The city of Bahaggara was surprisingly very large, especially compared to most of the towns in Equestria. There were hundreds of houses, shops, and various other points of interest within the pentagonal radius of its walls. The sun was only peeking over the horizon, and the city already had thousands of citizens walking and trotting its streets. Bahaggara was inhabited by not only Saddle Arabian ponies, but also zebras, camels, minotaurs, and a few gryphons and even hippogriffs. And what was more astounding was that there seemed to be dozens of armed guards on each and every street at every given time, with a guardhouse or watchtower at nearly every street corner.
There were five districts in the city, each almost large enough to be a large town unto itself. The northern district held the markets, with shops selling many types of products from all over the nation. The eastern district, which extended to two corners of the surrounding wall, held the houses and apartments for both residence and visitors, as well as libraries, museums, and universities. The south-western district was devoted to worship and religion, with temples and chapels lined up in rows. According to local residents, at least eighteen different religions were practiced in Saddle Arabia, but only five of them were actually practiced in that district. The fourth district, to the north-west, was where construction and recreation were conducted, with parks, arenas, and stadiums, as well as several lesser businesses.
The fifth district, the Palace Plaza, was in the center of the city and divided from the others by another layer of walls and gates. By the time Sunset Shimmer and company arrived at the palace, the Sun was already rising...to a red dawn, no less. The palace of Bahaggara was mostly circular and flat, except for a few towers in the middle. Its exterior had a mostly ebony color, with bronze frames around its pentagonal windows, and copper tips on its towers, although its walls had a silver rim at the bottom. The interior, on the other hand, was mostly a cream color with silver furniture, as if the palace were crafted from a giant Oreo cookie.
Sunset and the others made it to the throne room of the palace, which, unlike all the other rooms, was mostly golden and red in color, with an obsidian throne, upon which the lord of Bahaggara was sitting.
"Everypony, just leave the talking to me and Felix, okay?" Sunset said to the others.
Her friends nodded, but her family members seemed reluctant about this.
"Are ya sure about this, Sunny?" asked Radiant Dawn.
"I'm positive, Red." said Sunset.
"We have confidence in you, dear." said Scarlet Blaze.
Sunset smiled, and nodded, before turning to face and then approaching the ruler of the city.
"I don't recognize any of you." said the lord. "Outsiders, no doubt."
"Actually--" Felix began.
"I know you are a paladin, and that you are Felix Summerset." said the lord.
The others, barring Sunset herself, all looked at Felix.
"But I suppose the rest of you don't know who I am. Quartz Sandstorm, lord of Bahaggara. From whence have you all come?"
"Equestria, my lord." said Sunset, kneeling forward. "I am Sunset Shimmer, a unicorn from the city of Vanhoover. I've been the student of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna."
"Then may I assume you're those reinforcements that Equestria has sent to help...those paladins...battle King Nelphyn."
"No, we came here of our own accord." said Sunset.
"Which I suppose explains why you would waste time here when you could be wasting your lives like the paladins blockading Mareusalem."
"Excuse me?" asked Sunset. "What are you talking about?"
"The paladins are all out fighting for a lost cause." explained Quartz Sandstorm. "They cannot stop the evil that has invaded the capital city, but only I seem to have the foresight to see how inevitable their failure is. This is why what happens outside our walls stays outside our walls, and I will keep it that way!"
"Your own homeland is in danger, and you're not going to lift a hoof to save it?"
"If I were to send my soldiers against that tyrant, they will surely be destroyed, and there will be to few to protect my city."
"Your city will probably be destroyed anyway if King Nelphyn defeats the paladins." countered Sunset.
"If we pose no threat to him, he may not see any reason to destroy us." said Quartz.
"Can you be too sure about that?" asked Sunset.
Quartz snarled.
"I want my citizens to survive." he said. "And I've debated about this subject many times with others before you, and I've already decided that I wouldn't do anything about King Nelphyn, unless he did lay siege to the city. So if this was all you came here for, I suggest you all leave my palace...now."
Sunset sighed.
"Actually, we do need a place to stay." said Sunset."Just for a while."
"And then what do you plan to do?" asked Sandstorm.
"Well, since you've made it clear that you aren't interested in saving Saddle Arabia, I guess it'll be up to me and my friends and family."
"The paladins of Saddle Arabia are the most experienced warriors in all the land, yet they're at a stalemate at best." said Quartz. "What makes you all so sure that a group of foreigners like yourselves could stand a chance against King Nelphyn?"
"At least we're actually trying to do something about it." said Sunset. "Just not doing anything is the wrong thing to do! I mean, don't you think maybe your people would rather go down fighting than spend their days living as cowardly isolationists...or slaves, if Nelphyn decides to keep you all alive for that reason? I mean, he's done it before."
"I don't care what anyone else thinks, but I'm not sending my guards out for anything." said Quartz. "Now please, I insist you all rest yourselves, and we will be able to continue this discussion later this afternoon, when you've learned how to behave yourselves in my court."
Sunset nodded, but frowned.
"I see." she said. "Thank you for being patient with us."
She gestured for the others to leave with her. Quartz looked at Sunset with some admiration as she and the others left.
"That mare is wise beyond her years." he thought. "This 'Sunset Shimmer' could be our savior..."
Then he frowned and his admiration became suspicion.
"Or the harbinger of our destruction." thought Quartz. "Her intentions may seem to be for the greater good, but I'm certain that she plans something that will endanger us all. Something must be done about her. But I wouldn't dare attempt to kill her. That enchantress could probably anticipate an attack, especially when she is so close to her companions."
In the Las Pegasus Correctional Facility, Lionel Summerset was sitting in his cell, calmly drinking his coffee while waiting for his sentence to expire. If only he knew where his attorney was...
"Mr. Summerset." said the jailor. "You have a visitor."
Lionel simply continued drinking his coffee.
"Mr. Summerset?" the jailor said.
Lionel finished his mug of coffee and using the sleeve of his light orange-and-black jumpsuit wiped hot brown droplets off of his beard.
"I heard you, Carl." said Lionel. "And who should I expect at this late hour?"
The door opened, and a trio of stallions in trench overcoats entered the cell block. A fourth, an earth pony, entered the room after them.
"Well, hello." said Lionel, in a businessman-like manner. "What can I do for you four gentlecolts?"
"Hello, Lionel." said the earth pony, once the jailor left. "My name is Underhill Longshanks, Councilman of the Neo-Templars, sent on behalf of Minister Jubilee. We have important matters to discuss. And you better not share anything said here with anyone else, or there will be trouble."
"You know that I don't share the secrets of those I'm associated with." said Summerset. "Now really, are you here for any reason other than to spite me?"
"Yes, actually." said Longshanks. "Our garrison at Fort Echidna was sent into disarray just a couple of days ago. And we know that your airship was involved in some way."
"Really? The Summerstar?" said Lionel. "Well, it certainly couldn't have been me, since I've been locked in here for nearly a month."
"Yes, we already ruled you out." said Councilman Longshanks. "But our superiors want to know...why the Summerstar was involved in the dissolution of one of our garrisons?!"
"I don't know, since I've been incarcerated for weeks now." said Lionel. "I would just assume some of the locals had a little too much apple cider and decided to take my prized zeppelin for a joyride. Really, I'm all for giving to charity, but the least these ponies could do is send me a 'Thank You' card."
"Listen, Summerset." hissed Underhill Longshanks. "If you know anything about who took your blimp or zeppelin or whatever you wanna call it, you better spit it out, or you'll be spitting out other stuff than just saliva next time we meet. Capische?!"
"You can't threaten me here, and you know it." said Lionel. "And I would certainly appreciate it if we didn't have to shout at each other. We're not back in my homeland, you know, so let's act civilized, shall we?"
"Funny you should mention your homeland." said the Councilman. "Our scouts spotted the Summerstar flying eastwards...towards Saddle Arabia."
"Really?" said Lionel, who only seemed mildly interested. "I can scarcely imagine why anyone would bother flying all the way there. "Now would I care to know why either; I haven't paid much attention to what happens there in thirteen years, and I don't plan on changing that anytime soon."
"And you don't even care if you never see your airship again?" asked Longshanks.
"Hardly." said Lionel Summerset. "I could commission a dozen more just like it to be made if I wanted to."
"You know, I think you might be onto something, Lionel."
"My affairs are strictly independent." said Lionel, in a neutral, business-like tone. "Even when I'm facing conviction, I'm in no hurry to openly consort with Atheistic secessionists like yourselves. No offense intended, mind you; I admire the ambitions of the Neo-Templars all the same."
"You're a shrewd one, Summerset." said Longshanks. "But I think we have all the information we'll ever get out of you...for now."
"So will we depart on pleasant terms..." Lionel wondered aloud, narrowing his eyes. "Or should I check later to make sure there isn't somepony nearby waiting to spill my guts all over my bed while I sleep?"
"I could think of a few templars that would love to do that..." said the Councilman. "But even the Prime Minister himself would agree that you're more valuable alive than dead. I'm sure we'll meet again, even if you're unlikely enough to find yourself on death row."
"Then farewell." said Lionel, nodding slowly.
The four templars left the prison corridor. As soon as they were gone, Lionel Summerset curved his mouth into a smile. He truthfully could figure out who took the Summerstar from him, but he decided it would be more interesting to make the templars figure such matters out themselves.
"Well played, Sunset Shimmer." he mused, chuckling a little. "Well played. I don't know what that golden waif is planning, but if she has the templars after her, then she must be either very unlucky, a suicidal fool...or one of the craftiest ponies I ever met. Or perhaps all three, considering her lineage. Either way, I'm sure the aftermath will make for a very amusing read."
Outside, Councilman Underhill Longshanks was talking to his three companions as soon as they were out of the facility, and thus out of earshot of any potential eavesdroppers.
"You know what to do." he said. "Send word to the Ministry. Our boys out East will want to know what to look for. I have some investigating of my own to do up North. Now get going."
The three stallions opened up their overcoats, revealing their studded leather body armor, as well as their wings. They all took off in different directions, while Longshanks himself went down the street alone to the docks.