mood. "Alright, fine. Listen up, cause I'm only gonna say this once." Sour Sweet then began sharing a flashback from her perspective, as it had already been a few days since she had lost her position as a royal guard, and was doing some hard time. Indigo Zap had just been brought into the prison by Max Steele, whom Sour Sweet didn't really care much about, since she was still bitter about everything earlier on that week. The two had merely engaged in small talk, though their conversations didn't really go much beyond recognizing that Sunset Shimmer was the main reason they were both behind bars. "Ugh, I can't believe we both got thrown in prison because of that unicorn!" Indigo groaned, rather frustrated. "Well, what'd you expect, huh?" Sour Sweet huffed. "She's the princess's best friend now, so there was nothing we could do about it." "And a smart one, too." Indigo added. "So that checks out, for sure. I still can't believe she saw through me, I would've expected my performance as Dash to have been convincing, but she just had to be such a killjoy. I don't even know who I should be getting my revenge on, that unicorn, or Dash herself..." As Indigo was thinking of nothing more than a way to potentially get her revenge, something else in the corner began to get her attention. A strange noise coming from within her cell, almost sounding as if something was scratching at her walls. "Oh great..." Indigo growled. "Are there seriously mice down here too?" Suddenly, the noises had stopped, before something began to crawl out of a small crevice within the floor. It was a lone Stagma Beetle, who had gotten separated from the rest of the swarm. The beetle had made its presence more apparent by burping, as a result of eating Postcrush's wedding cake. This not only caught Indigo's attention, but even startled her, when she saw that the burp had caused it to breathe a small wave of fire. "What the heck is this thing, a cockroach dragon hybrid?" Indigo questioned, never having seen one of these before. "Hey, wait a minute, if it can breathe fire..." "What are you doing?" Sour Sweet said from her cell, unsure of what was happening in the cell across from hers. "Hey, little guy." Indigo said to the beetle, whilst offering it her hoof. "You want to be my friend and help bust us out of here-" But before the pegasus could even finish, the beetle had immediately attempted to bite her, wanting another meal after having dessert. Indigo narrowed her eyes at this, realizing this strange bug was going to put up a fight, but decided it was her only hope at melting away her prison bars. Suddenly, Indigo had come up with an ingenious plan to help her escape. "Alright, little guy." Indigo said to the beetle, before whacking it against the wall. "You really want to cook me up and have me for dinner? Try and get me, then!" The beetle stood up from the sudden attack, now enraged. As Indigo tempted it to breathe fire by teasingly standing still and acting like a large target, the Stagma Beetle began breathing wave after wave of its fire breath, whilst the pegasus strategically dodged every volley of it. After a while of this, the prison bars behind Indigo had become hot enough to become liquid metal. Indigo saw her opportunity, before picking up a nearby stone, and using it to carve out a whole big enough in the bars for her escape. She had done this just in time, as the bars quickly cooled down and returned to their solid state, rather quickly. The Stagma Beetle meanwhile, had become exhausted and frustrated with Indigo's little game, before hissing at the pegasus and escaping back through the crevice, hoping to reunite with the whole swarm. Not even questioning her luck, Indigo slipped out of her cell's melted bars and trotted over to Sour Sweet, rather surprised to see such a escape. "Well, what do you know?" Indigo smirked at how well her plan had worked. "Now I can go and get my revenge on a certain somepony. Too bad for you, huh? You'll have to serve your sentence, it seems." "You're kidding, right?" Sour Sweet frowned. "You're just going to leave me here?" "It's not like I owe you anything." Indigo shrugged, before making her way out of the dungeon. "But if it makes you feel any better though, I'll get revenge for both of us!" Indigo then made her way out of the dungeon with her incredible speed, completely throwing the guards off balance, and unsure of what they had just witnessed. The guards simply assumed it was most likely another royal guard in a hurry, as they didn't get a clear view of who the pegasus truly was. The flashback then ended, leaving Sunset, Twilight, and Spike rather worried. "So, Indigo really did manage to escape because of one of those pests." Twilight sighed. "I really hope there's a way for us to truly deal with the infestation here in Canterlot." "Hey, now that I've spilled the beans, a deal's a deal." Sour Sweet huffed. "Please, could you be nice for once, and open my little cell?" "Forget it!" Spike spat. "There's no way we're really going to let you out, you still have plenty of time to serve! I'm sure Sunset was only saying that just to get you to talk, isn't that right?" "No, I was being serious." Sunset kept her promise to Sour Sweet. "Twilight, could you please open her cell? She's still in hoofcuffs, so I'm sure she can't make it far, anyways." "Even after all the trouble she caused you on my coronation day?" Twilight hesitated for a moment, but felt as though she could trust Sunset on matters as serious as this. "Alright... I hope you know what you're doing." Twilight used her horn to input the magical code needed to open the dungeon cell in front of her. Shortly after, the bars had begun to rise, leaving an open space for Sour Sweet to leave her cell. "Well then, thanks a bunch for releasing me." Sour Sweet said, as she exited her confinement space. "I guess in that case, I'll be free to head on home-" "Not so fast." Sunset grabbed Sour Sweet by the hoof, a grip strong enough to where she couldn't wander off on her own. "While I may've asked Twilight to release you, I didn't say that you were off the hook, now did I? In fact, there's something you could do to help us." "Let go of me, you brat!" Sour Sweet spat, trying to wriggle out of Sunset's grip. "You're actually going to hold my freedom for ransom!? How dare you! I refuse to help you in any way, you understand!?" "Alright, if that's really how you feel, then you can go on ahead back into your cell." Sunset replied, before turning to Twilight. "By the way, Twilight? How long is the sentence for somepony convicted of the same crimes as her?" "Abusing authority and committing fraud are both very serious offences." Twilight recalled the rulebook regarding Equestrian law. "If found guilty in trial, she may serve a sentence of up to 20 years, with no chance of probation." "WHAT!?" Sour Sweet screeched in outrage. "That's ridiculous! I didn't even do anything that bad!" "But it's definitely where you're headed, if you choose this path you're currently on." Sunset continued explaining. "If you help us with some more important matters, which may even include tracking down Indigo Zap's whereabouts, we may consider some leniency on your sentence. What do you think, Twilight?" "That sounds fair enough, but I think we should first discuss this with Celestia and Luna before-" Twilight began, but remembered her former mentors were now retired. "Oh... that's right, we can't really do that anymore, so it really is up to me now. But what are you suggesting specifically, Sunset? Would this be like a bit of a probation period for Sour Sweet, to see if she can appeal for her crimes, and prove she'd be unlikely to reoffend?" "Exactly, Twilight." Sunset nodded. "We'd like to give her a chance to redeem herself by working with us. Even if she ended up abusing her authority, Flash mentioned that she's still had many years of experience as a royal guard, so I'm sure she'd be able to help us wherever we need her. Now, Sour Sweet, are you with us?" "Alright, I suppose if you'll give me a little chance." Sour Sweet began sweetly, but changed her tone rather quickly. "But if I end up getting stuck with that ridiculous sentence anyways, I'm holding you both responsible for not keeping your promises." "Since I'm now in charge of the courtroom procedures here in Canterlot, I can assure you, Sour Sweet." Twilight explained. "I'll be sure to put in a good word for you, depending on how well your performance is. So, I think Sunset's made a pretty fair proposal, especially after all the trouble you've caused for her. In other words, you'll be released temporarily, and will follow any orders given to you by either Sunset, myself, or the council. And rest assured, if I get any report of you misbehaving, acting unreasonable, or ditching your duties, I'll not only maximize your sentence, but also make certain that you'll never find another job in Equestria ever again." "Fine... I'll do it." Sour Sweet groaned. "Just don't expect me to be all sweet and happy about this." "Well, you should've thought about that before making all those terrible decisions over the years." Spike folded his arms. "I know it sounds difficult now, but I know from experience that if you want everypony to give you another chance, you have to work hard to prove it." Sunset reflected her time at CHS doing just that. "Alright, Twilight. Now that we've understood what's happened here, and made a deal with Sour Sweet, we should all head on over to this... School of Friendship place?" "Sounds good to me." Twilight replied, as the entire group was making their way out of the dungeon, with the Dragonstone being carried by Spike. Once everyone had exited the main castle, Twilight had instructed two nearby royal guards to bring them all over to the School of Friendship by using the royal chariot. The guards did as they were instructed, carrying the three ponies and dragon from Canterlot to Ponyville. After reaching their destination, the group got off of the chariot, ready to make their way inside. However, the guards specifically escorted Sour Sweet inside, and made certain to not let her out of their sight, as instructed by the princess herself. Sunset, Twilight, and Spike began making their way to the school, but as they were doing so, the princess voiced what was on her mind. "Out of curiosity, Sunset?" Twilight began to inquire. "What gave you the idea to give Sour Sweet a chance to turn her life around?" "Well, we did the same with that pirate captain." Sunset reflected. "I also befriended somepony else on Everfree Island, whom I didn't really think I'd get along with, so I figured we could still give Sour Sweet a fair chance. I know she was horrible to me, but she seemed really lonely and unhappy in there. I just figured that maybe if we gave her a chance to prove herself, she might change for the better. Plus, with the circumstances we're all currently dealing with, we're going to need all the help we can get." "It's a pretty interesting approach to be open-minded." Twilight nodded. "I know I can be rather harsh and judgmental at times, which isn't always the best way to handle things. Even though you're not officially a member of the council, I'd imagine you'd still be a great mentor and advisor for us." "Well, I'm flattered you think that." Sunset smiled. "If there's one thing I've learned from my time in the human world, it's that sometimes, the worst of us can surprise you in great ways. In fact, it was my human friends who taught me that you can always give someone a chance to prove themselves, no matter how bad they've been in the past. And they've shaped me into the leader I am now, determined to help her friends, and especially to save Equestria from Chestnut Magnifico." "Your leadership skills with your human friends are really shining, especially after everything we had just been through on Everfree Island." Twilight said with confidence. "Though if we're going to further investigate as a means of tracking down Chestnut, we unfortunately might have to split up for a while. There's still research that needs to be done, on top of figuring out what specifically we need, in taking down a foe with the Bewitching Bell at their disposal." "I'm sure we can still figure something out, as long as we put our mind to it." Sunset insisted. "After all, the most important thing is to not give up. Though I'm curious, how do we move forward when it comes to splitting up?" "I can arrange search party groups with the rest of the council." Twilight began planning everything out. "We'd also need to check in every once in a while, to discuss our progress and share any new information we've gathered." "And to keep in touch, we could use magical journals, like the one you use to communicate with Twilight." Spike suggested. "I'd volunteer to be the messenger through scrolls, but... well, you know why I'm out of commission now. But on a lighter note, the School of Friendship should be... just around the corner." "Alright, I guess this means I'll finally get to see this school that you and Starlight have vaguely mentioned." Sunset turned to Twilight. "Pretty impressive how you technically now own two different schools, including the one I used to study at." "Impressive, but definitely a lot of work." Twilight giggled. "You should've seen how many papers I've had to grade last term. It was still worth it though, especially since we've formed one of the most diverse communities to pursue an education in friendship." "Been noticing that ever since I've taken an extended return to Equestria, especially when I saw dragons, changelings, and yaks all over Ponyville." Sunset recalled, before the trio finally stood in front of the School of Friendship. "Here we are!" Twilight said, almost as if she was giving Sunset an exclusive tour. "What do you think, Sunset?" "Wow, this is a school?" Sunset reacted with astonishment. "It looks like a pristine palace! Look at the waterfalls, the architecture, the... the..." "Yeah, I guess you could say a little budget and hard work can really go a long way." Twilight looked proudly at her institution. "But in this case, the hardest part was actually convincing Chancellor Neighsay to approve of everything." "Well, you definitely know how to set up an incredible learning environment!" Sunset admired the school's design. "This place looks even more luxurious than what I was accustomed to back in Canterlot. You might even be capable of running a Friendship University!" "Err, let's just say there's a personal reason why I specifically chose not to endorse in something like that." Twilight alluded to the Flim Flam brothers doing just this a while back. "But regardless, I appreciate your feedback on the very establishment that I built from the ground up. It's always a good feeling to be acknowledged for something you've dedicated your time and heart into." "Second that." Sunset agreed, before returning to what they were focusing toward. "Alright, so I guess we should now be searching for Starlight and the rest of the council? Where would they most likely be?" "Given how Starlight's the new headmare of the school, we'll most likely find her in her office." Twilight believed. "Headmare?" Sunset said, rather confused. "I remember her telling me she was the guidance counselor." "She was, but this change was very recent, so I suppose she hadn't really gotten used to the new position just yet." Twilight shrugged. "I remember hearing the story of how it all happened, it was pretty crazy. In the end, Trixie's the new student counselor, but... I wasn't too wild about the idea." "Knowing Trixie, I can see where you're coming from." Sunset leaned toward Twilight's belief, as they entered the school and trotted down the hallways. "I mean, she can get a little rambunctious and full of herself from time to time, but we can still get along pretty well. Though I'm mostly speaking from experience with the... other Trixie. Not sure I could see her as a responsible student counselor at CHS if she's too busy taking selfies of herself eating peanut butter crackers." "You and me both, though I'm still happy for the fact that she made a huge contribution in helping Starlight turn her life around." Twilight agreed, before noticing they were finally approaching the headmare's office. "Oh, looks like we're here now!" "Hello, may we come in?" Spike knocked on the door, awaiting a response. "Come on in!" Sunburst announced, before the trio entered the office, and saw that there seemed to be trouble. Starlight and Sunburst were in the middle of consulting matters that was rather crucial to the school, but they were unsure of a potential solution to their dilemma. "Hey, Sis!" Sunburst said to Sunset, before realizing it was a bit informal. "Errr... you don't mind me calling you that, do you? Now that we know we share the same dad?" "It's fine, especially since we're proven to be half siblings." Sunset shrugged. "Anyways, judging from the looks on you and Starlight's faces... I'm guessing there's something wrong?" "That would be an understatement." Starlight sighed, before explaining. "You know that urgent matter Sunburst had to call me back to the school for? Well, it turns out that Chancellor Neighsay is overseeing an inspection of how the school's being run, now that test scores are up. The problem is, he'll also be bringing the rest of the EEA board, and they all have pretty high expectations for us." "Well that shouldn't be too much of a problem." Twilight analyzed the situation. "I can't imagine Chancellor Neighsay will be as much of an issue now, after we put an end to Cozy Glow's plans and personally showed him how wrong he was." "That'd be my first thought too, Twilight." Sunburst chimed in. "Except, this is Chancellor Neighsay we're talking about here. I don't really know him that well, but I know how ruthless and strict he truly is. We really shouldn't take any chances, especially since everypony on the EEA will be checking in on our performance, not just him." "We really need to go above and beyond for the EEA." Starlight nodded. "We may have convinced Neighsay, but this is the first time that the entire board will be here. Who knows if they'll even judge us for breathing incorrectly?" "Well, if it helps, I'm sure you all know how to run a school by now." Twilight assured. "You've both been doing well in your respective positions of the school, so you just need to keep on doing what you normally do. It's obvious to me at least, that you've all been working hard." "Even so, the board also mentioned that they were really looking forward to meeting with the student counselor, to potentially get some insight on how the students have been performing so well." Starlight elaborated. "And as you all know... that's Trixie. Need I say more?" "I understand the concern, but I don't think we should let that affect our performance." Twilight replied. "I'm sure we can find a way to showcase the school's strengths without putting Trixie in the spotlight. Besides, even if she does say something out of line, we'll be there to back her up." "And that's another thing." Sunburst spoke up. "We don't even know where Trixie's gone off to. We've tried to get in contact with her the past few hours, but... nothing. She may've only just started as the new student counselor, but I can't say I'm impressed with her performance so far. Besides, not having the student counselor here? That won't be a good look for the school, how are we going to explain that to the board?" "We'll just have to make sure that we're extra prepared for anything that comes our way, then." Twilight said with confidence. "I'm sure Trixie will turn up eventually. In the meantime, let's focus on making the school look its best." Just then, a dragon student made her way into the office. She was accompanied by Pinkie and a changeling student, after hearing that the princess had just arrived at the institution. "Hey, Twilight!" Pinkie announced, as she brought the two students over to the princess. "So... the rest of us talked to Smolder here, and she mentioned that she was maybe interested in giving up her dragon fire." "Good work, Pinkie." Twilight nodded, as the energetic pony left the room to let them discuss details. "Alright, Smolder? So you're willing to give up your dragon fire for a greater cause?" "Yeah, that's right." Smolder nodded. "Since I've been going to this school and learning all about friendship, I figured I could demonstrate what I've learned. But... before I give it to you, I was also wondering if I could get something in exchange for it? It's usually not the dragon's tradition to simply give up something for free." "I understand, Smolder." Twilight was willing to level with her student. "Of course, I'd be more than happy to discuss what you'd like in return. Just know that anything you ask for, it must also be reasonable, and in line with the school's values." "Oh, so I can't ask for automatic A's in all my classes?" Smolder teased. "Or better yet, a kiss from Spike?" "W-What!?" Spike choked. "You... aren't serious, are you?" "I'm just playing with you." Smolder snickered, though it left Spike a bit disappointed on the inside. "No, instead... I was wondering if I could ask for a little field trip with the rest of my closest friends here? Ocellus, could you give them the rundown?" "Sure, Smolder." The young changeling turned to the others. "Since we've all gotten our grades up, we were thinking of potentially exploring newer places around Equestria. Not only would it be educational, but also a lot of fun! In fact, we were specifically wondering if you could take us... here?" Ocellus handed Twilight a brochure of Hope Hollow, which also directly advertised Slice-N-Shake, a pizzeria arcade, which was a new tourists' attraction. Seeing this, the princess became skeptical, and began to deduce the real reason Smolder and her friends wanted to take a field trip there. "Listen, since you've all been doing exceptionally well in your classes, there's no need to sugarcoat anything." Twilight assured, as she set the brochure aside. "You actually want to take a field trip to this pizzeria arcade place, don't you?" "Well, uh..." Ocellus began nervously, but realized that she already messed up. "Alright, you got us! I guess I made things pretty obvious then, huh?" "Okay, fine, we kinda wanted to go there, specifically." Smolder crossed her arms. "So what? It's not like we're going to cause trouble or anything. We just want to have a little fun and enjoy ourselves, especially after getting our grades up." "Don't worry, I never said that you couldn't go to this pizzeria arcade place for your field trip." Twilight assured. "But I'm thinking you didn't pay too much attention during Applejack's lectures about honesty. Regardless, I'm happy to hear that you'll want to share this kind of fun with all your friends, and not just yourself. A nice demonstration of generosity and kindness, so it'd be an honor to say... yes, you and your friends may go there for a field trip." "Really?" Smolder became a little skeptical. "You're not just saying that because you know I'm about to give up my dragon fire?" "Come now, Smolder." Twilight said with assurance. "I don't think I'd be teaching every creature the values of honesty without embracing it all myself. Besides, it'd be very foolish to make promises I can't keep, I know from experience." "Well, the field trip itself sounds perfectly reasonable." Starlight voiced her own opinion on the matter. "However, with the upcoming school inspection by the EEA, we'll need all the staff we can here, to make sure things go smoothly. Where are we going to get some teachers who can chaperone Smolder and her friends while they go on this trip?" "Sounds like it's a good thing I decided to stick around a bit longer, then?" Sunset volunteered herself. "I may not exactly be a teacher, but I've led my own friends on many adventures before. What do you say, Twilight?" "That's a very kind offer, Sunset." Twilight replied. "But are you sure you can handle it all on your own? I mean, these students are much younger than you, and you'd be responsible for their safety. It isn't the same as simply hanging out with friends." "Don't worry, I can handle it." Sunset assured. "In fact, hanging with my friends also often entailed working with them to ensure their safety, so I know I have that kind of experience. Plus, it'd be nice to see a little more of Equestria for a while." "Very well then, I trust that you'll do a great job, Sunset." Twilight nodded, before turning to Smolder and Ocellus. "As for the rest of you, remember to be on your best behavior and listen to Sunset. No shenanigans, alright?" "Come on, now." Smolder rolled her eyes. "When was the last time we tried anything cheeky?" "Did you forget when you were all expecting to automatically graduate, simply because you helped save Equestria from Cozy Glow?" Spike reminded. "Oh, right." Ocellus blushed in embarrassment. "Good point, Spike." "If I may interject, I think there should be a minimum of at least two chaperones, just to be safe." Sunburst advised. "Problem is, I don't really know anypony else who's available, if we're all needed here at the school for the EEA." "Well, then I guess it's a good thing we now have Sour Sweet." Sunset reminded. "Hmm, good thinking, Sunset." Twilight agreed. "I suppose it'd also be a good punishment for her. She may've abused her authority as a royal guard, but she certainly can't anymore, not without her badge. This chaperone job might also teach her a thing or two about hospitality. Alright, so it's settled, then. Sour Sweet will help Sunset chaperone Smolder and her friends during their field trip to Hope Hollow." "Sounds like a plan." Sunset said with enthusiasm. "But now the question is... where exactly is Hope Hollow?" "Well, the last time my friends and I went, we traveled by hot air balloon." Twilight recalled. "But as you can imagine, we don't really have the option now, thanks to a certain goggle-wearing pegasus. I'm not really sure how else we can reach Hope Hollow, since it's not a destination that's marked on route for the Friendship Express." "Hmm, I see..." Sunset began pondering. "But if that's the case, we might need to do some further research on Hope Hollow..." "Excuse me?" Sunny Flare knocked on the wall from outside the office to make her presence known. "Did I just overhear that you were needed to reach Hope Hollow? As in, the town that regularly hosts the Rainbow Festival?" "That's the one." Twilight confirmed. "Mayor Sunny Skies invited my friends and I there once to celebrate that." "Alright, well if you're planning to take a trip there, I know a way, since that's my hometown." Sunny Flare began explaining. "You'd need to take the Endtrak Express. If I remember correctly, one of the stops is right outside of Ponyville. It's a bit of a longer train ride, but your very last stop should be Hope Hollow itself." "Huh, you'd need a specific train to reach that town, even I didn't know that." Twilight said with astonishment. "That's good to know, Sunny Flare! Would you mind showing Sunset and her group the way to the train station?" "Of course, no problem!" Sunny Flare smiled. "Well, now that we have everything set for your field trip, Smolder?" Twilight turned to her dragon student. "Could we please have your dragon fire? We'll need to absorb it with the Dragonstone, which is what Spike's carrying." "Oh, right, sure thing." Smolder focused her breath, ready to deposit her dragon fire, as requested. She took a deep breath, before exhaling a long stream of flames. The flames were directed at the Dragonstone, which began glowing and slowly absorbing the dragon fire, little by little, until Smolder had nothing left within her. Once the transfer was complete, Smolder collapsed to the floor from exhaustion, but slowly got up, as she was still excited about the field trip she had bargained for. "Phew, that took a lot out of me..." Smolder huffed, before getting back on her feet. "There... aren't any side effects to this, are there?" "Well according to what we've researched about the Dragonstone, as long as we return the magic back to you, things should return to normal." Sunset recalled. "But it did mention potentially inhibiting your growth as you age. Something along the lines of... your limbs growing naturally, but your overall appearance staying the same." "Eh, I can live with that." Smolder shrugged, before making her way out of the office. "C'mon, Ocellus! Let's go and tell the rest of our friends that we've earned ourselves a field trip!" Ocellus followed Smolder out, as Sunset turned back to notice a fully-powered up Dragonstone. As Sunset reached out to take the Dragonstone, its surface began to glow brightly, bathing her in a warm, golden light. The power emanating from the stone seemed to flow directly into her, filling her with energy and vitality. The dragon fire had successfully granted Sunset immunity and resistance to magic draining effects. "Well, looks like that worked exactly as we'd hope." Sunset said, feeling the Dragonstone's newfound power flow throughout her. "Alright, so I guess Sunny Flare and I can now bring everyone to the train station for the field trip. In the meantime, good luck with the school inspection, Twilight." "Thanks, Sunset." Twilight replied, before handing Sunset a bag of bits. "Here's a little something from the school's budget to help you cover the trip's expenses. Have fun chaperoning this field trip! As for the inspection from the EEA, I'm sure it'll go smoothly, as long as we demonstrate the performance of our students." As the two ponies waved goodbye to each other, Sunset and Sunny Flare left the office together, searching for Smolder and her group of friends, as well as Sour Sweet. Once they had done so, they gave the full rundown of everything that was just discussed with Twilight. Sandbar, Gallus, Ocellus, Yona, Smolder, and Silverstream were all overly excited to partake in this field trip Smolder had earned for them all, while Sour Sweet rolled her eyes in frustration at now being stuck with a babysitting gig. The former royal guard knew she had no choice, if this meant regaining her freedom, so she swallowed her pride and went along with it, before following Sunset, Sunny Flare, and the students out of the school. Once the entire group had reached the Ponyville train station, Sunset used some of her bits to purchase eight train tickets for everyone, as they all began waiting. They were in luck, as according to the train schedule posted on the bulletin board, the upcoming Endtrak Express was the last one for the day. Sunny Flare then waved goodbye to the group, as she had now signed up as a new student at the School of Friendship. As the students sat around, they were in a mix of excitement for visiting Hope Hollow specifically, whilst the others were more looking forward to having fun at Slice-N-Shake. "Do you all think Yona will meet new pony friends in this Hope Hollow place?" Yona asked, curiously. "I suppose, but since we're going to that new arcade, I'm looking forward to crushing everyone else's high scores." Gallus envisioned. "Yeah, that's what I hope to take away from the trip as well." Silverstream nodded in agreement. "Pinkie's fun and laughter lessons have certainly been a blast!" "It'll be a nice change of pace, considering how stressful our exams have been, lately." Sandbar acknowledged. "I don't know what I would've done if I didn't get that A." "Well, now you'll finally get a rewarding experience." Smolder put her arms behind her head as a cushion. "Pretty sweet how I managed to earn us this whole trip, just because they needed my dragon fire, huh?" "It was a team effort, Smolder." Ocellus corrected. "You just happened to be the one with the dragon fire." "Alright, fine... if you say so." Smolder rolled her eyes. "So this new pony... Sunset, I think? I don't think I've ever seen you at the School of Friendship before. Are you our substitute teacher, or something?" "Oh, um... well, I'm not a teacher." Sunset scratched her ear, feeling a bit embarrassed. "I'm actually Twilight's friend from Canterlot. I just happened to be there when Twilight mentioned that she needed somepony to chaperone you all for this field trip." "So you're not even a teacher, huh?" Gallus raised an eyebrow. "Well, I guess that means she can't boss us around or hold our grades over our heads." "Oh, I wouldn't say that." Sunset shrugged, understanding the struggles she went through during school. "I'm just here to make sure everyone has a fun and safe time on the trip. Twilight trusts me with all of you, and she's confident that I can handle any situation that comes up. Besides, I'm sure Twilight does everything she can to make sure you all do well in your studies. I know she's put in a lot of work to make this school a success." "That's true." Sandbar nodded. "Imagine if the school was still being run by Chancellor Neighsay or Cozy Glow." "Nasty ponies!" Yona hissed. "Nasty ponies make Yona want to be nasty, herself!" "Will you all be quiet!?" Sour Sweet snapped, getting tired of all this banter. "It's bad enough that I'm not getting paid to babysit you punks, but now you're giving me a serious headache!" "Sour Sweet." Sunset looked sternly at the pegasus. "What did Twilight tell you before we left Canterlot?" "That if she got any report of me misbehaving, it'll affect her decision to lighten my punishment, blah blah blah..." Sour Sweet grumbled. "Exactly." Sunset crossed her hooves. "If you can't at least try to behave, I'll have to report it when we get back. This is better than being locked up, don't you think?" "Fine, fine..." Sour Sweet sighed. "Just don't expect miracles, okay? Sheesh..." "Hey, is that the train we're looking for?" Silverstream flew up into the air, spotting an approaching train in the distance. "I think so." Sunset glanced over at the train. "I see 'Endtrak Express' on the side, so it looks like our ride's here!" As the train finally approached the platform, Sunset, Sour Sweet, and the students all handed the inspector their tickets, before getting let aboard the train. Unlike the trains that Sunset had gotten accustomed to riding, this train appeared to be a massive upgrade. Not only was the train's interior decorated beautifully, but there were even beds aboard, allowing passengers to sleep overnight, if needed. As Sunset and her group searched around for their bedrooms, they saw that each room had enough beds for six passengers, which meant that two of them needed to share a separate room. "It looks like you six are in luck." Sunset opened the cabin, showing the students to their room. "You all get to share a room together, while Sour Sweet and I can take the room next door. Be sure to knock if you need anything, alright?" "Thanks, Miss Sunset." Ocellus said with gratitude, before admiring the new room with her friends. "This place is so much nicer than the Friendship Express! It's like a hotel room, but on wheels!" Sunset placed her saddlebag within a storage container and locked it, before turning to Sour Sweet. Although they had initially gotten off on the wrong hoof, Sunset still wanted to give the pegasus the benefit of the doubt, especially after her experiences here in Equestria. She had initially believed there were certain ponies who weren't worth befriending at all, mainly because they were never really her friends in the human world. But after befriending Sunny Flare, and even psychologically understanding Pony Wallflower Blush, Sunset felt that Sour Sweet had potential, too. Was there something in particular that made the former royal guard act so sour, and not sweet at times? Sunset kept this in mind, but for the time being, focused on being a chaperone for the students, like she had promised Twilight. "Well, as much as I'm not a fan of this community service you hooked me up with, at least we got a decent place to crash for the night." Sour Sweet began laying down on one of the beds. "It's probably built for the rich ponies or something. Guess I'll get some sleep." "It's a little early for bed, don't you think?" Sunset began skimming the train schedule. "According to this, they'll be serving dinner pretty soon. Don't you maybe want to go out and socialize for a bit? It'd be a nice change of scenery from sitting around in the dungeon all day." "Well... alright, I guess a decent meal sounds good right about now." Sour Sweet shrugged, before getting up to follow Sunset. The two ponies exited their cabin and began making their way into the train's dining room. The presentation was absolutely exquisite, it was as if a fancy restaurant was sitting right before them, but on a train! To both Sunset and Sour Sweet, who were well familiar with Canterlot, the standards and vibes were about the same as the high class city they were familiar with, which was definitely surprising. Not even the train in Canterlot went above and beyond for their passengers, yet this arbitrary train headed toward a town that neither of them had been to before, did. While being reminded of Canterlot, Sunset looked around the dining room, and spotted in the distance, a familiar stallion who had cooked many of her meals, back when she was Princess Celestia's pupil. It had admittedly been years since they had seen each other, as for all Sunset knew, Mr. Ramsay had cooked for thousands of fillies during his time in Canterlot, and since she was now an adult mare, would he even recognize her? Sunset approached the stallion, who was preparing dinner. "Mr. Ramsay?" Sunset addressed from the kitchen's entrance. "Ah, Miss Sunset Shimmer?" Gourmand Ramsay smiled, trotting over to greet her. "Is that really you? I often heard a rumor that you had been banished from Canterlot." "That's about halfway true." Sunset acknowledged. "It mostly boiled down to Princess Celestia removing me as her pupil, but we've made up since then. I certainly remember when you used to cook for me in Canterlot, and I especially loved your Leaf Wellington!" "Well, it's nice to see that you remember those times." Gourmand Ramsay reflected. "Ah, yes... I had to go out and buy new produce every night, just to satisfy your cravings for that very meal. Not that I'm complaining, of course. It always meant a lot to me that somepony loved my cooking so much, that Princess Celestia herself had to put in the requested order for me." "I really do miss those days, they seemed so serene." Sunset reminisced of those good times. "So, why exactly are you now working on the Endtrak Express, if you don't mind me asking?" "It really boiled down to preference." Gourmand Ramsay shrugged. "I got a little bored of Canterlot, so I took a chance and applied to work here on the Endtrak Express, thinking that it might be nice to travel and see more of Equestria. Little did I know that I'd end up cooking on a train that's practically a moving palace!" "Yeah, I can't believe how fancy this place is, either." Sour Sweet added. "You'd think we were riding this train to Canterlot, but no. The trains with an actual route to Canterlot are nothing like this. So it looks like you've found a hidden gem worthy enough of your cooking. I should know, since I've tasted it before." "Well, I must say, it's always a pleasure to have customers who appreciate my work." Gourmand Ramsay said with confidence. "Now, if you two lovely mares wouldn't mind, dinner will be served shortly. We'll be having the braised carrots and eggplant, with a side of garlic mashed potatoes. It's a personal favorite of mine." The two mares nodded and exited, making their way back into the dining room. It was certainly a treat for Sunset to reunite with her childhood chef from Canterlot, and even Sour Sweet appeared to have respect for the stallion. Since dinnertime was still approaching, both mares decided they needed to do something to pass the time. They glanced over across the dining room, noticing a whole group of ponies who were also presumably on their way to Hope Hollow. "Well, it was kinda fun to talk to a star like Mr. Ramsay." Sour Sweet had sweetened her visibly sour mood from earlier. "Maybe there's something more to this whole... socializing thing, after all." "I'm glad to hear that." Sunset smiled, liking Sour Sweet's new attitude. "Sometimes, it's good to just focus on yourself and do what makes you happy. If you want to make a few new friends here, I say, go for it." Sour Sweet got up and did just that, as she began trotting over to have a conversation with the three mares on the opposite side of the dining room. The only other pony who wasn't currently engaging in conversation was a sky-blue stallion with a top hat and bowtie. Feeling as if she should encourage Sour Sweet's newfound enthusiasm to make new friends, much like she did with Sunny Flare, Sunset got up from her chair and approached the stallion, wanting to socialize herself. "Hello there." Sunset addressed the stallion, who turned around and gave a friendly smile. "Oh, hello!" The stallion tipped his hat. "I'm glad to see we've got some newcomers visiting our lovely town! Err, you are heading toward Hope Hollow, is that correct?" "Yeah, we're taking a little field trip there, it'll be our first time, Mr... uhh?" Sunset began, but was unsure of the stallion's name. "Oh, how rude of me to not give proper introductions." The stallion put a hoof on his face. "Well, stuff me in an olive and call me a pimento! Except, please don't, since that's not actually my name. The name's Sunny Skies, I'm the mayor of Hope Hollow." "You're Sunny Skies?" Sunset's eyes widened in surprise, since she had vaguely been hearing about him, along with the possibility of him being the 'Sunny S.' she needed to be wary of. "Oh, well... I've actually heard a thing or two about you, let's just say." "You have?" Sunny Skies listened on in curiosity. "What'd you hear, perhaps something related to our lovely town's Rainbow Festival?" "Yeah, I guess you could say that." Sunset replied, trying to see if this Sunny S. had any connection to the one that Party Favor supposedly knew. "Hey, out of curiosity, have you ever gone by the name... 'Sunny S.' before?" "Uhh, what now?" Sunny Skies scratched his head, unsure of what he was really being asked. "I mean, that sure is one way of saying my name, but I don't really... oh, wait a second! I get it now. Because you haven't told me your name yet, this is just a little introduction to you wanting to play a game of riddles with me. Well that's certainly fun, in that case, go on ahead and give me a hint, and hopefully I'll be able to guess your name." Sunset went along with it, as Sunny Skies' response made him seem like the least likely pony responsible for destroying and bringing Equestria to ruin. Combined with the fact that he didn't seem to ever go by 'Sunny S.', and as Twilight had alluded to earlier, the stallion looked completely different from her, Sunset immediately ruled out the possibility of Sunny Skies being the culprit behind that future. "Alright." Sunset thought of a clue to help Sunny Skies deduce her identity. "I'm a close friend and student of Princess Twilight. She taught me the values of friendship, even when I didn't think it was really important." "Oh... OH!" Sunny Skies began to heavily brainstorm, remembering the last time the Rainbow Dash and her friends had visited Hope Hollow. "Princess Twilight herself actually attended our last Rainbow Festival, and she's shared certain things from her personal life... don't tell me, don't tell me!" Sunset waited around, giving the stallion some time to think, as Sunny Skies got a closer look at Sunset, recognizing the sunny patterns in her mane and tail. "Your mane and tail..." Sunny Skies observed. "They resemble the Sun... just like your cutie mark! And since you're a close friend and student of Princess Twilight... AHA, I've got it! You must be... Starlight Glimmer!" "Well, it was a good try, but I'm afraid you're mistaken." Sunset giggled, realizing that the mayor made the same mistake as Dusty Pages. "No, I'm actually-" "Come on, you can't fool me." Sunny Skies insisted. "I remember doing enough studies on astronomy to know that the Sun is very much considered a star. And since your mane and tail give off the light of the star, combined with being a close friend and student of Princess Twilight, you absolutely must be Starlight Glimmer. She's told me all about you, back when we had the last Rainbow Festival." "But I assure you, that's not who I am... at all." Sunset tried to explain herself again. "My name is actually-" "Oh, alright... I understand." Sunny Skies interrupted. "How rude of me to address you by your full name, like you're in trouble, or something. Who am I after all, your parent? No, so instead, I'll just call you 'Starlight' from now on. Nice to meet you, Starlight!" "Please, I've been trying to tell you, my name's really-" Sunset began, before getting cut off again. "Starlight G.?" Sunny Skies suggested. "If your question from earlier was anything to go by? Nah, that doesn't roll off the tongue that well. I liked simply 'Starlight' better, so I'll just call you that. I hope your visit to Hope Hollow will be an amazing experience, Starlight." "Um... okay... thanks, I guess?" Sunset was unsure of how to respond at this point, so she continued the conversation normally. "Well, it's nice to meet you too, Sunny Skies- err, I mean, uh... Sunny?" "Either name is fine, though I definitely prefer adding the 'Skies' at the end, since it honors both my dad and granddad, who passed down their Rainbow Generator to me." Sunny Skies explained. "But that's a story for another time, since according to the clock, it's almost dinnertime. Hope you're hungry for some good food cooked by Gourmand Ramsay, Starlight." "Yeah, for sure." Sunset replied, as Sunny Skies began trotting back to his cabin, prompting Sunset to mutter under her breath. "He can get Mr. Ramsay's name right, but not mine...?"