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Consequences

by Hiver

Chapter 16

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Entering the garden, I walked along, a book on monsters floating along in front of me. Turning along the path, I turned the page. The section on Timberwolves was not very long.
But I needed information if I was going to keep it.

How do you even train a creature if you couldn't bribe it with treats? Sure, there was the stick approach but I wasn't about to hurt the thing.

Spotting my target, I slowly made my way over to the tree she was laying under on the soft grass. Sunset Shimmer.

Funnily enough, just like Twilight in human form, I could still recognize her in pony form even after only having seen her in human form before. Same hair and mane, the same general facial features if in pony versions. Same eyes.

Her coat matched her red and yellow hair, she was a yellow unicorn with a sun as her mark. Sunset Shimmer, Twilight Sparkle. Did Celestia pick her students by naming scheme?

A pair of guards stood by her, not quite at attention as they guarded her. They firmed up as I approached.

Sunset was reading a book on the grass in front of her, turning a page with her hoof. As I got closer, I could see a ring around the base of her horn. A magic inhibitor. She couldn't use her magic like that at all.

As I got close, she looked up at me and the coat along her spine... you could almost see it stand up as her eyes widened in recognition. “You!”

“Me.” I answered and settled down nearby, closing the book after snatching a leaf to use as bookmark. Twilight might have killed me for it, but she wasn't here, now was she. “How have you been, Sunset Shimmer?”

If looks could kill, I would have been slightly smoking right now. “What do you care?”

Putting the book down, I smiled slightly, “I put you here. Of course I care.” I said before I looked at the guards, “Dismissed.”

“Sir, we have orders to...”

“Dismissed, Sergeant. I take responsibility.”

He hesitated for a second before he saluted, “Yes, sir.”

Sunset looked after them when they left before she rolled her eyes, “Finally rid of dumb and dumber. Now if I could just get rid of my latest pain in the flank as well.”

“Trust me, if I had choice, I have a dozen places I rather be. Like the changeling hive.” I said with a grin, “Considering our last meeting I suspect neither of us is overly glad to see the other.”

“What, did Celestia order you to talk to me?”

There was no use denying it so I nodded, “She asked me.”

“So she manipulated you into it like she does all things.”

I shrugged, “Not really. She asked, that's all. I could have said no, but it seemed like a reasonable request after I heard her reasons.”

“Ah, yes. She always has her reasons, don't she? No, Sunset, you are not ready for that. No Sunset, you can't do that. Well I did it anyway. I was ready. I could do it. All she did was hold me back.”

I tilted my head, “So why are you here then?”

“Because you forced me back! You and that... new student. The one she didn't hold back, my replacement! She got everything! She is a alicorn now! A Princess! Celestia said... she said it wasn't possible. I knew she was lying then. Now I have proof!” Sunset exclaimed, slamming her hoof against the grass as she surged up to stand, glaring at me.

“I think that's more to do with Twilight Sparkle being broken level powerful rather than Celestia deceiving you.” I sighed, “You know who I am?”

“Princess Luna's plaything.”

I grinned at that, “At times, yes. I rather enjoy that part too. But I am also a mortal pony, just like you. Would you not have though that if it was possible to turn anypony into a alicorn, Luna would not have done so with me by now? So she would not have to live through me dying?”

Sunset stared at me for a moment before sinking down onto the grass again, “...I suppose she would have.”

“Mmm.” I agreed with a nod, “If she could, I think she would. Despite everything, Celestia worries about you. It was Princess Luna that told me to bring you back here. Celestia just wanted the crown back, she was happy to allow you to live your life in the human world.”

“...She didn't want me back?”

“Not what I said and you know it.”

There was a long silence where I studied her. She carefully studied the grass between her front hooves in turn.

“Why are you still here?” I finally asked her.

“What?”

“Here. In Canterlot. Equestria. You are a powerful unicorn, Sunset Shimmer. I bet you are second only to Twilight Sparkle when it come to magic. You did study under the same teacher.” I explained, “Why are you still here? Why have you not escaped? I bet you could.”

She glared at me, “Are you stupid? I can't use my magic like this!”

“You mean this ring?” I asked, and pulled it off her horn with my magic, “What is your excuse now?”

Sunset looked at me, looking like I slapped her with a fish before her horn lit up and she tested it by lifting her book. “That was stupid.” she finally said, letting the book drop.

I nodded, “Could have been. But I wonder... what is your excuse now?”

“I could crush you like a bug.”

“Maybe. I wouldn't bet on it though, not if you have the same dueling training as Twilight. For all her power, that alicorn can't fight her way out a wet paper bag. So why are you still here now?”

Oh, she would still kick my arse. But that was with pure power, she didn't have dueling training. Sunset didn't need to know that though.

Sunset just stared at me so I continued talking,

“So what are you going to do now, Sunset? No guards, just me here and I won't stop you. Are you going to teleport away? Return to the crystal kingdom and the mirror? Try to get revenge on me and the Princesses?” I asked her as picked my book up, opening it back up to the original page as I looked over at her, “Or are you going to lay back down, read your book and reclaim your life? Free of princesses and not being hunted by the royal guard. Free to live your life in Equestria.”

Sunset slowly shook her head before, ”Still hate you.” she finally said as she lit her horn back up, pulling her book over.

“That's fine.” I answered before I looked over at her, “...You know anything about Timberwolves?”

“What?”

Next Chapter: Chapter 17 Estimated time remaining: 2 Hours, 34 Minutes
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