Fourth Labor: The Queen (Bad News)
I slowly open my eyes as I wake up, my whole body feeling numb. I look around myself and notice a brazier burning at my side, keeping me illuminated. My body is naked under a white blanket and all of my wounds are tended and bandaged. “Must be a hospital,” I say, trying to get up. It’s a bad call, as the numbness is instantly replaced by a shock of pain, and I clench my teeth to not scream.
It was loud enough for someone to hear it and come looking. “Finally. I thought you would never wake up,” says the non-amused voice of Sugarcoat. She looks much better than when we fought, less tired and even with some makeup on. Her clothes had also changed from combat leather to a burgundy satin dress, decorated with her sugary crystal. It looks quite beautiful, much more refined than the armor she fought with. “Sorry to start with this, but could you let go?”
“Let go?” I ask before looking down and noticing I still have the whip in my hand. It takes a surprising amount of effort to open my hand, and it's quite painful to relax those muscles after… “How long have I been here?”
“This would be your third day,” Sugarcoat answers, as she takes the whip with as much disgust as though it were a rotten corpse. “You not only had to recover from your wounds, but you also were suffering from magical exhaustion. Plus, we had to wait till the whip's magic faded from your body.”
“Speaking of… are you all…?”
“Yes.” Sugarcoat nods. “And all of us owe you for it.”
I chuckle. “Just doing my labor.”
“You did more than that, and you know it,” Sugarcoat protests. “You could’ve left. You could’ve just killed us. Any sane person would understandably consider it a lost cause. You had nothing to prove but what you would do for others.”
“None of you deserved what Cinch put you all through. I couldn't let it continue, nor let it end without you all getting your lives back.”
Sugarcoat frowns. “Yes… Some of us have been struggling with that. Lemon especially. And Sunny has been worried about your friend.”
She turns her head to the side, and I follow till I see Sombra a couple beds over. I instantly try to get up, biting through the pain as I get a better angle to look at him. Half his head is covered in bandages that look quite bloody by this point. “Please tell me-”
“He’ll live,” Sugarcoat assures me as she grabs my arms and gently moves me to sit at my bed. “You don’t need to worry. Just lay down and rest. I’ll go see that Red Heart changes his bandages and check on you, okay?”
“Y-yeah…” I slowly relax and let the pain back to my attention. It didn’t feel like I tore any of the sutures, in fact they looked quite healed, but my body had spent a lot of time in bed so I needed to take it easy.
Sugarcoat stayed with me for a minute till she was certain I would be okay before going out of the room.
Just a few moments later a healer comes in followed by Sunny Flare, who immediately goes to Sombra’s side. “How is he? Will he recover?”
“From what we can tell, his body healed itself from most of the injuries, but his right eye appears to be lost,” Red Heart explains. “There isn't much we can do other than feed him and change the bandages.”
“I'm quite happy to be able to taste food again,” Sombra groans, making Sunny lit up with hope. “I feel well enough to at least walk for-”
“No. You're staying here till you fully recover. And that goes for you too!” the healer shouts as I'm about to step out of bed to speak with Sombra.
“Calm down, Red Heart, they're heroes,” Sunny says, trying to intervene, but the healer has none of it.
“That’s exactly why they need to stay put. I don't want them doing something stupid and worsening their wounds.”
As the two argue, I feel a familiar touch on my shoulder. “You did it.”
I relax and lean back into her chest. “Almost didn't. Had to cheat a bit.” I chuckle. “Thank you for helping me.”
Wallflower hugs me from behind. “All I did was make it so your sword wouldn't kill them.”
I place a hand on top of hers. “Which I'm thankful for, but you did more than that.”
“What do you think I did?”
I frown and turn to look at her. “The breaking of the curse? The whip not taking over me? That wasn't you?”
Wallflower shook her head. “No, Sunset. That was all you.”
“B-but how? I don't have magic. I mean, I can communicate with people and feel magic around me but-”
She presses a finger against my forehead. “That connection with people, that's what gave you the entrance to Indigo's soul.”
I stare at her. “Was that what broke the curse?”
“Not exactly. Do you remember what you learned from Chrysalis?”
“I'll never forget that, but I feel you're not-” something clicks in my head. “I saw her past, her trauma. Her emotions.”
“And brought them out to strengthen her resolve and shatter the whip's control over her,” Wally explains. “That's the key to defeating the weapon. They couldn't break it because the enchantment was strengthened with constant use. You gave them the strength to finally break it, and in return, they gave you the strength to fully resist it when Cinch tried to do it to you.”
Wally holds my hands with hers. “The emotions from Chrysalis. The connections with Tree Hugger. The sight with Maud. The willpower with Cadence's daughters. Each of those strengths came from your bond with them. They give to you, you give to them. You understand them and they understand you. That is Empathy.”
And that's my blessing. A blessing I never expected to have. That I wouldn't deserve in the past. But now… I'm finally making some good.
Wally smiles as she presses her forehead against mine. “I'm very proud of you. You've grown a lot and conquered so many challenges. You've earned all you've gained.”
I smile and grip her hands a bit tighter. “Thank you… for everything.”
She smiles back before moving back. “Now, you mentioned a favor you wanted to ask me. What was it?”
I freeze for a second, taking a deep breath. This was going to be difficult. “So… Sombra told me about what you did to him. How you made… Existence almost completely forget about him.” As I talk, Wally's face goes from warm and happy to a freezing cold emotionlessness. “And I know that hurt your relationship with Luna, but I wanted to ask you to…” Wally's eyes make me pause. They're not angry… more… disappointed.
“What. Do you. Want me. To do?” I feel each pause as a knife slowly moving closer to my heart. I know this could easily destroy everything I've built with her. But…
“I wanted you to make Starswirl forget about Chrysalis…” Wallflower’s expression doesn't change. She's not saying anything. “I just… she misses her family and they miss her too.” Still nothing. “I want her to be able to see them. I owe her so much, this is the only way to repay her.”
“Done.”
I blink. “It's… just like that?”
Her shoulders rise in a half shrug. “It's not hard for me when it's a specific target and a specific memory.”
I blink again. “Oh… I'm sorry. I thought it would be harder than that.”
“Oh, there will be consequences. I'll have another target on my back once he figures it out, eventually. But for you and for this motive, I think it's worth it.”
I pull myself closer to her. “You sure? I’m thankful but… what’s exactly the risk here? I’ve never heard of gods having any rivalry with each other other than Tirek.” I slap my forehead. “I should’ve asked that before I made you do this.”
Wallflower chuckles and grabs my hands again. “I appreciate that you care. As for the risk…” she looks up, searching for the words to explain. “If two gods decided to fight each other, the first to act would most likely win. We’re equally powerful and know each other pretty well, so if it comes to direct conflict, we would know how to immediately defeat the other.”
“So, if Starswirl tried to… get rid of you,” my grip tightens. “He needs to be sure to strike first. Take you by surprise.”
“Which he knows it’s nearly impossible in my case. I’ve many eyes and can hide my tracks well.”
“So… would you win?”
“Possibly, but this is Starswirl. He has spent thousands of years planning, making deals, placing people where he needs them, and has the rest of the Pillars on his side. Even if I won, even if I removed him like I almost did to Sombra, the consequences would be…” for the first time, I see her shiver as she speaks. “It would be war. Just like with Grogar so long ago.”
I quickly pull her into a hug. “I’m sorry. I… I shouldn’t have-”
“No.” She hugs me back. “It wasn’t wrong to do it. All the good you’ve done, it wouldn’t have happened if you held back out of fear.” She pulls back just enough to look me in the eyes. “I’ve been pissing him off for my entire existence. I’ll take care of him, and you can continue making the world a better place. One labor at a time.”
“I don’t think anyone has ever had so much faith in me” I grip her tightly, holding back tears. “Thank you, for saving me from the noose.”
“Thank you, for being what I needed.” She leans closer, making me think she's going for a kiss before placing her forehead against mine. “You've a good heart.”
Before I can move, she turns into petals, leaving me with the taste of flowers on my lips.
After a few more hours of rest, Red Heart finally lets me get out of bed and walk around.
My first stop is two beds over. “Thank you for the help. And sorry I dragged you into it.”
Sombra snorts. “I did so willingly. Never felt more alive.”
“Will that change things for you? You're definitely staying in people's memories now. You could try and become known again.”
Sombra looks away in thought. “I guess. Nothing has come to smite me yet. Hopefully that won't change, I'm technically escaping my sentence.”
I wave my hand. “Oh, I'm sure Luna and Celestia have changed their minds about you. And you've completed your sentence in my eyes.”
That gets a proper laugh out of him. “I’ll admit, not long ago I wouldn't have believed that. But you've shown that it's possible.”
I tilt my head. “Possible to what?”
He looks right at me. “Move on. Be better. Fix things.”
“Oh… yeah.” I absentmindedly bite my thumb. “I guess I did.”
He grins. “Hard to accept?”
“Very.”
That laugh again. “It’s been a long time since you started. At least since we met.”
“Which I'm glad for, for everything you've helped me with.”
“Same here. And I'm impressed by the way you've used my teachings. I'll admit, at first I didn't have the same view of you as the goddess did.”
I lean forward. “What view does she have of me?”
“Go and ask her,” he answers with a smirk.
“Oh, come on!” I whine with a smile. “You could at least give me a clue.”
He gives me a flat look. “Sunset, if you haven't been getting clues by now, you're not as smart as I think you are.”
“Fair fair,” I kept laughing for a bit before standing up. “Best of luck wherever life takes you.”
“Thank you. And likewise.”
After that, I take my leave and step out of the hospital, taking in the fresh air and sunlight. From what I can see around me, it seems this hospital was inside the palace, possibly for personal use by the royals if they fell ill.
The first thing that catches my attention is the sound of drums in the distance. I follow it along the corridors of the palace till I reach the center garden, where I find Lemon Zest sitting with a couple of drums around her.
As expected, she's really good, her Beat clearly helping, but, as I approach her, I notice something wrong. Her grip on the drumsticks is visibly tighter than necessary. Her expression is focused, but, at the same time, doesn't seem to be focused on the drums. I can see dried tears across her cheeks.
Suddenly her rhythm starts faltering, till she eventually changes her grip and stabs into one of her drums with the stick. Again and again and again.
I move over and grab her arm, making her look at me, and that seems to snap her out of it. “Hey, hey, it's okay.”
“It's you…” she says as if she's seen a ghost. “I… thank you for…”
“I know, don't worry.” I take the stick from her. “What's going on? Are you okay?”
Lemon looks down at the destroyed drum with a sigh. “I'm… I'm trying to get back to music.”
“You were doing pretty well till now.” I say as I place the drumstick down. “You've quite the skill.”
“Thank you…” she says, wiping some tears before they can roll down her face. “It's hard.”
“How so? What makes you go like…” I gesture to the destroyed drum. “that?”
She sniffles. “You saw it. When you broke the curse. How I felt.”
Thinking back on it. The pain, the feeling of something lost, something stolen, something…
“She tainted your music.”
“With blood,” she adds. “Blood that I can never clean off.”
I hold her hands, seeing them shaking. “It was her. It was all her. You don't have to suffer for it anymore.”
“I wish it was that easy…” she looks back at the drums. “But I don't want to call it quits, even if it hurts now, even if it takes the rest of my life. I'll get my music back.”
I smile and let go of her hand. “You're very strong, Lemon. I know you'll get it.” I sit down. “How about playing something for me?”
“Huh?” She looks at me confused, then pushes the broken drum away and grips the sticks tightly again. “What would you like me to play?”
I shrug. “I don't really know any songs that aren't temple prayers. Just play with your heart.”
Lemon seems hesitant at first, but closes her eyes and starts with a slow beat, building up till her other hand comes into play and adding a more upbeat tone. Things pick up, and the beat takes form, quick and energetic. Lemon looks like she's slowly distancing herself from everything else, focusing only on the music. And that's where the song goes fully into it, the Beat magic making it wild but never losing rhythm.
Eventually, the song ends with another slow beat, this time descending from the encore, and once it finishes, Lemon lets out a breath I didn't realize she was holding.
I clap my hands. “That was amazing.”
She smiles, a bit embarrassed. “Thank you.” She lets go of the drumsticks. “I think I'm gonna take a break. Just realized I haven't eaten anything.”
“Please do.” I help her up, and I'm suddenly hugged tightly before she quickly walks away, not saying another word.
I could never imagine such a person trying to do harm to anyone.
I close my eyes and search for Cinch, locating her down in the dungeon.
Time to have some words with her.
The dungeon is, as expected, a cold, humid, dark place. In contrast to the palace, this is more of an excavated mineshaft, with only the floor having been leveled so one could walk without stumbling. The only other sign that this isn't just a cave are the metal cell doors embedded in the walls.
Cinch had laid behind one of these, hair disheveled and clothes in tatters, her stump properly tended – unlike the rest of her. There are no guards, nor need of any, as the whole place feels like it naturally sucks the willingness to fight out of you. It's unnerving.
“We meet again,” Cinch says before I can utter a word. “The right you would've come to gloat about her victory, taking my place and using my downfall for her own plans. But it seems that Sunset Shimmer did die at the gallows.”
I grit my teeth. “That Sunset wouldn't have been able to defeat you. She would've failed, just like you.”
“Would she?” She lifts her head to look me in the eyes. “You've her fight, I'll give you that, but you're incapable of doing what's needed for the world to change.”
“I’d say dethroning you was quite the change.”
“Oh, really?” She grins with rotten teeth. “Have they decided on a successor? Is that murderer king going to take charge again? Or are you getting rid of the monarchy altogether?”
I cross my arms. “That's up to Cadence to decide.”
“So, you come in, do the gods’ work for them, then leave while they clean up what's left.” She laughs, a sick laugh that seems to cost her. “You really are just another pet. A loyal dog on a tight leash.”
“Not all gods are the same. I know Cadence will do what's best for her people, the people you decided to hurt till the wound got infected.”
The bitch shrugs. “What are a few sacrifices for the benefit of all? Thinking so small will get you nowhere.”
“You haven't benefited anyone. All you did was impoverish and draft these people into resentment and desperation.”
“Yet the Arena has been more popular than ever. Ever since I exchanged the boring sports for proper gladiatorial fighting.”
“Joy and competition, twisted into murder and bloodlust.”
“And the people always asked for more!” Cinch stands up, her energy seemingly renewed. “You make some bold claims about how the people feel, but you've no idea of them. You've been here barely a week, and unlike you, they are not deaf to the truth.”
She suddenly moves forward and shoots her arm through the bars, grabbing one of mine. “You'll see it soon.”
I feel my flower transform and I jump to the side, barely dodging a spear meant for my liver. Turning around, two people wearing guard armor that clearly doesn't fit them look at me with hatred. Spear Guy tries again, but I dodge and grab the shaft of his weapon, pulling him towards me and headbutting him to the floor. The other pulls out a sword and charges at me. I force Cinch to let go and duck under his attack, grabbing the guy by the hips and chucking him upwards so he crashes against the hard cave roof. He plummets like a sack of potatoes.
Spear Guy takes me by surprise this time, pulling out a knife and managing to slice at my torso, but a punch to the face knocks him out properly. I look at my wound. I've had worse, but the problem is that my other wounds seem to have opened. Red Heart isn't going to be happy.
“You see now?” Cinch says from her cell. “They came for me, their true leader.” I look down at the unconscious men. They have the keys to the cells. “You may have defeated me, Shimmer, but my goals will live on. Because all I have to do is show the people the truth, that we can fight against the gods, and they'll become what the gods fear the most.”
Just like what happened with Sombra. And the only way to stop it was…
“I can see the revelation in your eyes. Now, Shimmer, will you keep fighting a losing war against humanity’s true nature, or will you-”
“Enough of that,” Cadence says, and Cinch crumples against the wall of her cell, sleeping soundly. “I'm sorry, Sunset. I should've known they would attempt something like this.”
“Who were they? Are there more?” I ask as Cadence uses her magic to take the weapons and armor away from the unconscious men.
“There surely will be more, but we can't know who or how many till they decide to act.” More guards appear and take the two men away. “I was hoping that keeping her here would be enough, but it seems they’re quite determined to free her.”
I turn to look at the sleeping Cinch. “Is there a more secure place for her?”
“Plenty, but none of them here. As long as she's inside the city, and alive, their priority will be to free her instead of…” Cadence doesn’t want to finish her sentence. “I know this isn't inspiring much confidence, and I won't lie and say I've everything under control, but there isn't an easy solution to this kind of problem.”
There is…
“Do you know… why Wallflower and Luna aren't on speaking terms anymore?” I ask, slowly, turning my head towards Cadence.
“I don't… I believe that was before my time. Why do you ask?”
I've got to be sure. “What's the plan here? What will you do to solve…” I gesture vaguely in Cinch's direction. “...this.” Will it be the same as me?
Cadence takes a deep breath. “I've a friend that will be able to take over from Cinch, try and right things back to how they were before. There will be pushback, especially when I leave to tend to other matters. I'm already stretching my stay.”
“And after you leave and this ‘friend’ arrives?”
“Cinch will be put on trial for her crimes. We'll put everything she's done in front of the people, the testimonies of all of my daughters and those that have been affected. If things go well, it'll be enough to fully destroy any reputation she still has and her followers will disband.”
“And if things don't go well?”
Cadence pauses. “More attempts to free her. Riots. An uprising. Shini- my friend's life will be in danger. My daughters’ most likely forced to fight again or flee.”
“Definitely flee,” I say. “They’ve fought enough.”
Cadence steps closer to me. “Sunset, I understand and appreciate your worry but, what's going on? Do you know something?”
I don't answer. Not right away. It takes me a few seconds that Cadence gives me to clear my thoughts and take a deep breath. “No. I don't. This isn't something I can do yet.” I gently place my hand on Cadence's shoulder. “I trust that you and your friend will be able to solve this. And if the worst happens, call me and I'll be here as fast as I can.”
Cadence smiles and puts her hand on top of mine. “Thank you, Sunset. I know it means a lot coming from you.” I nod and slowly pull my hand back before turning to Cinch once again. “Do you want to stay for the trial?”
“No…” I turn away from the cell. “I'm not the one she hurt.”
After some shouting from Red Heart, I got my wounds tended again and was forced to stay in bed till I healed completely. Which was fair, admittedly, but didn't make it any less boring.
At least I have company.
“Are you two sure you want to keep fighting?” I ask Indigo and Sour Sweet, who stand at my sides fully armored and visibly armed.
“I was always more of a fighter,” Sour Sweet says with a shrug. “And if some Mammalucco tries that again, I'll shoot them!”
Indigo gives her a look before adding. “What she means is that someone has to be able to defend the others, so they may never be forced to defend themselves. Even if they can fight, it'll do them no good.”
I nod. “I understand. And I know firsthand how good you two will be at it.”
Sour chuckles. “You're good too. For a cheater.”
“Damn right I am, and I'm not agreeing to a rematch.”
We all laugh.
“I don't know if Sunny or Sugarcoat will join us, they're still trying to decide what to do,” Indigo says. “Sugar is quite intelligent and capable, and Sunny-”
“Hasn't let go of that dark guy,” Sour interjects. “It's kind of adorable.”
“Yeah, she got quite scared she had killed the guy. It would've been her first.”
“Luckily, Sombra was made of tougher stuff,” I let out a sigh. “Keep an eye on him for me. I also don't know what he'll be doing now that he's more corporeal.”
“Keep an eye on him?” Sour chuckles. “Bad joke.”
Indigo gave her a light slap on the shoulder. “We will, but I think he'll recover before you do.”
“I have something for that.”
Indigo and Sour jump and reflexively go for their weapons as they realize Wallflower is standing between them, but I'm too distracted seeing the Royal Jelly she's holding on a clay bowl to care. “Yes! Give it to me. I want out of this Pumpin' Kip.”
Wallflower smirks as she comes over and starts applying it to my wounds. “Chrysalis sent it as a thank you for what you did for her.”
Once the surprise fades, Indigo and Sour wave at me and silently leave us alone.
“It was the least I could do. And you should take the credit for it.”
“She did thank me, too. Said that I shouldn't have taken that risk.”
“Has Starswirl realized it yet?”
“Not that I know of. He'll either be very loud or very silent about it. Silence is the worst case scenario.”
As she finishes placing the last of the jelly on my wounds, I grab her hand. “If there's a way I can take the fall for you, I'll take it.”
Wallflower smiles. “Then I'm glad that there's not.” She boops me on the nose. “You can't take every burden.”
“I… guess not,” my grip on her hand tightens. “But you carry many.”
She rolls her eyes. “I'm a goddess, Sunset.”
“You still hurt.”
Wallflower freezes, the smirk disappearing. “I do. But I've always hurt. I'm used to it.”
I gently pull her closer. “I don't want you to keep hurting.”
She doesn't resist. “There’s nothing you can do.”
“I'll still try.” I place my other hand on her shoulder.
“I know you will…” She leans down, till her face is right above mine. “I… want…”
I move towards her, but instead of her lips, I feel a hand. She gently moves me away. “Not yet. I'm not ready.”
“I’ll wait,” I smile, and she does too.
She fully pulls back, and I let go of her hand. “For now, you deserve some rest.”
“Can I rest with my family instead of this bed with the mean healer?” I ask with puppy eyes.
Wally laughs and gives me a nod, before my vision is suddenly flooded with flower petals.
As soon as the petals disperse, I'm standing right in front of the door to the Apple residence in Molorcolts. I quickly knock on it, and after a minute Big Mac opens, smiling as he sees me, then looks confused before pointing at the jelly all over me.
“Oh, it's a healing salve, it'll dry in a few minutes. How're things here?”
“Great,” he says with a big smile. “AJ is coming today with Granny, Bloom and Tree. We're having dinner together.” He looks like he's about to cry. “It's been so long.”
I hug the big guy, and he picks me up like I weigh nothing, taking a deep breath. After a few seconds he lets go and puts me down. “Will you be joining us?”
“Absolutely!” I say with a smile. “Let me help you set the table. You can tell me how things have gone since I left.”
We go inside, and Big Mac and I start pulling out the tablecloth, getting extra chairs, some old desks to extend the table, and extra silverware to accommodate everyone.
“Rarity helped us make a case against Strawberry and her contract with us. With the backing of Rockhoof’s temple, our case was taken more seriously and the contract is being fully renegotiated.” He pauses for a second. “If we can pay her what we ‘owe’ her and some extra, we can have full ownership of the place.”
“That's great, but do you have the money for it?” I wish I could cover it, but I'm still basically only carrying enough to live by.
Big Mac waves me off. “The money is coming with Granny and the others. Pinkie went around and collected donations from the entire town. They gave us more than enough.”
“That's… I'm so happy. You deserved so much better.” This time, it’s me getting teary-eyed and hugged.
“You helped a lot with it, sis. Getting AJ out of that temple and back home is something I should've done so long ago.”
I pat him on the back. “You had a lot to handle too, Mac. And I have to give most of the credit to Rarity for changing her mind.”
Big Mac lets go. “She's coming too. I think she'll be part of the family soon.”
“She's quite welcomed.” I grin. “You got anyone? I seem to remember you mentioning someone once.”
Mac suddenly gets nervous. “Well… I haven't… asked yet.”
“I see. How long have you known each other?”
“We met while AJ and I tried to get our case against those Flim Flam brothers. When Applejack went to the temple, I kept making claims so at least they wouldn't forget what we were going through. Thunderlane talked with me during it, and after a bad day he offered to buy me something to eat and cheer me up.”
“Sounds like a kind heart.”
“A big softy,” he chuckles. “We kept going out together, helping me relax from the situation, and then he started coming over and spending time with me when he was off-duty. Started buying stuff for us. I kept insisting I could fix whatever broke, so he-” he starts laughing. “-the smart ass comes back with a full toolset. Tried to say it was a ‘gift’.”
I laugh with him. “I like him already.”
Big Mac sighs. “Yeah. He's been a lot of help going through these times.”
“And I'm sure now that things are better, you'll return the favor.” I elbow him on the side. “A nice official date would be a good start.”
He glares at me with a smirk. “Sure.”
“Hey, Big Mac! Got something for you!” someone shouted from outside.
“That would be him.”
We both walk out to see the knight on horseback, having taken his helmet off to perfectly show his wide grin. “I wanted you to meet a new friend of the Guard,” he points to another man that was just catching up to him, riding his own horse which curiously had a large tarp covering its barrel.
The man in question looks like he's exiting his prime, with about half of his hair turning white, particularly the long mustache that frames his lips. Wearing clothes fit for traveling and a wide hat, this was either an experienced merchant, or some close-to-retirement adventurer.
“This is Buffalo Bull,” Thunderlane announced. “The new bounty hunter of the Molorcolts Guard.”
“Don’t need to present me like that, son. I'll be retiring before I make a proper name for myself,” the old man says as he grabs a rope tied to his saddle. “But for now, I brought these two here. Consider it a gift from Rockhoof.” He pulls the rope, causing two beaten-up men to stumble forward, their clothes dirty and skin covered in scratches.
As soon as he sees them, Big Mac steps forward, a fire in his eyes as his muscled body tensed with rage.
The two men smile nervously at him, lifting their shackled hands in meager defense. “Now, calm down buddy...”
“We've only done what one does for business...”
“It was never personal...”
Big Mac looks ready to crush them into bloody flesh ingots, and I can't blame him. I can tell, just by being near them, the kind of poison they work with. The same I used back at the temple in Ceryneigh, but with less tact and brain.
To my surprise, Big Mac just blows air out of his nostrils like an angry bull and steps back, leaving the two cowards nearly hugging each other. “Make sure they don't get out of wherever you put them.”
“Gladly,” Thunderlane says as he grabs the rope from Bull. “Wanna go out and celebrate afterwards?”
Big Mac takes a moment, mainly to let the rage drain out, before looking at me, then responding. “Actually, would you like to join the family dinner? My folks from Ceryneigh are coming over today.”
Thunderlane grins. “I’ll be there for sure. Will dress to impress.” Then he departs, taking the two rascals away.
“I'll take my leave too,” Buffalo says, tipping his hat to us before turning his horse around. “Pleasure meeting you.”
I quickly move over to stand in his path. “Wait, you said that was a gift from Rockhoof?”
“Yeah, he asked me to find them and bring them over to be judged. I guess you got the big guy to like you." He gives me a lookover and his eyes focus directly on my belt. “Where did you get that?”
“Calamity Mane,” I say with a smirk. “She's living in Nemarea.”
“I haven't heard that name in a while…” he says with a sad face. “Is she well?”
I nod. “Yeah, she has a big tavern she runs with good company.”
“I see, she really rooted herself.” He nervously pulls from his mustache. “I… I'm not sure what to ask first.”
“You could ask her yourself,” I step forward. “She made it sound like you two were really close.”
He lets out a sigh. “We were. We both loved the thrill of adventure, the long nights together, and the road to unknown lands. But it wasn't meant to last.”
I frown. “What happened between you two?”
“I proposed,” he shakes his head, regret in his eyes. “Wanted to make it official. She told me that would require us to settle down, to make a home for ourselves and leave the road. I, like an idiot, insisted that we didn't need roots, that we could get married and just keep doing what we had been doing for years. She told me that if marriage didn't change anything for us, then she didn't want it.” He takes a deep breath. “So, she left. Said she would settle down in the closest town and that I could either go after her or keep to the road.”
I purse my lips. “And you chose the road.”
“Yep, biggest mistake of my life. I thought it would be fine. Didn't blame her for the decision, we were both adults, but the more I traveled the more lonely the road felt, and the more angry I felt with myself. And Bill felt the same way, he didn't even want to spread his wings anymore.”
“His wings?” Bull chuckles and lets me peek into the tarp covering his horse's barrel, and I spot a feathered wing hidden inside. “No way!”
“Don’t shout too loud,” he says with a chuckle. “If people notice, they'll swarm us.”
“Of course they will. Do you have any idea how many people want to ride on one of these?” I say, trying to reach over and touch those wings, but Bill takes a step back and stares at me. “Sorry.” He huffs as a response, and I look up at Bull. “You mentioned you were retiring. Why not go see her now? You won't be on the road anymore.”
Buffalo pulls on his mustache again. “I could, but… it's been so long. And it sounds like she already made her own life. She doesn't need a ghost of her past coming to bother her.”
“Trust me, she would be happy to see you again. It may have been long ago, but you two remember each other. And fondly, I dare say.”
“Maybe…” he scratches his head. “I promised to stay for a few weeks to set up a bounty-hunting group to deal with criminals like those two. I'll think about it while I’m here.”
I nod. “Sounds fair, but if I see her again, I'm definitely telling her about you.”
He lets out a hearty laugh. “My goodness, girl. Do you follow Cadence?”
“No, but I do believe in what she does,” I say, catching myself off guard with it.
Things have really changed, haven't they?
“You feel that?” Buffalo asks, reaching for something on his hip, his horse also looking around trying to find the source of the feeling.
I spot it immediately. “Hey, Wally. What…” I flinch. Wallflower looks distressed, nervous, her hands not leaving her cape as she avoids looking at me. “Did something happen? Is it Starswirl? Cadence?”
“No… it's…” she pauses. “I'm sorry.”
“Wally. What is it?” I say stepping over and nearly grabbing her by the shoulders.
“Bad news… from your home.”
I pull my head back. “Home? What do you mean?”
She takes a deep breath. “Twilight Sparkle has stolen the Crown of Magic… she's become something like what you saw in the cave… maybe even worse.”
My hands start shaking. “W-what…”
“She's destroying the city as we speak.”
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Sunset the matchmaker? Well well...
Twilight....What the Buck?
It's very hard to kill an idea. A bit easier to kill a person, but even so, Cinch's message of mortal defiance has found receptive ears. Even if the woman herself gets stuck somewhere secure and Shining reforms her city into something less nightmarish, her disciples may carry her dream for centuries to come. (And given some of the gods, there's the question of whether that's an entirely bad thing...)
But right now, Sunset has much more pressing concerns. I can't imagine how or why this Twilight fell, but fall she did, and someone needs to stop her before she does even more she (and everyone else) will regret. At least Sunset is coming to understand her own gifts... but she didn't exactly leave Mycemare on the best terms with Twilight. We'll see how this unfolds, and how much of reality will unravel in the process.
Honestly, in this case, this is a Wallflower x Sunset ship I can get behind... even if it's between a goddess and a mortal. Shipping Wallflower with Sunset after the events of Forgotten Friendship just feels... wrong, especially after Wallflower basically mind raped Sunset (and her friends). But this Wallflower has been nothing but helpful, even saving Sunset's life, so I'd say go for it.
Oof, Sunset has to return home for her next labour. Maybe she'll stop Twilight and redeem herself in Celestia's eyes in the process, disappointed by one fallen disciple, and her city saved by another (former) fallen disciple.
I'm thrilled to see more of this. I love me some greek mythology, and I love Sunset. An epic journey full of adventure, and I love how you use canon characters in this story.
I get the pain of how long it takes to write a good chapter
But this story is worth waiting for.
Yay, we won and I lived!
What's that you say? Everything is going straight to Tartarus ina bow tied basket?!
Well... shit.
Again, I find myself relieved that this story is continuing. Wallflower fics in general have been few-and-far between lately, especially quality ones, so this is, as always, a wonderful breath of fresh air.
It's good to see that this chapter deals with so many ramifications from Cinch's defeat. Often in shows (and in real life), we tend to forget fairly quickly when a villain/tyrant is defeated, that there are consequences to be dealt with, and not all of them are positive. Cinch still has fans/followers because they actually believe in her cause, no matter the methods she used. People who feel inferior to others, whether those others are gods or mortals, will often associate those feelings with experiences of being suppressed, even when they really haven't been. They'll say that the gods/superiors are controlling them, their society, and that they're the reason that they don't have things as good as they could if they were in charge instead (despite that all their basic needs are being met, and more). So they'll follow anyone who promises to eliminate those feelings of inferiority...even if those methods used in doing so are exactly what they're accusing the "superiors" of doing in the first place (and whether that's what they're actually doing or not).
Sunset asking for Starswirl to forget Chrysalis was a bold and unexpected move. One which will probably come back to bite her later, but was actually very sweet. Now that I think about it, this may be the first time in the story that we've seen Wally actually use her powers to make someone forget someone else, rather than use her powers to make sure someone isn't forgotten. In this instance, her behavior/powers is actually more in-line with her actions in the movie.
I wonder if someone (Wally, Sunset, Cadance, etc) is going to tell Luna that Starswirl has forgotten Chrysalis. Might have a little tryst or rekindling of the old flame while they can?
That Mac is treating her as family, and that the whole family is showing up to help, is also rather nice! The pairing of Mac and Thunderlane was abit of a twist...not sure I've ever seen that pairing before, now that I think 'bout it, but still good, I guess? Maybe Sugar Belle doesn't exactly live in this universe? Hmm.
Speaking of, seeing Buffalo and having Sunset try and set him back up with Calamity was another unexpected, but pleasant, surprise! There seem to be a lot in this chapter! And speaking of:
This scene implies heavily that Wally is now fully aware of Sunset's feelings for her, and that Sunset herself is in full recognition of her own romantic feelings for Wally. And furthermore, that both of them approve of said feelings and want to embrace it when the timing is right.
I've wondered if Wally, being at least a millennia old, hasn't had romantic interests before. She has worshippers, at least some of which go near-fanatic at the sight of her, though I'd think she'd be careful to differentiate between worshippers and true romantic interests, especially given her past with the sirens. She also has masses (perhaps billions) of wards inside her head/soul, many of whom are probably very attracted to her for all the effort she puts into making their after-lives comfortable. Though I'm not sure she can really interact with most of them on a one-by-one basis, the way she can with Sunset and others in the "living" world, or if she'd ever consider it appropriate to "date" one of her wards whom she didn't know while they were alive, lest it feel like taking advantage of them.
So this might genuinely be the first romantic experience Wally has ever had (Sunset too). She seems to be handling it well, though she does have the memories and experiences of entire civilizations worth of peoples to rely on. Still, she doesn't seem to be so much nervous as just bidding her time. Still, she might have questions about how a relationship between a goddess and a mortal, and especially one who is her Champion, would work. Would she endow Sunset with immortality so they could be together corporeally indefinitely? Or would, when Sunset dies (hopefully of old age), Wally just keep her "stored" in a special place in her own personal heavenly after-life where they could essentially be together whenever they wished?
As for Sunset, well, despite the recent changes in her outlook and attitude, she's still Sunset, which means she doesn't give a quip about Wally being a goddess, or what others would think of them being a couple. She wants Wally, and it appears Wally is interested in her, so consequences be damned, as far as she's concerned.
I kept on waiting for the "bad news" the chapter title was referring to, especially with all the relatively pleasant turns the chapter was taking, and at the very end, you didn't disappoint.
Ironic that Twilight has done what Sunset had failed at doing, especially since Twilight was so shocked that Sunset would attempt such a thing to begin with. I wonder if Twilight did it voluntarily, or if she was tricked or controlled into doing it? Guess we'll find out in the (hopefully coming soon) next chapter!
Lookin' forward to it! Thanks for this!
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Had to happen eventually. But there are reasons.
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Cinch gives Sunset the important realization that she can't solve everything. Some things need more time or skills that she has, and even then there are unfixable problems. That, and how she could've been Cinch had she never turned her life around.
Twilight is most likely to be the hardest personal challenge Sunset has had to face. As much progress as she has made so far, she never went back to fix her 'home'.
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While I'll argue against the 'Mind Rape' part till my dying breath, yes, following strict canon is never a good way to do a shipping story. Not only is the show very inconsistent as the seasons go on, there are plenty of episodes that can easily make things complicated for two characters to be together. There'll always be some sort of retconning/headcanon to make things work smoother.
Celestia is definitely having a presence in this once since it's not only her two disciples, but also her city.
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Thank you for the kind words! I'm attempting to make haste but the day after this chapter went up I got my hands injured. The universe wants to stop me it seems, but I'll still continue.
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Sunset's gonna need a proper vacation eventually.
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Glad to see you back!
I specifically wanted to make this first part of the chapter because of that. Cinch may not have been powerful like the other opponents Sunset has faced, but they've brought some of the most hurt. She has made plenty of people suffer and drove many into a dangerous path that will more than likely get them killed.
Yes, this is more along the lines of the powers she has in the movie, and that's why she hates using this part of those powers. It's the reason she and Luna are not on speaking terms, but Sunset managed to find a way to make that ability a good thing.
We'll have to wait and see if Luna can finally respond to Chrysalis' voice.
I'll be honest, I hadn't really remembered Sugar Belle since my interest in later seasons isn't the best, but hey, who says she can't join in later? And Buffalo was one of the set ups I was looking where to pay off, and this was the best chance.
I can tell you that it is. While Wallflower has a theoretically infinite amount of people 'nearby' her relationship with them is more akin to a mother and her children, and they understand that. And they're definitely cheering her on. And as to how Wally and Sunset's relationship would work, that's for later chapters to show.
All the good before the Bad News was completely intentional, and the bad isn't over yet, this labor's gonna hurt in many ways.
I got very delayed due to injuries and some other contest ideas I want to make, but I'm doing my best to dedicate more time to finishing chapters.
Hope to see you soon!
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Do not let my appreciation for the story be a burden
Focus on healing first. The story will still be here when you're well.
Second this! Get well and focus on your health first!
11911553
With two of her disciples going power hungry, I'd wonder if this is a bit of a frequent occurance for Celestia and Sunset wasn't the first time something like this that has happened.
Twilight stealing the crown of Magic and going on a rampage, sounds like a mix of the first movie and Friendship Games, but with a changed Sunset coming back to Celestia's city, a reconciliation with Celestia much like in Forgotten Friendship could be in order. Of course, I could see Sunset refusing if Celestia offered to take her back, not because of anything against Celestia, but out of loyalty and gratitude to Wallflower, who her new allegiance lies with.
Love this story, take care of yourself ❤️