My Little Pony: Shadows of the Setting Sun

by Starswirl the Beardless

First published 1st of May, 2020

Follow along as Sunset Shimmer embarks on an airship adventure across Equestria. Witness the downfall of Celestia’s protege, and learn what drove her to abandon her only friend.

Sunset Shimmer’s life was not always leather jackets and high school misadventures. The fiery girl was once the most powerful young unicorn her age, and sat at the right hoof of the enigmatic ruler of all ponykind. But when the ambitious pony bites off more than she can chew, the princess is forced to put her hoof down. Now Sunset is off on an airship adventure across Equestria, with new responsibilities and a fancy new title to worry about. Follow along as Sunset discovers the answers to the biggest questions of her life. Why was she chosen over all others to be Celestia’s student? What sort of plans does the princess have for her future? And what could drive a pony like Sunset to abandon her home, her people, and the only real friend she ever had? The tale begins with a dream, or rather, a nightmare…

Prologue - Premonitions

The first thing that hit her was the fear; the deep, overwhelming sense of dread that seemed to be emanating from the very air around her. It was as if the world was shouting at her, telling her to run away and hide in the deepest, darkest hole she could find and never come out; and that’s exactly what she wanted to do. Her mind was racing; her only thought was of leaving this place before whatever the unknown horror was that prompted her fear manifested itself. And yet, she could not bring herself to do so. She could neither flee, nor turn to look over her shoulder, nor even scream out in terror. She was frozen in place, surrounded by the fear and the cold and the dark.

It was no normal darkness that surrounded her on every side, encasing her in its inky depths. This darkness was alive. No movement could she perceive within the endless black, and yet she could feel that it was not lifeless. The darkness clung to her tightly, almost stiflingly so. She could feel it enveloping her, caressing her, wrapping her very being in its chilly embrace. She was naked before its influence, powerless to defend herself or even to resist the grip it had her in. What hope did she have of rescue? What miracle could possibly deliver her from this place? For better or for worse, that deliverance would not be denied her.

The harsh purity of the sea of black she found herself submerged in was interrupted by something entirely different. The nature of this thing remained unknown to her, impossible to recognize as either a separate entity, a concentration of that which surrounded it, or merely the fabrication of a mind on the brink of shattering to pieces. What it was and where it had come from she could not know. She could not tell if it had blinked into existence the moment she first detected it, or if it had been there all along, lurking on the edge of her perception. The only thing her feeble senses could convey to her was that she was no longer alone.

Whereas the darkness had been universal, covering every inch of this world with its influence, this new force was finite, infinitesimal even; a single point of light in the expanse, although no mundane illumination did it provide. It burned through the cloud surrounding her, carving a path straight into her heart and soul. No ray of hope was this, however; no peace came to her already tumultuous mind. It did indeed drive back the fear, but this burning beacon only seemed to make the shadows of terror all the more dark.

Neither sight nor sound nor touch betrayed the nature of this new player, but there was no mistaking its identity: pure, unbridled rage. A dark star, burning with an anger that sought to consume and destroy all in its path. She could feel its influence; she could feel its heat burning its way into her as if she had been thrust into a bonfire. It barreled through her mind, wild and directionless in its movement. Like a rampaging beast, this anger was blind to all around it, seeking out and attacking whatever it could with an almost suicidal zeal. Already weakened from fear, she felt as if she was doomed to be engulfed by this onslaught and destroyed.

Her mind was at its breaking point; her sense of self on the verge of being swept away by the storm raging within her. But as preoccupied as she was with her new assailant, she did not fail to notice one more change in this bizarre hellscape that defined her existence. It was a small thing, barely a drop in the raging sea that was her tortured mind. A feeling that started as a tiny seed, but quickly grew large and powerful. If she were still able to make such observations, and if her sense of direction had meant anything in this world of pure emotion, she might have felt it looming over her shoulder.

She could feel it grow, and she could feel it move. Time and distance were meaningless to her, but she could feel it racing toward her like a tidal wave. And as it moved, it continued to grow. The feeling that first signaled its presence began to grow in kind. It expanded in all directions and pushed back its rivals, clearing a way through the battleground that was her mind. It was as if the whole world was pausing and turning to gaze in silence at the new enemy rapidly approaching them. An enemy that she could tell was not one that could be opposed.

This new threat dwarfed everything else in that place; even the endless darkness, which before had seemed so infinite and insurmountable, now paled in comparison to this rising tide. And like a tide, it swept away anything that stood in its way, leaving nothing behind. She could feel its power; she could see what doom lay before her. Here she was, trapped between flames that burned her and the flood that would swallow her whole. And yet, she could do nothing do avert her fate. All she could do was wait for the forces at play to dictate her destiny.

It was drawing close now, although how she knew this she could not begin to wonder. The world seemed frozen in anticipation of what must surely come next. The cleansing wave of power that swept toward her seemed to simultaneously accelerate to near-infinite speed as well as to loom over her, frozen in its unparalleled power and influence. It would be her end; it would destroy her. And a small eternity later, it did.

The young mare jolted awake, her head springing up off of her soft pillow. She had reflexively pushed herself up on her forelegs, as if preparing to jump out of bed and confront some unknown assailant, or perhaps to flee from it. Her eyes darted frantically about the room, scanning for any and all threats, real or imagined. Her breathing was quick, coming in short, shallow breaths which, to the poor pony’s mind, sounded like the pumping of a forge-bellows. The only other sound she was cognizant of was the panicked beating of her heart, a fierce pounding which she could hear as clearly and as loudly as a drum.

Her mind was blank, having been brutally yanked from the depths of her subconscious and thrust back into the waking world. The adrenaline pumping through her body had her on autopilot, concerned solely with protecting her from whatever might have been lurking in the darkness of her bedroom. As the seconds ticked by, the mare began to recover her mental faculties, fear and instinct making way for reason and perception. She began to recall who she was, where she was, and other particulars of her situation.

Her name was Sunset Shimmer. She was the ward and protege of Celestia, the princess of Equestria. She was currently sitting in her bed, in her bedroom, in the west tower of Canterlot Castle, high above the capital city of Canterlot. She was safe, at least as far as she knew.

Sunset raised a hoof to wipe the sweat from her brow. She swallowed, but her parched throat pained her as she did so. She turned to her nightstand, where she always kept a glass of water waiting for such occasions as these. The golden horn on her head began to glow with a faint blue-green aura as she began to reach out with her magic. Despite being groggy, Sunset was able to muster the concentration to grab hold of the glass and levitate it slowly across the gap between its resting place and her waiting hooves. She grasped the vessel and raised it to her lips, drinking deeply. The cool liquid soothed her aching throat and helped clear her mind.

Sunset returned the now-empty glass to her nightstand, before pondering what had woken her. She had had a dream, she reasoned, although the details seemed to elude her. She remembered being in some dark place, devoid of light or substance. She remembered being afraid, deathly afraid, but of what she couldn’t say. And after that, there was more; a burning fire, a roaring wave of destruction, and then...

A shiver went down her spine as she attempted to recall the nightmare that seemed far too real for her comfort. She shook her head, as if to physically shake the memories of that experience out of it. Sunset glanced around her bedroom, seeking anything that could help her take her mind off of her lingering unease. The room was lightly furnished, but what furniture was there was as opulent as one would expect of a bedroom in Canterlot Castle. Aside from her bed, which was fairly large for a pony of her size, there was a small wardrobe off to the side which held what little clothing Sunset possessed. Unlike some of the other mares of Celestia’s court, she had never cared much for fashion, although she was still expected to dress the part when she attended formal events.

Across the room from the wardrobe was a small (by royal standards) vanity, complete with a large mirror that could almost fit Sunset’s entire body within its bounds when she sat before it. The vanity contained most of the essential grooming implements a young mare required, although it could have easily held much more if it had belonged to a pony who was more concerned with their image. In truth, Sunset would have gladly just rolled out of bed and gone about her daily business with her hair a tangled rat’s nest, but she knew that doing such would result in a stern talking-to by the princess should she be seen. Such lectures seemed somewhat hypocritical in Sunset’s mind as she knew for a fact that Celestia didn’t have to lift a hoof to maintain that ever-flowing mane atop her head.

The most noticeable object in the room, however, was undoubtedly the large painting which hung over Sunset’s bed. It had been a gift, given to Sunset on her birthday a few years back by the princess herself. The scene depicted on that canvas was that of the princess, looking down over the land of Equestria from her balcony. The displayed landscape boasted leagues of bright, green fields dotted with lush forests, rolling hills, and tall mountains. Sunset had seen the real thing countless times from the windows of her lofty tower, and yet the majestic portrayal given by the painting still filled her with a slight sense of awe whenever she gazed upon it.

The sky that hung over that expanse was stained with red and orange, with the sun having just begun its descent below the horizon; in other words, sunset. The connection was not lost on the fiery-haired pony. From her perch in the castle, Celestia stood tall and proud, her visage a model of composure and concentration as she performed her most grandiose duty: the movement of the celestial bodies themselves. Sunset was one of the fortunate few to have seen the princess perform this awe-inspiring feat in a private setting. Although the painting was a masterwork in every other way, this was the one detail that she felt fell short of perfection.

The face on the canvas, while flawless in a technical sense, did not capture what she had seen on the real thing on multiple occasions. The princess was a master at presenting an image of calm and control, although Sunset had managed to see through that facade at times such as these. When the sun had fallen out of sight, and the pale light of the moon shone down into the princess’s beautiful eyes, Sunset had thought she could see something there: a twinge of sadness, or perhaps even regret.

Leaving that fact aside, the image of Celestia was troubling for an entirely different reason. While at worst appearing stern and cold in the light of day, the darkness of the bedroom made her appear intimidating, bordering on sinister. A mild sense of fear crept back into Sunset’s mind as she looked at this and all of her other normally benign possessions, warped by the shadows into bizarre caricatures of themselves. Slowly, she pushed back the bedding still covering her lower body and climbed out of bed, facing the darkness on her own four legs.

Even the echo of the mare’s hooves on the polished marble floor seemed ominous to her, making the room feel even emptier than it was. Sunset carefully made her way across the room to one of her large windows, fighting the urge to look over her shoulder to check for threats she knew were not there. The window was currently covered by thick, velvet curtains, which blocked out almost all light that could have otherwise streamed through from the outside world. Under normal circumstances, Sunset would have been grateful for this, but on this occasion, she felt that her room could do with a little brightening up. Sunset reached up and took hold of the curtains, throwing them back in one swift motion.

To Sunset’s eyes, the pale light of the moon and stars that bathed the outside world was as bright as day. She breathed a sigh of relief as familiar sights came into view. Every day, she looked out from this window, but the sight was still just as grand as it had been on the day she began living in the castle. Sunset was looking west, away from the metropolis of Canterlot, across the great expanse of Equestria. The view was not unlike the one featured in the painting above her bed, although no work of art, however skillfully made, could replace the real thing.

Sunset lost herself in the landscape, drinking in every detail. She saw rivers that sparkled in the moonlight; she saw swathes of forest that covered the land like blankets. In the distance, huge, snow-capped mountains climbed high into the night sky, as if trying to reach out and touch the stars themselves. And to top it all off, hanging high above all else, was the moon, the great orb that afforded her and the rest of Equestria the opportunity to enjoy such a marvelous view. Emblazoned onto its surface, keeping up her eternal vigil, was the Mare in the Moon herself.

The equine image was as clear and well-defined as ever. Sunset had often taken comfort in the thought that the Mare was up there, watching over her and ponies like her while she slept. She knew it was silly, of course; the Mare was just a coincidence of nature given life by the imaginations of ponykind, like the constellations she shared her home with. Still, such stories could still help soothe the minds of those ponies who feared the darkness of night; ponies like herself, Sunset thought.

She turned her gaze away from the moon and back toward her humble abode there on the ground. The light coursing through the window bathed her bedroom in illumination, banishing the shadows that had played tricks on her mind. Now she could clearly see that the room was as empty as it always was; the furniture and decorations reverting to their mundane, nonthreatening appearances. Even the painting had lost its edge, once again showing the princess of Equestria as the regal mare that everyone saw her as.

Sunset returned to her bed, tiredness beginning to overtake whatever anxiety had possessed her. She once again covered herself in the warm, soft blankets, and rested her head on the plush pillows. As she drifted back to sleep, she thought of those grand vistas that stretched out around her. She thought of the waters, and the hills, and the leafy trees that swayed in the gentle nighttime breeze. She thought of the moon, and the Mare that hung over her, watching...and waiting.

Chapter One - Through Thick and Thin

Author's Notes:

It is strongly recommended that the prologue is read prior to reading this chapter.

If Sunset had been told that morning that she would be spending her day galloping through the streets of Canterlot pursued by guards, she probably would have laughed. And yet, there she was, doing her best to put distance between herself and her pursuers, with laughter being the last thing on her mind. The sound of her hooves pounding the cobblestones echoed through the otherwise peaceful neighborhood she found herself in. Sunset, however, was much more interested in the cacophony of clanking metal armor and raised voices that sounded a bit too close for comfort.

The heat of the midday sun, while pleasantly warm under normal circumstances, sapped her energy and tired her slender limbs. Her breathing was quick, her chest heaving in an attempt to fuel her overworked muscles. Sunset’s eyes darted to and fro as she ran, desperately looking for a means of escape.

The residential areas of Canterlot were sparsely populated at this time of day. Most ponies were either off at work, or at school, or out doing their shopping. While this meant that there were few ponies there to get in her way, it also meant that Sunset could not attempt to lose her pursuers in a crowd. She briefly considered trying to make a break for one of the busier areas of town, but she dismissed this idea, as it would take her too far away from her intended destination.

Sunset continued to weave her way through the streets, making sharp turns around corners, doubling back, and doing whatever she could to try to give the ponies following her the slip. No matter what she did, though, they always seemed to be right on her tail. She would catch glimpses of them out of the corner of her eye, or sometimes hear them yelling from afar. Sunset knew this couldn’t go on forever. She was fast, but she knew the guards would eventually wear her down if it came to a war of attrition. She needed to lose them soon, or else she would be in serious trouble.

Luckily, Sunset found just what she wanted to find. There was a small alleyway wedged between two houses on her right side. As soon as it popped into her view, she veered towards it, hoping against hope that this would be her out. The passage was narrow, and scattered with boxes and garbage cans, but the petite young mare managed to weave her way through without too much difficulty.

The alleyway ended in a three-way junction, the path splitting off to the left and right. A quick glance revealed that the left path led out onto another street, and the right path extended for a few more yards before ending at a tall wall. Thinking quickly, Sunset darted to the right and jumped behind a conveniently placed crate that was just big enough to provide her with cover. Sunset pulled her legs in and ducked her head down. She tried her hardest to stifle her breath, even as her lungs burned and called out for air. She sat there shaking, waiting in silence for whatever came next.

Sunset didn’t have to wait long. Soon enough, she could hear the heavy hooves and the bulky armor of the guards as they clamored their way through the alleyway she had just come down. She could hear them struggle to avoid the various obstacles that littered their way, the sounds of heavy impacts and angry exclamations filling the air. Finally, they arrived at the junction, just a hop, skip, and a jump away from their quarry.

Sunset held her breath and squeezed her eyes shut, her ears straining to hear every last detail. The guards came to a halt, quickly surveying the situation they found themselves in. Sunset was so close to them that she could hear their heavy breathing. Through gasped breaths, the guards declare the right path to be a dead end, and decide that Sunset would have to have gone to the left. Grunts and angry muttering could be heard as the sound of galloping hooves resumed, heading in the opposite direction from Sunset’s hiding spot.

Sunset sat there, unmoving and unthinking, transfixed on the slowly receding noise of her would-be pursuers. It started off as a roar, then shrunk to a clamor, then to a mumble, and then it was gone, leaving her sitting there listening to the drumming of her heartbeat in her ears. Finally, Sunset let go; her mouth flew open and she gulped down the air like it was a sweet nectar. She leaned her head back against the hard wood behind her and slowly opened her eyes, gazing up at the bright blue sky above her.

Her legs uncoiled from the tight embrace they had been in and stretched across the ground, finally able to rest. Sunset lied there for a while, too exhausted to even think of getting up and leaving. Eventually, she could feel her heartbeat resume its normal rhythm and her breath return to its normal intensity. Steeling herself, Sunset rolled to the side and pushed herself up onto her weary limbs. She knew she had to keep moving; she still had somewhere to be.

Sunset slowly made her way back through the alley to the street she had come from, carefully avoiding the mess the guards had made. A quick scan of the street revealed no passersby, and more importantly, no guards snooping around. Sunset emerged and set off back down the road at a brisk trot, going as fast as she could without drawing attention to herself. The chase had led her off course from where she had been trying to get to, and it took her a minute to re-orient herself. Luckily, the tall towers of Canterlot Castle were an ever-present landmark throughout the city, allowing her to find her way back to her intended path relatively easily.

Now that her mind was no longer preoccupied with more pressing matters, Sunset was able to enjoy the serenity of the urban landscape around her. A soft breeze whistled through the air, cooling her warm, sweat-covered brow. The rows of neat little houses she passed were quiet, but not completely lifeless. Sunset occasionally saw ponies shaking out rugs, hanging laundry out to dry, and doing other such household chores. She even thought he could smell the aroma of baked goods wafting from an open window. A small group of fillies and colts ran past her, laughing and giggling amongst themselves. Sunset breathed a sigh of relief, a gentle smile appearing on her face.

The rest of Sunset’s journey passed by without incident. It only took her a few more minutes of weaving though the neighborhood before she finally reached her destination: Hesperia Park. It was the largest public park in this area of the city, and was conveniently close to the castle. Sunset paused for a moment to take in the scene before her. The vast expanse of emerald-green grass was perfectly maintained; no overgrown or dead spots to be seen. Well-trimmed trees dotted the landscape, providing patches of shade for ponies to rest in. A stone path wound its way through the little hills and slopes, leading to a small rest area with benches and a large marble fountain. Altogether, the park was an excellent example of the image of beauty and tranquility that the city worked so hard to maintain.

While normally peaceful, the park was very lively at that hour, full of ponies coming and going, running and playing, and generally enjoying the warm, sunny day in whatever ways struck their fancy. Sunset could see groups of foals running about playing tag, hide-and-seek, or simply just rolling through the grass. Older ponies walked the paths chatting, or sat down to enjoy their midday meals, or tried to keep an eye on their little ones as best they could. However, there was only one pony in the crowd that Sunset was interested in: the young mare standing by the park entrance.

The pony in question was around Sunset’s age; far too old to be mistaken for a mere filly, but not quite a fully grown mare as of yet. Her coat was a pale blue, like an early-morning sky, but her mane was a much darker shade of the same color, almost mistakable for black at a distance. Her amber-colored eyes, big and beautiful, were darting about, as if looking for something. She was fidgeting slightly, shifting her weight back and forth between her hooves, and pursing her lips. And yet, despite her apparent agitation, the mare maintained an overall image of calm and composure, such that only somepony who knew her very well could have seen through it.

Sunset smirked upon laying eyes on the mare, a devious gleam in her eye. She approached the entrance slowly, taking extra care to move as quietly as possible. Luckily for Sunset, the mare was too preoccupied with scanning the crowd in the park to notice her. She was able to get all the way up to her target without being discovered. In one swift motion, Sunset leaned in right next to the mare’s ear and whispered, “Boo!”

The unsuspecting mare jumped at the sound, giving an adorable, albeit ladylike, squeal. She whipped her head around to identify the unknown threat, her eyes wide with fear. She stared at Sunset for a moment before breathing a sigh of relief and trying to regain her composure. “Sunset, you scared me,” she said, sounding more hurt than angry.

Sunset held a hoof to her mouth, struggling to keep herself from laughing at the mare’s reaction. “I’m sorry Nova; I just couldn’t help myself.”

Nova quickly recovered from her shock, a worried expression replacing the fearful one that had been there moments earlier. “Where were you?” began Nova. “When you didn’t show up, I started to get worried. And then I saw the guards running around and I thought that something might have happened to you. I didn’t know whether I should stay and wait for you, or if I should have gone out and tried to find you, or if the guards were going to come after me next, or...” Nova trailed off, getting flustered by her own recollection.

Sunset put a hoof on her shoulder to comfort her. “Hey, Nova, it’s alright. I just had a bit of bad luck getting out of the castle. Wouldn’t be the first time,” Sunset chuckled. “Besides, I could handle those hay-brains with one hoof tied behind my back.” She tried to give Nova a reassuring smile.

Nova smiled back at her, her expression loosening. “I know,” she said. “If there’s anypony who can handle themselves out there, it’s you. But what was so important that we had to come out here today, anyway? You never did tell me.”

“Oh, that can wait,” Sunset began. “Why don’t we just hang out for a while; enjoy the day?” Sunset started towards the main path, before glancing back over her shoulder. “Besides, it’s not like we have any reason to hurry back now.” Nova opened her mouth as if to say something, but then stopped, breathing a defeated sigh and moving to catch up with Sunset.

The two mares walked side-by-side down the path, the sound of their hooves settling into a gentle rhythm. Sunset began crowd watching as she went along, always managing to find entertainment in the day-to-day lives of the common pony. She spotted a stuffy-looking stallion sitting on a bench nearby, reading a newspaper. “Hey, look at Mister Frowny-Flanks over there,” she whispered to Nova. “What kind of pony would come out on a beautiful day like this just to sit and stare at a boring old newspaper,” she said jokingly.

“And look at her,” Sunset continued, indicating a filly that was blowing a very large bubble with her gum. “Part of me just wants to run over there and pop that thing.” Sunset looked over at her companion, only to see that Nova looked distracted, clearly worried about something. Sunset gave her a playful nudge. “Come on, I’m just kidding,” she said.

“Sunset, aren’t you worried about the princess?” said Nova. “The last time you got caught sneaking out...”

She didn’t need to finish; Sunset remembered that day well. She had seen Celestia sitting high on her throne talking down to her petitioners and servants many times. But it is one thing to watch from afar in safety, another entirely to be in the hot seat yourself. The sight of that majestic monarch gazing down at you from her golden throne was enough to make even the bravest of ponies sweat. Even Sunset, who was probably closer to the princess than anypony else, could not help but feel uneasy in those rare occasions that she had to stand before her in that setting.

“Oh, it wasn’t that bad,” said Sunset, trying her best to sound calm and collected. “Sure, she can be a bit...intimidating at times, but her bark is much worse than her bite. She’ll probably just drag me in and give me another boring speech about responsibility or something. And then I’ll nod a few times, apologize for my bad behavior, and promise to never do it again. Worst case scenario: she’ll make me do a bit of extra studying. Nothing I can’t handle.”

Nova looked over at her, her worried expression softening somewhat. “I wish I could be more like you when it comes to this sort of thing. You never let anything rattle you; you always know what to do or what to say to make everything right again. If it were me standing up there, I don’t know what I’d do.”

Sunset gave Nova a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, Nova,” she said. “As long as I’m around, you don’t have to worry about her or anyone else bothering you. Sunset Shimmer isn’t the sort of mare to not look out for her best friend.” The last remnants of concern on Nova’s face melted away, leaving that genuine smile that Sunset was rarely able to coax out of her.

The two ponies had just about reached the central rest area, when Sunset noticed a small ice cream cart by the fountain, with a matching ice cream pony serving the icy treats to the crowd. “Hey, how about a snack?” she asked Nova. “You don’t mind, do you?” she said, suddenly remembering that food wasn’t free outside the castle. Despite living in luxury, Sunset had very little money of her own, having no real means of obtaining it, or any real use for it for that matter.

“Not at all,” Nova replied, fishing her coin purse out of her dainty saddlebags. The mares got in the line which, fortunately for them, was not very long. Sunset and Nova soon arrived at the cart, and were served their ice cream cones from the kindly old ice cream pony. Sunset got a scoop of mint chocolate chip; Nova got vanilla bean. The two took their treats and sat down on a nearby bench to rest and eat.

In between devouring her ice cream, Sunset resumed her previous commentary on the park’s inhabitants. She enthusiastically pointed out anything she deemed noteworthy. Bickering couples, old mares feeding the birds, ponies with silly haircuts; none were safe from her appraisal. Sunset’s musings managed to elicit a giggle from Nova. Sunset turned to look at her, watching her lick and nibble at her dessert in a very ladylike manner.

Sunset remembered the first time she had met the pony who would become her closest companion. Nova Obscura had been a tiny little filly when Princess Celestia introduced the two. Sunset was skeptical of her at first, as is typical of fillies and colts when someone attempts to set them up in an arranged friendship. However, it didn’t take long for the young unicorn to grow on her and become a welcome part of her life.

Perhaps Sunset had felt sorry for the poor filly, who always seemed so nervous around the castle and its sophisticated inhabitants. Sunset didn’t blame her; she herself had been overwhelmed by palace life back in those days, shortly after she had begun her studies under Princess Celestia. But having Nova by her side had always made Sunset feel more at ease, knowing there was somepony who looked up to her and depended on her. Sunset liked to think that Nova had benefited from her company as well, Nova having gone from being a timid little filly to an elegant young mare, adapting much more to their high-society life than Sunset had.

Over the years that they had spent playing together, studying together, and growing up together, Sunset had come to know almost everything about her, despite Nova not being the sort to talk about herself unprompted. Nova’s father was a low-level officer of the royal guard; her mother was a maid who worked in the castle. They were both kind and loving parents, according to Nova, and were happy in their lives, despite their humble circumstances. Sunset had had to take Nova’s word on that, as the two had always seemed so reserved and formal in the rare times Sunset got to speak with them.

Nova was kind, polite, and enjoyable to be around, unlike some of the other young mares of the court, who Sunset regarded as petty and empty-headed. Throughout their years of studying under their private tutors, Nova had shown herself to be of respectable intelligence. While not as gifted as Sunset when it came to complex subjects like magic, Nova had demonstrated an impressive work ethic and motivation that Sunset was often envious of.

At formal events, which ranged from boring to mind-numbing in Sunset’s opinion, Nova’s companionship was often the one saving grace she had. Being able to escape the seemingly endless hours of hobnobbing and elbow-rubbing by chatting with Nova was always a welcome reprieve. Sunset didn’t know how Nova managed to keep hold of her sanity at times like those; she supposed that Nova just had a knack for small talk. An excellent companion in such circumstances, and an excellent one in general, Sunset reflected.

Suddenly, Sunset was pulled from her reverie by the voice of the very pony she had been thinking about. “Sunset,” Nova said. “You really must be more careful.” Sunset was momentarily confused, before Nova produced an embroidered handkerchief and raised it to Sunset’s mouth. Nova wiped her companion’s lips, the cloth removing generous amounts of light green ice cream, which Sunset had not noticed until that moment.

“Thanks, Nova,” Sunset chuckled awkwardly. “I can always count on you to save the day.” The two returned to their snacking and their witty observations, losing themselves in the moment. It was rare for Sunset and Nova to have times like this, and Sunset relished them every time they came. No work to do, no guards watching them from afar, no snobby aristocrats whispering about them behind their backs, just two ponies enjoying each other’s company and the simple pleasures of a sunny afternoon.

Sunset wished that that time could have lasted forever; that somehow she could capture that moment in a bubble and live in it, letting the rest of the big, wide world and its troubles pass her by. Sadly, such a feat was beyond the magical abilities of even a talented unicorn such as herself. Eventually, their ice creams were gone and the lunchtime crowds thinned, ponies returning to their homes, their jobs, or whatever else they had waiting for them. Sunset almost wished she could have joined them, but she knew that she had her own life to go back to and her own troubles to attend to.

Sunset begrudgingly rose from her resting place, stretching out her legs. She turned back to Nova, a hint of excitement in her eyes. “Well, I think it’s time I showed you why I dragged you out here.” Nova stood, an intrigued look on her face, and followed Sunset as she led her away. The two walked out onto the grass, Sunset trying to find a good spot far away from anypony else. They ended up at the top of a small hill, which provided an excellent view of the park and the sky overhead.

“All right, Nova,” Sunset began, levitating a worn notebook out of her saddlebags and flipping through it. “All you have to is sit back and watch.”

“What exactly am I going to be watching?” asked Nova, a twinge of concern creeping into her voice upon recognizing the book that her companion was perusing.

Sunset skimmed through pages of messy handwriting, crude diagrams, and the occasional doodle, before finding what she was looking for. The section she was looking at was covered in complex calculations, with several crossed-out sections scattered throughout. “You know how we were reading that old treatise on weather construction last week? Well, it reminded me of something I read a while ago about the theoretical limitations of weather magic, and that got me thinking about—“

“Sunset,” Nova sighed. “This is another one of your experiments, isn’t it?”

“Don’t worry, Nova,” said Sunset confidently. “I double checked my sources and went over my calculations a dozen times. I’m sure it will work.”

“You said that the last time as well,” said Nova. Her face was regressing to that familiar look of worry that Sunset had tried so hard to dispel.

“It’s not gonna be like last time. Besides, his hair grew back,” Sunset said sheepishly. She cleared her throat, returning her focus to her book. “This one’s much simpler. In essence, all I need to do is artificially condense the atmospheric water vapor into a visible, self-sustaining mass.”

“You mean...you’re trying to make a cloud?” asked Nova, her nervousness tempered with genuine curiosity.

“Yep!” Sunset replied. “And if I can pull this off, imagine what else I could do. With a few minor modifications, I should even be able to make rain, or snow, or hail!”

While Nova didn’t want to rain on Sunset’s parade, she felt she had to chime in upon hearing such ambitious talk. “But you know that only Pegasus ponies can make make weather. Did you at least ask someone to look over your spell? One of our tutors, maybe? Or perhaps the princess?”

Sunset scoffed at Nova’s question. “Are you kidding?” she said. “If they knew what I was doing, they’d never let me try it out. I don’t get what their problem is; you can’t make discoveries without taking a few risks.”

Nova shook her head, puzzled. “I don’t know, Sunset,” she said. “I just can’t see it. Unicorns have spent centuries trying to produce even the lightest drizzle without success. It just can’t be done.”

If there was one thing that irked Sunset, it was being told that there was something she couldn’t do. She was Sunset Shimmer, the most powerful unicorn her age, and the protege of the Princess of Equestria herself. She could do things that would enthrall the foolish and impress the wisest. Yet she couldn’t handle something as simple as simple as a puffy little cloud? Preposterous.

“Well, Nova,” Sunset began, her voice dripping with smug determination. “None of those ponies were me.” Sunset raised her head and gazed upon the clear blue sky hanging overhead. Not a cloud to be seen for miles around; that would change soon, she thought. Sunset concentrated, mentally reaching out for that well of magic energy that was as familiar to her as her own tail. The horn atop her head began to glow it’s distinctive blue-green as Sunset aimed it towards the vast expanse above her.

Sunset knew what she had to do. She had run through it in her head countless times. She knew just how to push, prod, and caress her target into the form she desired. Soon, the sky itself would bend to her will. Nothing could possibly go wrong.

Watching from the sidelines, Nova’s expression was a mix of fear, excitement, and wonder. Her eyes darted back and forth between Sunset and the sky, unsure of where to look. She bit her lip in anticipation, the tension rising quickly.

Suddenly, Nova thought she saw a flicker of movement high overhead. It was hardly visible, no less transparent than the haze of heat that hangs above roads on hot summer days. But what started as merely a small ripple was quickly growing in size and intensity. Soon, the spot was spasming violently, as if a great quantity of energy was being contained in a single point, struggling to burst free and escape.

The mental strain of the spell Sunset was casting was significant, but not overwhelming. She wouldn’t have thought that manipulating a small amount of water would be so difficult. Then again, if it were easy, somepony else would have already done it. She didn’t mind having to push herself, though; she was no weakling.

Nova’s heart beat faster and faster as she watched the bizarre spectacle unfold before her. She did not know whether she should continue standing by, watching helplessly, or if she should attempt to stop Sunset before something bad happened. Just when she thought she couldn’t bear the suspense any longer, it happened.

Sunset’s eyes closed in concentration, and she uttered a drawn-out, throaty grunt, as if lifting a heavy object. With one final surge of willpower on her part, and a corresponding shine from her horn, Sunset unleashed the spell.

Sunset’s head flopped downward, exhausted from the effort. She was breathing heavily; her heart pounded in her chest. Her eyes flickered open, staring at the ground beneath her hooves. As she took a moment to recover, she heard Nova’s voice from behind her.

“Sunset, you...you did it,” said Nova, barely audible.

Sunset slowly raised her head back up, her eyes wide. There it was, floating high above her: a cloud. It was the puniest little wisp of cloud Sunset had ever laid eyes on, but it was a cloud nonetheless. Sunset almost couldn’t believe it. It had worked; her spell had worked. She had succeeded where the some of the wisest and most powerful wizards in history had failed. Sunset was speechless, merely standing there in awe of her own accomplishment.

Out of the corner of her eye, Sunset saw Nova walk up beside her, her face similarly glued to the sky. Sunset slowly turned her head to look at her, struggling to tear her eyes away from her creation. Nova followed suit, the two ponies meeting each other’s gaze. Nova’s expression was one of pure, unadulterated amazement; her mouth hung agape, and her wide eyes shone like Sunset had never seen before.

As they stood there, Sunset saw the corners of Nova’s mouth move higher and higher, pulling her face into a wide grin. Sunset subconsciously mirrored her, the look of joy on Nova’s face too infectious to resist. Suddenly, the two ponies’ chests began to vibrate with the seeds of a giggle, barely audible even to themselves. The low rumblings quickly grew into breathy chuckles, each mare feeding off of the giddiness of the other. The rising tide of their laughter continued to swell, until they were both swept into full-on, thunderous belly laughs. Sunset’s eyes clamped shut, happy tears welling up behind them.

Without warning, Sunset felt a large, warm weight slam into her front, knocking her back slightly. Her eyes jerked open, revealing Nova holding her in a tight embrace, her forelegs wrapped around Sunset’s neck and her face buried in Sunset’s fiery mane. Sunset reciprocated, draping a leg around Nova’s neck and leaning into the hug, holding her close. The two stood there, half laughing and half crying, until at last they burned themselves out, their vocalizations replaced by heavy breathing as peace returned to their minds and bodies.

Sunset stood upright, gently pushing Nova back until the two could once again look at each other. Nova’s cheeks were damp with tears, her modest makeup smearing slightly; her lips were settled into a gentle grin. “I told you I could do it,” said Sunset, finally braking the silence. In their exuberance, Nova had almost forgotten what they had been so excited about in the first place. Standing on her own four legs once again, she turned her head skyward once again, toward the source of their mirth.

Sunset saw Nova’s smile dropped off of her face like a glass dropped on the kitchen floor, shattering into pieces. Sunset jolted to attention, her head jerking upwards to follow Nova’s gaze. Her heart skipped a beat upon seeing what now occupied the space that she and Nova had been staring at only moments before. Where there had once been a tiny, picturesque puff of cotton no bigger then her head, now floated a large, misshapen mass several times the size of her body. And as the two ponies stared at it, it visibly expanded.

The cloud bubbled, new masses ballooning out from the main body, sometimes collapsing and sometimes remaining. Thick tendrils slowly reached out from all around it, as if the cloud were clawing at the air, trying to grab hold of it and draw it into itself. The ponies watched it bend and stretch, seeming as if it would lose cohesion and break apart at any moment, although it never did; it continued to swell and reform, never anything more than a single, monolithic monstrosity.

“Sunset...” began Nova, her voice quivering. Sunset, however, was no longer paying attention to the world around her. Her mind was running a mile a minute, completely fixated on this new turn of events. As quick as lightning, Sunset was once again poring through her notes, re-reading every marking, questioning every conclusion, desperately searching for an explanation. Her eyes darted back and forth between the pages before her and the sky above her, unable to tear her gaze away from her creation for more than a second at a time.

Sunset was lost, having not the slightest inkling of an idea in her brain as to why this was happening. Her heart was racing; her body shaking, breaking out into a cold sweat. A storm of emotions tore a path through her mind: confusion as to where she had gone wrong, anger and frustration at herself for her impotence, and fear for the consequences should she be unable to rectify the situation quickly.

“Uhh...” uttered Sunset, too mentally preoccupied for more sophisticated communication. She started flipping back through the pages of her notebook, desperately searching for some inspiration, some idea, some miracle that would make everything right again. In her sporadic glances, she saw the cloud had grown even larger, now covering a large swath of the sky, and had adopted a noticeably darker coloration than it had had previously.

Finally, Sunset’s patience ran out, her rising rage overflowing and muscling out everything else in her mind. She threw her notes to the ground with a frustrated grunt and fixed her gaze squarely on the sprawling cloud above her. Her horn began to glow with a brilliant light as she built up her mental energy for an all-out assault. No tact, no strategy, no clever tricks; Sunset would bring this abomination to heel through sheer might. She had brought it into this world, and now she would take it out. She was Sunset Shimmer; she would not be denied.

Sunset unleashed a massive wave of magic, assaulting the cloud from all angles. She reached out, extending her influence across every inch of the grotesque mass, wrapping it in a tight blanket of telekinetic force. Sunset took hold and squeezed, determined to crush the life out of the unruly collection of water vapor. The cloud, however, fought back, wrestling with Sunset and putting her strength to the test. It threw itself against its immaterial prison like a wild animal in a cage, not caring if it hurt itself in its bid for freedom.

The pressure on Sunset’s mind increased rapidly, like a balloon being inflated to the point of bursting. She struggled to even keep it contained, much less compress it back to its original size. Her mental strength was draining by the second, unable to keep up with the relentless thrashing of her captive. Sunset clenched her jaw, refusing to give up the battle; a bead of sweat ran down her forehead. But as stubborn as Sunset was, even she couldn’t hold out against such a foe forever. With a single, explosive burst, the cloud broke the tenuous hold she had on it and surged outward in all directions.

The mental backlash knocked Sunset off balance, her shaky limbs barely managing to save her from falling to the ground. Her mind burned as if from friction, the pain radiating throughout her entire body. Despite her disorientation, Sunset became aware of a leg wrapped around her, pulling her up, and a voice in her ear, distorted and hazy. “No, no, no, Sunset! Get up! Please get up!” she managed to discern.

The exhausted Sunset managed to weakly raise her head toward the source of the voice. Her vision was blurry, but she could make out the face of Nova Obscura above her, her eyes wide in terror. Summoning all her strength, Sunset pushed herself back into a standing position, with Nova helping as best she could. When she was sturdy once again, Sunset looked back to the sky, and was horrified by what she saw there.

The cloud had grown to the size of a building and showed no signs of slowing its expansion. While it had started its life as pure white as a snowbank, it had now become a dark grey, looking more like smoke than a cloud. Even worse, Sunset was now aware of a gentle, but steady current of wind flowing into the heart of the mass. It pulled at her mane, strands of scarlet hair standing at attention like flags in a gale. She could see leaves and flowers being plucked from the ground or from trees and sucked up into the heart of the behemoth.

Sunset became conscious of a chorus of panicked exclamations emanating from all around her. Upon glancing at her surroundings, she could see that they were not the only ones who were aware of what was going on. Those few ponies still wandering the park had taken notice of the thing that Sunset hesitated to call a cloud anymore. Some pointed and screamed, others called out to their friends and loved ones, trying to gather themselves and retreat as quickly as possible. Others still simply turned tail and ran away as fast as their hooves could carry them.

Nova put a hoof on Sunset’s shoulder, shaking her gently to get her attention. “Sunset! We have to get out of here! There’s nothing more you can do,” pleaded Nova, tears streaming down her face. Sunset looked her in the eye, seeing the fear that had taken hold of her. Although her mind was still cloudy, Sunset realized that the situation had become too much for them to handle. As much as it pained her to admit it, she had failed, and her failure would soon bring harm to Canterlot and its citizens.

Sunset took hold of Nova, adopting a commanding tone and saying, “You go. Get out of here and get help.” Sunset turned her head back towards the beast in the sky. “I’m gonna do whatever I can to slow that thing down,” she said resolutely.

“No! I can’t just leave you here on your own. You’ll get hurt!” replied Nova, sounding uncharacteristically defiant.

Between the pain in her head, the exhaustion of her body, and the chaos in her mind, Sunset was not in the mood to argue. Shifting her weight, Sunset gave Nova as powerful a shove as her weary limbs could muster. “I said go, Nova! Do as I say!” Sunset yelled at her. Nova stumbled back a few feet, shocked by both the physical and verbal assault. Nova hesitated a moment, staring at her companion, whose eyes were locked on the gaseous mass high above them. Reluctantly, Nova turned away from her and ran.

Sunset waited until she could no longer hear Nova’s hoofsteps over the sound of the wind, which was slowly but surely increasing in intensity. “Okay. Here we go,” she said softly to herself. Sunset didn’t know what she could do, but she knew she was going to give all that she had to give. Sunset concentrated, summoning as much of her remaining energy as she could. Her horn flickered to life, its glow waxing and waning as she struggled to fight though the pain and exhaustion.

Sunset charged and fired a burst of magic, a bright beam of energy tracing a path from the tip of her horn to the dark cloud above. The impact made an indent in its surface, but compared to the overall size of the whole, the effect was negligible. Sunset winced at the exertion, her vision becoming cloudy yet again, but she did not allow herself to rest. As soon as she could, she once again took aim at her target and fired.

The impacts of Sunset’s attacks were many, but were largely ineffective on their own. Nevertheless, Sunset kept up her barrage, firing again and again, until she had used up the last of her reserves. She was spent, the unicorn’s energy finally running out. Sunset collapsed to the ground, her legs no longer possessing the strength to support her. The grass made for a soft cushion, a small comfort in that trying time. She rolled her head to survey the scene, lacking even the strength to raise it up again.

Her enemy had grown to cover half the park in its shadow, and still showed no sign of stopping. The wind had reached the strength of a mighty storm, the trees themselves bending as it pulled them toward the sky. Sunset’s eyelids dropped, unconsciousness rapidly approaching. The last thing she saw before darkness took her was a small glimmer of white light in the distance, flying toward her from the direction of the castle.

Sunset was woken from her comatose state by the sound of voices somewhere nearby. She gradually pushed her way back into the waking world, the effort not made any easier by the lingering headache she still had. Her eyelids fluttered open slowly, Sunset taking time to let her eyes adjust to the light. When she could finally see properly, she realized that she was looking up at very familiar surroundings. It was the ceiling of her bedroom in the castle, a sight she had spent many hours of her life gazing up at. Around her, Sunset could feel the warm embrace of her bedding and the soft support of her pillows. Under different circumstances, she probably would have felt very comfortable.

Comfort, however, was the last thing on Sunset’s mind at the moment. She was groggy, confused, and slightly nauseous, but she was already working hard to make sense of her situation. She thought back, trying to piece together the events of the day. She remembered meeting Nova in the park, and she remembered them sitting and having ice cream. They had finished and then gone up a hill so that Sunset could...

Sunset’s eyes went wide as she remembered the little experiment she had been so eager to show off not long ago. Her mind filled with a thousand questions at once, none of them bringing her any comfort. What had gone wrong with her experiment? What happened to the cloud she had made? Had anypony been hurt? How had she gotten here? And what had happened to Nova after she had sent her running off?

Sunset’s thoughts were interrupted by a sharp pang in her head, eliciting a pained groan from her dry throat. As the pain subsided, she realized that she could hear the sound of a conversation coming from the direction of her bedroom door. The voices were hushed, and Sunset could not make out every word, but she could tell that one of them was deep and masculine, while the other was softer, feminine, and very familiar. “Tell the princess that she’s still recovering,” she heard the familiar voice say. “As soon as she’s ready, I’ll let you know. Now, please, sir. I really must get back to her.” Sunset heard the deep voice say something she couldn’t hear, followed by the sound of the door closing.

A tired sigh echoed through the room, presumably from the owner of the familiar voice. Sunset heard hoofsteps on the hard floor, approaching the side of the bed. She felt a tremendous weight lift off of her when Nova Obscura stepped into her view, looking distracted and not paying Sunset any attention. Sunset parted her cracked lips and managed to weakly croak out, “Nova”.

Nova’s head zipped toward her, the worried expression replaced by one of shock. Nova stared at Sunset for half a moment before finding her voice. “Sunset?” she whispered. Nova’s face broke into a quivering smile, before she let out an overjoyed cry of “Sunset!” She lunged at Sunset, wrapping her in a tight embrace and nuzzling her neck. “I was so worried about you! They told me you were gonna be alright, but there was just so much going on and you just wouldn’t wake up and I was just so scared that...” Nova spoke quickly and hysterically, eventually becoming unintelligible as her words mixed with sobs and were muffled by the pillows.

Sunset closed her eyes and lied there, in that moment caring about nothing else than the fact that Nova was safe. She gave Nova a minute to get the excitement out of her system, before getting her attention again. “Nova,” Sunset spoke gently. Nova slowly pulled back, looking at Sunset face to face. This close, Sunset could see that her eyes were red, and her face was wet with tears. “It’s okay, Nova. I’m alright,” said Sunset, attempting to comfort the distraught pony.

Sunset’s words seemed effective, Nova somewhat regaining her normal composure. “I’m sorry,” Nova began. “I just wish you wouldn’t scare me like that.”

Sunset’s mind returned to her earlier worries, and wanted to get as many answers as she could. Summoning her strength, Sunset tried to push herself up into a more dignified position. Nova helped as best as she could, gently maneuvering Sunset so that she was propped up against her pillows, the two ponies eye level with each other. “Take it easy, now,” said Nova. “You’ve been out for several hours.”

Sunset had thought that was probably the case. “What happened back there?” she asked Nova. “The cloud...”

“Gone,” Nova stated flatly. “The princess saw to that. She and the others were able to beat it back before it could cause any serious damage. Nopony got hurt. Well, nopony except for...” Nova trailed off, but Sunset could tell that she was talking about her.

“How did I get back here?” Sunset continued. “The last thing I remember was being back on that hill.”

Nova adopted a serious demeanor, recalling the events of earlier that day. “I had run off to get help. I ran and I ran, until I happened upon some guards on patrol. I explained the situation as best as I could, and they were able to sound the alarm. As soon as I could, I went back to make sure that you were okay. When I got there, I saw her. Princess Celestia, I mean. She had you on her back, and was flying back to the castle. I could see some guards and some of the weather ponies trying to contain the cloud, but I didn’t stick around to watch. I ran back here as fast as I could, but by the time I got here, the princess had already come and gone, flown back to the park to help the others.”

Sunset’s heart sank upon hearing Nova’s story. The princess herself had had to swoop in and save her, and then clean up her mess. She had foolishly hoped that somehow the incident would escape her notice. Sunset tried to hide her embarrassment as Nova continued her tale.

“The whole castle was in a panic. Ponies were seeking shelter, guards were running about trying to coordinate a response,” said Nova. “It took me forever to find out where they had taken you. By the time I got up here, the doctors had already seen to you. They told me that you had just collapsed from exhaustion, and that you’d be fine after some rest, but I wanted to be sure; I stayed up here to keep an eye on you.”

Sunset thanked the stars that she had somepony like Nova in her life. She almost teared up at the thought of Nova sitting at her bedside, probably sick with worry the whole time. “What happened next?” Sunset prodded.

“Well,” Nova continued. “About and hour or two after I got here, one of the guards came up here to check on you. He wouldn’t tell me what had happened, just that the situation was under control. He also said that...” Nova swallowed, mustering her strength before finishing. “He said that the princess had requested an audience with you as soon as possible.”

There it was. Sunset had known something like this was coming; she had felt it in her gut. Her joking comments from earlier that day about how easily she could “handle” the princess crept back into her mind, now seeming to mock her in her misfortune. It had been a long time since she had genuinely feared an encounter with Princess Celestia. At that moment, her confidence was hanging on by a thread, ready to snap at the slightest provocation.

“They’ve come back every so often since then, but I’ve managed to keep them at bay,” said Nova, the slightest hint of pride in her voice. Sunset was touched by Nova’s protectiveness. Normally, it was she who had to stand up for Nova and protect her. She would have found the reversal to be humorous, if not for the dour mood she was in. Sunset knew the princess was a patient mare, but she also did not want to test how long that patience would last.

Sunset gave Nova a grateful smile. “Thanks, Nova,” she said. “You did a good job. But we’re not out of the woods yet,” she said with a bittersweet twinge. “It wouldn’t do to keep the princess waiting.” Sunset moved to get up from her bed, her weary muscles straining to move the mare’s stiff body. Nova once again assisted her, half-lifting Sunset up off the mattress and onto her hooves. Sunset was hit with a wave of dizziness as her body rushed to adjust to the sudden change in position.

Nova was apprehensive, saying that Sunset should take some more time to rest before her audience with the princess, but Sunset would not be persuaded. Sunset did agree to eat and drink a little to recover her strength before they left. She gulped down a glass of cool water and ate some buttered bread that Nova had sent down for earlier. While she ate, Nova went outside to find a guard to let the princess know they were coming.

When Sunset had mentally and physically prepared herself, she and Nova began their long walk to the throne room. Out the door of her bedroom, through the suite, down the winding stairs of the tower they went, Nova walking alongside her in case she lost her balance. The great halls and corridors of the castle formed a labyrinth that Sunset knew like the back of her hoof, and that she could have navigated quickly if she had been so inclined. But as she walked through those high-walled passages, her hoofsteps echoing loudly in the deathly quiet, she wanted nothing more than to stretch out their journey as much as possible.

One can only delay their fate for so long, however. Sooner than she would have liked, Sunset found herself standing before the great doors that marked her destination. They loomed high above her, tall and menacing. In Sunset’s anxious mind, they seemed as silent guardians looking down upon her, ready to pass judgement on her.

She glanced to her side, where Nova stood looking straight ahead, unmoving. Nova had managed to restrain her outward excitement from earlier, returning to her usual, composed form. To the outside observer, she might have seemed like any normal lady of the court, a model of cool refinement and sophistication. Sunset, however, was not fooled; she knew Nova far too well for that. It was her eyes that gave her away; that thousand-yard stare that signaled to Sunset that she was paralyzed by fear. It was not hard to guess its cause, for Sunset was feeling the same fear in her own heart.

As the two stood in the antechamber, one of the double doors opened a crack, and a guard poked his face through. He leaned in and whispered something to one of the two guards standing at attention in front of the doors. The door guard nodded to his fellow, and the latter retreated, closing the door behind him. The door guards exchanged a silent signal, before snapping back into position. One of them opened his mouth, announcing in a booming voice, “Her Highness will see you now.” In perfect sync, the guards moved to stand by the sides of the portal, facing each other. Their horns lit up as they took hold of the doors and slowly pushed them open.

Sunset swallowed as she watched the last barrier between her and her doom being removed. She tried to summon whatever courage she could, already trying to anticipate what might transpire within that chamber and thinking about how best to escape the wrath of its occupant. Sunset leaned to the side to whisper in Nova’s ear, looking forward the whole time. “Let me do the talking,” she said, trying her best to sound confident; she received no reply. Together, the two mares stepped through the entryway and into the throne room.

Many ponies would have given their left hooves to be where Sunset was right then. Ambitious nobles, wealthy merchants, even humble commoners might have dreamed of getting a private audience with the princess. At that moment, Sunset would have gladly exchanged places with any one of them. She would have no such luck, however. For better or worse, her place was there, approaching the golden throne upon which sat the ruler of all ponydom.

The hoofsteps of the two mares echoed as they walked, sounding like thunder in the still silence of the room. The air was cold enough to give Sunset goosebumps, yet she was already sweating. A loud boom behind her announced the closing of the great doors, but she did not flinch; the entirety of her focus was directed forward, toward her.

She appeared as Sunset had seen her countless times before: sitting statuesquely on the highest level of her terraced throne. Her coat shone like polished ivory, flawless and immaculate. The two powerful wings that sprouted from her back were folded neatly, coiled like vipers ready to strike. Her elegant legs were strong enough to crack stone, yet supported her as gracefully as those of a ballerina. The majestic waves of color that were her mane and tail reminded Sunset of depictions she had seen of those strange lights that shimmered in the skies of the icy lands to the North, but none of those had held a candle to what she saw before her.

As Sunset gazed upon Princess Celestia, the wisest and most powerful pony in all the land, and her mentor of many years, the only feature that she was concerned with were those eyes. Every facet of Celestia’s appearance conveyed youth and beauty, all except for those magnificent eyes of hers. When she had had the chance to look at them up close, Sunset had often found herself getting lost in their depths. Those eyes seemed to open up into a vast world of mystery and knowledge that Sunset could not have hoped to understand in a dozen lifetimes. Gazing into them never failed to remind Sunset of exactly who she was dealing with.

Right then, however, those eyes gave her nothing. Celestia’s face was unreadable; no twitch nor twinge nor any other movement betrayed the princess’s inner thoughts. That beautiful face delivered only a very simple message to Sunset as she approached: that Celestia was the one in control, not her.

Sunset and Nova finally reached the end of their walk, feeling as if they had just walked a thousand miles under the heat of the burning sun. The exact distance away they were expected to stop at was unmarked, but Sunset knew the spot by heart, having seen hundreds of ponies from all walks of life prostrate themselves upon it over the years. And in rare instances such as this, even she had had to humble herself in a similar manner.

As one, Sunset and Nova bent their legs and lowered their heads, dropping into deep bows. They held their position for what felt like hours, feeling the heavy weight of the princess’s gaze pressing down on them. The room was silent save for the soft murmur of the water fixtures that decorated the throne. Just as Sunset’s still-weary legs started to ache, the silence was broken by Celestia’s voice. “Rise,” she said flatly, her tone as unemotional as her visage had been.

The two did as their princess commanded, rising back to their full heights. While Sunset turned her gaze toward Celestia, she saw out of the corner of her eye that Nova could not bring herself to follow suit, her head remaining slightly bowed and her eyes downcast. Sunset might have shared Nova’s fear, but that did not mean she was completely despondent. Bracing herself, she attempted to preempt the coming storm with her own words, desperately hoping to soften the inevitable impact by even the slightest amount. “Your Highness, I can explain,” she began, her voice betraying her fragile confidence.

“No, Sunset Shimmer,” said Celestia sternly. “You will listen.” Sunset’s lips snapped shut in a flash; her head dropped as if it had been physically forced down. She immediately regretted opening her mouth, silently cursing herself for her stupidity. “In fact,” the princess continued, “it would probably be best if I explained to you exactly what transpired today, so that you can fully appreciate the gravity of the situation.

“This morning, at approximately eleven thirty-eight, you left the castle grounds without permission and fled into the nearby residential district. Your departure was noticed by several patrolling guards, who pursued you for several miles. Despite their best efforts, you were able to elude them, and made your way to the nearby Hesperia Park. There, you rendezvoused with Nova Obscura, her having left the castle shortly before you did.” Sunset began to tremble as Princess Celestia displayed her apparent omniscience regarding her actions. When Nova’s name was spoken, Sunset saw the mare visibly tense.

“When you got to the park,” Celestia continued. “You decided to engage in a little...experimentation.” As she said this, Sunset noticed her horn begin to glow its signature golden yellow, prompting Sunset to raise her eyes once again. Sunset’s heart almost stopped when she saw, floating up from its resting place next to the princess, her notebook. The book floated towards her slowly, before suddenly dropping out of the air and landing unceremoniously at her hooves, its magical support severed. She saw that the book had been severely damaged; pages had been torn and ripped, some missing entirely, and the whole thing bore the marks of water damage.

“You attempted, from what I was able to surmise,” said Celestia, the slightest hint of frustration creeping into her voice, “to create a cloud out of thin air, using a spell of your own creation. A spell which you consulted neither your tutors nor myself in the design of. A spell which you, furthermore, immediately subjected to field testing in an uncontrolled environment, completely ignoring standard procedure for spell development. A spell which was, from its conception to its implementation, ignorant, arrogant, reckless, and downright foolish.” Celestia’s tone had descended from frustration to barely-restrained rage as she spoke, her last words hitting Sunset like slaps across her face.

Princess Celestia took a deep breath, the passion in her voice diminishing slightly. “If you were seeking to demonstrate your power as a unicorn, then I suppose you succeeded,” she said. “Not many wizards could boast that they generated a category-three arcane gravity well all on their own. I doubt many would want to, either.” Sunset was confused, trying fruitlessly to make sense of the princess’s comment. She vaguely recalled hearing about something like that in her Theoretical Magic class, but her brain was too flustered to assist her. Her ignorance only made the shame of her failure sting even more.

“In any case,” Celestia continued, “you created quite the mess for us to clean up. It is fortunate that I was here in Canterlot and was able to respond quickly. If I and the weather ponies had not taken action when we did, the damage could have been catastrophic. Innocent ponies could have been hurt. You could have been hurt.” Sunset heard something in these last words that made her take pause. Curiosity beating out fear, Sunset raised her head to look upon the princess once again.

When she looked into Celestia’s eyes, Sunset saw something she recognized immediately. She had seen those same eyes looking down on her the day she had been taken into the castle. She had seen them when she was sick in bed with the flu, and the princess had sat by her bedside. She had seen them the first time she made the princess laugh, all those years ago. They were soft eyes, caring eyes.

As she spoke again, Celestia’s voice changed. Gone was the stern, commanding tone that had greeted them upon their arrival. She sounded weaker, vulnerable, hurt even. “How could you have been so foolish, Sunset?” she said. “Pushing yourself so far to try and hide your mistake. You could have run, you could have gotten help, but you didn’t. You had to do it all on your own, as usual. Does your pride mean that much to you? Mean so much that you were willing to endanger your own life and the life of your friend?”

Sunset had been quiet up to that point, taking the verbal lashing with as much dignity as she could muster. She could handle having her own ignorance shoved in her face. She could handle being called foolish; at that moment, she would not have disagreed. But the accusation that she would have willingly put Nova in danger for the sake of her pride was not one that Sunset was willing to tolerate, not even from the princess.

As politely as she could, Sunset interjected, “Your Highness, I would never have—“

“Enough, Sunset,” Celestia interrupted. “I don’t want to hear it. This is difficult enough as it is.” A long pause filled the air before Celestia continued. “You, Sunset, are out of control. You blatantly disregard my commands, you galavant about the city doing who knows what, and you shirk your responsibilities to pursue these vanity projects, about which I have heard countless complaints. Fortunately, I think I have finally devised a solution to the problem.”

Those words echoes ominously throughout the room. Sunset’s mind went into overdrive, imagining every possible meaning of the phrase “solution to the problem”, most of which did not comfort her. A shiver ran down her spine.

Celestia spoke yet again, her voice sounding unnervingly friendly. “You want to get out of the castle?” she asked. “You want to see the world? You want a chance to prove yourself? Very well then. I am hereby appointing you to the position of royal ambassador, effective immediately.”

Sunset merely stood there, unable to process the words that she had just heard. She knew what they all meant individually, but that particular arrangement sounded to her ears as if it were a foreign language. Her face must have given away her confusion, she realized, as the princess was quick to follow up.

“I see that an explanation is in order,” said Celestia. She straightened herself, returning to her stately and dignified demeanor from earlier. “Equestria is vast country, inhabited by many different types of ponies. Many of these ponies face trouble and hardship in their daily lives, problems of the sort that they cannot resolve on their own. And so, they turn to their princess for aid. Every year, I receive thousands of petitions requesting my assistance in matters of great importance. I do what I can to help Equestria’s citizens, but there is only so much I can do from here in Canterlot, and I cannot be everywhere at once. This is where you come in. As my ambassador, you will act as my eyes, ears, and hooves. You will travel the land and answer their pleas in my stead.”

Sunset stood there, riveted to Celestia’s words as she spoke. When the princess finished, silence hung over the room, with neither student nor teacher sure of who would speak next. Sunset was lost in thought, pondering what this new turn of events would mean for her. Where would she be going? What would she be doing? Did this mean that her studies under the princess were at an end? Was she trying to get rid of her? All these questions and a hundred others raced through her mind.

Deciding that her continued silence would accomplish nothing, Sunset once again risked joining the heretofore one-sided conversation. “Princess, if I may...” she began.

“Speak your mind, Sunset,” said Celestia.

Emboldened by her response, Sunset continued. “This is quite a lot you’re asking of me,” she said, trying to sound as polite as possible. “I realize that what I did was wrong, and that I probably deserve to be punished, but are you sure about this? This seems like a bit of an...overreaction.” The word almost sounded like a question the way it slunk out of Sunset’s mouth, as if she was unsure whether or not she even wanted to risk going down that road.

The princess raised an eyebrow, but otherwise showed no emotional reaction to having her decision questioned. “I can assure you that I have not made this decision lightly,” she said. “While I appreciate that you recognize your own fault in this, you must also recognize that things cannot continue as they have been. You have always been difficult, Sunset, even as a little filly, but you have also shown great promise. At last, I feel I have found a way to channel your more...adventurous instincts toward something constructive, something that will be a benefit to everyone involved.

As to whether you are capable of performing this role, I have no doubts in my mind. While an aptitude for the magical arts may prove useful in times of trouble, what the ponies of Equestria really need is something much more immaterial, much more personal. They need to know that their princess stands with them, that she has not abandoned them. They need to know that, no matter who they are or where they may be, there is somepony watching over them.”

Sunset was not exactly comforted by what she heard. While the prospect of traveling Equestria, preventing catastrophes, and averting disasters had appealed to her somewhat, the idea of acting as a glorified cheerleader for the princess did not. Despite her apprehensions, Sunset chose not to fight Celestia’s decision. She was tired and had a lot to think about after everything that had happened that day. The last thing she wanted right then was to get in a pointless back-and-forth with the princess, which she knew would do nothing to change her mind. Sunset bowed her head in acknowledgement. “Yes, Your Highness,” she said politely.

A slight smile appeared on Celestia’s face, evidently pleased that her rebellious student had submitted so easily. “There are several preparations that must be made before you begin your mission,” she said. “You will be sent further details over the coming days. But for now, you are dismissed.”

Sunset sighed internally, thankful that the meeting was finally at an end. She wanted nothing more than to get back to her bedroom and throw herself down on the bed. Sunset and Nova repeated their deep bows from earlier, before rising and turning to leave. While Sunset had been too preoccupied to keep an eye on Nova the whole time, she could now see that she was noticeably less tense than she was before, and that her expression had regained a degree of normalcy. The two had not gone three feet when they heard something that plunged them both back into anxiety. “Nova Obscura, remain,” said Celestia from behind.

Sunset’s eyes went wide. In all the years they had known each other, Nova had never been called on to speak with the princess alone. In all of her encounters with Celestia, Sunset had always been there by her side. Whenever they had gotten in trouble, Sunset had always been there to take the blame and bear the brunt of the punishment. The fact that this was happening then, immediately after Sunset had received her own punishment, did not bode well.

Sunset looked over at Nova and saw that she had presumably been thinking something very similar. Nova looked as if she had seen a ghost; her face was pale and her eyes were wide. Sunset knew she had to do something. Nova got nervous speaking with even minor nobles; if she had to speak with the princess...

Sunset whipped back around to face Celestia, her instincts choosing her words on her behalf. “Princess, what happened out there today wasn’t Nova’s fault,” she said. “You can’t punish her for something I did.”

“That is enough, Sunset,” said Celestia sternly.

Sunset was not backing down this time, however. “I get that you’re mad, okay?” she said, her voice reflecting her rising passion. “I messed up and I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. But don’t take it out on her!”

“Sunset!” said Celestia, although she may as well have been shouting at a brick wall.

Some part of Sunset’s mind, tiny and ignored, was aware of just how great a faux pas she was making by speaking to the princess in such a manner. But Sunset didn’t care; she was no longer thinking rationally. She was not thinking about the consequences, she was not thinking about herself, and she was not even thinking about Nova anymore. Everything that was jostling around in her head, all the fear, all the anger, all the shame, had broken free and was venting itself at the most convenient target of attack.

Her voice reaching its crescendo, Sunset shouted, “You want to send me away, send me somewhere you’d never have to see me again? Fine! But if you—“

“Sunset Shimmer!” boomed the Princess of Equestria, the unmistakable sound of the royal Canterlot voice making the air itself quake. As she spoke, her great feathered wings unfurled to their full extent, each one as large as a full-grown pony. Her eyes burned with the heat and intensity of the sun. For a brief moment, Celestia seemed to shine, the light of the room reflecting off her pure white body.

Sunset felt like she had been hit by a train. She could neither move nor think; she merely stood there, cowering before the princess. Sunset had lived in the castle since she was a little filly, but had only witnessed Celestia use that dreaded affectation once before. She had not been its target on that particular occasion, but even secondhand, its power had shaken her. Now, it overwhelmed her. Her bones quivered and her skin crawled; her heart felt like it was going to burst out of her chest.

Nopony said anything for a long time. In Sunset’s mind, every passing second felt as long as an hour. Eventually, Princess Celestia spoke, slowly and deliberately, each syllable burning into Sunset’s mind like a brand. “You are dismissed,” she said.

A moment later, Sunset heard something she did not expect to hear. Something which, compared to the tsunami she had just endured, was as soft as a ripple of water in a pond. To her side, Sunset heard the voice of Nova Obscura. “Sunset,” she said, “it’s okay. I’ll be alright.”

Sunset was done; her will was broken. She rose slowly and turned, not having the heart to look at either Nova or Celestia. She walked, her hooves carrying her across the long room. She walked through the great double-doors, which opened as she approached. She walked, not looking back, the doors slamming shut behind her. She walked back though the twisting halls of the castle, back up the stairs of her tower, back to her bedroom. She threw herself down on the bed and slept.

Darkness surrounded her, and fear consumed her. That was the extent of her knowledge; that was all that she knew about the strange world she inhabited. Except, perhaps, for one other thing. While she floated there, frozen in that endless void, she found herself struck by a vague feeling of familiarity, as if she had been there before. But whether that feeling was justified or not was irrelevant. It was merely a tiny speck floating in her mind, tossed about by a stormy sea of fear. Memories, both good and ill, were foreign to her; all she knew was the here and now.

And what she knew was ephemeral at best. She knew the dark, and she knew the fear. She also knew that she was not alone. It was there before her, her mysterious neighbor. It burned with a dark fire, spreading out and consuming all it touched, including her. It burned her body and it burned her mind. The raging blaze filled her up with its fury, forcing everything else out. She knew she would be consumed, that soon there would be nothing left of her. But there was one other thing she knew.

She knew that something was coming; something that was big, and was only growing bigger. It swept toward her, cutting a swath though the darkness like the bright light of day. It left nothing in its wake; all was swept clean by that mighty force. There she was, trapped between two insurmountable enemies; fire and water, light and dark, and her, all alone and at their mercy.

Chapter Two - Opportunity Knocks

If there was one thing that could be said about Sunset Shimmer, it would be that she was definitely not a morning person. If she had had a bit for every time Nova had had to drag her out of bed in order to get her to her lessons on time, she would have been a very rich mare. When she had the chance to do so, there was nothing she enjoyed more than curling up in her warm bed on a lazy morning. Because of this, it should come as no surprise that Sunset was not in a particularly good mood as her carriage rumbled through the streets of Canterlot not an hour after sunrise.

Sunset had already found it difficult to stay awake as Nova had helped her get out of bed, make herself presentable, get down to the carriage, and get onboard. But after getting settled, Sunset had to fight off the lingering drowsiness that threatened to pull her back into the sweet embrace of sleep.

The interior of the carriage was dark, the curtains having been kept closed at Sunset’s request, but a few pale beams of light managed to sneak their way inside and provide enough illumination for the two ponies to see one another. Despite being so early, the air was pleasantly warm, reminding Sunset of the gentle embrace of her blankets back at the castle. The steady rumble of the carriage’s wheels was the only noise that broke the early-morning quiet. The seats were soft, designed to accommodate the hindquarters of dainty aristocrats, inviting Sunset to stretch herself out and take a quick nap.

A sudden jolt of the carriage made her sit up, momentarily saving her from the temptation. Sunset silently cursed the city’s road maintenance ponies, as if they had intentionally put the pothole there to annoy her. “Are we there yet?” Sunset groaned to no one in particular.

Nova, not sharing Sunset’s lethargy, responded to the inquiry with an upbeat attitude. “The airdock is only a short journey away by carriage. We’ll be there soon, Sunset,” she said. A mischievous grin appeared on her face. “Or should I say Madam Ambassador?”

Sunset rolled her eyes and leaned her head back against the seat. “I told you not to call me that,” she said.

Nova stifled a chuckle and continued. “I’m sorry. But you really must get used to it. You’re a big, important pony now,” she said.

Sunset’s annoyance only increased. “Yeah, now I’m important, now that I’m ‘Sunset Shimmer, Royal Ambassador of Her Highness Princess Celestia’,” she said, putting air quotes around her new title. “Who cares about anything else?”

Nova’s smile faded as she recognized the implication her comment had made. “Sunset, I...” she began, struggling to find the words to rectify her mistake. “That’s not what I meant to say. I didn’t mean to imply that you...”

Sunset kicked herself, realizing that she was upsetting Nova by pointlessly venting her frustrations at her. “Nova, it’s alright,” she sighed. “It’s not your fault. I’m just...tired. I didn’t get much sleep last night.”

Nova’s expression changed to one of concern. “Was it that dream again?” she asked.

“Yeah,” Sunset sighed. She had told Nova about the recurring dream she had been having. She had first had it over a week ago, then again a few days later, on the day of the incident in the park. It had come to her again early that morning, once again denying her a peaceful night’s rest. She had thought she would have gotten used to it by then, but the horrific images burned into her brain still unnerved her, even in the daytime.

“You’re probably just stressed,” said Nova, trying to sound comforting. “And I’m not surprised, given how busy you’ve been lately. A change of scenery might do you some good; help you relax and take your mind off of things.”

“We’re not going on vacation, Nova,” Sunset said flatly. Although, the thought of relaxing on a warm, sandy beach and listening to the waves was very appealing to her at that moment.

“Where exactly are we going?” asked Nova. “The only thing I was told is that we would be traveling by airship. Did the princess tell you anything else yesterday?”

“No, she didn’t,” said Sunset, annoyed that she still didn’t know where they were going either.

Nova looked like she was debating whether or not she should say something. Eventually, she must have decided to risk it, as she posed Sunset a follow-up question. “If you don’t mind me asking, what did you two talk about?” she asked.

Sunset didn’t see the harm in recounting her private meeting with Celestia the day before. If nothing else, she thought, it would help her stay awake. “Well,” she began, “when I got there...”

Sunset stood outside the door to Princess Celestia’s study, but could not bring herself to knock. Despite being called to meet with her under more normal circumstances, Sunset was still somewhat trepidatious of the prospect of speaking with the princess. The memory of her embarrassing audience several days earlier was still fresh in Sunset’s mind; the two had not spoken since. On top of that, there was also the subject of Sunset’s new role and responsibilities to address, which was presumably the purpose of this meeting.

Sunset raised a hoof as if to knock, but hesitated before she could follow through. In her head, she began to run through various conversation starters that she thought might steer things in a favorable direction. One by one, however, she realized that none of them would help her very much in that time and place.

As she stood there, lost in thought, she heard Celestia’s voice emanate from the room before her. “The door is open,” said the princess in a matter-of-fact tone. Sunset snapped to attention, momentarily stunned by Celestia’s uncanny perception. Sunset sighed, knowing that there was no way of backing out now, and that every further second of delay only compounded the awkwardness of the situation. Slowly, Sunset lowered her hoof to the door handle, opened the door, and stepped inside.

She had never been enamored by architecture, but even Sunset could not help but admire the beauty of the room that she found herself in. The study was shaped like a large cylinder, stretching up for two stories before tapering off into a domed ceiling. A ring-shaped walkway separated the room into two levels, with a curved staircase serving as the only conventional means of traveling between them. The walls of both levels were covered with tall bookshelves, too large for a normal pony to access unassisted, but the perfect height for somepony of Celestia’s stature. On the ground floor, a grand fireplace was situated near the door, the fire bathing the room in a comforting warmth.

Even in such an impressive room, the thing that most drew Sunset’s attention was the massive planetarium built into the ceiling above her. A masterpiece of the magical arts, the planetarium was capable of accurately simulating the sky above the castle at any given time. When seen during the daytime, the dome would shine bright blue, complete with a miniature sun that moved in time with the real one. At night, as she saw it then, one could see a dark expanse blanketed by hundreds of tiny stars, all in their proper places. Not to be left out, the bright white orb that was the moon could be seen as well, casting a pale light down on the study.

Sunset fought off the temptation to stand there stargazing and scanned the room to locate the princess. She was not immediately apparent, not able to be seen on either the first level or in Sunset’s limited view of the second. Quickly, however, Sunset spotted her upstairs, her having been off to the side and hidden from view by the curve of the walkway. “I’ll just be a minute,” said Celestia, walking further into view. She was scanning the bookshelves in front of her as she went, her back turned to Sunset.

Sunset gently pushed the door closed behind her and moved further into the room. As she waited for the princess, she looked over at the large desk sitting at the far side of the room, facing her. Like all of Celestia’s furnishings, the desk was much too large for a pony like Sunset to even think about using. It appeared even more immense due to the large stacks of books and papers that littered it. The sides were decorated with carved images inlaid with gold, silver, and precious gems. Among the scenes depicted were Earth ponies calling forth crops and beautiful flowers from the soil, pegasi whipping up powerful storms, and unicorns conjuring magnificent displays of color and light.

Sitting in front of this work of art, a short ways away, was another desk. This desk was of a size appropriate for a normal, adult pony, although it seemed as no more than a foal’s desk when compared to its ornate companion. It was plain and unadorned, but not shabby. Significant skill and care had obviously gone into its construction, resulting in a product that would look handsome in any more mundane location. This desk belonged to Sunset Shimmer, and she had many memories of the long hours she had spent sitting at it under the princess’s watchful gaze.

Sunset saw movement out of the corner of her eye and turned to see the princess slowly descending the staircase, levitating several books along with her. She did not appear as she had the last time Sunset had seen her. Here in her inner sanctum, Celestia was able to let her guard down slightly, not needing to project the image of power and majesty that she did in public. Although, even in her natural state, the princess was still an impressive sight to behold. Right then, she seemed to be deep in thought, her eyes downcast and her face bearing traces of worry. Celestia reached the ground floor and moved over to her desk, adding her selections to the mountain of books and papers already there.

While hesitant to take the lead in the conversation, Sunset also did not want to begin without first clearing the air between them. “Princess Celestia,” she began, lowering her head into a slight bow, “I wanted to apologize for my behavior in our last meeting. It wasn’t my place to speak out like that.”

Celestia snapped out of her concentration and turned to face Sunset, as if she had forgotten that her student was in the room. She took a moment to process the words being spoken to her before responding. “No apology is necessary, Sunset,” she said, returning to a neutral expression. “What’s done is done; besides, we have more important matters to discuss.”

Sunset visibly relaxed at the princess’s words, but remained curious as to the purpose of their meeting. “Is this about my first assignment?” she asked.

“Indeed,” replied Celestia. “I trust that you’ve finished preparing for your journey tomorrow.”

“Yes, princess,” said Sunset. She and Nova had spent the past few days preparing for what lay ahead of them. Luckily for Sunset, Nova had more of a head for such things than she did. She had been the one to make sure that Sunset packed for whatever weather they might encounter. She had been the one that coordinated with the servants to ensure that their accommodations aboard their airship would be adequately supplied and made fit for a royal ambassador.

For those and a thousand other reasons, Sunset was glad that Celestia had appointed Nova to be her secretary. Although, her feelings had been mixed when Nova had first told Sunset of the reason for her private meeting with the princess. She had felt relieved that Nova had not been subjected to some more extreme punishment; the possibility of being forcibly separated from her had made Sunset fearful. At the same time, she felt guilty that Nova had been punished for her actions and embarrassed that she had made such a scene over it. Nova had repeatedly tried to assure Sunset that she did not mind her new responsibilities and that she was alright with leaving Canterlot for a while; her parents had been more enthusiastic about it than she was, apparently.

“Excellent,” continued Celestia. “Although, I must admit that I’ve fallen a bit behind on my own preparations. I had thought that selecting your first destination would be a much easier task than it turned out to be. There are just so many choices, so many ponies out there who could use your help. Even now, I’m still making my final decision.”

Sunset was disheartened upon hearing this. “So...you didn’t summon me here to tell me about where I’ll be going, then,” said Sunset.

“No,” said Celestia. “But you needn’t worry; I will make my choice before you depart tomorrow and relay the necessary information to your escort.”

“Well then,” said Sunset, “what did you want to talk to me about?”

“I called you here,” said Celestia, a gentle smile appearing on her face, “to give you a gift. Two gifts, actually. The first...is this.” She turned her head back toward her desk, her horn glowing. Out from the piles rose a large, bound book, which floated gently over toward them. When it got close enough, Sunset could see that the brown-covered tome was decorated with a very familiar shape. Right in the center of the cover was emblazoned a large, fiery sun, with swirls of red and yellow burning within it. It was her cutie mark, an image she knew as well as her own face.

Celestia held the book out in front of her, presenting it to Sunset. Curious, Sunset reached out with her own magic and took hold of the book, bringing it closer to her. She inspected it, running a hoof across its smooth surface and the emblem upon it. The book was obviously new, no sign of wear visible on either the bindings or the pages. “It’s beautiful,” Sunset remarked. She then opened the book to see what it was, only to find that the pages were blank. “Oh, it’s...a journal,” she said, trying not to sound disappointed; Sunset had never really been the journalling sort.

“Not just any journal,” said Celestia, levitating over a quill from her desk and offering it to Sunset. “Try it out.” Confused, but intrigued, Sunset took the quill from Celestia. She turned to the first page and tentatively wrote out “Property of Sunset Shimmer”. As she wrote, Sunset became aware of a strange sound nearby. It sounded like rhythmic buzzing, and it seemed to be coming from the direction of Celestia’s desk. The noise continued for several seconds, ending shortly after she finished writing.

Sunset stared in the direction the noise had come from, a puzzled expression on her face. Once again, Celestia lifted a book off of her desk and brought it towards them. This book looked remarkably similar to the one Sunset was holding, with one significant exception. The sun that decorated this book burned golden yellow, and was ringed by a corona of uniform, orange flames. It was not hard for Sunset to guess what the image was meant to depict; she could see the real thing right before her eyes, on the princess’s hindquarters.

Celestia moved the book toward Sunset and held it just above the other. “Take a look,” she said, opening the book to its first page. Sunset’s jaw dropped when she saw, scrawled on the page, the words “Property of Sunset Shimmer”. Her eyes darted back and forth between the two books, her brain struggling to comprehend what she was looking at. The text was exactly the same; the handwriting, positioning, and even a small ink spot she had made had been perfectly reproduced.

Celestia chuckled softly at Sunset’s amazement. “I wouldn’t dream of sending my pupil off into the big, wide world without giving her some means of contacting me,” she said. “So, I made these. This journal will allow you to speak to me whenever you have need of me. Now, no matter where you may go, no matter what you may do, you can rest easy knowing that I will never be out of your reach.”

Sunset felt mixed feelings at the idea of having the princess keeping an eye on her in this manner. On one hand, the gesture reassured Sunset that Celestia was not simply disposing of her to alleviate her own suffering. On the other hand, it meant that Celestia did not consider Sunset capable of going off on her own without her assistance. Remembering her manners, Sunset put her feelings aside for the moment so she could thank the princess properly. She put away the journal and bowed her head respectfully. “Thank you, princess,” she said. “This means a lot.”

Celestia smiled warmly, returning her own copy of the journal to the desk. “I will write to you regarding your missions and provide you with whatever useful information I can,” she said. “In return, I hope that you will not hesitate to ask me for advice should you need it. I would also enjoy hearing from you about your exploits; your perspective on the lives of Equestria’s citizens would be greatly valued.” Her tone did not imply it, but Sunset could tell that Celestia was not making a mere suggestion when she said this.

“Of course, princess,” said Sunset. She paused before speaking again. “But, you said you had two gifts.”

“I did say that,” said Celestia. “My final gift to you is my blessing.” Sunset tried to hide her disappointment, having been somewhat hoping for another magic item, or perhaps a new spell.

Celestia continued, seemingly unaware of Sunset’s feelings. “I’ve known you for many years, Sunset Shimmer,” she said. “I’ve watched you grow from a little filly into the pony you are today: a strong, intelligent, and beautiful young mare.” Celestia raised a hoof and brushed the hair away from Sunset’s face, looking her in the eye. “And I wouldn’t trade one minute of that time for all the jewels in Canterlot.” Sunset couldn’t help but crack a smile at such heartfelt praise coming from her mentor.

“While you have had your rough spots,” said Celestia, “you have also demonstrated that you are no ordinary pony. You have shown tremendous skill, determination, and resourcefulness of the sort that I have rarely seen in anyone, even my other students. Time and time again, you have exceeded my expectations, and made me very proud. You have come so far, Sunset, but I know that you could go even further still. It is for that reason that I have given you this task.

“Everything I have ever done for you, I have done to help you, to help you grow, to help you learn, to help you become the pony I know you can be. But as much as it pains me to admit it, there is not much more that I can do for you. Part of me wants to keep you here at my side, forever and always, and I would very much enjoy that. But I couldn’t bring myself to do something so selfish. I cannot give you what you need; I cannot teach you what you need to learn. You must take it upon yourself to go out and look for it. I do not know where or when you will find it, but I know deep in my heart that you will. I only hope that, when that day comes, you will return to me so that I may look upon this shining star once again.”

Sunset had been trying her hardest to maintain her composure as Celestia spoke, but finally broke down as the princess finished. Tears which had been building up in Sunset’s eyes began to freely flow forth. Almost reflexively, Sunset sprung forward and buried her face in Celestia’s soft shoulder. Celestia wrapped a leg around Sunset, holding her close, and lowered her head into the embrace.

Sunset cried heavily, remembering similar times from her youth when she had taken refuge in the princess’s gentle limbs. In between sobs, she said, “I will. I will, princess. I’m gonna go out there and I’m gonna become the greatest unicorn who ever lived. And then, I’m gonna come back and show you and everypony else just what I can do.”

Celestia stroked the back of Sunset’s head and whispered in her ear. “All I want is for you to be happy,” she said. “All I want is for you to be safe. That’s all I want, Sunset.” Sunset gradually calmed down, and pulled back from Celestia. When they could see one another again, the princess held Sunset’s head in her hoof and leaned down to plant a gentle kiss on her forehead. Sunset looked up into Celestia’s eyes and saw that they too were moist. The two stood there silently, neither wanting the moment to come to an end.

Eventually, however, Celestia took it upon herself to bring them back to the real world. “It’s getting late,” she said. “And you have a big day ahead of you. I regret that I will not be able to see you off tomorrow, so I must bid you farewell here and now. Go, Sunset; and may the earth support you, may the winds give you speed, and may the sun and moon guide you on your way.”

Sunset did not want to leave, but somehow found the mental strength to bid her mentor farewell. “Goodbye, princess,” she said. “And thank you; thank you for everything.” Sunset tore her gaze away from the princess and started her walk to the door. As she put her hoof on the door, she hesitated. She turned her head, taking one last look at the princess before she left. Celestia smiled warmly, but her eyes were sad; Sunset imagined she probably had a similar expression on her own face. With one final burst of willpower, Sunset turned, opened the door, and walked out.

“And...then I left,” finished Sunset. As she reached the end of her story, Sunset realized that her negative attitude toward her new role had not been entirely accurate. While she was still unenthused at the prospect of working in public relations, she also felt a renewed sense of hope that her time as royal ambassador would not be a complete waste. There had to be some opportunity to prove herself out there, she thought.

Nova had remained quiet throughout Sunset’s retelling, but took the chance to speak as Sunset was reflecting. “It sounds like the princess has a lot of faith in you,” she said. Sunset had glossed over the more sentimental details of the story, but Nova could read between the lines well enough to imagine what sort of things had been left out. “I do, too. I’m sure you’ll do great things out there, Sunset.”

“We’ll do great things out there,” Sunset corrected, giving Nova a smile. They continued on talking for a while, Sunset having shed her drowsiness. They speculated as to where they might be sent, and shared stories and rumors of far-off places they had only ever heard about. As they did, the carriage continued rolling along, out past the gates of the city, down a long, winding road carved into the side of the mountain, before finally arriving at their destination.

The royal airdock was nestled in a small, oval-shaped natural harbor in the mountainside. It was reserved exclusively for the use of the royal guard, civilians being forced to use one of the several other docks located around the mountain. The guard did not maintain a large fleet here, having little need for warships in times of peace. Several ships of various shape and size were moored here, floating parallel to the gently-sloping inner side of the harbor. Several dozen guards, repairponies, and other assorted workers moved about the dock, each hard at work at their own tasks.

The carriage ground to a halt in front of one airship in particular, on which most of the dock workers’ attention was fixed. One of the guards pulling the carriage detached himself and went to open the door. “We have arrived, Madam Ambassador,” he said, pulling it open. Sunset and Nova gathered their belongings and stepped out of the vehicle, Sunset leading the way. They stood there for a moment, wincing as their eyes slowly adjusted to the bright sunlight.

When they could finally see, the two were amazed at what lay before them. The airship they were looking at was of middling size; larger than the small yachts owned by some of Canterlot’s wealthier ponies, but smaller than the large cruise ships that Sunset occasionally saw out her bedroom window. Its balloon was sleek, unlike the more bulbous blimps Sunset had seen before, and was as white as snow.

The main body of the ship had a similarly streamlined shape, looking to be less than twenty feet tall from its belly to the deck, and was painted sky blue. Two powerful flippers extended out from the back of the ship’s lowest level, which ended abruptly about two-thirds of the way from the front of the ship. The flippers were side-by-side, and were oriented parallel to the ground. Altogether, the ship presented an image of grace, speed, and power.

The ship swarmed with ponies, all busy with their own jobs. They could see pegasi flying around the balloon, inspecting it and making minor repairs. Porter ponies dashed about, carrying crates and barrels up onto the ship. There was even somepony flying about the hull, touching up the paint. The visual flurry was accompanied by a cacophony of noises; gruff shouting, the creak of wood, the ring of metal striking metal. Sunset even thought that she could hear singing somewhere.

As they stood there gawking, Sunset became aware of a pony approaching them. He was a Pegasus pony that looked to be a little past middle age. His coat was a dull sea green, and his short, wavy hair was a dark grey. Despite his venerable appearance, his body seemed fit and well-maintained, only showing minor signs of aging. On his shoulders hung the golden armor of the royal guard, which he moved around in as easily as if it were made of cloth. His wrinkled face was pulled back into a slight smile, his expression appearing friendly, but composed.

When he reached them, the stallion bowed deeply before them. “Madam Ambass’dor,” he said, rising back up again, “Please allow me to introduce myself. I am Olive Ridley of Her Highness’s royal guard, and I will be your captain on this voyage.” If nothing else, Sunset enjoyed the sound of Olive Ridley’s voice. He sounded just as she would have expected an old ship captain to sound like: like the sound of old wood creaking and bending in a strong wind.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, captain,” said Sunset in a friendly tone. “I’m Sunset Shimmer and this is my friend, Nova Obscura.”

“How do you do?” said Nova in a similar manner.

Olive Ridley chuckled warmly. “I can assure you, the pleasure is mine,” he said. “It’s not often I get to captain on behalf of such polite young ladies as yourselves. Why, half the time it seems like folks don’t even know I’m here. You get used to that sorta thing workin’ in the guard. Still, a nice ‘hello’ and a smile go a long way for warmin’ these old bones.”

One of the carriage guards cleared his throat loudly, which did not escape the captain’s notice. “Beggin’ your pardon, madam; don’t pay me no mind,” he said. “You’re not here to listen to an old guardspony ramble on about this and that.” He straightened himself and gestured to the ship. “Please, allow me to escort you aboard.”

The carriage guards, their mission complete, began their long walk back to the castle as Sunset and Nova followed the captain to the ship. The three passed amongst the hustle and bustle going on around the ship, with the captain providing a running commentary on the preparations. He described the types of supplies they were loading, the repairs being made, the inspections taking place, all in a casual, long-winded manner. Sunset tried to pay attention for the sake of politeness, but quickly found herself getting lost in the nautical jargon and the captain’s anecdotes.

Eventually, they all arrived at the ship proper, where they crossed the wide gangplank that connected the ship to the dock. As they stepped off the plank and onto the ship, Olive Ridley paused and turned to them. “Madam Ambass’dor, Madam Secretary,” he began, “it is my honor to welcome you both aboard the Opportunity, the finest airborne vessel in Equestria, in this old guardspony’s humble opinion.”

Looking about, Sunset could see that it was just as busy on the ship at it had been on the dock, with ponies running about, carrying supplies into the ship’s interior, swabbing the deck, and making a lot of noise doing so. But throughout the clamor, one voice could be heard rising above all others, sounding out sharp and clear like a bugle.

The voice belonged to a mare standing atop a raised deck in the middle of the ship. She was surveying the goings-on about her, barking out orders and offering words of “encouragement”, if it could be called that. Ponies would occasionally approach her from the air and from the deck to bring her reports and updates, typically being sent away with a few stern words when they had finished.

Olive Ridley noticed Sunset looking up at the loud mare. “Say, you two wouldn’t be interested in meetin’ the rest of the crew, would you?” he asked.

“Um, sure, why not?” said Sunset, figuring that it would probably be in her best interest to know who the rest of the ponies in her retinue were.

“As long as we’re not bothering them,” added Nova.

“Nonsense,” said Ridley casually. “They love meetin’ new ponies. He raised his head to look at the mare above them and shouted out to get her attention. “Ahoy there, Miss Rain!” he said. “Could you spare a moment to come and join us down here?” The mare took notice of the captain and immediately responded to his request. In one swift motion, the mare spread the pair of wings on her back and flapped them hard, propelling herself into the air like a rocket. With the machine-like precision, she soared through the air, swooping down and landing before the trio on the deck with a powerful impact that made Sunset and Nova jump.

The Pegasus pony standing before them was far older than Sunset, but still too young to be called middle-aged. Despite this, her face looked worn and hard, like a rock weathered down by wind and water. Her eyes were stern, cold even, and looked at Sunset as if she were no more than another piece of cargo to be loaded. Her body was lean, but well-toned, as Sunset would have expected of a pony that could perform such an impressive feat of aerial agility. Her coat was a light blue-gray color, and her short hair, bound tightly behind her head, was a deep, dark blue. Her golden armor was spotless and shone brightly in the morning sun.

Olive Ridley turned to address Sunset and Nova. “Ladies, I’d like to introduce you to my first mate, Steel Rain,” he said. “Miss Rain, these are our passengers: the royal ambass’dor, Madam Sunset Shimmer, and her secretary, Madam Nova Obscura.”

Steel Rain gave the two a swift bow before they could greet her. “Madam Ambassador. Madam Secretary,” she said curtly, before addressing Olive Ridley. “Captain, the launch preparations are proceeding on schedule, despite a few minor setbacks. We should be able to depart within the hour.”

“Excellent,” replied the captain. “Although, I shouldn’t be surprised.” He turned to address Sunset and Nova. “Steel Rain here is the finest young guardspony I’ve ever had the honor of servin’ with. You’d be hard-pressed to find a more dependable pegasus this side of Cloudsdale. Why, when she first came here, fresh out of the academy, I could tell right away she was somethin’ special. And sure enough, just a few short years later, there she was, standin’ beside me on the bridge.”

Steel Rain kept a straight face as the captain spoke, but Sunset thought she noticed the slightest hint of a blush on her face. “You flatter me, sir,” the first mate said flatly.

Olive Ripley chuckled at her comment. “Well, I won’t keep you any longer,” he said. “I wouldn’t want us bein’ delayed on account of me fawnin’ over my officers all mornin’. Speakin’ of which, are the rest of the crew onboard?”

“Aye, captain,” replied Steel Rain. “They are at their posts, performing their final inspections.”

“Well then,” said the captain to Sunset, “we’ll have to go pay them a visit too, won’t we?” He looked back at his first mate. “As you were, Miss Rain.” Steel Rain gave the group another bow before moving off to yell at some of the other ponies on deck. “Let’s head on up to the bridge,” he said to Sunset and Nova. “There’s somepony else there I’d like you to meet.”

Sunset and Nova followed the captain to the raised deck in the center of the ship, where they climbed a set of stairs to reach the top, the place Steel Rain had been standing earlier. At the top was a large room with wide windows facing the front of the ship. The captain opened a door on one side of the room and held it open for his passengers, gesturing them inside. Sunset and Nova stepped through the door and into the bridge beyond.

The room was spacious, presumably built to accommodate a large number of ponies at one time. On the front-facing side of the room were the large windows they had seen from outside, which provided an excellent view of the deck and the ship’s surroundings. Also here was the helm, the large wheel used to steer the ship. The center of the room was dominated by a large table, which a brightly colored map had been attached to. Upon closer inspection, Sunset saw that the map showed Equestria in its entirety, stretching from the Frozen North to the Mysterious South.

On the walls of the room were scattered other maps, charts, and diagrams of various size and shape. Interspaced with these were an assortment of instruments, the function and purpose of which Sunset couldn’t begin to guess. Large gauges looked down on her like eyes; switches and levers that weren’t even labelled could be seen everywhere. In several places, tubes jutted out from the walls, ending in wide mouths shaped like megaphones. Finally, standing at the back of the room, Sunset noticed a stallion talking loudly into one of these pipes while surveying the dials before him.

“It’s still not there,” he said, clearly annoyed by something. “Can you two consummate professionals get it together down there and fix this, or shall I come down there and do it myself?” The pony’s voice was full of condescending sarcasm and restrained anger. Out of the pipe came a sound that, from a distance, seemed like a muffled voice. Sunset couldn’t make out the words, but she got the impression that whoever’s voice it was was just as incensed with the pony before them as he was with them.

Olive Ridley spoke up and addressed the pony. “Mister Herald,” he said, “how go the preparations? Everything shipshape?”

The pony took note of the captain amidst his heated exchange with the tube. “Hold on a minute,” he quickly barked into the opening, before turning to face him. “Everything is shipshape up here, captain,” he said in a much more mellow tone. “Although, I can’t say the same for the rest of the ship. Our dear engineers seem to have forgotten how to shovel coal properly.”

Sunset looked at the stallion closely, trying to get a read on him. His deep purple coat contrasted greatly with the short, bone-white hair on his head. He seemed to be about the same age as Steel Rain, although looked a bit younger due to his relatively softer features. He had bags under his droopy eyes and a frown upon his lips. A long, purple horn on his forehead marked him as a Unicorn pony; although, some might have said his attitude was just as much of a giveaway.

Olive Ridley laughed at the stallion’s comment. “Oh, always a kidder, aren’t you?” he said. “If they’ve hit a snag, I’m sure they’ll work through it before it’s time to shove off. They’ve never failed us before, have they?”

“Indeed,” the stallion replied dryly.

Olive Ridley suddenly remembered that Sunset and Nova were there as well. “Ah, where are my manners?” he said. “Ladies, this here is our navigator, Bleak Herald. Mister Herald, I’d like you to meet Madam Sunset Shimmer and Madam Nova Obscura, the royal ambass’dor and her secretary.

“It’s nice to meet you, Bleak Herald” said Sunset, Nova echoing her.

Bleak Herald’s eyes narrowed, looking the two mares up and down. He said nothing at first, breaking his silence just before the moment became awkward. “Likewise,” he responded curtly.

Olive Ridley chuckled slightly. “Well, how’s the weather lookin’, Mister Herald?” he asked. “Did that pesky wind that was givin’ us trouble earlier die down? We wouldn’t want to be swept off to Manehattan, now would we?”

“Ideally not,” Bleak Herald replied. “Thankfully, the currents have normalized on schedule and we should most likely have no trouble reaching our destination on time, given the present atmospheric conditions.” He turned his head to survey the instruments on the wall, giving one of them a light tap with his hoof, before turning back.

Sunset’s curiosity was piqued by this comment. “Where exactly is our destination,” she said, “if you don’t mind me asking?”

Bleak Herald looked at her as if she had said something stupid. “As the royal ambassador, I had hoped that you might be able to provide us with the answer to that question,” he said. “Supposedly, the details of our voyage are need-to-know only. And, apparently, nopony thought that the navigator needed to know the place he was navigating to. If we don’t get some sort of communication soon, we’re not going anywhere, ready or not.”

Sunset was troubled by this. She was very much aware that the princess had not yet written to her to tell her about where she would be going on her first mission as ambassador. When she had last checked its pages back in the carriage, her journal had been as blank as it had been the day before, and she had not felt it activate as she had carried it aboard in her saddlebags. Sunset opened her mouth to speak, trying to come up with some excuse to give for her own ignorance, but found she was at a loss for words.

Luckily, Olive Ripley swept in to save Sunset from the awkward situation. “Now, don’t you fret none, Mister Herald,” he said. “These things happen. I’m sure the pencil pushers are just dottin’ their ayes and crossin’ their tees and whatnot.” He turned his head to glance at Sunset. “It’ll get here soon enough,” he said with a wink.

“Aye, captain,” said Bleak Herald, his tone betraying his lack of optimism.

“Well, I’ll let you get back to work now,” said Olive Ripley. “I’m takin’ the ambass’dor belowdecks to see the boiler room.”

Bleak Herald gave the group a bow. “If you’re going down there,” he said, “you might see if you can help our friends find their brains; they seem to have misplaced them.” He returned to the pipe from earlier, where Sunset could still hear a muffled voice. “Yes, yes, I’m still here,” he spoke to it.

“Come along, now,” said Olive Ripley to Sunset and Nova, chuckling. He turned and once again held open the door for them. The three exited the bridge, the agitated voice of the ship’s navigator being cut off as the heavy door closed. They walked back down the stairs to the main deck and circled around the raised central deck, coming to another door. This door opened onto another staircase, which led them down into the interior of the ship.

The first level below the main deck seemed to be the residential part of the ship. A single, long hallway stretched the length of the ship, with a row of cabins on each side. Olive Ridley led the way down the hall toward the front of the ship, where the floor opened up into another staircase, leading down. The trio descended these stairs, arriving at a small section of the ship. On one end of this section, the right and left sides of the ship gradually came together to form the gentle slope of the ship’s bow. On the other end, a wall spanned the width of the ship, with a large double door in the middle.

Olive Ridley approached one of the doors, pausing before opening it; he turned back to address Sunset and Nova. “Now, before we head in here, just a word of caution,” he said. “Watch where you step; it’s a bit messy in here. Also, try not to touch anythin’; the boys get a bit ruffled when ponies mess with their toys.” Sunset was a bit confused by this warning, but didn’t have time to ask about it before Olive Ridley threw back one side of the door.

Immediately, Sunset was hit by a wave of heat emanating from beyond the door; it felt like she was holding her face in front of a roaring fire. She and Nova entered the room as the captain gestured them inside. From what Sunset could tell, they were standing in a single, unbroken room that was almost as long as the ship. The smell of soot permeated the air, tickling her nose. On each side of the room was a large machine with pipes running out of it and up through the ceiling; Sunset could not begin to guess what they were.

What really drew Sunset’s attention, however, was the large collection of metal at the other side of the room. Something that could only be the the boiler that she had heard mentioned previously stood tall and proud there, a large metal chamber with a gaping mouth burning with red-hot flames. The boiler was adjacent to another large machine of unknowable purpose, a machine with two large wheels on its sides that were, in turn, connected to the back wall.

As Olive Ridley led Sunset and Nova toward the boiler, Sunset could distinguish several distinct sounds in the air. The first was the roar of the fire burning in the boiler, which was amplified by the boiler’s sizable volume. More noises were being made by the two stallions that came into view as they approached. One of these was stoking the boiler, repeatedly shoveling loads of coal from a large pile nearby into the fire. The other was standing off to the side, speaking into another one of the speaking tubes they had seen in the bridge.

The rhythmic clunk of coal as it was dumped in the boiler competed with the raised voice of the pony at the tube. “Like I said before, we’re working on it!,” said the tube-pony. His booming voice was just shy of shouting, although his angry tone did more than enough to convey his emotional state. The sound of muffled words came from the tube, presumably originating from the bridge, which seemed to only further incense him. “Oh, yeah? Why don’t haul your dainty hindquarters down here and say that to my face, you puffed-up, arrogant—”

“Gentlemen!” said Olive Ridley, loudly and sternly. At the sound of his voice, both of the unknown stallions froze, their heads snapping towards him. After taking a moment to recognize who it was that had addressed them, the two quickly turned away from what they were doing to face the captain. The room was significantly quieter without the sound of shoveling and borderline-yelling going on.

Sunset saw that the stallion who had been talking was an Earth pony who looked like he was just on the cusp of middle-age. His coat was a yellow-orange color, while his mane was a darker red-orange. A large but well-trimmed mustache of the same color adorned his upper lip. He was powerfully built, his large frame covered in muscle. His face bore the marks of chronic stress, which made him look older than he was. At that moment, his face was red, but Sunset couldn’t guess whether the cause was the heat, his anger, or the awkward situation.

The other stallion was also an Earth pony, and looked several years older than Sunset, the youngest-looking crew member she had seen so far. His coat was an orange-brown color, and his scruffy hair was a much darker shade of the same color. He was muscled, but had a more average build than his coworker. Sweat and a light smattering of coal dust covered his body, with his hooves the dirtiest of all. He had a youthful face, with a barely-restrained grin on his lips. His eyes had a mischievous glint, quickly glancing over at the other stallion’s face every once in a while.

After a moment of silence had passed, the older stallion spoke. “Um, captain, I...uh,” he said, he stammered at a much more normal volume than he had used earlier. “Mister Herald and I were just...uh...”

“Now, Mister Firebrand,” Olive Ridley interrupted in a stern but non-threatening tone, “is that any way to be talkin’ in front of a lady? Especially a lady who happens to be our passenger?”

The older stallion gulped. “No, captain,” he said quietly. His already-red face reddened even more.

The younger stallion snorted, trying very hard to restrain his rising mirth. Olive Ridley looked over at him, evidently unwilling to spare him a lecture either. “I wouldn’t be laughin’ if I were in as sorry a state as you, Mister Tinker,” he said. “Wipe that soot off your face boy; make yourself presentable.”

The stallion swallowed his laughter, his smile fleeing; his cheeks reddened a bit as well. “Aye, captain,” he said submissively. He grabbed a rag that was hanging nearby and hastily wiped his grimy face, succeeding in removing most of the soot from his features.

“Now that that’s settled,” said Olive Ridley, returning to his normal, friendlier tone, “I’d like to introduce you two to our special guests. This is the royal ambass’dor, Madam Sunset Shimmer, and her secretary, Miss Nova Obscura. Ladies, this is our chief engineer, Firebrand, and our junior engineer, Little Tinker,” he said, gesturing to the older and younger stallions, respectively.

“It’s nice to meet you both,” said Sunset, trying not to let the awkwardness get to her; Nova followed suit.

Firebrand seemed to calm down a bit as he finally got to speak to somepony other than the captain. “Madam Ambassador, it is a great honor to welcome you to my humble corner of the ship,” he said heartily, dropping into a deep bow. “I can assure you, we will do everything in our power to deliver you swiftly and safely to your destination, no matter how long or hard the journey may be. Why, we would fly into the depths of Tartarus itself if you asked it of us.”

“Yeah, what he means to say is that we’ll get you where you need to go, no problem,” Little Tinker chimed in nonchalantly. “You don’t gotta worry about a thing, Your Ambassadorship.”

Firebrand rose and looked over at Little Tinker. “I don’t need you to choose my words for me, Mister Tinker,” he said through gritted teeth.

“Maybe if I did, you wouldn’t find your hoof in your mouth so often,” Tinker said with a smirk.

“Why you...” Firebrand said, stopping himself before finishing his sentence.

Olive Ridley chuckled. “I swear, I don’t know how your mama managed to raise the both of you under one roof,” he said.

“You two are brothers?” asked Nova. Sunset had also been curious, as their bickering had seemed a bit too fraternal for them to be merely coworkers.

“Yes indeed, ma’am!” said Tinker, placing a hoof on Firebrand’s shoulder. “He’s the strong one, and I’m the smart one. And the handsome one. And the funny one, for that matter.”

“You’re also the irritating one,” said Firebrand, pushing his brother off of him.

“As you can see, our trusty engineers might not get along all the time,” said Olive Ridley to Sunset, “but when push comes to shove, these two can pull of miracles. We’ve never been in a pinch they haven’t been able to get us out of right as rain. Speaking of which,” he said, addressing the two engineers again, “you boys wouldn’t happen to be having any problems down here, would you?”

The engineers appeared annoyed by the mention of this subject, but managed to keep their composure to a reasonable extent. “If you’re referring to any concerns raised by our good friend Mister Herald,” said Firebrand, clearly trying to keep a polite tone, “I can assure you, captain, that everything is under control. We’ve just been...having a slight issue maintaining the proper boiler pressure is all.”

“We?” said Tinker, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes, Mister Tinker,” said Firebrand. “Rest assured, it’ll be taken care of in a jiffy. We just need to recycle the circulation matrix and recalibrate the turbine intakes. Won’t take more than twenty minutes; half an hour, tops.”

“Well then, I leave the situation in your capable hooves, Mister Firebrand, Mister Tinker,” said Olive Ridley. “We’ll get out of your manes, now.”

“Yes, sir,” said Firebrand. He and Tinker bowed their heads to the three. “And, Madam Ambassador, please let us know if there’s anything we can do for you during your stay with us.”

“Yeah, and feel free to pop down here whenever you want,” said Tinker. “One of us is always here.”

“Thanks,” said Sunset politely, “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Olive Ridley led Sunset and Nova back the way they came. Behind them, the two bickering brothers returned to their work, resuming their shoveling and arguing, respectively. The three walked back through the large door of the boiler room; as it closed, the noise and the heat from within were cut off, leaving Sunset feeling suddenly cold by comparison.

“Well, that was the last of them,” said Olive Ridley. “A motley crew to be sure, but worth their weight in gold, every one of them. I thank you for indulgin’ me; most of our passengers scarcely have time to talk to me, let alone my crew. And tryin’ to get a high-born dignitary down here would probably be more trouble than even I could handle. No offense intended, of course.”

“None taken,” Sunset chuckled, finding humor in the thought of dragging some of the hoity-toity mares she knew from the castle down there to speak with the soot-covered Tinker.

“Anyhow,” continued Olive Ridley, “You two are probably tired from walkin’ the ship top to bottom. Why don’t I show you two to your cabins now, let you take a load off?”

Sunset and Nova followed the captain as he led them back up the stairs to the residential level of the ship. This time, he pointed out the rooms to the sides and said what they were for. A common room toward the ship’s front served as the ship’s dining room, as well as whatever else the crew needed it for. The cabins in the middle of the hall were unoccupied; as Olive Ridley explained, the ship was designed to accommodate a larger crew than it did at that time.

As they reached the end of the hall, at the back end of the ship, Sunset saw that the rows of cabins on each side terminated at a wall with a single door. “There’s the state room,” Olive Ridley said to Sunset and Nova. “Your room while you’re with us. The rest of us are in the nearest cabins, in case you ever need us in an emergency.” He pointed out several cabins on each side as he said this.

Sunset noticed that, aside from the state room, all the cabins seemed to be about the same, relatively small size. “Isn’t the captain supposed to have a bigger cabin than everyone else?” she asked.

Olive Ridley chuckled heartily at Sunset question. “Well, I don’t know about ‘supposed to’. That there’s been my space ever since I first started servin’ on this fine vessel, all those years ago.” He gestured towards the cabin in question, adjacent to the state room. “When they decided to make me captain, they offered me the bigger room, the captain’s quarters I mean. I turned them down, as you can probably tell. I just wouldn’t have felt right in there, havin’ all that space for myself and nothin’ to do with it. So, I stayed in my cozy little corner next to all my friends. And the good thing about bein’ captain is that I can sleep wherever I want and nopony can say a darn thing about it.

“I suppose it all worked out for the best, though. When they needed to put in a bigger cabin for guests, I just let them use the old captain’s quarters rather than havin’ to do a whole mess of rebuildin’.”

“Wait, we’re staying in the old captain’s quarters?” Sunset asked.

“The very same,” replied Ridley. “You can even make believe that you’re the captain while you’re in there,” he whispered, putting a hoof to his mouth, “I won’t mind.” The captain laughed at his own joke. “Alright, you two have put up with me for long enough. I’ll give you both some time to get settled in to your accommodations. And if you happen to be needin’ anythin’ while you’re with us, don’t hesitate to ask.”

“Thanks, captain,” said Sunset, grateful to finally be at her home-away-from-home, despite enjoying the old guardspony’s company.

“Thank you very much, captain,” said Nova politely. “You’ve been a most gracious host.”

“Don’t thank me too much now,” said Olive Ridley. “We still have the whole voyage ahead of us.” He bowed before them. “Madam Ambass’dor, Madam Secretary, I take my leave, now. Enjoy your stay here on the Opportunity.” With that, he rose and turned, walking back to the stairs and climbing back up to the main deck.

“Well, he was certainly a friendly fellow,” said Nova.

“You can say that again,” Sunset chuckled. She turned to the door of their cabin and placed her hoof on the handle. “Shall we?” she asked.

Sunset threw the door open and stepped inside, casting her eyes around the room. It seemed to span the width of the ship in one dimension, and was long enough in the other dimension to not feel cramped. A divider had been set up around the middle of the room, splitting it into two smaller spaces of about equal size. Each side had a modestly-sized bed, a small wardrobe, and an office desk. Two large windows in the back wall let the sunlight in and provided a view of the dock. A soft carpet had been spread across the floorboards of each side. Sunset and Nova’s luggage had already been delivered, the various chests and bags scattered throughout the room.

Sunset found the room to be cozy and inviting, if a bit smaller than what she was used to. She went over and sat down on the bed, depressing the soft mattress slightly. Breathing a relaxed sigh, Sunset leaned back and lied down on the bed, setting her bags aside.

Nova began moving about, examining the furnishings and checking their luggage. “Everything seems to be in order,” she said hesitantly. “Oh, I do hope I didn’t forget anything.”

Sunset looked over at her. “Relax, Nova,” she said. “You did a great job getting all this set up.” She wouldn’t have even known where to start if she had had to organize their trip, Sunset thought to herself. Not for the last time, Sunset was grateful that Nova was coming along with her.

Nova began to unpack their luggage and get the room in order. Sunset offered to help, but Nova insisted that she could do it herself and that the royal ambassador shouldn’t be bothering herself with such menial tasks anyway. Although she felt a bit awkward letting Nova do all the work, Sunset decided to humor her, as she seemed to be enjoying herself. Sunset rested her eyes and listened to the wind and the sounds of the dock that flowed into the room after Nova opened the windows.

After a little while, Sunset became curious and once again pulled out her journal. She flipped through the pages, finding them to be just as empty as they had been earlier. The navigator’s comments from earlier creeped back into her mind and worried her, despite the captain’s reassurances. Sunset knew the princess was a busy pony, but she had figured that she would have been a bit more reliable than this, especially after her promise the day before.

A loud noise drew Sunset’s attention to the window; she got up from the bed and went over to see what it was. It sounded like a huge gust of wind blowing by, only it sounded oddly rhythmic, not like any normal wind she had ever heard. She followed her ears, leaning out the window and looking down below her. There, she could just barely make out the tips of the ship’s flippers moving. They pumped slowly but powerfully, sending out a great gust with each flap. Sunset couldn’t help but feel a bit excited seeing such a sight from so close.

“It sounds like we’re getting ready to leave,” said Nova. “Why don’t you head upstairs and watch the launch while I finish up here?”

Sunset turned away from the window to face her. “You sure you don’t want to come watch with me?” she asked. “I bet it’ll be really cool.”

“No, it’s alright,” Nova said with a smile. “You run along and have fun, Sunset. I’ll catch up with you when I’m finished.”

Sunset left the room and began her journey upstairs, excited to see them depart, but also a bit bummed that Nova did not want to see it as well. Back on the main deck, Sunset could see that the hustle and bustle from earlier had vanished. All the repairponies and porters had left the ship, and the gangplank connecting them to the dock had been removed. She walked up the stairs toward the bridge to get a better view.

When she got up there, she could see that they were indeed preparing to launch. The ship had been detached from the dock and the crowd had largely dispersed. As she stood there looking around, she heard the door of the bridge open behind her. She turned and saw Olive Ridley emerge, looking pumped up.

“Come to see the show, Madam Ambass’dor?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Sunset admitted. “I didn’t want to miss this.”

“Is this your first time travellin’ by airship?” asked Ridley.

“Yep,” Sunset replied. “It’s my first time traveling at all, really.”

“Well then,” said Ridley, a gleam in his eye, “I think you’re going to enjoy this.” He turned and shouted back through the door into the bridge. “Are we ready to depart, Miss Rain?”

“Aye, captain,” Steel Rain replied from inside. “The final checks have been performed and all systems are fully operational.”

“Very good!” said Ridley. “And how about our heading, Mister Herald?”

“Our course has been plotted, captain,” replied Bleak Herald. “Minimal meteorological interference is expected. Our projected time of arrival is within acceptable limits.”

“Glad to hear it,” said Ridley. He noticed that Sunset was visibly confused by this last exchange, so he explained. “We got our orders in a few minutes ago, just like I said we would. I’ll fill you in on where we’re goin’ after we get out of the harbor.”

Sunset was relieved to hear that the princess had not gotten distracted and simply forgotten to tell them their destination. Still, she wondered why the princess had waited till the last minute like she had. Sunset banished the thought from her head; she was overthinking things, she realized. They were about to set off on their adventure and, so far at least, everything had gone according to plan; she had nothing to worry about.

Olive Ridley spoke up again, interrupting Sunset’s thoughts. “I have to stay up here and keep an eye on things,” he said. “But if you’re wantin’ a nice view, I’d recommend headin’ down to the bow.” He motioned toward the front of the ship, before stepping back into the bridge. Sunset decided to take the captain’s advice and headed back down the stairs and up to where he had indicated.

In the bridge, Olive Ridley addressed his first mate, who stood ready at the helm. “Miss Rain, take us out.”

“Yes, sir,” Steel Rain responded, tightening her hold on the wheel. “Mister Herald, slow ahead.”

“Yes, ma’am,” said Bleak Herald, reaching out and puling a lever attached to a large dial with several settings marked in writing. He adjusted the dial to the setting marked “slow ahead”.

Down in the engine room, a similar-looking dial on the wall switched to the corresponding setting, accompanied by the sound of a small bell. Firebrand looked up at it and relayed the message to his brother. “Slow ahead, Tinker,” he said.

Little Tinker, standing over by the engine, pulled a lever on the controls. “Slow ahead,” he echoed back. The great wheels of the engine, which had been spinning at a sluggish pace, gradually increased in speed, causing a corresponding increase in the speed of the beating flippers. Outside the ship, the flippers sent out progressively more powerful bursts of wind, which could have sent a pony flying had they been standing in their path.

At the bow, Sunset watched with excitement as the ship began to inch forward. It moved slowly at first, its change in position barely detectable unless one looked down at the dock beside it. Soon, however, Sunset could feel the movement of the massive vessel as it got up to speed.

When the ship was moving fast enough, Steel Rain in the bridge gently turned the wheel to the side with the precision of a surgeon. In response, the beating of the ship’s flippers changed speeds, one slowing down and the other speeding up slightly. The imbalance of forward force slowly veered the ship away from the dock, toward the mouth of the harbor.

Sunset watched as the solid ground of the dock moved away from her, leaving only the sheer drop of the mountainside in its place. She was not especially afraid of heights, but that particular view probably would have made even the bravest of ponies uneasy. Looking away, she turned her gaze to the mouth of the harbor, which the ship was quickly turning to face. When they had lined themselves up with the opening, the ship ceased its rotation, moving straight ahead.

The ship advanced at a decent pace, the walls of the mountain moving past them slowly but surely. Suddenly, Sunset noticed the sound of hooves on wood coming from behind her. She turned around, and was greeted with the sight of Nova Obscura trotting across the deck toward her.

“Hey, there you are,” Sunset called out to her. “I was starting to think you weren’t gonna make it.”

Nova reached Sunset at the bow and took a second to regain her composure. “So was I,” she said. “I finished up as quickly as I could so that I could join you up here.” Nova glanced out at their surroundings and noticed the steep drop below them. “Oh dear,” she said nervously, reflexively taking a step away from the side of the ship. “I suppose I shall have to get used to this.”

“We both will,” said Sunset, giving Nova a playful nudge and a smile. Nova looked back at her, appearing somewhat at ease. Sunset turned her gaze ahead of the ship and saw that they had almost reached the mouth of the harbor.

Nova took a deep breath to calm herself. “Well, here we go,” she said.

“Here we go,” Sunset echoed back.

As the two mares stood watching, the Opportunity left the rocky enclosure of the mountain and entered the open sky beyond. Neither one of them could have imagined what lay in store for them as they flew away from Canterlot, the only home they had even known, and into the magical land of Equestria beyond.

Chapter Three - The Garden of Eden

My Dearest Sunset,

I have received a message from the village of Paradise Fields calling for aid. It would seem that the farmers of the community have had troubles with their crops recently; a mysterious blight has appeared that they are powerless to combat. If this issue is not rectified soon, it could have a devastating impact on the farmers’ livelihoods, as well as the communities that rely on them for their produce. This will be your first assignment: travel to Paradise Fields, discover the nature of this blight, and do whatever you can to remedy the situation. Speak with the pony called Rosemary when you arrive; she is the one who contacted me, and will most likely be able to help you with your investigation. I wish you the best of luck in this endeavor, and remind you that you can always call on me if you have need of assistance.

Your Loving Mentor,
Celestia

Sunset read the words on the page over and over, trying to squeeze every drop of information that she could out of them. It seemed a fairly simple task: go to a little village somewhere in rural Equestria and help some farmers with their gardening. However, Sunset was not going to take any chances with this, her first mission. She needed to prove to the princess, as well as to herself, that she was competent enough to handle important business like this without messing up.

While not as helpful as she would have hoped, Celestia’s message was definitely more informative than the brief recollection of the captain she had heard earlier. When she had gone back up to the bridge after watching the ship’s launch, Olive Ridley had been more than happy to share what little information he had on their destination. He had told her what the princess had confirmed: that Paradise Fields was a small agricultural community that supplied food and other produce to nearby towns. He had never been there himself, but he had flown over it several times, recalling the sight of fields of lush, colorful vegetation.

The ship’s navigator, Bleak Herald, had pointed out the village on the map, a few hours of travel southwest of Canterlot, on the way to Los Pegasus. After getting all she could from the crew, Sunset had returned to her cabin, hoping that the princess would have followed up with more details. Sure enough, her journal had received the message while she had been away, and she had reread it several times already.

Sunset’s mind was already working, trying to imagine what sort of disease could be troubling the small village and why the residents would feel the need to call on the princess herself to help them. Unfortunately, botany had never really been her strong suit, Sunset finding it to be a subject much too slow and mundane for her tastes. Despite their similar education, Nova had also been unable to hazard a guess when Sunset had brought it up with her.

If she couldn’t rely on her own knowledge to address the problem, Sunset reasoned, then she could always do things the old-fashioned way. “Hey, Nova,” she said, “you didn’t happen to pack any books on agriculture, did you?” Nova had brought along a small collection of reference material at Sunset’s request, mostly books of spells and other tomes that Sunset had thought might be useful.

“Sorry,” replied Nova, walking over to Sunset’s half of the room, “I don’t think I did.” She moved over to the small bookcase near Sunset’s desk that she had had brought in. She scanned the spines of the books, looking for anything that could be of even slight help. “You could try...this. Or perhaps this.” Nova pulled a few books from the shelf and placed them on the desk. “I think there’s a section on plant biology in this one.”

Sunset rose from her bed and walked over to her desk to see what Nova had come up with. She immediately recognized the familiar pages of their old biology textbook as Nova flipped through it. Why she had let Nova talk her into bringing it along with them, she couldn’t remember. Although, if it actually proved to be of use, then she might have to thank Nova for her foresight, Sunset realized. Mentally preparing herself for a long study session, Sunset sat down and began her search, with Nova’s assistance.

The wind whistled in Sunset’s ear and whipped up her hair as she stood on the deck of the Opportunity. Off the side of the ship, she could see fields of crops dotting the landscape, creating a patchwork of color not unlike that of a quilt. Sunset saw a field of bright orange pumpkins next to one full of golden wheat, billowing in the breeze like ocean waves. Beyond the farms, miles and miles of rolling green hills stretched out to the distant mountains and forests, which looked small and unimposing from far away.

It was a beautiful sight to be sure, Sunset thought, almost too beautiful. When she had imagined what a village suffering from a blight might look like, she had pictured dry, cracked soil with shriveled vines clawing their way out of the earth, complete with a tumbleweed blowing by. The disconnect immediately made Sunset confused, perhaps even a little suspicious. She did not dwell too long on those thoughts, however, as she knew that she would soon be able to get some answers.

According to the captain, they would be arriving at Paradise Fields in just a few minutes. He had come down to Sunset and Nova’s cabin a short while ago to give them his estimate, as well as to invite them up on deck to watch them land. Sunset, having spent quite a while poring over her books in vain, welcomed the chance to get some fresh air and stretch her legs. Besides, it would probably be more productive to get on the ground and speak with the farmers themselves rather than sit there and speculate, she reasoned.

True to the captain’s word, Sunset could soon see a small collection of buildings come into view in the distance. As they got closer, she could see that the “village” was closer to what she would call a hamlet, consisting of just several small buildings scattered around a large clearing in between the surrounding fields. Several small dirt roads led away from the settlement in various directions, spiderwebbing their way across the land, presumably leading to the more outlying farms.

As the ship drew closer and closer to the clearing, Sunset heard the rhythmic beating of the ship’s flippers slow. As they did, there was a corresponding decrease in the ship’s speed. Slower and slower the flippers went, until they finally ground to a halt just before the ship reached its destination. The remaining inertia gently carried the ship forward, until it too petered out, leaving them floating in place above a conveniently-empty spot, more than big enough to land the ship.

A few moments later, another sound caught Sunset’s attention. It was a loud hissing, like that of air being blown into a balloon, but magnified significantly. Looking around, she followed the noise to the large beams that connected the ship to the balloon overhead. There were four in total, one in each corner of the ship; she walked over to the closest one to get a better look.

The beam was thick and tough, with a wide pipe connected to it, running from the balloon at the top to the floorboards beneath them. It was this pipe that was the source of the noise, it and the other ones like it on the other beams. Sunset put her ear up to the pipe to get a better listen; up close, the noise sounded even more intense, like the shrill cry of wind in a storm.

“Makes quite a racket, don’t it?” said a voice from behind her. Sunset started and whipped around, only to see Olive Ridley standing there, looking as carefree as ever. “I apologize, Madam Ambass’dor,” he said, noticing her reaction, “I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

“It’s alright, captain,” said Sunset, feeling more embarrassed than startled. She realized that the sound of his approach must have been masked by the sound of the pipe, which she had been awkwardly pressing her head against. “I was just wondering what was going on here,” she said, trying save face.

Olive Ridley then explained to Sunset the basics of how the ship’s flotation system worked. Normally, the ship’s balloon was filled with gas that was lighter than the surrounding air, which lifted the ship up. But when they wanted to descend, they had to pump the heavier air from the surrounding atmosphere up into the balloon, making it heavier and reducing the lift it provided the ship. The pipes up on the deck were carrying air from the pumps, the strange machines Sunset had seen in the boiler room earlier, up into the balloon. While Sunset already knew how airships worked in principle, it was still interesting to hear about the specifics.

The ship began to descend slowly, the buildings on the ground becoming larger as the distance between them decreased. As they got close to the ground, the audible rush of air through the pipes diminished, slowing to a trickle. The movement of the ship toward the ground also slowed to a crawl, the last bit of distance taking what seemed like forever to close. Just before the hull of the ship kissed the earth, the pipes went silent, and the ship hovered in place.

The whisper of air was replaced with a brief, but loud grinding coming from the underbelly of the ship. “And that’d be the anchor,” explained Olive Ridley. “Stows away nice and neat when we don’t need it.”

Sunset noticed Steel Rain emerge from the bridge and fly over to where they were standing. She landed with the same poise Sunset had seen her demonstrate previously and addressed the captain. “Landing procedure is complete, sir,” she said.

“Very good,” replied Ridley. He moved over to the side of the deck, the same spot Sunset had walked onto the ship earlier that day. Sunset hadn’t noticed it earlier, but that particular section of the short wall that ringed the deck seemed to be attached to the rest with hinges and a bolt, like a door. Ridley slid back the bolt and pulled the wall inward, leaving a gap a few feet wide. “Miss Rain, would you do the honors?” he said.

“Yes, sir,” Steel Rain replied. She moved over to the gap and took hold of a small loop of rope attached to the deck at the edge. Fluttering into the air, she yanked on the rope, pulling up a long gangplank that had been inlaid into the deck. She flew backwards, dragging the long plank out and away from the ship. When it had been drawn out to its full extent, the end of the plank hooked into a small groove in the deck, locking it in place. Steel Rain slowly descended to the ground, delivering the other end of the gangplank to its resting place.

As she did this, Nova Obscura emerged from belowdecks and joined Sunset and the captain. “You ready to go, Nova?” Sunset asked her.

“I’m ready,” Nova responded, a determined look on her face. “How about you?”

Standing there, about to set off on her mission, Sunset felt a mixture of excitement and trepidation at the thought of what might come next for them. “Ready as I’ll ever be,” said Sunset, trying to sound confident despite her rising anxiety.

“One last thing before you shove off, Madam Ambass’dor,” said Olive Ridley, an uncharacteristically serious expression on his face. “Now, I may be your captain, but I’m also responsible for your safety while you’re with us. I know the most dangerous thing around these parts is probably a bumblebee, but still, I’d feel better if you two didn’t run about unescorted. And it doesn’t have to be me; I could have Miss Rain go along with you if you’d prefer. I promise she wouldn’t get in the way of your business at all.”

Sunset found the captain’s concern sweet, albeit a bit patronizing. “Is that a request, or an order?” she asked respectfully.

Olive Ridley chuckled, his usual smile returning to his face. “Madam, I have neither the authority nor the inclination to be orderin’ you around,” he said. “All I want is to make sure you come back in one piece when you’re through.”

“You don’t have to worry about us, captain,” said Sunset, “we can take care of ourselves.”

“I’m sure you can,” Ridley said genuinely. “Just...don’t forget that we’re here for you, all of us are. And you both be back before nightfall, you hear?” he said with a comedically exaggerated parental tone.

“We will,” Sunset chuckled, “I promise.”

“Well, I guess that’ll have to be good enough for me, then,” said Ridley. He stepped back and motioned toward the gangplank. “Best of luck to you, Madam Ambass’dor,” he said, giving a polite bow. Steel Rain, who had returned to the deck while they had been talking, also gave a bow.

“Thanks,” said Sunset, “we’ll be back soon.”

“Farewell, captain,” said Nova.

Sunset and Nova took their leave, descending the angled gangplank to the ground. Sunset took a moment to look around once she got there. From that angle, she could see that the Opportunity was hovering a few feet in the air, a fairly precise landing for such a large craft. She could also see the ship’s flippers from close up, the large paddles looking even more impressive than when she had seen them from afar. Emerging from the ship between the two paddles was a thick, heavy chain, which led to a large anchor resting on the ground.

“Sunset,” said Nova, “are you sure we shouldn’t bring an escort? It couldn’t hurt.”

“Yes, Nova, I’m sure,” replied Sunset. While Nova’s caution was to be expected, Sunset was not inclined to give in. She didn’t want the first thing she did on her mission to be asking for help, especially on an assignment as low-stakes as the one they were on. “We’re just gonna be looking at a bunch of plants; we’ll be fine on our own.”

Sunset led the way into the village, with Nova following alongside her. They could see that most of the buildings were residences: small, one-story, wooden houses that looked old and run-down. One or two of them even looked abandoned, their roofs sagging and their windows cracked. They couldn’t see any other ponies, either moving about the town or in their homes. “Where is everyone?” said Sunset.

“Maybe they’re all out working in the fields,” guessed Nova.

One of the buildings in the village stood out from the others. It was slightly wider than the other buildings and had a shaded porch that ran across its front side. Its wide windows displayed a variety of common goods such as farming tools arranged inside. There was no sign designating it as such, but Sunset could recognize a storefront when she saw one. “Why don’t we try in there?” Sunset suggested. “In a village as small as this, they’ll have to know where we can find Rosemary.”

The two approached the store, the floorboards creaking loudly as they stepped up to the front door. Sunset reached out and gently pushed the door open, not sure what to expect. As they stepped inside, Sunset saw that her suspicions had been correct about the place. Wooden shelves throughout the store displayed even more goods than those they had seen in the window displays. In addition to tools, she also saw a variety of other household items such as cookware, spices, cloth, medicine, and even some candy. A wooden counter stood in the back corner, with the entryway to some back room behind it.

Seeing nopony immediately, Sunset approached the counter. There was a small call bell on the countertop, which Sunset ventured to ring. The bell rang out sharp and clear in the quiet store. From the back room, a voice called out, “Keep your horseshoes on! I’ll be there in a jiffy.” A few moments later, an old, wrinkled mare emerged and stood behind the counter. “Well now, I can’t say I’ve ever seen you two fillies around these parts before,” she said friendlily, adjusting the tiny pair of spectacles on her face. “Either that, or my eyes are even worse than I thought.”

“We just got here today, ma’am,” said Sunset. “I’m Sunset Shimmer, and this is Nova Obscura. We’ve been sent here to help your village deal with the blight.”

The old mare narrowed her eyes. “Blight?” she said. “I ain’t heard nothin’ about no...oh, wait a minute!” she said, suddenly perking up. “You must be talkin’ about what’s been goin’ on up at Rosemary’s place.”

“Ah, yeah, we are looking for Rosemary, actually,” said Sunset, somewhat confused by her response. “Do you know where we can find her?”

“Why, sure!” the old mare replied. “She an’ her daughter live just a few miles up the road. It’s a right shame what’s goin’ on up there. Rosemary’s been havin’ a fit over the whole thing, tellin’ everypony that their crops are gonna be next if things don’t change soon.”

“What exactly has been going on with her crops?” asked Sunset.

Just then, Sunset heard the sound of the front door opening behind her. She looked over her shoulder and saw a young mare entering the store. She was an Earth pony that looked to be just a few years older than Sunset: a full-grown mare by any reasonable appraisal. Her coat was a soft pinkish color; her long, reddish-pink hair flowed like fresh linens from her head. She had bright eyes and a youthful face; she was pretty, but not strikingly so.

The old mare behind the counter spoke up. “Well, what a coinkydink you showin’ up just now, Hollyhock,” she said to the young mare. “Me an’ these nice fillies from out of town were just talkin’ about what’s been happenin’ to your flowers.”

The young mare froze in her tracks, her face expressionless; she looked Sunset and Nova up and down. “Oh?” she said flatly.

“Yeah,” the old mare continued, “they say they’re here from...er, where did you say you we’re from again?”

“We’re here from Canterlot,” said Sunset turning to face the newcomer. “We got the message Rosemary sent us about the problems with your crops. She’s your mother, right?”

“The message?” said the young mare. “What are you...?” Suddenly, her eyes went wide. “Oh.” Her eyes shut and she turned her head to the side. “Oh no. She didn’t...” she grumbled under he breath. She released an exasperated sigh and looked back up at Sunset. “Yes, Rosemary is my mama,” she said calmly. “And yes, we’re the ones who’ve been havin’ problems at our farm. It’s just...I’m sorry, would you mind waitin’ for me outside for a minute. I just need to pick up a few things real quick and then I’ll tell you what you wan’t to know. I promise.”

“Um, sure,” said Sunset, very confused by her reaction. She looked over at Nova and signaled that they were leaving.

“Toodle-oo!” said the old mare, waving at Sunset and Nova as they walked out of the shop.

Once they were out and the door had closed behind them, Sunset turned to face Nova. “Well, that was weird,” she said quietly.

“Indeed,” said Nova. “She seemed so upset when we told her why we were here. Maybe things here are worse than we thought.”

“Maybe,” said Sunset. “Anyway, we’ll find out soon enough.”

A short while later, the young mare emerged from the shop, a polite smile on her face. She paused, looking past Sunset and Nova to the Opportunity in the distance. “You know, I’d been wonderin’ what that big balloon was doin’ there,” she said. “I’ve never seen one so close before.” She turned her gaze back to Sunset. “I apologize; we got off on the wrong hoof back in there. My name is Hollyhock, it’s a pleasure to meet you two.”

“Hey, it’s no problem,” Sunset said, smiling back at her. “I’m Sunset Shimmer, and this is my friend, Nova Obscura.”

“How do you do?” said Nova.

The friendly expression slowly melted from Hollyhock’s face, leaving her looking downcast. “Look,” she sighed, “I know you both have traveled a long way to get here, and I’m very grateful that you took the time to come and try to help us, but I’m afraid you’ve wasted your time.”

“But you told us you were having problems at your farm,” Sunset pressed.

“Well, yeah,” said Hollyhock tentatively. “We have been havin’ a few minor issues with our latest harvest, but it’s nothin’ that we can’t handle on our own. Certainly nothin’ that a big-city pony like yourself needs to be frettin’ over.”

“That’s not what we were told,” said Sunset adamantly. “And that’s not what we’ve heard here today.” Sunset was getting increasingly suspicious of Hollyhock’s behavior.

“I know what you probably heard from my mama,” said Hollyhock, “but she’s been...overreactin’ to this whole thing. She’s been runnin’ around the village, tellin’ all the neighbors, and actin’ like the world’s endin’. She’s the one who go the bright idea to send a letter to Canterlot to ask for help. I thought I had talked her out of it, but she must have gone and done it without me knowin’.”

Sunset tried to puzzle out the situation. On one hand, if what Hollyhock was saying was true and there wasn’t a serious problem, then Sunset would have gladly believed it. On the other hand, Sunset was extremely hesitant to risk packing up and leaving without even seeing the problem for herself.

“Hollyhock,” Sunset began, “I’m not saying you’re lying, but I don’t think we can leave without at least hearing what your mother has to say.”

“Alright,” sighed Hollyhock. “If you’re absolutely certain. Come with me; our farm’s just a short walk down the road.”

Sunset and Nova followed Hollyhock out of the village and down one of the dirt roads leading through the fields. As they walked, they passed by rows of ripe, juicy tomatoes, huge watermelons, bright green lettuce, and many other kinds of delicious foodstuff. Sunset’s stomach grumbled at the sight, as she had not had anything to eat since the light breakfast she had had before leaving the castle that morning.

Nova attempted to engage Hollyhock in light conversation as they went, asking her about the village and her farm. From this, they learned that there were only a few dozen ponies living in the nearby area, most of whom lived out on their farms rather than in the village proper. Unlike most of their neighbors, Hollyhock and her mother grew flowers rather than fruits and vegetables. Whenever harvest time came along, they and the other farmers would transport their produce by wagon to a river several miles away. From there, it would be shipped downriver, eventually making its way to Los Pegasus, Ponyville, and many other nearby communities.

As they went further along, the fields became less densely packed, with small, grassy areas and groves of thin trees scattered throughout. Eventually, the road came to a short hill, framed on both sides by trees. “We’re almost there,” said Hollyhock as they ascended. “It’s just over this hill.”

When Sunset’s head finally peeked over the top and she could see what lay beyond, she couldn’t help but stop and stare. On the other side of the hill was a small, shallow valley, every square foot of which was covered in some of the most beautiful flowers Sunset had ever seen. She saw swathes of roses as red as blood nestled near lilies as white as snow. She saw sunflowers standing tall and proud, shining like miniature suns in the afternoon light. Bluebells, daisies, marigolds, tulips, and a hundred other types of flower made an appearance, each boasting vibrant colors of their own. To Sunset, it looked as if a rainbow had fallen out of the sky and landed here on the ground, without losing any of its splendor.

“Woah,” said Sunset, too overwhelmed to think of anything more eloquent to say.

“It’s beautiful,” said Nova, in a similarly awed tone.

Hollyhock chuckled at their reactions. “Yeah,” she said, “it is pretty, ain’t it? I guess you just get used to it, seein’ it every day.” She let the have a moment to take it all in before ushering them along. “Come on now, you two. Unless you’re lookin’ to get jobs as scarecrows.” Sunset and Nova pulled themselves out of their stupor and followed behind her.

The scent that permeated the air was almost as heavenly as the sights. Sunset could also hear the soft buzzing of bees as they hopped about the flowers collecting their nectar. She was reminded of the many hours she had spent wandering through the castle gardens back in Canterlot. While the gardens were probably the only thing she had ever seen that could surpass what she saw before her, the valley’s sheer size and variety made it a serious rival.

The road ended at a small clearing at the end of the valley, in front of another wooded area. A small farmhouse dominated the clearing; it looked old, but seemed to be well-maintained. It had only a single story, but looked big enough to house a small family.

“Well, here it is: home, sweet home,” said Hollyhock as they arrived at the house. “It ain’t much, but...it ain’t much,” she finished despondently. Hollyhock perked up as she remembered that Sunset and Nova were still there with her. “Come along inside. Mama’s probably still in the kitchen.”

She led them up to the house and opened the front door, ushering them inside. They were standing in a small common room, from which they could see pretty much the entire rest of the house. On one side, a small dining room could be seen, leading to what looked like the kitchen on the far end. On the other side of the house, there were two other rooms, which Sunset assumed must have been bedrooms. Somepony could be heard moving about the kitchen, accompanied by the sound of cookware on a hard surface.

“Mama, I’m back,” called out Hollyhock. “And I brought guests.”

“Guests?” responded a voice from the kitchen. “What’re you doin’ bringin’ guests around here? You know we don’t have time to entertain.”

“No, mama,” said Hollyhock, walking through the dining room towards the kitchen, “they’re here to help us. They...got the letter you sent.”

“Oh, really?” said the pony in the kitchen. The sounds of cookware ceased, and Sunset could hear hoofsteps approaching.

In the entryway to the kitchen appeared a middle-aged Earth pony, although the wrinkles on her face made her look older than that. Her coat was a pastel bluish-purple, and her hair, done up in a lumpy bun with a few loose strands hanging down, was a darker, dull purple. She was wearing an apron stained with powders and liquids of various color. Despite everything else, Sunset could not help but notice a strong family resemblance between her and Hollyhock.

“Well, now,” she said, “who do we have here?”

“Mama, this is Sunset and Nova,” said Hollyhock, gesturing to each of them in turn. “Girls, this here’s my mama, Rosemary.”

“It’s nice to meet you, ma’am,” said Sunset, Nova echoing her.

Rosemary looked them up and down, as if appraising a flower in a contest. “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance,” she said, “although, I wish we didn’t have to be meetin’ under such circumstances. We’re in a right pickle here, and I’m about at my wits’ end.”

“That’s why were here,” said Sunset enthusiastically. “We’re going to do whatever it takes to help you solve your problem.”

Rosemary’s eyes narrowed. “You know, when I wrote to Canterlot askin’ for help, I’d hoped the princess would take the situation seriously,” she said, looking Sunset in the eye. “I’d hoped that she would send somepony a bit more...experienced.” Sunset had heard comments such as this from older ponies enough times to know exactly what Rosemary meant by “experienced”.

“Mama!” said Hollyhock quietly. “Be polite. They came here to help us.”

“And how much help do you think a couple of fillies are gonna be?” said Rosemary to her daughter. She turned back to address Sunset. “I don’t suppose you know anything about flowers, do you? Or any kind of crops for that matter. Heavens, have you even been on a farm before?”

Sunset had been about to butt in after being called a filly, but Rosemary’s challenge stopped her in her tracks. As much as it pained her to admit it, she was woefully unprepared to handle a situation like the one she found herself in. It had been easier for her to hide behind a veil of false confidence back on the ship, when her troubles had just been words on paper. But there on the farm, with her own ignorance being thrown in her face, she was forced to recognize the gravity of the situation. Still, Sunset was not about to give up without a fight.

Sunset straightened her shoulders and held her head high. “Look, I might not be an expert when it comes to flowers,” she began, trying to sound as confident as she could. “And I’m definitely not saying I’m a better farmer than you. But the princess chose me to come here because she thought I was capable of helping you. If she thinks I can do it, then that should be enough for you too. Won’t you at least give us a chance? If things really are as bad as you say they are, what have you got to lose?”

Rosemary showed no reaction as she listened to Sunset. When Sunset finished, silence hung over the room. After a moment, Rosemary breathed a defeated sigh. “You’re right,” she said. “You’re absolutely right.” She chuckled disconcertingly. “We’re at the end of our rope. I’m not in a position to be turnin’ away anyone’s help right now.”

“Rosemary, we want to help you,” said Sunset in a much gentler tone, “you just have to let us. Just...tell us what’s going on, and we’ll see what we can do to fix it.”

“Alright,” said Rosemary. “Why don’t you two have a seat? I’ll tell you everything I can.” Sunset and Nova sat down at the dining room table with Rosemary, who sent Hollyhock into the kitchen to fetch them all some tea.

“Now, it all started about three or four weeks ago, if I recall correctly,” began Rosemary. “I was out tendin’ to the flowers in the north field one mornin’. We had some beautiful lilacs growin’ up there; red ones, pink ones, white ones, the whole shebang. Anyway, I went over to give ‘em a drink, but something was wrong. A huge patch of ‘em had somehow gone from bein’ their usual, colorful selves, to bein’ pure white, and not just the normal sort of white neither. It was a pale, sickly sort of white they were, like the color a pony turns when they’re under the weather. They’d completely lost their color; petals, stems, leaves, and all.

“Now, normally such a thing happenin’ wouldn’t be a huge cause for alarm. There are several sorts of disease that can rob a flower of its color, all of which are fairly easy to deal with, but this was different. I’d never seen a crop with symptoms that bad before, and I started fearin’ the worst. I tried all my usual remedies, but none of ‘em did the trick. Even my last-resort cures didn’t do any good.

“I was right flummoxed. Luckily, I was able to find the answer. I was lookin’ through an old book of home remedies, most of which I already knew, but I was desperate. That’s where I found it. There was a short snippet about blights from olden times, so old that they’re more legend than history nowadays. I only read it on a whim, but am I sure glad that I did. If I hadn’t, I never would have found out about wraithrot.”

“Wraithrot?” said Sunset grimly.

“Yes,” said Rosemary. “And the name is the most pleasant thing about it. Apparently, it was first seen centuries ago in small communities to the South. From there, the rot spread like wildfire, infectin’ any kind of plant it could get a hold of. And it’s most noticeable symptom? It turned any flower, any vegetable, any tree it touched as white as a sheet, hence the name. And that wasn’t all. Any food taken from an infected plant would be spoiled rotten, making ponies sick from just a single bite. If they hadn’t wiped out the blight as quick as they did, there would have been famine all across Equestria for years.”

“So, what did they do?” asked Sunset, who was very absorbed by the story. “How did they stop it?”

“They used the farmer’s last resort,” said Rosemary. “They put their fields, their orchards, and their nurseries to the torch. Thousands of square miles of land were burned to the ground. Ancient forests that had been growin’ since before the foundin’ of Equestria disappeared as if they’d never even been there. Many ponies lost their homes and their livelihoods, but in the end, they succeeded; the rot was gone, never to be seen again. Well, until now, that is.”

Hollyhock re-entered the dining room, carrying a tray with teacups and a kettle. She poured cups of tea for everyone while her mother continued.

“I was shakin' in my horseshoes after I’d finished readin’, but at least I knew what we had to do,” said Rosemary. “Hollyhock and I went to work straight away, pullin’ up the affected plants and burnin’ ‘em to ash. We thought that’d be the end of it, but we weren’t that lucky. Soon after, we found even more plants with the rot, and in bigger bunches than the first time. We’ve been at this for weeks, tryin’ to stamp it out. Every day we burn more and more, and every day it keeps comin’ back. At this rate, if things keep goin’ they way they are, we’ll lose our entire crop within a month.

“And that won’t be the end of it, neither. If we go, then our neighbors will be next. They’ll lose their crops, and then the trees and grass will carry wraithrot throughout Equestria. Paradise Fields will be gone by the end of the season. And by the end of the year, it will have gotten from here to Ponyville and everywhere in between, and we can say goodbye to a good chunk of Equestria’s food supply.”

Sunset felt cold as she listened to these final words. She sipped the hot tea held between her hooves, but it did little to warm her. Envisioning the consequences should she fail her mission did nothing to bolster her diminishing confidence. She gulped, then opened her mouth to speak. “If you were having so much trouble, why didn’t you send for help sooner?” she asked.

Hollyhock squirmed uncomfortably in her seat and Rosemary’s jaw clenched. “In hindsight, I probably should have,” said Rosemary. “I had wanted to send word to Canterlot soon after the outbreak, but I was...persuaded to wait and see if we could solve the problem ourselves.” Almost imperceptibly fast, Rosemary’s eyes darted over to Hollyhock, before returning to Sunset.

“Well, we’re here now, that’s what matters,” said Sunset in a serious tone. “I understand why you’re so worried, Rosemary, and I know I probably wouldn’t have been your first choice, but I’m going to give it my all anyway. Whatever I can do to save your farm, I’ll do it. I swear, I’ll find a way to get you through this.”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep, young lady,” said Rosemary, a forlorn smile on her face. “But if you’re still willin’ to give it a go after hearin’ all that, then you must have somethin’ worthwhile in you.” She turned to the side to address her daughter. “Hollyhock, why don’t you take them out to the north field; let them see for themselves just what’s goin’ on.”

“Yes, mama,” said Hollyhock, rising from the table. “Come along, you two. Let’s get going.” Sunset gulped down the last of her tea and followed Hollyhock out of the room, Nova close behind her. The three walked back to the front door and exited the house, the heat of the afternoon sun once again beating down on their heads.

“Hollyhock,” said Sunset once the door was closed, “can you tell us what’s really going on? Why were you trying to downplay things earlier? And why did you tell your mother not to call for help?”

Hollyhock sighed and turned to face Sunset. “It...it wasn’t that bad at first. I really thought we’d be able to handle things on our own. And I didn’t want my mama to start a panic by tellin’ the princess that there was a famine comin’. And when you actually came here, well...I just didn’t want you to be jumpin’ to conclusions. I know what my mama thinks but, to tell you the truth, I’m still not entirely sure this is wraithrot we’re dealin’ with. It could be that she’s just wrong, and it’s somethin’ entirely different. Anyway, you’re here now, so you can see for yourself and make up your own mind. Come on.”

Hollyhock turned abruptly and began walking away. Nova moved to follow her, but Sunset put a hoof on her shoulder to stop her. Nova looked back at Sunset, confused, and Sunset leaned in to whisper in her ear. “Nova, I want you to stay here with Rosemary,” said Sunset.

“Why?” said Nova quietly.

“I think there’s more going on here than Hollyhock’s telling us,” said Sunset. “Try talking with Rosemary. See if you can find out anything else.”

“Alright,” said Nova hesitantly.

Sunset gave Nova one last look before catching up with Hollyhock; Nova stood there, watching the two walk off to the North. Sunset came up alongside Hollyhock and slowed to match her pace. Hollyhock took a quick look around. “Hey, what happened to Nova?” she asked.

“Oh, she was...feeling a bit tired,” Sunset said, trying to sound natural. “I told her to stay back at the house and rest.”

“Oh, okay,” said Hollyhock, seemingly unsuspicious of Sunset’s cover story.

The two followed a narrow path through the flowers up to the north side of the valley. As they drew closer, Sunset began to see large patches of bare earth amongst the flowers. The patches grew larger and more frequent as they went, until eventually they combined into a single, large clearing. In the center of the clearing was a wide pit in the ground, with a large pile of firewood nearby.

“That’s where we’ve been doin’ the burnin’,” said Hollyhock, indicating the pit. “And over here, you can see the problem for yourself.” Hollyhock walked over to the edge of the clearing, where there was a scattered bunch of ominously-colored flowers. From a distance, Sunset had thought they looked like any of the other white flowers that decorated the fields. As she went closer, she could see that her initial appraisal was far from accurate.

Sunset saw various types of flowers growing in the area, most of which were of the coloration one would expect of them. Several dozen of the flowers, however, were completely white, just as Rosemary had described. But the particular shade of white these flowers exhibited was not the sort one could see on a lily, a daisy, or any other pleasant-looking flower. They had an unnervingly unnatural appearance, as if they had been drained of their very essence. Sunset could see how wraithrot got its name; the flowers in front of her looked positively ghostly.

“Spooky-lookin’, aren’t they?” Hollyhock said grimly.

“Yeah,” replied Sunset, still transfixed by the sight.

“I gotta finish pickin’ the rest of these before suppertime,” said Hollyhock, “but you’re welcome to see what you can do.” She picked up a wicker basket laying nearby and moved off to a nearby clump of the flowers.

“Right,” said Sunset hesitantly. She was unsure of how to proceed, her tentative plans seeming less promising with the problem right in front of her nose. She reached out and gently stroked the petals of a chrysanthemum, which didn’t feel any different from its healthier neighbors. She lowered her head to it and inhaled deeply, again noticing no significant difference between it and any of the other nearby flowers.

One hunch that Sunset had gotten when she had heard of the disease’s resistance to conventional cures was that it might have been magical in nature. If some sort of spell had been placed on the affected plants, then that would explain why Rosemary’s home remedies had been ineffective. Enchanted objects weren’t always noticeable at a glance, but there were ways of finding out for sure.

Sunset concentrated and called forth the magic within her, channeling it through the horn on her head. She reached out with her magic and embraced the flower in front of her, which began to glow with a blue-green aura. Normally, an enchanted object would have a distinct feel to it, typically described as it feeling “alive”, and a unicorn could perceive this if they listened closely enough to hear its metaphorical “heartbeat”. Sunset, however, could feel nothing; the flower felt as magically inert as the dirt it was growing in.

Sunset was a bit disappointed at this revelation. She had hoped that the problem might have had its roots in magic, therefore being a bit more within her area of expertise than a more conventional disease. Luck was not on her side that day, however, and she was forced to resort to some of her backup plans.

She next tried a simple first aid spell she had learned years ago. It was intended to be used for healing minor injuries, like cuts and bruises, but Sunset thought that it might be able to help her out all the same. The flower glowed brightly for a moment, but then faded back to its former pale appearance. Only slightly perturbed, she tried a few other simple spells that she thought were at least tangentially relevant to the situation.

Several minutes passed as Sunset worked and Hollyhock picked. When Hollyhock’s basket got full, she would carry it over to the pit and deposit its contents inside before returning to the flowers. As she picked, she gradually worked her way closer to where Sunset was.

Having exhausted all of her magical fixes without any noticeable success, Sunset uttered a frustrated sigh and let go of her magic for the time being. She took a deep breath to calm and refocus herself. She glanced over at Hollyhock, who had seemingly taken no notice of Sunset’s difficulties. Sunset’s mind once again turned to Hollyhock and her mother, thinking that she might be able to make some progress on that front if not on the blight.

“So, Hollyhock,” said Sunset casually, “aside from...recent events, how have things been going for you and your mom?”

“Not too bad, I suppose,” said Hollyhock, putting her work on hold for a moment. “The rains have come on time this year and we haven’t had any issues with pests recently. Mama and I have been gettin’ by just as well as ever, for what it’s worth.”

“What do you do when you’re not working?” asked Sunset.

Hollyhock chuckled. “Well, I don’t get that much free time,” she said. “But sometimes, I’ll take walks in the groves nearby. It’s always so peaceful hearin’ the wind in the trees and feelin’ the grass on your hooves. If you find a nice shady spot under a tree, you can doze off for hours if you’re not careful. And if the work’s real light, then I can even head down to the river and have a swim.”

“That must feel good after working out here all day,” said Sunset. “Who do you go with?”

“Normally, I just go on my own,” said Hollyhock wistfully. “There ain’t really anypony else for me to hang out with.”

“You don’t have any friends nearby?” said Sunset.

“It’s not that,” said Hollyhock. “I’m friends with most of the ponies ‘round these parts. It’s just that...most of ‘em are closer to my mama’s age, or they’re much younger than me. They’re nice folks and all, they’re just not the hangin’-out-with type, and I’m way too old to be playin’ around with a bunch of fillies and colts.”

“Sounds like you don’t get to have that much fun around here,” said Sunset.

“I didn’t mean to make it sound that bad,” said Hollyhock, smiling. “It might seem like just a chore to you, but I genuinely enjoy tendin’ to these fields.” Hollyhock reached out and gently caressed a beautiful orchid in front of her. “I love watchin’ these flowers grow big and beautiful. I like imaginin’ all the ponies around Equestria I’m makin’ happy with my work.

Maybe that carnation I grew will end up bein’ given to some pretty filly by her special somepony. Maybe some pony sick in the hospital will see my daffodils by his bedside and find the strength to carry on. Maybe my poppies will end up on a headstone and make that pony’s family feel just a little bit better. I wouldn’t give up doin’ what I’m doin’ for anything in the world. But...” Hollyhock looked Sunset in the eye, a serious expression on her face. “Can I ask you somethin?”

“Of course,” replied Sunset.

“You ever feel like...like maybe you could be doin’ more than what you are?” said Hollyhock. “Like you could be so much better, accomplish so much more than what you are, except you can’t because somethin’s holdin’ you back?”

“Yeah,” said Sunset, “I know exactly what that feels like.”

“I’ve had this...dream; this fantasy, really. Ever since I was a little filly,” said Hollyhock. “I’ve always imagined that, when I got old enough, I’d move away from Paradise Fields. I’d move to the big city, to Manehattan, or maybe Canterlot. And when I got there, I’d open my own flower shop. I’d grow the most beautiful flowers you ever did see. Ponies would come from all over Equestria just to see what I grew. And I’d make a lot of money so my mama didn’t have to work all day just to make ends meet. She could be happy again...” Hollyhock emerged from her reverie and chuckled. “It’s silly, really.”

“No!” said Sunset awkwardly loudly. Hollyhock looked at her, startled at her outburst. “I mean...that’s not silly, Hollyhock, not at all,” said Sunset, catching herself and continuing in a normal tone. “I’ve seen what you and your mother have done here. You have incredible talent. And what’s more, you have drive, you want to do bigger and better things with your life. Not everypony’s like that. Not everypony would have the courage to leave their home and try to make it big somewhere else, but I think you do. I think you could do all that if you really wanted to.”

Hollyhock looked away, the slight hint of a blush on her cheeks. “That’s awful nice of you to say, Sunset, but it’s still just a dream,” she said. “I don’t really think it’ll ever happen for real.”

“Well, why not?” said Sunset. “What’s stopping you?”

Hollyhock sighed. “It’s mama,” she said. “She’d never leave this farm if she had a choice. I’ve tried talkin’ to her before, tellin’ her that we might have better luck someplace else. She wouldn’t hear a word of it, that stubborn old mule. She thinks we wouldn’t last two weeks if we left, even though we’re just barely lastin’ now.”

“Well, have you considered...going without her?” said Sunset.

“I couldn’t do that,” said Hollyhock. “As much as she annoys me sometimes, she’s still my mama. I wouldn’t wanna just leave her here by herself. I want to be with her, just...not here.”

Neither of them said anything for a moment. “I’m sorry, Hollyhock,” said Sunset, breaking the silence. “I didn’t mean to drag you into such a personal conversation.”

“It’s alright, Sunset,” said Hollyhock, smiling at her, “I don’t mind. It’s nice to finally have somepony I can talk to about this.” She looked up at the sun for a moment. “It’s gettin’ on. We should finish up here soon and start headin’ back.” She looked down at the flower that Sunset had been experimenting on. “I take it you didn’t have much luck with that.”

“No,” said Sunset. After listening to what Hollyhock said, Sunset’s inability to banish the blight only made her feel worse. Frustrated, Sunset ripped up the flower and added it to Hollyhock’s basket. She decided to help Hollyhock finish picking that last of the diseased flowers, as she needed some time to think before making another attempt. The two worked silently, collecting the last of the flowers and taking them to the pit.

There was a substantial pile of flowers there by the time they were done. As Sunset stood beside it, she could smell the lingering scent of ash mixed with the fragrance of the flowers. Hollyhock took several pieces of wood from the nearby pile and arranged them in the pit. She got a box of matches that was sitting nearby and was about to strike one of them when Sunset stopped her. “I can take care of that,” Sunset said.

Sunset once again reached out for her magic and concentrated on the pile of plant matter in front of her. She cast a simple spell, igniting a small spark of flame toward the bottom of the pile. The flame quickly spread, encompassing the entire mass in under a minute. Sunset and Hollyhock stood silently as they watched the blaze. Minutes passed, and the pile gradually shrank until all that was left was cinders and charred pieces of wood. Hollyhock turned and kicked some dirt into the pit, smothering the remains of the fire.

“Come on,” said Hollyhock. “We’d best be headin’ back now.” She and Sunset began their walk back to the farmhouse. As they went, Sunset thought about what Hollyhock had said and about what she might do next to try and help. No bright ideas popped into her head, unfortunately. She also wondered if Nova had managed to get any more information out of Rosemary while they had been gone.

Nova stood in front of the farmhouse, watching Sunset and Hollyhock walking off to the north field. Sunset’s words floated around in her head, giving her a lot to think about. While Nova had found Hollyhock’s behavior a bit odd given the circumstances, she was not as suspicious of her as Sunset seemed to be. Perhaps the stress of the situation had just been getting to Hollyhock, Nova thought, and she was trying to think optimistically.

Whatever the reason, she would learn no more by standing out in the sun until they returned. She turned around and headed back into the house, closing the door gently behind her. Rosemary could not be seen in the dining room, presumably returning to the kitchen where she had been earlier. Nova walked over and poked her head into the kitchen, where she saw the Rosemary had indeed resumed her work. “Um, Rosemary? Ma’am?” she said politely.

Rosemary looked up from what she was doing for a moment, before looking back again. “Back so soon, dear?” she asked.

“Sunset thought that I should stay behind and lend a hoof while she goes to see the flowers,” said Nova hesitantly. While she thought that Sunset was being a little too paranoid, she still preferred to tell such a white lie rather than openly confront Rosemary about their suspicions.

“Well, I suppose I could use another pair of hooves,” said Rosemary. “I’ve just been experimentin’ with some mixes that might help stop the blight. Have you ever done this sort of work before?”

Nova looked at the countertop where Rosemary was working. She saw bottles, jars, and other small containers filled with various liquids, powders, roots, herbs, and other strange ingredients that she couldn’t identify. Several pots simmered on the stove, sending multicolored steam wafting up into the air. Rosemary herself was grinding something in a mortar, producing a fine, red powder.

The scene reminded Nova of the long hours she and Sunset had spent learning to brew potions together. While she had done well in those lessons, she had never quite managed to match Sunset’s talent for the discipline. Nova had often had to rely on Sunset to help her out when she got confused by a certain formula. Perhaps this might be an opportunity to demonstrate her own abilities, Nova thought.

“I’ve done a little bit,” said Nova humbly. She moved over to the counter to stand beside Rosemary, who put her to work performing simple tasks such as measuring, mixing, and cutting. Nova was a bit overwhelmed at first having to keep track of all the different pieces of the puzzle before her, but she eventually got into the groove of things.

The two worked for a while with minimal communication. When Nova got more comfortable, she started thinking about the task Sunset had assigned her and how best to go about it. She didn’t think that jumping into a conversation about Hollyhock would be the most effective way of going about things, so she decided to try weening her way into it. “You’re very good at this,” she said.

“I aught to be after doin’ this for so long,” said Rosemary.

“And how long might that be?” said Nova.

“Many, many years,” said Rosemary. “Since I was around Hollyhock’s age, I reckon.”

“Does she know how to do this as well?” said Nova.

“She knows the basics,” sighed Rosemary, “but that filly’s never had the patience to learn much more than that.” She shook her head. “I just don’t know what goes on in that head of hers. She’s gonna have to take over the farm someday, and then what? Who’s she gonna turn to then to lend her a hoof?”

“You don’t think she could handle it by herself?” said Nova.

“We have a hard enough time handlin’ it with the both of us,” said Rosemary. “Don’t get me wrong; she has talent. I’ve seen her raise the most beautiful buds you ever did see, but she doesn’t take it seriously enough. She runs around with her head in the clouds, daydreamin’ and spoutin’ off childish nonsense. One of these days, she’s got to pull herself together and start actin’ like a grown mare.”

“What do you mean by that?” said Nova politely. “She didn’t strike me as being childish.”

“I’d imagine she’d seem mature to a pony of your age,” said Rosemary. “You just haven’t known her long enough, I suppose. She doesn’t have a head for the practical side of runnin’ this place. She doesn’t know the first thing about markets, transport, supply, or anything like that. She just wants to spend her time growin’ pretty flowers and skippin’ through the fields like its all a big game. Heck, if she had her way, she’d have us pack up and move to Manehattan or somethin’ foolish like that.”

“Manehattan?” said Nova. “Why would she want to go there?”

Rosemary stopped her work for a moment and looked up at Nova. “She somehow got the idea in her head that we’d be better off if we just sold the farm, moved away to the big city, and opened a flower shop,” she scoffed. Rosemary shook her head and resumed her work. “It was cute hearin’ her say things like that when she was younger, but it’s high time she start thinkin’ about things like an adult.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t quite follow,” said Nova hesitantly. “Why is starting a flower shop such a bad idea?”

“I can forgive you for wonderin’,” Rosemary sighed. “You don’t know the trade like I do. Places like Canterlot and Manehattan are home to the best florists in all of Equestria. If you want to make it there, it’s not enough just to be good, you have to be the best. You gotta be willin’ to fight the fight and show everypony that you’re a cut above the rest. Those snooty high-society ponies don’t care about the love and attention we put into our work. If some little filly like Hollyhock tried to make it in a place like that, they’d get chewed up and spat out like moldy hay.”

While Nova was mildly insulted by Rosemary’s comments about Canterlot ponies, she realized that she had no real grounds to disagree. She had spent enough time around the ponies of Canterlot’s elite to know just what they were like. While Nova was far too polite to ever speak ill of them openly, she had heard many such disparaging comments come from the mouth of Sunset Shimmer.

“Besides,” continued Rosemary, her tone softening noticably, “we could never leave this farm. Our family has lived here in Paradise Fields for generations. We were some of the first ponies to settle this part of Equestria all those years ago. This place is our home, and our family has put its blood, sweat, and tears into makin’ it what it is today. It just wouldn’t be right to abandon their legacy to run off chasin’ a dream. Family comes first, plain and simple.”

Nova had often heard her own parents say such things. They had never tried to hide how proud they were of their daughter for her relatively high social standing, even before she had been made Sunset’s assistant. When she had been younger, such treatment had made her feel special, like she was some sort of heroic underdog from an old legend. As she grew older, however, she had come to have a much more mature understanding of their feelings.

Still, Nova did not think less of them because of this; she knew their pride and affection toward her were genuine. She understood that they were merely two ponies of humble origin and humble status who wanted their daughter to have a better life than they did. And if their daughter going up in the world led to them also going up in the world, Nova could not fault them for taking some personal pleasure in that. Her family had done so much for her throughout the years that Nova would have gladly made personal sacrifices if it meant doing some good for them in return.

“I suppose you’re right,” said Nova. “Family does come first.”

Nova returned to her work, thinking about all that Rosemary had said. The conversation died down, returning to the minimal communication necessary for carrying out the tasks at hand. As they neared the end of their preparations, Rosemary began condensing the various mixtures they had been working on into a collection of jars sitting on the counter. Each jar ended up being filled with a different concoction, each having a distinct coloration and consistency. Rosemary sealed the jars and put them away.

“I’ll take these new recipes out to the North field tomorrow,” said Rosemary. “Hopefully our time wasn’t a complete waste.” She began clearing the countertop of equipment and cleaning up any stray spills. “I appreciate your help, Nova. And...thanks for listenin’ to what I had to say. Celestia knows my Hollyhock doesn’t want to hear it.”

“It’s no trouble at all, ma’am,” said Nova.

Rosemary gave Nova a small smile. “I have to start gettin’ supper ready now,” she said. “Why don’t you go out and check on the girls? They should be gettin’ back by now.”

Nova nodded and smiled back at her. She left the kitchen and headed back out in front of the house. The sun was hanging low in the sky, only a short while away from retiring for the day. Nova looked out across the flowers in the direction Hollyhock and Sunset had been walking earlier. To her delight, she saw the two ponies on the path, walking back toward the house. She walked out a few feet and waved a hoof in their direction. She saw Sunset pause a moment to wave back at her.

Sunset and Hollyhock soon reached the clearing where the house stood, and Nova went out to meet them. “Welcome back, you two,” said Nova cheerfully. “Did you have a productive time?”

“Well...um...” said Sunset, looking off to the side.

“We managed to get the rest of the infected flowers disposed of,” said Hollyhock, quickly coming in with a save. “Who knows, maybe that’ll finally be the last of them?”

“It never hurts to stay positive,” said Nova. “Anyway, your mother is preparing dinner and sent me to fetch you.”

“Thank heavens for that,” said Hollyhock. “I’m starved.” She began trotting toward the house, looking over her shoulder to address Sunset and Nova. “Come on! Let’s go see what she’s cookin’ up.”

“Uh, you go ahead,” said Sunset, “we’ll catch up.”

“Alright,” said Hollyhock, continuing toward the house, “but don’t be too long, you hear?”

Sunset and Nova waited until Hollyhock was out of earshot before speaking. “Is everything alright, Sunset?” said Nova. “Did you make any progress with the blight?”

“No,” said Sunset in a frustrated tone. “I tried everything I could think of and nothing worked.”

“We knew this wasn’t going to be easy,” said Nova. “You shouldn’t beat yourself up just because you didn’t get it on the first try. Maybe you just need to sleep on it. We’ll go back to the ship and get a good night’s rest, then tomorrow, we’ll come back bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and tackle it together.”

“You’re right,” sighed Sunset, giving Nova a smile. “It’s been a long day. I could use some rest. What about you though? We’re you able to find out anything else back here at the house?”

“Well, I was able to find out a little more about Hollyhock,” said Nova, “but I don’t know if it’s anything that important. Rosemary seems to think that she’s immature and that she wouldn’t be able to handle the farm on her own without help.”

“Immature?” Sunset scoffed. “Why in Equestria would she think that?”

“Apparently, Hollyhock thinks that they would be better off moving away to the big city and doing business there instead,” said Nova.

“Hollyhock told me the same thing,” said Sunset. “She also told me her mom thinks they couldn’t make it in Canterlot.” Sunset shook her head. “Being stubborn is one thing, but ignoring a good idea staring you in the face is another. Hollyhock is great at what she does,” she said, gesturing to the flowers surrounding them for emphasis, “they could totally make it there, or anywhere else for that matter.”

“Well, she is talented,” said Nova, “but leaving your home and starting a new life someplace else is a big risk. Maybe Rosemary just thinks that their place is here, and not trying to fit in to city life.”

“If we can’t figure out something soon,” said Sunset, “she may not have a choice.” Sunset’s ominous remark left an awkward silence in its wake. “Come on,” she continued, “let’s go say our goodbyes, then start heading back.”

Sunset and Nova walked over to the house and went inside again. They could hear Rosemary and Hollyhock in the kitchen, presumably preparing their evening meal. Sunset walked over to speak with them, Nova close behind her. “Rosemary, Hollyhock,” she said, standing in the kitchen entryway, “We just wanted to say goodbye really quick. It’s getting late, so we’ll go ahead and leave you two to your dinner. But we’ll be back first thing in the morning.”

Rosemary looked up from her cutting board where she had been chopping vegetables. “Oh, you don’t need to leave so soon,” she said. “Stay and have supper with us. In fact, why don’t you two stay here for the night? No sense in you leavin’ if you’re just gonna come back tomorrow.”

Hollyhock’s head snapped up from the stove to look at her mother. “Mama! They can’t spend the night!” she said, quietly but enthusiastically. “W-where are they gonna sleep?” Sunset thought the worried-looking expression on Hollyhock’s face seemed a bit much for a concern over sleeping arrangements, but didn’t question it openly.

“That’s very kind of you, ma’am,” Nova chimed in, “but it’s really not necessary.”

“Oh, I insist,” said Rosemary adamantly. “You two came all the way out here just to help us. It’s the least we can do to repay you.”

Sunset did not particularly relish the idea of spending the night in the old farmhouse, but she also didn’t want to offend the pony they had been sent there to help by refusing her hospitality. “Um...alright,” she said. “I suppose we could spend the night here. As long as it’s not too much trouble.”

“Of course not,” said Rosemary friendlily. She turned to address her daughter. “Hollyhock, go and set up the spare bed in your room.”

“But that bed’s not big enough for two ponies,” said Hollyhock.

“They can sleep in your bed and you can sleep in the spare,” said Rosemary in a tone that made clear that the matter was not up for debate. “Now quit your bellyachin’ and get to it.”

“Yes, mama,” Hollyhock sighed. She stepped away from the stove and walked past Sunset and Nova toward the bedrooms.

“If we’re going to be staying the night,” said Nova, “we should probably let the captain know.”

“You’re probably right,” said Sunset. “You wouldn’t mind...”

“Leave it to me, Sunset,” said Nova. “It shouldn’t take me long to pop back to the ship.”

Nova walked back out the front door and started trotting back toward the village. Sunset decided to go check on Hollyhock and see if she needed any help. She walked back to the front of the house and saw Hollyhock at the end of the short hallway leading to the second bedroom, trying to wrestle a foldable metal bed frame out of a closet. “Let me give you a hoof with that,” she called out, walking down the hall.

Sunset grabbed hold of the bed and helped Hollyhock maneuver it out of the closet. “Thanks,” said Hollyhock flatly. They moved the bed over to Hollyhock’s bedroom door, which she opened for them. They pushed the bed into the room, letting Sunset get a good look at the space.

While fairly small, the room was sparsely furnished, keeping it from feeling cramped. Hollyhock had an old-looking bed that seemed big enough to fit two ponies comfortably. A short dresser sat along the far wall, with an array of knick-knacks and other objects on its surface. The open window bathed the room in the warm, late-afternoon sunlight and let in the gentle smell of the fields.

They set up the bed in the open space in the center of the room. Next, they went back to the closet and got a thin, rolled-up mattress, which they took back to the bedroom and unrolled on the bed frame. Hollyhock’s awkward silence as they worked was beginning to make Sunset feel a bit guilty. “Sorry for kicking you out of your bed, Hollyhock,” she said, hoping to clear the air a bit.

“It’s alright, Sunset,” sighed Hollyhock. “It’s not your fault. None of it is,” she finished quietly.

Sunset turned away, Hollyhock’s response not being as encouraging as she would have hoped. She looked at the dresser nearby and the items arranged on it. They were fairly mundane things, mostly; a brush, a small mirror, some hair ribbons, a flower in a glass of water. Something that caught her eye, though, was a photograph in a small wooden frame.

In the photo, Sunset saw three ponies sitting in a grassy field, smiling. A purple-colored mare a bit older than Hollyhock, presumably Rosemary, was holding a very young, pink filly, who was unquestionably Hollyhock. The third figure was a messy-haired stallion about the same age as the Rosemary in the picture, leaning in and giving her a kiss on the cheek.

“Been a long time since that was taken,” said Hollyhock, walking over to the dresser.

Sunset looked at Hollyhock, her focus on the picture interrupted. “I didn’t mean to stare,” she said apologetically.

“Don’t worry,” said Hollyhock lightheartedly. “It’s not like lookin’ at it will do it any harm.” She reached out and took hold of the picture, looking at it deeply.

Sunset moved to stand beside Hollyhock and looked down at the picture as well. “Is that...” she said hesitantly.

“Yep,” said Hollyhock softly, “that’s us: me, mama...and my daddy.”

Sunset paused, unsure of how to proceed. “What was his name?” she said eventually.

“Cypress,” said Hollyhock. “Although, mama called him Cy.”

“And...how old were you when...” Sunset began.

“Around the same age I was here,” said Hollyhock, referring to the picture. “I was too young to really remember; too young to really understand when it happened. Even now, all I really have are snatches of memory; vague feelin’s here and there. I remember the smell of his hair; I remember him holdin’ me tight. I can even remember his voice a bit.”

“What was he like?” said Sunset.

“Well, mama says he was a lot like me,” said Hollyhock, smiling. “He was full of life, she says, always lookin’ to make the best out of every day he had. He loved to joke around and have fun, and he always tried to drag mama into it too. Drove her crazy, she says, but I can tell she liked that about him all the same. And he never stopped lovin’ her, not even a little bit.”

Sunset saw Hollyhock’s eyes getting moist; she put a hoof on her shoulder. “Sounds like he was a really great guy,” she said. Hollyhock said nothing, merely nodding her head. She sniffled and raised a hoof to wipe her eyes, putting the picture back in its place.

“Come on,” said Hollyhock, “let’s finish up here and go help mama with supper.” Together, Hollyhock and Sunset fetched some extra bedding and finished preparing the bed. They returned to the kitchen, where they helped Rosemary with the dinner preparations. Sunset did what she could, but her minimal cooking experience limited her usefulness. By the time the three of them had finished the meal and set the table, Nova had returned.

When she got back to the house, Nova told Sunset that the captain had agreed to let them spend the night there. His earlier reluctance to let them go about on their own had apparently resurfaced, but after Nova had explained the situation, he had given in. She had also brought back some of Sunset’s research materials, in case they needed some inspiration the next day.

The four ponies sat down at the dining room table, where Rosemary served them each a helping of the hearty stew and warm cornbread they had prepared. The stew was a simple recipe containing common ingredients such as cabbage, potatoes, and onions. While Sunset and Nova were both used to eating much fancier meals, they still found the food before them to be delicious in its own right.

They made smalltalk as they ate, mostly led by Nova, who discussed recipes with Rosemary in between ladylike bites. Sunset and Hollyhock were comparatively uncouth, quickly gulping down mouthfuls of food to appease their hungry stomachs. Eventually, there was a break in the conversation, which Rosemary took as an opportunity to address Sunset and Hollyhock. “So, girls,” she began, “you were out there quite a while today. Did you happen to make any progress with the blight?”

Sunset looked away from her, trying to think of a good answer while she finished chewing. She had anticipated that Rosemary might ask her about this, but had been unable to come up with a flattering way of saying that the problem had stumped her. She swallowed and took a deep breath. “Well, not exactly...” said Sunset sheepishly.

“We got rid of the rest of the infected flowers, for what it’s worth,” said Hollyhock.

“But as far as finding a cure goes, I’ve got nothing,” said Sunset.

Rosemary looked gloomy, but unsurprised. “I hate to say I told you so, so I won’t,” she said. “Best we can do is learn from our failures and try again.”

Hollyhock sighed and put her spoon down. “Mama,” she said in a serious tone, “I think it’s time we start talkin’ about a backup plan. We need to decide what we’re gonna do if the worst comes to worst.”

“Now, don’t you start on that, young lady,” said Rosemary sternly. “We may be up a creek without a paddle, but it’s way too soon to talk about givin’ up.”

“But you said it yourself: if we can’t fix things soon, we’re done for!” said Hollyhock. “And I’m not sayin’ Sunset won’t be able to find a cure; maybe she will. But how long is that gonna take? Days? Weeks? Months? By the time we have a solution, it might be too late. If we lose our entire crop, we’re not gonna be able to come back from that, blight or no.”

“Stop it, Hollyhock!” said Rosemary. “I know what you’d have us do, and the answer is still no.”

“But why?” said Hollyhock. “Do you really have so little faith in us? So little faith in me? Even Sunset thinks we could do it, and she’s from Canterlot herself.”

Sunset really wished Hollyhock hadn’t dragged her into the familial dispute. At the mention of her name, Rosemary turned her intense gaze toward her. “I don’t know what my daughter has told you,” she said, “but I’d appreciate it if you stayed out of our family’s private matters.”

“Look, I didn’t come here to tell you what to do with your lives,” said Sunset, trying to sound as polite as possible. “Hollyhock told me about you two potentially leaving the farm, and no, I didn’t discourage her. All she wants is to some good for the world; all she wants is to be the best she can be. And she wants a better life for herself and for you. I don’t see what’s so wrong with that.”

Rosemary’s expression was hard as a rock as Sunset spoke. “I can forgive a filly like you for thinkin’ that way,” said Rosemary in a measured tone, “but Hollyhock is a grown mare. It’s high time she stop thinkin’ about such childish things.”

Hollyhock slumped back in her chair, forelegs crossed. “I bet daddy would have been on my side,” she grumbled to herself.

“Don’t you bring your father into this!” said Rosemary. “You don’t know what he would want.”

“I know he wouldn’t have wanted his wife and child to work themselves to death over this farm if they had the chance for somethin’ better!” said Hollyhock.

“Hollyhock! We are not leavin’; not now, not ever! And that’s the end of it!” said Rosemary.

Hollyhock swiftly got up from her seat and stormed out of the room. “Hollyhock, wait!” Sunset called out, but her words were ineffective. Hollyhock exited out of the front door, slamming it behind her. Sunset moved to stand up and follow her, but was interrupted.

“Don’t,” said Rosemary quietly. “She’ll be back. She just...needs some time.” Rosemary was staring down at the table; the fire in her eyes had gone out, leaving her looking sad, hurt even. Sunset had half a mind to ignore her and chase after Hollyhock anyway, but she did not. She had enough sense to realize that Rosemary was probably right. After all, she knew firsthand that some ponies liked to be alone when they were angry.

Sunset sat back down, and the three did their best to continue the meal, despite the awkwardness hanging over the room. They ate slowly and silently, barely even making eye contact. Sunset managed to exchange a glance with Nova at one point, who did her best to express her sympathy with just her eyes. When they had finished, Sunset and Nova quietly excused themselves and left the table, while Rosemary cleaned up.

The sun had set, leaving only the barest hints of light streaming into the house. Sunset and Nova made their way to Hollyhock’s room, where they prepared for sleep, neither wanting to discuss what had happened at dinner. Soon after, they heard the bedroom door open and saw Hollyhock enter the room. She closed the door gently and quickly walked over to the bed they had set up for her. Sunset only caught a brief glimpse of her face before she threw herself down on the mattress and covered herself with the blanket, but she could see that her eyes were red and that her cheeks bore traces of moisture, haphazardly wiped away. “Hollyhock,” said Sunset softly.

“Goodnight,” said Hollyhock flatly. Sunset said nothing, merely looking at her for a few moments, wishing there was something she could do or say to help. Sunset turned to look at Nova, who was already in bed. Nova looked how she felt, Sunset thought, Nova also looking over at Hollyhock. Nova looked up at Sunset, the two exchanging a concerned glance. Nova gave the slightest shake of her head, as if to say that there was nothing they could do.

Sunset sighed and blew out the candle on the dresser that had been lighting the room. She moved over to the bed and climbed in, she and Nova settling into comfortable positions. When they had been younger, Sunset had often had Nova for sleepovers, Nova sleeping alongside her in the bed that had seemed so big and empty to her as a filly. Back then, as it did in that tiny house in that tiny village miles away from home, Nova’s company gave Sunset a feeling of comfort and support.

They looked at each other from across the bed, their eyes slowly adjusting to the darkness. Nova reached out and held one of Sunset’s hooves, giving her a gentle smile. Sunset smiled back at her, feeling the warmth of her hoof on her own. Nova’s eyes slowly closed, her smile never leaving her face. Sunset watched her for a moment, before finally allowing herself to follow suit and drift off to sleep.

Chapter Four - Paradise Lost

Nova Obscura stirred awake, looking up at the ceiling of Hollyhock’s bedroom. The room was still dark, the lack of light sneaking through the window signaling that daytime was still far off. She had never been the heaviest sleeper, and found it especially hard to sleep in unfamiliar beds, so she was not surprised that she was unable to sleep through the night. Her mouth was dry; she tried swallowing, but found she was too parched to do so. Still half-asleep, she sat up in bed, thinking to go and get a drink of water from somewhere.

She looked around the room as best she could to get her bearings. She could see Sunset sprawled out in the bed next to her, sound asleep and snoring loudly. For some reason, Sunset’s snoring had never bothered her; perhaps she was just used to it after all the years they had spent together. She could see the faint outline of the dresser near the bed, and that of the foldable bed further away.

As she looked at the bed, however, she noticed something that seemed a bit odd. She could have sworn that the blanket had been thrown back, and that the pony that should have been underneath it was gone. Curiosity helped rouse Nova from her drowsiness, and she decided to investigate. Very carefully, she pushed back the blanket covering her and slid out of bed.

She slowly walked over to the bed, her hooves making almost no noise on the old floorboards. When she finally got close enough to get a good look, she found that her suspicion was correct: the bed was unoccupied, and Hollyhock was gone. Nova craned her neck and lifted her ear into the air, trying to hear if Hollyhock had simply gotten up for a drink like she had. She could detect no noise coming from the rest of the house, which only made her curiosity increase.

She walked over to the bedroom door and gently pushed it open just enough to poke her head out. Again, she could hear nothing to suggest that Hollyhock was walking around the rest of the house. She pulled herself back into the bedroom, closing the door quietly. She wondered what she should do next. Should she just go back to bed and wait for Hollyhock to return? Should she go looking for her? Where had she gone, anyway?

Just then, Nova thought she heard a faint noise coming from outside the window. She froze, listening with as much concentration as she could muster. There was no doubt about it; there was definitely a sound out there: the sound of hoofsteps. Nova moved over to the window, which was covered by a simple curtain. She raised a shaky hoof to the curtain, holding it open enough to let her peep out into the world beyond.

Compared to the darkness of the farmhouse, the area beyond the window seemed bright, thanks to the light of the moon and the stars. Nova could see the clearing stretch out from the back of the house to the small wooded area a short distance away. And from the direction of the trees, she could see a shadowy figure approach. She couldn’t tell who it was for sure, but she could hear the light crunch of their hooves on the dirt as they walked.

The figure moved closer and closer to the house, their steps becoming louder as the distance shortened. Nova watched unblinking, barely even allowing herself to breath. She could feel her heartbeat quicken as she watched the unknown pony approach her. When they got close enough, Nova could see that the pony was walking toward the side of the house, presumably headed for the front.

Just when Nova thought that the pony would walk out of her view, they froze, their head turning to stare directly at the window. Nova panicked, stepping back from the window and allowing the curtain to fall back into place. She put a hoof over her mouth to keep herself from making a noise. In that brief moment as she and the pony had looked at each other, Nova had realized that she recognized her. Even in the darkness, Hollyhock had a very distinct figure.

Nova stood there in the darkness holding her breath, straining to hear anything other than the beating of her heart and Sunset’s snoring. The seconds ticked by slowly until, eventually, she once again heard the sound of hoofsteps moving along the side of the house. Nova breathed a sigh of relief, but knew she wasn’t out of the woods yet.

As quickly as she could without making unnecessary noise, she moved back to her bed and got in. She pulled the blankets back over herself, turned to face away from the door, and closed her eyes tight, pretending to be asleep. She continued listening, trying to determine what Hollyhock would do next. The soft creak of the front door echoed in Nova’s ear, heralding Hollyhock’s return to the house.

Nova heard the sound of her hooves on the floorboards as she moved to the bedroom, stopping in front of the door. Slowly, the door creaked open, Hollyhock stepping inside and closing it behind her. Nova did not immediately hear Hollyhock do anything else; as far as she could tell, she was merely standing there, looking over the room. She had no way of knowing for sure, but Nova felt like she could feel Hollyhock looking over at her and Sunset.

After what felt like an eternity, Nova finally heard Hollyhock move over to her bed and lie back down, the bed squeaking slightly as she did. Hollyhock settled into position, the noise eventually stopping and the room going quiet, not counting Sunset. Nova remained alert, but for what, she was not sure.

Minutes passed by, and Nova was eventually rewarded with the sound of deep breathing from the sleeping Hollyhock. Nova’s questions from earlier still floated around in her mind, but she realized that there was no sense in pondering them now. Forcing her worries out of her head, Nova did her best to calm herself down. Her heartbeat returned to its normal rhythm, her breathing to its normal intensity, and Nova drifted back to sleep.

“Sunset,” whispered a voice in Sunset’s ear. “Sunset, it’s time to get up.” The voice was accompanied by the gentle prodding of a hoof on her shoulder. She grumbled, trying her best to ignore the interruption and continue sleeping. The pestering did not stop, however, and Sunset was eventually dragged back into the waking world. Her eyes fluttered open lazily, letting a stream of morning sunlight into her eyes. She was greeted with the sight of Nova standing over her at the side of the bed.

“Come on, sleepyhead,” said Nova. “We’ve got a big day ahead of us!”

“What time is it?” Sunset grumbled.

“Well, it is a bit early,” said Nova, “but it’s not that early. Rosemary and Hollyhock have been up for a while already. I suppose that’s just part of living on a farm.” After a good deal of grumbling and stubbornness on Sunset’s part, Nova was eventually able to get the sleepy pony to abandon her pillow.

Sunset sat upright on the bed, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. “I’m hungry,” she said, her stomach feeling very empty. “Please tell me there’s breakfast.”

“Don’t worry, there’s breakfast waiting for you,” said Nova. “I just finished helping Rosemary prepare something for you before she headed out for the day.”

“Thank goodness,” said Sunset, cheering up a bit. She moved to get up from the bed and leave, but Nova stopped her.

“No, no, Sunset,” chided Nova, “you know what comes first.” She produced Sunset’s hairbrush that she had brought back from the ship the evening before.

Another heavy groan came from Sunset at the sight of the brush. “Come on, Nova,” she said, “we’re not in Canterlot. Nopony’s gonna care if my mane is a bit messy.”

“I’ll care,” said Nova firmly. “And besides, you need to keep up appearances. We can’t have the royal ambassador looking like she just rolled out of bed, now can we?”

Sunset was forced to give in, and allowed Nova to get on the bed behind her and help her brush out her long hair. Several boring minutes passed as Nova gradually molded Sunset’s mane into its normal, presentable state. After that, she moved on to Sunset’s long, red-and-yellow tail, brushing out the knots and tangles that Sunset inevitably acquired after a good night’s sleep. When Sunset looked about as nice as Nova could manage, Nova finally released her from the torture and escorted her to the dining room for breakfast.

Sunset took her place at the table while Nova fetched her meal from the kitchen. That morning, she was presented with a warm bowl of porridge with honey and toast smeared with jams made from strawberries and blueberries. Nova did not eat, having already had something earlier. She told Sunset that Rosemary and Hollyhock had gotten up before she had, and that Hollyhock had left for the fields before she had gotten a chance to see her. Rosemary had stayed behind to make breakfast for her and Sunset, which Nova had assisted her with.

As she spoke of Hollyhock, a twinge of worry appeared on Nova’s face. She hesitated, unsure if she should bring up the events of the previous night. She decided to go through with it, thinking that Sunset would probably want to know about it given her previous suspicions of Hollyhock. “Sunset, I need to tell you something,” she said.

Sunset looked up from her food for a moment. “What?” she said, her mouth full of food.

“Last night,” Nova began, “I saw Hollyhock walking around outside the house.”

“Really?” asked Sunset, swallowing. “Was she sleepwalking or something?”

“I don’t think so,” said Nova. “All I saw was her walking out of the grove behind the house and coming back to bed. I didn’t even know it was her at first, but I was able to see her through the window when she got close enough.”

“Did she see you?” said Sunset, suddenly very interested.

“I...I don’t know,” said Nova, replaying the events in her head. “Maybe. I got back in bed and pretended to be asleep before she got back. She didn’t confront me about it, and I didn’t try talking to her about it because I didn’t want her to think that I was spying on her. I thought about asking her this morning, but I didn’t get the chance.”

Sunset listened intently to Nova’s story. The concerns she had had the day before over Hollyhock’s behavior had been overshadowed by the drama between her and her mother. Hearing about Hollyhock’s late-night stroll, however, brought back those thoughts and magnified them tenfold. She was very curious about where Hollyhock had gone, and for what purpose.

“Nova,” said Sunset, “I think...we shouldn’t talk to Hollyhock about this. At least, not right now. I can’t imagine what she might have been doing, but I don’t want to jump to any conclusions. It could be nothing, or...maybe it’s not nothing. Either way, I’d like to know a little bit more before we do anything. For now, let’s just pretend we don’t know anything, okay?”

“Alright,” said Nova hesitantly.

Sunset finished her breakfast quickly, now very motivated to get out and speak with Hollyhock some more. When she was done, Nova cleaned up her dishes while she went to fetch the books that Nova had brought from the ship. When they were ready, the two stepped out of the house and returned to the fields.

The early-morning sun was still low in the sky, yet it was already starting to warm up. Sunset could see a light coating of dew sprinkled across the petals of the flowers spread out before her. Once again, Sunset couldn’t help but stop and marvel at just how beautiful the valley was. Of course, seeing what stood to be lost should she and Nova fail there only made her all the more anxious.

Sunset and Nova began the walk out to the north field, where the infection had been occurring. Nova, who had not gone out to the field the day before, was unnerved at the sight of the patches of bare earth where the wraithrot had left its mark like a scar. As they approached the large clearing, they saw Hollyhock and Rosemary walking amongst the flowers nearby, their heads turned toward the ground.

Rosemary noticed them when they got close enough and looked up to address them. “Well, hello girls,” she said.

“Good morning, Rosemary,” said Sunset. “How are things going out here?”

“To tell you the truth, I’m not entirely sure,” said Rosemary, a concerned expression on her face. “Take a look around and tell me what you see, or rather, what you can’t see.”

Sunset was confused by Rosemary’s response, but did as she asked. She looked around her, her eyes darting about the flowers, trying to identify whatever it was Rosemary had been referring to. Try as she might, she couldn’t see anything out of the ordinary, just the same, beautiful flowers she had seen everywhere else in the valley.

And then it hit her: she shouldn’t be seeing bright, colorful flowers, she should be seeing a whole bunch of pale, sickly flowers infected with the blight. She started looking around more frantically when this realization hit her. She had already been feeling anxious with everything else going on; she desperately wanted to believe that the universe was not throwing yet another curve ball at her. No matter where she looked, however, she couldn’t see a speck of that strange shade of white she had seen the day before.

“W-what’s going on?” Sunset asked. “Where are all the sick flowers? Did you two pick them already?”

“If we had, we wouldn’t be out here lookin’ for them,” said Rosemary. “It was already like this when Hollyhock and I got out here.”

“But what does this mean?” said Sunset. “Did we...did we do it? Is the blight gone?”

“I wouldn’t be so hopeful,” said Rosemary. “It is true that this is the first day since the outbreak that we haven’t had any new infected to deal with, but I’m not about to let my guard down. I don’t think the blight would just up and disappear after all this time for no reason. More than likely, it’s just popped up somewhere else in the valley, which is why Hollyhock and I have been givin’ every petal a once-over just to be safe.”

“Well, we’ll help you look,” said Sunset determinedly. “Won’t we, Nova?” Nova signaled her agreement. “With all of us together, I’m sure we’ll be able to find it if it’s out there.”

“I wish I had your optimism,” said Rosemary, a slight smile on her lips. “You three start up here and work your way south. I’ll head to the south field and start lookin’ there. If we’re quick, we should be able to cover the whole valley before the day is out. And if we don’t see a speck of blight anywhere, well...I suppose we can rest easy tonight. I might even allow myself to celebrate a bit. But we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. Let’s get a move on, girls!”

Sunset and Nova got to work combing the field while Rosemary headed off back toward the house. Sunset had to explain to Nova what they were looking for, her being the only one of the two to have actually seen the flowers. Occasionally, Nova called her over to ask her if a certain white flower was infected or not, but every time it turned out to be a false alarm. Sunset searched diligently, hoping against hope that Rosemary was wrong and that the problem had finally righted itself.

Minutes stretched into hours as the three young mares searched. By the time midmorning came around, they had covered a large amount of the field, but had not found any trace of wraithrot anywhere. Sunset paused her search for a minute to stretch and check the time via the position of the sun. As she did, she noticed that she had strayed a good distance away from Nova and had gotten fairly close to Hollyhock.

Sunset’s suspicions of her came flooding back into her mind, but were tempered with the memory of the incident at dinner the night before. She didn’t want to bring up Hollyhock’s late-night stroll with her, but she figured she might try to see how she was feeling about her mother. Sunset walked in Hollyhock’s direction, keeping her head down to make it look like she was still searching.

When she got close enough to speak with her, Sunset slowed and attempted to strike up a conversation. “So...you find anything yet?” Sunset said nonchalantly.

“Nope,” said Hollyhock tersely, not even looking up from the flowers.

Sunset sighed. “Hollyhock, I know you probably don’t want to talk about what happened at dinner last night,” said Sunset, “but I just wanted to make sure you’re alright.”

Hollyhock raised her head and took a deep breath. “I’m fine, Sunset. Really,” said Hollyhock. “And I’m sorry you had to see that. I shouldn’t have blown up at her like I did, and I certainly shouldn’t have dragged you into it. It’s just that...that mare makes me so gosh-darn angry sometimes,” she said, stamping a hoof into the ground for emphasis.

Sunset walked a bit closer to her. “Look, I may not be the best pony to give you parent advice,” began Sunset, “but if you ask me, you shouldn’t worry too much about what your mom thinks. She’s gonna have her own way of looking at things, and you can’t always change that. But what you can control is your own life. You have to decide for yourself what you think is right and what you want to do. And you shouldn’t let what other people think hold you back, even if it is your own mother.”

“You make it sound so easy,” said Hollyhock. “I’m not used to doin’ things like that; just standin’ up and sayin’ I don’t care what anypony else thinks of me. Especially not where my mama is concerned.”

“Hey, if I can stand up to the princess and make it out alright, then I bet you could stand up to your mom any day of the week,” said Sunset, giving Hollyhock a nudge and a smile.

Hollyhock looked a bit shocked at Sunset’s choice of analogy, but her expression quickly changed to an embarrassed one when she recognized the flattery in it. “Gosh, would you look at me?” she chuckled. “I’m the older one of us, but here I am relyin’ on you for moral support. I’m not sure whether I should be laughin’ or cryin’.” Hollyhock did neither, merely taking a deep breath and giving Sunset a smile. “Thank you, Sunset. I don’t know what I’d have done if you hadn’t come along.”

“Oh, you would have been fine,” said Sunset lightheartedly. “Now come on! If we finish looking quickly, maybe we can head down to the river for while when we’re done.” Sunset moved off on her own again to resume the search.

“Yeah...maybe,” said Hollyhock under her breath.

Sunset scanned the flowers as she moved back toward where Nova was. She tried to pay attention to the task at hand, but found it difficult to avoid thinking of Hollyhock. She genuinely felt bad for her, which made her even more conflicted about being suspicious of her. All the factors at play were starting to really frustrate her. The blight, her inability to combat it, its sudden disappearance, the conflict between Hollyhock and her mother, and Hollyhock’s suspicious behavior all buzzed around in her head and muddled her mind. She needed answers, and she had an idea of where she could get them.

Sunset met back up with Nova a good ways away from Hollyhock. “Nova, I need you to cover for me,” said Sunset.

“Cover for you?” said Nova, looking up from the flowers. “What ever do you mean?”

“I’m going to head back to the house, and then I’m going to find out what Hollyhock was doing in the grove last night,” said Sunset. “If she asks where I went, just tell her I had to take care of something.”

“Okay, Sunset,” said Nova hesitantly. “But what do you think you’ll find out there? Did Hollyhock give you any hints?”

“Well, no,” Sunset admitted. “I don’t know what she’s up to, but I have a hard time believing it could be something bad; she doesn’t seem like that kind of pony to me. I think she’s just confused and frustrated, but she means well. But that just makes me wonder what she could possibly have to hide.”

“I’ll admit, I’m curious too,” said Nova. “I’ll try to keep her from leaving, but be sure and hurry back.”

“Thanks, Nova,” said Sunset, “you’re a lifesaver.”

Sunset made her way to the path that led back to the house and set off at a brisk trot. When she felt confident that she was out of Hollyhock’s sight, she shifted into a canter, wanting to reach her destination as quickly as possible. She soon reached the farmhouse again, and was about to head towards the trees, when she saw Rosemary out in the field to the South.

She was sitting at the top of a small rise in the field that had no flowers growing on it. Sunset watched her curiously for a moment, noticing that Rosemary didn’t seem to be checking on any flowers, or doing any other sort of work for that matter. When it had been a while and Rosemary still hadn’t moved from her spot, Sunset changed course and began walking towards her; she wanted to make sure the older mare was alright.

Sunset walked slowly through the field, eventually arriving at the rise. When she got close enough, she could see that Rosemary was sitting with her eyes closed and a neutral expression on her face. Sunset began to ascend, calling out to her as she did. “Hey, Rosemary, are you alright?”

Rosemary didn’t answer; she didn’t even seem to notice Sunset’s approach. “Rosemary?” Sunset called out again, reaching the top and walking over to her. It was then that Sunset became aware of what Rosemary was sitting in front of. On the ground before them was an oval-shaped ring of stones that stretched several feet long and a couple feet wide. At the center of the ring had been placed a small sprig from a cypress tree.

“Oh,” said Sunset, her eyes widening and her cheeks reddening. “I...I’m sorry, I didn’t realize...I didn’t mean to...”

“Sunset,” said Rosemary calmly, silencing her.

Sunset shut her mouth and swallowed, cursing herself for her awkwardness. A moment of silence passed, the only sound to be heard being the gentle breeze blowing by. Rosemary then opened her eyes and looked up at Sunset, a calm smile on her face. “You girls find something?” she said.

“Uh, no,” said Sunset, “not yet. I just...came to check on you. See if you needed any help over here.”

“Well, that’s awful sweet of you, comin’ to check in on an old mare like me,” said Rosemary. “Have a seat. You’ve been workin’ all mornin’. Rest your hooves for a spell.” Sunset cautiously sat down next to Rosemary, not wanting to upset her by declining. Rosemary turned away and looked down at the ground before her, Sunset following suit. Another quiet moment passed, and then Rosemary spoke again. “Did she tell you about him?”

“Yeah, she did,” said Sunset.

“I figured she would,” said Rosemary. “She hardly even remembers him, but she still loves him. I do too, for that matter.”

“What did you like about him?” Sunset asked.

“Oh, so many things,” said Rosemary. “His smile, his laugh, the way he could light up a room like it was nothin’. And he wasn’t too bad to look at, neither,” she said, leaning in close and speaking quietly as if she were a schoolfilly with a crush. “But if you ask me, I’d say his best quality was his sincerity. He never tried to be anything he wasn’t. He knew exactly who he was and what he liked, and he never tried to hide it.

“I remember when he and I first met. He seemed like such a goofball, walkin’ up to me with his mane all scruffy and goin’ on like he didn’t have a care in the world. I ignored him at first, tellin’ myself that I didn’t want to be associatin’ with such a stallion. Funny how things change, ain’t it? Although, he was quite the flatterer. He was always tellin’ me how smart I was, and how pretty my mane was, and how my accent made me sound like a princess.”

Sunset raised an eyebrow at this last comment. “No offense, but the princess isn’t from around these parts,” she said.

Rosemary chuckled. “No indeed,” she said. “But then again, neither am I.” When Rosemary spoke again, her voice changed dramatically, her rural twinge vanishing and being replaced with a posh, refined enunciation. “I must say, I’m not sure entirely sure why he cared. It’s not as if there weren’t other young mares my age who spoke in a similar fashion. But I suppose I should consider myself lucky to have found a stallion who actually enjoyed listening to what I had to say.”

Sunset was astonished at her vocal transformation. “Y-you’re from Canterlot!” she said, immediately recognizing the accent that she had heard every day for years.

“Very perceptive,” said Rosemary, shifting back into her normal voice. “Made me stick out like a sore hoof when I first came here. Took me a while, but I eventually managed to bury it.”

“When did you move to Paradise Fields?” said Sunset.

“A few years before Hollyhock was born,” said Rosemary. “Back then, I was livin’ the high life back in Canterlot. I was young, sharp, and didn’t take nothin’ from nopony. My friends and I went to the fanciest parties, danced to the finest music, and drank the sweetest apple cider. And to top it all off, I owned and operated one of the fastest-growin’ flower shops in the city.”

“Hang on a minute,” Sunset interjected. “You mean to tell me that, not only did you live in Canterlot, but you also ran a successful flower shop?”

“Sunset, I know what you’re goin’ to say,” sighed Rosemary. “I know how this sounds. But there’s more to it.” Rosemary paused to collect her thoughts; Sunset held her tongue for a moment to give Rosemary a chance to explain. “Back in those days, I wasn’t exactly...happy. Sure, I had more than my fair share of good times, and my work gave me plenty to be excited about, but it was never enough. I never felt...content.

“I was constantly pushin’ myself toward bigger and better things, both in and out of my work. I was always lookin’ out for what would come next and runnin’ to meet it as fast as I could. And then one day, into my life strolls this silly young stallion from a little village called Paradise Fields. He was just there on a delivery, he said, but he always managed to find some excuse to come back to my shop. I didn’t take him seriously; after all, he had no money, no manners, and no future worth mentionin’.”

“Why’d you change your mind about him?” asked Sunset.

“Because, eventually, I realized somethin’: he did have somethin’ I didn’t have,” said Rosemary. “He was happy. As pathetic as I thought he was, he was perfectly content to be that way, and that’s what confused me. How could I, at the top of my game, be less happy than this pony? I couldn’t stop wonderin’; I couldn’t stop thinkin’ about him. And so, when he finally got around to askin’ me out on a date, I said yes. I had to find out just what sort of pony he was, or else I’d die of curiosity.

“We started small; at least, small by my standards. I wasn’t exaggeratin’ when I said he didn’t have much money. On top of that, he didn’t even know the city very well, but I was willin’ to accommodate him. But no matter where we went, no matter what we did, he always reinforced what I had been thinkin’. Somehow, this pony was able to get a hundred times more out of everythin’ than I did.”

“And you were jealous?” asked Sunset.

“You might say that,” said Rosemary. “It really started to weigh on me after a while. I took a good, long look at myself in the mirror, and you know what I realized? It wasn’t him that was weird; it wasn’t him that was in the wrong, it was me. I was the one that was out of place; I was the square peg in a round hole, as they say. You see, when I first started out, I wasn’t tryin’ to become the pony I ended up bein’. I was a lot like Hollyhock back then: I loved the flowers for their own sake, and I loved how much happiness they brought to other ponies.

“I suppose, as things went on, I just got swept up in it all. Business was boomin’, and I let myself get carried along with it. I hadn’t learned yet that bigger isn’t always better, especially in this line of work. At the same time, I started hangin’ out with other up-and-comin’ young mares who didn’t quite have the taste for simple pleasures that I did. Eventually, I just lost sight of myself and forgot why I even went into flowers in the first place.”

Sunset had spent more than enough time around the young mares of Canterlot’s elite to know exactly what Rosemary meant. She had seen many young ponies get swept up in the fast-paced Canterlot lifestyle and come out worse for wear. “So...what did you do about it?” she asked.

“Well, after I realized that, I knew exactly what I needed to do,” said Rosemary. “I needed to start over; I needed a fresh start, and in someplace other than Canterlot as well. I knew that, as long as I stayed there, there would always be that temptation to go back, to just let go and lose myself all over again. And I didn’t want any of that to change him neither.

“As it turned out, after all that time I had spent gettin’ to know him, I ended up doin’ more than just admirin’ him, I ended up lovin’ him. And despite all my faults, he ended up lovin’ me too. I guess he must’ve been sharper than I gave him credit for. He must’ve seen straight through to my heart and saw the pony I used to be, the real me, not the pony I had become. When he finally got up the nerve to propose, I said yes in a heartbeat. And for the first time in a long time, I was satisfied with where my life had taken me.” Sunset was not the most romantic pony, but even she found Rosemary’s love story sweet.

“We talked about it for a while, me leavin’ Canterlot. He had nothin’ but good things to say about this place and the ponies who lived here. I even got to see what it was like for myself a few times. He was right, of course; the ponies here loved each other like family, and they loved what they did as much as I had in the beginning. My friends thought I was crazy when I told them I decided to move here, but that didn’t stop me.

“I sold my shop and left the big-city life behind me. I came here, and Cypress and I were married. For a long time, I was happy. I had a stallion who loved me, friends who really cared about me and what I liked, and I even had a little foal of my own eventually. My days were spent tendin’ the fields, bringin’ beauty into the world just like I had always wanted. I thought it would last forever, but life had its own plans for me.” Rosemary extended a hoof and caressed the dirt within the ring of stones.

“It was such a shock for me when it happened. He had always been such a constant in my mind. I felt like, no matter what happened, I could always count on him to be there, same as always. And when he wasn’t...” Rosemary paused and took a deep breath before continuing. “It was hard for a while, keepin’ things goin’ with just me and Hollyhock. Our friends lended us a hoof whenever they could spare it, and helped us manage until Hollyhock was old enough to start carryin’ her weight.

“And now, here we are, all these years later. All the hard work she and I put into this place, all the work he put in, might be for nothin’. And to make matters worse, she doesn’t even seem to care. She wants us to pick up and run off back to that same life I ran away from all those years ago. She wants to make the same mistake I did, and I just can’t sit by and let that happen. So go ahead, call me a hypocrite. Call me whatever you want. If I can give my daughter a happy life, then I don’t care what anypony else thinks of me.”

Sunset sat in stunned silence for a moment, trying to process Rosemary’s story. Several times she opened her mouth as if to speak, but stopped herself every time, not knowing how to follow up what she had just heard. Eventually she spoke, deciding to give her true feelings regardless of how they would be received. “Rosemary,” she said, “I don’t think you’re a hypocrite, and I don’t think you’re a bad pony, but I still think you’re wrong.”

“Oh, really?” said Rosemary, more curious than angry.

“Yeah,” said Sunset. “You want Hollyhock to have a good life, and you want her to be happy; there’s nothing wrong with that. But you can’t just keep her here for the rest of her life. She has to make her own decisions; she has to make her own mistakes. And yeah, she might end up regretting some things, but that’ll be her fault, not yours.”

“I don’t care whose fault it is, Sunset,” said Rosemary. “I just don’t want to lose her. She’s got her daddy’s spirit in her. She’s got his fire in her heart. If I had to watch that fire get snuffed out, it’d be like losin’ him all over again, and I don’t know if I could take it. I know it’s probably hard for you to understand; you don’t know what it’s like to be a mother.”

“No, I don’t,” said Sunset. “But I know what’s it’s like to be a daughter.”

Rosemary turned and looked at Sunset. “Well, I can’t argue with you there,” she said, giving her a weak smile. “I might not have changed your mind, but thanks for listenin’ anyway.”

“You’re welcome,” said Sunset, smiling back at her.

The two shared a quiet moment before Rosemary spoke again. “Well, I think that’s enough of a break for the both of us. We still have a job to get done before the day is out. Why don’t you head on back to the others now? I’m sure they could use your help more than I could.” Rosemary stood back up, followed quickly by Sunset. Sunset began to walk off back down the rise and into the flowers. As she left, she saw Rosemary linger for a moment, looking down at the ground, before moving off herself.

Rosemary’s story lingered in Sunset’s mind as she walked back to the farmhouse. The older mare’s opposition to Hollyhock’s dreams was starting to make much more sense to her. While she still took issue with Rosemary’s perspective on the matter, Sunset had come to realize why she was so attached to their farm. The added significance did nothing to alleviate the pressure Sunset felt, especially when her suspicions of Hollyhock were factored in.

When she got to the house, she turned to look back at the field where Rosemary had been. Sunset could see that she had resumed her search for blighted flowers, and was not paying her any attention. A quick look in the opposite direction revealed that nopony was coming down the path from the North either. Whether this was because Hollyhock had not noticed her disappearance or because Nova had successfully covered for her she could not know.

Sunset quickly dashed to the back of the house, where she figured Hollyhock must have been. Sure enough, Sunset soon found a distinct set of hoofprints leading from the house to the trees and back. Similar sets of prints could seen in the area, some looking like they had experienced many days worth of weathering. Cautiously, Sunset followed the tracks across the bare earth until they came to the grassy outskirts of the farm, overlooked by the shady trees of the grove.

Sunset walked between the trees in the direction the tracks had been leading. She was, unfortunately, not a skilled enough outdoorspony to follow tracks left in grass, so she had to take her best guess. As she walked, she came to appreciate the serenity of the grove that Hollyhock had hinted at earlier. The trees were tall and large enough to provide adequate shade from the bright sun, but were not so dense as to leave the place looking dark and gloomy. The cool grass felt good on her hooves after walking on the warm, dry soil of the farm.

She looked around the grove as she went, although she didn’t know exactly what she was looking for. When nothing obvious jumped out at her immedately, doubts started to creep into her mind. It could have been that Hollyhock wasn’t up to anything out there, she thought. She might have just had trouble sleeping after her altercation with her mother and had gone out there to clear her mind. After all, Sunset had nothing else to go on than a hunch, really.

Sunset stopped in front of a large tree directly in her path and sighed. After mulling it over, she decided that she was wasting her time just walking about aimlessly. She needed to take a minute to decide what to do before pressing onward, she thought. Noticing a comfy-looking spot at the base of the tree with a small pile of fallen leaves, she recalled what Hollyhock had said about resting beneath the shady branches. She moved toward the spot, resolving to rest her hooves for a bit while she plotted her next course of action.

She sat down on the grass and slowly lowered herself backward so her head would come to rest on the leaves. When her head made impact, however, it was not greeted with the soft crunch she had expected. Rather, her head made contact with something hard and solid, too much so to even be a part of the tree. “Ah!” Sunset exclaimed, jerking back up. The impact hadn’t hurt her terribly, being more surprising than painful. “What the...”

Sunset turned around to face the offending object, whatever it might have been. She reached out and brushed aside the pile of leaves, which turned out to be much less substantial than she had thought. Underneath, as she suspected, she found a large, flat rock laying at the base of the tree. Annoyed at having her moment of respite delayed, she took hold of the rock and lifted it up onto its side, meaning to move it out of the way.

When she had been younger, Sunset had enjoyed peeking under rocks in the castle gardens to look at the worms and insects that could be found there, much to Nova’s discomfort. But in all those times, Sunset had never found anything like the large hole that she had just uncovered, especially considering the items that she could see in it. She saw crumpled-up papers, tools of the sort she had seen in Rosemary’s kitchen, and several small flowerpots filled with very peculiar-looking flowers.

After the shock of finding the buried treasure wore off, curiosity took over Sunset’s mind. Tentatively, she reached out and picked up one of the flower pots and raised it up to get a better look at it. The pot was small, just the right size for placing in a windowsill or on a desk, and had a small dandelion growing in it. The flower had a pale white coloration all over, similar to the diseased flowers she had seen, although not exactly the same. It still had faint traces of its original colors, as if it were only half-diseased, if such a thing was even possible.

Looking at the other pots in turn, she saw other flowers in a similar state as the first, all with various degrees of faded colors. Putting them aside, she then examined the various tools and containers that she also saw in the hole. She found a small pestle and mortar, a mixing bowl, an eyedropper, and several small jars of colorful powder. The jars had labels that bore such names as “moonbeam root”, “doogle leaves”, and others that meant nothing to Sunset.

Getting no answer from the jars, she finally arrived at the various bits of paper strewn about the hole. Sunset chose one at random and flattened it out on the ground so she could read it. From what she could tell, the paper contained handwritten notes detailing the formulas for various mixtures of unknown use. The formulas seemed to make reference to the substances she had found in the jars, calling them by name and detailing certain measurements for each one.

Most of the formulas had comments written alongside them, simple messages that said things like “too weak”, “needs more green”, “too strong, plant died”, and other such cryptic things. When she finished looking at one paper, she moved on the next, completely engrossed in the mystery. They all had similar contents, although it was hard to work out a definitive pattern as they were not ordered or labeled in any way.

One of the papers, however, stood out from the rest. The writing on the page stopped about halfway down, ending with a formula that had been circled. Next to this formula, a single word had been scrawled: “perfect”. Sunset turned the page over, looking for more information that might help her. She found nothing, however, leaving her with only her wits and the clues at hand, which were all pointing her towards a single, foreboding conclusion.

“Took me forever to get it right,” said a very familiar voice coming from behind Sunset. She froze, her mind going blank and her eyes widening. Very slowly, Sunset turned around and saw Hollyhock standing several yards away. Hollyhock’s expression didn’t look angry to Sunset. In fact, she seemed strangely peaceful; not excited or upset. A thousand thoughts were buzzing around in Sunset’s head, all trying to fight their way to Sunset’s mouth, but for the moment, she said nothing.

Hollyhock began walking towards her, calmly and non-threateningly. “I almost gave up after a while,” Hollyhock continued, her tone feeling unfittingly casual, given the situation. “Somethin’ made me keep at it, though. I guess desperation’ will do that to a pony.” She reached the spot where Sunset was sitting and picked up one of the jars Sunset had set aside, examining it. “At least all that work wasn’t for nothin’.”

“I-it was you,” said Sunset quietly, finally finding her voice.

“Yes, Sunset,” said Hollyhock matter-of-factly. “I shoulda known you’d find out eventually. From the minute we met, I could tell you weren’t the sort of pony to not ask questions. I bet if they’d sent some stuffy pencil-pusher from Canterlot like my mama wanted, they wouldn’t have given me a second glance. Not you, though. You just had to go and start carin’ about me.” A sad smile crept across Hollyhock’s face.

The puzzle pieces were starting to fall into place in Sunset’s mind, but she needed to hear it straight from the pony’s mouth before she could be satisfied. “It was your fault,” said Sunset, rising to her hooves and backing up to face Hollyhock head-on. “You poisoned your own flowers with...whatever this is,” she said, motioning toward the items she had taken from the hole, “and your mother thought it was wraithrot.”

“Wraithrot,” Hollyhock scoffed, as if she found the word amusing. “I was really takin’ a gamble with that. I was worried mama was way too grounded to believe in an old ghost story, but as it turned out, she’d sooner believe that than believe her daughter would sabotage her farm.” Her lips started trembling and her eyes snapped shut, her head lowering. “That...stupid old mare.”

Sunset took note of Hollyhock’s emotional state, but was not in a particularly sympathetic mood. “How?” she asked flatly.

Hollyhock took a deep breath to calm herself before continuing. “There are certain mixes that can change a flower’s appearance; old family recipes and whatnot. We use them sometimes for special orders; makes them really pop, you know? Anyway, I was able to fiddle with one of the recipes and come up with somethin’ that would match what I read in that book of mama’s. And I made sure to point her in the right direction when she finally saw my handiwork.”

“If it’s an old family recipe, why didn’t she notice?” asked Sunset. “She should have been able to tell what it was.”

“If she knew what she was lookin’ for, she probably would have noticed,” said Hollyhock. “But I guess the idea that I was sneakin’ out night after night to make our flowers look like they’d jumped out of the pages of an old storybook never crossed her mind. Or maybe it did, and she just didn’t want to believe it. Either way, she thought it was the real thing, which is what I wanted, I suppose.”

“Yeah, that was what you wanted, wasn’t it?” said Sunset sternly. “You wanted her to think your farm was doomed, because if she thought that...then she might be willing to leave.”

Hollyhock looked away, unable to meet Sunset’s gaze. “Yes,” she said weakly. “That is what I wanted.”

“But that’s not how things turned out, was it?” said Sunset. “Your mother didn’t give up, she doubled down. She dug in her hooves even more than before, didn’t she? She even tried to get the princess to send help from Canterlot, but you stopped her. You didn’t want any other ponies poking around here, because they might have seen what she didn’t. Which is why you were so worried when Nova and I showed up.” Hollyhock said nothing, but the shame on her face spoke volumes.

“You tried to get us to leave,” Sunset continued. “You tried to make us think it was no big deal so we’d turn around and head home. That’s why there were no new flowers this morning, wasn’t it? If we thought the problem was solved, we’d leave quickly before we found anything out. Am I right?” Hollyhock nodded meekly. “You weren’t out in the fields last night, you were out here, hiding all your stuff.”

“I thought my eyes were just playin’ tricks on me when I saw one of you at the window,” said Hollyhock. “I should have known better. It was Nova, wasn’t it?”

“Yeah,” said Sunset, “she saw you. She told me this morning, so I decided to come see what you were up to. I told Nova to keep you away, but I guess that didn’t work out, did it?”

“I’m sure she didn’t forget,” said Hollyhock, “but I didn’t even give her the chance. When I noticed you were gone, I slipped off into the grove all sneaky-like. I don’t think she even noticed me leave.”

“So now we’re both here,” said Sunset. “I guess that saves me a trip back.”

A moment of silence passed, neither knowing what would happen next. The tension was as thick as the trunks of the trees surrounding them. Eventually, Hollyhock couldn’t take it any longer; she summoned her courage and looked Sunset in the eye. “What are you goin’ to do now, Sunset?”

Sunset stood there for a moment, considering how to proceed. “I don’t like being lied to, Hollyhock,” she said. “But at the same time, part of me is glad that this all turned out to be nothing. You don’t know how worried I’ve been since I got here. And I don’t know if I was more worried about failing or about having to tell the princess that I failed. And that’s just me; I can’t imagine how worried your mother has been.”

“I’m sorry, Sunset,” said Hollyhock. “I am so, so sorry...for everything. I never meant for things to go this far, truly. I was just so gosh-darn scared; scared that I’d have to spend every last year of my life on this patch of dirt. And if I finally got mama to give in and agree to leave, then it’d all be worth it in the end. I did a fool thing, and I know it, but it’s over now.”

“It’s not me you should be apologizing to,” said Sunset. “It’s not my farm you were destroying.”

“Sunset, no!” pleaded Hollyhock, her eyes wide. “Mama can’t know about this. If she found out, it’d destroy her. She’d never look at me the same way again, she’d never trust me, and she’d never listen to me about leavin’, not in a thousand years.” Hollyhock moved closer to Sunset, placing a hoof on her shoulder and giving her a desperately-hopeful smile. “We could just keep this between us; nopony else has to know! Things could go back to normal. And I swear on my life I’d never do anything like this again!”

Sunset looked deep into Hollyhock’s pleading eyes, her own face an expressionless mask. She wondered if she could bring herself to do that. Could she really just forget about the whole thing? Just sweep it under the rug and pretend she knew nothing? And when she went back and told Celestia what had happened, what would she say? What could she say? And what about Rosemary? Could she just walk away and leave her like this, never knowing that the pony who almost drove her out of house and home was her own daughter?

She also considered the alternative. What would happen if she spilled the beans? If it was as Hollyhock feared, and doing so would destroy Rosemary’s faith in her, what would that mean for their future? Sunset knew that Hollyhock was right, that Rosemary would indeed see it as evidence that Hollyhock was not mature enough to face the world. Sunset would have loved to see Hollyhock get what she had wished for, but at what cost? Could she lie, hoping that it would lead to a better life for them? Could she tell the truth, knowing that it would only drive them further apart?

She wondered what Celestia would do, and what she would want Sunset to do if she could see her then. Of course, the answer to those questions was as plain as the nose on the face of the troubled young mare in front of her. Sunset lifted a hoof and gently brushed Hollyhock’s hoof off her shoulder. “Hollyhock,” she said sadly, “we can’t do that. We can’t and you know it. No more lies; no more secrets. Your mother needs to hear the truth; she deserves it.”

Sunset watched on Hollyhock’s face as her last hopes were brutally shattered. Hollyhock’s expression changed to one of confusion, then to fear, to anger, to sadness, and then back again almost too quickly and seamlessly to notice. She spun around in a flash and stormed off a few paces before stopping. Sunset heard her sniffling and breathing unevenly; her body trembled. “And if I don’t tell her, you will? Is that it?” she said, audibly trying to hold back tears.

“Yes,” said Sunset in a gentle tone. “But I really wish you would.” Hollyhock’s willpower finally cracked like an old dam, a flood of tears flowing forth. She lowered her head and sobbed, loudly and ungracefully. Sunset cautiously approached her, coming up alongside her and wrapping a foreleg around her. “I’m sorry, Hollyhock,” she said. “I’m sorry it had to be this way.”

The two stood there for a few minutes as Hollyhock’s crying slowly decreased from sobbing to whimpering to heavy breathing, before finally petering out altogether. “Alright,” said Hollyhock when she had finally calmed down. “I’ll tell her. I’ll tell her everything, I promise. Just...not today. Let me have just one more day where I can look my mama in the eye. Just give me that, Sunset. Please.”

“Okay,” said Sunset. “Tomorrow then. We can tell her together, how about that?” she asked, trying to be comforting.

Hollyhock smiled. “Thank you,” she said, “but no. This is somethin’ I need to do on my own.” She turned her head and looked at Sunset, who smiled back at her. Sunset let go of Hollyhock and stepped back. Hollyhock glanced back at the hole and the items now scattered around it. “We should probably do somethin’ about all that.”

Sunset followed her gaze back and turned to face the hole. “Not a problem,” she said. Her horn lit up with its characteristic glow, and Sunset reached out with her magic. She swiftly lifted and placed the various items back into the hole, replacing the stone on top of it. “Won’t be needing any of that anymore, will we?”

“No, we won’t,” said Hollyhock. Despite all they had just been through, she looked strangely happy to Sunset.

“We should probably head back now,” said Sunset, “or else Nova will start worrying about us.”

For a moment, Hollyhock looked as if she were thinking about something. “You go on ahead,” said Hollyhock tentatively, “there’s somethin’ I need to take care of back at the house.”

“Okay,” said Sunset, audibly puzzled. “Are you sure you don’t need me to come with you?”

“It’s alright, Sunset,” said Hollyhock. “I’ll be back soon, I promise.” Hollyhock told Sunset how to get back to the fields from where they were, and the two went their separate ways, despite Sunset’s reservations about leaving her alone. She didn’t think Hollyhock would try anything, she just thought Hollyhock would be better off having a friend with her at that time.

A few minutes of walking in the direction Hollyhock had indicated brought Sunset out of the shady grove and back into the colorful expanse of the flower fields. In the distance, she could make out Nova, who had presumably noticed Hollyhock’s disappearance. Nova was wandering about, scanning the landscape looking for any sign of where she had gone. Sunset walked in her direction, and Nova soon noticed her and hurried over to meet her.

When they got close, Sunset could see that Nova had indeed been worried about them, as she had suspected. “Sunset!” Nova loudly called out as she approached. “Sunset, I’m sorry!” She stopped short when she reached Sunset and tried to catch her breath. “She...Hollyhock, she...I tried to watch her...I really did, but...one minute she was there...then she was gone!” she managed to get out in between heavy breaths.

“Woah, woah, woah, take it easy, Nova,” said Sunset, trying not to laugh at Nova’s anxiety. “Take a deep breath.”

Nova did as Sunset asked, managing to calm herself enough to speak normally. “Hollyhock slipped off when I wasn’t looking,” she said. “She didn’t even ask me where you went. When I finally noticed, I looked all around, but I couldn’t find a trace of her anywhere. I didn't know whether I should go off and try to find her, or whether I should try to find you and warn you, or...”

“Nova, calm down,” said Sunset, giving Nova a comforting smile and placing a hoof on her shoulder. “It’s alright. You don’t have to worry about her anymore.”

Nova’s worried expression was replaced with one of confusion. “Then...she found you?” Nova asked.

“Yeah, but it’s okay,” said Sunset. “We settled things.”

“But what happened? Where is she?” said Nova.

“Hollyhock’s just back at the house; she’ll be here soon,” said Sunset. “As for what happened, I’ll tell you later; it can wait.” Nova’s curiosity lingered, but she seemed content to wait for the time being. “Just...when she gets back...be nice to her. And don’t ask her about what happened, okay?”

“Okay, Sunset,” said Nova hesitantly, “I promise.” She gave Sunset a weak smile, who smiled back at her in turn. The issue being settled, the two walked back out into the field to resume their work from earlier. Or rather, Nova resumed her search; Sunset made only a token effort in order to keep up appearances, knowing that she would not be finding anything.

When around half an hour had passed and Hollyhock still had not returned, Sunset began to get worried. As she had been the one to tell Nova not to worry about her, she felt hesitant to go and check on her. Luckily, she did not have to make that decision, as Hollyhock could soon be seen in the distance walking towards them. Sunset waited until she had crossed most of the distance between them, then went to meet her.

When she got close, Sunset could see that Hollyhock’s eyes were red, too red to have resulted from their moment in the grove, but had a genuinely happy-looking smile on her face. “Hollyhock, are you alright?” asked Sunset.

“Believe me, Sunset, I’m doin’ just fine,” said Hollyhock. “Now come on, let’s get back to it!” Hollyhock cheerfully walked out into the flowers near where Sunset and Nova had been. Sunset was somewhat confused by Hollyhock’s change of mood, but did not dwell on it. She followed Hollyhock back out, and the three young mares resumed their search, if it could still be called that.

Soon afterward, Hollyhock started making smalltalk with them as they went. She asked about what Canterlot was like, and what they did when they weren’t traveling around Equestria. Nova and Sunset were happy to oblige her, both thankful for a return to normalcy after the events of that morning. They talked about their lives growing up in the castle and relayed what interesting anecdotes they had. In return, Hollyhock shared stories of her life growing up in Paradise Fields. The conversation was lighthearted and fun, all three soon forgetting their troubles for a time and enjoying each other’s company.

They covered ground quickly, despite their diversions, mostly because Sunset and Hollyhock felt no need to take their time. Midday came and went, and the hours of the afternoon seemed to pass by in no time at all. By the time late afternoon had come, the three had moved far enough south to see Rosemary working her way towards them. They all finally met up near the house, just as the sun was beginning its evening descent.

Rosemary questioned them about whether they had found any more sick flowers, to which they replied in the negative. She had similarly found nothing, which did not surprise Sunset, of course. Rosemary’s cautious optimism resurfaced, and she allowed herself to abandon her chronic worry for the time being. Once again, she invited Nova and Sunset to spend the night, to which they both agreed. As Nova made the short journey back into to the village to inform the captain of their plans, the rest of them headed back to the house to prepare dinner.

Sunset tried her best to assist Rosemary and Hollyhock, as she had the night before. This time, however, she noticed that Hollyhock was much more chatty, especially with her mother. As she had with Sunset and Nova, Hollyhock pulled her into friendly conversation that covered various mundane topics. Rosemary’s newfound positivity made her more than willing to participate, and before too long, both mother and daughter were smiling and laughing together like old friends. For the first time since she had arrived, Sunset thought that they truly felt like a family.

Time seemed to fly by, and before she knew it, dinner was ready to be served and Nova had returned from the village. The dining room had a much different atmosphere that night as the four mares sat down to eat. Gone was the awkwardness and tension that had filled the air, replaced by the type of joy that comes when the end to a long and arduous struggle finally comes into view. They talked and ate and made merry until long after the sun had gone down. Rosemary even poured them each a drink from a vintage bottle of cider she had been saving for a special occasion.

But when the hour had grown late and their eyes started to droop, Rosemary begrudgingly put an end to the mirth and declared that their bedtimes had come. She sent the three younger mares off to bed, opting to take care of the cleanup herself. As she left the room, Sunset saw Hollyhock give her mother a kiss on the cheek and wish her goodnight. Sunset, Nova, and Hollyhock made their way to the bedroom and prepared themselves for their nightly rest.

As Sunset was climbing into bed, the memories of that day’s events, which had been pushed to the back of her mind, began to come back to her. The night that had been so enjoyed by all of them developed a bittersweet tinge when she remembered what would be coming the next day. Sunset glanced over at Hollyhock, who had seemingly been having similar feelings, judging by the look on her face. Hollyhock returned her glance, giving Sunset a reassuring smile despite the sadness in her eyes.

“Goodnight, you two,” Hollyhock said. “And...thank you for helpin’ me out today. For helpin’ both of us, I should say. I don’t know what we would have done if you hadn’t come along.”

“It’s our pleasure,” said Nova, settling into bed. “Sweet dreams, Hollyhock.”

“Goodnight, Hollyhock,” said Sunset, blowing out the candle and climbing into bed. Hollyhock followed suit, and the three mares had soon shut their eyes and begun their journey into dreamland.

Sunset didn’t know how long she had been laying there, tossing and turning, trying to find the peace of sleep. It felt like it had been hours, although it might have only been a fraction of that in reality. It was abnormal for her to be so restless; even Nova had managed to drop off fairly quickly, despite her finicky sleeping habits. She had tried every trick she knew for falling asleep, but none of them had helped her. No matter what she did, she couldn’t stop thinking about Hollyhock and what she thought might happen the next day. She wondered, perhaps, if she had made the wrong call, and if she should have just looked the other way like Hollyhock had wanted.

In hindsight, it was probably fortunate that Sunset was still awake, staring up at the ceiling, when Hollyhock quietly rose from her bed and stepped onto the floor. When Sunset heard her, her eyes snapped shut, and she did her best to look like she was sleeping. Her act must have fooled Hollyhock, as she did not call Sunset out nor get back in bed. Instead, she walked as silently as she could over to her dresser and gently pulled open one of the drawers. The soft sound of wood sliding against wood was barely audible, and definitely would not have woken Sunset up if she had not already been conscious.

Sunset dared not open her eyes to see what she was doing, not even a crack. Her only clue was the sound of something being removed from the dresser, before it was again closed. She then heard Hollyhock walk over to the door and oh-so-gently open it, stepping out of the bedroom. A moment of silence followed as Hollyhock stood there, the only sounds reaching Sunset’s ears being those of Nova’s and her own breath.

Eventually, Sunset heard the bedroom door glide closed and Hollyhock move away. Sunset opened her eyes but remained motionless, not wanting to alert Hollyhock. She heard the sound of Hollyhock’s hoofsteps moving down the hall toward the front of the house, stopping around where Rosemary’s bedroom door was. Another long pause, and then she continued, moving to the front door, opening it, and slipping out quickly before closing it shut behind her.

As soon as the noise stopped, Sunset leaped out of bed as quickly as she could without disturbing Nova. She was fully awake, single-mindedly focused on Hollyhock’s latest late-night escapade. Sunset silently cursed her, fearful that she was attempting something that would ruin the tenuous peace they had established. She quietly moved over to the door and exited the bedroom, following Hollyhock’s path to the front door. Peeking out of one of the windows on the front side of the house, she saw Hollyhock walking through the flowers on the path leading back to the village.

Sunset opened the front door gently, slipping out and shutting it behind her with barely a sound. A look in the other direction showed the Hollyhock had not noticed her. Sunset began walking toward her, slowly and cautiously. Luckily, Hollyhock was also walking slowly, so Sunset was able to gradually catch up with her. Her hooves made little noise on the soft dirt, and a gentle nighttime breeze helped to mask their sound, so Sunset was able to get within a few yards of Hollyhock before she was discovered.

Hollyhock’s ears pricked up and she stopped short where she was. Sunset stopped moving as soon as she could after noticing, but not before taking a few more incriminating steps. The two stood where they were, unmoving, as the night seemed to hold its breath, waiting to see what would happen. Hollyhock turned her head slowly, as if she were afraid to find out what might be behind her. When she looked upon the face of her pursuer, she turned around fully to face Sunset head-on.

The way the moonlight fell on Hollyhock’s features accentuated the haunting expression on her face. Sunset could detect shame, fear, and a strange defensiveness on that face; she looked like an animal that had been trapped in a cage, poised to either flee or to lash out at its captors. The worn saddlebags Hollyhock wore on her back told Sunset that she was not just going for a late-night stroll. They stared at one another for a while, each expecting that, and hoping that, the other would start talking first.

Eventually, Sunset’s patience proved the lesser, and she broke the silence between them. “Why, Hollyhock?” she said quietly. “I thought we had settled this. We were going to make things right!”

“You don’t get it, Sunset,” said Hollyhock, shaking her head slightly. “I...I just can’t do it. I can’t stand up in front of my mama and tell her what I did. And I certainly can’t stand up to her about this, like I should have done at the beginning. I’m...I’m not strong enough. I’m not as strong as you.”

“Hollyhock, your mom loves you,” said Sunset. “She’ll forgive you, I know she will!”

Hollyhock closed her eyes and hung her head. “I know,” she said, barely above a whisper. “That mare’s too good to me. She raised me up all on her own; she gave me everything she had to give. And how do I repay her?” Hollyhock paused, sniffling a bit. “She’ll forgive me alright, but she’ll never trust me, never again.”

“And you think running away will make things better?” said Sunset.

“Stayin’ here won’t do any good either,” said Hollyhock. “I know that now. I think I always knew it, but I just never had the courage to go for it. I’ve been waitin’ for the day that mama would break down and tell me I was right. I felt like I needed her approval to live my own life, to do what I already knew was right. Turns out, it was me standin’ in my own way. I was scared, and I let that keep me from followin' my own path. Not anymore.”

“I could stop you,” said Sunset flatly. “Part of me thinks I should stop you.”

Hollyhock looked Sunset in the eye. “You could,” she said. “But you won’t.” She was right, of course. Sunset had tried to have her cake and eat it too, with predictable results. Her choices had led her there, and she would have to live with their consequences. Deep down, she knew that, even if she dragged Hollyhock back by her tail, nothing would change. Hollyhock had made her decision, and despite all of Sunset’s abilities, she knew that she was powerless to do anything about it.

Sunset smiled a bittersweet smile. “You said you couldn’t stand up to your mother,” said Sunset, “but you’re standing up to me just fine. I think you’re a lot stronger than you think, Hollyhock.”

Hollyhock smiled back at her as tears began to flow down her cheeks. “I can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done,” she said. “If it weren’t for you, I’d have never had the courage to do this.” Hollyhock walked forward, coming in close to Sunset and hugging her. Sunset returned the hug, and the two shared a moment of quiet together. “Thank you so much. I’ll never forget you, Sunset Shimmer.”

“I don’t think I could forget you if I tried,” said Sunset. “But...where will you go?”

Hollyhock pulled back, breaking the embrace and facing Sunset with a determined look in her eye. “Well, I can be at the river by mornin’,” she said. “I could make it to Los Pegasus before the day is out. And from there...who knows?” Hollyhock’s smile grew even wider. “I wasn’t jokin’ around, Sunset. I am goin’ to big city. I am gonna show everypony what I can do. And as soon as I can, I’m gonna bring mama there too. I’m not abandonin’ her, not really. I’m gonna make things right between us, whatever it takes.”

“Good luck,” said Sunset, unable to think of anything more inspiring to say. “And if you’re ever in Canterlot, look me up.”

“You bet,” said Hollyhock, giving Sunset another quick hug. “We’ll see each other again, I know it.”

“Goodbye, Hollyhock,” said Sunset.

“Goodbye, Sunset,” said Hollyhock, pulling back from the hug. She walked backwards a few paces, before her body turned to face away. Her gaze lingered on Sunset for a moment, before she finally managed to turn her head away and towards her destiny. Sunset watched as Hollyhock followed the path up to the top of the hill they had climbed to reach the farm. When she reached the top, she paused. Her head began to turn back around, but stopped, facing straight ahead once again. Hollyhock resumed walking, and the slope slowly carried her lower, until she had disappeared from sight.

Sunset waited just a moment longer before turning around and beginning her own walk back. As she walked, her gaze drifted upwards, up to the starry sky above her. There, hanging like a spotlight, was the moon, showering the earth with its gentle light. And on its surface, the Mare in the Moon could be seen, looking down on her like a silent sentinel. “Keep an eye on her, would you?” she jokingly asked of the Mare.

Sunset returned to the house, sneaking back in and returning to Hollyhock’s former bedroom without waking anyone. As she slipped back into bed, she saw that Nova was still sound asleep; she, at least, had had a peaceful night. Sunset laid her head back on the pillow and closed her eyes. This time, sleep came to her quickly, and she drifted off with a restful mind.

When she next opened her eyes, Sunset was greeted with the pale light of dawn sneaking in through the curtains. She rolled her head over, and saw that Nova was still asleep in the bed next to her. It was a rare occurrence indeed when she was the first of them to wake, Sunset remarked. She enjoyed the moment of peace, her body wrapped in the warm blankets and her mind wrapped in drowsiness, listening to Nova’s steady breathing.

Her peace was suddenly interrupted by the memory of what had occurred last night. She looked back over at the bed where Hollyhock had slept, now empty, the blankets laying messily on the mattress. Sunset wondered where Hollyhock was at that moment, and what she was doing. She wondered how she was feeling, going off to face the big, wide world all on her own. She also wondered if she had done the right thing, building up Hollyhock’s confidence and then giving her a perfect excuse to act on it.

Her mind now abuzz with worries and doubts, she gave up trying to enjoy the moment of restfulness and rose from the bed. She hadn’t noticed it before, but she now saw that the framed photograph of Hollyhock and her family was gone from the dresser. She sighed, and went to the window. Peeking out through the curtain, she saw that morning had indeed come; she estimated it was shortly after sunrise.

Sunset’s thoughts turned to Rosemary; she wondered if the older mare had already risen. Resolving to find out, Sunset quietly walked over to the bedroom door and snuck out of the room. She walked down the hall to Rosemary’s bedroom, where she saw the door was ajar, with no sign that it was occupied. Through the process of elimination, Sunset figured that she must have been on the other side of the house. She walked past the front door and over to the dining room.

She found Rosemary sitting at her spot at the table. Her expression was blank, her eyes staring off into the distance. Her forelegs rested limply on the table in front of her and her head was bowed slightly. A piece of paper lay on the table, a long note written on it; the writing had been smudged in several places by liquid. Sunset wasn’t the best upside-down-reader, but she was able to make out the words “Dear Mama” written at the top.

Sunset stood opposite her at the table, but Rosemary gave no impression that she could even see her. Rosemary’s expression betrayed no emotion, yet Sunset could not begin to imagine the mental turmoil she must have been experiencing. She felt incredible pity for the older mare, accompanied by a heavy guilt, for she felt that she was responsible for what had transpired. Sunset desperately wanted to comfort her, say something that would help to heal the damage she had caused, but she was truly at a loss for words. “I’m sorry,” she said weakly, unable to do anything more.

“No,” said Rosemary dreamily, not even looking up at her. “Don’t say you’re sorry. You didn’t do this.”

Sunset gulped. “How much did she tell you?” she said.

“Everything,” said Rosemary, lifting her head to look at Sunset; her red eyes felt like they were looking straight into Sunset’s soul.

“I didn’t mean for this to happen,” said Sunset. “If I had known, I never would have encouraged her.”

“It ain’t got nothin’ to do with you, Sunset,” said Rosemary. “If anypony’s to blame, it’s me.” An unexpected chuckle burst from her lips. “When you first walked through that door, I thought you were wastin’ my time. I thought, how can this filly possibly help me? How can she do somethin’ I can’t? How can she see somethin’ that I can’t see? Turns out, I was the blind one after all, in more ways than one.”

“You couldn’t have known,” said Sunset.

“I could have, and I should have,” said Rosemary sternly, “on both accounts. I took her for granted. I’ve been lookin’ at her like she was still that little filly who thought I was the greatest thing in Equestria. I guess, as time went by, she just outgrew me. She became her own mare, with her own dreams. Meanwhile, I’ve just been stuck livin’ in the past. Maybe if I’d have treated her different, things wouldn’t have come to this.”

“What will you do now?” said Sunset. “Are you going to be alright here by yourself?”

“I’m goin’ to do the only thing I can do: pick up the pieces,” said Hollyhock. “It’ll take a lot of work to get things back to normal around here. I don’t know how long I’ll be able to keep things goin’ without her, though; I’m not as young as I used to be. But I’ll tell you this: I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure that, if that day comes, she has a home to come back to. I just hope that she’ll still be the same young mare she is today.”

“We could stay and help you,” said Sunset. “Or, I could. It’s the least I could do make up for what I did.”

A small smile finally cracked the surface of Rosemary’s bleak expression. “You’ve already done more for me that I could have hoped for,” she said. “It might not have been in the way you expected, but you did what you came here to do. You stopped the blight, and I thank you for it; for everything you’ve done for me.”

“I can’t just leave you like this,” said Sunset. “I have to do something.”

“You can, and you don’t. Just go, Sunset,” Rosemary said calmly. “Get on with your life and leave the worryin’ to old mares like me. Just don’t lose yourself out there. Don’t lose sight of who you are while you’re out chasin’ a dream. Remember who really loves you, and never take them for granted. Don’t make the same mistakes I have.”

Sunset was torn; she wanted so badly to fix things, to make things right, and yet she knew that she could not. She had come here to help this family, but all she had done was tear it apart. And worst of all, they weren’t even mad. They had thanked her, both of them, for what she had done. Sunset had so desperately wanted to succeed on her mission, but she had not imagined that things could have ended the way that they did.

As Rosemary and Sunset silently gazed at one another, they heard the sound of a door opening at the other end of the house. Shortly afterward, a sleepy Nova wandered into the dining room, yawning. “Oh, Sunset? You’re up early,” she said. “Have you already made breakfast?”

“Nova, go get our things, we’re leaving,” said Sunset flatly, not looking away from Rosemary.

“Leaving?” Nova said, a puzzled expression on her face. “Why? We just woke up. Did something happen with—“

“Now, Nova!” barked Sunset, louder than she had intended.

The outburst shocked Nova out of her drowsiness, leaving her eyes wide and her mouth agape mid-sentence. She recovered quickly, adopting the same polite, reserved manner that she used back at Canterlot Castle. “Right away, Sunset,” she said, backing out of the room and scurrying off back to their bedroom.

Sunset’s expression softened as she kicked herself for yelling at Nova. She looked at Rosemary, who had returned to the position she had been in when Sunset found her. If she wanted her to go, then Sunset would do so; it was all she could do. “Hollyhock still loves you,” she said.

“I know,” replied Rosemary quietly.

Nova soon returned, their belongings slung across her back. “I’m...ready when you are,” she said demurely.

Sunset took one last look at Rosemary, the image of her sitting there burning itself into her brain. “Goodbye, Rosemary,” she said with all the sympathy she could muster.

“Farewell, Rosemary,” Nova said politely.

Rosemary looked up at the two young mares, a smile returning to her face. “Goodbye Sunset. Goodbye Nova,” she said sadly. “Happy trails.”

Sunset tore her gaze away from her and walked away, Nova following behind her. They left the old farmhouse, shutting the door behind them and beginning their walk back to their ship. When they had walked a few paces, Nova piped up. “Sunset, what’s going on?” she asked calmly. “Why are we leaving like this? And why didn’t we say goodbye to Hollyhock?”

Sunset sighed, saying, “Well...it’s a long story...”

The wind whipped up Sunset’s hair as she stood on the deck of the Opportunity. The light of the midday sun helped warm her skin, but did nothing to warm her spirits. A gloomy expression haunted her face as she stood there, looking down at the landscapes flying past them. Despite being miles away from Paradise Fields, Sunset felt as if she were still there, walking amongst the flowers. She couldn’t stop thinking about Rosemary and Hollyhock, and where their lives would lead them after her visit.

The ship was currently traveling on a routine patrol route as they awaited their next assignment. Sunset had already written to the princess informing her of the completion of the mission. Her correspondence had been purely professional, relating that the mysterious blight had been eliminated and that the village was in no further danger. She could not bring herself to discuss the other issues she had encountered, not then at least.

Her ears pricked up as she heard the approach of Nova Obscura, who had just come up on deck to join her. Nova said nothing at first, merely taking her place beside Sunset and joining her in her moment of silence. She took note of Sunset’s mood, her not being a very difficult pony to read. Nova knew, of course, what was troubling her; Sunset had told her the whole story on the way back to the ship.

“You can’t keep beating yourself up about it,” Nova said eventually. “You did your best to help them; that’s all that matters.”

“Yeah, well...my best wasn’t enough,” Sunset grumbled.

“You chose to tell the truth,” Nova said. “The rest was out of your hooves. No one could have done better.”

“Celestia could have done better,” said Sunset.

“You can’t compare yourself to the princess, Sunset,” said Nova. “She’s...well, she’s the princess.”

“I’m aware,” said Sunset.

Nova sighed. “Rosemary and Hollyhock had their differences,” she said. “In the end, Hollyhock just did what she thought was right. Just like you did.”

“Yeah, and look how that turned out,” said Sunset.

“I don’t know what to tell you,” said Nova. “You’re smart, Sunset, smart and powerful. You’re not used to not being able to do things; you’re not used to not having all the answers. But ponies are ponies; in the end, they’ll do what they want to do. That’s just something you have to live with. You can’t just cast a spell and make others do what you want. Nopony can, not even the princess.”

Sunset didn’t respond, prompting a defeated sigh from Nova. “I hope you’re able to work through this,” she said, “for your own sake.” Nova slowly turned and walked back to their room. Sunset remained, looking out toward the horizon, still thinking about the ambitious young mare who abandoned her home and her mother to go off in pursuit of her own destiny.

Chapter Five - By the Beautiful Sea

Author's Notes:

This chapter, and subsequent chapters, are not intended to be a commentary on real-life social or political issues. Any similarities to real persons, events, or situations is coincidental.

The first thing Sunset saw when she opened her eyes was the face of Nova Obscura in front of her. “Sunset, it’s alright,” Nova said, “it was just a dream!” Her wide eyes stared straight into Sunset’s and her mouth hung open slightly. Sunset stared back at her, her panicked mind not immediately understanding the words. The only sounds Sunset was aware of were the pounding of her heartbeat, the heavy breaths pumping in and out of her, and the distant, rhythmic flapping of the Opportunity’s flippers.

A moment of confusion passed before Sunset’s conscious mind began to resurface. As she looked into the familiar face before her, memories came rushing back to her, and she began to remember her situation. She was lying in her bed within her quarters aboard the Opportunity, which at that moment was cruising through the skies of southwestern Equestria. “Nova, I...” Sunset began, gazing into Nova’s worried eyes. “A dream?”

“Yes, Sunset,” said Nova, speaking slowly and calmly. “You were having a bad dream, but it’s over now. You’re alright.” Sunset understood the words, yet she was still confused. Her mind churned, trying to remember what she had seen. She remembered darkness, and she remembered being alone and afraid. Actually, she hadn’t been alone, she remembered. There had been something there with her. And then...

Sunset started and gave a yelp as the memories returned to her. Nova reached out and grabbed Sunset’s shoulders to steady her. “Sunset!” she said.

Sunset’s momentary lapse faded quickly, the lingering fear being replaced with frustration. “I’m okay,” she said, brushing Nova off. Once again, she realized, she had been woken by the same dream that had been plaguing her for almost two weeks. Not only was it still troubling her, but she was still as powerless before it as she had been on the very first night. And this time, she had had her moment of weakness in front of Nova, and had had to rely on her for comfort.

“Was it the same one?” asked Nova.

“Yeah,” replied Sunset, shifting into a more proper sitting position. “How could you tell?”

“You were...saying things,” Nova said hesitantly.

Sunset’s embarrassment grew as she imagined what sort of things might have escaped her lips as she had slept. “Did I wake you?” she said.

“No,” said Nova, “I was already awake. I’m not used to this bed yet.” Nova tried to give Sunset a comforting smile, but her concern snuck its way back onto her face. “Do you...want to talk about it?”

“There’s nothing to talk about,” said Sunset. “It was the same as the last time. Only...”

“Only what?” said Nova.

Sunset took a moment to gather the right words. “I think...that thing, the thing I keep seeing in my dream, isn’t what I thought it was,” she said.

“What do you mean?” said Nova.

“I thought it was just feelings, just wild emotions spreading all over,” Sunset began, trying to remember the experience, “but I think it’s more than that. I don’t think it’s really mindless; I think there’s something behind it...or someone.”

“You mean...a pony?” said Nova. “Who?”

“I don’t know,” said Sunset. “I just don’t know.” She threw herself back onto the bed in frustration.

Nova looked down at Sunset, a mixture of worry and pity on her face. “Well, whatever it is, it’s still just a dream,” said Nova. “Right?”

“Right,” said Sunset. “Just a dream.”

“Try to get some sleep Sunset,” said Nova. “I’ll be here if you need me.” Nova took up the candle she had set by the bed and moved back to her side of the room, behind the divider. The light in Sunset’s half dimmed, and Sunset slowly closed her eyes. It took her a while, but she eventually managed to find sleep yet again.

The afternoon sun bathed Sunset in its warming glow as she stood at the bow of the Opportunity. A gentle breeze wafted towards the ship from the East, carrying the faint smell of salt to Sunset’s nose. Normally, she would have wanted to spend a day such as this relaxing outdoors and enjoying as much time as she could away from her books and her tutors. On this occasion, however, Sunset was far from relaxed; she was pumped-up, focused, and ready to face whatever the day had to throw at her.

That morning, she had been woken from her bed by a rhythmic buzzing noise coming from her desk. She had tried to ignore the interruption and cling to sleep, but Nova had ensured that that had not happened. She had also heard the noise and had made sure that Sunset rose and addressed the cause of the obtrusive sound. When Sunset had been sufficiently roused, and her drowsy brain had finally connected the noise to her journal, she had changed her tune quickly, immediately perking up and leaping out of bed to examine the book. As she had watched, the following words had appeared on its pages:

My Dearest Sunset,

I am pleased to hear the results of your first assignment as royal ambassador. I knew I made the right decision in sending you to resolve the issue. Based on your performance, I feel comfortable sending you on a new mission, one which may be more difficult than the last, I fear. Reports have reached Canterlot of a strange creature seen in the vicinity of Pintada Bay, a small town south of Manehattan. This “sea monster”, as it is described, has been causing quite an uproar in the local area. If this creature is a dangerous one, then it could threaten the safety of the ponies living nearby, as well as disrupt trade throughout eastern Equestria. I want you to travel to Pintada Bay and evaluate the threat, so that a proper solution can be devised. Be cautious, however. If the creature is a threat, then I do not want you putting yourself in harm’s way. Keep your escort close, and do not take any unnecessary risks. Be smart and be safe.

Your Loving Mentor,
Celestia

P.S. I have sent word to the town that you will be arriving soon. They will be expecting you.

The message had filled Sunset with mixed emotions as she read it. Receiving praise for her handling of the situation in Paradise Fields had made her feel guilty, as she still had lingering doubts over the choices she had made there. Those feelings, however, had been overshadowed by the feelings of excitement and curiosity that she had felt upon hearing of the mysterious “sea monster”. Sunset had always had a fascination with magical creatures, and had relished the few opportunities she had had to see them up close. Nova did not share her feelings, typically regarding such creatures as frightening, with the notable exception of the princess’s pet phoenix.

The prospect of getting to study a strange, potentially-unknown creature firsthand had made her inner scientist giddy. Sunset had been ready to run upstairs that instant to see if the crew had received the message, but Nova had stopped her, once again forcing her to make herself presentable before heading out for the day. When Nova’s grooming standards had been satisfied, Sunset had headed up to the bridge to speak with the captain. The crew had indeed received their orders shortly before she had arrived, and had projected that they would reach their destination by that afternoon.

Olive Ridley had been more than happy to indulge Sunset in her inquiries about Pintada Bay. He had pointed it out on the ship’s map, about halfway between Manehattan and Fillydelphia on Equestria’s eastern coast. Or rather, he had pointed out where it should have been on the map. As with Paradise Fields, the town of Pintada Bay was, apparently, not important enough to have its own marker. The eponymous body of water was the only visual indicator of its location, itself looking relatively insignificant compared to the larger Horseshoe Bay to the South.

The old captain’s recollections had proven to be much more informative than the map. Being the well-travelled pony that he was, he had heard of the town, although he had never been there himself. It had been founded relatively recently, he had said, and it was best known for being the source of many of Equestria’s finest pearls. The captain was not the most knowledgable pony when it came to fashion, so he had not had much to say on that front. He had, however, remarked that he had never heard of any serious reports of strange sea creatures in that area.

He had made a point of specifying “serious” reports, as he had heard more than his fair share of fish stories through the grapevine, courtesy of the royal guard’s naval divisions. It was, apparently, not uncommon for some weary guardspony to see something out in the dark waters of the Celestial Sea late at night that they took for a creature of some sort. Such incidents rarely made appearances in official records, due to the lack of evidence and incredulous nature of such claims. Of course, that never stopped the ponies in question from spreading rumors and telling stories of their brushes with the terrifying creatures of the deep.

The captain’s words buzzed around in Sunset’s head as she stood at the front of the ship, staring into the distance to try and catch a glimpse of their destination on the horizon. While she was still excited at the thought of what she might find at Pintada Bay, she was also a bit apprehensive. If there was some sort of dangerous creature on the loose, what could she realistically do about it? Granted, a sea monster was a much more straightforward problem to deal with than the one she had just come from, but that didn’t mean it would be any easier. Perhaps that was why the princess had merely asked Sunset to investigate the problem, not to solve it. If it proved to be too much for her to handle, could she swallow her pride and call on the princess for help?

Sunset was so lost in thought that she didn’t notice Nova Obscura approaching until she was almost beside her. She turned her head at the sound of Nova’s hoofsteps and greeted her with a smile, her worries temporarily subsiding. “Hey, Nova,” she said.

“Hello, Sunset,” said Nova warmly. “The captain says we should be able to see Pintada Bay coming up in just a few minutes.”

“Finally,” Sunset said excitedly. “Feels like we’ve been flying forever.” It had, in fact, only been several hours since they had received their assignment, but Nova let the hyperbole slide.

The two stared intently towards the East as the hills and woods passed by underneath them. The anxious mares were eventually rewarded for their patience with the sight of a thin sliver of silvery-blue in the distance. Sunset’s face lit up as the sliver slowly grew wider, until it had become a thick blue bar stretching north and south as far as the eye could see. Soon after, they spotted their destination: a quiet bay opening inward from the coastline and the town built up around it.

The bay was of middling size, large enough to maneuver small boats in, but small enough that a fit pony could have swum its width. The bay had a relatively small opening to the ocean, growing wider as it came inland, giving it a horseshoe-like shape. The town consisted of several dozen buildings built closely to the shore of the bay, stretching around about half of the bay’s circumfrence. Due to the hilly terrain, the buildings rose and fell with the land, with small roads snaking their way throughout. On the outskirts of town, larger roads led off into the distance toward the larger cities north and south.

Sunset had a wide grin on her face as she gazed upon the rolling blue waves of the sea for the first time. Growing up surrounded by stone streets and walls had often made her wish that she could one day see what she was seeing then. When Sunset had been younger, she sometimes heard the other young fillies of the Canterlot elite talk about vacations they had taken with their families to the beaches near Los Pegasus or Manehattan. Such things had made her fantasize that Celestia might one day take her to spend a day at the beach together. Alas, whenever the princess had had business in such places, she had always said that she would have been too busy to take Sunset along for the trip.

Nova was similarly excited, having grown up in the same environment that Sunset had. While she too had heard stories of the sea from the fillies her age, she had not shared Sunset’s hope of ever seeing it herself. With her parents’ jobs at the castle taking up so much of their time, the idea of taking a trip to the coast had always been a pipe dream for her. The fact that Nova was finally getting to live that dream, and with her closest companion no less, was not something she took for granted. She and Sunset exchanged gleeful looks as they approached Pintada Bay.

The ship stopped at the outer edge of town, the crew electing to land the ship on a relatively flat hill nearby. As the ship once again began its landing procedure, Sunset looked down at the town beneath them, drinking in the sights. She saw that the princess had not been exaggerating when she had written that the area had been in an uproar over the creature’s appearance. The roads were packed with ponies milling about, much more than Sunset would have expected for a settlement of the size she was looking at. The activity seemed lively and loud, but not fearful; nothing to suggest that there was a dangerous creature on the loose.

As the ship lowered, and Sunset could get a better look at the ponies below, she noticed a small crowd assembling near the spot where the ship would land. The group appeared to include a diverse assortment of ponies from various walks of life. Some were dressed simply, as if they had simply been going about their usual schedules when they had noticed the royal guard airship descending from the sky. Others looked more abnormally dressed, wearing colorful shirts, large hats, and some carrying what looked like cameras. But the ones that stood out the most were the handful of well-dressed ponies standing near the front of the crowd.

The ship eventually came to a rest in its typical fashion, and Sunset and Nova were joined on the deck by Olive Ridley and Steel Rain. “Seems we have quite the audience,” the captain remarked. “Granted, most ponies don’t get to see airships up close that often.”

“I guess not,” said Sunset, who had led Nova back to the middle of the ship near the gangplank where they all stood together. “I figured we’d have somepony to greet us, but I didn’t think they’d roll out the welcome wagon quite this much.”

“They must not get visits from royal ambassadors that often,” Nova chimed in.

Sunset was not a shy pony, but even she was a bit anxious at being the subject of such attention from so many ponies. She had known that this sort of thing came with the job, and that she would have to get used to it, but that didn’t make it any easier to deal with. “Well,” said Sunset, gulping, “I guess we better go say hello.”

“Perhaps you’d like us to accompany you, Madam Ambass’dor,” said the captain, presumably noticing Sunset’s apprehension.

“Uh, sure,” said Sunset. “It couldn’t hurt.” She was secretly grateful for the captain’s offer.

“I thought you’d say that,” said the captain, giving the golden helmet on his head, which Sunset had yet to see him wear, a tap. He motioned to Steel Rain, who was wearing her helmet as well, and she proceeded to lower the gangplank to the ground, the crowd moving back to make way. “Just follow my lead,” he said to Sunset, giving her a wink. He turned towards the crowd, straightening up and standing tall and proud with a serious expression on his face. He slowly marched down the plank, stopping once he reached the ground. “Announcing Her Excellency Sunset Shimmer, Royal Ambassador of Her Highness Princess Celestia,” he said in an abnormally loud and clear voice. He took his place at the side of the plank, opposite Steel Rain, both guards standing at attention.

An exuberant cheer came from the assembled ponies, accompanied by the raucous noise of a whole herd’s worth of hooves stamping the ground in applause. Their reaction certainly made Sunset feel confident, even if it was prompted by the title that she was not particularly fond of. “I think that’s our cue,” whispered Nova in her ear. Sunset steeled herself and tried to present a composed image, as the captain had. When she was ready, Sunset began the long walk down the plank to greet the crowd, with Nova following close behind her. She managed to make it to the ground without incident and stood proudly, albeit nervously, before the ponies, Nova taking her place at Sunset’s right side, slightly farther back.

As the cheering died down, one of the ponies in the crowd stepped forward. The Earth pony mare had been standing in front of the rest, alongside the well-dressed ponies. She looked to be about the same age as Steel Rain: much older than Sunset, but not nearly middle-aged yet. Also like Steel Rain, she had lines on her face that suggested stress, but of the kind one would encounter in an office rather than in the guard. Her well-groomed coat shone silvery-white; her milky-pink hair was pulled back into a neat, round bun. A stately grey ascot was wrapped around her neck, giving her an air of minimalistic refinement.

She stood before Sunset, a friendly smile on her face. “Madam Ambassador,” she said, loudly and cheerfully enough to be heard by all those assembled, “it is my great honor to welcome you to Pintada Bay. I am Akoya, the mayor of this fine town. I think I speak for all of the townsponies when I say that we will do whatever we can to ensure that your visit here is a pleasant and enjoyable one.” As she finished, Mayor Akoya dropped into a deep bow before Sunset. The other finely-dressed ponies behind her followed suit, and after a moment of confused delay, so too did the rest of the crowd.

The sight of the audience cheering her arrival had made Sunset feel emotional, but this was something else entirely. She had been managing to maintain her composure, but the sight of dozens of grown adults prostrating themselves before the young mare made her falter. The only times she had ever had such a thing happen to her was when she had been standing at the side of Princess Celestia herself. To have so many ponies direct such reverence and respect to her specifically was almost overwhelming for Sunset. She wasn’t sure whether the quickening of her heartbeat upon seeing the nature of her position illustrated in such a manner was due to embarrassment or to a strange enjoyment of the power she held.

A gentle nudge in her side snapped Sunset out of her daze. She reflexively looked over at Nova, who was subtly signaling to her to respond. The embarrassed ambassador realized she had been standing there silently in front of the crowd for a length of time that was bordering on awkward. “Oh, uh, thank you, Mayor,” said Sunset, trying to quickly pull herself together. “I’m sure I’ll enjoy my stay here very much.”

Mayor Akoya rose, the rest of the crowd slowly following her example. The mayor looked as bright and cheery as she had earlier, apparently either not noticing or not caring about the awkward moment. “You’ll have to forgive us, Madam Ambassador,” she said. “We only received word of your arrival earlier today. But, rest assured, we’ve pulled out all the stops to make sure you feel right at home here with us. The Chamber of Commerce and I even made sure to rush over here to welcome you personally when we saw you approaching.” She indicated the well-dressed ponies she had been standing with, who all nodded vigorously in agreement with her.

“I appreciate your hospitality,” said Sunset, falling back on the polite behavior she was used to using when speaking with dignitaries, “but really, I’m mainly here on business. I’m here to do what I can to help you and your town.”

“Oh, you’re too kind,” said the mayor. “But you must allow us to treat you to the best of what Pintada Bay has to offer while you’re here. I insist!” Before Sunset could respond, the mayor turned and addressed the crowd. “Fillies and gentlecolts! Please, return to your business. The ambassador has a busy schedule, but I’m sure she’d love to see you all around town later on.” The mayor’s plea seemed effective, as the crowd dispersed, slowly but surely. She then had a quick, hushed conversation with the ponies from the Chamber of Commerce, who quickly headed off when they were finished.

Mayor Akoya turned back to address Sunset. “I’ve sent the Chamber members off to finish the preparations for your stay,” she said cheerfully. “Please, allow me to show you around town in the meantime. I know it’s a bit late for lunch, but there’s a charming little restaurant nearby I’m sure you’d adore. Perhaps you’d like to stop by there for some refreshments?”

Sunset was, admittedly, a bit hungry; she had been too excited about their arrival to eat anything after breakfast. “Well, I am a little hungry,” said Sunset. “How about you, Nova?”

“That sounds like a lovely idea to me,” replied Nova politely.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” said Sunset, realizing that she had yet to introduce her companion. “Mayor, this is Nova Obscura.”

“Secretary to the Royal Ambassador,” added Nova, ever the formal one. “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mayor Akoya.”

“The pleasure is entirely mine, Madam Secretary,” said the mayor, giving Nova a slight bow.

Sunset then remembered another pony present who she might do well to introduce. “Captain,” she said, turning to Olive Ridley behind her, “why don’t you come and say hello?”

Olive Ridley, who had been standing with a soldier’s discipline, broke out of his stiff pose and walked over to stand beside Sunset. “Olive Ridley, captain of the Opportunity, at your service,” he said formally, but with his usual friendly intonation. He gave the mayor a slight bow as well.

The mayor looked exuberant at meeting yet another pony of status in such a short period. “Why, captain, it is indeed a pleasure to meet you,” she said, turning back to address Sunset afterward. “Madam Ambassador, if I may be so bold, you are welcome to bring your associates along with us. I’m sure it would be no trouble at all to make arrangements for them as well!”

Sunset had been debating as to whether she would want an escort on this mission. She knew that the captain would have wanted her to take someone along with her, as he had before. While she still felt she didn’t need a foalsitter to look after her, even she had to admit that having a guard around might not be such a bad idea, given their purpose for being there. Besides, having another pony beside her might help absorb some of the attention she was getting, Sunset thought.

“Alright, um...” began Sunset, looking over at Olive Ridley to see if he had something to say on the matter. He didn’t voice any opinion one way or the other, but he gave her a sideways glance, as if to say that the decision was up to her. “Captain, would you like to join us?”

“It would be an honor, Madam Ambass’dor,” he said, giving her a slight smile.

“Okay, then,” said Sunset, looking back at the mayor. “I guess we’re ready to go.”

“Splendid!” said the mayor. “If you’ll just follow me now, we’ll be on our way.”

Mayor Akoya started off toward town, with her guests following close behind her. As they were leaving, Sunset saw the captain give a quick signal to Steel Rain behind them, presumably telling her to keep an eye on things while he was gone. They passed by several stragglers from the earlier crowd who had backed off, but not left completely. Sunset noticed them staring at the group as they walked, some waving, some whispering to each other, one even taking a picture with a camera slung around his neck; she tried to ignore them as they went.

As they reached the town proper, Sunset got to get a good look at the scenery. The buildings were mostly residences, simply-constructed wooden homes, most of which looked relatively new. Despite this, many of the homes seemed unoccupied and in need of maintenance. As they moved closer to the water, she began to see some businesses of the sort one would expect of a decently-sized town: a grocer, a general store, and other such places. She also saw lots of carts and stalls selling street food and other, more peculiar items. Novelty hats, tacky, colorful shirts, and even small snow globes were all within Sunset’s sight, each bearing text such as “Pintada Bay” or “I Survived the Beast”.

Most of the ponies moving about seemed to be of the same sort as the garishly-dressed ponies she had seen when she had arrived. They were quite the diverse mix; Sunset saw mares, stallions, old ponies, little foals carried by their parents, unicorns, pegasi, and Earth ponies. From what she could hear of their accents, they seemed to be from all over Equestria; she heard ponies that sounded like they came from Vanhoover, Manhattan, and everywhere in between. They wore brightly-colored clothes, sometimes the same clothes she had seen at the stalls, sun hats, sunglasses, and had smears of sunscreen on their faces in some cases. If Sunset didn’t know any better, she would have said they looked like tourists. But what sort of pony would take a vacation in a town with a sea monster problem?

Sunset noticed all of this as they walked, while also trying to pay attention to what Mayor Akoya was saying. The mayor was giving what felt like a rehearsed speech as they went along. She discussed some of what Sunset had already heard from the captain, such as the town having been founded a few decades earlier by a motley group of oyster pearl divers. Due to the widespread fashion trend for pearls at the time, the town had quickly grown large and prosperous. She touted the town’s historical importance in the industry and spoke of other, more technical details of the trade, which Sunset tried her best to pay attention to.

“As you can imagine, pearls have been our town’s bread and butter for quite a long time,” said the mayor. “Recently, however, we’ve happened upon something brand new, something which, in this mare’s opinion, will help put Pintada Bay on the map.”

Sunset perked up upon hearing this. “This wouldn’t have anything to do with the creature, would it?” she asked.

Mayor Akoya stopped walking where she was and turned to face Sunset. “I do apologize for the theatrics, Madam Ambassador,” she said. “I know why it is you’re here. In fact, it’s the same reason why all these lovely ponies are here: to see the creature.”

“But...I don’t understand,” said Sunset. “Are you saying these ponies are tourists, and that they’re all here to see the creature that’s been terrorizing your town?”

“Terrorizing the town?” said the mayor, suddenly bursting into laughter, which she tried her best to hold back. “I’m dreadfully sorry. Please forgive my outburst. I fear you’ve gotten the wrong idea about us, although I suppose that can be attributed to the effectiveness of our marketing campaign. While there is indeed a creature here in Pintada Bay, I can assure you that the situation is completely under control and that nopony is in any danger.”

“But how can you say that?” said Sunset, now very confused. “What’s going on here, mayor? What do you know about the creature?”

“Madam Ambassador, I am grateful for your concern,” said the mayor calmly, “but it really is alright. I promise, everything will be made clear to you soon enough. But business can wait until after lunch. After all, an important pony such as yourself needs to keep up her strength, am I right?”

The mayor’s assurances had not completely satisfied her, but Sunset realized that pressing the issue was probably not worth it. She had to admit that the town didn’t seem to be in any immediate danger, and probably wouldn’t be nearly as lively as it was if there were some sort of dangerous, wild creature running about. Still, the mayor’s avoidance of the topic only made her more curious as to what exactly the situation was. Sunset was willing to wait for a while, but resolved to bring the issue back up if she didn’t get any answers soon.

Sunset acquiesced to the mayor’s plea for patience, prompting her to continue with her tour. As they resumed walking, Sunset exchanged a quick look with Nova. She looked similarly concerned and confused about the situation, but seemed willing to follow Sunset’s lead. The mayor’s talk turned to the recent upsurge in tourism that had occurred in the months after the creature was first seen near the town. She confirmed what Sunset had suspected: that ponies had come from far and wide to get a glimpse at the creature. The townsponies had, apparently, adapted quite well to the new business opportunity, and had begun to prosper from the flow of bits into the local economy.

Luckily, Sunset didn’t have to listen to the intricacies of the topic for very long, as they soon arrived at their destination. The Briny Beach, as its front sign labeled it, was a cozy-looking restaurant near the water’s edge, which seemed to be busy despite it being between mealtimes. The building was relatively small, but had made up for its limited space by placing tables along its exterior. Windows along the walls gave the patrons natural light and a view of the sea, while giving Sunset a view of the lively activity within. The mayor moved to hold the door open for them before Olive Ridley could beat her to it, and they all entered the establishment.

The interior of the restaurant was decorated with paintings of sailing ships, wooden ship’s wheels, and fake fish, giving the place a blatantly nautical atmosphere. The light streaming in from the windows was augmented by candle-lit fixtures hanging from the ceiling, making the main room appear bright, but not too bright. Most of the floor space was taken up by wooden tables and chairs scattered throughout, although there were a few booths along the back walls as well. The air hummed with conversation from the many ponies gathered there for their afternoon meals. Sunset could smell the scent of delicious foods wafting about, reminding her just how hungry she was.

As soon as they had entered, Mayor Akoya rushed over to the front desk and had a hushed conversation with the young waitress behind it. The waitress shot a quick look at Sunset and the others before turning and signaling to another waiter nearby, who rushed off through the doors to the kitchen. The waitress came around the desk with a bright smile on her face and gave the group a bow, before leading them through the restaurant to a booth at the back. Sunset noticed that they were getting quite a few looks from the other patrons as they went, but tried not to let it bother her.

The party was taken to a U-shaped booth with a sign on the table that read “RESERVED”, which the waitress promptly removed. They sat in the booth, Sunset sitting in between Nova and the mayor, with Olive Ridley sitting at the end, next to Nova. The waitress gave them another bow before scurrying off to the kitchen. The mayor told them that their food would be brought out shortly, and again praised the restaurant as the best in town. Olive Ridley removed his helmet and set it aside in preparation. True to her word, a small team of waiters soon emerged from the kitchen, bringing a variety of different dishes to the table.

Over the course of the next hour or two, Sunset was treated to a full-course meal showcasing the signature dishes of the region. She sampled soft, warm breads filled with cranberries that melted in her mouth. The hearty corn chowder filled her belly and warmed her throat. Bowls of baked beans, buttery corn on the cob, and smooth mashed potatoes followed soon after. Finishing the meal off was a selection of sweet fruit pies, tarts, and cobblers that Sunset had to restrain herself from eating too much of. It was fortunate that she had spent years living in Canterlot Castle and had learned to pace herself during such meals, or else she might have filled up before they were even halfway through.

The mayor kept a running commentary going throughout the meal, discussing the dishes and other mundane things typical of dinner conversation. Sunset mostly listened, her mouth being full of the delicious foods before her most of the time. Nova however, was finally able to contribute to the conversation, having mastered the art of polite smalltalk long ago. Olive Ridley, curiously, did not say much, despite his usual, talkative nature. He responded courteously when he was addressed, but otherwise ate quietly and politely. Sunset realized that the old guardspony was probably modeling the “seen, but not heard” behavior expected of the guard, especially when they were in the company of their superiors.

When the point had come where Sunset felt she couldn’t eat another bite, one of the waiters returned to the table and whispered something in the mayor’s ear. “Oh! Is it that time already?” she said. “Thank you.” The waiter scurried off as she turned to address the rest of the table. “Well, everypony, I hope your tummies and your tastebuds have been thoroughly satisfied, because it’s almost time for the main event!”

“The main event?” said Sunset, perking up. “You mean...”

“That’s right!” the mayor said. “It’s time for you all to see what you’ve come so far to see. If you’ll all be so kind as to follow me, we can be there in just a few minutes.”

Sunset was puzzled, her confusion from earlier resurfacing. Where were they going? What did this have to do with the creature? How did the mayor plan on showing it to them so deliberately? Eager to have these questions answered, she quickly followed the mayor as she rose from the table. The party had soon made their way back out of the restaurant, the wait staff giving them farewell bows as they went.

Back outside, Sunset could see by the position of the sun that it was about an hour or so before sunset. Despite the late hour, the roads were still full of ponies, most of which seemed to be walking down the main road toward the ocean. Following the mayor, the group joined the crowd and slowly walked in the same direction. As they followed the edge of the bay away from the town center, Sunset noticed the number of buildings begin to decrease, eventually petering off entirely as they approached their destination.

On the shore of the bay, a good ways away from the nearest buildings, were some newly-constructed wooden bleachers, which the tourist ponies were headed towards. When the group reached the bleachers, the mayor led them to a section of the front row, right in the middle. Again, their seats had been reserved for them, courtesy of the attendants that were ushering people into the stands. Looking behind her, Sunset could see that the seats were nearly full, hundreds of ponies having assembled for whatever it was they were about to see. A salespony wandered up and down the bleachers, selling bags of peanuts, candies, and small toys.

“Uh, mayor,” said Sunset, “what exactly are we doing here?”

“You’ll see,” said the mayor knowingly. “Just hold on a few more minutes, then all your questions will be answered.” Sunset’s anticipation was growing quickly, but she figured she could hold out a little while longer.

She leaned over to whisper to Nova, who was sitting beside her. “What do you think this is?” asked Sunset. “Do you think we’re really gonna see the creature?”

“I haven’t the faintest idea,” replied Nova, “but all these ponies definitely seem excited for whatever it is.”

Sunset glanced over at Olive Ridley, who was sitting on the other side of Nova. The captain was sitting upright, his eyes pointed out at the blue waters of the bay, as if he were looking for something. Sunset looked out in that direction herself, wondering if there really was some unknown creature lurking in the depths.

Several long minutes later, the bleachers had finished filling up with ponies. Suddenly, Sunset heard a loud voice emanating from speakers coming from behind her. “Fillies and gentlecolts,” said the voice energetically, “please take your seats. The show will begin momentarily.” A chorus of cheers and stamping came from the audience.

“Here we go!” said the mayor, leaning in close to Sunset.

A hush fell over the crowd as the announcer spoke again. “Since the dawn of time, Equestria has been home to many strange magical creatures,” he said dramatically. “From the fearsome manticore to the ferocious fire-breathing dragon, these creatures have inhabited the nightmares of ponykind for generations. But none of these creatures is as great or terrifying as those that lurk in the depths of the sea. Deep beneath the waves swim mysterious monsters never before seen by pony eyes...until now.”

As the announcer spoke, a young unicorn stallion walked out in front of the crowd, standing just a few yards in front of Sunset, facing the water. He looked to be around Sunset’s age, just a few years off from adulthood. His coat was a brilliant golden-yellow, and his short hair was a metallic silvery color. He had a noticeably grave expression on his face, which Sunset felt seemed out of place at an event where everypony else was so cheerful. The unicorn carried a wooden case, which he set down on the ground next to him when he was in position.

“Legends tell of a such a creature living within the confines of this very bay,” the announcer continued. “Some say it has been haunting these shores since before the founding of Equestria. It is said to have destroyed hundreds of ships and gobbled up countless innocent ponies over the years. This creature has eluded capture by the strongest heroes and the bravest sailors in history. ‘What is it?’ you may ask. Well...let’s find out.”

As the announcer finished, Sunset saw the pony before them open his case and produce from it an old, worn trumpet. He sat down, facing the bay, and held the instrument to his lips. A moment later, a single loud, clear note came from it, emanating out across the water. When the noise finally ended, silence followed. The crowd, Sunset included, sat unmoving, every pair of eyes transfixed on the deep blue waves, every pair of ears hearkening to their movement.

At first, it seemed like nothing had happened. The waters of the bay still rose and fell as they had a minute earlier. The gentle sea breeze still blew from the East, caressing Sunset’s skin. The sun, which would soon be dipping below the horizon, did not suddenly go dark or do any other such dramatic thing. Sunset was almost about to ask what they were waiting for, but then she got her answer. In the distance, she saw a section of the water rising up above the waves around it. The rise was moving closer to the shore and the eager audience waiting there. Something was coming; something big.

Sunset stared unblinking at the thing moving towards them, unconsciously leaning forward, as if doing so would somehow help her see it more clearly. It was far away, yet it moved so quickly that it closed the distance in no time at all. Sunset’s heartbeat quickened as it approached, preparing her to either fight or flee from the strange, unknown threat. When it got close enough, Sunset could make out a large, dark mass just under the surface of the water. At the rate it was moving, Sunset thought it would end up colliding with the shore, but this was not to be so. Just as Sunset was bracing for the impact, the water before them exploded upward, sending huge waves radiating outward in its wake.

Something rose out of the water, shooting up at least two stories above the surface. Its body was long and serpentine, but was as thick as the trunk of an ancient tree. Its skin was covered in dull gray scales, but as the light of the evening sun fell upon them, they shimmered and shone with all the colors of the rainbow. A large, sail-like fin jutted out of its back, making it look even more massive than it already did. Its body terminated with a large, bird-like head, covered in the same scales that adorned the rest of its body. A wedge-shaped beak protruded from its face, flat and rounded like that of a duck. Its huge eyes were pitch-black throughout, like the glass eyes of a doll.

The creature opened its mouth, revealing its blood-red maw and unleashing a tremendous bellow that echoed throughout the entire bay. Its cry was deep and powerful, but also somewhat melodious, like a giant horn; like a giant trumpet, Sunset would realize later. The sound rattled Sunset’s bones and made her goosebumps. Out of the corner of her eye, Sunset saw Nova recoil in fear, and saw Olive Ridley tense, as if preparing to bolt. Sunset, however, took things one step further. Without thinking, she leapt from her seat, standing with her hooves planted firmly on the ground. Her horn lit up brightly, Sunset instinctively reaching out for her magic.

She stared down the creature, and was a moment away from launching an all-out magical assault, when her focus was interrupted by another noise. From behind her came a thunderous chorus of cheering and applause from the audience. When she realized what she was hearing, Sunset whipped her head around to confirm that her ears were not playing tricks on her. She saw the audience members hooping and hollering, their mouths stretched into wide smiles, stamping the floor in applause, and waving flags or other small objects in the air.

Confused at what she was seeing, Sunset looked at Nova for help. Nova looked similarly confused, her expression offering no explanation for the situation. Having nothing else to offer Sunset, she merely patted the seat next to her, imploring her to sit back down. The gesture made Sunset realize that she had been about to make a very awkward mistake, if the situation was indeed as benign as everypony else seemed to think it was. She looked back at the creature, which had not moved from its spot. With a slight hint of embarrassment joining the confusion and the fading aggression in her mind, she slowly lowered herself back into her seat. Luckily for her, the audience had been too preoccupied with the massive sea creature before them to notice her.

Over the speakers, the announcer’s voice blared out again. “Fillies and gentlecolts,” he said, “for your viewing pleasure, the Beast of Pintada Bay!” The unicorn with the trumpet once again raised it and blew a short blast. The creature looked down at him for a moment, before moving back, away from the shore. The creature lowered itself in the water slightly, before bursting back up like a rocket, leaning into a backflip. When its hind end finally cleared the water, Sunset saw that it had a large, vertical, fish-like tail. The creature landed headfirst, plunging through the water like a hot knife through butter. The impact churned the water, sending out huge waves that crashed against the shore.

Sunset could only sit and stare wordlessly at the sight, her frazzled brain struggling to make sense of it all. A huge sea creature, the likes of which she had neither seen nor heard of. A small seaside town that was using it to put on a show for tourists. And a mysterious musician, who seemed to be able to summon and control the creature with the power of his notes. If she had not been living it, Sunset would have thought the whole thing sounded too fantastical to believe. And yet, there she sat, watching as the unicorn continued to play, the creature continued to swim and leap, and the crowd continued to applaud the spectacle before them, all underneath the fading light of the setting sun.

Chapter Six - A Fish Story

“And...voila!” said the mayor, throwing open the door and pressing the light switch just inside it. On the other side of the door was illuminated a relatively small room, furnished with two beds, a nightstand between them, a dresser on the opposite wall, and a rocking chair in the far corner. The walls were covered in a soft blue wallpaper, reminiscent of clear ocean water. A large window on the far wall showed the dark night sky beyond, and the deep blue bay beneath it. Mayor Akoya stepped into the room, followed by Sunset and Nova.

“The royal suite,” said the mayor. “Best hotel room in town, or so I’ve been told. I know it may be a bit...cozier than what you’re used to, but the beds are soft, the room has been freshly cleaned, and the view is gorgeous.” As she said this, the mayor opened the window, letting in a cool, gentle breeze that smelled of the sea.

“It’s lovely,” said Nova, always the polite one. “I’m sure we’ll be just fine, mayor.”

“Of course,” said the mayor, looking relieved. “Well, I know you two have had a busy day, so I’ll go ahead and take my leave now.” She placed the keys to the room on the dresser as she headed towards the door. “If you need anything, please don’t hesitate to ask the staff. I’m sure they’d be more than happy to accommodate you. And if you need to reach me for any reason, don’t be afraid to send for me.”

“Thanks, mayor,” said Sunset, giving her a smile.

The mayor’s smile faltered momentarily. “And...Madam Ambassador,” she said sheepishly, “once again, I apologize sincerely for the confusion earlier. It really wasn’t my intention to scare you. Most ponies enjoy the experience much more going in blind.”

“Mayor, I told you, it’s alright,” said Sunset. “I was just being jumpy, that’s all.” Apparently, the mayor had been even more worried about Sunset’s reaction to the creature than Sunset had been about the creature itself.

“Ah, yes. So you did,” said the mayor, recovering from her embarrassment slightly. “Well, goodnight you two. Sleep well; pleasant dreams. I’ll be back to check on you first thing tomorrow morning.” The mayor gave them a deep bow as she finished.

“Goodnight, mayor,” said Sunset, Nova echoing her.

The mayor backed out of the room, giving them both one last smile before gently closing the door. When Sunset could no longer hear her hoofsteps walking away, she let out a long, drawn-out sigh, her polite smile vanishing and her shoulders slumping. She walked over to the nearest bed, throwing herself upon it face-down. The cool fabric of the pillowcase felt wonderful on her skin and helped calm her down.

Nova, who had just begun to unpack the belongings they had had brought from the ship, looked over at her with a pitiful look on her face. “Are you feeling alright, Sunset?” she asked.

“Yeah,” replied Sunset, her voice partially muffled by the pillow. She rolled over onto her back, pulling the pillow down and holding it in a tight embrace. “It’s just been a long day.”

“It sure has,” said Nova. “A long day with an exciting conclusion.” Sunset uttered an affirmative grunt, a lackluster response that prompted Nova to examine her more closely. She recognized the thoughtful expression on her childhood companion’s face. “Do you want to tell me what you’re thinking?”

“It’s just...” began Sunset, rolling onto her side to face Nova. “How did they do it? A huge sea creature just wanders into town one day, and somehow they figure out how to tame it? Did you see that thing, Nova? I mean, of course you saw it, but...” She let out a frustrated sigh. “It’s just hard to believe. I’ve never even heard of a creature like that!”

“Neither have I,” said Nova. “Although, I don’t know nearly as much about magical creatures as you do.” Nova’s comment only reminded Sunset that she was expected to be the resident expert on the issue. While she was probably more educated on the subject than ninety-nine percent of Equestria, even she was at a loss. Earlier, she had been excited at getting the chance to study such a rare creature, but she had not anticipated the situation would be as bizarre as it had turned out to be.

In the aftermath of that evening’s performance, after the creature had slunk back beneath the waves and the audience had given their final applause and left, Sunset had attempted to get the full story from the mayor. After spending quite a while convincing her that she hadn’t been upset by the creature’s sudden appearance, Sunset had managed to get what little information the mayor had had to give. Apparently, the town had been as surprised as Sunset had been when the creature had first been seen in the bay. It wasn’t until word had gotten around and the sightseers had started pouring in that the town had realized how they could take advantage of the situation.

Of course, the biggest boon to the burgeoning tourist trap had been the discovery of how to control the creature, which had happened largely by accident. It had been thanks to a young musician named Clarion Call, the unicorn Sunset had seen at the performance, that the creature had been tamed. He had been the one to recognize the creature’s response to his music, and had used it to train the creature to perform simple actions on cue. Beyond that, the townponies had done nothing else to try to understand the creature or its origin, not wanting to look a gift sea monster in the mouth.

Sunset had restrained herself from further questioning, as she had realized that the mayor had told her all that she could. The pony she had most wanted to talk to had been Clarion Call himself, but he had already gone home for the night, so she had resolved to call on him the next day. After the questioning had ended, the mayor had escorted them to the hotel where their lodgings had been prepared for them. On the way, Nova had spoken with the mayor to arrange for their belongings to be brought to their room from the ship. Because of this, Sunset had finally gotten a moment to talk to Olive Ridley, who had been acting even more distant than he had been earlier.

“In all my years, I’ve never seen such a beast on land or sea,” had been the captain’s thoughts. “Just goes to show you: there’s always somethin’ new to see out there, even for an old pony like me.” The captain had chuckled to himself. “I guess I’ll have a new story to tell the next time my old pals and I meet up.” After having seen the situation firsthand, and realizing how under control it already was, he had told Sunset that he would feel comfortable letting her and Nova go off on their own while they were there. Sunset, having had similar thoughts, decided to take him up on his offer, and had let him return to the ship.

Sunset thought about his characteristically nonchalant reaction as she lied there on the bed, staring up at the ceiling above her. Perhaps she should follow his example and try to have a more positive outlook on the situation. She could sit there, lamenting that fact that she was again faced with a task that befuddled her, or she could rise to the challenge and tackle the problem head-on. It didn’t take her long to make her decision. “Nova,” said Sunset, looking back over at her companion, “did you bring that book we have about—“

She stopped short when she realized that Nova was levitating the book in question out in front of her. “Uh, yeah. Thanks,” said Sunset, giving her a grin.

“No problem,” said Nova sweetly, sending the book gliding over to Sunset.

Sunset sat up in her bed and took hold of the heavy book. The Extraordinary Beasts of Equestria was a tome Sunset was intimately familiar with, having spent many long hours during her youth poring through its pages. The book contained detailed descriptions of all of the strange, abnormal, or outright magical creatures known to pony scholars, including their appearances, behavior, and territories. Sunset always found it funny when she remembered just how scared she had gotten as a filly, staying up late and gazing at the illustrations of the creatures within under the covers of her bed. This time, however, she gazed at its pages with a scientist’s eye, desperately hoping to find an answer to her questions.

Sunset grumbled as the bright morning sunlight streamed through the window of the room and onto her sleeping face. She rolled over to escape the light, but Nova was not about to let her sleep through the morning. “Sunset, you need to get up now. The mayor’s waiting for us,” she said, gently but sternly.

“Tell her to come back later,” Sunset grumbled, still half-asleep.

“I did. It is later,” said Nova flatly. After a significant amount of prodding and bartering, Nova managed to get Sunset sitting up in bed. “I warned you not to stay up too late reading,” said Nova as she brushed Sunset’s hair.

“Didn’t even do any good,” remarked the grumpy Sunset. She had looked through hundreds of pages and hadn’t managed to find even a single reference to a creature of the sort she had seen the day before. While she had been excited at the prospect of getting to discover a brand new type of magical creature, part of her wished it could have been something a bit more mundane.

When Sunset had been suitably groomed, she and Nova made their way out of the room and downstairs to the hotel’s lobby, where they found Mayor Akoya waiting for them. “Good morning, Madam Ambassador, Madam Secretary!” said the mayor cheerfully, giving them a deep bow. “I trust you slept well.”

“Good morning, mayor” yawned Sunset, Nova echoing her.

“Well, now that we’re all together again,” said the mayor, rising, “I thought we might head out and get a bit of breakfast in us. There’s a terrific little stand down the road that sells the most delicious crepes; you simply must try them.”

Sunset’s stomach grumbled quietly at the mention of food. “Breakfast sounds like a great idea right about now,” she said.

Mayor Akoya led Sunset and Nova out of the hotel and onto the main drag, which was already bustling with traffic. As they weaved their way through the tourists milling about, they stopped to sample the treats offered by the many food stalls scattered about. Sunset got to try a warm, buttery crepe drizzled with blueberry sauce and whipped cream, a savory panini with grilled tomato and melted cheese, and a breakfast burrito, a food which Sunset had never gotten a chance to try living in Canterlot Castle.

While the mayor seemed like she would gladly have dragged Sunset all throughout town on their culinary excursion, Sunset was eventually forced to put an end to it in as polite a manner as she could. She thanked the mayor for the food, which had again been on the house, and told her that she really needed to be getting on with the work she had been sent there to perform. She asked the mayor if they could go and meet with Clarion Call, so that she could begin her study of the creature and begin to unravel the mystery she was faced with. The mayor was very willing to oblige her, seemingly relishing any opportunity to show off the creature to an audience, and led them off toward their destination.

The three walked along the same path they had the day before, heading to the performance area at the edge of town. As they approached, Sunset saw Clarion Call sitting in his spot on the shore, playing a song on his trumpet. The music was slow and melancholic, and was played with a skill that was impressive for someone of Clarion’s age. Sunset might have easily been enthralled by it, if she hadn’t taken notice of the other member of the musician’s audience, which was currently floating in the water before him.

The creature was almost completely submerged, only its head visible above the waves. It floated in place with its eyes closed, almost as if it were asleep. Low rumblings could be heard coming from its throat; as Sunset listened, she noticed they seemed to be in line with the notes, adding to the music like a member of a duet.

When they had gotten close, the creature’s eyes suddenly snapped open, and its vocalizations stopped. Its head rose out of the water several feet and turned to face the newcomers. Sunset breathed in sharply when she saw this, but her step did not falter. She wasn’t going to be caught off guard this time, she thought. The creature watched their approach, but made no threatening moves. When he noticed the creature’s actions, Clarion paused his playing and turned to look at what had drawn its attention.

“Good morning, Clarion!” the mayor called out, seemingly unaffected by the creature’s gaze. “How is my star doing this morning?”

“He’s doing fine, mayor,” Clarion responded flatly, not even looking at her.

“Good, good,” said the mayor. “Now, Clarion, I have somepony here I’d like you to meet. This is Sunset Shimmer, the royal ambassador.” She put particular emphasis on her last two words.

“Oh, right!” said Clarion, springing up from his seat and looking like he had suddenly remembered something. “It is an honor to meet you, Madam Ambassador,” he said stiffly, giving Sunset a deep bow.

“This is Clarion Call, our resident musician and, lately, our show’s choreographer,” said the mayor.

“It’s nice to meet you Clarion,” said Sunset as he rose back up.

“The ambassador has traveled all the way here from Canterlot to see the Beast,” said the mayor to Clarion. “While she’s here, I want you help her out in any way that you can. Answer her questions, assist her in her work, and do whatever she asks of you. Understand?”

“Yes, mayor,” said Clarion. The forced smile on his face gave one impression; the unhappy look in his eyes said something else entirely.

“Excellent,” said the mayor. “Now, Madam Ambassador, I realize that you have important business to attend to while you’re here, but the Chamber of Commerce has planned a meeting for this morning to discuss marketing strategies, and we would be absolutely delighted if you attended. The perspective of a pony of your station would be a tremendous boon to our community. Perhaps you’d be willing to...postpone your work and come join us?”

“Oh! I...uh...” uttered Sunset. Sitting and listening to a bunch of old ponies talk about business was the last thing Sunset wanted to do at that moment. She had just been getting herself ready to face the creature; having to go to that meeting would be a tremendously boring anticlimax. “Could you...give us a moment, please?” Sunset quickly pulled Nova a few steps away from the others. “So, Nova,” said Sunset quietly, “I...”

“You want to stay here with the creature, don’t you?” asked Nova, a knowing smile on her face.

“I do,” Sunset admitted. “I really, really, really do. Is there any chance you could...take care of this for me?”

Nova chuckled softly at the pleading expression on Sunset’s face. “Alright, Sunset,” she said. “I’ll cover for you this once, but you really have to get used to doing things like this. You are a dignitary now, after all.”

“I know,” said Sunset guiltily. The two turned back to face Mayor Akoya.

“Mayor Akoya,” began Nova, “while the ambassador would love to join you and the Chamber, she feels that her investigation requires her immediate and full attention. However, she has directed me to accompany you to the meeting as her representative.”

A flash of disappointment passed over the mayor’s face, before her normal, cheery expression returned. “Ah, yes. Of course, Madam Secretary,” said the mayor. “We would be delighted to have you join us for our proceedings. I certainly wouldn’t want to keep the ambassador away from her work.” She looked over at Sunset. “Please take all the time you need, Madam Ambassador. And if you need any assistance at all, just ask Clarion. Or send for me at town hall and I’ll be here in two shakes of a lamb’s tail. And if you change you mind, feel free to stop by and join us; we really would love to have you there.”

“Thanks, mayor,” said Sunset, somewhat guiltily. “I really appreciate everything you’ve done for us while we’ve been here. If I finish up here quickly...then I’ll try to make it to your meeting. I promise.”

“Oh, there’s no need to be so humble, Madam Ambassador,” said the mayor. “You’re our guest here; there’s no need to worry about inconveniencing us.” The mayor then bid Sunset goodbye, giving her another bow. Sunset said goodbye to her and Nova, and the two walked off back to town, the mayor talking Nova’s ear off along the way. Sunset silently wished Nova strength for what she had coming to her, before turning her attention to what she had come there to do.

The creature seemed to have lowered its guard, as it was once again submerged up to its head, but kept its eyes open. Clarion Call was sitting in his spot again, fiddling with his trumpet. Sunset walked over and stood next to him, staring down at the creature. Looking at it from so close up, and when it wasn’t jumping around, Sunset could really get a sense of its enormity. “It’s incredible,” she said.

“Yep,” said Clarion tersely.

“You’d think a creature this big wouldn’t be able to hide from all of Equestria,” said Sunset, “but I’ve never even heard of something like this. I don’t think anypony has. Is it possible you could...get it to come closer?”

“Yeah,” replied Clarion, but made no visible move to do anything.

An awkward silence passed between them. “So...could you do that?”

Clarion gave a heavy sigh. “Yeah,” he said, raising his trumpet to his lips. He blew a short, soft note, then stood. The creature seemed to respond to the sound, a similar-sounding grumble coming from its throat. Slowly, it rose from the water, moving its head over to the shore. Sunset and Clarion stepped back to make room as the creature gently lowered its head onto the ground.

Sunset approached the creature, but before she could get close, it let out a sharp, loud growl and turned its head toward her slightly. Sunset recoiled slightly and froze where she was. “He doesn’t like strangers very much,” said Clarion matter-of-factly. He raised his trumpet once again and blew several gentle notes. Afterwards, he moved closer to the creature and raised a hoof, stroking its skin softly. The creature grumbled lazily and moved its head back to where it had been.

“So it’s true,” said Sunset, amazed. “You really can control it.”

“He’s a living creature,” said Clarion. “I don’t control him. I just...talk to him, and sometimes he listens.”

“Amazing,” said Sunset. She tried walking up to the creature again, more slowly this time. The creature watched her, but made no aggressive moves. Hesitantly, she raised a hoof and placed it on the creature’s face, as Clarion had done. Its skin was warm, much warmer than Sunset would have expected of a creature that lived its life in the cold waters of the sea. Its fine scales linked together tightly, creating a texture that felt soft and smooth. Sunset gently caressed the creature, as if she were stroking a household pet.

Remembering why she was there, Sunset stepped back and withdrew a pencil and a notebook from her saddlebags. Like a good scientist, she began taking notes as she studied the creature. She made note of its dimensions, its bizarre physiology, and its strangely musical vocalizations. “Normally, creatures like this would stay as far as possible from populated areas,” said Sunset, mostly to herself. “To think that it would just wander into a place like this...”

“Is that what she told you?” Clarion scoffed.

Sunset paused and looked up from her notes, confused by his remark. “Is that what who told me?” she said.

“Akoya,” said Clarion. “She give you that spiel about how he just showed up one day and started hanging around for no reason at all?”

“Well...yeah,” said Sunset. “Why do you ask?”

“Nevermind,” Clarion grumbled, shaking his head.

Sunset hated it when ponies acted evasive when they clearly had something on their minds. “What is it, Clarion?” she said sternly.

“It’s nothing. Just forget it,” said Clarion in a tone that indicated that it definitely not nothing. Sunset noted how much easier her life would be if she read minds.

“I don’t know why you’re acting like this,” said Sunset, irritated. “I came here to help you, to help all of you, but you’re treating me like I just shaved your tail off.”

“Exactly!” said Clarion, looking her in the eye. “You came here to help the town. You came here to rub elbows with the mayor and help her figure out how to sell more shirts and keychains. I bet you never even thought about helping him,” he said, gesturing toward the creature.

“Help...the creature?” said Sunset. “What in Equestria are you talking about?”

“You really want to know? Look out there and tell me what you see,” said Clarion, pointing out towards the mouth of the bay.

Sunset was puzzled, but did as he asked, gazing out in the direction he indicated. The light of the morning sun reflected off the sea, making it shine brightly. Sunset squinted and held a hoof over her eyes to try and see through the glare and identify whatever it was Clarion wanted her to see. “What am I supposed to be...?” she began. Suddenly, she saw something where the bay opened up into the sea, where the land on both sides rose into short cliffs. It was long, stretching out between the cliffs, and rising up from the water for what looked like quite a ways. “Is that...a net?”

“Yeah,” said Clarion. “It covers the whole mouth of the bay. It’s two stories tall above water, and goes all the way down to the seabed underneath.”

“But...why would you need a net that big?” Sunset asked. “What’s it supposed to catch?”

“I’ll give you three guesses,” Clarion said flatly.

It finally clicked in Sunset’s brain; she realized that the answer to her question was literally staring her in the face. “The creature?” she said, looking back at it.

“Bingo,” said Clarion. “Certified one-hundred percent secure sea monster net, courtesy of Her Honor, the Mayor.” His voice dripped with sarcasm.

“You’ve trapped it here,” said Sunset.

“Of course,” said Clarion. “Can’t have the star of our show swimming away, now can we?”

The situation was making more and more sense in Sunset’s mind. She had found the mayor’s claim that the creature had started hanging around the bay of its own accord to be unbelievable, and now she knew that her feelings had been justified. It was no wonder that the creature had never left if it had been prevented from doing so. The only question that remained was how they had managed to find it and trap it in the bay in the first place. She very much doubted that a town such as Pintada Bay would have the resources, ponypower, or even a good reason to hunt down a giant sea creature.

“Clarion,” said Sunset gravely, “tell me what happened; what really happened. How did the creature get here?”

“I shouldn’t,” said Clarion, looking away. “I’ve already said more than I should have. Akoya’ll be furious if she finds out I was talking to you about this.”

“Do you really want me to help you? To help the creature?” Sunset said. “Because if you do, you need to tell me the truth. Otherwise, the mayor’s word is the only thing I’ll have to go on.”

Clarion said nothing for a moment, then let out a heavy sigh. “Alright, fine,” he said. He took a moment to collect his thoughts before continuing. “One day, a few months ago, I was out at the beach, practicing a new song. I like to go out there to play when I can; it’s quiet, and they can’t hear me all the way back in town, so I can play as loud as I want. Anyway, I was sitting out on the beach after dinner, just like any other day, when I started to hear something.”

“What did you hear?” asked Sunset.

“Well, as I was playing, I started to hear a sound coming from the sea,” said Clarion. “It sounded almost like an instrument; like a trumpet, or some sort of horn. It was so far off at first that I couldn’t hear it well, but I could tell that it started and stopped with my playing. I thought it might have just been an echo, but I’d never gotten echoes playing there before, and I realized the sound kept going for way too long after I stopped for it to be that.

“I got curious. I tried playing a few notes, and I heard the sound again right after I finished. I did it again, and the same thing happened. When I realized it was happening in response to my playing, I tried to respond back. I listened to the sound, and I tried to match it as closely as I could with my trumpet. And as soon as I started doing that, I noticed the sound started getting louder, like it was getting closer to me.

“As it got closer, I could hear it a bit better, so I was able to adjust and match the tone more closely. But that just made the sound get louder. I kept at it for a minute or two, just going back and forth like that, and then I saw it. I saw what was making the sound. I saw it rising up out of the water, way in the distance, sounding off loud and clear. It was him.”

“You saw the creature,” said Sunset, her eyes wide. “You managed to call it to you with just your music. That’s incredible! What did you do when you saw it?”

Clarion blushed slightly. “Well...I, uh...I...,” he began, before sighing. “I ran away.” Sunset snickered unintentionally at his embarrassment. “Hey, it’s not like I’d ever seen a sea monster before!”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” said Sunset, catching herself and putting on a straight face. “Please keep going.”

“Well, like I said, I grabbed my trumpet and ran back to town,” Clarion continued. “I’d never run so fast in my life.”

“Did you tell anyone?” asked Sunset.

“Tell them what? That I saw a sea monster at the beach?” Clarion said. “Nopony would have believed me. I kept my mouth shut about it and acted like nothing had happened. I stayed away from the beach for a few days; I didn’t know what would happen if I went back. But eventually...I don’t know. I guess I got more curious than I was afraid. Whatever it was, I went back to the beach later that week to see if he would show up again.

“I couldn’t see him out there at first, so I tried doing what I had done before. I played the sound I had heard him make, although, I don’t even know if I wanted it to work or not. Nothing happened right away; I would play and then listen, but all I heard was the waves. I tried over and over again. I don’t know how long I stood out there, but it must have been a while. I was about ready to throw in the towel, but then I heard it. I heard him again, way out in the distance.

“I’ll admit, I was a bit scared when I realized he was real, and I hadn’t just imagined the whole thing. But I think I was also kind of excited, too. I kept playing and listening, just like before. And just like before, he started coming closer to the beach. When I saw him come up out of the water again, I got the urge to bolt, but I stopped myself. Somehow, I held my ground and kept going. He kept responding to me, and he kept coming closer. He got pretty close to shore, close enough that I could get a good look at him, but he wouldn’t come all the way.”

“He was scared of you, wasn’t he?” said Sunset. “In fact, I bet he was just as just as scared of you as you were of him.”

“I think you’re right,” said Clarion, a small smile appearing on his face. “I kept playing his sound, but he held his ground, er, water I should say. When that didn’t work, I tried something else. I started playing some simple melodies, just to see what he’d do. At first, he didn’t do anything, just sat there and listened. But then, he started singing again; he started copying the notes I was playing. He would copy them, but he would also remember them.”

“The creature was able to comprehend and reproduce complex patterns?” said Sunset, scribbling in her notes. “Fascinating. Go on.”

“Yeah, I thought it was pretty cool, too,” said Clarion. “I must’ve sat there with him for hours. I would’ve stayed out there even longer, but I had to head home eventually. I managed to pull myself away and walk back to town; he watched me go, but didn’t do anything. My mom sure gave me a hard time for being out so late, but it was worth it.

“I started going back every day to see him. I think he started expecting me, ‘cause he showed up much quicker from then on. I kept trying to get him to come to the shore, but he just kept dragging his hooves. Or should I say fins? Anyway, he stayed out there, but I noticed he would get closer every day before stopping. It took a long time, but one day, he came about as close as he could without getting stuck in the shallows. I was feeling brave that day, so I decided to take a risk. I tried to wade out into the water to get even closer to him.

“I went slow, so I wouldn’t startle him. I could tell he was still a bit scared, I was too, honestly, but he didn’t run. I went about as far out as I could, without having to tread water. I looked up at him, and I tried playing something I’d taught him, thinking it might get him to lower his guard. I guess it must have worked, ‘cause he sang it back to me, then stretched himself closer. He was right in front of me, close enough to reach out and touch him, so I did. He let me pet him, just like you were doing. I thought it was so cool to be able to touch a creature like him...but then I saw it.”

“Saw what?” asked Sunset.

“Well,” said Clarion, “the big fin on his back...”

“His dorsal fin,” said Sunset.

“Uh, yeah,” said Clarion. “Well, he’d hurt it pretty bad. He’d kept it underwater up till then, so I hadn’t been able to see it from far away. Made me sick just to look at the thing.”

Sunset looked over at the creature’s large dorsal fin, which she hadn’t been able to see up close the day before. The fin looked largely intact, but upon closer inspection, she did notice a long scar tracing its way down the fin almost all the way to its body. “Oh, wow,” said Sunset gravely, “that must have been bad. No wonder he was so cautious of you.”

“It was pretty bad,” said Clarion. “When I saw it, I got scared; not scared of him, scared for him. I didn’t know what happened to him, but I thought that there was no way he could get by on his own like he was. I wanted to help him. I didn’t have to; nobody else knew about him. I could have just walked away and pretended I’d never met him, but I could never have done that. After all that time we’d spent together, I felt like we’d bonded; I felt like we were friends.” He gently stroked the creature’s face, eliciting a soft rumble from the creature, almost like it was purring.

“But I didn’t know anything about fixing injuries, especially not the kind he had,” Clarion continued. “I knew I needed to get help if I wanted him to get better. I was really worried about telling anypony else about him, but I figured it was worth the risk. Ideally, I would have liked to have gotten a vet to come out and look at him, but we don’t have any of those in town. Closest thing we have is an old doctor who’s lived in town for years. I managed to get her out to the beach by telling her that somepony had gotten hurt out there. Of course, it wasn’t really ‘somepony’.

“After the doc got over the shock of seeing him, and I managed to get him to come close again, the doc was able to get a look at his fin. She was really reluctant; she kept saying that it was way out of her league and that she wanted nothing to do with it. I guess I must’ve begged pretty hard, cause she caved eventually. She did her best, I’ll give her that. But when she’d finished looking at him, she told me she thought he’d need a lot of work and a lot of time to recover afterwards before he went out on his own again. She said we’d need to bring him into the bay where we could tend to him more easily and the water was calmer.”

“That makes sense,” said Sunset. “If it were swimming around in open water, its wound would’ve taken forever to heal, if at all.”

“I knew that,” said Clarion. “I knew that’s what he needed, but bringing him into town was the last thing I wanted to do. I didn’t know what the townsponies would do if they saw something like him, but I could imagine. I wanted to keep him safe, but I also wanted to see him get better, so I let her talk me into it. But if we were gonna bring him in, I knew we had to throw secrecy out the window. There was no way we could hide something as big as him from the whole town. And if they were gonna find out about him, then I wanted to do whatever I could to prevent any panic.

“For better or worse, I decided to get the mayor involved, thinking that she’d be able to help keep everypony under control. I had a hard time getting her to believe me, but the doc’s word helped a lot. When we finally managed to get her out to the beach and let her see him for herself, she almost fainted she was so scared. She didn’t want anything to do with him either; she wanted me to get him to go away so he wouldn’t scare anypony or get in the way of their pearling.

“But when the doc pointed out that he wouldn’t be able to get very far away from town with his fin being the way it was, she started to reconsider. I told her that if she let us bring him into town, he could heal up and be gone quicker than if we just left him on his own. I don’t think she was completely apathetic to him, at least, not back then. She’s not a bad pony, she’s just scared of something bad happening in town on her watch. I don’t know whether it was because of what e said, or because she really did care, deep down, but she finally agreed to let us do what we needed to do.

“The next day, we made our move. I went out in a dinghy with one of my friends to lure him in; he rowed, I played. I was able to get the big guy into the bay pretty easily with the usual call, but it took a lot of cajoling to get him close to town. The mayor had agreed to let us put him in an old boathouse on the other side of the bay where the doc could work on him. We were able to get him over there without too much trouble, but we’d attracted a lot of attention doing it.

“A big crowd of ponies came to the boathouse, demanding to know what was going on. I thought they were about ready to riot, but luckily, the mayor was there. She managed to talk them down and convince everypony not to panic; I was really grateful for that. The town was on edge for quite a while after that, but thankfully, we didn’t have any major incidents. We managed to keep him in the boathouse most of the time, and even when he went swimming in the bay, he never got in anypony’s way.

“After the doc got him patched up, I spent as much time as I could with him. I made sure he got plenty of rest, I made sure he didn’t mess with his fin too much, and I made sure that nopony came barging in to do something stupid. He kept him there for a few weeks, though it felt like much less than that. Before I knew it, his fin had gotten better, and he was able to get his stitches out. When that time came around, I started to feel sad, knowing that I’d have to say goodbye to him soon and let him head back out to sea.”

“But that didn’t happen, did it?” said Sunset.

“No,” said Clarion, “but in hindsight, I wish it had. You see, even with me keeping an eye on him, we still got a lot of unwanted attention. At first, it was just from the townsponies, but they got over it eventually. But word travels fast in this part of Equestria, and soon, we had ponies from nearby towns coming here just to get a glimpse of him. It was only a few ponies a week in the beginning, but that changed fast; you’ve seen how busy it is around here these days. I ignored them for the most part, but a certain somepony suddenly got very interested in the whole thing when she realized how big of a draw he was.”

“The mayor,” said Sunset, who was able to guess where Clarion’s story was going.

“Yeah,” Clarion sighed. “I’d been too preoccupied to notice, but she and the Chamber of Commerce had been doing a lot of planning. It didn’t hit me until the day I woke up and saw the workers putting up the net in the mouth of the bay. When I saw what was going on, I went straight to the mayor and demanded an explanation.” He paused for a moment before speaking again. “You have to understand, I really didn’t want to have to say goodbye to my new friend.”

“When I went to the mayor, she told me what she was doing,” said Clarion. “She didn’t even lie about it, which just makes it worse. She told me that she was having the net put up to keep him in the bay. She told me about how many ponies were coming from all over the place just to see him. The local businesses were getting lots of new customers, and were starting to make a lot of bits selling those stupid knick-knacks. She told me that even my family could get in on it if we wanted to.

“She asked me to go along with it; she asked me to help out. She knew that I had learned to communicate with him with my music, and that I could get him to make appearances. She also knew that I had gotten close to him, and guessed that I wouldn’t have wanted to see him go. I could spend a little more time with my friend before he left, she told me. I’m not proud of it, but that got to me. I walked into that office ready for a fight, but she’d beaten me without even breaking a sweat. By the time I left, I’d agreed to help her.

“You can probably guess the rest. More ponies came every week to see him, the townsponies embraced the tourism business more and more, and I became Pintada Bay’s resident sea monster trainer. I had him start small at first: just a swim across the bay and maybe a growl or two every once in a while. But one thing led to another, and before too long, we had a whole choreographed show going on every night. He’s never seemed to mind the exercise; I never would gone along with it if he had.”

“I can’t believe it,” said Sunset when Clarion had finished. “You took an injured creature into your home, and then you trap it here and exploit it for a quick bit!”

“I’m not proud of what I did!” said Clarion. “It was a mistake; I realize that now. I was selfish and weak, and I made my friend suffer because of it. He doesn’t want to be here; I know that. I’ve seen the way he looks out at the sea with those big eyes of his. He’ll look out there and he’ll make that same call I heard him make when I first met him. I still don’t understand him a hundred percent, but I think I know what he’s saying when he does that. He’s saying, ‘Here I am! Come to me!’ He’s calling out to his friends, somewhere out there, and he wants to get back to them.”

“So that’s what you meant,” said Sunset. “That’s what you wanted me to do. You want me to help you free him.”

“I can’t stand up to the mayor on my own,” said Clarion. “She doesn’t care. And neither does the rest of the town, not as long as the bits keep pouring in. You’re the only one who can do something about it.”

Sunset thought hard about what Clarion was asking her to do. She had come to Pintada Bay to save the town from a monster, but now, she was being asked to save the monster from the town. This was way beyond what she had been instructed to do, and more than she had been prepared for. All Sunset really needed to do was to study the creature, then write a quick report to Celestia about the situation, as requested. She would face no repercussions if she simply ignored the creature’s plight and left as soon as her task was done.

There would even be certain benefits to doing so, Sunset realized. She had the perfect opportunity on her hooves to study a brand new type of magical creature in a conveniently controlled environment. With her connections, she could easily get her findings published in the most prestigious academic circles in Equestria. An image flashed in her mind of a new page being added to The Extraordinary Beasts of Equestria: the “Sunset Serpent”, named for its discoverer. All she’d have to do is look the other way, ignore Clarion’s plea, and join the townsponies in exploiting the creature for profit and fame.

She looked over at the creature, staring deeply into its eyes. Those big, black eyes, which had seemed so lifeless and scary to her before, now gave her another impression entirely. She was reminded of a fish that had been plucked from the water, dragged up into the dry air, and was desperately yearning for something, anything that could help it escape its predicament and return to its home. She could only imagine what it might be like to be separated from her home and her friends, trapped in a strange place, just like the creature was. She felt profound pity for it, which tipped her over the edge of her indecision.

“You’re right, Clarion,” said Sunset. “This is wrong. He shouldn’t be here, and I can’t just sit by and do nothing while all this is going on. You want my help? Well, you’ve got it. I promise you, I’m gonna do whatever I can to stop this and make sure he goes free.”

Clarion’s face lit up when he heard this. “You...you mean it?” he said, chuckling. “You’ll help me? That’s...that’s great! Thank you. Thank you so much, Sunset. Oh, I mean, Madam Ambassador.”

“Just ‘Sunset’ is fine,” said Sunset, smiling at him.

“Oh, alright...Sunset,” said Clarion. “I wasn’t expecting this. When I first saw you with the mayor, I thought you were just another Canterlot snob, here to see the show and gawk at him. I feel so stupid; I shouldn’t have been such a jerk to you.”

“Hey, it’s alright,” said Sunset. “I get why you were upset. And, honestly, I probably deserved it a bit. I shouldn’t have let myself get swept up in it all. I knew something was off about this whole thing, but I let my guard down. I won’t make that mistake again, you can count on it.” Sunset looked back at the creature, admiring it like a work of fine art. “It’s a shame. I really would have liked to spend more time with him.”

“I know what you mean,” said Clarion, a wistful smile on his face. He looked down near Sunset’s hooves, noticing her notebook, which she had set down on the ground. “You’re...some kind of scientist, aren’t you? That’s why you were so interested in him.”

“‘Scientist’?” said Sunset, amused. “I wouldn’t go that far. I’m just a...passionate amateur. I love magic, and I love magical creatures like him. There’s a lot of amazing things in this world, and I’m grateful every time I get to see one of them.”

Clarion looked away, a thoughtful expression on his face. “Y’know...he’s been here so long already,” Clarion began. “I don’t think he’d mind sticking around just a little while longer. Especially if its for somepony like you. How about I show you what he can do? And I don’t just mean a bunch of cheap tricks. It’s the least I can do to thank you for your help.”

Without waiting for a reply, Clarion stepped back and raised his trumpet to his lips, blowing a short, clear burst. The creature reacted, slowly raising its head back up into the air as Sunset moved out of the way. Clarion sat down and got comfortable, looking back over at Sunset. “This is something we’ve been working on for a while. You’ll be the first one to hear it; I guess you’ll also be the last.”

Clarion looked up into the eyes of the creature, which was looking down at him and waiting to see what he would do. He raised his trumpet and began playing. The music was slow at first, but loud and clear, full of strength and energy. Sunset sat down and listened, letting the notes wash over her and fill her mind. They conjured up images in her mind’s eye, creating a story that she could see as clearly as if they were illustrations on a page. She first saw the sun, burning brightly in the sky, covering the world in light and warmth.

The music grew quieter, its power diminishing; the sun that Sunset saw sank lower in the sky, casting long shadows on the land. It was at this time that the creature opened its large beak and began vocalizing. It sounded like it had before: deep and animalistic, but distinctly musical. This time, however, the creature did not merely sound off a few cries designed to shock an audience. A stream of notes flowed from its throat, rising and falling in time with those coming from Clarion, creating a true duet. The creature’s music started low and subtle, but rose over time; as the sun set, Sunset saw the moon rising from beneath the horizon.

Darkness spread as the last rays of the sun faded away, leaving only the pale light of the moon. Clarion’s music had diminished significantly, but never completely went away. It continued to weave back and forth with that of the creature’s, which had become the more dominant of the two. Despite overshadowing its rival, the creature’s music felt sad, empty, even lonely; the moon sat alone in a world of night.

The lonely moon called out to the sun, straining to hear the gentle notes it heard in response. As Sunset listened, the sun grew louder once again, following the cries of the moon back up into the sky. As it rose above the horizon, it cast its light upon the dark landscape, the bright yellow mixing with the pale white of the moon. As the sun joined its partner in the heavens, their music swelled and mixed, fitting together in perfect harmony. As the music came to an end, the two floated together peacefully in the bizarre, but beautiful twilight they found themselves in.

Chapter Seven - The One That Got Away

Sunset looked up at the tall building that stood before her. The town hall was obviously very old, its wooden walls bearing visible signs of age, probably not helped by its close proximity to the sea. In some spots, however, it looked as if the building had been newly refurbished. New wood had been used to replace some of the rotting boards that made up its structure, the tiles of the roof had been scrubbed clean of moss and other detritus, and the whole thing had been given a fresh coat of paint. But Sunset was not particularly interested in the building itself; her mind was fixed on the pony she knew she would find inside it.

The place hadn’t been hard to find. Clarion had given her directions to the general area, and from there, it had been easy to spot the large, two-story structure towering above the modest houses surrounding it. She had asked him if he had wanted to come with her to speak with Mayor Akoya, but he had declined. He had told her that he had wanted to spend just a little more time with the creature before they released him. He hadn’t said it out loud, but Sunset had also felt a slight trepidation from him, as if the prospect of going with her scared him. In any case, she had agreed to go and speak with her on his behalf.

Steeling herself for the confrontation she was sure was waiting for her, Sunset strode forward and opened the front door, heading inside. Most of the building’s interior was taken up by a single, large room with a high ceiling, stretching almost all the way to its far end. The room was filled with rows of wooden chairs, arranged facing a short, raised platform at the far end. On this platform stood a podium, presumably where the mayor would stand to address the assembled crowd. An open door stood behind the podium, way off to the side, through which could be heard the voices of a few ponies. A staircase built into the side of the building led up to a second level with a balcony and another doored room.

Sunset slowly walked down the center aisle of the room, past the rows of chairs, and approached the open door. Peeking inside, she saw a relatively small room, dominated by a long wooden table with several chairs arranged around it. She saw many filing cabinets lined up against the walls, and some larger boxes tucked into the far corners. Windows in the back wall let in enough light for the room to be visible, but little enough that the room still looked a bit dim. Standing off to the side were two ponies, who Sunset recognized as members of the Chamber of Commerce, chatting with one another. Sitting at one of the chairs, arranging papers and stowing them in her saddlebags, was Nova.

Nova noticed the movement at the door and looked over at Sunset. “Oh, Sunset!” she said, smiling at her. “There you are.”

Nova’s comment alerted the room’s other two occupants to Sunset’s presence. Recognizing who had arrived, the two turned and bowed in Sunset’s direction, greeting her. Sunset entered the room, greeting them in turn. The two rose and told her that they were just about to leave, but that they would be happy to inform Mayor Akoya that she had arrived. Sunset thanked them for their offer, but assured them that it was not necessary, as she wanted to speak with her secretary alone for a moment. The two spouted off a few more pleasantries, before courteously withdrawing from the room, leaving her and Nova alone.

“So, how’d the meeting go?” asked Sunset.

“Oh...it was alright,” said Nova casually. “I had a bit of difficulty keeping up, I’ll admit, but luckily, they did most of the talking. They asked me for my opinion on certain things, but I don’t think they were expecting much from me. I think they mainly just wanted us there for moral support.”

Sunset once again felt guilty, but having heard Clarion’s story, her guilt was reserved solely for Nova, not for Mayor Akoya or her friends, whom Sunset had snubbed. “Thanks again for filling in for me,” she said. “I really meant to stop by at some point, but I was...I was busy.”

“Think nothing of it,” said Nova cheerfully. “The important thing is that you were able to focus on your work.”

“Yeah...about that,” said Sunset. She looked back over at the door of the meeting room for a moment, before walking over and shutting it. “There’s something I need to talk to you about.”

Sunset looked back at Nova, who had a mildly concerned expression on her face. “What is it, Sunset?” she said. “Did something happen out there?”

Sunset walked over and sat in one of the chairs near Nova. Hesitantly, she began telling Nova what had happened out at the bay after she and Mayor Akoya had left. She told her everything; she told her about the net, about Clarion, and about Mayor Akoya’s role in events. As she listened, Nova’s expression changed from one of worry, to one of confusion, then to amazement, then disbelief. Sunset concluded by telling Nova what she had promised Clarion: that she would go to Mayor Akoya and demand that she release the creature back to the sea.

After Sunset had finished, Nova sat silently, looking off to the side, deep in thought. “I don’t know what to say,” she said at last. “It all seems so hard to believe, and yet...it all makes sense. More sense than what the mayor told us, at least. To capture a magical creature and put it on display just for profit is...well, it’s just not right! But, Sunset, are you sure you’re doing the right thing? I don’t want the creature to be caged up either, but don’t you think you’re being a bit...hasty about this? Shouldn’t we contact Princess Celestia and tell her what’s going on? She would probably be able to handle the situation better then we could.”

“Nova,” Sunset sighed, “we don’t need to run to the princess for help. We know what needs to be done, and we have the opportunity to do it. She didn’t even know what was going on here; she thought there was some wild sea monster on the loose, that’s why she told us not to do anything. Besides, how long would it take for her to do something about it? Weeks? Months? The princess is a busy mare, that’s why she sent us here in the first place. If we can solve the problem here and now, isn’t that for the best?”

Nova considered the matter carefully, her expression making it clear that she still had some doubts about Sunset’s chosen course of action. “Well...I suppose so,” she said hesitantly. “But even if you do go ahead with your plan, what then? The princess will still want to know what happened here. What are you going to tell her when you write to her about our assignment?”

Sunset opened her mouth to speak, but froze, realizing what Nova was getting at. If she ordered the release of the creature, what would she tell Princess Celestia? Telling the truth would mean admitting that she went behind the her back and disobeyed her orders yet again, an idea that Sunset was not particularly thrilled about. Even if she did leave out some of the details, like she had in her last report, the fact that she even saw the creature would give the princess cause to look into the matter more closely. And if that happened, then it wouldn’t be long before the truth of the matter was discovered, which would get Sunset in even more trouble than if she had just told the truth. Whatever story she told the princess, it would have to be something that would give her no reason to ever think about Pintada Bay again.

“Nova...” Sunset began, choosing her words carefully. “I don’t think the princess...needs to know everything. She just needs to know that nopony’s in danger, and if I tell her there’s no creature here, well...that’ll technically be true.”

Nova’s eyes went wide. “Sunset, you...” she said. Nova quickly glanced about the room, confirming that they were alone, then leaned in close to Sunset and spoke to her in a whisper. “You’re going to lie to the princess? Just flat-out lie? Oh...I really don’t think you should do that. Taking matters into your own hooves is one thing, but this is something else altogether. I really think we should just tell her the truth. If it’s like you said, then she probably won’t be too mad at us. At least, not as mad as she would be if we lied to her.”

“I don’t want to take that risk,” said Sunset. She didn’t say it out loud, but her concern was just as much for Nova’s sake as it was for her own, if not more so. Sunset might have actually considered admitting to her actions if she could have been sure that Nova would be spared. “It’ll be safer if I do this. And it’ll be even safer if I do it alone. That way, you can say you didn’t know; you can say you had nothing to do with it.”

“You don’t have to do that,” said Nova resolutely. “If you’re absolutely certain about this, then I’ll stand with you. I don’t know what help I’ll be able to give, but you shouldn’t have to do any of this alone. We were sent out here together, weren’t we?” Nova tried to give Sunset a confident smile.

Sunset was taken aback at Nova’s words. She chuckled softly to herself and gave Nova a loving smile. Not for the last time, Sunset was extremely grateful that Nova had been made her companion on her adventure. “Yeah, we were,” said Sunset. “But I’m still in charge. I know you’d stick with me no matter what, Nova, but I have to do what I think is best; best for all of us.” She took a deep breath before continuing. “I want you to go back to the hotel and stay there. I’ll come get you when all this is over.”

Nova was visibly disappointed and concerned about Sunset’s decision to handle the issue all on her own. “Alright,” she said after a moment had passed. “The mayor is upstairs in her office. Just...be strong, Sunset.”

“You don’t have to worry about that,” said Sunset, trying to cheer Nova up with a bit of bravado. A small smile snuck its way back onto Nova’s face. She slowly rose from her seat, Sunset doing similarly. Before she left, Nova leaned in and gave Sunset a quick hug, although Sunset didn’t know which of them it was meant to comfort. Taking one last parting look, Nova walked slowly to the door of the meeting room and opened it, walking through it and towards the front of the town hall. Sunset stood there for a minute, watching her go. Soon, Nova passed through the front door and gently closed it behind her, the sound of her hoofsteps vanishing and leaving only silence within the old walls.

Sunset took a deep breath and mentally prepared herself for what she was about to do. She slowly walked back towards the front, her hoofsteps echoing loudly throughout the empty chamber. She walked to the bottom of the staircase that led up to the second level, looking up at Mayor Akoya’s office above her. The old wooden steps creaked as she ascended the stairs to the small balcony that looked over the building’s entryway. She approached the door to the office, which featured a small plaque that read “MAYOR”. She raised her hoof and, hesitating only for a moment, knocked on the door firmly. When Sunset heard Mayor Akoya’s voice invite her in, she slowly opened the door and stepped inside the room.

Mayor Akoya’s office was a loft room, the roof’s rafters visible up above, and stretched all the way to the far end of the building. A large window in the far wall let in the bright, midday sunlight, illuminating the room all the way to the door. Along the walls were arranged a variety of different furnishings and decorations. Sunset saw a bookcase lined with books of various size and color. There were several cabinets that displayed small curios and knick-knacks, some of which looked like they were made out of pearl. Framed artworks depicting maritime scenes hung on the walls alongside framed photographs. Mayor Akoya sat at a large wooden desk in front of the window, looking through papers sitting on the desk before her.

Sunset closed the door behind her and walked over to where she sat. As she approached, Mayor Akoya took a quick glance at her, doing a double take after realizing who had just walked into her office. “Madam Ambassador!” she said, perking up and putting aside what she was working on. “I-I’m terribly sorry; I didn’t realize it was you.” She stood from her seat and walked around her desk, standing before it and giving Sunset a deep bow. “I had told the Secretary that I would be down shortly and that we would come and check up on you. She should have been downstairs with some of the Chamber members. Did you...happen to miss her?”

“No, mayor,” said Sunset flatly, “Nova and I spoke before I came up here. I gave her the afternoon off.”

“Oh, alright then,” said Mayor Akoya, somewhat confused. “Well, would you like to come have lunch with me? We could go to The Briny Beach again; they have a lunch buffet that I’ve heard is all the rage. Or perhaps you’d like to try someplace a little quieter? There’s a little cafe down the road that has lovely—“

“Mayor!” said Sunset sternly. “I need to have a word with you.”

Mayor Akoya froze, clearly caught off guard by Sunset’s sudden interjection. “Very well,” she said cautiously. “Would you...like to sit down?” She gestured to one of the chairs sitting in front of her desk. Sunset went over and sat down, while Mayor Akoya went back and sat in her seat behind the desk. “So...what can I help you with, Madam Ambassador?”

“We need to talk about the creature,” said Sunset.

“The creature?” asked Mayor Akoya, relaxing slightly. “Is that all? Why, of course! Oh, did you have a successful morning with Clarion? Was he helpful? I know he can be a bit tough to deal with sometimes, but he’s a smart colt. Hey! Why don’t we have him put on a special show tonight in your honor? I’m sure he could put something together, even if it is on such short—”

“Mayor Akoya,” interrupted Sunset, not in the mood to listen to her pleasantries, “I want you to free the creature.”

Mayor Akoya stopped once again, her mouth hanging open mid-sentence. “I’m sorry,” she said, blinking rapidly in shock, “did you say you want me to free the creature? I’m afraid I don’t understand, Madam Ambassador.”

“I know, Mayor,” said Sunset, Mayor Akoya’s feigned ignorance only making her more upset. “I know why the creature is here. I know how he got to the bay, and I know why he’s never left. So you can drop the act, already.”

When she realized what was going on, Mayor Akoya’s eyelids dropped and her lips pursed; she hung her head silently. “I see that your time with Clarion was quite the learning experience,” she said after a pause. “It seems he didn’t fully understand what ‘need-to-know basis’ meant.”

“Leave Clarion out of this,” said Sunset. “This is between you and me.”

“I’m sorry to disagree with you,” said Mayor Akoya calmly, “but this goes way beyond just you and me.” Slowly, she rose from her chair and walked over to the bookshelf on the wall, Sunset watching her. “What do you know of our town’s history, Madam Ambassador?” She began scanning the shelves, clearly looking for something.

Sunset was confused by her question, but decided to play along for the time being. “Well...I know what you told me,” said Sunset. “I know the town was founded a few decades ago by pearl divers. I know you guys did pretty well for yourselves because of pearls being in style.”

“I gave you the tourist version,” said Mayor Akoya. “All true, but not the whole truth.” She reached out and pulled a large book from the shelf in front of her. She brought the book back to her desk and set it down facing Sunset. The cover of the book had the words “Pintada Bay Volume 1” written on it. “Take a look at this.” She opened the book and revealed its contents to Sunset.

The book was a photo album, Sunset realized, moving closer to get a better look. She saw images of what she realized was the founding of the town. She saw simple wooden homes being built and the beginnings of the town’s pearling activities. Happy-looking divers could be seen posing next to large piles of oysters, while in other photos, ponies worked to extract their pearls. Sunset saw the town come to life before her eyes as she flipped through the pages. “There were only a couple dozen families at first,” narrated Mayor Akoya. “Plucky, hard-working ponies from all over the Northeast. They came to the bay to seek their fortunes, and for a while, they found them.”

Sunset stopped and looked at a photo of a large group of ponies posing in front of a much newer-looking town hall. In the center of the crowd sat a very familiar-looking mare about the same age as Akoya, holding a small, pink-haired foal. “Who is this?” asked Sunset, pointing at the mare in the picture.

“That would be my mother, Nacre,” said Akoya, smiling slightly, “the very first mayor of Pintada Bay. She was the one who brought everypony together here. She was the heart and soul of this town. For years, she worked to turn that rinky-dink village into one of the most successful boomtowns in recent history. She brought us in, she put us to work, and she made sure that every filly and colt in town had three square meals a day.”

As Sunset continued flipping through the book, she saw the town gradually expanding. More homes were built and shops and other businesses began popping up. The ponies began using bigger and better boats for their work. Mayor Nacre could be seen overseeing the development of the town’s infrastructure and meeting with well-dressed businessponies in her office, the same office Sunset was standing in. As the years passed by before her eyes, she saw the pink-haired foal, the young Akoya, grow older under her parents’ watchful eyes. The last photo in the book was of Akoya, looking to be around Sunset’s age, standing with her mother on the shore of the bay.

“Your mother seems like a wonderful mare,” said Sunset, “but why are you telling me all this?”

“Well, the thing about boomtowns is...sometimes they go bust,” said Mayor Akoya, reaching out and closing the photo album with a loud thud. “I don’t expect you’d know this, but pearls used to be the hot thing in Equestrian fashion. All the most famous designers were using pearls in their outfits; all the biggest celebrities were wearing pearls to their parties. Mares from Los Pegasus to Canterlot to Manehattan were clamoring to get even the smallest bit of pearl jewelry they could find. Back in those days, even a lazy pearler could make enough to support himself and his family.

“Fashion is a finicky thing, though. Around a decade ago, somepony somewhere decided that pearls were old hat. Almost overnight, everypony stopped caring about them, and by extension, us; they all moved on to whatever the next trend was. You probably weren’t old enough to have noticed at the time; I was only a little older than you when it happened. As you can imagine, the town didn’t do so well after that. We had to work twice as hard to make even half of what we had made before.

“My mother did everything she could to keep the town going. I can still remember her spending late nights up here, tearing her mane out trying to come up with any idea that could save us. She was a smart mare, but even she couldn’t keep us afloat forever. As the years went by, ponies started leaving, packing up and moving someplace else, somewhere they could find work to support their families. She never gave up though; she never lost the fire in her, but she did lose the energy. You age twice as fast doing a job like this, especially when you have to deal with what she was dealing with.

“I’d been working as her aide at the time, and I saw how hard it was on her. For a long time, I begged her to stop it; I told her to retire and let somepony else handle things. It took a few years, but I finally broke her; she agreed to step down, and the town chose a new mayor for the first time since its founding. Imagine my surprise when they chose me to take her place. I hadn’t even put my name forward, but the townsponies wanted me anyway. I guess they figured that, if I was even half the mare my mother was, the town would be in good hooves.

“I couldn’t just turn them down after that. I took the job, and I did what I could to live up to my mother’s legacy. Over the years, I’ve tried every plan I could think of to get us back on track; nothing’s worked. I’m not a miracle worker, and I’m not my mother. For a while, I had been considering giving up and letting somepony else take a shot at it. I was up here one day, thinking about just that, when Clarion came bursting in with the most incredible story on his lips.

“I’m sure he told you the rest. The creature saved the town; the tourist trade has been bringing in more bits than pearls have in a long time. I won’t deny what I did, Madam Ambassador, but I don’t regret doing it either. Thanks to me, Pintada Bay has a promising future ahead of it. I had just hoped that I would have a little more time to show you that before you found out the truth.”

As Sunset listened to Mayor Akoya’s story, the final pieces of the puzzle fell into place in her mind. But even though she could see the whole picture laid out in front of her, it only made her more conflicted. She had walked into the office with single-minded determination, but a torrent of emotions had since started swirling within her. She still felt sadness and pity for the creature and anger towards Mayor Akoya, but she felt something else as well. She felt profound sympathy for the townsponies, knowing that their complicity in the whole thing was not motivated by blind greed, as she had previously thought.

Sunset looked away, wondering how best to proceed with her now-compromised moral confidence. “What was your plan?” asked Sunset flatly. “Were you just gonna keep him out there forever?”

“I don’t know,” Mayor Akoya sighed, slumping back into her chair. “I just don’t know. It all happened so quickly, and I was just so desperate, so I jumped on the opportunity without really thinking about the long-term. I told myself that it was just a stop-gap measure, that I would only do it for a little while until I thought of something else, but I never did.”

“Didn’t you even think about what you were doing to the creature?” said Sunset. “Do you even care?”

Mayor Akoya straightened up and looked Sunset in the eye. “I know how this all looks,” she said, “but I’m not a monster; I do care. I’ll admit, when Clarion first showed it to me, I didn’t give an oyster’s shell about the creature. Can you really blame me for not wanting to bring a huge sea monster that I knew nothing about into town? I let them talk me into it just to get it away from town as soon as possible.

“My primary concern has always been for the town, but that doesn’t mean I never cared about the creature. I was the one who let him stay here while he got better. You don’t know how hard it was convincing the town to go along with it; I had to use up every speck of trust they still had in me. And even after we...well, you know...I still tried to help it. I let Clarion stay with it as much as possible to keep it entertained. I made sure it got fed well and that it wasn’t overworked with everything we had it doing. I had the doctor keep an eye on it, just to make sure nothing else happened to it. I’ve done whatever I could to make it happy.”

“Everything except letting it go,” said Sunset.

“Yes,” Mayor Akoya sighed. “Everything except that.”

“Do you really think doing all that makes it okay to keep it here?” said Sunset. “To use it as a tourist attraction?”

“Maybe? Oh, I don’t know,” said Mayor Akoya, hanging her head. “Everything you’re saying, I’ve already said to myself at one point or another. When I had that net put up, that was the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make, and I still don’t know if I did the right thing. Even my mother didn’t have much advice to offer me.”

“What did she tell you?” said Sunset.

Mayor Akoya took a deep breath. “She told me to do what I thought was right,” she said, “no matter what. She said that’s how she made it through all those years, dealing with what she had to deal with. My mother’s the best pony I’ve ever known, but even she didn’t have a clear answer to this; she trusted me to make a decision. I wish I could be a better leader. I wish I could be like Princess Celestia; she’d know what to do.”

“Well, I may not be the princess,” said Sunset, “but I know her pretty well.”

Mayora Akoya looked back at Sunset, a slight smile returning to her face. “Indeed,” she said. “Perhaps it’s you that I should be listening to, Madam Ambassador. I would never seek to go against the will of the princess, so I will not oppose whatever her representative asks of me. Our town’s future is now in your hooves. I only ask that, whatever you decide, you do what’s best for us.”

As confident as Sunset had been earlier about her decision, the responsibility that had been placed on her shoulders weighed her down and kept her from immediately making a choice. Mayor Akoya thought that Sunset’s will was the will of the princess, and before she had entered that office, so had Sunset. She knew deep down that Princess Celestia would never want to see something like the creature stuck in a cage. On the other hand, she couldn’t imagine Princess Celestia willingly destroying the livelihoods of an entire town either.

“If I told you to free the creature,” said Sunset slowly, “what would happen to the town?”

“I’d imagine things would go back to the way they were before,” said Mayor Akoya sadly. “All the tourists would leave, and with them, their patronage. All of the local businesses that have prospered over the past few months would have to downsize, if not outright close. The ponies that can will go back to pearling, for what it’s worth. I think everyone will try to stick around for as long as they can, out of love for this community. But, sooner or later, we’ll all have to face the music. Optimistically, I’d say we’ll have about five to ten years before Pintada Bay becomes a ghost town.”

Sunset was reminded of the empty houses she had seen on her way into town the day before. She pictured every house in town looking like them, with a decaying town hall towering above them like a vulture looming over a dead animal. Then she thought of the creature. She saw the great serpent swimming around and around in his glorified fishbowl, day after day, forever. She pictured Clarion, his only friend, staying by his side as the years went by. She wondered what would happen when Clarion had grown into an old stallion, his face full of wrinkles. What would happen the day Clarion’s trumpet fell silent, never to be heard again?

Sunset unintentionally thought of her mentor, Princess Celestia. Despite her claims of knowing her mind, Sunset was genuinely puzzled over what she would do if she were in Sunset’s place. But perhaps she was overthinking things, Sunset thought. Maybe the problem wasn’t one of business and industry; maybe it was a simple matter of a poor, lonely creature in need of compassion. When she looked at the situation in that light, it didn’t take her long to realize what she ought to do.

“Mayor,” said Sunset softly, “I’m sorry, but I can’t allow this to continue. I can’t leave here knowing that I’ve condemned an innocent creature to a fate it doesn’t deserve. He doesn’t belong here, and I think you know that too. I want you to take down the net and let the creature go.”

Mayor Akoya hung her head and let out a shaky breath. There was a strange expression on her face that looked like a mixture of sadness, fear, and strangely, relief. “If that is what the royal ambassador desires,” she said flatly. “I will begin the preparations immediately; I’d imagine we will be done before the end of the day.”

“Very well,” said Sunset.

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Mayor Akoya suddenly chuckled to herself. “What am I going to tell everypony?” she asked to no one in particular. “Whatever I do, they won’t be happy. I think there’s a recall election in my future.”

“Tell them the truth,” said Sunset in a comforting tone. “Tell them I forced you to do it. If they want to get mad as someone, let them get mad at me.”

Mayor Akoya looked up at Sunset, a shaky smile on her face. “You’re too kind, Madam Ambassador,” she said. “Although, I wouldn’t expect anything else from the princess’s representative.”

“Mayor, you can drop the formalities,” said Sunset, smiling back at her. “Call me Sunset.”

Mayor Akoya’s smile grew, despite the signs of tears in her eyes. “You do me great honor...Sunset,” she said, feeling out the name slowly. “I will do so, but only if you agree to call me Akoya.”

“Deal,” said Sunset.

Akoya breathed a contented sigh and blinked away her tears. “Now,” she said, “there is much that needs to be done. Please, go enjoy your day. I’ll have everything taken care of soon.”

Akoya moved around her desk once again and began to drop into a bow. Before she could do so, Sunset quickly moved in and pulled her into a hug. Akoya was shocked at the gesture, but quickly recovered and embraced Sunset in turn. Sunset eventually pulled back and smiled at her. “See you later, Akoya,” she said. Akoya nodded wordlessly at her as Sunset began walking towards the door. As she left the room, Sunset took one last look back at Akoya, who was standing at her window, looking down at the town and the ponies she had promised to serve.

The warm sand felt heavenly on Sunset’s hooves as she stood on the beach, looking out at the sea. A light breeze blew from the East, carrying the smell of salt to her nostrils. She listened to the sound of the waves as they repeatedly built up and then rolled towards her, petering out just a few yards from where she stood. Under different circumstances, she would have loved to stretch out on a blanket and bask in the late-afternoon sun, or perhaps take a dip in the cool water. That day, however, she had much more important things to attend to.

“Sunset,” said Nova from behind, “I think they’re ready.” Sunset turned and looked at Nova, who was staring over at the cliff face nearby, where a team of workers were busy taking down the net that stretched across the mouth of the bay.

After she had left town hall, Sunset had gone back to their hotel room, where Nova had diligently waited for her. Once there, she had not been able to keep herself from telling Nova what had transpired between her and Akoya. To her credit, Nova had listened with sympathy and without judgement as Sunset had vented her guilt. When Sunset had mentioned how lost and indecisive she had been, Nova had not brought up her previous feelings about asking Princess Celestia for help; she had simply told Sunset that she had done what she thought was best, and that that was all that mattered.

With everything she had been dealing with, Sunset had not been feeling particularly hungry at the time. Nova, however, had dragged her out and had made her get a bite to eat, knowing that a full stomach would make her feel better. In hindsight, Sunset was grateful that she had done so, as she had indeed forgotten her bittersweet feelings for a while afterwards. After eating, the two had walked back out to meet Clarion, who was still sitting with the creature where he had been before.

Clarion had been overjoyed when Sunset had told him the news. While seeing his reaction and looking at the creature again had made her feel somewhat better about her decision, her doubts continued to linger in her mind. Shortly after they had arrived, they had seen a boat sail out from town, carrying the workers to the mouth of the bay. Clarion had offered to let them stay with him and the creature while they waited for them to complete their work. It had taken a bit of effort to get Nova and the creature to become acquainted, due to Nova’s aversion to magical creatures and the creature’s aversion to ponies in general.

The three ponies and the one sea creature had spent the afternoon sitting by the shore, enjoying the last bit of time they would all have together. Clarion had shared stories of his life growing up by the sea, while Sunset and Nova had done the same for Canterlot. As thanks for her help, Clarion had told Sunset everything he knew about the creature; Sunset had jotted down more notes, despite knowing that nopony else would ever see them. Sunset and Nova had even been treated to more music, courtesy of the trumpeter and his music partner.

As the hours had dragged on, the workers had made steady progress, until it became obvious that they were nearing the end of their task. In the end, Nova had been the one to bring it up, neither Sunset nor Clarion having the heart to bring their time together to a close. Begrudgingly, the three of them had risen from their spots and had begun their walk to the beach, Clarion dismissing the creature back to the bay. Clarion had led them on a narrow hoofpath over the short cliff at the side of the bay. When they had reached the bottom on the other side, Sunset had taken a moment to enjoy the sight of the sea, before Nova had brought her back to reality.

Sunset shifted her gaze over to Clarion, who was removing his trumpet from its case and preparing it. Looking past him, she saw the workers detaching the net from the last of the anchors built into the cliff. When it was free, they dragged it over to the large boat they had brought along, where they began pulling it up and out of the water. They slowly moved the boat towards the other side, pulling in the net as they went. Sunset walked over to Clarion and put a hoof on his shoulder. “It’s time,” she said.

Clarion nodded his head silently, rising to his hooves. He walked up to the edge of the water and faced back towards the bay and the town beyond. Hesitantly, he raised his trumpet to his lips, took a deep breath, and sounded off loudly. It did not take long for the call to be answered. Soon enough, they saw the water churning as the creature swam to meet them.

When it reached the mouth of the bay, it slowed to a halt, rising up out of the water. It turned its head toward the cliff face, leaning in closely and inspecting the spots where the net had been anchored. It then turned the opposite direction, looking over at the workers in their boat, who continued hauling in the net, despite the creature’s presence. Seemingly realizing what was happening, the creature tentatively swam forward, past the cliff, and out into the sea. When it had passed completely into the open water, it lowered itself back beneath the surface and picked up speed, swimming off at an impressive pace.

For a minute, when it looked as if the creature had vanished completely, Sunset felt a twinge of sadness, thinking that that would be the last she would ever see of it. Imagine her surprise when, way out in the distance, the water erupted, and the creature shot up out of it like a rocket. As it surfaced, it opened its mouth and let out a terrific bellow, which even Sunset could recognize as the sound of triumphant joy. It launched itself high into the air, its entire body clearing the surface, moving parallel to the beach. As it hung in midair, the rays of the sun fell upon its scales, its long body and large dorsal fin shining brightly with beautiful, multicolored light. The moment only lasted a matter of seconds before the creature dove again, but to Sunset, it felt like it dragged on for several minutes.

The sight filled Sunset with such a feeling of rapture that, without even thinking about it, she opened her mouth and let out a cheer of her own. She reached deep into her lungs and shouted out loudly for the whole world to hear. All the emotions she had felt since arriving, all the anger, all the confusion, all the doubt, all of it was expelled from her body in an intense, cathartic cry. Beside her, she heard Clarion follow suit, letting out a raucous cheer of his own, accompanied by a loud, jubilant blast from his trumpet. Even the reserved Nova joined in the moment, albeit in a much more restrained, ladylike manner.

The three continued long after the creature’s tail had disappeared beneath the waves. Sunset eventually stopped, plopping down onto the sand, out of breath and exhausted, but with a smile on her face. The others fell quiet shortly after her, taking a moment to catch their breath. They looked out at the water, listening to the relative quiet of the waves washing up on the beach, as they came down from their high. They were brought back to attention by the sight of the creature approaching the beach.

It slunk slowly up into the shallow water, giving little visual indication of its approach. When it had gotten close, it lifted its head up out of the water, stretching itself up high and looking down on them. Without taking his eyes from it, Clarion walked forward, stepping into the water. The creature leaned forward as he approached, moving its head down to meet him. They stopped just in front of each other, looking into each other’s eyes.

Clarion slowly reached out a hoof and touched its beak. In response, the creature moved in, gently nuzzling its head against Clarion’s body. Abandoning his composure, Clarion threw himself onto it, embracing it tightly. Sunset could just barely head the sound of soft weeping over the crashing of the waves. The two friends shared their moment together, the creature emitting a soft rumbling from its throat. It was the creature who eventually broke the embrace, pulling back and leaving Clarion looking up at it once again.

When it had lifted its head back up into the air, the creature then turned to look over at the beach, right at Sunset. It gazed at her with its large, unblinking eyes; those eyes which had looked so cold and menacing to her just a short time ago, now felt full of life. She could have sworn that she saw it slowly bow its head to her as they watched each other, although, in hindsight, she could not be sure whether she had simply imagined the gesture. Whatever happened, the creature slowly turned its head away from her and back towards the sea. As they watched, it withdrew, sinking back beneath the surface and swimming away.

Sunset stood where she was, staring out at the horizon, until it was clear that they would not be seeing the creature again. She turned her gaze to Clarion, who was also staring eastward, as if hoping to get one final glimpse of his friend. She slowly walked over to him, wading into the water and standing beside him. His cheeks were wet, both from the salty water of the sea, and from his own salty tears. “C’mon,” Sunset said softly, putting a hoof on his shoulder, “let’s head back.” Clarion hung his head and closed his eyes, sniffling. He nodded silently, and together, they walked back to the beach.

The cool, morning breeze made Sunset shiver slightly as she stood on the hill where the Opportunity had landed. From her vantage point, she could see the roads of town, once bustling with ponies, now quiet and still. Where there had once been the sounds of talk, laughter, and hundreds of hooves hitting the ground, she now heard only the wind, and the noise of a few straggling tourists. Most of them had left the evening before, when they had learned that the show they had come to see had been permanently cancelled. Those that hadn’t were making their way back to their local communities that morning, or to the nearby train station that would take them wherever it was they were going.

The sight of the relatively lifeless town brought back the feelings of doubt and guilt that Sunset had felt the day before. Part of her felt that she was largely responsible for putting them back on the dismal track they had been on before the creature had shown up. While she did not regret her decision, she could not stop imagining what might lay in store for them after she departed for her next assignment. She recalled the prediction she had heard Akoya make the day before, as well as her own imagined image of Pintada Bay as a ghost town. She let loose a long, heavy sigh.

Standing next to her, Nova took notice of Sunset’s troubled state. “Are you feeling alright, Sunset?” she asked.

“Yeah, everything’s fine,” Sunset replied in an unconvincing tone. Nova recognized that she was troubled, but decided not to press her, thinking that Sunset just needed some time to let her emotions settle. She had already tried to reassure Sunset about her decision, but her words seemed to have done little to comfort her.

In any case, neither of them had time to dwell on the issue for long, as they soon noticed a pair of familiar ponies ascending the hill from the direction of town. Clarion had a melancholy look on his face as he approached; Akoya looked exhausted, but had an obviously forced business-like smile on her lips. The two walked side-by-side, approaching Sunset and Nova and coming to a stop before them.

“Good morning, you two,” said Nova politely.

Akoya bowed her head to them. “Good morning, Madam Ambassador, Madam Secretary,” said Akoya, a distinct lack of energy in her voice.

“Akoya,” said Sunset, in a mock-chastising tone.

“Oh! My apologies...Sunset,” said Akoya. “Force of habit.” She sighed before continuing. “I’m afraid I can’t stay long. There’s a lot of ponies who are wanting to have a chat with me this morning.”

Sunset could imagine exactly what those ponies were wanting to talk to her about. “Akoya, I...” she began, but did not know what she could say to comfort her. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry it had to be this way. You did so much for us, but I only ended up making your life worse. I didn’t mean to hurt you, or hurt the town. I just...did what I thought was right.”

Akoya looked at Sunset, her weary expression melting away slightly, and gave her a more genuine smile. “I know,” she said. “You’re a good pony. You did what you thought was best for the town, just like I did. I might not look it, but I’m glad you came here. I’m profoundly grateful that I had the chance to meet you, Sunset Shimmer.”

“You don’t need to worry about us, Sunset,” said Clarion, trying to put on a brave face. “We’re tough ponies. We’ll find a way to get through this...on our own.” He looked away as he finished, his gloomy expression returning.

“He didn’t come back, did he?” asked Sunset, despite being able to see the answer on his face. She and Nova had stayed overnight just to make sure that the creature didn’t come back the next day, which would have complicated matters if they had already left.

“No,” Clarion sighed. “No, he didn’t. I was out there for over an hour calling him. He’s either long gone or...he doesn’t care.”

“Clarion,” said Sunset, walking forward and placing a hoof on his shoulder, “he cared about you; I know he did. You’re the one who stuck by him all that time. You’re the one that took care of him when he needed it. And you’re the one who got him out when he needed that. I don’t think he’ll forget you anytime soon.”

“Thanks,” said Clarion, his sour face turning bittersweet. “But it was you that got him out, not me.”

“Details,” said Sunset dismissively, stepping back.

“You know, it’s funny,” said Clarion. “All that time together, and I never even learned his name. His real name, that is.”

“I don’t think he had one,” said Sunset. “I think he really was the first of his kind ponies have ever seen. At least, the first we’ve ever had proof of. If things had been different...we’d probably have had to give him a name ourselves.”

“Right,” said Clarion sheepishly, remembering that Sunset had given up her chance at academic fame to help him. “I know you said you weren’t gonna tell anyone about him, but if you did, what would you call him?”

Sunset grinned, having given the question some thought already. “I was thinking of calling him...the clarion serpent,” she said.

Clarion blushed, chuckling slightly. “You sure about that?” he said. “I don’t think that would have caught on.”

“Well, that’s what I’m gonna call him,” said Sunset. She had tried to maintain her composure up till that point, but the sentimentality of their parting finally caught up to her. She quickly stepped forward and pulled Clarion into a hug. “I’m gonna miss you, Clarion,” she said, the tears she had been holding back finally beginning to flow forth.

Clarion was caught off guard by the gesture, but quickly recovered, hugging Sunset back. “I’m gonna miss you too, Sunset,” he said. When Sunset finally broke the embrace and pulled back, she saw that his eyes were moist as well.

She then turned to face Akoya, who was on the verge of tears herself. “Akoya,” she said softly, stepping towards her. The two mares reached out and embraced one another, Akoya burying her face in Sunset’s mane. “Goodbye, Akoya,” Sunset whispered.

Akoya was openly weeping, venting her stress through her tears. “Goodbye, Sunset,” she said in between sobs. “Please, don’t be a stranger. You’ll always be welcome here.” Sunset let Akoya cry on her shoulder for a little while, before she summoned the will to pull back. Sunset stepped back to her original position, looking at both Akoya and Clarion.

“Thank you for being so kind to us,” said Nova. “Both of you.” Nova stepped forward and gave them both a hug as well. “Goodbye.” She stepped back beside Sunset, turning her head to address her. “Ready?”

Sunset nodded wordlessly. Nova gave Akoya and Clarion one last smile, before turning and walking up the gangplank. Sunset began to follow her, but stopped a few steps up. She turned, giving them a smile as well. “Goodbye,” she breathed, too quiet to be heard by anyone but her. She took one last look at them, before she tore herself away and followed Nova back onto the ship.

Sunset sat at her desk, her brow furrowed, listening to the rhythmic pumping of the Opportunity’s flippers. She stared down at the surface of the desk, where a piece of paper sat with a half-finished message scrawled on it. A quill pen hovered above the page, glowing with a blue-green aura. Sunset’s lips wiggled and her nostrils flared as she concentrated intensely on finishing what she had started. On the floor of her room, several crumpled-up pieces of paper lay, each the result of a previous attempt by Sunset to draft her report to Princess Celestia.

Frustrated by her lack of progress, Sunset grunted, slamming the quill down on the desk. She took hold of the paper and crumpled it up into a ball, throwing it as hard as she could away from her. Right as she did so, the door to the room opened, and Nova walked in, levitating a tea cup and saucer in front of her. The paper ball flew through the air, straight towards the door, and impacted harmlessly on Nova’s forehead, bouncing off of it and falling into the cup before her. In an instant, Sunset’s frustration vanished from her mind, replaced by concern and embarrassment. “Oh, shoot!” she said, leaping from her seat and rushing over to the door. “Are you alright, Nova?”

While the unforeseen projectile had not harmed her, Nova had indeed been shocked by the impact, freezing in place for a moment. She quickly recovered, blinking rapidly as her brain processed what had happened. “Uh, yeah,” she said hesitantly. “I’m alright.” She looked down at the tea cup, where the ball was beginning to sink into the brown liquid.

“Oh,” said Sunset, embarrassed at what she had done. She levitated the ball out of the cup and dropped the wet paper into the nearby trash bin. “I’m really sorry, Nova,” said Sunset. “I should’ve been paying more attention.”

“It’s alright, Sunset,” said Nova, regaining her normal composure. “I’m okay, really. I just might need a few more minutes to make you another tea.”

“No, you don’t have to do that,” said Sunset. “Five second rule.” She took the cup and saucer from Nova and carried it over to her desk, setting it down.

Nova looked around and noticed the other pieces of paper scattered around the floor. “Is there...anything I can do to help?” she asked hesitantly.

“No, it’s fine,” Sunset sighed. “I can handle it.”

“It’s...still not too late,” said Nova. “You can still tell her the truth.”

“I said I can handle it!” said Sunset, louder than she had intended.

“Alright, Sunset,” said Nova softly, taking the hint. “I’ll just be over here if you need me.” She walked over to her side of the room, behind the divider.

Sunset silently cursed herself, realizing that she had snapped at Nova yet again. Part of her wanted to walk over and apologize to her, but another part knew she needed to calm down first, or else risk doing it again. She sighed, walking back around her desk and sitting down. She figured that once she got her report over with, she could de-stress enough to give Nova a heartfelt apology. She looked over at her journal, sitting in the corner of her desk. After a moment’s thought, she pulled it over to her and opened it, deciding to bite the bullet and go with the idea she had been tossing around in her head for a while. She took up her quill and wrote these words on the pages before her:

Dear Princess Celestia,

I have conducted a thorough investigation of the town of Pintada Bay and the surrounding area. After much consideration, I have arrived at the conclusion that the reports you have heard are completely and utterly false. The “sea monster” is, in fact, nothing more than a hoax, created and popularized by the locals in an effort to attract tourists to their community. Any continuing talk on the subject should be considered unfounded rumor; any supposed eyewitness accounts should be considered the product of imagination and herd mentality; any physical materials should be considered works of artistic fiction. It is my firm belief that there is not, nor has there ever been, any abnormal sea creature living in the vicinity of Pintada Bay.

Your Devoted Student,
Sunset Shimmer