Princess Luna and Sunset Shimmer went back into the throne room. Inside were Captain Star Shield and a female unicorn guard. When Sunset Shimmer approached the two, the unicorn guard rushed up to speak with her.
"Sunset, long time no see!" she said.
"I'm sorry, but do I know you, at all?" asked Sunset.
"Sure you do!" she said. "Let me take off this helmet."
She removed her headwear, and a long, curly red-and-purple mane fell down along her back.
"Oh, yeah! I remember now." nodded Sunset Shimmer. "You're Moondancer. You were one of my classmates at Princess Celestia's school. What are you doing as a guard, though?"
"Well, it's kinda hard to explain." said Moondancer. "But I am quite fond of the night."
"Hence the name, right?" joked Sunset.
"Oh, don't go joking around like that." she said. "I'm really busy right now."
"Hey. I'm sorry, Moony." said Sunset. "So, are you waiting for Princess Luna or Captain Shield to give you something to do?"
"Actually, yes." nodded Moondancer. "I'm just a little nervous, and don't want to mess something up."
"Trust me, I know that feeling." said Sunset. "I guess it comes with being a student of one of the princesses."
"Oh, you're with Celestia again?" asked the unicorn with the purple-red mane.
"No. She is with me." said Princess Luna.
"Oh, sorry." she said. "I'm just a little nervous. I don't want to make a fool of myself, so..."
"Who's got your flank caught in a trap?" asked Sunset Shimmer.
"It's Lieutenant Dawn, Sunset--I mean Miss Shimmer." said Moondancer. "His methods have been driving a few of the recruits over the edge."
"Hey, that's my brother you're talking about." said Sunset. "He can't be doing that poorly, can he?"
"Oh, he's your brother?" asked Moondancer. "Funny, he never brought it up. Come to think of it, neither did you. I would've expected to have met him sooner, when you were still Princess Celestia's student."
"Well, he used to go to Princess Celestia's academy, just like you and me." said Sunset. "But you two probably never met each other, because you entered the academy the year after he left."
"Ah, I see." nodded Moondancer.
Suddenly, the doors swung open, and Radiant Dawn and two other guards stomped into the throne room. They were clearly arguing about something.
"But, sir, that is just ridiculous!" said Crimson Cloud to Radiant Dawn.
"There's nothing ridiculous about a prisoner exchange." said Radiant.
"But what you're suggesting is ludicrous." said Silver Shadow. "What would the princesses think about that?"
"I don't know, let's ask th--" Radiant cut himself off short when he noticed that Sunset was in the room. "Oh. Hi, Sunny. How was your lesson with Princess Luna?"
"Fine, Red." said Sunset. "What's going on?"
"Yes, Lieutenant Dawn." said Captain Star Shield. "Whatever are you three arguing about?"
"We just finished interrogating Umbriel." said Radiant Dawn to his superior. "He just told us that my mother is being held prisoner in his stronghold."
"Wait, he wasn't fooling around?!" gasped Sunset Shimmer. "Well, what are we waiting for? If our mom's at his mercy, then we need to go over to his stronghold, and bust her out!"
"Here's the thing:" Radiant told his sister. "Umbriel refuses to give us the location of his stronghold. It could be anywhere in Equestria. The only way we'll get mom out of there is if we trade her for the big guy himself."
"Lieutenant, do you honestly think that would be a wise idea?" asked Star Shield. "Umbriel is a dangerous criminal, and a military leader as well. Letting him go would allow him to raise another army to atttack our citizens!"
"But it could be the only thing that could save my mother's life!" argued Radiant.
"Lieutenant, just stop and think for a moment:" said the pegasus captain. "Even if Umbriel wasn't lying to you, would you think that saving the life of one unicorn would be worth the price we'd be paying for unleashing one of the most dangerous Changelings to ever live upon Equestria?"
"Well, forgive me for missing my mother!" snarked Radiant, turning away.
"But I think I know where he lives." said Sunset. "At least, I have a vague idea."
"What would that be, Sunny?" asked Radiant, curiously.
"Red, do you remember the day our parents disappeared?"
"Unfortunately."
"Well, those Changelings that attacked us said we were trespassing on their territory, which was apparently within trotting distance of our home. So if we go back to where we encountered those creatures..."
"Then we'll find Umbriel's stronghold!" finished Princess Luna. "Brilliant, my student. Once again, your thinking has benefited us again."
"But that was fifteen years ago, sis." said Radiant to Sunset. "Things could've changed since then."
"Umbriel's stronger than he was fifteen years ago." said Sunset. "Who's to say his territory hasn't expanded since?"
"Good point." said Radiant.
"Miss Shimmer, where would you be referring to?" asked Silver Shadow.
"Our home..." began Sunset.
"Daystar Manor." both unicorn siblings said at once.
"We'll send some scouts over there to check." said Star Shield. "Tomorrow, I'm sure Princess Celestia will send a squad of her own royal guards to Daystar."
"What about now?" asked Sunset.
"Well, my break period's a couple of minutes away." said Radiant. "Hey, how about we go over to the kitchens? They've got donuts down there!"
Radiant licked his lips.
"Sure thing, Red." said Sunset Shimmer. "I didn't get much to eat all day, anyway."
The two went down to the kitchens, where there were large plates loaded with various foods and pastries for the guards.
"Help yourself, Sunny." said Radiant.
Sunset examined the content on the table, and licked her lips. Using her telekinesis, she levitated a knife, and cut several slices out of a cheese wheel, and then placed them on a plate. She promptly gobbled them up. Then she levitated a napkin to her mouth to wipe it.
"What do you think of working the night shift, Red?" Sunset asked her brother.
"It's pretty quiet at times." answered Radiant Dawn.
"Does it ever feel...lonely at all?"
"Not really. At least, not as much as it is back home."
"That reminds me." said Sunset Shimmer. "I'm sorry about that day at the breakfast feast. I really treated you like an idiot there."
"Hey, that's fine!" Radiant said, calmly.
"And about slamming the door in your face."
"Well, I understand why you did it. I would've been in a bad mood, too, if I had a bunch of ponyfolk crowding around my bedroom door while I was trying to sleep!"
"Right." nodded Sunset in agreement. "Thanks for understanding."
"No problem, sis." said Radiant Dawn, with a friendly grin.
"So, what was it like back at home?" asked Sunset. "You know, without me being there?"
"Lonely and depressing." said Radiant, flatly.
"Did the Changelings give you any trouble while you were out there?" asked Sunset.
"Maybe once or twice." said Radiant. "But it was never as big as that attack fifteen years back. But by the sound of things, I wouldn't be surprised if they've already seized the mansion."
"I just hope our mother's okay." said Sunset.
"So do I, Sunny." frowned Radiant. "So do I. But still, I wonder what happened to our dad."
"Me, too." said Sunset Shimmer.
"I swear, it's like a curse or something." Radiant Dawn commented. "First, our parents disappear for no reason. Then I have that accident with the flight spell exam and have to leave Canterlot, then you run off to the human world for more than two years, and now our mother turns up again, in captivity of dangerous enemies."
"Well, at least Umbriel's locked up here in Canterlot." said Sunset. "Those Changelings wouldn't dare try pulling anything while their leader's in chains!"
"Maybe not Umbriel's Changelings." said Radiant Dawn. "But there's still his sister, whose name escapes me--"
"Queen Chrysalis." interjected Sunset.
"Right." said Radiant. "His sister, Queen Chrysalis, is still out there somewhere. If what Umbriel said was true, we might have a lot more to deal with if she decides to rescue her brother."
"Why?"
"Because Queen Chrysalis is the leader of all of the Changelings, or at least of the empire that she originated from. Umbriel told me and the other guards that he controls only 40% of the Changeling Empire's military force. And even then, only a select number of his troops were present during that battle in Fillydelphia. But that percentage is only counting the actual Changelings in his army. He's also got tons of slaves, mercenaries, and allies from all over Equestria and the surrounding lands. But Queen Chrysalis has even more Changelings under her command!"
"Well, good thing Twilight Sparkle and her friends can just roll in to save the day with their Elements of Harmony!" Sunset Shimmer rolled her eyes.
"That's the funny thing, actually." said Radiant. "They don't have them anymore."
"They don't?" asked Sunset.
"Nope." said Radiant. "Princess Luna told me that Twilight Sparkle relinquished them back to the Tree of Harmony a few weeks ago."
"She what?" Sunset said loudly.
"Yeah, because apparently the Everfree Forest was growing out of control, and the Tree of Harmony was dying. If they didn't bring the Elements of Harmony back, then this land wouldn't be so much 'Equestria', but rather 'Florania'. We'd be tangled in some nasty black vines right now, if it weren't for them. The princesses, too, apparently."
"Well, that's rather...odd." said Sunset Shimmer. "What could've caused that?"
"I don't know. I didn't ask about that one." said Radiant. "I think Discord might've been involved, but I can't put my hoof on it."
"So, perhaps that plant problem could explain why all those dangerous creatures went to Umbriel." said Sunset Shimmer. "They were all kicked out of their homes, and they went to the first place they could find..."
"The woods around Vanhoover." added Radiant Dawn. "Yep, I'm totally sure that's where Umbriel's lair will be found. Sunny, how do you feel about taking a trip down memory lane with me?"
"I'm with you, brother!" Sunset said, determined. "I'll get my friends, and we'll go there at the earliest opportunity!"
"Well. it can't be now." said Radiant. "I have to get back to my post in ten minutes. How about some time tomorrow?"
"Right." said Sunset. "Though Lightning Dust has her Shadowbolt tryouts tomorrow, so let's go after she's done with them?"
"That would be great." said Radiant. "Besides, I think I owe her something for beating me in a lemonade-drinking contest. We had one when we visited Ponyville."
"I see." smiled Sunset. "Well, good night!"
"Good night, little sis!" Radiant Dawn saluted his younger sibling.