8 - Strike
Much to Sunset Shimmer's frustration, being Princess Celestia's personal student did not exclude her from other classes. Granted, that status meant most of her time at the School for Gifted Unicorns was independent study, but there were at least a few occasions where she needed to attend more traditional classes.
That, just as unfortunately, meant interacting with regular students.
On the plus side, Sunset could ignore most of them. She had her own group of sycophants - not on purpose, but her status as the Princess' favorite and her obvious intelligence made it natural. They were in it for themselves, no matter what they claimed. The little herd was just hoping that Sunset's rise would carry them along too.
It didn't bother her that they were trying to use her - it's not like they mattered. Sunset hadn't even bothered to learn any of their names.
At this particular moment - one where Sunset had finished a rather mundane class about the principles of Meadowbrook's spells that Sunset had mastered years ago and was attempting to leave - the herd of hangers-on were even less useful than normal. They were slowing her exit with a variety of pointless babble, nattering about meaningless things. Sunset didn't care what their plans for the weekend were or which questions on the test she thought were hard. She wanted them out of her way.
But shoving through them took time. And that delay was enough for something far more difficult to toss aside to show up.
"Sunset Shimmer." Blueblood smiled as he said her name, but there was no pleasantness in his voice.
"Blueblood," she responded with the usual mix of disdain and boredom.
The first sign something was up was that he didn't correct her to add his title. He just pushed the rest of the way through the students and got face to face with her. "I hear tell that you're the reason Princess Cadance rescheduled her tea with me." The second sign was that Blueblood wasn't bothering to disguise his anger.
It was enough to put Sunset off-guard. "Yes?" She verbally stumbled slightly, put on her back hoof by the princeling's unusually forward aggression.
He capitalized instantly. "I shall warn you once and only once. If you interfere in my relationship with her, I will ensure that you will suffer greatly before being ejected from Canterlot society. Do not try my patience, or your attempts to gain power above your station will bite your flank deep enough to draw blood." He tried to turn on his frog and march off - but the now growing crowd worked against him, blocking his attempted exit.
It was a costly mistake, because as angry as Blueblood was it paled to Sunset's own. And his threat was enough to light the spark to her gunpowder temper. "You are warning me?" She laughed - the sort of slightly disturbed giggle that made the crowd of ponies watching them take a step backwards. "You actually think you've got the strength to challenge me, Blueblood?"
The third sign something was that he didn't back down. "Not strength," Blueblood firmly stated as he turned back to the fiery mare. "Power." He paused pointedly. "Of course, you don't really get that, do you? You've always been seeking power, but you don't understand the difference between it and strength." Airily, he lectured her from just outside punching range. "I tried to help you with that, but you refused my helping hoof every time. No matter how well you cast a spell, Sunset Shimmer, you won't get what you want. Because real power comes from things like your name and your reputation, not from your horn."
"You just say that because that's all you've got," Sunset spat. "All you've got is the leftovers from some ancestor of yours that was actually worth something. A fading name, an emptying wallet and the knowledge that I could literally turn you inside-out and there isn't a damn thing you could do about it."
Blueblood sneered. "Spoken like a bully and a barbarian. You'll never fight your way out of the dirt if you keep throwing yourself back into it."
Before Sunset could retort, the teacher - a thoroughly mediocre academic named Trilby - cleared his throat. "That's enough, both of you!" He stepped forward, breaking through the crowd of students. "There will be no--"
He froze in place as Sunset's furious glare pierced through him. He was triple her age and wise enough to know the truth: he was a middling scholar and she was Sunset Goddamn Shimmer.
Trilby swallowed hard, mid-sentence. All the eyes in the room were on him now, gazes crawling along his coat. He had to finish speaking. "There will be no fighting in my classroom," he managed to get out pasts the thick lump in his throat.
Sunset didn't take her gaze off of him. "Yes. Not in the classroom." She swung her head to glare at Blueblood. "In the yard. If you aren't there, I will hunt you down."
There was a flicker of fear in Blueblood's eyes, but his pride overwhelmed it. He replied with a snort and a sharp turn to march to their battlefield.
By the time they reached the yard, Sunset's fiery temper had gotten itself to a simmer. This was a stupid idea and she realized that. Getting out of it, however, was a different matter entirely.
The outside of the School for Gifted Unicorns was relatively small - yes, it was backed by Princess Celestia and bore her name, but real estate in Canterlot was still at a premium. No amount of money could put a full sized hoofball stadium in the middle of the city. So the school's greenspace was as widely multi-purpose as they could manage - serving as playground, meeting area, PE field and occasional classroom for subjects that couldn't be done entirely indoors.
There was more grass beyond the invisible barrier that divided school from city, but even the most daring students wouldn't wander off school grounds. Not in the middle of the day and certainly not with half the school watching them.
So the confrontation was in the yard, in plain view of everything and everypony. No nearby trees, no benches, no buildings - just flat, open grass and dozens of watching eyes.
The eyes were why there was no getting out of it. Blueblood had to know he couldn't avoid a confrontation without losing face; Sunset knew her pride couldn't stomach showing weakness, no matter how much she might claim nopony's opinion mattered but her own.
At a respectful but still very much not safe distance, the herd from the classroom (plus significantly more) gathered in a loose ring around the two unicorns. Blueblood cracked his neck to the left - and then to the right. "Before we begin, our ground rules--"
Sunset cut him off with a barking laugh. "Rules, Blueblood? Are you admitting you need me to restrain myself so you've got a chance?'
He snorted haughtily in spite of the danger. "Some of us have the self-respect not to roll around in the dirt. Or were you planning to treat this like a tavern brawl between mud ponies?"
"I'm no dirt-sniffer. Just because I didn't inherit a full wallet and several centuries of inbreeding doesn't mean I'm less of a unicorn than you." Sunset smiled with far too many teeth. "And you know no amount of bits are enough to keep me from tearing you apart." Sunset took a single step forward.
Blueblood held his ground. "You always have had a rather high estimation of yourself."
Sunset took another step. "Unlike how you see yourself, mine's accurate. But you knew that already. It's why before you decided to chase Cadance you were after me. Because you're all about trying to find strong matches. Because you know your bloodline is weak."
He sputtered angrily at the insult.
She cut him off before he could form the words for a retort. "You've got power, but it's limited. And you know your ego's writing cheques that won't cash out of your wallet." Her horn lit, glowing hot. "Only your hide."
But before Sunset could reach out and strangle her infuriating opponent, a wall of glowing magic slammed down between them. Students all around screamed and scattered as Princess Celestia herself glided down to the yard. "What is the meaning of this?!" She only barely held back from the Royal Canterlot Voice, but didn't hide her displeasure.
Both Blueblood and Sunset cringed away from true power.
Celestia's withering glare went first to Sunset - then to Blueblood - then back again. "Sunset. To your rooms."
"But I--"
The Princess glared at her brilliant student. "Now. I will deal with you after I have finished with Blueblood."
Part of being strong was knowing when you couldn't win. Sunset hung her head and obeyed without another word.
While Sunset kept the heavy curtains always drawn in her room to keep out the sun, she couldn't keep out The Sun. Celestia walked in like she owned the palace, head high and expression threateningly neutral.
Sunset - at her desk and pretending to be nose-deep in a book while she waited - didn't initially look up. She waited for the Princess to make the first move.
Princess Celestia did not. She stood there beside the desk, unmoving save for the slow billow of her mane.
It took about a minute for Sunset to break. "He started it."
"I'm not concerned about assigning blame." Celestia's voice full of a familiar tone of disappointment. "I'm concerned about how each of you acted."
Instantly, the match of Sunset's temper lit again and she spun to face her mentor. "I was just defending myself! He's the one that came after me!"
Her flame met stone. Celestia didn't blink. "And then you insulted him, threatened him, and if I hadn't stepped in when I did, I expect that you would have hurt him quite badly."
That part, Sunset couldn't deny. Mostly because she was still considering how she could still do it and not be caught. "I was defending myself," she lamely insisted.
"By turning to offense." Celestia didn't voice the scolding tongue-click, but it was strongly implied. "You must learn that just because you have power, Sunset Shimmer, does not make it right to throw it around like a hammer. Power is a burden that may become useful from time to time, but more often is something that pulls against you." She paused. "That you so easily lose your temper has always been worrisome. It will eventually lead to choices that you will regret."
"I'm a big filly," Sunset whined. "I know what I'm doing."
Princess Celestia pursed her lips. "And you can deal with the consequences of your actions?" She waited for Sunset's inevitable nod before continuing. "Then you will have your consequences for today's actions. To begin, you shall write a letter of apology to Prince Blueblood. In it, you will explain in detail why you were wrong as well as giving him at least three earnest compliments."
Sunset opened her mouth to protest.
Celestia's hoof rose, stopping the response before it could happen. "He is writing a similar one for you, so unless you feel that you are unable to complete a task that Blueblood can perform, I don't want to hear it."
Glowering, Sunset closed her mouth again.
The Princess waited a few seconds to be sure that Sunset wasn't going to try to interrupt again before she continued. "Your second punishment is that you are going to assist me. There's a brilliant young foal who I'm hoping will start coming to my school in the coming year. While I am meeting with her family, I expect you to watch over the foal."
A shudder of revulsion ran up Sunset's spine. "Foalsitting? You can't be serious!"
"You're right, I'm Princess Celestia." And she said it with a completely straight face.
The attempted joke only got Sunset angrier. "You just finished saying how brilliant I am! About how I'm smarter and stronger than anypony else! And now you want me to foalsit? That's a waste of my time and you know it!"
Celestia didn't budge. "Part of having power is knowing when and how it is to be used. Pairing you with a foal is a valuable lesson, Sunset Shimmer. Not every problem is solved with power," she lied. "I was going to ask Professor Trilby to assist, but as you started a fight in his class it seems appropriate for you to take his place as an apology."
Grumbling, Sunset didn't argue. She knew she couldn't - it was a matter of power, and Princess Celestia still had more. "Is there a third punishment? Do the scullery maids need extra hooves too?"
The sarcasm wasn't lost on Celestia - but she brushed it off with no more than a thin frown. "I don't want to distract you from your work with Princess Cadance. That's far more important right now."
Scowling, Sunset grunted and turned back to her book.
It was a victory for the Princess, and she took it without pushing her luck. "I will have Kibitz let you know the filly's schedule." She took two steps towards the door before pausing again. "Please don't spend too much time pouting in your room, Sunset. I would be very sad if you missed dinner."
All she got in response was another grunt.
And later that evening, Sunset didn't show up for dinner.
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Howdy, hi!
Oooooooh, I like this turn better than what I was expecting. I thought it really was going to get down to the brawl, but having the Princess interfere and teach a rather harsh lesson is much better, I love the direction this story is going and really look forward to where this continues. Also, dang, Twilight introduction, sweet. We'll see how these two end up getting along, probably like oil and a very sad filly who needs a friend, but we'll see!
this sunset is SO good
Man, I've got to say....
Tia kinda shit the bed here. Hard. From personal experience, one of the worst things you can do is take someone who, seemingly at least, has been targeted repeatedly by someone, stands up for themselves, and then proceed to tell them how they're wrong, and mean, and should've done better or been better and refuse to even try to talk it out with them.
It teaches them that talking isn't actually an option, because you refused discourse with them in lieu of punishment.
It teaches punishment before discourse, which can lead to them just opting with a "go for the throat" method right out the gate.
Oh, and then trying 5o play the apples to oranges game. Don't draw comparisons between a person and one who has harrased or attacked them in some way first. Its a phenomenal way to just kind piss people off in general.
Now bear in mind, this is all on the idea that Sunset started nice and was moulded into the confrontational pony she is now, but if I'm correct, then she and I have a lot in common as far as school time mentalities, and I get her frustrations.
Gross!
In a universe where one being can be magically/intellectually gifted enough to rule entire nations by force alone, that’s probably not a wise position to take.
You know, I almost think if I were in Sunset’s position, I’d write a sarcastic apology letter to Celestia with three very backhanded compliments. Granted, there’s a point to be made about dueling being bad, but it wasn’t really delivered in a manner someone like Sunset will learn from.
11071170
Oh, you are going to enjoy about two chapters from now when the letters get exchanged.
Just keep pushing YOUR Values onto another pony Celestia. I'm sure it won't turn out the exact same way as it did with Luna.
Enter Twiggles.
11071087
Totally agree.
I think this might be the first time in the story that Sunset was entirely in the right.
Dear Royalty
You claim that power can't solve every problem
Yet you solve every problem with it
Curious
Turning Point Equestria
This is excellent, hope to see more. Your prose is very engaging and blends the right amount of seriousness and humor. Very interested to see where this story goes.
and author is still nowhere to be found.
11071711
no matter how much powerful, alls will go down with with one-hit fatality brainwashing magic rainbow laser.
11151611
You do realize that this is an excellent way to make an author not want to update, right?
11151611
Dude, its been like two months, chill. You don't get to make those kinds of comments until at least the six month mark.
11161095
I got spoiled by royalroad's weekly update.
11151869
statistically from all fics that I read, with it finished(less than 15 chapters) left out. and 1000-3000 words per chapter as criteria.
most doesn't get more than 20 chapters before get indefinite hiatus.
It's kind of funny-- I've read some great horror stories, and yet nothing terrifies me quite like reading this fic and then looking back to see the Tragedy tag and no Alt. Universe one. I can see so clearly how Sunset and Cadance's relationship could grow and blossom here and how good they could be for each other-- and one of my absolute favorite dynamics is the idea of trying to be nice and good to someone else out of self-interest only to find yourself forming an actual bond with them. I want Sunset to succeed, but also to fail! To succeed in bonding with Cadance, and to fail to hold herself at arms length.(forelegs length? whatever).
But failure here is frightening in a way that visceral horror kind of can't hit, at least for me. Seeing Sunset scrabble at the edge for purchase before falling into that lonely, jealous, bitter place where she does in canon. Knowing that she was so close, that she could have grown and been happy, if only things had worked out.
You do an amazing job of painting Sunset's mindset with subtlety and grace, and that in turn is what really ramps up the tension for me. It gives this story a delicious verisimilitude-- even down to Sunset's casual remarks that show a haughty attitude no doubt learned from being in the cutthroat, noble, and political realm of Canterlot for most of her formative years, and always with something to prove! Your characters breathe and have life in a way that I am continually impressed by, and I wait with bated breath to see where this goes--
or if, hoping against hope, Sunset surprises us both and changes the tags. Who knows! Sometimes the characters do that-- its part of the danger of depicting them so well. From what I know of skilled writing, sometimes you get down into the nuts and bolts of a scene and the characters grab hold of it with both hands (with... full willpower? with every last thaum?). I don't know what your writing process is like, or how much your characters have broken script, so i have no idea how likely any of that might be (perhaps not at all). Even so, though, from where I sit... well, its wonderfully terrifying, and thank you so much for scaring me!
11188724
darn, you pointing that out has soured the whole thing for me. No hope for an alternate ending? HOpefully there's a b-side edit set of chpaters with a what-if I suppose
Update?
11214133
Updates are currently paused due to some real life issues (as very generally outlined here) but will resume once the problems are past. I'm working in the background with what little free time I have able, but family takes priority over horsewords.
Fascinating stuff thus far. Sunset was justified in defending herself, but she took it too far. Even she realized that by the time she was out on the quad. The funny thing is that she had the perfect way to shut down Blueblood; they rescheduled the tea date because of lessons that Celestia herself had told Sunset to give. But that still comes too close to relying on others to fight her battles for that twisted little pony.
You've done a great job with every major character thus far. Sunset's furious at the world for reasons she refuses to articulate, Cadence is in so far over her head that she can't see the surface, and Celestia is near-inscrutable given the distorted lens of Sunset's perspective. Eagerly looking forward to more, especially as Twilight enters the equation. The timeline's already shifted if Sunset's still here for that moment... assuming that Purplesmart's the prodigy Celestia has in mind.
Good job celestia. Power doesn't solve all problem? Then what the fuck is element of harmony?
Rainbow magic laser of absolute destruction seems like pure power to me.
Narrative juxtaposition is fun!
Not sure if this is something you missed, but this could either be "The third sign was" or "The third sign something was up".
Also, I've loved all these chapters so far.
im sure NOTHING could possibly go wrong with leaving Sunset in charge of a young and impressionable filly