• Published 16th Jan 2017
  • 5,472 Views, 227 Comments

Bards of the Badlands - Amber Spark



With her new friend off in Trottingham and the Princess in Griffinstone, Sunset finds herself bored and lonely for the first time. However, Moon Dancer and the Princess already have a plan in place in the form of a perky blue unicorn named Minuette.

  • ...
5
 227
 5,472

The Ambush

Sunset stood on her balcony, staring out over the city as the sun finally reached the horizon. Twenty minutes ago, Twinkleshine and Lemon Hearts had gone out again to grab take-out. That left just Minuette in her house, but she could be managed.

I think.

The angry little pony in her head had a few choice things to say about that. Sunset did her best to ignore her.

The oppressive heat was finally starting to let up, much to the relief of the residents below. She could see them taking advantage of the change by heading for the small traveling waterpark connected to the massive moat of Canterlot Castle. The place was a hive of activity. She smiled as she remembered the day she’d spent there with Moon Dancer a few days after the Summer Sun Celebration.

More than anything, she remembered how much she enjoyed it. For the first time in years, she’d actually acted her age.

The result was a day full of simple fun.

She couldn’t remember the last time she’d actually had fun with another pony. She had plenty of fun with Princess Celestia over the years, but that was different. Cutting loose with somepony closer to her own age—or at least somepony not a millennium-plus older than her—was something special… something she had never realized she’d wanted before.

How much have I missed because of my obsessions? Sunset wondered. How much of it was my parents? How much of it was all me?

She couldn’t really blame her parents for everything. After all, if the events at the end of the term had taught her anything, it was that everypony was accountable for their own actions in the end. While there were always going to be events outside of a pony’s control—another thing she’d taken away from that damn alchemy final—how a pony decided to react was her own decision.

That’s a gross oversimplification and you know it! The familiar voice growled in the depths of her mind. It’s not ‘Nature or Nurture,’ it’s both. And don’t pretend to feel remorse now. You knew what you were doing! Remember? You need to be ready for the tough choices ahead. You have a destiny and you can’t let anything stand in the way of that!

Yeah, Sunset shot back to the angry little pony. And we saw how well that worked a couple months ago.

They would have slipped up! We would have destroyed them in time! But you grew a damn ‘conscience!’ You let her get in the way!
The voice was full of bravado and confidence, but Sunset felt the hesitation behind it. Despite everything, her companion wasn’t nearly as sure as she used to be.

Oh, don’t you dare project your weakness on me! That’s your problem. You became another one of Celestia’s spineless puppets. And one day you’ll realize it and that’s when you’ll come back to me. You’ll realize you were wrong about everything.

She heard hoofsteps below and glanced down at her front door to see Minuette’s friends enter her home. She turned and watched them through the glass door of her balcony. Minuette helped unpack the latest ‘supplies’ while laughing at something Twinkleshine had said. Lemon Hearts even looked amused, though that look of amusement faded the moment she met Sunset’s gaze.

She hates you. And for some stupid reason, you actually care.

I care because I’m trying to be a better pony.

You’re Sunset Shimmer. You’re already the best. All you’re doing now is destroying that perfection. You could be studying dragon/pony political relations for when Celestia comes back. Or refining your sunfire spell. Or impressing Celestia by getting a jump start on the ‘Nature of Harmony’ lessons she’s going to start drilling you on. Instead, you’re playing a game of make-believe with three ponies who aren’t worthy to trim your fetlocks.

“Sunny?”

Twitch.

“What? Huh?” Sunset blinked, realizing she’d been staring right at Minuette without seeing her.

The other unicorn had her head cocked with an eyebrow raised, a slightly curious smile on her lips.

“You okay, Sunny?”

Twitch.

“You really need to stop calling me that.”

“I told you. I promised Moon Dancer I’d call you Sunny as often as I could.”

“That was a dumb promise.”

“Doesn’t matter.” Minuette shrugged. “I still made it.”

“What do you want, Minuette?”

“Well, your food’s getting cold.” Minuette nodded back to the inside of Sunset’s apartment. “You’ve been out here for twenty-seven minutes now.”

“Needed some air.”

“I’m pretty sure there’s air in your house, Sunny.”

“You know what I mean.” Sunset replied. “What’s with you, anyway?

“Sorry?”

“Why are you so dam—dang happy all the time?” The question came out more as a demand than a request for information. Even Sunset was startled by how much heat she’d put into her own words. “I don’t get it. You know what happened last year… and the year before that.”

Minuette nodded. “Yep! Saw every bit of it. You yelling at Moon Dancer, her crying, you screaming at—”

“Please, stop.”

Minuette’s ears went down and she blushed. “Sorry.”

“I’m not in a position to judge.” Sunset rolled her eyes. “I just… I’d rather not talk about it.”

“Well, that answers your question.”

“Huh?”

Minuette’s new smile had such a depth of warmth, Sunset was surprised the blue unicorn wasn’t actually glowing.

“Hope.”

“Hope,” Sunset repeated.

“Hope,” Minuette said again, her smile never wavering. “No matter what happens, things can always get better. Even when they’re at their best. Especially when they’re at their worst.”

“You can’t just be… that optimistic!” Sunset protested. “That’s totally out of touch with reality. It makes no sense.”

“Yeah, it does!” Minuette said with another smile. “You just don’t want to admit it because you’re too busy being all grouchy, grumpy and guilty. But one day, Sunny—” Twitch. “—you’ll need to accept that not only can you get forgiveness for things you’ve done, but you should.”

Sunset couldn’t stop herself. She laughed in Minuette’s face. The laugh sounded familiar. It was the laugh she had used a lot a couple years ago. It had always been aimed at other ponies. Yet somehow, Sunset knew even though she was laughing in Minuette’s face… the laugh was really aimed at herself.

“Are you kidding me?” Sunset cried. “You’re nuts. You’ve seen the way Lemon Hearts looks at me. You can’t tell me that, when I walk on campus next term, the entire school won’t look at me the same way! Don’t you get it, Minuette? There are some things you can’t undo. Just because I’m friends with Moon Dancer doesn’t mean I’m some totally different pony all of the sudden! Everypony knows what I was, and maybe a few crazy ponies will be stupid enough to think I’m worth forgiving! But we both know…”

Sunset swallowed hard and stared at her hooves.

“We both know that most ponies are smarter than that.”

Horseapples. Most ponies are idiots.

“Maybe,” Minuette said with a shrug and a smile. “Maybe not. But I do know one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“Garnet isn’t going to clear her name if you keep pouting out here.”

“I am not pouting!” Sunset retorted. “I’m contemplating!”

Minuette giggled. “Whatever you say, Sunny.”

Twitch.

“You really need to stop that.”

“No, I really think I don’t!”

Garnet tried not to swallow as the sword was shoved against her throat.

“Move an’ I’ll slice yer pretty little neck, mage,” The rough voice of the Dog holding the sword steady in her claws growled. “Don’t get any ideas. In fact, play this straight an’ we might even let’cher go!”

Somehow, Garnet doubted it.

“This was your plan all along, wasn’t it?” Nightblossom growled, trying to hate her to death with those freaky glowing orange eyes. It didn’t help that the fire was directly behind her, casting strange shadows on the sorceress. “I’ll bet you led them here to capture us! This whole thing was a ruse! How much they paying you, Dawn?”

That damn batpony seems to enjoy finding any excuse to hate me. At least Forest Whisper is giving me a chance… not that it matters much at the moment.

The batpony was trussed up and hogtied with thick black rope. She was upside down, struggling despite the fact the leader of the band, the same mare with the snow-white mane from the tavern, had enchanted the bindings with a strength charm that the batpony didn’t have a prayer of breaking.

Garnet’s eyes darted over to the unconscious form of Forest Whisper. The deer’s breathing was shallow but steady. The sorceress was grateful the opening salvo had only knocked her out instead of something much worse. However, she had sputtered out a surprisingly vulgar curse before collapsing into unconsciousness. It was only made worse when the leading mare had wrapped a thin necklace lined with a few runed stones around the deer, something Garnet suspected was laced with sleeping magic.

Now where by the Queen’s Mane is Wind Speaker? Garnet wondered, scanning the star-studded night sky above.

No silhouettes of pegasi swooping down to save them. The stars glittered above, as uncaring as ever. They were on their own for the moment. A bound batpony and a disgraced sorceress.

“The little witch did indeed lead us right to you, nightbeast,” the lead mare whispered in a breathy aristocratic voice. “Though nothing as willing as actual betrayal, no. Quite the opposite, actually. I’m afraid this was plain incompetence.”

Garnet wanted to snap a response, but the Dog didn’t seem interested in allowing her a chance for any stimulating conversation. She just pushed the sword tighter into Garnet’s neck.

“After all, with the right spells, tracking wild magic is foal’s play. Quite sad you were foolish enough to let one Dog escape several hours ago, no?”

Garnet winced. A stroke of bad luck had fouled her magic, turning what should have been a firebolt into three vaguely-annoyed butterflies. The result had been a single injured Dog who had managed to escape the small guard post. Neither Nightblossom nor Wind Speaker had been able to track the Dog… especially after it burrowed into the earth.

So, Garnet forced herself to glare at the pony she decided to call Snow. The mare didn’t miss it and only laughed a strange tinkling laugh, one better suited for a deer noble’s court than beneath a dusty rock outcropping in the middle of the Badlands in the dead of night.

“Oh, do let the poor dear at least speak,” Snow commented as she rifled through Garnet’s bags, tossing books, parchment and inkpots left and right. “I’m sure she has some choice words for us all, no?”

The half-dozen Dogs cackled, each of them grinning with those jagged teeth. However, the female menacing Garnet backed off just far enough so Garnet wouldn’t end up cutting her own throat if she sneezed.

“What are you after?” Garnet demanded. “What’s this all about?”

Snow howled with laughter to the point where she almost fell over. With a grin, she tossed an inkpot at Garnet’s hooves, which shattered and splattered her robes with expensive royal purple stains.

“Is this the part where I’m to tell you my dastardly plan of evil and wickedness, no? I suppose I could. It would be amusing to see your reaction. Quite amusing indeed! But I’m afraid, little witch, you’ll find I’m not some storybook villain. You see, I don’t need you dead. I just need you to… dance to my tune a bit longer. Don’t worry, you shall end up simply adoring the song. At least… after a time.”

“I doubt it.” Garnet shook her head. “There’s no way you could have captured every bard on the border with just this group of mutts. You had help.”

“I think perhaps you may want to proceed to the point where you say something that not everypony in a hundred miles already knows, no?” Snow sighed again and sat down in the middle of their camp, glowering at the saddlebags of the party. “However, it is most vexing to find that you do not seem to have what I seek. This is a very unfortunate thing, especially for you, little witch.”

“I don’t even know what you want!” Garnet protested.

“Stop this foalish game, you monsters!” the batpony shrieked. “I know you two are in on this together! Stop acting like you aren’t! I swear by the Moon and the Stars that I will see you both dead for this!”

“I grow weary of that one’s yammering,” Snow said with a roll of her eyes, her voice a chasm of apathy. “Muzzle it. If it continues its inane yapping, spare me further pain and lop off its tongue.”

Instantly, one of the Dogs leapt to obey, shoving a dirty cloth from Garnet’s saddlebag into Nightblossom’s mouth. The batpony’s eyes went wide with rage, but the Dog had done a good job. The batpony was effectively silenced, at least for now.

“So, why don’t I make this easy on you, little witch? Tell me where your little pegasus was taking you, and I’ll let you run away.”

“And my companions?”

“Oh, they’ll be joining me,” Snow smiled. “I’m afraid they annoyed some very powerful ponies last time they were out here.”

Garnet glared at Snow, trying to figure out just what Snow was playing at. In a flash like the rising sun, it came to her. She might have spent far too much time studying dusty tomes, but she was occasionally decent at reading other ponies when she put her mind to it.

“You’re lying. They’ve never even been here, have they?”

“Insightful little witch.” Snow laughed that tinkling laugh once more. “Very well, you’ve won one little tidbit of information. You amuse me. I see no reason to kill you… after all, I hope to meet you again when I can… properly introduce myself. Such a thing is only civil, no? However, your ‘friends’ are another matter entirely. They will be of great use to my… employer.”

Likely story, Garnet thought. You want me alive for something else, even if it’s just for kicks.

“How?”

“Oh, I’m so very sorry, but that is all the time we have for this evening!” Snow got to her hooves and smiled, her teeth glinting with the light of the fire. “Now, I’m going to offer you one final chance: what was your destination?

Garnet did a quick check of her environment. The female Dog was less than five feet away and looked like she was ready and eager to have an excuse to spill some blood tonight. Forest was still out. The batpony looked furious, but there wasn’t a thing she could do tied up like that. And Wind was nowhere to be seen. Any hopes of a dramatic rescue by the pegasus were dashed.

She was exhausted. She’d used all of her spells and powers in the fight against the Dog camp earlier in the evening. She’d overtaxed herself and now there was little she could do save for what she could do normally.

That being said, she was still a unicorn. She had one chance. She’d probably get gutted for it, but there wasn’t much choice. She didn’t know why Snow wanted the information, but Garnet couldn’t let the enemy unicorn get it. Even if Snow did let her go, there was no way Garnet was letting Snow cart off her companions. She didn’t necessarily like them, but whatever fate Snow had in store wasn’t going to be pleasant.

Nopony deserved to be at the mercy of a pony like Snow. Not even that damn batpony.

Garnet readied herself as Snow looked on in amusement.

Twinkleshine flipped through a book from her saddlebags, occasionally peeking up to see the progress of the encounter. Lemon Hearts was grumbling to herself across from Sunset. Minuette was watching Sunset with a curious smile that was simply unnerving.

That pony is crazy.

Sunset tried to ignore Minuette and studied the board. Six Diamond Dog figures were in the camp, plus the white-maned Snow. One of them was right next to Garnet. Two of them were by Nightblossom’s figure, which was one square over from the fire. Two more were next to the prone figure of Forest Whisper. The last was beside Snow.

“And the Dog nearest to me is watching me closely?”

Minuette nodded from behind her Game Master’s screen.

“Minuette, come on, you can’t just leave me tied up like this!” Lemon Hearts complained. “It’s not fair!”

“Don’t blame me!” Minuette replied. “Blame that two you rolled.”

Lemon Hearts grumbled some more.

Sunset glanced between Minuette and Lemon Hearts. The tactics of these games had always come easily to her. They were simply an analogy for standard spellcraft.

Well, usually.

The roleplaying tended to bug her and throw her off. While she’s muddled along as best she could, she had a feeling that this was a time she should be paying attention to the roleplay and not the numbers.

“What’s the armor rating of the Dogs, again?” Sunset asked before popping a hayfry in her muzzle and staring at the board.

Twinkleshine glanced up from her book, and swallowed the nibble of salad she’d been snacking on. “Uh, I think a fourteen is the lowest we’ve hit with. Lemon?”

“Fourteen.”

The numbers told her the best thing to do would be using a basic telekinetic thrust—a simple ability all unicorns had, just as all pegasi had flight and all earth ponies had added strength—against the Dog nearest to her.

But her instincts told a very different story. They were somewhat new and hard to hear, but she still tried to listen.

Sunset took a deep breath and finally nodded slowly.

“Okay. I think I’m ready.”

“Gee, I wonder what will happen next?” Lemon Hearts commented. She’d apparently resigned herself to being captured at this point.

“Telekinetic thrust, targeted right at Nightblossom’s hooves.”

“Uh… Sunny?” Minuette asked as Lemon Hearts gaped at her.

Twitch.

“Yes?” she asked in a sweet voice.

“From that angle, you’ll flip her into the fire.”

“I hope so.”

Minuette’s eyes widened and her smile grew while Lemon Hearts let out a strangled cry of protest.

“What in Tartarus, Shimmer? Seriously, I was fine with getting thrown under a cart, but you’re going to literally throw me into the fire?”

“Are you sure?” Minuette asked, ignoring Lemon Hearts's outburst. “There’s a good chance this won’t work, and that Dog is right there.”

Sunset nodded. “I’m sure.”

“Minuette!” Lemon Hearts cried. “You can’t let her burn Nightblossom to death out of spite!”

“I am but your simple guide in this strange land. It is not for me to decide—”

Both Sunset and Lemon Hearts gave Minuette a look.

“No, I mean it. I don’t control your actions, only how the world reacts to them. Make your roll, Sunny!”

She almost managed to repress the twitch this time as she picked up her d20 and threw it.

The die rolled to a stop.

“Great,” Lemon Hearts moaned.

A bolt of pure telekinetic force tore from Garnet’s horn. Snow immediately conjured a shield around herself—it looked like she had one ready just for something like this—and the Dog closest to Garnet let out a growl as she pounced on the unicorn and brought her sword down to leave a massive gash on her left flank. The unicorn let out a scream as the poisoned blade did its work.

However, the force of the blast hadn’t been targeted at either of them. Instead, it had slammed into the upside-down hooves of Nightblossom, who let out a strangled cry as the bolt flipped her over… directly into the fire.

“Huh. I did not see that coming. You must really hate her to do something so stupid,” Snow commented with a shrug. “And to take such a terrible wound as well. Looks like you both die. Oh well. I cannot be blamed for trying.”

Nightblossom let out a strangled scream as the flames licked her hooves… and the arcane binding wrapped around them. In seconds, the flames ran up the rope, the first strand broke and the enhancement vanished.

“No way,” Lemon Hearts gaped at Sunset.

Sunset smiled a little. Minuette grinned. Twinkleshine actually clopped her hooves together just a bit.

“Nightblossom? You have a surprise attack. What are you going to do?”

“Well, duh…

Nightblossom probably believed she was smarter than the rest of her group for keeping just one move in reserve. She definitely looked it as she stretched hard and broke the binding with one grunt. She spat out the piece of cloth and grinned a maniacal grin as her wings flared and she jumped into the air.

“Oh, it is so on!” Nightblossom shouted. With a sudden surge of speed, she dove for one of the Dogs who had taken all of their weapons. She came at him with a resounding four-hoof crash that sent the dog flying… and gave her a precious moment to reclaim her hoof-batons.

“Let’s dance, you mangy mutts!” Nightblossom cried as the rest of the Dogs rushed her.

“Do you ever say anything that sounds like it’s not from a Power Ponies comic?” Sunset asked with a tiny smirk.

“You roleplay how you want to roleplay, little miss Purple Prose,” Lemon Hearts snapped back. “I’ll roleplay how I want to roleplay!”

“You’ve got four hostile Dogs rushing at you, but your sudden moment of freedom and re-arming has you in an adrenaline rush,” Minuette announced. “You get one more action.”

“Can I kick Garnet into the fire?”

Minuette rolled her eyes. “Yes, but they’ll be able to take their full attack actions against you. Considering your armor rating and putting in the plus-seven to attack…”

Lemon Hearts seemed to actually consider that for a moment before releasing an enormous sigh and shaking her head. Instead, she stared at the adjusted battle scene in front of her.

“I was trying to save your flank from being clawed off!” Sunset quipped. “So very sorry, but I also just freed you.”

“By chucking me into a fire.”

“It worked didn’t it?”

“Minuette, how much damage did I take from that?”

Minuette glanced down at something behind her screen. “Only one point. The rope’s enhancements made them susceptible to fire, so you were only in there for a few seconds before you broke free.”

“That seems awfully convenient,” Lemon Hearts said. Her eyes narrowed on Minuette.

“I’m sorry, but who’s the GM?”

Lemon Hearts sighed and lifted her hooves in defeat. “Fine, fine. Though if your little pegasus doesn’t get back soon, I’m going to beat her senseless when we do find her.”

“You can try,” Minuette said with a grin. “Now, what are you going to do? Snow still has her shield up. A Dog had just sliced Garnet open with a poisoned sword. Four Dogs are rushing at you.”

“You know, there is another character in our party…” Sunset offered. “Maybe she could help.”

“What, you want me to leave you to bleed out?”

“I’d like to survive, and if you get your tail hoofed to you, you aren’t any good to anypony. And frankly, I don’t want to be under a batpony’s medical care.”

“Huh,” Lemon Hearts stared at the parchment. “Dumb for you, but good for me. I’ll take it.”

Minuette gave Sunset a special little smile. A lot was said in that little smile. So much that Sunset found herself actually smiling back in return.

She stopped the moment she realized what she was doing, but the damage was done. Minuette’s eyes confirmed that in no uncertain terms.

When the GM smiles… she thought ruefully. I’m doomed.

Help Forest!” Garnet shouted as she managed to roll away from another swipe of the dog’s sword. She was only able to keep her eyes on the batpony for a moment as she tried to get to her hooves. The poison was already weakening her. Every second, she moved a little slower.

“You’re an idiot! You’d better stay alive so I can kick your flank for throwing me into that fire!” Nightblossom bellowed as she took to the sky and immediately dived toward the prone deer.

“I’ll try!” Garnet snapped back as she rolled and managed to scramble to her hooves with a bit of luck. Finally upright, she was better able to move, but she knew it was a matter of time before the posion did her in.

“You idiots!” Snow shrieked. “Kill them! Kill them all!”

Garnet glanced back just in time to see Nightblossom rip the runestones from Forest’s neck. To the sorceress’s relief, the cleric’s eyes immediately popped open.

“What a—”

She was interrupted by a Dog suddenly crashing into Nightblossom and sending them both sprawling to the dirt. It seemed Forest realized now was not the time for pithy comments as she closed her eyes and began to glow faintly.

“I don’t think so, darling,” growled Snow from behind her barrier. Her horn lit up as a ball of fire began to form above her head.

Garnet ducked another swing from the Dog and dove forward, grabbing her familiar’s anchor with her hooves and pressing hard as she spoke the word of command.

Eoana exploded into existence right above her head. Though it was by no means blinding, it was surprising, making the Dog miss one more time. Garnet had a feeling it would probably be the last time.

Attack the Dog or protect Forest?

...Oh screw it!

With a mental command, Eoana soared forward just as Snow unleashed her fireball to incinerate the prone cleric. With a shriek, the phoenix-like creature intercepted the ball of flaming death, which burst like a Hearth’s Warming Eve firecracker.

Snow turned and shot Garnet a glare of pure hatred as Eoana soared to protect Forest. Her familiar nipped at a Dog who had tried to go after the deer, while Nightblossom grappled with yet another Dog.

Ha! Take that, you little—

Garnet let out a howl as she felt a sword plunge into her back. The pain was unlike anything she’d ever felt, but thankfully, it lasted only a few seconds before she mercifully blacked out.

Author's Note:

Cue dramatic action music!

By the way, my editors have taken to commenting "Take A Shot" every time I reference something. Can you count all of the shots they took for this chapter? :twilightsheepish:


If you come across any errors, please let me know by PM!