Alternative Origins

by TalkingToMyself

Chapter 5

Morning came with a knock on the door and the scents of breakfast. Mildly annoyed by the former but greatly appeased by the latter, Sunset Shimmer opened her eyes and climbed out of bed. Between late night study sessions and getting up before sunrise with Princess Celestia, she had learned how to deal with little sleep so the few hours she got where more than enough.

She opened the door with her magic and found herself face to face with the pegasus guard she yelled at in the train. He carried a tray with food on his back between his wings and his right hoof was raised to knock, before he lowered it with a grin.

Sunset rolled her eyes and levitated the tray with breakfast to the table in the room. She was still standing in the doorway so the guard wouldn’t get in. That didn’t stop him from poking his head inside and looking around curiously, especially at the pony-shaped lump in the other bed

“She’s still sleeping. I’d rather let her sleep a little longer.”
The pegasus pulled back at the edge in Sunset’s voice and nodded. Sunset remembered what had happened and swallowed down her latent anger

“Thank you.”
The guard smiled that gullible smile again

“No worries. I figured you’d rather eat here than in the hall.”
He winked and turned around to leave, but Sunset’s voice stopped him

“No. I mean yes. But, thank you for going after me in that storm. And for getting us out. I… thank you.”

The pegasus guard stared at her. She knew he was surprised, but it didn’t help that his expression looked more stupefied than anything else. After a moment, he snapped back into his goofy grin

“So, you got some help and world didn’t end from it. How’s that?”

Sunset felt a new wave of rage build up in her, but then it just dissipated. Instead of snarling, she just smirked

“It could still happen. Don’t push your luck.”

The pegasus laughed hard and flexed his wing into a mocking salute before he left the mares alone once more.

Sunset was through her second cup of coffee when the mare in the other bed began to stir. The smile she threw towards the waking mare was genuine. She was feeling far better with enough time to wake up fully as well as the chance to apologize to the guard who saved her and at least attempt to build up some karmic balance.

The crystal mare looked around the room, mostly confused. The tinge of fear that had been there at first vanished without a trace as soon as she saw Sunset Shimmer nearby, watching over her.

Stiff and clumsy, she untangled the blankets from her legs and stood on her own hooves. Sunset watched as she made the short distance to the table with shaky steps. Since those were probably her first steps in nearly a thousand years, Sunset Shimmer skipped any teasing comment and just kept smiling until the crystal pony had settled down on her haunches

“Good morning, Crystal Note.”

The crystal mare blinked at her own name and seemed to need a few moments to realize it really was her name

“Oh. Good morning…”

Like the day before, her voice was small and soft. Most ponies would take that as a sign of timidity, but Sunset Shimmer knew that a very profound cage of fear was what really made the crystal pony speak only barely above a whisper.

Still, right now Sunset couldn’t do more than keep her company and talk to her

“How do you feel? Is your headache better today?”

The mare shook her head and her eyes stayed glued on the table, more precisely on the food that the guard had brought earlier.

Sunset easily recognized that stare as the same she had when lunch was served the other day, so she just chuckled

“I agree, breakfast first and talk later! Dig in!”

Breakfast with Princess Celestia, like any other meal, always ended up in needless formality, as far as Sunset Shimmer was concerned. She cherished those occasions she could get without silverware and overly decorated but mostly tasteless dishes.

With a glow of her horn, Sunset quickly gathered a few items from the tray as well as another cup of coffee and started eating. She was halfway through her breakfast muffin when she realized Crystal Note was still doing nothing but staring, completely frozen, as it seemed

“What’s wrong? Aren’t you hungry?”

Crystal Note nodded and was probably only held back by manners from drooling all over her muzzle, judged by the longing in her voice

“Very, but… is it really okay for me to eat this? I’ve only ever seen King Sombra eat expensive food like that.”

Sunset glanced down at the tray, just to check. Muffins, toast, porridge and some fruit, tea and coffee. A good hearty breakfast for a soldier, but clearly nothing luxurious in any ways. Could breakfast really have changed so much in a thousand years?

“Don’t worry, Crystal Note. Have as much as you like.”

Sunset Shimmer had expected the crystal mare to polish off the table ravenously after so long without any food, but instead the mare only picked a few items for her plate. With small nibbles, she slowly worked through a piece of toast, chewing absurdly long on each bite as if to savour the taste of roasted bread. In between, she sipped on her tea as if she was afraid she would drink too much at once.

With much hesitation, she picked up an apple and turned the red fruit in her hooves, as if she was examining it. When she took her first bite, Sunset heard a surprised gasp and as she chewed, tears ran down her cheeks even though she was smiling. Baffled by her reaction, Sunset asked quietly

“Are you alright, Crystal Note?”

The mare just nodded and took another bite of her apple, her voice singing in praise

“It’s so sweet and juicy.”

Another bite and slow, almost ceremonious chewing from the mare, and Sunset Shimmer was completely lost

"It's just an apple. Wait, are you telling me you never had an apple before?"

It made sense, now that she thought about it. This far up north, only very sturdy trees could grow at all, but no fruit trees. So the only way to get apples would be from Equestria in the south, but since King Sombra put the Crystal Empire in a state of war with the neighbouring kingdom, that option didn't exist anymore. Still, the way Crystal Note savoured such a simple thing like an apple for breakfast left Sunset Shimmer deeply humbled, despite all.

Sunset Shimmer glanced over tray of breakfast with a new point of view. Even if this was just a soldier’s meal, in comparison to what a nation in war could offer it had to be a feast

“Hey, Crystal Note?”
The mare looked up from her apple as she savoured another bite

“Have as much as you like, okay? I can ask for more food. You don’t have to go hungry anymore.”
Crystal Note tilted her head as she recognized something familiar in Sunset Shimmer’s voice. She smiled gently and picked up her cup of tea

“One pony’s trash is next the pony’s treasure,

One pony’s pain is the next pony’s pleasure.”

Sunset Shimmer took in the unfamiliar rhyme with some surprise, but in the end, she nodded in appreciation. She watched as Crystal Note finished her tea in one long draw and then held out her cup shyly

“More, please?”

Sunset smirked at the childish tone of the crystal pony. She picked up the teapot with a simple levitation spell and refilled the cup, although she had to fight hard to repress her laughter. Crystal Note was watching the floating teapot as if it was about to attack her. Their eyes met and as soon as she noticed the smirk, Crystal Note giggled as well. She took another large gulp of tea and when she set the cup back down, Sunset Shimmer noticed a few sparkles dancing on the silvery-white coat of the crystal pony.

They finished their breakfast in pleasant silence.

Comments

[Akwolfgrl13]

Awwww