//------------------------------//
// Hailing the King 
// Story: Sunset Eclipsed 
// by EldritchNexus 
//------------------------------//

Lieutenant Flash Sentry was in the middle of his patrol in the corridor up the stairs from the banquet hall, when he paused to look at Sunset Shimmer's bedroom door. He found himself thinking about the amber unicorn that was on the other side of the door, and contemplated going inside to check up on her.

"Ah, Flash Sentry." said a low, slightly hoarse voice. "However are you doing?"

Flash turned around, and saw Captain Star Shield ascending the stairs, wearing a dark purple tunic with short sleeves.

"Ah, captain, it's really pleasant to see you." saluted Flash Sentry. "And I am doing well, sir. Everything's secured up here."

"Ah, very good." said Captain Shield, giving a little smile. "But there is no need to be formal with me right now, son; I'm off-duty at this time."

"Right. Sure thing, dad." said Flash. "I just got a little...distracted. You see..."

"It's Miss Shimmer, isn't it?" assumed Star Shield.

"Well...umm..." stammered Flash. "Why ever would--"

"You don't have to say anything about it, my boy." said Star Shield. "I understand your interests in her."

"My 'interests'?" repeated Flash Sentry.

"Yes, I think you made them clear enough on the road back from Fillydelphia."

"I did?"

"A fair amount, actually." said Captain Star Shield. "But I'm afraid that Sunset Shimmer's heart belongs to another."

Lieutenant Flash Sentry frowned a little.

"Yeah." he said, weakly. "That's kinda what I was afraid of, dad."

"But you have no reason to feel ashamed." assured Star Shield. "After all, such feelings are perfect natural for a stallion your age. After all, I once had them, myself."

"Really? For whom?" asked Flash.

Captain Shield frowned.

"Somepony that was far out of my league." said the elder pegasus, turning to face a tapestry depicting the Sun.

Then Flash Sentry decided to change the subject, since it seemed to get too personal for both their sakes.

"So, is there anything going on that I need to check on?" he asked.

"Not that I can think of at this time. But you're doing a great job, son. Keep up the good work, and keep making me, Captain Armor, and the Princesses proud."

"I'll do just that, father." said Flash, with a salute.

Then Star Shield turned around and descended the stairs once more, and Flash Sentry continued his patrol down the corridor.





Sunset Shimmer laid out the contents of the package on her bed. To her surprise, it was an electronic device of some sort. She decided to try and get it to work.

"Okay, I think I remember watching a TV show or movie or something about stuff like this back in the human world..." Sunset thought aloud as she used her unicorn magic to fumble with the device. "I think I just need to flick a switch here, press a bunch of buttons there, and I'll get some kind of response--"

And to her surprise, she was actually right; After messing around with the switches and other doodads on the device, it began emitting a strange humming noise. She felt an urge to cover it with her pillow to prevent its noise from leaking out into the hallway, but at the same time was curious to find out why it was humming at all. Still, she couldn't help but feel a bit afraid that she had just activated a bomb of some kind. But she shrugged this off quickly, since it would've gone off by now if it was a bomb, and it wouldn't have needed someone like her to trigger it.

"We just need to find out if that thing will work..." a familiar voice rose from the device.

"Craw...is that you?" Sunset asked, recognizing the voice and feeling her heart jump an inch.

But which Craw could it be? The advanced technology of this device would imply that it was Sergeant Craw, but that couldn't be, as the only known portal to the human world was still shut at this time. Suddenly, there was a muffled sound of hooves clattering against a stone surface. At first, Sunset looked towards the door, thinking it was somepony outside. But then she realized that the noise, just like the voice, was coming from the device.

"My dear Sunset...Hello, my little pony." said the voice, now coming in clearer. "I take it that you have recognized my voice?"

Sunset couldn't help but gasp. It was King Craw speaking through the device. Speaking directly to her.

"Craw, what's going on here?" demanded Sunset, after clearing her throat.

"Well, I just thought you and I could take a moment to talk to each other." said the voice of Craw. "Nopony else is in your current position, right?"

"That's right, Craw." said Sunset, narrowing her eyes. "Though I'm considering choosing otherwise..."

"You needn't do that, my dear." droned King Craw's voice. "I am in no position to pose a threat to you, nor to anyone that matters to you."

"Except, you know, when you tried dropping a cave down on our heads!" retorted Sunset.

"Yes, I admit that what I did was...over-excessive..." muttered Craw. "But in truth, I did not intend to have you killed. I knew for a fact that you could survive, if not outright escape it."

"And what about everypony else?" asked Sunset, skeptically. "Where were an awful lot of other pony-folk in Umbriel's lair that could've been crushed to death with the Changelings."

"I merely anticipated that they would have survived as long as you survived, too."

"Well, as flattered as I am that you'd think I'm capable of saving that many lives, that was still a very big assumption to make. Especially from you."

"Perhaps it was, Miss Sunset Shimmer, but you still pulled it off, did you not?"

"Well, I'd actually say my friends were the ones that did it..." recounted Sunset.

"Then you surely know your own limitations, I take it?"

"I've known them for over thirty lunar cycles, Craw." said Sunset Shimmer. "Now let's cut to the chase. Why did you send this thing to me?"

"Because you are the only one that I can trust at this time." explained King Craw. "I have already tried to overthrow the accursed spawn of King Thorax, and failed. I barely escaped with my life."

"Well, it goes to show you that maybe you shouldn't try biting off more than you can chew." smirked Sunset.

"Yes, you know that lesson all too well, don't you?" replied Craw's voice.

Sunset frowned; King Craw was certainly right. Though she didn't feel like making this known to him. Instead, she persisted on her previous question.

"So what do you want?" she questioned again.

"I would very much like to meet you again someplace." said King Craw. "I don't really care where."

"How do I know this isn't some kind of trap?" asked Sunset. "I mean stuff like this has happened before!"

"Because I have more important things on my mind than tormenting unicorns." said Craw. "And I think I may have information that could benefit you--maybe even the princesses--greatly. Just name the place and the time, and I'll be over there."

Sunset scoffed.

"Okay, Craw." said the unicorn. "I'll play your little game. But on a couple of conditions."

"And they are..."

"First, I'd like to bring company with me. You know, in case something goes wrong."

"And the other thing?"

"Tell me a little about the information you're gonna give me."

"Very well." buzzed Craw's voice with reluctance. "It's intel that Lord Umbriel's soldiers had acquired many months ago when he was still Prince Embryo, even before Queen Chrysalis' attack on Canterlot."

"Go on, then." said Sunset. "I won't tell you where to go until I know more."

There was suddenly the noise of an indistinct explosion and a distorted voice emitting from the communication device.

"What was that, Craw?" asked Sunset.

"I don't know! I think something has entered my hiding place! I don't know if it's a Changeling, though--" said King Craw's voice, which now sounded surprised and even frantic. "Anyway, it seems that there was an incident more than a year ago, at Tartarus, where Cerberus left his post for an extended period of time!"

"Really, Cerberus left his post?" gasped Sunset Shimmer. "But why? I mean, I would've been...away...when that happened."

"That's just it: it hadn't occured by accident. Someone--or something--drew Cerberus away."

But before Sunset could ask what it was, a cold cackling erupted from the communicator.

"And made my own liberation possible." said the newcomer's voice. "King Craw, I might presume? Or, so you would be, if you were in fact a real king."

"Back away, whatever you are meant to be!" said King Craw. "You are not welcome here!"

"I could just as easily say the same for you." said the voice. "Trespassing on my newly-acquired property. For shame, Changeling."

Suddenly there was an exchange of noises like magical projectiles whizzing past each other. Sunset just stood there both confused and horrified.

"Um, Craw?" she said. "What the heck is going on?!"

"I'm being attacked!" shouted Craw's voice over the confusion. "This creature is too much for me! I have to escape! Don't look for me! I'll look for you, instead!"

"Craw, what's going on?!" shouted Sunset.

Suddenly, every noise originating from the device fell silent. Almost immediately, the door to Sunset's bedroom opened, and Flash Sentry hastily rushed inside.

"Suns--I mean Miss Shimmer, are you alright?" he exclaimed. "I heard raised voices in here."

"Yeah, Flash." said Sunset Shimmer. "Just fine. I'm just really excited about my present."

She pointed to the communicator on the bed.

"What's that supposed to be?" asked Flash. "I've never seen anything like it!"

"It's kinda exotic." said Sunset. "I really don't know much about it myself."

"Well, I guess that I'll see myself out of your room, Miss Shimmer." said Flash. "I'd hate to disturb your privacy any longer."

"Actually, I think I could use your company right now." said Sunset.

"Really?" Flash turned his head back.

"Yeah." said Sunset. "I'm a little stressed out right now. I could use a big tough guard like you by my side."

Flash looked around uncertainly.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

Sunset nodded, as she used her telekinesis to deactivate the communicator again. She felt reluctant about it, in case King Craw tried contacting her again. But at the same time, she was afraid of what might happen to it--or to her--if someone were to find out she had been communicating with a dangerous enemy of Equestria.

"I think I'd like you to take a walk with me." said Sunset.

"Will do, ma'am." said Lieutenant Sentry, who escorted Sunset out of her bedroom.





Queen Chrysalis and Lord Umbriel had reached Queen Chrysalis' old haunt, alongside an elite brigade of Changeling soldiers. They entered the caves, and found no living beings inside, but did find many recent signs of a great struggle within. Some tunnels were caved-in, or opened up where they weren't before, and many old tapestries and other objects lay ripped and broken on the cave floors.

"I have a bad feeling about this, sister." said Umbriel, looking around vigilantly.

"Same here, brother." said Chrysalis. "You know, I never thought I'd set hoof in this place again!"

Then one of the queen's bodyguards zipped up to them from the darkness.

"Your majesties, King Craw is nowhere inside this place." it said. "Nor any of his apparent attackers. Not even whom won the battle."

"Would it at least be possible as to determine who did this?" asked Umbriel. "If these strangers killed Craw, I would very much like to know if we should thank them for getting the job done, or if we should brace our subjects for a potential threat."

"We can't find any trace of them." said the bodyguard. " So even if Craw was dead, we've been unable to find his body anywhere. And then there's the matter of these strangers. If I may recommend, we ought to leave this place now, lest they return."

"I wouldn't argue with that." said Chrysalis. "This place is nothing but bad memories for me, anyhow."

"And for me." said Umbriel. "But what should we do now?"

"We should have a few drones remain behind to scout the surrounding area for anything...hostile." said the queen. "You and I, in the mean-time, should go back to the Crystal Mountains. I have a feeling our subjects will need us there."