Celestia woke up to the sweet smell of fresh, hot, cinnamon tea and coffee brewing in the kitchen, a clear sign that her sister was already up. Getting up, Celestia stretched, yawned, then looked at her nightstand. Her eyes fell to a small, four-picture frame. Of all the pictures in the frame on her nightstand, Celestia let her eyes come to rest on the last photo.

Picking up the frame, Celestia muttered to herself, not noticing her sister was just entering her bedroom, “Eventide, where are you? It's been nearly--”

“Thinking about her again, sister?” Luna's voice caught Celestia off guard. Luna continued as she gently took the frame from her sister's hands and looked at the photos within it, “I remember when this was taken. It was shortly before Eventide's sixth Renaissance festival.” Luna set the frame back down on the nightstand, then gently pulled her sister into a warm hug.

“I miss her, Lu. I miss my daughter so much.” Celestia tried to choke back a sob. “It's been two years, and no one has been able to find her.”

“I know, Tia. I miss her too. Her smile, her laughter, that little pout when she gets mad, all of it.” Luna ended the hug, gently placing her hands onto her sister's shoulders. “You’ll see her again someday. I know you will, but beating yourself up over her disappearance won’t help you at all. All you're going to do is worry yourself sick.”

Celestia sniffed, wiping a hand over her eyes, then sighed as she headed out into the hallway with Luna in tow. “I made your favorite tea this morning Tia,” Luna said. Celestia lightly grumbled under her breath as she and her sister made their way into the kitchen. Hearing her sister's grumbling, Luna said softly, “Now, now, Tia. You’ll feel better once you’ve had something hot to eat and drink.”

Luna and Celestia sat down at the table, pouring their respective drinks. As Celestia took a sip from her tea, she looked outside. The weather was cold and chilly. Looking back at her sister, Celestia sighed, saying when she set her teacup down, “I'm sorry, Lu. I know I shouldn’t be so short with you.”

“Oh, think nothing of it, Tia. I don’t mind at all. Besides, it gives me an excuse to be a grump on Saturdays and Sundays.”

Celestia finished her tea looked at the time. She saw she had just enough time to shower and get ready before the two had to leave for Sunset's meeting with Cheerilee. After her shower, Celestia headed back into the kitchen to get another cup of tea before heading out. Luna was just headed outside to collect the morning paper, when a police car pulled up. The officer got out of his car and walked over to Luna, saying to her gently, “Ms. Evenstar, I'm Officer Blue Shield. Is Celestia Soleil home?”

Nodding, Luna turned to open the door, when she saw a file in the officer's hands. Worried that it was her niece's file, Luna felt her heart sink into her stomach. Gulping slightly, she said, “That file that you have there... Is that Eventide’s file?”

“Yes it is. It's why I'm here.”

Feeling her heart sink even lower, Luna went into the house with Officer Blue Shield. Getting into the foyer, Luna called out for her sister, “Tia, Officer Blue Shield is here to see you.” Turning to face him, she continued as Celestia appeared at the top of the steps leading down to the foyer, “I'll be in the kitchen if you need me.”

“Thank you, Ms. Evenstar, but this will only take a few minutes.”

“What can I do for you Officer Blue Shield?” Celestia said, coming down the stairs. “Is this about my daughter's case? Have you found her yet?”

“Yes, Ms. Soleil, this is about your daughter's case.” Holding up the file for her to take, Officer Blue Shield continued with sadness in his deep, ocean-blue eyes. “I am afraid we have not found her yet.” When Celestia didn’t take the file, Officer Blue Shield continued as he set the file down on a nearby table. “And I have more bad news.”

Luna headed back to the living room with two cups of coffee and tea in her hands, listening to the officer's words carefully, thinking, “Please don’t say what I think is coming. Don’t say you're going to drop the case.”

“My captain decided to close the case.” Officer Blue Shield saw only despair in Celestia's eyes as he continued, “We can’t afford to spend any more man-hours on this case, and it's been two years. You should contact a lawyer and see about getting a death certificate made up for her.”

“How dare you!” Luna snarled bitterly to Officer Blue Shield. She set down the cups of tea and coffee, then quickly walked over to her distraught sister, pulling her into a tight hug as she continued, “My sister needed that case to remain open. It was the last bit of hope she had at seeing her daughter again, and you have the nerve to take that away from her!” Rubbing her sister's shoulder while Celestia began to sob, Luna snapped, “Get out! Get out this instant!”

As Officer Blue Shield grabbed the front door's handle, he said, “Look, just because I can’t look into this case any further doesn’t mean you can’t get a private detective involved. Maybe someone else might have a better chance at finding her.”

With that officer Blue Shield opened the door, muttering to himself as he got back to his squad car, “Sometimes, I really hate this job.”

Celestia ended the hug and headed downstairs into her daughter's room, Luna following along. Celestia sniffed hard, trying to keep her composure yet failing miserably at it. Luna watched as her sister let her eyes wander, looking around the room until she saw a picture of her and her daughter standing next to Luna at a Renaissance festival.

The picture showed a young, fourteen-year old girl with crew-cut, red and yellow hair and deep, cyan eyes, wearing a metal breastplate, leather armor on her limbs, with a helmet tucked under an arm. Standing next to her were her mother and aunt, both wearing Renaissance festival costumes. Celestia was dressed in full, leather armor for an archer look, and Luna was dressed in the simple robe of a monk. Eventide was standing with a unsheathed six foot high sword leaning up against her breastplate, Luna held a lute in one hand and a mug of mead in the other, and Celestia had an English longbow in her right hand and a trophy in the other. Each had very happy smiles on their faces. Eventide had her right hand up with two fingers pointed upwards in the shape of a V. The trophy, which still stood in Eventide's room, read Grand Champion, Sixth Year Running, Swordsmanship and Archery. Heading over to the picture, Celestia picked it up, holding it tightly against her chest as she sobbed. Taking her sister gently by her shoulders, Luna led her to her niece's bed and sat her down on it, saying, “Don’t worry, Tia. We'll find her. You’ll see her again. I promise.”

Celestia just sobbed out, “I just want her home safe and sound. I just want my daughter back.”

“I know, Tia. I want the same thing.” Luna gently took the picture from Celestia as she continued, “I think I know of someone that might be able to help us find her.”

Sniffing hard, Celestia looked up, her eyes red from crying, “W-Who?”

Luna gulped slightly. “I think we should...ask Brushed Jade for help.”

“After what she did to Sunset? Are you nuts!?” Celestia spat back. “I don’t want that nut any--”

“Tia, I know that Brushed Jade was terrible towards Sunset, and she still needs to apologize for what happened at work. But there is no one else on the police force that is more determined to find someone than Brushed Jade is. She won’t give up like Blue Shield did. Even if her captain tells her to drop it, she'll work on this case alone if she has to. I know she will.”

Celestia slowly stood up, wiping away her tears, saying, “Alright, I’ll let her work on the case.”

“Good. Now, we need to get you cleaned up, then we can leave for Sunset’s meeting.” Luna stood up as well. Looking back at the photo of Eventide, she continued when her eyes caught sight of Eventide's trophy, “I remember when she won this. Iron Will was none too happy to have lost to a girl that was less than half his size.”

Celestia sniffed, then chuckled lightly as she, too, looked at the trophy, saying, “Yes, I remember, as well. I was afraid I was going to have jump in and help her when that brute attacked her. I still find it hard to believe the officials let him into the tournament.” Celestia sighed, then continued “That fight was awful, and he wouldn't let up, even when security showed up. And when Eventide took his ax and broke his knee with it... His scream still gives me nightmares.”

Luna slightly frowned as she recalled the fight and his words after Eventide broke his knee. “You’ll pay for this, you little shit!” he had said.

“Yes, I know. It gives me shivers just thinking about it. I'll never forget that,” Luna said as the two went back upstairs. “Didn’t the officials ban him from the festival for life?”

“Yes, they did. He was lucky he wasn't arrested. And then, poor Eventide said she was done with the tournaments. That fight must've gotten to her, too.” With nothing more to say, Celestia headed into the bathroom, cleaned up, and headed back downstairs to get her coat on. Luna followed suit, and the two got into the car.

An hour later, the two pulled up to Cheerilee’s house, finding the teacher outside, drinking some coffee. When she saw them getting out of the car, Cheerilee smiled warmly to her friends and bosses, saying, “Sunset isn’t up yet, so I made some coffee and let her have some sleep. I was just about to wake her, though. She had a pretty bad night, but I feel the worst is over now. Come in and warm up by the fireplace.”

The two principals went inside, and Cheerilee went to the guest room to wake up Sunset. Cheerilee smiled when she saw Sunset holding a picture of Musical Skies in one arm while wrapped in her blanket. Walking over to her, Cheerilee gently tapped Sunset on the shoulder saying softly, “Sunset, it's time to get up.”

“Five more minutes, Dad. Then, I’ll...” Sunset rolled over as she started to snore lightly, causing Cheerilee to giggle lightly.

“Come on, wake up.” Cheerilee continued to poke Sunset. “Celestia and Luna are here. They're going to want to talk to you.”

Sunset cracked open her eyes, and yawned, saying, “Okay, okay, I’m up. Sheesh.” Sunset yawned again, then got up out of bed, saying when she saw she wasn’t wearing her street clothes, “Where are my clothes?”

Cheerilee sighed, then gave Sunset a stern look, saying, “I had to wash them. You spilled Scotch on them after drinking last night, remember?”

Suddenly, Sunset remembered. The debacle at Rarity's, the drinking, the nightmare, everything. Her eyes went wide as she said, “Shit, what have I done?”

Cheerilee said a bit bitterly, “Sunset Shimmer, watch your language.” Sighing lightly, she continued “Now, there will be no further talk like that in this household. I'll bring your clothes. I want you dressed and ready to meet with Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna.”

Looking down, Sunset said softly, “Sorry for the foul language, Ms. Cheerilee. Before I meet with everyone, can I use your phone? I want to call Mom and Dad. There's something I need them to bring to this meeting.”

Next Chapter: Meeting and the Demon's Heart (Edited by Icecreammac) Estimated time remaining: 15 Hours