//------------------------------// // 14: Rest // Story: Under the Sun's Wings // by Foxy Kimchi //------------------------------// There was a loud thud as Solaris’ legs buckled slightly as he landed on his balcony. It was early in the morning, the sky still dark. The moon was already down, and it was his turn to do his duty. With a yawn, his horn glowed, setting the sun on its path. Luna always enjoyed putting a little extra when she did her part, and the white alicorn always wondered what would happen if ponies knew how nonchalantly he raised the sun when nopony is looking. It was earlier than normal, but it wouldn’t be that big of a deal. Maybe somepony will wake slightly earlier when his sun shines into their windows. He was too tired to really put any flair into it or to care. But that was another thought for another time as Solaris opened his balcony doors, walking in afterwards. He stopped, letting out a large yawn as his wings flared out. A grunt escaped his muzzle as he could feel his joints pop. It has been a long time, a very long time, since he felt this exhausted. Sure, he has been mentally exhausted on a routine basis, usually when he had to deal with a large amount of pointless meetings and hearings, but being physically tired was another story. But it felt nice, mentally and physically he felt refreshed. His mind was clear, and he was no longer fuming from the previous day’s event. Solaris twisted his neck and back, groaning as he felt another series of pops in his joints. He shook his head and made his way next to his desk. The alicorn’s horn glowed as he opened the large drawer on the bottom, brushing away a stack of parchment and picking up a brown bottle with a small glass. A smile creeped up on his face he tucked both of them under his wings. Next, he went to his restroom, getting water from his sink. He stopped, looking at himself in the mirror. A much more rough and rugged-looking pony stared back at him. His normally pristine, smooth coat was rough and mangy looking, his mane was all over the place, and his feathers were ruffled. Solaris puffed out his chest, smiling, before he put a grim face on. He missed this look, a look that was more acceptable eons ago. To him, this rugged look was much more preferable to the clean, sterile look he put on day in and day out. Besides, he did not like that some labeled him as a ‘pretty’ pony. Looks aside, he made his way out of his room and into his castle. He made a few turns and went down a couple set of stairs without really having to think where he was going. He lived in his castle for so long that he just relied on his muscle memory to take him to his destination. Finally, he stopped before a door where ‘Castle Affairs’ was plastered on top. I know it is early, but somepony has to be here, he thought. With a shrug, the alicorn opened the door to the department office. “Sorry, we are not open yet. Can you please come back later?” an eloquent voice called out in the back. Solaris stepped into the room, frowning as it was completely empty. Guess I was too early, I’ll just leave a memo then… The ruler’s ears flicked as he heard hoofbeats. “I am sorry, but we are closed can you—” Solaris looked down as a grey pegasus stopped. He had seen this all the time when he comes unannounced. First, they stop their sentence. Next comes the wide eyed surprise, followed by the immediate bow. If it happened to be a certain purple unicorn, additional steps could follow, such as freaking out and breaking into a panic, presenting a long list, or a hug and a nuzzle, depending on the mood. Solaris stopped his own train of thought and focused back on the pony in front of him. His silver mane and tail were perfectly combed, and his outfit, impeccable. To the alicorn, it was odd seeing a pony like that here. It would be more fitting if said stallion was at a high end event meant for the social elite. He did have a dress code, but he never enforced one to this high of a standard. “Lord Solaris!” the pony cried out in his bow. “I didn’t expect Your Highness to be here. If you are looking for your schedule, I can go retrieve it for you. We didn’t know you wanted it this early.” “No, no,” Solaris replied. “Please rise, my little pony. There is no need for such formalities here.” “Yes, my Lord,” the pegasus said as he stood up. “Is Dusty Parchment here?” Solaris asked as he looked around the empty office. “No, my Lord. The office is closed for another hour so, and Mr. Parchment and the others are not here yet.” Solaris looked back down at the grey stallion. “And you are?” “Silver Hoof. I am the intern here, so I arrive early to set up the office and other things.” The alicorn’s eyes shifted slightly down, seeing the mentioned silver fur around the pegasus’ hooves. Names are getting quite literal these days, he thought. He looked back up at the pegasus, his head tilting slightly. “Y-yes, my Lord?” Silver asked. “I did not know that they made interns work this early. It seems strange that you are the only one here.” “No, my Lord, I just volunteered to come in early and set up the office. Just trying to make a good impression.” “I see,” Solaris said. “Anyway, inform Mr. Parchment to cancel all my scheduled plans for today. I’m going to be doing something else.” “Yes, my Lord,” the grey pegasus replied with a slight bow. “Alright then, keep up the good work, and also tell Mr. Parchment that I told him not to overwork you. “Thank you, sir.” What an interesting pony, Solaris thought as he closed the door behind him. Dusty never told me he had an intern. Have I been that out of touch lately? I used to know everything going on here. Well, that was a couple hundred years ago. Hope that pony was not sick. His face looked slightly red. Maybe I should have said something… With a shrug, he made his way through a couple of hallways to a small door. “My Lord!” a guard replied with a salute. Solaris blinked as he came back into focus. He looked down at the white pegasus guard. “At ease,” he answered. The guard nodded. “What can I do for you, my Lord?” Solaris opened the door, “Just make sure nopony disturbs me.” “Yes, my Lord” With a nod, Solaris made his way through the door, squinting his eyes slightly as he was bombarded by his own sun. The alicorn was standing outside in a small clearing covered in grass surrounded by high castle walls. To his right, a small fountain bubbled, while his left was a large tree. He let out a loud sigh as he walked under the tree. With a yawn, the alicorn not so gracefully flopped down on the grass below him, unfurling his wing and retrieving his hidden bottle and glass. This was his personal space whenever he wanted to work outside and be alone. Solaris looked at the bottle. Manehattan Select 18 years With a smile, he opened the bottle, pouring a small amount relative to his size and stature. He quickly took a sip, scrunching his face slightly as the liquid burned. “Nothing beats drinking whiskey during the day,” he sighed to himself. “Just wish I could do it more often, but nooo, it is not proper she says…” Solaris sighed louder as he stretched out his limbs and wings. He took another sip, letting his mind wander. Luna’s eye twitched at the sight before her. There was a light thump sound as her hoof connected to her head. Before her was Solaris, ruler of Equestria, a god among ponies, her brother, sleeping on the ground. He was laying on his side, his limbs sprawled everywhere in whatever direction, and his mane and coat was a mess where patches of dirt, grass, and dust clung to his fur. His mane covered his face slightly, but that did nothing to hide the fact that his muzzle was open and his tongue was hanging out. There was even a small puddle of drool. Luna would be lying if she was not tempted to kick her brother out of his slumber. Her eyes scanned around, her frown deepening when she spotted the brown bottle and glass. Both objects glowed a faint, light blue as she levitated them near her. Luna sniffed the opening, her nose scrunching as her sinuses were cleared. The bottle itself was almost completely empty. “Really, at this hour?” the alicorn muttered under her breath. Luna tilted her head slightly, making sure the door to this opening was still closed. She took the glass, breathing on the lip of it before she rubbed it against her chest fur. The bottle of whiskey floated as she emptied the little amount left into her glass. Well it would be a shame to waste it. Besides, it is night for me compared to everypony else, Luna thought. The princess took a sip, shuddering at the slight burning sensation. At least he has good taste. “Since you finished it, I don’t want to hear you complain when I drink it.” The aura of the glass faded for a fraction of a second before Luna regained her concentration and composure. She looked back at her brother, a crimson eye looking back. “How long have you been awake?” Luna asked as she set the glass down. “The moment you came in here.” The princess frowned. “So you pretended to sleep, even though I was here.” Solaris grunted, slowly getting his forelegs under him to sit upright. “I had a feeling you were going to hit me or something, so yes,” he said with a loud yawn. Luna gave a slight roll of her eyes. “So,” Solaris continued, “what do I owe for the Princess of the Night’s presence at this hour?” “Well, for starters, you were not present at breakfast.” “Guess not,” Solaris responded lazily. “And may I ask what you are doing here?” Solaris twisted his neck with a loud pop while Luna winced at the sound. “I am resting.” “Resting?” “Taking the day off, to be more exact.” Luna raised an eyebrow. “For what reason, to be exact?” “Because I feel like it. That, and I think I earned one after all these years.” “And how does a ruler of Equestria take a day off?” “By canceling everything and doing nothing.” “You canceled all your responsibilities for the day?” “Mmhm,” Solaris mumbled. “And how does one do that exactly?” Luna asked, a hint of frustration mixed with slight disappointment in her voice. “I just told the staff to cancel everything, not hard.” “So you gave them more work?” “Well, that is why we pay them, am I right? Besides, I think I reduced their work by canceling everything. Should be easier than setting it all up.” “Oh yes,” Luna said with a sigh. “All that preparation made the previous days for naught.” Solaris rolled his eyes as he levitated his bottle of liquor. “We pay them well, and besides, it is not like I do this everyday.” He tilted his head back, trying to see if there was any liquid left. Solaris frowned when his efforts were fruitless. “Stop that.” Solars looked back at Luna. “Don’t say anything when I get another.” “Like tartarus I am. You drank the entire bottle… in the early morning, no less!” “I didn’t drink an entire bottle…” “Okay, so how much did you drink?” “...” “Well?” “How much did you drink?” “There was literally a drop left.” “An entire bottle minus that…” “By the stars…” “I don’t see the big deal…” “An entire bottle of hard liquor. That is way too much for anypony.” “Well, in my defense, you and I are not normal ponies. We are much bigger than them, thus I can drink more.” “That does not change anything.” Solaris shrugged. Luna frowned, shaking her head. “And besides, you look like a complete mess. Go take a bath.” The white alicorn yawned as he lay back down. “I don’t feel like it. I’ll do it later when I wake up.” Luna scowled slightly, her wings ruffling. “You look completely undignified. What if our subjects saw you like this?” “Well, that is why I am here, so ponies don’t see or disturb me. And besides, I don’t think I look that bad. Nothing wrong with appearing gritty.” The moon alicorn placed her head in her hoof, shaking it. “By the stars, not only is my brother stubborn, but he is just as vain.” “Says the pony that wants me to look dignified. When I said you were like mother, I did not mean for you to be mother.” Luna rolled her eyes. “You are acting strangely.” “What can I say? I am in a playful mood so to speak.” Luna smacked her head again with her hoof. “Great, you are drunk.” “I am not drunk.” “Yes you are. You are acting strange.” “No, I am not. I guess I am in a… playful mood so to speak.” “Pfft, you, playful? Your personality is as dense and blunt as a brick.” “I am not drunk.” “Yes, you are.” “Okay, maybe a slight buzz.” “I cannot believe you are acting like this. It is so undignified.” “Says mother.” Luna huffed, her face scrunching in frustration. “Just go shower at least or something.” Solaris lifted his head, rubbing his chin slightly, a sly grin on his face. “Only if I can get a few pretty mares to do it for me.” The moon alicorn glared daggers. “You lecherous ass.” “Hey,” Solaris said with an exaggerated frown. “That is not being nice to donkeys.” Luna threw her hooves up in frustration as she turned around. “I give up. I don’t know why you are acting like this, but I am done. Go and be lazy. What a shining example for the rest of us. If you want to sleep all day, then do it.” “That was my plan.” Luna made her way to the door, her head shaking. “Oh, Luna,” Solaris called out. The Princess of the Night tilted her head back. “If I asked, how many ponies do you think would be willing to give me a bath? I don’t mean to brag, but I think a few mares would do it.” Luna jerked her head back towards the door, lifting her muzzle in disdain. “You are so insufferable!” Solaris chuckled as laid back down. “Maybe I should let Luna have the moon out all day. At least the sun won’t shine in my face.” Honeycomb yawned as her wings ruffled on her back. It was not even noon, and she had a crazy morning relative to the past few days. The changeling did not get as much sleep as her wings kept her up at night. For some reason, her feathers kept rubbing and itching her back anytime she moved. When she tried to sleep with her wings extended, her feathers kept rubbing against each other in a way that bothered her to no end. Honeycomb thought she was going to have a rough day due to her wings and the lack of sleep. The changeling groggily did her morning routine, only to find out that Solaris was not in his room and that she did not have to work today. She was not complaining though. Now, she could try and get some sleep. However, since she was up, there was no harm in getting some food first. Honeycomb let out a grunt as her wings ruffled in irritation yet again. She made her way through a series of hallways before turning a corner, her ears flicking as she picked up a conversation. “I have my orders. Lord Solaris requested not to be disturbed.” The changeling looked at two ponies talking to each other. One was a guard, and the other pony appeared to work in the kitchens, based on the white uniform and chef’s hat. “Yes, and I have mine. I was ordered to bring him his food by none other than Her Highness.” “But he told me to not let him be disturbed.” “But Lady Luna ordered the kitchens to bring him something.” “I don’t want to disturb him if he is doing something. Can’t you see I am trying to keep my job.” Honeycomb stood upright for a brief second hearing Solaris’ name. She was curious as to what was going on, but she felt that it would be best not to interfere. The changeling kept her head forward, trying to look casual as she continued toward the cafeteria. “Miss! Miss Honeycomb!” the pony with the chef attire called. Honeycomb winced before she stopped. Taking a deep breath, she composed herself before turning towards the two ponies. “Yes?” “Thank the sun and moon you are here. Can you help me?” “With what?” “You see,” the guard said, “I was told by Lord Solaris not to let anypony disturb him, but apparently, Lady Luna also ordered the kitchens to bring him food. Now, we are stuck.” “But,” the chef replied, “you did let her through early this morning.” “Well, what am I supposed to do in that case? Both of them are my boss.” “Can you please go in and drop off his food, Honeycomb? We have no clue what to do when we both have conflicting orders. We figured it would be okay if you did it.” Honeycomb jerked in surprise. “M-me? Why me?” “You’re his assistant,” the guard said. “Surely he will allow ponies that he trust dearly.” “But,” Honeycomb gasped. “Please,” the chef said. “We could really use the help.” “Please.” Honeycomb wilted as the two ponies looked at her. Why am I doing this? Why did I say ‘yes’? Honeycomb thought to herself as she pushed the large cart of food. First my wings, then a lack of sleep, and now this, and WHY is this so heavy? Honeycomb grunted as she looked up. She was in a small clearing, much like the place where she did flying practice, but smaller. Her eyes widened as she saw the white alicorn laying under a tree, his wings sprawled out. She could not see his head, though she could definitely see that his mane and coat were ruffled and dirty. “Um,” Honeycomb muttered, “Lord Solaris?” The alicorn did not stir, however. Honeycomb looked around, biting her lower lip. What now? Is he asleep? If he was, why would he sleep here? I mean, he is royalty. Why would he sleep on the ground, and why is his coat a mess? Slowly, she walked forward, making sure to make no sound. The changeling had no idea why she was doing this in the first place. Honeycomb wanted to leave the food there and leave, but if Solaris was awake, then he would expect an explanation or something. Honeycomb silenced a slight gasp. Solaris was resting his head on his forehooves, his eyes closed. She could now see his chest and sides slowly rise and fall with each breath. Slowly, even more so than before, Honeycomb turned around, hoping to get out as quickly and as quietly as possible. The changeling really did not want to be here when he gets up. Although she was forced to be here, things were slowly falling into place. Life was manageable and predictable, up this point. She really didn’t want to start fearing for her life all over again. Honeycomb bit her lower lip, looking back to make sure the alicorn did not move. Her heart stopped. Solaris was still laying on the ground, but looking back at her was a large crimson eye. There was a low rumble emitting from the alicorn as he slowly got up. He twisted his neck and wings, cracking them in the process. Honeycomb froze as Solaris slowly brought his head towards her, staring directly at her. “I was wondering when you were going to make an attempt at my life,” Solaris said in an unwavering voice. “Though this has to be the worst attempt so far.” “What?!” Honeycomb cried out as she falled on her rear. Her heart pounded in her chest as she began to hyperventilate. “L-Lord Solaris, I would never!” She was ready to throw herself on the ground before Solaris held a hoof up. “Honeycomb, stop. I was just kidding. It was a joke.” Honeycomb gulped. “A joke?” “Well, a bad one apparently,” Solaris replied as he sat back down with a thump. He let out a loud yawn before speaking again. “So, what brings you here?” Honeycomb panted, slowly trying to calm her racing heart. “I… I was asked to bring you food.” Solaris turned his head, seeing the cart. “I see,” he said as he got up again, walking towards it. “I didn’t mean to wake you,” Honeycomb quickly replied. “I was trying to be quiet.” “Don’t worry about it,” Solaris said as he pulled the tray under the tree. “You woke me the moment you came in.” “Sorry, Lord Solaris.” “I said don’t worry about it. I am hungry anyways.” Solaris lifted the dome lid, revealing a mountain of food. The amount of food did surprise the changeling, but after a second of contemplation it made sense. Any living thing as large as Solaris would require a massive amount of food to function. However, what really surprised Honeycomb was the speed at which Solaris was eating his meal. It was not like he was attacking it like a savage beast, but he was definitely not taking small nibbles or bites out of it. Honeycomb couldn’t help but stare. The whole scene before her seemed surreal. Here was one of the two leaders of Equestria, easily the most powerful and influential nation there is, acting in a way that she would never have imagined. To her, Solaris had this aura of rigidity around him. Every being around him acted with the utmost respect and fear. Even as a changeling, an enemy of Equestria, she recognized that Solaris was a commanding figure. It was easy to see why his peers obeyed him without question or hesitation. His massive presence simply demanded it from everyone around him. It was easy to see why everypony was on edge around him. But right now, it seemed like he had a much more calmer demeanor around him. It had an effect so far. Ever since she had been working with Solaris, she always felt that Solaris did not like having her around when they had to work together. They rarely, if ever, talked, and she was always on edge while working. There were a few moments here and there that were different, but for the most part, she felt like she was unwanted when working. But at this moment, the alicorn seemed indifferent of her, not caring if she was here or not. It was an improvement to say the least. Honeycomb’s mind snapped back into focus as Solaris grabbed a large pitcher of water underneath the cart. Without grace or using a glass, she watched the alicorn finished the pitcher as quickly as he ate. Again, she was surprised at just the sheer volume of it. Like the meal before it, it was just as large. That helped explain why the cart was so heavy. “That is much better,” Solaris suddenly sighed as he finished. “I needed that.” Solaris stretched his neck and limbs, giving them a slight shake to them before laying back down. The alicorn propped his head up with his hoof, looking down at the changeling. “So, Honeycomb,” Solaris sighed out lazily, “why are you here?” “Well, I was just sending the food here, sir.” “No, I mean why did they send you specifically?” “Oh, I was walking to get food and then a few ponies stopped me. They didn’t know if they should bring it in or leave you alone.” “Hm… go figure,” Solaris said with a shrug. “Is there anything else you need, sir?” Honeycomb asked. Her body suddenly twitched, her wings ruffling as they bothered her again. Solaris raised an eyebrow. “What’s wrong?” Honeycomb tried to settle and smooth her wings out, “Oh nothing. My wings just have been bothering me today. They keep itching and rubbing against me.” “Hmm,” Solaris replied with a deep rumble, “sounds like you need to preen your wings.” “Preen?” “You know, every pegasus has to preen their wings once in while. Feathers get misaligned and dirty, so every now and then, they have to be taken care of.” “Oh.” Honeycomb looked at her wings. “I thought only birds do that.” “Well, anything that has feathers really,” Solaris replied. Honeycomb extended a wing and examined it. Just like Solaris said, if she looked closely she could see a few feathers at odd angles. She looked at if for a moment, and then back at the alicorn. “Hm?” “Well,” Honeycomb mumbled, “I am not exactly sure how to…” Solaris raised his eyebrow again, a somewhat confused look on his face. “You don’t know?” “Well, changeling wings normally don’t have feathers…” The alicorn opened his mouth to say something but closed it quickly. Slowly, he got up and sat in front of Honeycomb, looking at her wings. “All right, extend both your wings out.” Honeycomb blinked in confusion but complied. She squirmed a bit as Solaris brought his head in close, examining her wings. Honeycomb was going to ask what he was doing, but she let out a loud yelp as something yanked on both of her wings. The changeling jumped back a bit, her wings beating. “Better?” Solaris asked, levitating a small bunch of feathers in a golden aura. Honeycomb looked at the feathers then back at her wings. She gave them a quick beat and then folded her wings back in. “Wow, that does feel better.” “Good.” Solaris got up, heading back to his spot under the tree. With a flick of his head, he tossed the feathers in the air, and they suddenly combusted up in flames, burning into nothing before they could touch the ground. Honeycomb jumped a bit at the sudden spark of flames. “I was just getting rid of them. It's a habit of mine,” Solaris explained as he laid back down. “You should probably learn how to take care of your wings, but if you need help, in the meantime, I can take care of it.” “Oh… thanks.” Honeycomb watched as Solaris let out a large yawn before extending out his wings. Again, the changeling felt this different vibe from the ruler of Equestria. It was one of indifference, but still better than before. “Do you need anything else, sir?” “No,” Solaris replied as he rested his head on his forehooves. “I will see you tomorrow. In the meantime, you still have the day off. If you need something to do, you can always go to the library and read something.” “I can?” “Yes, if they ask for a card, just tell them I sent you. You should have access to the public section, so you can read something if you want.” Honeycomb nodded as she made her way to the door. She looked behind for second, watching the alicorn turning his head away and getting comfortable. It was a strange day indeed. Honeycomb yawned loudly on her bed, her eyes straining a bit as she stared at the pages. She turned her head to her nightstand, looking at her clock. “Already this late?” Honeycomb mumbled as she rubbed her eyes. She placed the book down titled Wing Care for Foals: A Guide to Wing Care for Non-Pegasi Parents. The changeling had a small stack of books around her on her bed. The changeling immersed herself with books ranging from history to pop-culture, trying to learn as much about Equestria as she can. She figured that the more she knew, the easier it was for her to fit in. Honeycomb blinked lazily at her diary. Like every night before, she had been documenting her times here. She placed her hoof on it, holding it there. “Eh,” Honeycomb mumbled again as she removed it, rubbing her eyes instead. “No more words today. I’ll deal with that later.” Honeycomb yawned as she flicked off the lights and throwing the blanket over her.