28. Failures Freedom
Failures Freedom
Sunset
I would consider myself a proud pony. One that knew what they wanted. One that was willing to burn the world to achieve it. No matter how dirty I would have to make my hooves, I was willing to bloody them. I even found pleasure and joy in the act, however at the moment I knew without hesitation that without the pony that was my partner, I likely would be a mess.
First, I burn five years of my life away, then Celestia shows up, I apparently died, and now I just told Celestia that I hated her. Without the connection of my hoof and her wing, which was allowing me to subsume her warmth. I had no doubt that I would have frozen myself whole.
“Thank you, Cadance.” I couldn’t begin to form the words that describe how thankful I was that she was here. She alone pushed back the inevitable confrontation between me and Celestia. I had been so lost in my rage that I just didn’t care that I was willing to throw away our potential eternity. “I owe you f-.” That was all I got out before she pushed her other wing to my mouth to silence me.
“You owe me nothing. We are partners. I will beat this into you if needed, Sunset. We help each other. Not to owe one another but because it’s us against the rest of Equus.” Cadance says the smile that has been present upon her face nearly turns feral with her words. I couldn't help the smile that pushed itself onto my lips. I could feel the dried weakness as I smiled, but for the moment I chose to ignore it. She had already seen it after all.
She had seen me at nothing but my worst. Yet even now I had yet to give her the information that I had on the Crystal Empire. She had saved me, no she had done far more than just that. She deserved far more than what I had been giving her.
“I… I haven't been fulfilling my portion of our agreement. I have had some information on the Crystal Empire for a while and I have yet to give it to you.” I got out on my second attempt. I could feel the cold shame embracing me from behind, as I waited for the smile on my partner's face to fade. For her eyes to lose their warmth, for her to no longer permit a connection that currently bridged the two of us.
Instead of anything I had feared, Cadance just nodded at my words. Patiently waiting for me to continue with the knowledge I should have long since shared with her. She truly was perfect. “The Crystal Empire was ruled over by a cruel and spiteful King. King Sombra, a Unicorn who was said to have mastered the darkest of blackened magics. He ruled over the kingdom with a hoof made of crystal and shadow.”
I took a breath and gathered my thoughts, ensuring that I dredged every memory I had that related to the Crystal Empire to the front of my mind. “From his crowning where he had brutally entombed the previous rulers. Encasing them in crystal and shattering them before the entirety of the citizenry to when he would force his new citizens to mine deep below the castle forever searching for something.” Seeing the frown form on my partner’s mouth I hastily continued “This was all from a thousand years ago, not much has survived to the present day, even what I have managed to find out could potentially be incorrect.”
Cadance nodded and gestured with the wing that was not meeting my hoof to continue. “From there he continued his search beneath the castle for a few short years. His rule during this time was brutal, any pony that dared to get in his way or even inconvenience him was shattered or changed. Eventually, word managed to get out of the conquered Kingdom that the original King and Queen had been disposed of in a brutal fashion. Princess Celestia was then informed of this regicide of a neighboring country and sought to free the ponies that were caught within the grasp of the tyrant”
Taking a breath and taking hold of a few of Cadance’s feathers in an attempt to soften the rest of the tale. “Princess Celestia and King Sombra fought and for seven days the King stood against the Princess. However, he was in the end mortal, and was doomed to the same fate that all mortals share when they dare stand against the divine.” Ignoring the flame that sparked deep within myself I continued the tale. “When it was clear that he was unable to bridge that gap, he instead sought to turn a one-sided victory into a mutual defeat. He spited the Princess of the Sun in horrendous fashion.”
Taking a breath and forcing the pounding of my heart to slow I continued “He snuffed the life of the ponies that he conquered and with their deaths fueled a spell that removed his empire from Equus itself. Perhaps in an attempt to rule over his now empty empire. Whatever the case was, he much like his empire faded from Equus. The sands of time eventually left both forgotten, the Crystal Empire and the tyrant that had killed all within. It is said that the frozen wastes to the north of Equestria were once the land of the Crystal Empire.”
My story told silence once more held dominion over the two of us. Throughout my retelling of the information, I had managed to piece together throughout my delving in the restricted section, Cadance had been still. Her crystalline eyes never strayed from my gaze, only the great works of crystals ever shifting with the tale of the past.
“What was he searching for? This King Sombra?” Cadance finally asked. Her voice has gained a sharpened edge. I could only shrug as I responded to my partner’s inquiry.
“What else could he have been but attempting ascension?” My proposed words had an instant impact on the oddly still Alicorn before me.
“That doesn’t make sense there is nothing underneath my castle! I have checked!” She all but snarled out, her normally calming features now adopted a ferocity that I found almost unsettling. Her purple eyes flashed as the crystals within reformed into vicious spikes that threatened all that she caught in her gaze. Her tri-colored mane faintly turned translucent, as once more I was standing before an Alicorn. One who was far closer to ascending into the divine realm than I would ever achieve.
Gulping down the fear of the Alicorn that was still sharing her warmth with me, I hesitatingly spoke up once more.
“I’m sorry but that is all I have. If in the future I gain access to any further relevant information I will immediately share it with you.” My offer thankfully calmed the fuming Alicorn before me. Giving her enough reason to take a breath and allow her anger to bleed away. Her mane faded back to its normal coloration.
I could do more. I owed her far more than what I had currently given her. It didn’t matter how I felt. Forcing my blood to heat as I once more spoke, severing the silence that had enveloped the two of us. “We can explore the Frozen North and perhaps see if we can find anything that has been left behind.” I offered to the Alicorn who was still sharing her warmth with me. She had supported me, cared for me, had been my partner, even if she should have abandoned me to the cold long ago. I would brave the snow and ice for her if she wished. No matter how I would wish not to.
Cadance stared at me, her eyes sharpened as they broke my gaze and traced my form. Her mouth adopted a shallow frown. Ah, had I finally pushed my partner too far? Had I once more made a mess of everything? Had I once more failed?
“Sunset, why are you shaking?” Cadance’s voice was oddly soft as she questioned me. I couldn’t help the frown that formed on my face. I didn’t shiver, did I? I looked at where the two of us were connected. Where my hoof met her wing and couldn't help the rage that bubbled forth when I noticed that I was in fact showing this weakness.
The bubble burst, flooding a soothing keening rage throughout my body. That spark provided me with enough heat to burn away my weakness. My blood turned magma, burning throughout my body as I forcefully stilled myself.
“Sorry.” I offered the Alicorn who had spotted my failure. She was now staring at me, purple eyes wide. “Did I do something else wrong?” What else did I fail? Where else did I show weakness? Why did she still look at me like that? Cadance at my words faltered, her eyes filled with pity. Was I truly that worthless?
How dare she look at me like that. How dare she look at me like I was worthless. How dare she- it look at me just as Princess Celestia did. Tearing my hoof away from its wing before it could take advantage of me. “What?” I snarled at the parasite who backed away from me.
The parasite, however, didn’t speak. Heat spilled from me, saturating the air with my rage. Did it truly believe that I wouldn’t harm it? Did it-.
“Sunset, you're crying.” The parasite’s voice sliced through my heart just as it silenced my thoughts. Immediately I checked to see if its words had any grain of truth and felt the quickly drying weakness. Snarling I increased the temperature, I would not show any more weakness than I already had. Not to Princess Celestia, not to the damnable Parasite. I was Sunset Shimmer, and I needed no pony else. I forced a smile to my lips as I once more burned away my failure.
The parasite proved how intelligent it truly was as it stepped closer to me. Had I not personally been ensuring that it had survived, no doubt its life would have been quickly severed had I not foolishly protected it. It for some reason did not retreat from me, instead, it continued headless of the sweltering heat that surrounded me. “Sunset, it’s alright.” The parasite said as it smiled at me.
I glowered at it in return. Did it truly think that I would falter? That I would roll over like a common beast at h- at its words?
“Nothing is alright as you would put it.” My words came out with far less force than I had intended, I could feel the heat in the air chilling, even as I pushed forth my magic into it. I couldn’t even heat a room. “Everything I have done has failed. Princess Celestia-.” My voice caught another sign of my weakness. “I can’t even think about going into the cold without proving how much of a failure I am.”
My voice was bereft of the flames of anger that had finally fled. The scraps of hatred that I had been using to center myself were exhausted. I was left once more bereft of my closest companion, who had been with me when I was alone. Once more even my anger, my rage, my flames, abandoned me. Just like how Celestia did.
Even now the para-. No, I wasn’t that pathetic, Cadance. The last of the heat fled from the room with my acceptance. “No matter how much I try I can never be perfect. I can never be good enough. Not for Celestia, not for myself, I am never enough.” Cadance finished her stride as she once more made her way so that she was in front of me.
“Sunset, you don’t have to be perfect. I don’t want you to be perfect. I only want you.” Her wing outstretched, held out before her. A perfect representation of how everything had been going lately. No matter how much I failed, she kept offering me her wing, her smile. She was always there for me.
“How much longer?” My voice was tainted with the horrific weakness that I could no longer hide beneath my hate. My eyes freely filled with a liquid weakness, that I no longer attempted to halt. “How much longer will you stay by my side? Before you leave me alone? Before I no longer am worth your time? Before you forget me?” Before I was once more left alone in the cold.
Cadance’s eyes flashed, not in anger, but in some emotion that I had seen flash through her eyes yet never managed to categorize. The crystals within her purple eyes formed into an array of impossible angles. I faintly saw something cyan fluttering at the edge of my vision, but I paid no mind. Completely enthralled by the pony that was my partner.
“I promise you Sunset, I will never abandon you,” Cadance whispered out. Her voice adopted an odd affection. Her words resounded within me, bringing with them a calming warmth. “I will stay with you as long as you will have me, after all, we are partners. The two of us against Equus.” She said with a smile.
The warmth that her words brought was enough to blot out the harshness of reality. I had no other choice at this point. Not really. Not anymore. All I could do was embrace this fleeting warmth of affection and love. Praying once more to an uncaring goddess that it would somehow last. A smile somehow found its way to my lips.
“I promise Mi Amore Cadenza that I will never abandon you. The two of us together against Equus.” Promise spoken. My words etched themselves into existence itself. Branding them into my very worth. So that I would never forget them. I grabbed the offered wing with my hoof and embraced the warmth that once more bridged between the two of us.
“Really? Now of all the times, you use my name? We were having a moment.” Cadance says with a smile that threatens to split her face. I knew that there was an identical one upon my own face.
“My apologies Princess.” I retorted with a shallow bow. My partner just laughed in response. “A mere Unicorn should not be expected to comport herself to the standards of an Alicorn Princess?” The smile on her face faltered. “Fair probably not something I should joke about right now.” She quickly nodded her assent to my statement, her tri-colored mane following.
Allowing the smile to fade from my face, I continued. “I am going to crash. This has been a long day for me, and I would just like to get my nightmare over with.” My voice finally filled with the exhaustion that the joy and exhilaration of our previous declarations could no longer prevent. One more thing after another. No rest for the wicked took on a much more literal sense for me.
“Alright then let’s get some rest.” She chirped out as if the words out of her mouth made any manner of sense. She was apparently able to see my confusion clearly as she continued. “Do you really think I am going to leave you alone right now? Even if I wasn’t freaking out whenever I can’t see you, you need someone to be by your side right now.” She slyly smiled at this point, “What better pony to stay by your side than your partner?”
What could I even say to that? I had no idea, and I doubted that even Celestia would know. That was how strange Cadance was. I, however, was thankful for such a fact. I doubted that without her strangeness she would never have been so captivating. All I could do was nod. I then turned to the singular bed that was within the room.
I turned towards my partner who had a gloating smile spread over her face. All but daring me to contest the obvious solution. I had never backed down from an Alicorn before, I was not planning to start now.
“Alright you can take the bed, I am fine with the floor.” I offered it to my partner, who had the most amusing expression on her face. It was a cross between exasperation and an almost kindling offense. I couldn’t help the chuckle that slipped from my lips.
“You know I would ask what you have wrong with me, especially considering that we have already shared a bed, but considering the fact that I know you are messing with me, and I am more than happy with the fact that you are bantering with me.” By the end of her exclamation, she was all but pulling me toward the bed. Perhaps I would have resisted but I was far too enthralled by the entire proceedings. She laughed as she pushed me onto the bed with some assistance from her magic.
I only rolled my eyes at my partner’s antics. It was strange how quickly things changed. I started off attempting to kill the newest royal and here she was throwing me onto a bed before joining me herself… That sentence did not need to be thought of further. I was quickly pulled from the inner recesses of my mind by my partner joining me on the bed. Of course, she only realized afterward that she had deposited the both of us atop the blanket that she always had gotten entangled within.
“Would you like some assistance?” I finally asked my partner who was struggling with how to get us both underneath the covers. She turned to meet my gaze, her horn once more tapping mine. She visibly contemplated my offer, but eventually, she nodded. Running through my warping spell and adding a few minor alterations before letting it run. Instantly the sheet reappeared above us before draping over the two of us. Encasing us within its silken confines.
I felt my partner wrap herself around me, all but cocooning me in a protective shell. Her entire embrace was suffusing me with her warmth. An almost limitless feast of warmth that was being freely shared with me. All from a pony that had defended me from Celestia herself. One that had promised to stay with me. One that I had promised to stay with in turn.
We kept our eyes locked together while we were awaiting the call of dreams. The last thing I saw before the calls became something I could no longer ignore, was the crimson twinkle in my partner’s normally purple eyes. Before I was once more entrapped within my dreams.
Once more I was staring at the uncaring Sun that traversed the heavens by its lonesome. Forever heedless of the trappings that have forever followed in its hoof steps. Only focused on blazing a path into the future. Uncaring about the present. Uncaring about who would be left behind.
I was left awaiting the inevitable swallowing of the Sun. So that my nightly ritual would once more be performed. Perhaps the shades would be willing to spare me after the day that I have had. Unlikely but considering how erratic they had been, it was no longer an impossible thought.
The cycle that I had long since suffered under was changing. No, it was breaking. Portions of it were shattering. From being able to see the shades when I was awake, to Princess Celestia being replaced with Cadance. These were irrevocable changes that do not fit the normalcy that I had suffered under. Only when I had met my partner did my nightly torments begin to change, could she, even back then, attempt to help me?
No, that makes even less sense. I had all but terrified her by attacking her mortality. I am unsure why she once more sought out my companionship but there was no way under Princess Celestia’s Sun that she had helped me before then. When the skies around the Sun began to darken my last thoughts were of the fact that I was still unsure why she had even bothered to extend one of her hoofs. Before I was once more swallowed by the encroaching darkness.
Finding myself in a familiar realm of falling snow, I couldn’t prevent the anger that slipped forth. Truly? After the day that I have just survived? “You can’t possibly make today any worse!” I challenged the shadows that had begun to dance between the flurries of snow that quickly entrapped the darkened lands. A mix of shadow and snow once more was entrapping me even as I felt my inner flame surging in preparation.
Awaiting the first shade that would separate from the horde, the one that had been corrupted by that interloper. The one that I had banished from my torment. Should it once more return I would happily show it the loving gifts that the shades had imparted upon me. After all, what better way to practice than on a pony that was sticking its nose somewhere that it did not belong?
However even as the furious snow continued to howl, the shades refused to join. I was only assaulted by the cold as chilled blades sought to sever my concentration as they pierced my skin. Slipping through my vain attempts at defense. The shades refused to be taunted into once more joining in on my torment, “Don’t tell me you have finally given up on breaking me!” I howled against the wind. Had I even been abandoned by my tormentors? Had they even decided that I was no longer worth their loving embrace? That I was no longer worth their time?
A chilling grip that was far colder than any frost grasped my heart, did Celestia no longer even care to punish me? Were my actions the final straw that broke our frayed relationship? Thankfully a shade finally appeared to save me from the spiral that my thoughts had taken.
A singular shade stepped out of the curtains of falling snow, unaccompanied by its compatriots. Faceless in its nature. Now I could only wait for it to adopt its face. What pony would it adopt as its mask? Cadance? Celestia? Or would the interloper once more dive into my torment and be chased out by my flames? That final thought warmed me for a few moments against the all-encompassing cold.
I watched the shade begin to tear at itself, waiting for the moment when I could see which pony’s visage it had adopted. Which pony it would attempt to torture me with? Which pony it would use to lead me forever deeper into the darkened depths of my torment? I needn’t wait for long as the shade completed its macabre act of flesh sculpting.
Once more I stood before my partner, covered in shade and shadow. Her normally vibrant purple eyes were instead filled with an oppressive shadow. “Is the interloper once more going to make an appearance?” I questioned my partner’s shade. Not really expecting a response. Which made it all the more shocking when it nodded its head in the negative. The blackened mane follows its head as it answers my question.
I nodded at the shade as I continued my trek through the still-flowing snow. It seems that my tormentors would at least keep the interloper out of my torment for the moment. “Shall we then co-.” Was all I got before the shade launched itself at me, wings outstretched. My flames blazed into existence in an effort to incinerate the shade, yet I forced them down. I would not attack my partner. Even this foul mimicry of her.
Cadance’s shade quickly closed the distance between us, yet instead of a screeching cacophony of truths that I had done my best to ignore, it cupped my face with its wing. Forcing me to look into its shadowed eyes. Twin pools of darkness that held no sparkling crystals forever shifting in their construction. No, there was only the beckoning void held within these orbs.
“I will never abandon you!” The shade shrieked as its feathers sharpened, digging into my flesh. “I will stay with you as long as you will have me, after all, we are partners.” Its maw opened to reveal countless shadowed spikes that served as teeth, as it smiled at me. How dare this shade smile at me. That smile was hers and hers alone. Not for it to sully with its actions. Immediately a torrent of black flames descended from the heavens of my torment as I engulfed myself and my partner’s shade.
The howls of its fellow shades were but whispers as I assaulted the singular shade that I had targeted. Flames leaped from my very existence, creating a sea of flames that the snow and cold could not extinguish fast enough. I held the shade in the quickly depleting flames. Hoisting it the best I could as I sent my magic towards it in torrents of dark spells, which sought to sever its very existence.
It lasted only 30 seconds. That was all I had. That was all I could do. That was what my best performance could be. No wonder Celestia had gotten rid of me. I was just pathetic. My flames flickered out of existence as the cold once more held dominion over my dreams. My magic extinguished and yet my foe reconstructed itself before my very eyes. Once more nothing I did mattered. No matter what I tried I was still stuck dancing to the strings of another.
Snarling at the shade that finally reformed in Cadance’s guise, “Get it over with already! I have had enough. From you, from Celestia, from every pony.” The shade only smiled once more making a mockery out of my attempt to prevent from besmirching my partner's visage once more. Roaring I charged it, yet even as I threw myself futilely at it I once more accomplished nothing.
“I don’t want you to be perfect! I only want you!” Cadance’s shade screamed into my ear as she engulfed me with her wings. Dragging me forward through the ever-falling snow. Even as I bit, kicked, and did everything that I could damage the foul mimicry of my partner, I could not slow it. Eventually, however, it slowed itself, releasing me from its sharpened hooves.
Reorientating myself through my own power I glared at it before freezing. Oh, sweet Celestia no. Before it stood the remains of a burned-down home. Flames had once torn apart this domicile that once perhaps held a happy family. Now only fragmented memories clung to this place. No longer did it once hold any warmth, no, instead of even the embers from the flames, all it held were promises and forgotten memories.
Pain. I felt my hooves once more begin to move, bringing me closer to that accursed place. My breath caught and faltered as I shattered my bones, and blasted my limbs, yet I continued to drag myself towards the burned ruins that I had once been found in. Terror. “Please don’t. Please do anything else. Please, I beg you. I don’t want to go back. I will do anything.” I begged my tormentor who stood silently smiling as I dragged myself ever closer to the cabin. My panicked pleas washed over its form just as my magic did.
Pain. My bones regrew, and my hooves reformed. I continued to bring myself to this accursed place. “Celestia, please don’t make me go back. I promise I will be a good pony. I will be a better pony. I will do anything you want. CELESTIA PLEASE!” I screamed for the one who had given me this punishment, not caring that I was once more proving that I needed her. Weakness. Uncaring that, I was showing how weak I still was. Worthless. Uncaring of the thought of how pathetic I truly was. All that mattered was that I did not return to this place once more. Dread.
Unnoticed, went my prayers to the Celestial Goddess that never answered any of my pleas. The blasted door, covered in burns and soot, slowly cracked open. Revealing behind it the entrance to the Void. Once more beckoning, I return to its embrace. “Please Celestia, I will cut off my horn! I will leave you alone! I will be happy with what I have!” What else could I offer to the Goddess that I wished to be my mother? “I will never try to become your daughter! Please don’t force me back in there!” I sobbed out, my voice cracking as I pleaded with the one that had once saved me. Begging that she would not force me to return to this part of my torture. Offering anything to put off returning to that burned place. Promise.
However, my hooves brought me ever closer to the burned remains. The shades began to howl as I neared the entrance. They awaited the inevitable conclusion. Even if I knew that for all my struggles and my bargaining, I would once more enter that accursed place. Even futile I would still attempt to do so. Any torture of the shades would be a blessing that I could receive in comparison.
The door was now fully opened, awaiting my arrival. The shades howling became deafening as they sang their farewells. My screams of a failed defiance joined as even now but a scant few hoofs from the door I once more failed to free myself from my punishment. Phantom limbs encased me for an eternal moment and then nothing.
…
“Sunset? Sunset? Sunset are you alright?” I opened my eyes as I heard Cadance shouting and saw fear filling her normally gentle eyes. “Thank Celestia! You’re alright!” she exclaimed as she once more embraced me. I was held within a field of pink.
What? What happened? I forced myself to take a deep breath as I let the phantom shudders run through my body. I had been in the snowfields, Cadance’s shade was back to normal, then… oh. She had once more saved me. I felt weakness spill from my eyes as I hugged my partner. “Sunset? SUNSET! Celestia! Celestia!” She immediately started to yell for Celestia.
I pulled myself as close as I could to my partner, losing myself to the warmth that she gave off.
“Thank you, Cadance. You saved me.” I whimpered out into my partner, who proceeded to stiffen and crane her neck to look at me once more.
“Sunset are you alright? You’re not still… You know from yesterday?” Cadance hesitatingly asked. I smiled at her, what else could I do? She returned the smile, a beautiful sight that was reserved only for me. I could feel her wings shift around me as she continued. “You could actually respond to me, you know?” It reminded me of my earlier days when I was still unable to see the reality of my situation. When Celestia was still willing to pretend to be something that she would never truly be for me. Times when we both pretended and got lost in the illusion.
Of course, nothing this close to perfection could ever last long. I felt the familiar thrum of heat in the air and schooled my features immediately. Cadance unlike myself did not react as well to the arrival of Princess Celestia. She all but launched herself out of the bed, she didn’t get far as the sheet had fully entrapped her somehow. Landing a few hoof steps off the bed in a groaning mess. I bit down the grimace I made at having lost my partner's warmth.
“Is everything alright Cadance?” Princess Celestia asked as her pink eyes held visual confusion with a slight tint of concern. She obviously thought that I was attacking her fellow Princess, not that I would. Not while she still wanted me by her side. Until she saw fit to throw me away, I would stick by her side. I owed her that much for everything that she has done for me.
“Everything is just fine Auntie,” Cadance exclaimed as she pushed herself up, wincing as she tore the blanket. Sighing at the foolishness of my partner I levitated the sheet of my partner mending it at the same time. I had the attention of both Alicorns now, good. Hoping off the bed and allowing the sheet to fold itself behind me before laying it on the bed I met Princess Celestia’s questioning gaze.
“I had a nightmare, Cadance thought that it was something more than what it was. She just wanted to make sure that I was alright and overreacted.” Give her something to focus on, something that I had failed at, and distract her from what I wanted to be hidden. “My sincerest apologies Princess Celestia for interrupting whatever it was you were doing.” I could clearly see the moment when Princess Celestia’s eyes narrowed in suspicion.
Were you surprised that I am in such good spirits? Are you surprised that even after you ignored my prayers that I am not a broken mewling mess, clawing at your hoofs? You have your newest Princess to thank for such an act. She saved me from the punishment you ordained me to. “I am perfectly fine, thank you for your concern, Cadance,” I said as I broke from the battle of our gazes to face my partner who was just staring at the two of us.
“Sunset, are you sure you’re, alright?” Cadance asked as she shot a furtive glance towards Princess Celestia who most definitely noticed them. “You were -.” There was no need to highlight how pathetic I was to Princess Celestia, she no doubt already knew.
“Perfectly fine,” I said as I took a step putting myself between the two Alicorns. Layering a quick illusion over my face to tell her to let it go. I could feel Princess Celestia’s eyes digging into my back as she no doubt felt me activate a spell, but I knew that she was not omniscient. Thankfully Cadance quickly nodded even if she did shoot me a quick heatless glare. Allowing my spell to fade, I turned back to face Princess Celestia waiting for her to call me out. Waiting for the inevitable admonishment. Only to gawk at the small smile on the Celestial Monarchs' face.
“If you have any problems, I am glad that you have Cadance to help you through them.” Princess Celestia said as she moved closer to the two of us. If I was not struggling to digest the words that I had just heard, I would have teleported away from the Princess of the Sun. However, my mind was not in the best state. I couldn’t do anything as I saw her wing extending, a flash of white covered my vision.
Instantly I brought my blood to a boil as I prepared for the pain that accompanied her strike. Yet nothing. No pain. Growling I teleported away from the entrapment. Reappearing a few feet away I once more was left gawking at the sight before me. Princess Celestia was hugging Cadance who looked slightly bewildered at the elder Princess's actions.
Wait. I was next to Cadance… My vision was covered by Princess Celestia’s feathers… Does-. No. That is impossible. I tore that half-formed thought from my mind and set it ablaze. It was at this point that Princess Celestia looked over at me frowning as she let go of Cadance. “My apologies Cadance, Sunset. I am just glad that the two of you are getting along so well.” At Princess Celestia’s words, Cadance started to act weird.
She took a half step away from the Princess of the Sun. She was not looking at either myself or Princess Celestia instead she appeared to be focusing on the ceiling for some reason. Frowning as I glanced at the ceiling and yet I could find nothing with my gaze. I checked with a few precautionary spells and once more found nothing.
Turning my gaze back to Cadance, I could see Princess Celestia turning her head from the ceiling and mimicking my movements. This apparently proved too much for Cadance as her coat began to turn redder than her normal pink.
“Cadance are you alright?” I questioned my partner who just glared at me as she continued to turn red.
“Just fine.” Her clipped tone indicated anything of the sort however, she had followed my lead earlier and I would do the same. I nodded and she let out a sigh of relief for some reason. Two Alicorns and a Unicorn stood in stilled silence once more. That was until as per usual Princess Celestia decides to shatter the peace.
“Well then. I do come bearing gifts.” Princess Celestia then pauses once more before speaking. “Well somewhat, but I do believe that this is yours.” At her words once more the cloak that she had attempted to return to me yesterday floated towards me, encased in her magic. I let my magic converge against hers yet before our wills could battle, I felt her magic dissipate. Letting Cadance’s cloak fall into my grasp. Immediately I returned it to the Alicorn who had been wearing it. Cadance took it with a small smile putting it around her yet leaving the hood down.
“What? It’s not like with Auntie here Cipher and Stinger don’t know who we are.” She for some reason directed at me. I could see out of the corner of my eye Princess Celestia noting our exchange.
“On that note, Mistletoe has insisted, that if the two of you are able and willing to join everyone for breakfast.” Princess Celestia said no doubt, making a mental note of something we had no doubt given away. “She was quite insistent on it apparently it had something to do with the two of you going on a date?” Her gaze fell on Cadance as she spoke those words. Silence descended upon the three of us. Two Alicorns and a Unicorn were once more beholden to the strangling silence.
Date? When did the two of them go out on a date? Was Cadance planning on dating some pony? Technically a changeling… It seems I should have indeed used a few more of my more extreme spells when I had been interrogating the stinkbug and its brother. Ignoring the way that my blood involuntarily boiled I turned to my partner who was wearing an expression of terror. Frowning I turned to Celestia who was also staring wide-eyed at me.
“What?” I for some reason snarled out. Strange, why did that happen? Celestia just slowly pointed with her wing at me. Frowning, I looked down and let out a sigh of exasperation. It had been years since I had last involuntarily lit myself on fire. This was embarrassing. No, this was beyond embarrassing. I just lit myself on fire accidentally in front of Celestia.
Taking a breath of air that I now noticed was heated as I forced my flames down. Smothering them in a futile attempt to reclaim any of my lost dignity. Not that I had any left before the two ponies before me. Running the cooling formula over myself and ensuring that I was level headed before I continued. “My apologies for the lapse in control; it won’t happen again.” I attempted to turn on my hoof and frowned as I found my hoof stuck in the no longer molten stone I had once been standing on. It was going to be one of those days, wasn’t it?
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