Destiny’s Hues

White

I am sixteen  years old. I have sky blue eyes and an orange coat. I am a unicorn whose talent is the same magic wielded by Princess Celestia herself. As such, I hold the title of Faithful Student. I am training to be the greatest defender of the Crown, of Canterlot, and of Equestria itself. Most ponies who meet or see me think of me in these terms, I’m sure, but I don’t. Not usually anyway. I’m just Sunset to myself. Sunset Shimmer if I’m writing a letter and feeling more official than normal. All of my titles, dreams, and physical traits I do my best to keep out of my head when I’m studying. It’s an art form, studying, and I’ve learned by experience that the only thing that helps me concentrate is ambition. Not directed or anything, but just having it resonating in my head makes all the difference.

I turn the page of the history book from my favorite cushion in the Royal Archives, and I smile at how perfect the sound of old, used, and bound pages is. It’s an interesting book between my hooves and on my summer reading list. So far as I can tell, it’s a kind of tome of origin stories for all of the foal tales told in nurseries. Princess Celestia expects a lot from me, so as I’m skimming down the table of contents and recognizing somewhat familiar titles, I’m already piecing together what I should be looking for. A comparison between the morals of the original stories and the evolved versions pops into my head first. Eh, too easy. The folly of changing the stories for younger ears is a possibility, but only if there are severe deviations. Hrm. Those two are a start, but I’ll only get a clear idea of the things I’m supposed to see once I actually start reading.

I turn into the first story, and I’m flying through the words. The tone and language are older, obviously, but I’m essentially rereading stories I’ve been told hundreds of times. The report may be a pain in the flank to scratch out, but at least I’ll be finished with the book in record time. I’ve already blasted through half the pages in the thing when the inevitable happens. There’s a disturbance closer to the front of the Archives. My personal rule of hoof is that whenever an assignment is easy, there will always be something to distract me and cause the assignment to take far too long to complete. I growl out a sigh, glance at my page number, memorize it, and snap the book shut with a huff. I think it’s warranted. This commotion had better not be somepony overreacting to something anypony could deal with.

I stalk through the rows of ancient books, and I’m quite aware of the irritation coloring my features. If it is something ridiculous, I certainly won’t let them off the hook about it.  Once I arrive at the edge of the front balcony, I peer over into the crowd of other students from school trying to register themselves for access to the deeper sections. Prudence is a virtue, I always say, and nopony in school seems to get it. But anyway, I can’t see anypony making a scene or ruckus except for the filly at the archivist’s booth. She’s yelling and waving her hooves in frustration, but that’s not uncommon. Everypony at the school, even me, has had trouble with somepony from the Archives division of the Canterlot Royal Library. They’re stubborn beyond belief, and it took me almost an hour to get in early even with my note from Princess…

My eyes are wandering through the waiting and common area, searching for any signs of an insincere foal in what’s supposed to be a peaceful, quiet place, when my brain stops meandering off about the archivists and whips my head back to the filly at the booth. If I hadn’t been so cross with being interrupted, I probably would have recognized her immediately, even from this height and distance. I squint-check just to be sure, and when I’m positive it’s her, I trudge my way down onto the main floor. I catch their on-going argument as I get closer. “I’m sorry, again, but we cannot accept the royal seal on a scroll as a pass for entry.”

“If I could show you the princess’s personal seal on the inside, then I would!” the filly shouts. “I’m not even here for the books! I’m here to deliver the scroll! That’s a runner’s job you know.”

“Cut it out, Flitz,” I say in my sharpest voice once I’m close enough. “Hoof it over now. Please?” I try to stay cold and disapproving like our professors, but nopony can stay mad at Flitz for very long. She’s too go-lucky, even when she’s angry.

“Here you are,” she says to me, twirling the scroll to me in dramatic fashion and emphasizing her syllables with acting flair. “From Princess Celestia herself. Urgent.”

“Thanks, Flitz,” I sigh at her and grasp the scroll in my magic. I’ll find a way to get her for holding up my assignment. Transmuting her courier’s badge to sugar could be funny. They’re a bit a dozen apparently. “Now shoo. I’m pretty sure you’re going to be late delivering everything else anyway, but still, hurry up.”

“Yee!” she screams, as if just now realizing how much time she’d wasted trying in vain to get access to the Archives. “Oh gosh! Catch you later!” She slips her way out of the line, spreads her wings, and is off like a shot despite the heavy bag slung around her shoulder.

“Sorry for that, everypony,” I tell all my ‘classmates.’ We all go to the same school, but I’m with the princess more often than I am with them, so it’s a little hard for me to off and think of myself as one of them.

“You should get a dragon with all the messages the princess always sends you,” one of the colts tells me with a huff in the direction Flitz had left. “Would be less of a pain than her.” A murmur of agreement goes up from the crowd, and I have to just smirk.

“I wouldn’t trade Flitz for the world,” I say. “Sure she’s a little loud and distracting sometimes, but hey, at least I didn’t have to steal her from a fortified Knight stronghold, magically hatch her, take care of her as an infant with all the fun that entails, and have her on my back day and night. But sure, if you want a dragon instead, be my guest.” And with that, I whip around and start my walk back up the balcony. The silence behind me makes my smirk get even bigger against my better judgement. Ah, it’s fine. They’ll learn to respect me and my decisions eventually. But in the meantime, why not have a little fun? A dragon courier… Hahaha! What a laugh.

I shove my amusement into a separate corner of my brain to be enjoyed later on. For the moment, I have an urgent letter from my teacher to digest. Once I’m among bookshelves where I’m sure nopony will find me, I rip off the seal, and burn it right on the spot. I don’t like leaving traces of these things if they even have a potential to be important. The scroll is fresh, and I can still smell the ink when I twist the paper open with my magic. It crinkles too, but just not in the same way. But it doesn’t need a special sound to set my heart beating faster and faster with a spike of nervous energy. Stamped across the horn inked, flowing cursive of Princess Celestia is the capital word ‘CONFIDENTIAL.’ I have never received a letter, urgent or otherwise, labeled like it’s for the princess’s top advisors and captains.

My first instinct is turn my head immediately. It wouldn’t be the first time Flitz has given me somepony else’s letter, but something this serious would be hard to mistake. I’m staring off into a bookshelf, keeping the scroll hovering well out away from me. I almost ignite it right on the spot. It’ll cover Flitz’s flank and mine if nothing secret gets out because nopony read what was inside. But at the same time, Flitz hasn’t ever failed when Princess Celestia has sent me an urgent message. I peak open one eye and levitate the scroll even farther from me. When I’m sure it’s too far off to read, I stare at it with both eyes open. A little touch of my magic and the part of the scroll holding all the important text rolls back. I’m left with only Princess Celestia’s seal, signature, and the name of the pony she’s addressing. I nervously bring it closer, and my heart reallystarts to pound out of my chest when I was wrong. My name isn’t a generic one that’s easy to mistakenly pen. Yet, there it is, in plain, black authoritative ink.

I end up staring at it for a lot longer than I mean to, just trying to be sure my eyes and brain aren’t playing tricks on me, but I frantically whip my eyes to the top of the letter when the ‘urgent’ aspect of the message knocks me in the back of the metaphorical head. This could be the chance of a lifetime to prove myself to the princess, especially if there is a threat roaming into Equestria. I do a small, excited jig in place as my eyes take in the words.

My Faithful Student, Sunset Shimmer,

A most odd event has just been brought to my attention via a correspondence from a unknown source of origin. This correspondence arrived in the form of an invitation and a proposal I have not personally had to consider for over three thousand years. It is paramount this proposal be addressed immediately, as it offers itself up as being able to change the course of history.

Neither myself nor my advisors suggest a Guard response or my own presence at the site of these events. Thus, I have before you, your first true assignment as my Faithful Student. I shall entrust you to be my envoy and voice in this matter and to use sound judgement when dealing with the situation. I will give you you more details in person. Meet me in the Royal Hall as soon as you can.

My magic sort of dies on my horn when I finish reading. The scroll falls to the ground without making even a flutter of a noise, and it’s a good thing it doesn’t. My mind might well have imploded at any distraction. Just trying to process it all is making me slack-jawed and nigh on oblivious to anything else around me. But, once I’ve gone over the last lines a good seven more times, being almost paralyzed is slowly replaced by a feeling of liquid giddiness. My legs are as wobbly as jelly with all the firey energy flying through them, and the only way I can even stand is by running.

I take off out of the Archive building into the brilliant light of a Canterlot afternoon, and once out of earshot, a whooping scream flies out of my mouth. Giggles and small laughs follow, and I don’t even bother turning corners. I just jump and land in the right direction before peeling off again. This is that chance I was hoping it would be! No more mundane studying! Everything I’ve learned I can finally use in a mission for the princess! Oh! This must be what it’s like to graduate the Guard Academy. Or maybe what it’s like to fly for the first time if you have wings! I know I would be flying right now, the way feel, if I had the darn things. It’s unreal! Quests, danger! Sure I fantasized about it, but I always knew it was the stuff of Breezy tales. I knew it never - oh who cares what life normally is! I don’t even know what great journey I’ll be sent on, but all that matters is that there even is a journey.

The guards let me pass inside the castle proper without even a second glance, and I’m weaving my way through the corridors and staircases of home faster than even some of the veteran servants. I have to dodge those too, but they’re used to me darting around frantically by now. A couple of the mares still yelp a bit if my mane or tail happens to flick them, but for the most part, a nice clean path is cleared for me. Unfortunately, I have to slow to a complete stop at the gates to the Royal Hall. Know me or not, the Guards who protect these two gargantuan doors abide nopony to pass without security questions unique to anypony in the castle. I reckon it’s a good thing though. I’m able to catch my rapidly falling and rising breath and compose myself before seeing Princess Celestia. Having to breathe so hard holds my bouncing eagerness at bay, thank goodness.

I step up to the guards and nod to the one on my right, doing my best not to huff my sweaty breath all over him. “Sunset Shimmer, Student to the Princess,” he says to me with an iron stare, “recite the equation for determining the growth rate of fire from an incendiary spell.” I rattle off the sequence, one of the harder things I had to learn when I was first chosen by the princess, but that’s as easy as cake for me now.

“Correct,” the second guard states, and I pan my head to eye him. He too gives me a steely look as he asks, “What is your favorite kind of preserves?”

“Pear,” I reply, feeling my mouth water just a touch at the thought of warm buscuits with the stuff spread in nice, copious amounts all over each side.    

“Also correct,” he tells me. “You may enter.” They move in synchronized harmony to the split in the doors and as one, push each open. I know the white columned hall better than I feel I have a right to sometimes, but that familiarity’s a blessing so often. Like now, I’m no longer awed by the spectacle of it all, and I can ignore it to head straight for my mentor, Princess Celestia. She’s standing beside her throne, not sitting in it, like I’ve always found her. Her face is turned away from me, facing out the stain-glass windows. This is the first time I’ve come in on her like this, though I’ve half-suspected she does it a lot for some reason. I want to believe she’s sad over something, but she is always so determined and strong, even like she is now, that I’m never sure enough to try to do something for her. But some of my nervous, bounding excitement drains away nevertheless when I come up to stand behind her.

“Princess,” I say, softly as I can in the echoey space of the Hall, and I take a knee.

“Come stand by the window with me Faithful Student,” she tells me, never looking around at me. I stand and gaze out at Canterlot and beyond. The color is warped by the glass itself, but I can still appreciate the vastness of it all. I can’t imagine how it must feel to be the princess, knowing so many ponies out in Equestria look up to and depend upon her. “Sunset, from here I can see a small slice of the peace I have built in Equestria. It’s a peace kept not by soldiers or fear or grand weapons, but of Harmony and Friendship and Love. And we have prospered under these ideas. You understand the importance of Harmony, don’t you, Sunset?”

I know it’s a rhetorical question, but I answer anyway. I’ve learned that with the princess, sometimes she just likes to know that you’re really listening and that replying alone will brighten her mood. “Harmony keeps us working together over the small and the big things. We know we can rely on each other when there’s Harmony between ponies.” It was a bit of textbook answer, I’ll admit, but I actually have to hoof it to the ponies who write about Harmony. They know how to describe it pretty well.

“Yes, so it does,” the princess continues, and I’m glad there’s a little bit of an uplift in her tone. “But, some ponies believe that Harmony is merely an internal force within Equestria. Ponies like these make fair judgements, and it is to them whom I entrust the Guard and the keeping safe of our borders and castles. But it has long been my firm belief that the Royal Guard are to be a sure defense. Never an offense.”

“Has somepony been killed by a Guard?” I ask. The despicability of the crime makes my mouth fill with a nasty taste, and it takes some serious concentration not to spit. I enjoy having a greater connection to magic than most unicorns, but I’d die before I used that power to harm somepony else.

“Oh no!” the princess gasps out. “Oh goodness no, Sunset,” she says, and when I turn to look at her, she’s gazing back with the same soft violet eyes I’m used to. They’re nice comforting eyes. Eyes that tell somepony that no matter what, everything will be okay in the end. I’ve always admired her for that look she has, and I wonder if I’ll have that same look someday. “No, it’s not something that is, by itself, bad. The letter I received came from a place calling itself Halter Labs. I have never heard of such a venture before, and my advisors had not either, even after tapping their business contacts. By their own admission, these Halter Labs have created something they say shall replace the institution of the Royal Guard defending Equestria.”

“Ha! Fat chance,” I scoff. To think anything built, whether it’s a devious trap or better spell security, could replace a pony with a spear and armor.

“Don’t be so quick to judge their claims, Sunset,” she says with a wry smile. “I am not sending you to them of my own volition. They themselves requested a representative or myself to come see their work in person to verify their statements.”

“But… Okay, look,” I say, and I can hear my voice becoming short and stubborn. “I don’t see any feasible way they could come up with something so good it could replace our ponies in armor. And even they have managed it, it’ll be too expensive to use in large numbers.”

“Which is why I want to send you, Faithful Student,” she continues on and now I feel skeptical, excited, and confused all at once. This is just the kind of mental state I needed to be in before a quest. “Unlike my other advisors, or even myself for that matter, I know you will remain observant and critically minded no matter how extraordinary this invention is. Take this.” Princess Celestia levitates a small package from somewhere behind me until I take it in my own hue of magic. “In there is a supply of food for the day long chariot flight to the location the letter provided and plenty of ink and parchment.”

“I’m to keep you informed of everything that happens then?” I ask, already knowing the answer.

“Everything,” she repeats, firm and definitive. “Now go and be safe,” she says, and when I bow for my exit, her hoof brings my chin up, and she plants a small kiss on my forehead just below my horn. “You have my blessing, Sunset Shimmer.” The part of me that was full of whizzing fire and passion now has a direction. A place to focus it all. And I hope that my contained but purposeful stride out of the Hall gives Princess Celestia confidence in my ability to perform as she asks.

The flame of determination setting my face straight and my hooves to iron placement lasts all the way through the castle and into my own rooms. I scan through what few belongings I have (mostly books) and decide it’d be best if I traveled light. Princess Celestia has already given me food and parchment in the package, so there’s not much else I would need. All the same, I drape my saddlebags over my back. The package I stuff into one side, and it just barely manages to fit. The other I fill with my diary and a book on defensive magic for some light reading over the course of the flight. I grab a map of Equestria that includes a little bit of the border lands just for safety’s sake. If this flight is going to take a full day, I just might be closer to the outlying regions than I ever have been, and it would be frankly embarrassing to fail only because I got lost. I run through a mental checklist twice more to be sure I haven’t forgotten anything that might be important, and when everything seems to be in order, I make my way out of the castle.

My composure actually lasts through my entire trek of Canterlot. I suppose it’s just the idea of all the other ponies watching me, but I want to appear professional. Like the Guard ponies. They serve the princess day and night, and in their job, they allow no room for silly outbursts of anticipation or excitement. It’s all business all the time when they’re in armor. And really, when I think about it, I should subscribe to the same attitude now that I’ve been given a task by the princess. It’s just, it’s my first big assignment where I’m the one pony responsible and off on my own. The fact that the princess has put all her trust in me sends shivers up my spine. Good shivers, mind. So when I finally reach the Guard’s chariot yard, I at least prance in place and let out a small squeal.

Only one chariot is ready on the take-off strip, and the two Guards latched to it aren’t wearing any armor, most likely so they’ll go faster. To top it all off, the golden chariot has been completely covered in wet ash, and torn, holey strips of white cloth are strung to it. If I didn’t know better, I’d have though it almost looked like a part of… oh. Oh yes. A satisfied grin splits my face, and I leap my last few steps into the cart where my place has been spared ash and merely been draped with cloth. This is a magnificent disguise, and I wonder if the Guard came up with it or if it was by Princess Celestia’s orders. Either way, it leaves me even more tensed with anxiety.

“Let’s get going already then,” I tell the pegasi. “You’ve been given directions?”

“Yes, Miss Shimmer, we have,” the lead pegasus leans back to say. “Now hold on, we’re flying light and fast. Things are not going to comfortable.” Before I can even process the reality of what they mean, the chariot is rattling off down strip of smooth dirt with dangerous noises I didn’t even know they could make. I grip onto the front of my seat, trying not to bounce with every bump the wheels catch. I find I can’t look straightforward for more than a few seconds, and I eventually have to duck my head down while my eyes water at the fierce cold sharpness of the wind. And sooner than I expect it, I feel my stomach drop out of my chest as the chariot ascends into the sky at a sharper angle than I think is safe. My heart beats faster and harder, not from excitement, but from genuine fright. It’s all I can do to keep myself from sliding out of the back end of the car, and I have to hold onto my saddlebags with magic to be sure they aren’t torn off my back. The relentless whipping and smacking of the cloth strips doesn’t help either.

When we final level out, I’m finding it harder to breathe than normal; and when I peek over the top of the car, it doesn’t take me long to figure out why. We’re soaring at altitudes usually only even attempted by pegasi, and the ones pulling on my cart have their legs tucked and wings angled like veteran racers. The chill in the air, I realize, isn’t from the wind so much as it is the height. I cast a quick heating spell on the metal around me and attempt to erect a barrier between my face and the rushing air. The shield works for a little while, but the effort isn’t worth it in the end, and I take it down and hunch as best I can inside the car.

When I break open the princess’s package for supper as the sun starts to set, I let out a small chuckle to myself. Not at the food. That’s the typical shaved oats any smart pony takes on long trips, and I don’t expect anything more grand. Besides, I actually like the taste of plain shaved oats. No, wrapped up in the parchment is the letter from Halter Labs. I smile with a bit of regret, but in good humor anyway. This is something I would have looked at much, much sooner in the trip had I known the princess had sent it along. But I can’t cry over sparking horns, so I unfurl the thing to see if I can glean anything more than the princess.

Of course, the first thing I notice is that it’s not a scroll. It’s a typical folded, rectangular letter. Right then, a friendlier means of communicating. Good choice, if I do say so myself. Princess Celestia didn’t leave anything out though. The wording is a little awkward, I’ll admit, but maybe they were trying to reinforce the olive branch tone by keeping the letter from being too formal. I ponder the letter, reading it over several times, before deciding there’s not any hidden subtext to find. It’s a straightly played invitation all considered.

I’m about to fold it back up and get out my own spell book to pass the time when a nagging at the back of my mind bothers me. I’ve learned to trust my subconscious, since it always seems to have a better idea of what’s going on than my awake and alert brain, and I gently peel the letter open again in the glow of my magic. The soft blue light from the telekinesis is the only light I can read it by now, the sun’s rays finally being replaced by the half-glow of the Mare-in-the-Moon. But I don’t need to read the words to see what I’m looking for. It’s the letters themselves. Pony writing, hoof, mouth, or horn, always has a little bit of flare usually just from the way we have to use the writing tool. These letters aren’t like that at all. They are perfect, exact versions of the Dragon Knight letters everypony is taught to emulate.

Which leaves me to wonder if a Knight is helping these ponies or extorting them and all of this is a big ruse. A trap. Nopony can ever know where a Knight’s loyalty lies, even if they act like they’re on your side. This is probably what the princess was really worried about. This is my true quest. It’s more dangerous than anything I’d ever thought I’d face, but I know I’m ready. The princess thought so, and if there’s anypony who can measure a unicorn’s magical talent, it’s her. Not that the idea of meeting a Dragon Knight doesn’t fill up my head with anticipation, dread, and curiosity as I drift to sleep against the walls of my magic-warmed chariot car.