Radiant re-emerged from the entrance to the training area, and into the shining daylight. He went back into the palace, and was on the way back to his quarters, when he found Princess Luna and a grayish-white pegasus in black armor chatting with each other out in the hallway. When Radiant approached the two, they both turned to look at him enthusiastically.
"Ah, Radiant Dawn!" said the princess of the night. "It is good to see you have returned at last. I wish for you to meet Star Shield."
The armored pegasus approached the large reddish-orange unicorn. Red could see that he had a tiny scar below his left eye, and that he had a grim, sleepy expression on his face.
"Radiant Dawn, is it?" he questioned, with a firm voice. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Captain Star Shield. I am in charge of the Night Guard. I hear that you're the new drill instructor for our fresh recruits."
"Yes, sir." said Radiant, with a salute. "And I can report that my first session for them was a success."
"Very good." said the pegasus captain. "I was just reciting my scout's report on Fillydelphia to her majesty. I trust that it will interest you, so I advise that you stay out here with us."
"Of course, captain." said the unicorn, with a short nod.
Star Shield turned back to Princess Luna, and cleared his throat.
"Milady, as I was informing you earlier..." he resumed his report. "My scouts have returned from their reconnaisance flight over the city. It would seem that what Miss Shimmer told you was completely accurate. They have discovered several buildings have been destroyed, and signs of the presence of at least two large creatures within the boundaries of the city."
"Thank you, captain." said Luna, solemnly. "How soon can you ready your men to reinforce the settlement?"
"Six hours, ma'am." said the pegasus captain.
"Six hours?!" repeated Radiant Dawn. "What in the name of Celestia would you need that much time for?"
"Sergeant Dawn, I would advise that you refrain from speaking out of turn." said the grim-faced captain. "But if you must know, her majesty's bat-ponies have been known to make an excellent vanguard for countering such attacks, but they refuse to leave their caves before midnight."
"Well, you're their captain!" said Radiant. "Surely, you could tell them to come out a little early!"
"If only that were true." said Star Shield, shrewdly turning his eyes to the side.
"Come on!" complained the large unicorn. "My sister's caught in the middle of that monster madness! There's no way I'm gonna just wait to help her out of that mess, just because some bat-ponies decided to sleep half the night!"
"Forgive me, sergeant." said Star Shield. "But it's just how things work around here. The bat-ponies just do not listen to anyone's commands, apart from Princess Luna's, until the clock strikes twelve. It's as simple as that."
"We'll see about that!" growled Radiant, turning back to descend the stairs.
"Radiant, wherever are you going?" asked Luna.
"You'll see!" shouted back Radiant Dawn. "Just wait here!"
Soon enough, there was a massive clamor of hooves clip-clopping from downstairs. Steadily, Radiant ascended the stairs again, but he was not alone. Behind him, marching in perfect formation, were at least a dozen bat-ponies in full armor. When Radiant stopped in front of Princess Luna and Captain Star Shield, the bat-guards stood behind him, silent as statues.
"Now, what's your excuse?" asked Radiant, staring into the captain's face.
Star Shield's face twisted into an impressed grin.
"Well, how do you like that?" he quietly said to himself. "You, sergeant, have done the impossible. Bravo!"
He clapped his wings together three times. Princess Luna's lips curved into a smile. The bat-ponies did and said nothing, as usual.
"Now I shall be ready to lead a task force to Fillydelphia as soon as the Night Court begins." said Captain Shield. "Radiant, I believe I could use someone with your abilities by my side on the battlefield."
"Do you?" asked Radiant.
"Indeed." said Star Shield. "I'm an old stallion. I have not fought in direct combat against wild creatures in several years. But I trust that with one as young and strong as you, the two of us will bring the Night Guard back to its former glory. I am making you my second-in-command."
"Wow, really?" asked Radiant. "This is...very sudden."
"Nonsense, Lieutenant Dawn." said Captain Shield. "It could not have come at a better time. If the princesses trust your skills, then so will I."
"Well, I'm quite honored, actually." said Radiant Dawn, nervously.
Meanwhile in the human world, Supreme Commander Chrysalis was overseeing the testing stages of a new combat armor, generously offered to her organization by her associate, Mr. Sombra. The two were standing side-by-side, watching a Sombra Industries employee test out the armor in question, via television screen. As they watched, Chrysalis sighed in awe. Sombra noticed that his colleague was impressed by the armor, and decided to cut to business, even as they observed it in action.
"Incredible, is it not?" said Foreman Sombra. "The SombraTech ballistic armor is the most efficient hazard suit ever made. It costs millions of dollars to construct each suit. We have currently fifty-thousand in production, but I am willing to offer the first twenty to your organization, as a token of our...relationship."
The two watched as the employee took dozens of nine-millimeter and ten-millimeter rounds from guns fired by four different people, yet stood still and unfazed.
"Sombra, dear?" asked the leader of the Chrysalis Syndicate. "Don't you think you should display more than just the fact that it can take a few bullets? After all, the armor you already sent to us earlier this month has already proven itself to be quite efficient in battle...at least against handguns."
"I promise you, madam." said Sombra. "Our new ballistic armor will make our previous model of combat armor look like a cheap latex costume."
He put on his headset, and spoke into it.
"Bring out the incendiaries!" he spoke into the microphone.
Suddenly, two other men with flamethrowers appeared on either side of the employee, and each unleashed a bluish-white stream of fire upon his armored body. But the man emerged from the fire, perfectly unscathed.
"This armor will be able to handle all but the most extreme of temperatures." explained the foreman of Sombra Industries. "Whether the wearer finds themselves in a single-digit blizzard, or a triple-digit heatwave, they may work and interact normally with the environment around them, comfortable and safe from the elements. The armor also contains built-in air conditioning units, that adjust to their wearer's body heat, and keeps it at a steady level."
"Useful, if you're tired of having to buy new clothing at the store whenever the seasons change." quipped Chrysalis.
The employee on the monitor grabbed each of the two flamethrower-toting men, and held them up by the necks with only one hand each.
"The armor also has a nerve impulse-directed hydraulics system." continued Sombra. "The armor's built-in computer monitors the wearer's stress level, and its sensors activate synthesized muscle tubes that expand the user's strength tenfold, should they find themselves unable to contend with the task at hand."
"Which should be good for those that are too lazy to apply for a gym membership." commented Supreme Commander Chrysalis, nodding her head slowly.
Suddenly, Chrysalis' portable radio set crackled, and she placed it on her ear.
"Supreme Commander, this is Captain Umbriel." said the voice on the other end.
"Captain, what is your report on Sunset Shimmer?" asked Chrysalis.
"We are still searching the building, ma'am." answered Captain Umbriel. "But it seems that we're not the only ones interested in this school."
"Whatever makes you say that?"
"Twenty minutes ago, an armed man entered the building, and tried to abduct one of the students. Sergeant Craw and his boys were able to save the girl, and killed the kidnapper."
"Do you know who the kidnapper was, or why he tried to capture this student?"
"According to Craw, the man claimed to be a member of the Diamond Dog Cartel."
Chrysalis paused suspiciously.
"So, the Diamond Dogs are there, too?" she inquired. "I thought Craw and Corporal Ghost wiped out their presence in that town two weeks ago!"
"Apparently, the Cartel is too interested in this place to give up, just like that." said Umbriel. "With a high school as big as Canterlot High, it isn't exactly surprising that they might want to exploit its student body for their human trafficking businesses! Plus, ever since that battle we had with them over in San Palomino, They're probably looking for more people to work in their diamond smuggling ring."
"Captain, you shall see to it that no harm comes to the students of Canterlot High, until Sunset Shimmer is found." said the commander. "You have the authorization to bring heavy military equipment into the city to erradicate the Diamond Dog presence. In fact, I will be sending a shipment of this new armor that my good friend, Mr. Sombra, has generously donated to our cause. And of course, the big guns will be sent in, should the situation prove grim."
"Thank you, ma'am." said Captain Umbriel. "This is Captain Umbriel, signing out."
Chrysalis turned her head to Sombra, who was standing proudly as he oversaw the end of the ballistic armor training stages.
"Sombra, dear?" she said, slyly. "I believe that my organization is in need of your resources, on account of Diamond Dog-related activities in a town that some of my men were dispatched to."
Sombra's fists tightened. The Diamond Dog Cartel had plagued Sombra Industries as much as it harassed the Chrysalis Syndicate. He turned to look at Ms. Chrysalis, with a knowing look in his dark green eyes.
"Would you, perhaps, like to have your men...test my newest products?" he asked.
"That would be lovely." said the leader of the Syndicate.
Sunset Shimmer had concluded the day's training session with Lightning Dust and Trixie, and bade farewell to the unicorns that assisted her in refurbishing the farm. The three mares looked over the place, just as the sun went down. The fields were no longer muddy, but neat and plowed. The barn's walls were reinforced, and the hole in the roof became a trapdoor for pegasi to fly through.
"Tomorrow, we'll go into town, and help the rest of the ponies with those creatures." said Sunset. "Are you girls up to the job now?"
"Sure thing." nodded Trixie.
"I can't wait to try out my new moves on those creatures." said Lightning Dust. "Don't worry, I'll be careful not to pull them off in the middle of the city."
Suddenly, a pegasus flew down to them from out of the darkening sky. He was white-coated, brown-maned, and was wearing a ten-gallon hat and plaid ascot. His eyes were obscured by red-tinted sunglasses, even though it was the early evening.
"Howdy, my fine ladies." he said to them, with a thick country drawl. "How's y'all doin'?"
Sunset groaned.
"Great, another country-pony." she thought.
"And what can we do for you?" asked Lightning Dust.
"Nothin' from you, blondie." he responded, before turning to Sunset Shimmer. "Well, if I'll be a mule's uncle. I reckon you're the purdiest lookin' unicorn that I ever did see. Ya know, you never see too many of them in this part of Equestria."
"If you're trying to hit on me, just back away now." said Sunset, narrowing her teal eyes. "I have a commitment to keep if I want to help Fillydelphia with their monster problem. But I'll give you thirty seconds to get your point across, so what do you want?"
"I just thought I'd see how my old farm's been doing." answered the pegasus.
"This is your farm?" asked Lightning Dust. "Funny. I thought a family of earth ponies owned this place, before they moved away. Who are you, anyway?"
"Folks 'round here call me Crazy Graffiti." said the stallion, showing them his cutie mark, which was a spray can. "I'm the town's painter. I specialize in painting the walls of buildings with my art."
"What kind of art?" asked Trixie.
"Murals, of course." said Crazy Graffiti. "Usually, of ponies that have been made famous by some kinda heroic deed, or if they're celebrities..."
"And, what do the three of us have to do with that?" asked Sunset Shimmer. "None of us are really that well-known. Even Trixie over here isn't exactly at the high point in her career."
Trixie Lulamoon shot a look at Sunset, but said nothing.
"Or in some cases, if the ponies are just fine-lookin'. I especially love doin' pictures of unicorns. Why, they're probably the most charming-lookin' of all the ponies...'cept the Princesses, of course."
Trixie took a bow, but Sunset still maintained her gaze on the pegasus.
"I really think that you're in the wrong place, at the wrong time." she said, trying to sound polite. "If you could tell me what you're looking for, I could probably point you in the right direction."
"Okay, my fiery temptress. I'll tell ya what I want." said Graffiti. "I wanna know if I could...perhaps, go and draw a mural of ya. As a way of rememberin' the beautiful unicorn that came and fixed up my farm."
"Hey, this is my farm, buddy-boy!" said Lightning Dust, hovering over the older pegasus.
"Shut yer trap, blondie!" snapped Crazy Graffiti. "I'll settle this with ya later!"
"Oh, you..." Lightning said angrily, about to swoop down on the pegasus.
"Lightning, just wait a moment." said Sunset. "I want to find out who this guy is before you start acting up."
"Hey, sugar?" asked the pegasus in the sunglasses. "How 'bout y'all tell me what city in Equestria produced a foxy unicorn like yerself?"
"What city in Equestria produced a nosy little creep like yourself?" retorted the reddish-blonde unicorn. "But if it'll get you to leave me alone, I'm from Vanhoover."
"Vanhoover?" repeated Crazy Graffiti. "Isn't that the city in the north-west? You don't really sound like you're from there, and I'd have expected you to sound and act a lot perkier if you were. I heard ponies over there are very polite."
"Well, trust me." said Trixie, sarcastically. "Sunset here knows twenty different ways not to be polite."
"Well, I'm not actually from the city!" said Sunset Shimmer. "I lived in a place called Daystar Manor, which is a few miles outside of Vanhoover's boundaries."
Then Sunset Shimmer found herself flashing back to a long time ago. Images emerged from her deep, labyrinthine subconscious. She could remember what it was like at the estate...on the day her parents disappeared.
FIFTEEN YEARS AGO...
"Sunny, where are ya going?!" said a young reddish-orange colt, chasing after his little sister.
"I'm goin' out in the woods, Red!" answered the young Sunset Shimmer. "There's a wagon in there, and it's broken-down! Betcha it's got all kinds of neat things in it!"
Red Dawn caught up to his sister, just as the two saw two glowing eyes in the darkness. There was a low growling in every direction, as more eyes appeared left and right. The yellow filly crouched down, shaking all over.
"Red, please make them go away!" she cried out. "I don't want them to hurt me!"
The eight-year-old colt went ahead of his sister, his horn glowing brightly.
"Hey, you beasts!" he shouted to the eyes. "Get your sorry butts away from us, or I'll bust you wide open!"
Suddenly, the eyes approached them, and the growling grew louder. A massive creature with an armored body emerged from the darkness, and began bellowing at the two small ponies with a horn-like call. All around them, black, skeletal pony-like creatures with insectoid wings appeared from under the dark trees.
"What are you two doing so far from home, my little ponies?" asked one of the creatures, with a mocking tone in its raspy voice. "Don't you know it's not safe to walk into the homes of others without their permission?"
"Please, just go away!" shouted Sunset Shimmer. "Leave us alone!"
"You don't understand, do you?" cackled another of the insect-ponies. "You're the ones bothering us! You are intruders! And you will pay the price for setting hoof on our territory!"
"I sense there is much love and happiness in these two." said a third. "Especially from the colt over here."
"Good!" said the fourth. "I haven't tasted brotherly love in the longest time. Let's catch 'em now! Changelings, attack!"
Suddenly, the insect-ponies swarmed around Radiant Dawn and Sunset Shimmer, their wings buzzing loudly. The two youngsters bolted back out of the forest, the Changelings in hot pursuit. They could feel the heavy footfalls of the armored creature rumbling behind them, but they never looked back. Suddenly, Sunset began to lose her balance.
"Red, help me!" she squealed, as the filly collapsed into a small pit in the ground.
Red looked back, and dove into the hole. He found his sister half-covered in a tangling mess of weeds.
"Hang on, little sis!" he said to her. "Big brother's here!"
His horn glowed with a crimson aura, as he attempted to untangle the weeds. The undergrowth broke apart, and the panicking filly was freed. The two suddenly went prone, hearing the sounds of buzzing wings and thunderous footfalls pass by them.
"Where have they gone?" asked the first Changeling.
"They can't have gone far!" said yet another voice, one with a more shrill tone. "Search the surrounding area!"
"Yes, Prince Embryo." said the second Changeling voice from before. "Alright, lads! Let's start with that big house down the road!"
Sunset and Radiant gasped. They were talking about their home!
"C'mon, sissy!" said Radiant. "Let's go back and help our folks!"
"Right behind you, Red!" said the amber-colored filly.
Radiant and Sunset climbed out of the pit, and galloped down the forest path. Six minutes later, the two reached their manor. They found five Changelings dead on the front lawn, but the creature was missing. The front door was blasted open, and several broken objects laid in the doorway.
"Mommy! Dad!" Sunset shouted, speeding into Daystar Manor.
"Sunny, wait!" Radiant called after her. "There could be more of those things in there!"
When Sunset disappeared around a hallway to the left, Radiant felt obligated to go in after his younger sibling. He searched the building for her, half-expecting to be grabbed by one of the monsters. Fortunately, he encountered nothing. Unfortunately, it wasn't what he would've wanted, either. The estate was eerily silent. He searched room after room, and corridor after corridor for another sign of life, until he came to his father's study room. Using his telekinesis to open the door, he went inside to find Sunset Shimmer laying silently underneath a silver-lined table.
"Sunny, are you okay?" Radiant asked. "Did you find mom or dad?"
Sunset simply shook her head, her face emotionless. Radiant didn't like this at all. He went up to her, and laid down under the table to be with his younger sibling.
"They're not here, Red." said Sunset. "They ran away!"
"Why would they do that?" Red asked, trying to sound logical. "They're probably looking for us, right now! They're probably worried sick at this point!"
"No, Red." Sunset said, her voice gradually growing louder. "I looked all over the house. I didn't find any sign of them! Not even a note! Nothing! They're gone! They're not coming back!"
"Sunny, calm down. Please!"
"They're not coming back!" wailed Sunset. "My own family abandoned me!"
"Hey, I didn't abandon you." Radiant said, coolly. "You know why? Because I'm your brother. And it's my job to keep my little sister safe from harm. That's what brothers do. C'mon, little sister. You'll be fine. I promise. I'll always be there for you!"
Sunset tilted her head up to look at him.
"Always?" she asked.
"Always." Radiant answered.
PRESENT DAY...
Always. Always.
Sunset Shimmer's face twisted with pain at this memory: She audibly and visibly cringed, her eyes and teeth were shaking, and her breathing became heavy and uneasy. She was torn between guilt, sadness, and anger all at once.
"Sunset, what's the matter?" Trixie asked.
"I want to be alone!" Sunset suddenly exploded. "Don't bother me! Any of you!"
Her voice shattered the relative quiet atmosphere of the night, and she bolted off. But instead of going into the farmhouse or the barn, Sunset Shimmer began to gallop down the stone path back to Fillydelphia. As she disappeared into the night, Trixie, Lightning Dust, and Crazy Graffiti all remained behind.
"Wow, what was that all about?" Lightning asked.
"Judgin' by her reaction, I ought to assume that Vanhoover must've been a terrible place to live." said Graffiti.
"Why don't you keep your stupid opinions to yourself?" Trixie demanded, irritated. "Don't you see that you were upsetting her? Sunset's gone through a lot in her life, and she doesn't need somepony like you to drag her down any further! Now if you'll excuse us, we have to catch up with our friend before she runs into trouble. Let's go, Lightning!"
"Right behind you, Trixie!" responded the bluish-green pegasus.
Trixie sped along the path, with Lightning Dust flying by her side. Meanwhile, Crazy Graffiti remained at the farm. A malevolent grin spread across his face, as his body was suddenly engulfed in greenish-yellow flames. As his body burned, it compressed into a visceral shape, his wings became transparent and leathery, and his mane became shorter and spiky. He tossed aside his sunglasses, revealing two baleful crimson eyes with slitted pupils.
"Run, run, my little ponies." he laughed, his voice now deep and raspy. "But no matter where you go, I shall still find you. I have not forgotten you, Sunset Shimmer, even after all those long years have passed."