Analyzing the twisted metal of Chrysalis’s brain was a trial and a half for Inspector Sunset Shimmer; especially when they would be attending an actual trial in a few hours.
You could stare at the lamplights of her eyes for days until your skin was as green as its glow, and still never grasp the pain and isolation that made the rage behind it shine so vividly. You could study those wisps of curling blue that fluttered against her shoulder plates, and never decipher the time and trauma it took to make it change into the mane of any pony she saw at will. You could marvel over the perfection set in every curve of her plates and circuits, and never guess the life humming through them once held eight other equines’ lives in her grasp.
It was a grasp that took Inspector Sunset’s wit and sacrifice to break through. As it would take now.
“Sunset.” Slowly, Chrysalis’s face drew closer. Jade and sapphire light clashed over the light rubbing of their horns in the pagoda surrounding them.
“Chrysalis.” Sunset’s lip twitched traitorously, but her stance held.
“You know what you’ll have to do soon, right?”
Sunset did. She even nodded as much But neither meant that she would like it.
“Then…” Chrysalis leaned forward at long last. “... White Queen to F5.”
Sunset broke away in a fit of giggles. “Dangit, I was hoping you wouldn’t notice.” One of her hooves reached up and swept the overwhelmed horse statuette off to the side. “Guess it’s check for me, then.”
“Not if you choose your next move carefully, o Inspector.”
Sunset decided Chrysalis’s mandibles were clicking too joyfully over that last word. “Tease.”
“Who’s foalsitting who again?”
Sunset scoffed. “I think you know why that’s there, Chrysalis.” Her eyes flickered down to the band beeping on Chrysalis's forehoof.
“A pity, then, that the reason is thoroughly inane.”
“Even if you’re playing ball, most of your still-free brethren might not be! And with Blueblood’s trial coming up—”
“Brethren? Not drones, Inspector?”
Sunset rolled her eyes, only for them to linger on the emerald lanterns hanging from the ceiling. Even horn-sparked magic couldn’t match the fearsome symmetry of colors it cast upon them. “Feel free to stop treating empathy like a flying pig any day, Chrysalis.”
“When you stop letting yours run Crystal Empires, Inspector.”
How long had Sunset had Chrysalis in her orbit, that the unicorn’s response to this was an eyebrow-cocking and not a weapon-hammer’s cocking? “Weird—last I left Equestria, it was short a Queen and a Prince. Wanna rephrase?”
Chrysalis laughed, and despite the creaks infecting her voice, Sunset smiled a little. “Touche. Still, considering what I‘ve heard of Canterlot Citadel’s first attempt at cybernetic life—”
“--Be lucky it was me and not Discord.EXE tapping on your cell door?” Sunset countered.
Chrysalis crossed her forelegs, looking anywhere but Sunset’s face. “I could have taken him.”
“Well, we’ll have a warm-up on fighting chaos-sowing figures the right way soon.”
“Yes, you mentioned Blueblood.” Several lines of code filtered over Chrysalis’s eyes like film. “Abduction of Ponyville accountant Night Light, unlawful quartering of guards in Minuette’s facilities, unlawful termination of reporter Moondancer’s contract, extortion of Fancy Pants’ and Whoa Nellys’ organizations, blackmail of Fancy’s wife Fleur…. Am I missing something, dear?”
Sunset sighed, the rage seeping between her teeth almost palpable. “Conspiracy to assassinate them all along standing Cyberling King Thorax.”
“And soon I must confess that he turned me and my kind into some unwilling… poor… helpless tool to cover his dirty deeds, yes?” Chrysalis’s tongue flitted out playfully as she continued. “Do you believe it, Sunset? That I’m a harmless patsy?”
Sunset went snout-to-snout with her former foe. “Not for a second.” she hissed.
“Then you’re learning.” Chrysalis' flirtatious act switched off in a flash of bared teeth. “Because I meant everything I said about how your Citadel exploited me and my hive. Never forget that.”
“And I meant it when I said I’d stand between them and any creature that wants to do them harm,” Sunset shot back. “Whether their name’s Blueblood or Chrysalis.”
“What a noble little hill for Sunset the Savage to die on.”
“Don’t plan on dying for a while, ex-Queen.” Sunset said. “You coming, Chrysalis?”
“Are we to return to the Citadel?”
“No, but—”
“Then what for?”
Sunset sighed and felt the heat of the room speckle her coat again. She was hoping the cyberling would have gone along out of instinct. Heh. Instinct. Perhaps Sunset was fooling herself most of all. “I wanted to talk to the other Princesses and the Prin—”
“One I’ve met before?” A flicker of light, and Chrysalis's mane was suddenly pink and gold.
Sunset’s silent but pursed lips spoke volumes.
“Pass.” Chrysalis slid back into the squashy cushions of her chair. “And Cadance will likely say the same.”
I was hoping to change that, Sunset didn’t shoot back. Was it for Chrysalis's peace of mind? Sunset’s own? The answer was as nebulous as it was nagging.
Yet, Sunset couldn’t un-feel the flutter of wings in her stomach at the cyberling queen’s saucy wave to her.
Great, she mused as she turned the corner. I’m head-over hooves for Chrysalis now.
“You know, I could talk to my wife about accommodations if that’s the main issue--”
Sunset chuckled. “I’m fine, I swear, Shining. Chrysalis isn’t out of shot holding a crossbow to my head.” Seeing Shining’s shocked expression made Sunset switch gears in a hurry. “Kidding!”
Shining’s shoulders slumped. “You can see where my concern comes from, right?”
Again, the thought of that bubblegum-and-honeydrop mane Chrysalis sported infected Sunset’s mind. “Yeah,” she said. “But the Queen’s clearly not the biggest fish in this pond anymore.”
“Don't I know. Which brings me to my other issue.” Stepping back several paces, Sunset could finally see the screens and speakers jacked into the wall behind Shining—and the packed courtroom the screens all projected. “No way I trust Blueblood not to make a move on Chrysalis. If he was scummy enough to target my dad…”
He didn’t finish. Sunset didn’t assist him; too much sorrow hid behind that troubled expression for her to dare drill into.
“...speaking of family, how’s Blueblood’s aunt taking it?” she asked instead.
“Well, she’s not in the courtroom, and my sis has been sulking for... going on a week. Doubt we need to ring up Mystery Incoltperated to get a clue on that front.”
“Goodness, even now? Not even Director Luna’s gotten close to Celestia since?”
“No, just my oh-so-lucky sis.” Shining couldn’t even sell that fib with a smile. “But I think Luna's trying to… avoid Celestia, actually.”
“Wait, how?!” Sunset hollered.
It took several arduous seconds for Shining to respond. “Cady says it's for security purposes, but… it sounds way too much like Luna’s not certain about this event going down as smoothly as Celestia does,” he finally confessed. ”And if Director Luna’s willing to lie to her….”
For the first time since sparking up the mirror, Sunset was grateful the cyberling queen wasn’t next to her. Of course, the two-ton guilt of looking back to see Chrysalis mull over the board didn’t lighten any. Chrysalis could be insensitive, menacing even, but at least it was familiar.
It seemed every new development in the Citadel was just a turn for the worse as of late.
Despite Sunset’s sacrifice.
Despite Chrysalis's pacification.
Despite the changing of the guard—figuratively and literally.
“Even the Canterlot Guards are mum; what little of them’s left after the investigation. Speaking of...” Shining’s horn lit up, and suddenly Sunset’s vision was full of numbers; eight digits long, sliding down the tablet screen before her like snakes. “These are the codes to get you, and her, here.” The venom in Shining’s last word could melt the copper-grated floor beneath him. “The Citadel terminal will expect you at fifteen-hundred.“
Sunset nodded, and soon it was only her face staring across her in the mirror. “Not even a goodbye?” Shrugging, she returned to appraise Chrysalis.
“O-oh yeah! And we of the Guard hope to see you soon, Inspector Sunset!” came a surprisingly dorky splutter from behind her.
Shaking her head amusedly, Sunset trotted away with a spring in her step. Shining flustered, Luna brooding, Twilight running herself ragged to keep everything together? Canterlot looked like a pot about to boil over.
As Sunset was finishing up scrubbing her hooves shiny, she nearly jumped as she felt her mane being drawn back. Her head whipped around to find the culprit, and as Chrysalis’s lamplight eyes bored into Sunset’s, all the unicorn found was shock.
“R-really?” she squeaked.
“I’ve drunk at streams, mudholes… Tartarus knows what else.” Chrysalis muttered. “I prefer my… acquaintances… not remind me of that squalor. But if you prefer your mane messy….”
Sunset gratefully shook her head. “No. Th-thank you, Chrysalis.”
“You’re we--” Mandibles clicked and eyes dimmed as Chrysalis caught herself. Suddenly, she was just as invested in the rippling reflection of Sunset as Sunset once was. “Just hurry. The less I see of your Princesses' smirking faces in that courtroom, the better.” With that Chrysalis was gone, almost as silently as she’d arrived.
Sunset didn’t want to think about why goosebumps rushed down her limbs at the loss of the cyberling’s candor.
Seconds later, the grubby insignia of the Canterlot Citadel—two crossed silhouette horns, two pairs of reflected eyes underneath that curved like twin Cs—took Sunset’s breath away. For once, she had something to feast her eyes upon rather than the whipping arch of the energy lance connecting her forehoof to the cyberling at her side.
Really gotta get Twilight to talk about how well these are fit for cross-world travel, Sunset thought.
Yet the Citadel still stood strong despite the devastation outside its walls. Even with the worry and hurt filtering through ponies underneath that symbol’s arch; even with the very sun’s rays itself looking to burn its mover’s sorrow into Sunset’s irises, Canterlot Citadel still looked treacherously splendid.
To one of the two, at any rate.
“And here I thought Sunbutt was more prudent with welcoming committees lately.” groused Chrysalis, looking around the mostly empty terminal.
“She doesn't wanna draw attention this time. Don’t need you being mobbed by somepony wanting a revenge swipe. Not even the Guards know we’re here now.”
Chrysalis’s eyes narrowed at the filters of shadow thrown out by shapes flitting between the Citadel’s towers. “I doubt that will be the case for long, Sunset.”
“No, Princess Twilight’s at the other end of the hall, and—wait!”
But Chrysalis was already a blur of limbs as she left, the thrum of the cord connecting them buzzing as Sunset was pulled along. “Is that so?”
“Woahwoahwoah, slow your roll!”
Chrysalis ignored her, almost at the gate. The portal-attending ponies looked wildly at each other, not sure whether to ring in the Guard or rush to Sunset.
“Slow down, Chrysalis!” Sunset growled. “Do you even care how fast the Princess’ll blow up if they see you galliopi—!”
Then blinding, Tartarus-hot light overtook everything, the piercing screams of rent metal and choking dust flooding Sunset’s senses. Thankfully, it didn’t last long, as the pain stabbing through every cell of her being made her mind fade quickly to black.
Slowly, Sunset opened her eyes, trying to adjust to the stars twinkling in front of them. For some reason, they actually hurt more than the other times she’d woken up.
A grim part of her reminded her that the pain usually came before the ‘waking up’ part.
And a remembrance of when one ‘fell asleep’ usually came before that.
But judging by how sticky her tongue felt against her mouth, and how clammy her skin felt, and everything stabbed pain into her like a porcupine? Sunset probably didn’t want to know.
Maybe the pony before her with that bright white coat and bun-like hat beside her could explain.
“...Can’t believe the Inspector’s still ali… a’s crown, the shrapnel alone tore two guards out of the sky…”
Shrapnel? was the first word dredging up from Sunset’s hazy mind. Is… is that a meal? Has it gone bad? Is that why it knocked the Guards out?
“...Nevermind whatever state her prisoner is in, if it could even count as ‘living,’ she is… wait, is she coming to?”
Again the bronze walls before Sunset swam as a pressure settled on the side of her neck. Sunset didn’t mind. Clearly she was being rocked back to sleep. Really had to that that mare looming above her. Maybe tomorrow...
“Don’t pass out on me now, Inspector... couldn’t have picked a worse time in the Blueblood trial to catch this terrible case of explosion…”
BLUEBLOOD.
Clarity, sharp and cold, snapped Sunset awake. Nearly coughing up a lung, the nurse-pony before her calmly held her, letting her get her fit over with. A glass of water soon followed to help the inspector clear her throat, and Sunset fought down nausea as it bulged against her sandpaper-shorn gullet.
“Are you okay, Inspector? Nod once for yes—no talking, not right now.” Still in the middle of getting her breathing under control, Sunset complied with a nod. “Then count yourself lucky. You and your friend are at Canterlot Medical, the new wing. Thank Minuette for this; your rescue of her really sparked the fire to get this place up and ship-shape.”
Sunset’s mouth opened to speak but once again, the nursepony stopped her.
“Please don't stress yourself, ma’am, it was hard enough to re-stitch you together. I promise I’ll tell you the important parts you missed. Not usually cleared for this, but your profile Shining sent over implied info was as good as soup to calm your nerves, so…” She took a deep breath. “I’m Nurse Snowheart. Yes, this is still the same day you arrived in Canterlot. Yes, you and your prisoner Chrysalis were involved in a terrible explosion, and no, there were no casualties; though I can think of a Guard or two whose retirement schedules got pushed way up.”
Sunset then pointed to herself, wincing at the barbs of pain shooting through her limbs. Her jaw worked in restrained anger, but again, Snowheart’s body-reading shone through.
“We don’t know who did this yet, no.” Snowheart sighed. “Thankfully for you, your horn’s working miracles even now—you should be able to move within the hour.” Slowly, Snowheart sucked in her lip as she looked at the curtain to Sunset’s left. “Your prisoner, however… I’m sorry, but she—”
Sounds erupted from the door like cannon shots.
“Snowheart, help me out here! He slipped through, I can’t—”
But Sunset immediately recognized the pearl coat of Prince Shining Armor as he clambered into the room. “Goodness, Sunset! You’re—” His voice tapered down immediately after he saw Sunset wince and Snowheart scowl. “Sorry, doc. I owe you a world and a half! Sunset, I’m so sorry, I should have had more squires on you, this is all my-”
“It’s fine Prince,” Snowheart hissed, finally getting her word in. “They’re talking about the trial’s being pushed forward a day in light of this event. But now my patient is recovering, so if you’d be so happy as to not crowd up this room—”
An ear-splitting CRACK of sorcerous sparks heralded his sister’s arrival, Princess Twilight’s eyes locking onto the bugging-out ones of Shining almost instantly. “Shiny if you don’t trot back to the waiting room, I’ll laser you there mys—Sunset!”
And finally, Minuette herself was close behind them, her own horn ignited, only to almost fall over herself the second she saw Sunset upright. “I… my apologies, Miss Shimmer. Needless to say, I try to run a tighter ship than this. Just say the word, any—”
“No….” Nurse Snowheart looked ready to faint herself, at the hacking noise rising from Sunset’s throat. “Nice… t’ see… you all again.”
Shining, after one final bow, backed out of the room. “I’m glad… I’m so glad you’re safe. Sis, if she needs anything...”
“I’ll make sure, Shiny.” Twilight’s gaze turned to Snowheart’s, instead, as the door snapped shut. “Nurses, I take full responsibility for this. My brother oversaw security and I was supposed to receive them. I would have been here earlier, but… by Celestia, there was so much chaos…”
“I’m happy you’re both safe, Princess. Nopony will hold it against you,” Minuette said.
Sunset could see one pony that did blame Twilight though, and it was that very same sullen princess she saw pacing the floor before her. Suddenly, she was happy Chrysalis wasn’t in the room - this would be prime for a snippy joke from her, and -
“Wait! Chrysalis! Where’s—”
Snowheart’s hoof closed over Sunset’s mouth again, panic from more than aggravated wounds flashing in the nurse’s eyes. Minuette, after a minute, slowly nodded. “Show her, Nurse. I’ll handle the rest of your shift.”
“Okay. Sunset, you have to understand, it beggared belief how anycreature could be in this state, but…”
Sunset’s heart felt like it’d burn through her chest as she saw Snowheart approach that foreboding curtain. Had Chrysalis actually died? After all this time, all these maneuvers to protect the Blueblood trials star witness, had Chrysalis bit it?
Then Snowheart pulled the curtain back, the red band on her hoof twinkling in the sunlight, and Sunset stared at the sight, horror-struck.
Before her, squatting upon that cot like an overfed house plant, was the head and neck cables of Chrysalis. Three wires were inserted from the back of her neck to the machines around him, the monitor of one flickering between a blue screen and loading diagnostics. One of her mandibles was gone - the other almost cutting into her blackened snout with its warp.
And around her was an absolute forest of ruin, in which the smell of twisted metal and burned plastic hung heavy. Goo-spurting legs craned out of one box, her shockingly intact wings framing her bed in madly glimmering rainbows in another. Yet, for the splendor of color the scene was in, Sunset could only feel her world shrinking to black and white. Specifically, the pitch-black emptiness of one of Chrysalis's cracked eyes, and the dull white light of the other.
Neither was natural for a cyberling.
This was incredibly wrong.
“Chrysalis...” Sunset gasped, afraid to speak louder for fear of her heart crumbling in her chest.
“My apologies, Inspector. We’ve had her hooked up to everything King Thorax could send over in such a short time period, but… she does not stir.” Snowheart’s eyes looked as red as Sunset’s cheeks now. “I’m afraid that Chrysalis may be brai—”
“--ooooooh…”
And then that head started moving, startling both mares looking upon it. White light flickered to green as Chrysalis’s inner systems rebooted themselves. Her maw, far more jagged than before, gave her cooing a haunting tenor.
Shining, Twilight, and Snowheart jumped in shock. Sunset’s surprise, however, started fading away as a scowl tore across her face.
“I am the ghost of Hearth’s Warming Past, Inspectooooor…” Then her head turned. “To help me pass oooon, you m—what the flock is this, Nurse? You already let Sunset see me? Great!”
“Chrysalis’s still alive!?” Twilight’s voice was caught between shock and curiosity.
Shining’s... was not. “Oh, joy.”
Nurse Snowheart herself had the withering glare of the cyberling and her own surprise to temper. “I… but, Inspector I swear - I didn’t even know a cyberling could survive this, I was sure-”
But of course, nopony showed less surprise at Chrysalis’ rise than the one in the other bed. “No, doctor, continue. You said Chrysalis was brain-what?” Sunset hissed. “Pretty sure you had the right idea.”
“Flattery will get you nowhere, Sunbutt.” Chrysalis leaned forward, slurping greedily on the oil jar before her. That the fluid was leaking out of her neck holes and into the robin’s-egg blue blanket did not impede her one bit. “Right now, anyways.”
Sunset’s face was so red at this point, she looked like a supernova itself.
“Really though, now this incompetent nurse pulls back the blinds! Only had a whole ten-minute ghost routine you just ruined; stellar work there!” Then her lone functioning eye swung to the equally shocked Sunset. “Almost forgot, Inspector. Mind flipping the channel? I’d do it, but…”
Sunset slapped a hoof down her face, and almost cracked her teeth gritting it from the pain that resulted. Nevermind. I think her being dead would be less strain on my brain.
Her merrily thrumming heart did not concur.
“Status report.”
With curtains shielding her from any possible cyberling snark and Shining off to deliver testimony, Sunset was now alone with Vice Director Twilight - who was somehow wearing holes in the tile with her pacing.
“I don’t know this time, Sunset,” Twilight whispered. “Blueblood could be behind this, but what for? He’s already in jail. Everyone’s eyes are already on him.”
Sunset groaned. “Which makes it the perfect cover for someone else, I know.”
“Well, my big brother thinks that the ex-Prince could never exploit all the ponies he did alone. Maybe someone’s doing this on his behalf? I don’t think two ponies would be that corrupted and reckless… but then again, I didn’t think one could .”
“Your continuing belief in pony infallibility is as amusing as it is inane.” Never mind; apparently, the curtains were but tissue against the firehose known as Chrysalis. “I’d salute it, but… you know.”
“Weird, I think Twilight believing in others is what helped me get to you and Blue.” Sunset snapped back.
“Be careful, sweetie; it’ll also be what gets Blue away from you.” Chrysalis tittered. “He’s cornered. Which means he’ll play dirt, as he always has. The sooner you realize this, the longer you’ll keep your head.”
Twilight’s eyes narrowed. “My advice, cyberling? Quit while you are.” Then she whispered to Sunset. “Do we really have to repair her? Pretty sure she’s talkative enough to give testimony, injuries or not.”
Sunset fought down the thunderstorm blossoming in her heart to respond. “Yes, and here’s why. Chrysalis, are you sure it was Blueblood you met? S’not like you to care about who you’re corrupting.”
“This is you ribbing me, right?” Chrysalis haughtily barked. “Even now, I’d never forget the sight of that over-polished, caviar-reeking, ‘oh-why-won’t-my-Director-Auntie-love-me’ addled pric- INQUIRY DENIED: BATTERY TOO LOW: SHIFTING TO POWER SAVER MODE.”
And suddenly, the whirring of Chrysalis’s mandibles - the din-cutting click that had so long played on in this room - faded. Twilight started chewing her lip in worry, but Sunset raised a hoof to quell the concern. “Could keep Aloe and Lotus’s spa afloat for a year off how hot Chrysalis gets about Blue these days. As you see, though...”
“Yes, that’d be a worry on the stand.” Twilight’s horn lit up. “I’ve let Spike know to send word to Thorax. He’ll be over shortly.”
“Can you tell Spike to keep it hush-hush, too? Don’t want whoever did this to swing by and finish the job.”
“Can do.” Another igniting of her horn later, Twilight braced her hooves against the seat, exhaustion thrumming through her. For once, Sunset wondered just how ragged Twilight's new role was running her. “Sorry about that - just hope my sparks don’t start another fire.”
“Speaking of sparks… killing a Princess could be the spark that upsets Canterlot enough for him to worm his way out.” Sunset’s brow knit in worry. “Which is why I wonder why you didn’t take up your brother’s protection offer. If anypony’s in the most danger now, it’s you.”
Twilight snorted. “Like Tartarus I will. Flawed as it is, this is my home too. Besides,” she continued with a wink. “Besides, I probably wouldn’t be talking to you right now if I made a habit of running away from explosions, would I?”
Sunset returned that cheeky smile with a nod, fighting back the coughs bubbling in her pain-stabbed chest. “Thanks.”
Twilight’s smile at that was so warm, Sunset wondered if she was commanding the sun’s rays leaking through her ward now. “Oh, anytime.”
“And speaking of time, my dear; it seems we got here just in time!”
Two pairs of unicorn eyes whirled to the new pair of ponies entering the room, almost like laser sights. But if either fur-coated intruder showed any alarm at the gaze, their grateful grins and reverent crouches shrouded it well. Fur wasn’t just meant in the skin-deep definition either: both the mister and missus were swaddled in matching fuzzy coats, as gleaming as the bronzed pins fastening them to their collars. Once again, the insignia of the Canterlot Citadel blared out to Sunset's eyes, from around an utterly opulent backdrop and golden-brown shine.
Once again, she found herself both impressed and uneasy around it, a stomach-knotting pang that made her nod to them shaker than it felt.
“Oh, where are our manners?” the male pony piped up, his spectacles almost slipping off his barrel-like snout “Inquisitor Jet Set, and my wonderful wife Upper Crust, at your service.”
Sunset’s eyebrows cocked up in disbelief. “Service? You’re… aware of who I am, right?”
“Us and many others, darling.” The overly exaggerated tilt in Crust’s voice made Sunset purse her lips. “But few were brave enough to meet you face to face...”
Sunset’s eyes cast down, ready for the barrage of virtual she was sure was incoming.
“...especially after you’ve done so much to save our fair citadel!” And now it was Sunset’s turn to crane forward, shock instead of supineness slackening her. “Oh yes, Inspector - seeing that dastardly Blueblood put in his place made us both realize your own neglect of this fine capital.”
“So naturally, we resolved to breathe new life into this city’s development in the wake of Blueblood’s depravity.” Jet added his next bow to Twilight as well. “Breaths that come easier thanks to you, Inspector - and thanks to Miss Sparkle, who put so much faith in you.”
Twilight blushed. “T-thank you for your concern. Is that all?”
Upper Crust drew up the collar of her coat regretfully. “No, unfortunately.” And she magicked out a gift-wrapped box to Sunset’s nightstand. “Open when you’re recovered, dear. I only hope it goes down smoother than this Blueblood trial-wait, what is that?”
Sunset’s eyes focused on the same spot Upper Crust’s was; the television perched over Chrysalis’s shrouded cot like a vulture. Already she could tell something was wrong.
Blueblood was grinning. Shining, a table and podium away from him, was not.
Most of the crowd in that courtroom was throwing up hooves in apparent anger.
A lone Royal Guard on the stand -peach fur, blue mane - was trying to avoid eye contact with Twilight’s brother.
And almost tellingly amongst the screams of ‘murderer’ that were making the wrong ponies - Shining - wince was the flickering hum of a projector. The image was off-center, but Sunset’s widening eyes took in the reason for this uproar in the court.
Shining, in filmy black-and-white.
Fires, raging thick in the Canterlot Citadel.
A twitching, raised hoof, lost in shadow and the sheen of dancing cyberlings.
And Sunset knew what was happening.
“I tol-told you he fights dirty, doll.” Chrysalis somberly stated.
Sunset had not the breath to tell the rebooted and ravaged Chrysalis to butt out.
Not with this clearly dossied-up frame job playing out before Sunset’s disbelieving eyes.
“Sunset, calm down-”
“--Should've known that Blueblood would have something like this up his sleeve—”
“Sunset, you’re still recovering let those stitches rest—”
“--And how am I supposed to fight videotape and find out who bombed us at the same tim—”
With a snap of sorcerous light, Sunset was frozen in place, her sheets a tangling cocoon around her lower half. Sighing heavily, Twilight eased the struggling unicorn back into her cot. “I know this, Sunset. We all do. Which is why you need to calm down.”
Slowly, Sunset’s acquiesced. “So, full situation. Somehow the trial’s about Shining now instead of Blueblood, we still have no clue who tried to assassinate our Vice-Director, and—”
“I’m sl-sl-sl-VOICE RECALIBRATION COMPLETE-thinking we were the targets, my dear.”
“Wait… what makes you so sure, Chrysalis?” Twilight was the first to ask.
“Black box.”
“Come again?”
“Thought you already did,” quipped Chrysalis. Then the pillow vaulted into her face crumpled in a cloud of feathers, thanks to her still-sharp horn. “Classy. What I meant is that I have a recorder in me that snaps pictures whenever my mass sharply drops. Like, say… from an explosion?”
“Brilliant—I assume that’s something every cyberling has?” Sunset asked. “Maybe if we could get the box of that cyberling on the scene with Shining—”
“That requires access to the Hive, and considering my st-st-st-HIBERNATION MODE RECOMMENDED-HIBERNATION MODE BLOCKED.” Refusing to speak another word, Chrysalis simply jabbed her horn at the series of boxes containing her shattered form.
Twilight’s ears drooped. “Right.” She made for the door. “Alright, I’ll see if we have any cameras in that area—and bring over Photo Finish; the cameras were made from her model.”
“Right now, what I need here is Director Cadance.” Sunset gasped. “Even if she isn’t desperately in need of her niece’s support with her husband being raked over the coals…”
“...She’s either in our sight or in front of a word-twisting camera’s lens,” Twilight said. “Don’t worry, Inspector, I know how to handle the media. Be back in a flash—”
A volcanic glint flashed in Sunset’s narrowed eyes.
“Right. Sorry. Bad word choice.”
Sunset chuckled, watching the flick of Twilight’s tail as it vanished past the swinging door.
Then several more seconds.
Then the Inspector was out of that bed again in a flurry of sheets, stopping only to wince and draw the bandages wound around her barrel tighter. “Chrysalis, how long will it take for you to get those wings ready?”
“Oh, Inspector, are you disregarding your Director and your doctors to solve a case?” The click of Chrysalis's tongue was both assuring and annoying to Sunset. Perhaps it had always been. “Here I thought you’d lost your touch.”
“Funny coming from the cyberling with her limbs in a box.” Sunset folded her forehooves. “Also, do you not want to know who reduced you to this?”
“For what end?”
Sunset stopped abruptly, holding one of Chrysalis' wings in her mouth. “Y’sherioush?” she got out.
“You are not wholly aware of what position I am in regardless of how the trial goes, are you?” Several seconds ticked by before Chrysalis rolled her one uncracked eye in disdain. “Fact: Blueblood is on point for a conspiracy my cyberlings and I executed. Fact: The case now involves one of the Vice Director’s family leaving one of my former subjects to enact his cruelty on an innocent. Fact: The number of ponies that would dare to bomb a place I am moving through could fill Canterlot’s citadel.”
Sunset spat the ruined wing onto Chrysalis's bedside, then poked her head in the box of scrap metal below her again. “Your point?”
“You are the only one that cares about my condition.” Chrysalis finished. “Present company included.”
Now even Sunset could feel the weight of the last few days creaking heavily on her shoulders. Unproductive as Chrysalis’s new sense of—shame? Nihilism? Both?—was to this, she did have a solid point. The suspect list for this heinous act was longer than Sunset’s leg, and the case she was supposed to bring to a close was becoming as shattered as the cyberlings body.
Was the Inspector’s time really needed trying to handle this?
But for Sunset, the answer was evident when the pop of one of Chrysalis's wing sockets being reunited with her body brought her back to reality. She hadn’t even remembered working on that. And yet, it had come to her even while she was deep in thought.
“You’re right, Chrysalis. I do care about your condition.” Twilight finally got out. “Because no matter what you’ve done, or what you are, you are already serving your sentence. And taking the law into our own hooves for our own benefit means… Just because Blueblood might skip out on a mistrial doesn’t mean I’m letting it happen without a fight.”
The voice that drifted back to Sunset’s ears as she fixed Chrysalis's other wing almost tore at the unicorn’s heart. “Sunset… does prosecuting Blueblood mean this much to you?”
Sunset lashed out with her hind legs several times, hammering the wings at Chrysalis's side into shape with every couple of words she spat. “He. Does not. Get. To win! Not in our courts, our minds, and my friends’ expense!”
Chrysalis stared at her crudely-fixed wings, the silence causing her processors to clock in hot. Such passion and determination from Sunset! It seemed like a glitch when it had shone in the unicorn’s eyes, during their fight in the tunnels so many weeks ago. But again and again, it seemed that Sunset’s aura seemed to beat away the sterile nonchalance and conformity that had driven Chrysalis to hate ponykind so.
“Actually, Inspector—I can sense a large gathering of cyberlings—especially my lieutenant Thorax.” Chrysalis sniffed haughtily. "If it’s answers you seek, their radio signals show them at the Vice-Director’s tower.”
Apparently, one good glitch deserved another.
“Perfect. Should be able to get there and back.” Saddling Chrysalis onto her back—and giggling a little at the cyberling’s yelps—Sunset turned to the door. “Why Twilight’s place, though? If she knew she’d have told me—”
“Perhaps Shining is not the only pony in her family with skeletons to hide.”
Resolving not to trouble her mind with the possibilities of that sentence, Sunset wound the covers on Chrysalis's bed around them. “Just grab the gift Jet and Crust gave us and let’s go.”
“Ugh, that's likely a bribe.” But Chrysalis complied anyway. Her eyes flickered as her jaw closed around the wrapped box. “It even tastes as fishy as it seems.”
“Time’s ticking, Queen.”
“You flatter me, Inspector.”
Sunset only hoped Chrysalis could hear the smirk in her voice like she could Chrysalis's, as they bounded out of the open window. Turning back, Chrysalis attempted to spit the box still in her maw back into the room. Unfortunately, Sunset’s heavy bank to the left made the shot package miss its mark and tumble into the alley.
Chrysalis resolved to resettle whatever glitch made her teeth clench in embarrassment at that.
Silently, of course.
The first new thing Sunset realized when she settled down outside the window leading into Twilight's observatory was the smell. Even before their fallout, Twilight was known for her neat-freak tendencies, down to scrubbing the rugs every other day even when Sunset was busy trying not to pass out from the chloric fumes. Today, the unmistakable scent of castor-oi greeted Sunset, though no sound accompanied it.
Of course, that could be from the half of a cyberling strapped to me, and the room could be really empty, Sunset thought morosely. With no other options, she stepped into the darkened room.
And several dozen green lamplights painted her from head to hoof, confirming Sunset’s fears.
“Temporary office of the Cyberlings, Thorax speaking,” came the tinny drawl from the center of the cyberling swarm. “State your business, and also how you managed to sneak in here.”
After several tense seconds, Sunset pointed a hoof to the open window.
“Oh, flock! Really, Pharynx? Did you leave that window open, with half the town already out for our necks?” Thorax howled at a red-highlighted cyberling next to him. “Every time with this, man!”
All the cyberling shot back was a scowl.
“Ignore Pharynx, my little throne-warmer,” growled Chrysalis, finally peering her head out. “Finding whoever put me in the position I’m in is your new priority.”
Thorax shot a withering look at her. “As you wish, my Queen.” he dryly said. “At least our success is assured on that front.”
Sunset’s horn ignited, ready to defend Chrysalis from any of the cyberlings that were. Her fears were unfounded though, as Thorax had decided to focus his attention on Sunset instead.
Lighting up his horn, the golden lamplights of the observatory swelled to life.
This time, what got Sunset’s attention immediately was the contrasting styles of the cyberlings. Despite how clustered they were, almost seeming to cower behind the imposing Thorax, their eyes were all still laser-focused on Sunset. Despite how tangled the wires charging them were, blue snakes curled into terrifyingly tight knots over the rugs, the central port that they all led to was almost flawlessly buffed and guarded, looking like one of Canterlot Citadel’s many towers.
“As you can see…” Thorax started, motioning to his fellow drones. “We are all in a twist trying to keep our kin safe.”
Sunset nodded. “I hope I can help along.”
“Now why do I not believe this?” Pharynx snapped, circling the Inspector like he was an incensed lion. “Could it be because our leader, our queen, is strapped to you like an ornament? The way you've chosen to sneak into our one sole refuge from your oil-thirsty kin? Or—”
“Pharynx, stand down!” Despite what looked like a furious clacking of mandibles, the cyberling compiled. “My apologies. Pharynx has been in charge of scouting and security; the number of pony attacks on cyberling has doubled since that accursed tape came down.“
“A tape that both your ‘ornament’ and Inspector Shimmer believe to be doctored.” Chrysalis's head craned around to stare holes into the withering Pharynx. “And until we find such a way to crack that, you will not crack first, understood?”
“...Yes, my Queen,” Pharynx grunted, though with less bite in his voice than he’d delivered to Sunset.
“Speaking of, Thorax,” Sunset said. “It does seem like a cyberling was on the scene from what little of the tape we saw. If you still have them….”
“I do. But decrypting it is the problem. Our Queen has the strongest processors, but inner recorders work best with the cyberling who recorded it. And since time is of the essence…” Thorax’s head bowed. “The cyberling that oversaw it is currently in hiding.”
“And you do not know where?” Chrysalis said. “Because she is clearly not within the inner limits of this Citadel.”
“I… will need more power than I currently have to do so.” Thorax shamefully admitted. “And therein lies my dilem-em-em—SWITCHING TO SAFE MODE, EMERGENCY POWER ONLY.”
Seeing Thorax, so staunch and imposing among the cyberlings, collapse in on himself so suddenly almost tore at Sunset’s heart. Thankfully, he managed to get back onto his metal hooves, albeit struggling, and his eye-lamps now blinking a bright cherry red.
Sunset was not alone in her concern, though. “Thorax… you should have informed me of your status,” Chrysalis whispered. “I would have seen to your refueling—to your health!”
“It is… no issue, my Queen.” Thorax panted, to Sunset’s shock. Cyberlings feel exhaustion? “All of my power is being devoted toward making sure this tower is full—so any injured cyberlings we find can be kept alive.” Thorax grimaced. “But I could devote a minute to providing part of the file, the visual part at least… if I resorted to the old-fashioned way of revitalization.”
Pharynx’s eyes widened. Chrysalis sucked in a breath she didn’t need. Sunset’s mind, however, was drawing blanks.
“Old-fashioned?” she asked.
Chrysalis shook her head disapprovingly. “Forgive my stand-in, Thorax. He has it in his head that just because electricity can charge us, our primary way of feeding is obsolete.”
“...Is it obsolete?”
“Oh, it works perfectly,” drawled Pharynx. “If you don’t mind your inner battery draining like a split ship within the day.”
“It also means we don’t need to stalk ponies to…” Thorax furiously shook his head, one of his eyes sputtering madly for a second. “Nevermind. I have no other volunteers to siphon what I need.”
“Will it keep the person from walking and talking?”
Now it was time for Thorax’s jaw to drop. “N-no, it will only increase irritability and anger, but—you cannot be volunteering yourself for this. Not even the Vice-Director offered!”
“I’m not the Vice-Director.” Sunset cocked her head, exposing her neck. “And right now, anger’s feeling like just the aphrodisiac I need. Feed away, and let's crack that file.”
It was a testament to the tenseness of the moment that even Chrysalis was too stunned to crack a dirty joke.
Finally, Thorax nodded. “I… alright then. First, turn to face me, Sunset; I fear you've been misled as to how we extract love from another pony.”
Sunset could have dropped dead of shame at that point.
For Inspector Sunset, even the air rushing through her felt like it stopped just short of lifting her spirits. So many delays and dead ends were appearing in this case, her body still ached from the explosion, and now they had to look for a cyberling who might very well have been killed herself! Right now, the only thing keeping her from grinding her teeth into powder was...
“Was lasering that anti-cyberling poster truly necessary, Sunset?”
Sunset snapped back to reality, horn smoking in the blaring winds, and stared back at Chrysalis. “Are you complaining?”
“That you didn’t wait for the other pony defouling it to finish before you started firing?” A shrug came from the wing-spread bundle upon Sunset’s back. “Maybe.” Then a ding erupted from Chrysalis's mouth, much like a microwave’s, and Sunset had to slap a hoof over her mouth to keep from laughing. “Alas, I’ve finished up our mystery cyberling’s recording.”
“Great. Shoot.”
“Seems our mystery drone's name is Urtica; quite the intrepid worker of mine, I should admit.” Chrysalis hummed.
Sunset dipped in the air as she finally located the hospital. “Chrysalis. Focus on what she did the day of the incident.”
“Killjoy. Urtica was at the incident, but this is what bothers me; she was the one recording it.”
Sunset almost spasmed out of Chrysalis's grip at that. “Wait, what?!”
“I tell no lies, Inspector. Her camera was on that scene as it occurred—and what’s more, it was opposite to that the court tape’s perspective.” Chrysalis’s eyes narrowed. “Give me a minute in our recovery ward and I can project the image. Perhaps we can identify the original reco—”
BA-BZZZT!
The alley next to the Canterlot Citadel Hospital exploded in a flurry of bolts and light. Soon, Sunset and Chrysalis were careening to the ground, with Sunset only pulling up at the last second to land them in the dumpster of a restaurant across the street.
Spitting out banana peel bits—and what she desperately hoped were rotted coffee grounds—Sunset pulled herself and Chrysalis out of the dumpster. Slowly, her inquisitive eyes peered into the scarred walls and devastation a street away, almost certain this was not a coincidence.
“Holy flock! I knew we should have come here faster, Cadance—Sunset?!”
Now it was Sunset’s turn to feel her jaw tunnel a path to Tartarus, seeing Cadance, Shining, and Twilight pop up behind her. Goodness, was everything in the Citadel out to stop her heart today?
“Right, we’ll start with your account today, Inspector.”
Sunset had almost felt like she was gliding in jello from Twilight's emergency teleport—but right now, she wasn’t complaining, even if her breakfast-starved stomach was. Right now, it was the barrel-like walls and corridors of the Canterlot Guard barracks that loomed around her.
And despite how many golden-armored ponies were in it, it almost looked like a funeral.
Even here, Sunset could hear the snap of paparazzi cameras outside. Thankfully, the most inquisitive of them all was both inside and respectful, as Photo Finish was simply interviewing Twilight. The musk of sweat hung heavy around the room, and most of it was from the Guards: half of whom were acting like the chair Shining was slumped in was empty (and shooting Chrysalis dirty looks) while the other half were flocking around him and Cadance like honeybees.
And Sunset…
Well, Sunset was busy staring at the image Chrysalis had isolated from the recordings she had acquired. Indeed, it was a mirror to the image during the court feeds that had so shocked and scandalized the Canterlot Citadel. There was the snap of another helmet-fed camera, separated by a street choked with rubble and fire. There was a cyberling advancing on a slight unicorn, seemingly hungry for more than just that pony’s love—those slitted eyes called for blood.
Most chillingly, there was Shining Armor—caught between helping the pony or handling the bout of flames billowing from an off-scene building, A choice which, if the court tape’s feed was accurate about, Shining had made poorly. Given that his credibility was needed to keep the Blueblood arrest from being thrown into question, proving that Shining was in the right to leave this poor unicorn there was all that would keep Blueblood in a cell—and the Citadel fire-free.
If the Inspector didn’t find a break in the case soon, all of Canterlot might be as divided as the house she was currently in.
“Sunset, are you sure you can’t identify that other pony in the picture?” came the pleading call of Cadance. Despite the food heaped up around her in golden plates, her frame stayed as thin as it had when Sunset had met her.
“Nothing concrete.” Sunset finally sighed. “I can tell the robes of the victim here were from Fleur’s Mission of Mercy service. And the flash reveals the sides of the other recorder’s helmet—which looks too elaborate to be a policepony’s. But I can’t tell the identity of anypony there.”
Sunset bit her lip.
“Besides your husband’s.”
Cadance gave a little accepting nod, then pushed away several of the cakes in front of her. Sunset envied her strength in how she battled her hunger. Then, she scolded herself over the horrible case she’d found herself in; no wonder Cadance didn’t have an appetite!
“Which means we need Urtica herself—and the original feed—to poke holes in this case,” Chrysalis said. ‘Swell. I’m going to be piggybacking again.”
Sunset’s ears perked toward the recalling of Shining’s testimony coming from Twilight’s lips. Naturally, these were the ones she’d disregard—she’d already taken Shining’s testimony, and so had the court on the stand. But perhaps something from the Vice-Director’s ever-analyzing mind might give Sunset some new routes to plumb in proving Shining’s innocence.
“So, what is your opinion on how strong the case looks?” asked Photo. “Not in the implications it has for Blueblood’s case—non!—but the case that is building against your brother?”
Twilight swallowed, offered a sheepish smile to the recording camera, and responded. “For starters, there was the issue of how the tape was acquired. I can understand fear for one’s life, but the last pony anyone in the Citadel should be scared of is Shining. Especially since he’s taken second-degree burns to keep our capital from burning to the ground.”
“Indeed—but it seems that Shining is more observant of the buildings than the ponies suffering right outside of them.” Photo Finish craned forward in her seat, her lips pursed. “Do you have any words for those that feel their faith in Canterlot’s top brass is not worth salvaging?”
“I do,” Twilight said, finally drawing to full height. This was the Vice-Director talking now, not Shining’s timid sister. “Look at Fleur and Upper Crust, flooding the streets with their volunteers to help repair Canterlot’s scars. Look at Minuette and the Directors, helping those so wrongly maligned and manipulated become a part of this shining city. Look at Moondancer and… the pony before me, so determined to make sure that Blueblood's victims are heard.”
Twilight’s eyes locked right onto Sunset and Chrysalis at that point, the intensity burning in her violet eyes stunning them to the spot.
“And then ask yourself, between us Directors and Blueblood, who’s really failed this city.”
Just like that, the spell was over—well, physically. “Alright, Chrysalis,” Sunset breathed, “Bring up that photo again—and look up the roster of volunteers for Fleur and Crust. Work like that is one they’d keep hours on, to make sure the volunteering goes to the right places.”
“Hmph. And if they’re patrolling riot-wracked areas…” Chrysalis’s processors whirred deafeningly in shock. “One might have some fresh eyes on that scene your Shining was in!”
“And one of them may be the cyberling we’re looking for. Start your search.”
Chrysalis’s eyes switched off from the image of Shining—and back to the blast that had engulfed the hospital.
“Chrysalis, you took pictures of the scene that nearly blinded us?!” growled Sunset.
The cyberling queen’s eyes narrowed. “I cannot help it—our black boxes work in times of imminent threat to our systems functioning.”
“Well right now, it’s taking up space in your mind that we’ll need if we find….” Then something flashed in Sunset’s mind. “Define exactly what triggers your black box cameras here, Chrysalis.”
“Electrical, processing or data overload.” Chrysalis’s snout creaked in confusion. “What for?”
“And those could be identified as they’re happening, right?”
“We light up like your Hearth’s Warming trees when we have low battery power, Sunset.” Chrysalis drawled. “I think those types of overloads would be hard to miss, yes…?”
But Sunset was off to the races, her mind pouring over countless scenarios. “I’m just thinking... if I were recording this to spring Blueblood, it seems that all’s I’d have to do to make the story unassailable is make sure none of them are around to tell any other story.”
A growl shuddered from Chrysalis. “Utchid is in danger?”
“Not just her,” Sunset’s eyes narrowed. “And I don’t think that Shining is the only Guard being set up here, either. We need to find—”
Suddenly, the furor outside intensified in volume, and not just because the door inside the barracks had been opened. Following behind the stride of Vice Director Luna—clad head to toe in billowing midnight-blue robes—was the head-bowed presence of Flash Sentry.
The effect in the room was immediate.
Shining was a blur of limbs as he lunged for Flash, only getting out a “SENTRY, YOU STUPID TRA—” before a flash from Luna’s horn flung half of the assembled Guards onto him in a purple-shimmering pile.
Cadance, on the other hand, almost seemed to curl into a ball in the face of the pony that had put her husband in the spotlight, causing Twilight to nearly bowl over Photo Finish in an attempt to comfort her.
Flash, looking up at the chaos he had wrought, looked ready to melt into a puddle himself, his heartbroken look to Twilight almost palpable in Sunset’s mind. She knew that the emotion pouring from Flash was genuine—that raw sense of disappointment and shame. It was something she’d felt from a different Director before her first exile to the Canterlot City beyond the mirror.
Before the Blueblood conspiracy.
Before Chrysalis.
“You—I—why did you bring Flash here, Luna?” wailed Twilight. “After what just happened?!”
“Do we detect a note of accusation in your voice, Twilight?” Luna’s Royal Canterlot Voice was as strong as ever, even making the Guards take cautious steps back. “He is linked to a material witness—one that we insisted tell his story when we realized the seriousness of its implication.”
“You… told him to reveal that tape?” Twilight looked like she’d been hit with a cannonball. “But… I mean, it can’t be true, right? I had to be vetted, reviewed!”
“And so it shall—by the tribunal we will be calling by the time this Blueblood trial is over.”
Sunset herself felt ice water chug through her veins at Luna’s pronouncement. A Director had approved this. That made things so much worse in terms of solving it.
Yet again it was Twilight that spoke up before she could. “But Luna—all this will do is strain the Canterlot elite’s resources and credibility. We’ll look like we're more obsessed with looking self-accountable than being so!”
“And one of our junior Directors flashing all over the city instead of containing the witnesses—as I had to do now—will relieve it?” Twilight was almost blown over by Luna’s words. “Or hast thou forgot that a batpony—wearing my Guard’s sigil—was the victim in the center of this?”
Sunset’s eyes bugged out in surprise at the new evidence. “Director! My apologies for interrupting, Director Luna, but how did you know?”
Luna honorably nodded to the inspector pony. “Ah yes—I assume you are on the case to see the truth behind this tape?”
“Y-yes, Director.”
“Then the last frame of the tape you saw on the television should have shown the crest all Night Guard wear.” Luna proudly puffed her chest, revealing the symbol attached to the fasteners of her brooch—a shape of purple wings over an upward-facing sword. “My Guard all have one in the same position. “And one of my Guards is already making the funeral arrangements for the batpony.”
“She’s… dead?”
Sunset had almost forgotten Shining was within ear-sight, buried as he was under his own Guardsponies.
“Yes, Captain Shining. She is.” Luna said, cutting off the Inspector’s observation. “And sadly, we still have no lead on her slayer. None of my Guard will talk.”
Sunset was incredulous. “Director, I appreciate your effort, but don’t let naivety cloud your jud—”
“--I assure you it is not, Inspector.” Luna cocked an eyebrow. “In fact, following how deeply Blueblood’s corruption lay, I now offer double the money anypony would bribe my Guard with to bring forward information on their bribes.”
Sunset “That’s… actually a smart option, Luna.”
“A pity it only works on those who care for money,” came Chrysalis's curt reply. “Which those using bombs on their targets usually don’t often intersect with.”
“Regardless.” Luna motioned to the still crestfallen Flash. “If you wish to know more about Flash’s witness, he is here for you to depose. But your current one—Chrysalis—stays with me.”
“What?” Sunset cried. “I need her to help decipher the tape, and find our witnesses—one of which might be in danger!”
“And she shall—under the direct protection of Director Luna.” Luna stared morosely at the wary Chrysalis. “Who will also be overseeing her recovery.”
Just then, Minuette burst into the room with two unicorn ponies, decked in scrub-like shirts with fleur-de-lis pinned on their breast. “Sorry, Director, I grabbed everything on cyberling tech I could find, but I don’t think it’s enough for—Chrysalis!”
“It’s okay, Doctor,” Luna said, bringing the stunned Minuette back to life. “Simply find a workbench in the armory to work in peace.”
“Righty-o, then, Director.” And Minuette’s horn brought Chrysalis off of Sunset’s back, Sunset feeling like her heart was leaving with the fractured cyberling. “Come along now, Chrysalis.”
Flash let out a venomous snort at seeing Chrysalis leave. “Good riddance.”
Sunset, even knowing that the ache in her head was from Thorax’s feeding, couldn't help but want to buck Flash’s face in. But Cadance—Cadance, of all ponies—moving to comfort Flash with a hug stopped her cold. It also did Twilight, certain that she was hallucinating. “What is this, big sister?”
“It is compassion. And it comes in too short a supply in this Citadel as of late.” Cadance said. “Relax now, Flash—You are among allies now—even the cyberling.”
Flash’s hardened expression melted back into the sorrowful hurt he had before. His wet eyes remained firmly locked on Twilight, though, who couldn’t help but offer a shy wave.
Mentally winded, Sunset turned back to Luna. “I… may still need another pony to accompany me to the crime scene. B-before I talk to Flash.”
“That shall be Twilight’s job.” Luna nodded. “One she will devote her full attention to this time.”
Twilight guiltily hung her head, while Shining struggled in his Luna’-anchored float in the sky. “Director, at least let me interrogate Sentry first! I-I know I didn’t leave that pony to die—in fact, there was no pony there when I left!”
“And as for you, Shining.” Luna’s tone turned icy as she rounded on him. “The pony you claim is non-existent is currently in a casket in the lounge. You may pay your respects to her at any time. But until she is in the ground, you will do her memory the honor of keeping that casket and your mouth shut.”
Shining, a retort still burning in his breast, let it collapse into a defeated sigh. “Yes, Director,” he squeaked.
Luna let him drop unceremoniously to the cobbled floor, then turned to the rest of the assorted Guard. “That goes double for thee. The camera shutters are flapping outside; be sure your mouths aren’t. No talking to the press, no taking matters into your own hooves, and no disrespect to the dead. We shall be upstairs if needed.” She was out in a flash of robes, Shining still being levitated in the air behind her.
One slam of the door later, and Sunset was again alone with Twilight. It wasn’t the first time, but it felt like it was missing something to Sunset it wasn’t before.
“So, Sunset…” Twilight offered, bringing out a forehoof. “Ready to brave the ravenous crowds?”
“Daring aren’t we, Vice-Director?” chirruped a voice from Sunset’s mane. Both unicorns jumped at the sound.
“Chrysalis?” Sunset yelped, feeling in her mane for the source of the tinny voice. Sure enough, she found it.—a stray lock of red that felt metallic to the touch. “Is… that you?”
“Surprised? I am a cyberling, after all. Changing to blend in is in every fiber of my being.”
“...You snuck this into my mane when we moved here, didn’t you?” grumbled Sunset.
“Yes—it turns out all the time I spent being your eyes and wings helped me in particular.” Chrysalis chuckled a little. “Now, if you’re kind enough to warn me if I’m in range of Director Moonbutt, I can help shed light on anything your crime scene provides.”
Twilight cocked an eyebrow. “And Minuette’s okay with this too?”
“Very much so, my little pony,” “And if Minuette is not such, then I can easily let everypony know she’s too busy trying to find what constitutes a caboose of mine to attach limbs to be discret-”
“Okay okay Chrysalis I’ll keep mum now please stop talking about that!”
Then the feed cut off, Sunset having to bite back a giggle as she and Twilight teleported away.
