//------------------------------// // Victory! // Story: Sunset Rekindled // by EldritchNexus //------------------------------// There was a loud boom!, and a flash of red light. The air surrounding the crater was pushed away by the energy detonated by King Nelphyn. Gyldreth and Nelphyn's body both vanished in the blast, but the efforts of the former prevented most of the fire from passing beyond the immediate radius of the crater. However, that did not stop the shockwaves from riding the air, or the earth from rumbling beneath the feet of the escaping group. The shockwaves were so powerful that not only were clouds of sand kicked upwards, but entire buildings were disintegrated by the sheer intensity of the blast, and cracks began to open up in the earth as what remained of the plateau crumbled into the surrounding desert, and the sky was darkened by all the ash and sand in the air, making it hard to tell where the ponies were going and it would only be a matter of time before the super-heated air would cause them to suffocate. "Where--agh!--is anything?!" choked Frosty. "This stuff's not good for anything!" Nose Nip coughed. "Especially not in my condition! I feel like someone's playing with my scars!" "Hang on, everypony." said Radiant Dawn. "Let's not forget I can detect weather patterns from miles away. Just follow me, and I'll get everyone to the nearest safe spot!" "We won't have time!" said Lightning Dust. "I can handle this!" She flew circles in the sky, creating a tornado that absorbed most of the ashstorm, and sent it spiraling away. Once most of it was gone, Bathilda and the Megamite larva both crawled out from underneath Maud's clothing, the former beating herself on the back with her wing and coughing up sand. "Oh, Ellie Jaye!" Lightning said, rushing to grab the Megamite larva and nurture it in her hooves. "Don't you worry, sweetie. Mommy's here for ya!" The Megamite larva trilled and clicked as it moved its head around. "You named that thing Ellie Jaye?" asked Trixie, once she caught her breath. "Yeah." said Lightning. "You know...like 'L.J.'?" Trixie looked at Lightning, confused. "Lightning Junior?!" shrugged Lightning. "You can't be serious about that, can you?" said Trixie. "Are you seriously telling me you're that thing like it's your baby?" "Girls, that's enough!" said Daring Do. "We have important things to worry about." Crimson Blade approached, carrying a wheezing Scarlet Blaze on his back. "Mom!" Sunset and Radiant gasped at once. Radiant galloped towards them. "What happened, grandpa?" "She collapsed during the ashstorm." said Crimson. "I'm fine, daddy." coughed Scarlet. "It's just my asthma kicking in." "I didn't know you had asthma, honey!" said Golden Sun. "I'm not surprised." panted Scarlet. "I haven't felt it since I was a little filly. Until now, anyway. I hope it's not coming back..." "Don't worry, Pressure Point can check your vitals back at the Summerstar." said Crimson. "In the mean-time, watch your breathing." Scarlet couldn't help but snicker, even though it hurt her lungs to do so. "Oh, dad." she said, hoarsely. "All these years, and ya still like to treat me like I'm a little filly." "All these years, and you're still the most precious thing in my life." countered Crimson. "You'll always be my little filly, even if you're not so little anymore." "But what happened?" asked Lightning. "What was that giant bird, and why was there an explosion?" "The bird is...was a friend." said Sunset, softly. "We defeated King Nelphyn together, but King Nelphyn wanted something that I couldn't give him, so he did it himself." "Wait, so King Nelphyn blew himself up?" asked Daring Do. "That's insane!" "Yeah, he sounds like a real sore loser!" said Sunflower, who had caught up to the others, along with Teddy and Pressure Point. Then there was a thin shadow, sweeping across the sky. "It's probably those blasted Rocs again!" said Pressure Point. Everyone looked up, bracing for an attack, but to their relief, it was Felix Summerset. "Hello again, my friends!" said Felix, excited to see everypony. "It is so good to see you all alive and well. But what happened here?" "The big bad king blew a fuse, so--" "Cut the chatter, Frosty." said Nose Nip. "It's gonna be dark soon, and I don't wanna be out here with these scars in my back when the cold air sets in." "Impressive." said Saegmuntitus, peering through the reaches of space and time. "So they managed to survive King Nelphyn. These ponies are crafty. But it hardly matters. 'The second mouse gets the cheese', as the saying goes. They have yet to see my true power, and it will be the last thing they ever see." He let out a deep cackle that echoed in the void. The moon was finally rising into the night sky after what seemed like a century of sunset, and the Summerstar was finally back in the air. Sunset, Trixie, and Lightning Dust were seated together at a poker table in one of the many rooms of the airship, playing a card game to pass the time. Lightning was winning, to Trixie's dismay. "Alright, looks like this round's mine." said Lightning. "Pass over the chips." "Fine." said Trixie, with a scowl. She levitated fifty chips off the table to Lightning's end, and crossed her front hooves. "What've you got, Sunset?" she asked aloud. "Huh?" Sunset said, turning her face away from her cards. "Umm...it's looks like I just got a Royal Flush!" She laid out the cards on the table, and Lightning and Trixie both sat there in awe. "I have no idea how you do it, Sunset." said Lightning. She yawned. "Well, I'll be in my room. Li'l Ellie's probably bored out of her skull right now, so I'm gonna read her a bedtime story." "Yeah...you do that." said Trixie, dryly. "I think I'm gonna feed Bathilda." said Sunset. "Good night, Trix." Sunset left the room shortly after Lightning Dust, while Trixie sat alone at the poker table, grumbling. Suddenly, the door opened and Teddy trotted inside. "Hi, Trixie." he said, somewhat nervously. "What's up...Teddy?" Trixie groaned. "Hey, you mind if I sit with you?" "Sure, go ahead." Teddy sat in Sunset's seat, a weary look in his eyes. He looked out a nearby window. "The Moon sure is beautiful, huh?" he said. "Sure is." said Trixie, rolling her eyes. "What's the matter?" asked Teddy. "Ah...Trixie grows tired of this conversation." replied Trixie. "Trixie must retire to her room." "Okay, but I just wanted to say something." said Teddy. "Yes, and what is it?" Trixie was gazing into Teddy's eyes with an irritated expression on her face. "Uh...I'd like to know if..." "Hmm...?" "You would like to..." Trixie cocked her head suspiciously, and Teddy started to sweat, his heart pounding in his chest. "Watch the stars with me?" asked Teddy, fighting hard not to flinch. "Radiant Dawn said there ain't a cloud for miles." "Well, I don't see why not." said Trixie. She and Teddy went down to the lounge room, and looked out the glass windows at all the stars and constellations. It was a truly dazzling sight. They sat together on a couch, with Trixie grinning as she looked at the night sky. It wasn't long before she yawned, and leaned against Teddy, her eyes shutting slowly but tightly. Teddy put a hoof around Trixie's torso to press them closer together. Trixie, still partially awake, lifted a hoof to knock Teddy's away, but decided that she was comfortable with him and put her other hoof around Teddy's torso. Sunset passed through the corridor, yawning slowly. Crimson Blade, who was walking in the opposite direction, came up to her. "Evening, grandpa." she said. "Sunset, you did good back there." said Crimson, putting a hoof on Sunset's back. "You did very good." "Thanks." nodded Sunset. "But still, I can't help but wonder what's gonna happen next." grumbled Crimson. "Why? What's the matter?" "It's just a matter of time before we all fly back to Equestria." said Crimson Blade. "I haven't spoken to Princess Celestia in years. Not since I was arrested." He bowed his head in shame. "Maybe I should stay here, in Saddle Arabia." "Don't worry, gramps." smiled Sunset. "Celestia's very forgiving. I'm sure she can pardon you for whatever you did." "Perhaps." said Crimson, stone-faced. "But I can't pardon myself for what I did." "You just have to believe in yourself, grandpa. I was in the same boat too, so you can take my word for it." "We'll see." said Crimson, who continued down the corridor. "Take care, little filly." Crimson passed by Radiant Dawn's room, where he caught a glimpse of Lightning Dust nuzzling against him. Then he went into the infirmary, where Nose Nip, Scarlet Blaze, and Daring Do were having their injuries tended to by Pressure Point, with Maud Pie, Golden Sun, and Felix Summerset in attendance. "All done." Pressure Point was telling Scarlet, who slowly climbed off her bed, and stretched. "Thanks, doctor." said Scarlet. She and Golden Sun went to the far side of the room, with Scarlet bending down to lick Golden Sun's upper lip. "Scarlet!" Crimson said, with a smile. "How are you?" "I'm fine, daddy." said Scarlet, with a smile of her own. "Well, I can definitely say that this was an interesting adventure little Sunset brought us all along for." said Golden Sun. "But I think we could all do with a vacation. Maybe...two-to-three weeks in Bridylon?" Crimson chuckled. "That would be great." he said. "It's been a while since I had any time to relax. Twenty-four years, I think." Frosty was manning the steering wheel on the bridge of the Summerstar, since Nose Nip was recovering. Suddenly, he heard an eerie, but beautiful tune. One that he was compelled to move in rhythm to. Then he started to bang on some metal panels on the floor to add a beat to it. Trixie was still sitting with Teddy, when she suddenly pulled away from him. "Wow, how could Trixie forget?" she said. "We defeated an evil force. I think we should have a proper celebration." "Wha..." said a confused Teddy. Trixie dashed out of the room. Golden Sun went up to the window. "Years have passed, but there are some things that never get old." he mused, scrutinizing the night sky. He saw a glimpse of a red-gold light like a shooting star streaking across the sky. He could also swear that he heard the cry of a bird in the distance, then a sound like music. "Such a beautiful light." he spoke softly to himself. "and that music is simply...spectacular." Trixie ran to the loading bay of the zeppelin, and opened a large window. She let out a cluster of sparks and projectiles from her horn, that exploded in the sky as fireworks. She then repeated the process with every other window she could open. Their bangs and booms echoed throughout the night, and were audible throughout the airship. Everyone else in the airship stopped what they were doing, went out to the windows, and stared in awe at the lights in the sky.