III: Fire Enters Into the Houses, When a Brâhmana Enters as a Guest
SKIES ABOVE NEPAL
June 5, 2770
⟪Rise and shine!⟫ the Ghost chirped. ⟪We’re almost at the City!⟫
Sunset opened her eyes, sore as hell. She been sleeping in a pony position for who knew how long, and while it was comfortable for ponies, it certainly wasn’t for humans. I… I know I was a pony once, then became human later on. I remember names, but nothing much more than that. I know I lived in Canterlot, but I don’t know why. As she blinked away the tiredness from her eyes, she realized there were far too many questions to be asked.
Time to get some answers, then. “Ghost?” she spoke.
⟪Yup! Right here!⟫ a voice cooed. ⟪Right now we’re about 320 klicks east of–-⟫
“Klicks?”
⟪Oh, that’s right: in your time people used to use older units.⟫ Doing a lightning-quick conversion, the Ghost continued. ⟪We’re about two hundred miles – about 320 kilometers, or “kicks”, in military parlance – east of the City. We’re above what used to be Tibet … or maybe still is; the mapping system’s a little different than when you were first alive, Guardian.⟫
“Guardian?”
⟪Yeah! You’re a Guardian! A resurrected warrior of the Light, brought back from the dead to protect the City and to stop the Darkness.⟫
“LIght? Darkness? That sounds a little too much like sci-fi,” Sunset stated.
⟪I suppose so, but what was science fiction back in your time is just science here,⟫ the Ghost explained. ⟪Do you remember what the date is?⟫
“We left at sunset,” Sunset said with a slight smirk at the mention of her namesake, “but you said I’ve been dead for a long, time, and based on the condition of the city, I don’t think it’s 2016 anymore, is it?”
The Ghost sighed – or in as much as an AI without lungs could do. ⟪I guess I’ll have to break it to you the hard way: the local time in the City is 13:20, June 5 … 2770.⟫
The answer stunned Sunset. 2770? I’ve been dead for seven centuries? No wonder Canterlot looked like it was abandoned – it probably was! But questions still remained. Why? What happened? And why couldn’t she remember much of anything?
⟪Hey, Guardian,I know this is a lot to take in, and there’s going to be a lot more still,⟫ the Ghost said. ⟪But I’m going to be here right with you every step of the way. We’ll be like peanut butter and jelly! Or zap apple jam and apple butter! Or water and sodium!⟫ A pause. ⟪Okay, forget about that last part.⟫
“Don’t call me that,” Sunset said.
⟪Don’t call you … “Guardian”?⟫
“Yeah – I have a name,” the girl said, turning her head as much as she could to face the Ghost. “It’s Sunset. Sunset Shimmer.”
⟪Okay. So … I should call you “Sunset”?⟫
“I’d appreciate it if you did. By the way, what’s yours?”
The Ghost seemed to frown. ⟪I don’t have one,⟫ she admitted. ⟪Ghosts are usually given names by their Guardians, and there are some famous ones, like Dinklebot and Nolandroid, who keep working for the Tower even though their Guardians retired from active life.⟫ There was a period of silence, and the Ghost took that as a sign for her to continue, so she did. ⟪Dinkle’s Guardian used to be one of the best warlocks out there, but she’s retired to run the Tower’s bar. Nolan’s titan got tired of all the killing and quit active duty to go live in the City as one of the lower City’s guards. Nolan still comes up from time to time to help train us newly awakened Ghosts, though.⟫ The cheerful voice of the Ghost started to sound like a whine. ⟪I hope you’ll give me a good name.⟫
“I’ll think about it,” Sunset replied. “How much longer do we have until we get to this City?”
As if to answer Sunset’s question, a voice came over the comm channel. “Inbound ship, this is City Control. Please transmit identification. And don’t be too worried about the Hawks in the area – we had a scare over in the European Resettlement Zone and we had to get some forces out there pronto.”
Before Sunset could ask, a holographic screen appeared in front of her face. It showed the external view of her ship, flanked by a bunch of sleeker ships with massive engines at the end of their wings. Given that she was told that the Kestrel was originally a civilian ship, the Hawks around her were clearly military units, as they bristled with guns and missiles.
⟪City Control, this is Flight PS4-20148T. Arriving from the Western US Sector, specifically from the remains of Canterlot, California.⟫
There was a chuckle over the line. “Okay, so that explains the massive explosion over there. Should’ve figured you’d be behind it, Palamedes.”
⟪This … this isn’t Palamedes,⟫ the Ghost replied. ⟪This is Ghost Registry Number 3451-PP-A362. I was on KinderGuardian pickup in Canterlot, and after I got my package, we came across Palamedes’ body … and his dead Ghost. We had to use his Kestrel to get out of town, as it was on top of a major dog warren.⟫ The Ghost sounded sad, as if she was admitting to failure, and something in Sunset wanted to reach over and cuddle the little artificial lifeform. ⟪We had to overload our NLS drive to take out the warren, but … well, we kinda overcompensated.⟫
“I see.” A pause on the line, and then the speaker continued. “Zavala will no doubt want to know. Anyways, you’re clear for landing at Bannerfall.”
⟪Bannerfall?⟫
The tower control grunted. “Yeah. We’ve got a lot of damaged ships and extra personnel, so we’re turning Bannerfall back into a residential tower. Shaxx is not happy about that in the slightest, but sooner or later he should’ve known that someone would take away one of his toys. Anyways, land at Bannerfall and there’s a transmat station there that will send you to the Tower.”
⟪Roger that,⟫ the Ghost replied, though in an unsure voice. ⟪Flight PS4-20148T, out.⟫
“Are you okay?” Sunset asked.
Even with a static visage, the Ghost somehow didn’t seem to look too thrilled. ⟪The City has two towers from which the Guardians operate: the east tower, which everyone just calls the Tower; and the southwest tower, known as Bannerfall. A long time ago, there was a huge uprising between two political factions, or something like that – I can look up the database entry, if you’d like.⟫
“No, that’s okay. Go ahead.”
⟪Anyway, for a long time, Bannerfall was under the control of the Crucible -Live fire exercises, bulletholes everywhere; you get the idea, right? Apparently a few weeks ago, the Vanguard took Bannerfall back from the Crucible. Apparently we’re overmanned.⟫
Sunset thought about it. “That’s not bad, is it?”
⟪Objectively, no. But usually a great number of Guardians are resurrected when there is a great crisis at hand. The last time was about five hundred years ago, during the Second Taken War – that’s what lead to the creation of the Guardians in the first place. All the colonies were destroyed: the research structures on the Moon, the vacation villas on Mercury, the great cities of Mars – everything.⟫ The Ghost then saw the look on Sunset’s face. ⟪We … should be there in a few minutes.⟫
~*~
As the ship pulled above the City, Sunset momentarily forgot her discomfort as she looked in amazement at the City’s size. She’d read somewhere that Los Angeles, the city a hundred or so miles to the west of Canterlot, was the largest in America in terms of square footage, while New York, on the other side of the country, was the largest in terms of population. While she wondered about the population of the City, given how it looked, it was huge. Two towers – the Tower and Bannerfall, she reasoned – stood to the east and the southwest, respectively. In between that, ringed by a massive wall that the towers were part of, was the City. Buildings, train transports, and so many other things were down there.
But what hung above it was just as astonishing. A massive six-pointed diamond, glittering and spinning slowly, seeming to glow with an inner warmth that reminded Sunset of something, though she couldn’t exactly put her finger on it.
⟪That’s the Element,⟫ the Ghost explained. ⟪It’s a major relic from the Second Taken War. It was said that seven heroes sacrificed their life to spurn the Taken Queen and shove her into Saggitarius A – that’s the black hole in the center of the galaxy. Anyway–-⟫
“Would you mind telling me later, Ghost?” Sunset asked. She looked at the Element, and for some reason it called out to her on a personal level, as if it were speaking directly to her soul. She couldn’t explain it, and she wasn’t about to, given the company – things were already wierd enough as is.
⟪I understand,⟫ the Ghost replied, setting up the landing procedures.
As they approached Bannerfall, Sunset felt the curious sensation of being teleported outside of the ship. It didn’t feel like anything she was familiar with, though; and a second later she didn’t have any more comparison, as she found herself painfully landing on the floor, face first.
⟪Uh, sorry about that,⟫ the Ghost replied. ⟪I guess I shoulda warned you, first.⟫
As she stood up, Sunset looked around. To her left was a maple tree, in bloom and looking wonderful. Before her was a sea of steel and concrete, with an odd triangular symbol painted here and there. As the Ghost had specified, bulletholes were everywhere, and, repairing them all, was a very simple robot, as far as design went. Given the robot next to her, however, Sunset figured she was probably completely wrong.
The robot then saw them and turned around. It looked battered and with a bullethole and a couple of scorchmarks. It also held in its hands what looked like a construction tool of some kind.
\\Oh dear oh dear,\\ the robot said in a voice that somehow reminded Sunset of Ms. Cheerilee, CHS’ English teacher and school librarian. \\Oh my, I thought I told them that the facility is not ready yet. Oh dear, so many repairs to make….\\
⟪I guess we showed up a little early?⟫ the Ghost asked.
\\A little too much,\\ the robot mourned.
A second things became clearer. “Ghost, Guardian, eh … sorry about that. Standby for trasmat to the Tower.” Less than a second later, Sunset felt the strange sensation of teleportation and she was sent over. This time, fortunately, as she had enough warming, she managed to land on her feet.
As much as it could, the Ghost gestured. ⟪Wow, you got the hang of that fast,⟫ the Ghost replied. ⟪Anyway, welcome to the Tower – the home of the Guardians, the protectors of the last safe City on Earth.⟫
This time, the view was vastly different. Sunset stood on a marble deck that that said ATRVUM PROPVGNATORVM – “Hall of the Guardians”, if Sunset remembered Old Unicornian – or Latin, its human equivalent. There were fluted columns filled with ivy and ferns, symbolizing the importance of life here. Flags gaily fluttered in the wind, providing an angular compliment to the spires that reached to the sky. To the left, what looked like one of those beachside kiosks sat, while to the right, were another series of festooned columns, underneath which looked like a bunch of ATMs.
⟪Well, we’re here,⟫ the Ghost told her. ⟪Let’s go take you to see the Vanguard – they’re the military leadership here. You’ll be directly reporting to Cayde – he’s the Hunter Vanguard rep, though Zavala and Ikora might assign you things from time to time.⟫
“I see,” Sunset replied, following the Ghost as it floated up the steps and towards the tunnel in the middle of the structure. As they walked around, she noted plenty of humans going about their business, followed by ponies, many of which waved or nodded at her. She wasn’t sure of how to take it. She then noticed the people with strange skin colors and glowing eyes. “What are those?” Susnet whispered.
In an equally hushed tone, the Ghost replied, ⟪They’re the Awoken. They’re the descendants of humans that were Taken by the Queen. They were rescued before the effect could completely occur, but they were stuck in a halfway phase – neither fully human or fully pony. Some of the first Awoken had tails and pony ears – even vestigial wings and horns – but generations since have bred those out of their gene pool. The eyes and skin remain as is, though. Plus, unlike baseline humans, they have magic. Only human Guardians have magic, and that’s probably due to the Light the Element provides.⟫
“So I should treat them as human?”
⟪Absolutely! They’re like Trues – deserving of your respect. In fact, most of the Awoken consider themselves very much like humans. Well, at least the Earthborn ones. The Reef, well….⟫
The pair walked down the corridor, headed toward a huge open room in the back. The large room itself had a window in the back, and before it a large globe of Earth. Various computers and crates lined the wall, and in a depression in the middle of the room, was a table with three people standing around it: a lithe human black woman dressed in magenta robes, a huge blue Awoken man dressed in red and gray armor, and a turquoise pegasus with light blue eyes and a light gray mane, dressed in armor and covered with a black cloak with red accents.
⟪Cayde?⟫ the Ghost spoke, addressing the pegasus. ⟪This is Sunset Shimmer, the Guardian I found in Canterlot. Sunset, this is Cayde, the Hunter Vanguard–-⟫
“Yeah, unfortunately for me,” the pegasus said. “Anyway, I’m Cayde, and these two here are the lovely Ikora Rey––” Cayde gestured towards the woman, who smiled and gave a slight bow, “--and this stone-face is Baldy.”
“Baldy” groaned while Ikora suppressed a grin. “Cayde, for once would you show some military bearing?” Zavala asked gruffly.
“Sure, sure, it’s on my list. Anyway, welcome to the Vanguard.” He put up a hoof, and she bumped it. “Ah, a girl who knows how to hoofbump. I’m impressed.”
“Oh, I used to be a pony as well, so I know how it is,” Sunset said affably, and all three looked at her oddly.
“You don’t look like an Awoken,” Ikora said with a look on her face that Sunset had seen before, though she wasn’t aware of how. Somehow the name Twilight got attached to that look, and her unease increased further.
“I’m sure there’s a good explanation,” Cayde said with a shrug. He then looked at Sunset. “Is there a good explanation?”
⟪Well, I hate to interrupt, but she still needs to meet with the Speaker and get her billeting and other things. Then we need to analyze the data from Palamedes’ Ghost. Sunset, do you still have it?⟫
Sunset reached into a pouch and handed it to Ikora. “Here. I hope something can be recovered.”
“So do I,” Ikora replied.
⟪Oh, and I need to pass some of the classified data I have with me. Cayde, would you escort Sunset to the Speaker?⟫
“Sure – I could use a coffee break. Anyone else want?” He looked at his counterpart. “Ikora? Mr. Grumpy?”
“Coffee would be lovely, Cayde, thank you.”
“I could use some as well, thanks.”
“Sure. Let me swing Sunset here by the Speaker, then I’ll hit up the bar. Won’t take but a moment.” He looked at Sunset. “Now, if you’ll follow me….”
Ikora waited until both Cayde and Sunset were out of earshot before she looked at Sunset’s Ghost. “Obviously you know that you just have to upload classified data on an encrypted channel,” the warlock told the Ghost. “So it’s pretty clear you wanted my attention for something.”
The Ghost did its nodding motion. ⟪I’m afraid so,⟫ the Ghost said, looking both at both Ikora and Zavala. ⟪I’m going to upload my data regarding from the point I revived Sunset to the point where we left in Palamedes’ ship. There’s something … unusual about her.⟫
Zavala bristled. “Do you think she’s a present danger to the City?”
The Ghost turned back and forth as if shaking a head. ⟪I don’t think so. If anything, from what I can tell, she felt sorrow when we came across Palamedes and his Ghost. I don’t think she’s a danger, but … we might want to investigate her.⟫
“Especially with her comment about being a pony earlier. She could be a Taken sleeper agent,” Zavala stated.
“Or worse, the Queen’s found out how we reversed the process and is creating a new kind of combatant,” Ikora added.
⟪Um … didn’t anyone listen to me when I said I don’t think she’s a danger?⟫
“We heard you,” Zavala told the AI. “We’re just Guardians, after all – we have to look for every eventuality.”
“Even the distasteful ones,” Ikora agreed.
~*~
“Soooo… What did you mean when you said that you were a pony originally?” Cayde asked as he and Sunset walked to the Tower’s northern wing.
“It’s … it’s what I remember, but I’m a bit fuzzy on the details, sorry,” Sunset admitted. “I could be wrong … but I don’t think I am.”
The stallion laughed. “Hey, and here I thought I was the only one who underwent anything strange like that. You see, I used to be human.” Sunset gave him an odd look and he laughed again. “No. I used to work for Clovis Bray back during the Second Taken War and I ran up a lot of debts. It was during that time that I volunteered to have Bray wipe my debts out in return for being changed into a pony. This was around the time we found out about the Taken and were trying to figure out how to reverse the process.
“Well,I got changed into a pony – pegasus, yes, I got style – but for some reason, they couldn’t change me back. Personally, I think Bray was just being an asshole and lost my original genetic mapping. But, I was told that the experiments helped find a way to change captured Taken into Awoken, and later on they perfected the process.” Cayde waved at a woman setting up shop by the stairs.
“All in all, I’ve adjusted. Heh, met a few cute mares, too. But sometimes I miss my humanity. Remind me to tell you about it sometime – I had some pretty rollicking adventures back then. Maybe someday I might even tell you about the Dare.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Sunset said with a grin. She liked Cayde already and definitely thought she could easily work with him. The other two were questions, but she could sort that out later, she was sure.
Finally they reached a Spanish-style tower, with what looked to be a huge telescopic setup attached to the inside. “Anyway, here’s the Speaker’s Office,” Cayde told her. “Meet me at 0800 tomorrow and we’ll go over your first mission.”
Sunset hoofbumped him again. “Will do, Cayde. Thanks again.” She waved as he took to the air and flew around the outside of the Tower, while she entered the large pergola. “Hello?” she knocked on the side of the opening.
A calm and somber voice sang out, “There was a time, when we were much more powerful.” Sunset turned to see a figure in white walking down the stairs. She could not tell if the figure was male or female, as the clothing was too loose and shapeless, and the speaker wore an equally featureless mask. Even the Speaker’s voice gave no clue; it sounded male, but at the same time, also sounded like it was being run through a voice-changing device.
The figure descended the stairs, continuing the speak, as if the lines had been memorized and said countless instance upon instance, a scripted speech welcoming new Guardians. “But that was long ago.” The figure finally came to a stop at the stairs, adding, “I am the one who speaks….” The words suddenly stopped.
Sunset looked at the Speaker, who seemed to be frozen stiff, as if “he’d” – Sunset was going to use the male pronoun for now – seen a ghost … and not of the technological kind, either. “Excuse me … are you okay?”
“Sweet stars above,” the Speaker said, the voice now different – female. “It’s you.”
Stats
Page generated in 0.022 seconds
Total duration
838 users online
1,009,687 hits today, 1,822,946 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
Yeah, I'm wondering about the
TravelerElement.Also, unless I read that wrong, the First and Second Taken War seemed to happen almost as the same time, as in WWI and II style, only a span of years apart. Is that right?
And it's clear the Speaker is someone Sunset knows. I wonder who it is, given that you revealed her as female. Luna, maybe?
GRrrr I'm hating Celestia more and more then ever with each chapter!
I hope Sunset make her burn forever!
7653522 .
I don't think she's Celestia anymore in the same way Darth Vader wasn't Anakin Skywalker. Same body, sorta different person. TQP did note that "the last vestiges" of Celestia died when she witnessed her daughter's murder by one of her own troops.
I got a name suggestion for those who serves Nightmare Star, it's a bit cliche but I'll think it'll work, "The Fallen".
7653514
You're right; I meant five hundred. Fixed.
7654764
I might just do that, if people don't confuse them with the Fallen (which are replaced by the diamond dogs in-story.)
Cayde is voiced by Nathan Fillion like Cayde-6, right? Also, will the Game Theory on the Traveler influence this?
7658774
Yes, for those of you who read characters' lines in the actors' voices, I didn't imagine anyone else. So Cayde and Cayde-6 are one and the same, voice actor-wise.
And no, the Element is not the Traveler. It's much worse.