Sunset Rekindled

by EldritchNexus

Returning to Canterlot, Part 2

In the city of Mareusalem, King Nelphyn approached the top of the staircase that connected the plaza district to the palace. The Maul-Ras had rounded up the citizens there.

"Citizens of Saddle Arabia, as long as you all live, you will serve me!" he spoke in a booming voice. "If any refuse my rule, you will be enslaved! Attempt to escape, and you will be destroyed!"

Some of the townsponies murmured.

"And to enforce this, none shall be allowed to leave this city, except at my whim!" Nelphyn proclaimed.

The Alicorn Amulet glowed, and a blast of red lightning shot upwards from it. It triggered another sonic boom, and a field of bright red light spread across the skies. The field covered not only the entire city but everything within a twelve-mile radius of its walls in a transparent red dome.

Silver Schmitar and a trio of paladins, who were on the road back to Mareusalem from one of its neighboring cities, saw this.

"What is this devilry?!" said one of the paladins.

"Whatever it is, it spells danger for the rest of Saddle Arabia." said Silver Schmitar, turning to another paladin. "Felix, go to the other settlements! Scramble our armies! We are facing a major crisis, so don't waste any time!"

"Yes, sir!" said Felix, who ran back to the neighboring city.

"As for the rest of us..." said Silver Schmitar. "We must try to get into the city!"

"But sir, that could be very dangerous!" said the first paladin.

"We are paladins!" said Silver Schmitar. "We live off of danger! Now on to the city! For Mareusalem! For Saddle Arabia!"

Silver and the other paladins let out a battle-cry, and galloped to the city.

---

The next day, the Summerstar made it to Canterlot, and landed atop a cliff right outside of the city. A squad of royal guards was waiting for them. Both captains, Shining Armor and Star Shield, were at the head of the squad. Sunset Shimmer and her friends and family went down the ramp.

"Greetings, Sunset Shimmer." said Shining Armor, once Sunset made it to the bottom of the ramp. "We're here to welcome you back to Canterlot. My sister sent me a message telling me to expect you all to arrive by air. I didn't think you'd arrive in something that huge, though!"

"I appreciate it, captain." said Sunset.

"That is Lionel Summerset's airship, isn't it?" said Star Shield.

"That's right." said Sunset. "Where he's going to be spending his time, he sure isn't going to need it. So we decided to...um, borrow it so that we could all get back to Canterlot without having to pay extra expenses."

"Sounds fair enough to me, Miss Shimmer." said Star Shield. "Now, where is your brother?"

"Right here, sir." said Radiant, coming down with Lightning Dust. "It's been one heck of a week, but I'm ready to continue being a guard. I'm gonna do much more than I've done all month."

"I like this devotion you have, Lieutenant Dawn." Star Shield smiled. "Very well, you may continue your guard duties tonight."

"Thank you." said Radiant, with a salute.

Golden Sun and Scarlet Blaze went down the ramp, and beheld the city of Canterlot.

"I never thought I would come here." said Scarlet.

"Neither did I." said Golden Sun. "But still, I can't wait to pay the castle archives a visit."

"Ah, Professor Sun." said Star Shield. "It's good to see you are alive and well."

"Thank you, captain." said Golden Sun.

"Your son is one of my best guards." said Star Shield. "It is good to have a stallion of his caliber in our ranks. He and Miss Shimmer have done much for Canterlot."

Golden Sun turned to Captain Armor.

"Say, captain. would it at all be possible to visit the city's archives?" he asked him. "I have a little research to do."

"And I think I'll come along, too." said Sunset. "I mean, after I've met with Princess Luna."

"Of course." said Shining Armor. "I'll have a couple of couple escort you there right away."

"And I think I would like to see what my son does as a guard." said Scarlet.

"Very well, Ms. Blaze." said Star Shield.

She gave her the directions to the training area of the Night Guard.

Frosty, Nose Nip, and Teddy decided to go to the inn where Teddy was staying. There, they all decided to each have a bottle of cider.

"Look, I know I haven't been able to pay you guys back for that climbing-equipment, but I'm sure we can come to an agreement on something." said Teddy.

"Sure, whatever you say." said Nose Nip, unamused.

"I mean it." said Teddy. "I really wanna make it up to you guys somehow!"

"Really, well we'll just have we can do." said Frosty. "Right now, though...I just wanna freakin' drink."

---

Radiant Dawn went down to the training area, where several guards were sparring with each other. Gradually, they all stopped when they noticed him.

"All right, everypony!" he said. "I'm back from my vacation, and I'm ready to start training you all again! Now front and center!"

The guards all lined up and gave Radiant a salute.

"I've got a few new moves to teach you all." said Radiant.

All day, Radiant was not only instructing guards on how to fight, but personally sparring with them as well. Between his own size and strength and the Saddle Arabian combat style he learned from his mother, he was able to knock down several guards that were assigned to spar with him in mere seconds. For fighting moves that would likely cause serious injury to a live target, he used them on practice dummies that were lined up along the wall.

"Sir, this isn't fair!" said Moondancer, one of the night guards. "You're taller than all of us!"

"It's not the size, Moondancer." said Radiant. "It's what you do with it. Okay, now I think it's time that you try those moves on those training dummies."

He pointed at the row of dummies.

"Silver Shadow and Sky Boom, why don't you two give it a try?" he said.

"Yes, sir!" said Silver Shadow, approaching one of the dummies.

He leapt onto the dummy, grabbed it by the neck, and started hoof-punching the back of its head.

"Good work, Shadow!" said Radiant. "Sky, you're up next!"

"On it, Lieutenant Dawn, sir!" said Sky Boom.

She ran up to them, beating her wings, and jumped across them one by one, hoof-punching them each on the head as she went.

"Excellent!" said Radiant. "I see a promotion in store for you two in the near future."

"Yes, sir!" said Sky Boom and Silver Shadow at once.

"Bravo, son!" said a voice.

Radiant Dawn turned around and saw that Scarlet was standing behind him, clapping her hooves together.

"You're doing very good, son." said Scarlet. "You've really proven yourself as a guard."

"Thank you!" Radiant answered back.

"Sir, who is this civilian?" asked Crimson Cloud.

"This isn't just any civilian!" said Radiant. "She happens to be my mother Scarlet Blaze. Everything I know about fighting was taught to me or inspired by her."

The guards clamored enthusiastically, while Scarlet blushed.

"Son, you don't need to make such a big deal about it!" she said.

"Don't kid yourself, mom." said Radiant. "You remember, don't you?"

---

APPROX. SIXTEEN YEARS AGO...

It was the early afternoon at Daystar Manor, Scarlet Blaze was laying on her bed, trying to sleep. Radiant Dawn crept into her room, and whispered into his mother's ear:

"Mama, wake up! It's past two in the afternoon!"

Scarlet yawned, but didn't open her eyes.

"Son, no." she said. "Mommy needs her beauty sleep."

Then her eyes opened wide.

"Did you say it's past two in the afternoon?" she gasped. "Aww...I overslept again! I hate it when that happens!"

Scarlet climbed out of bed, grumbling frustratedly.

"So what do you want, son?" she asked the small colt in front of her.

"I was wondering if you should read me that book about those Saddle Arabian paladin guys again?" asked Radiant.

"Sorry, mommy's still too tired to read anything right now." said Scarlet.

"Aww..." Radiant grumbled. "But...but...I really wanna know more about what it's like to fight!"

"Well, then I guess I could do the next best thing." said Scarlet, getting out of bed. "Come with me!"

Scarlet led Radiant out into the forest outside of the estate, and using her unicorn magic, fashioned a set of training dummies out of various junk lying on the ground.

"Okay, son." said Scarlet, pointing at one of the dummies. "I want you to hit it."

Radiant looked at his mother, confused.

"Really, you want me to hit something?" he asked.

"Yes, son!" said Scarlet. "Punch it in the face with your front hooves!"

Radiant went up to the training dummy, and stood on his back legs. He punched forwards, and hit the dummy's face once.

"Good, son." said Scarlet. "Now hit it again."

Radiant nodded, then punched the dummy again.

"I did it, mom!" Radiant smiled.

"Now, let's try something a little harder." said Scarlet.

She used her unicorn magic to bring the dummy to life. It proceeded to charge towards Radiant, who yelled in shock and dove aside.

"Mom, what was that for?!" Radiant exclaimed.

"Don't worry, son!" said Scarlet. "It's not going to hurt you! You just have to stop it from moving!"

Radiant looked uncertainly at the dummy, which was galloping around the radius of the estate.

"Are ya sure, mama?" he asked.

"Yes!" said his mother. "I know you can do it!"

Radiant made a pose, spreading his legs out as if he were about to pounce. He looked at Scarlet, who nodded in approval. He looked back at the dummy, who was coming around again.

"Get yourself ready, son." said Scarlet.

The dummy was getting closer, and Radiant narrowed his copper eyes. He let out a tiny, but fierce battle-cry, and charged forwards. He leapt onto the dummy, and climbed up its side as it ran around.

"What now?!" Radiant shouted as the dummy ran.

"Try and get it to stop!" Scarlet shouted back.

Radiant turned and looked at the dummy's head. He put his hooves around its false neck and pulled on it as hard as he could. He pulled it so hard, that the dummy fell backwards to the ground, with Radiant underneath it. Scarlet gasped.

"Radiant, are you all right?!" Scarlet ran up to where her son and the dummy fell. "Please tell me you're okay! I don't know what I could tell your father if you're--"

But Radiant climbed from underneath the dummy, grabbed the head, and then broke it off.

"Here ya go, mama!" he said with a grin, holding up the broken head.

Scarlet and Radiant both laughed together.

"You've done well, son." said Scarlet. "Oh, and happy seventh birthday! Now let's go back inside, my darling little boy. I'll make some krembo, just for you."

"Mmmm!" Radiant licked his lips. "Thanks, mom! You're the best!"

---

PRESENT DAY...

"Okay, son." said Scarlet Blaze. "I'll admit it. I might have pushed you to your limits a bit."

"And I wouldn't have it any other way." said Radiant Dawn. "Come here and give me a hug, mom."

Radiant and Scarlet gave each other a hug. Some of the guards applauded, although a couple seemed awkward about this sight.

"Well, I've got to get going, son." said Scarlet. "I just wanted to check on you and your job."

"Actually, I was wondering if you'd stay to help me train the guards." said Radiant.

"I don't know..." said Scarlet.

"What'dya think?" Radiant said to the other night guards.

Many muttered or nodded in agreement.

"I guess it wouldn't hurt." said Scarlet. "As long as your captain is fine with it."

Then Radiant whispered into her ear:

"By the way, mom. Do ya still know how to make that krembo stuff? I miss eating it soooo much!"

"Sure, but I think I'll do it for a special occasion." Scarlet whispered back.

Comments

[Lord Nopony]

Awwww! How adorable!

[00RaiserGundam]

Keep it up!

[JimmyHook19]

now that was a good flashback showing how Radiant Dawn got his fighting skills!

you know, when I make Sunset Eclipsed, along with Sunset Rekindled, into full on comic adaptions on my deviantart account, I will be sure to find a way to use good flashback skills when showing it in comic form