Cadence was definitely the point I started to see things differently, something I've had time to reflect on in my years of exile. She was everything for which I had an unaffected scorn: Perky, optimistic, stupid, popular. If it were those alone, I wouldn't have had a problem. But she stole Celestia's attention from me, stole the admiration of everyone else and pushed me to being the background pony. She got everything I had to work for on a silver platter.

But most unforgivable of all, she was already an alicorn when I first met her, just like Celestia.

Just like I was meant to be.

Celestia tried to push us into being friends, and Cadence was willingly to extend the olive branch, but I refused to accept it. I couldn't accept that this stranger whom I had never even heard of before was not only a princess, but now one of Celestia's students as well? She stole Celestia's time from me in the name of learning how to be a princess, something that she didn't deserve. Then she stole the attention of my peers, drawn by the mysticism attached to her appearance.

Oh sure, get a horn and wings and suddenly you're Ms. Big-Shot. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised since I rejected their advances while Cadence seemed to live off of them, but the fact of the matter was that it still stun. It really says something when ponies pay more attention to the princess sitting there all prim and proper while I was making three-feet tall dancing rock puppets from random stones gathered out of the courtyard.

You think I was jealous? Buck yes I was jealous, and rightfully angry as well. It wasn't fair. She did nothing. I started with scraps and fought for my position; my parents died before Celestia noticed me! I fought for what I got and she got it all and the lottery ticket overnight?! That title belonged to me, not her!

One thing I do give credit to Cadence for when all is said and done though; she proved to me that you didn't have to be born an alicorn to become one.

"W-Wait, you're telling me you were a pegasus before?!"

"Yes, I was. I was raised by earth ponies before I managed to reverse a-wait, Sunset, where are you going?"

"Sorry, but I've got some research to do. Thanks Cadence...because soon I'll take back what's mine."

Those lines practically encapsulate our relationship and it went on for nearly a year. It was a testament to my own acting skills as well as Cadence's surprising level of commitment to try and break through my shell that Celestia never seemed to realize that we were never going to get along. We could fake it quite well when necessary, but I'm still surprised it went on as long as it did. Maybe she did realize it but chose to do nothing out of hope that I would change my mind.

A foolish hope if there was ever one. I was even starting to get sick of her and her cryptic lessons and lectures about how I should make friends and stop treating everypony around me like they were dirt. The constant crypticness and frequency that she would make these, as well as how they seemed to be increasing in overall quantity, in conjecture with my growing anger and frustration slowly started to change my perceptions of Celestia herself. More and more I saw not a caring mother, but a manipulator that used little white lies and half-truths to get others to do what she wanted.

Crazy? Yes, but it fit. She kept everypony at a distance, she manipulated them, she didn’t have any real friends as far as I could see - and in turn she was powerful, loved, the ruler of Equestria! That queenly mask came to represent so much more, and I began to question whether or not I truly knew the mare underneath it. Did she truly care about anypony, about me? Were we all just pieces on the chessboard for her to manipulate like some sick game?

But the best was yet to come. All of these conflicts, both inner and outer, had a place in my path to banishment, but like dominoes they just set the stage. I still needed that final push to hit the first one and start the chain reaction.

In perhaps the greatest irony of all, that final push would become the very instrument I would use to arrive here in the first place.

The Crystal Mirror.

Sunset Shimmer had no idea where she was. She was standing on some sort of white cloud high in the sky, to the point that the ground below was invisible through even more clouds. Every which way she looked she was greeted by the sight of clouds as far as the naked eye could see. In addition, everything was bathed in a strange golden light almost like a sunrise, making it hard to make out any real details aside from the white expanse.

Still, the sight was sufficient to take Sunset's breath away, and she wasn't entirely certain how long she spent trying to see how far the expanse went.

'Is this supposed to be Heaven?' she wondered to herself as she looked around. 'Certainly looks like it...though why'd someone like me would be here is beyond me-'

"Sunset..."

The mage's eyes widened as she heard her name being called. Glancing around, she saw no one, but the voice seemed to get louder.

"Sunset..."

It was definitely female's voice: Soft but powerful, sweet but commanding, tinged with a strange sort of sadness. Sunset flinched as if struck, the voice bringing up memories she would rather have left buried.

"Stop it," she muttered. "You're not real. This is just a dream."

"Correct, but I am very real."

A flash of light punctuated that statement, so blinding as to cause Sunset to cover her eyes. When it faded, a figure floated before her. An angel clad in majestic white, with golden hair and blue eyes. She glowed with power, a radiant halo of energy surrounding her form, yet the smile upon her face was not unkind.

Sunset had to resist the urge to fall flat on her face and prostrate, memories of another such figure filling her mind. She forced herself to stand, though she did give some respect in the form of a deep bow of the head.

"Do you know who I am, little one?" The figure asked, her tone like a mother asking if her daughter was all-right. Sunset's breath hitched in her throat, but she forced herself to reply, not daring to look up.

"I-Ilias...the Goddess Ilias...so you are real." Sunset looked around. "Am I dead?"

She nodded, her smile growing slightly. "Yes, I am Ilias, but you are far from dead, my little pony. Your body rests, but I have brought your mind here to speak with you personally."

Sunset flinched in spite of herself when she said 'pony'. How did she-

"I have known the truth about you for many years, Sunset Shimmer," the Goddess continued. "I observed when you first arrived into my world from the portal to the forbidden world. I watched on as you were taken in by my Chosen hero and his family and raised with them, and I saw you remain within the village to watch over the boy until recently."

'She knew from the start?' Sunset thought in shock, her mind racing as anger started to bubble up. She looked up at the Goddess now, careful to keep her face from showing any true negative emotions. It wouldn't do to anger a Goddess. "You know about the mirror."

"Yes," Ilias answered. "It is an ancient thing; filled with a magic the likes of which surpasses even my own knowledge. Where it came from I have no idea, but I do know that it only opens at certain periods of time and only briefly at that. A special seal is in effect about the portal, likely the creation of those on the other side, that prevents anything native to this world from passing through anyways, even one such as myself, so for the longest time I was left dumbfounded as to where exactly it led and what it did. The surge of magic I felt upon the portal actually being used was sufficient to have me turn my attention towards it in time to see you appear."

"Then how do you know what I am?"

"Your body was still in the shifting state when you exited the portal. I caught a glimpse of your original form before you completed your change. I had heard rumors, old myths of equestrian creatures where the portal leads, but your arrival was what confirmed them for me."

"But if you knew the truth from the start, why did you only decide to reveal yourself to me now and not then?"

"Because I couldn't be certain to your intent," Ilias answered with a sigh. "For over a thousand years nothing has ever passed through that gateway, and then you suddenly come tumbling out. Were you some sort of spy, an agent in preparation for some form of invasion? Or perhaps you were a criminal attempting to escape judgement. I could not risk appearing before you without such knowledge, so I had to stay back and observe. After several years of observation, I have concluded you are in fact no threat to my humans."

Sunset grunted. It was a fair assessment (and she technically was a criminal)...but ten years? That still seemed a little extreme. In fact, she was willing-perhaps out of paranoia, perhaps not-to bet that explanation wasn't entirely truthful.

She didn't say anything that might anger the Goddess though. She didn't need to be smited.

"In fact, you might very well be necessary in protecting them."

Here, Ilias' tone shifted slightly. It was no longer as comforting, but rather more business-like. It was so subtle that most might not have picked up on it, but Sunset had spent years around a politician with millennium of experience in poker faces.

"Really?"

The Goddess nodded. "I have observed your and my Chosen's battle with that sword-waving barbarian in Iliasburg, and you have proven to me without a shadow of a doubt that you are worthy of the task I have in mind."

"Wait, back up a minute," Sunset said, stopping the angel. "When you say 'Chosen', you're talking about Luka, aren't you?"

"Quite."

"But he's not baptized."

Ilias gave Sunset an amused look. "Do you assume that simply because I didn't claim him doesn't mean have my approval? I have spoken to Luka in his dreams. He is a test, the most worthy candidate I could find in all the world. His 'un-baptism' is all part of my plan to end the threat of monsters forever."

"Why is that?" Sunset couldn't help but ask. "I mean, I know that you're against monsters, but is it really worth killing them all?"

Not that she disapproved of the idea if it came down to it, but the idea of erasing an entire species just didn't sit right with her. Luka's dream of coexistence was crazy, but it was a better alternative than just whole-sale genocide. She wouldn't mind a few select races of monsters being wiped off (specifically the ones that ate humans on a regular basis), but her own studies into understanding monsters over the years indicated to her that many just wanted to...well, rape guys and eat semen to survive. Crazy, but bearable.

Ilias sighed. "Tell me Sunset, are you familiar with the legend of how I created the world?"

"Up to a point," Sunset answered slowly. "First you made the earth, seas and sky, then all the living creatures, and finally Humanity. And the monsters were failed creations, rejects."

She didn't add on how she felt that last part wasn't entirely accurate though. If monsters really were rejects of Ilias, why hadn't she destroyed them before they became so numerous? If she was truly a Goddess, then certainly it was within her power. That seemingly simple solution always made the mage doubt if the current story was the real story.

'Then again, considering how long she took to make up her mind about me, maybe she's just lazy.' She buried that thought in fear of getting a lightning bolt to the face.

Still, Ilias seemed pleased with her words, and Sunset was thankful she seemingly couldn't read her thoughts. "Correct. Monsters are a detestable evil. They seduce humans to commit terrible acts, even cause great acts of violence. Still, I have always looked favorably upon humanity, and have given my blessing and protection to many heroes to help them combat their dark threat." She shut her eyes and looked away sadly. "However, the monster threat still continues. Only Heinrich, my champion 500 years prior, managed to slay a Monster Lord. But now, I believe I have found the hero who has the potential to slay a Monster Lord once more."

Sunset wasn't entirely certain she liked the way Ilias was so adamant on the 'monsters are evil' stance, but didn't voice it aloud. "You mean Luka," she instead remarked.

"Exactly. But if he is to stand a chance against this Monster Lord, one far stronger than Heinrich's own, he needs great experience, something that he was sorely lacking when I first chose him. So I took a gamble."

Something Alice told her earlier clicked, about baptized heroes and taste. "You deliberately chose not to appear at his baptism so monsters would be attracted to his scent," Sunset realized. "You turned him into a literal monster-attraction! He would have no choice but to fight and grow stronger!"

If Illias seemed at all affected by the venom in Sunset's words, she didn't show it. Even her tone was more like that of teacher who knew better than a mere student.

"There is no greater teacher than experience, and the best way to teach is on the job. The battles will provide him with the skills and experience necessary to stand before the Monster Lord." Now Ilias looked pained at the look of anger that Sunset shot her. "I regret having done it, but I could see no better way to prepare him for his final battle."

"That's a risky plan. What if he just gave up on his dream from the heartbreak of you not appearing, or if he goes up against a superior opponent?"

"Part of why I chose him specifically is because I knew he would venture forth regardless of my blessing. He will need that sort of determination if he is to even get close to the Monster Lord. But courage alone is not enough." Ilias then pointed at Sunset. "That is where you come in."

"M-Me?"

"I have watched you and your interactions with Luka. You have deemed yourself his protector, the one who will save him when he cannot save himself, fighting those far stronger than he in order to safeguard him. I wish for you to continue to do so as he matures into his abilities. Upon his shoulders rests the fate of the world, and you will be his shield, if you so choose to accept it."

The Goddess's smile was bright and without guile, but Sunset hesitated. She couldn't understand it, - perhaps it was simply paranoia about angelic figures - but something felt off about all of this. "Why are you telling me this now?" she finally asked.

The Goddess paused, and for a moment Sunset was certain she looked almost... sheepish. "Well...I'm sad to say that I only just now got around to it, having been dealing with a...problem up here for a while. When I finally had time to check on where you were, you were and still are unconscious in a hotel room, so I just decided to speak to you here."

Sunset once again wondered if that was code for 'lazy', but said nothing. Instead she bowed. "Of course. I intended to watch over him from the very beginning anyways."

Ilias smiled, and their surrounding around them seemed to blur and turn grey from Sunset's point-of-view. "Thank you, noble Sunset Shimmer. Your reward will be great when you and Luka finally succeed in your quest...but remember one last thing..."

"Huh?" Sunset asked, but whatever Ilias might have said was lost as everything went black, right before a blinding flash of light...

Sunset's eyes snapped open, instantly zeroing in on an unfamiliar ceiling above her. On instinct she tried to sit up, only to fall back with a grunt as pain lanced through her chest. Looking down, she realized that there were white bandages all across her upper body, as well as more around her left arm. With those sights came the memories of how she got them...

"Ah crud," she muttered softly, her voice hoarse as if she hadn't drank in a while. "Where am I?"

After a moment to reorient herself, she took stock of her surroundings. She was in a small bed in a respectably clean room, visible thanks to light flowing through partially open curtains to her left. The room was mostly devoid of furniture, save a few chairs and a cabinet on the far wall. Despite that, the furniture and room in question were extremely fancy-looking, with gold, white and red paint on the walls and stain-glass windows with iconry inside them. Even the bed felt heavenly compared to the mattress in her abode in Ilias Village, almost like she was back in Canterlot.

At arms-length there was a small table to her right, a mirror and glass of water resting patiently along with what looked like cookies, a pitcher, and a small note. Ignoring the memories being drudged up, Sunset grabbed the mirror first, wincing slightly as the movement brought another tinge of pain. Lifting it, she beheld her countenance, flinching slightly at the sight of bandages around her forehead.

"Well, I'm still alive at least," she muttered, remembering her dream of Ilias. "So I guess she wasn't lying about that."

She let the mirror fall into her lap, staring unseeingly as she thought over that conversation with the Goddess. Apparently, the stories she had heard about Ilias' zealous nature towards monsters were true. Yet for some reason she hadn't commented about the fact a monster was traveling with her chosen Hero. Did she not know or simply didn't care?

'More to the point, she knows what I am and the portal,' she thought with growing worry. 'Does that mean she might banish me back if I displease her?' She shuddered in spite of herself. She couldn't, wouldn't go back to Equestria, not after what she had done. Not until she had gained what she needed.

"Focus Sunset," she told herself, snapping herself out of it. "She has a job for you: Keep Luka safe. You can do that easily..."

She turned back towards the table, reaching for the note before pausing. She licked her dry lips as she spied the water, then grabbed and took a long draft of it. She was certain for a moment she tasted something...off about it, like a metallic tinge with something...plant-like, but it was gone as she continued to drink. With an appreciative sigh she placed the empty glass back and grabbed a cookie or two along with the note. Opening the former, she began to munch as she recognized Luka's handwriting.

Dear Sunset,

If you're reading this now, that means you're awake. Thank goodness for that. If you're wondering where you are, you're still in Iliasburg, in the Sutherland Inn. Apparently, Alice's book was accurate about it and the dango.

Sunset flinched, remembering Alice's words. A 500 year-old book was still accurate by today's standards. She didn't know whether or not to cry at the seeming lack of progress this world had made in that time.

I was just as shocked. Anyways, the fact that you're reading this now is because we've left the town. Don't panic, we're coming back. It's just that...well, I had some things to take care of. Alice and I went to the Irina Mountains to deal with some bandits a day ago, only to find out it was a couple of young monsters, a goblin, lamia, vampire and dragon, that had been stealing from the town to survive.

Don't worry, nothing bad happened. The dragon girl was a bit of a hassle, but I got her to come along after hitting her on the head when she tried to bite my hand off. Dragon scale really is something else. They're a part of the community now. One of them even got a job at the inn, so don't be surprised if you see a kid lamia named Puchi wandering around when you leave your room, or even coming into your room to do some cleaning.

As of the moment I'm writing this though, Alice is dragging me along to the 'Happiness Village', where the honey for her Ama-ama Dango apparently comes from. The inn keeper said that weird things have been happening there recently, including late deliveries of honey, so we're heading out to see what's wrong. We should be back in a day or two.

Hope to see you awake when we do! Alice said the tonic should have worked by then.

Sincerely,

Luka

Sunset sighed as she put the letter back, wincing as she did so. 'How long have I been unconscious?' she wondered to herself as she looked around, then took a deep breath as she tried to get out of bed. A few minutes and some chest pains later she managed to get the covers off, smiling as she saw that aside for a few bandages here and there her legs were fine. She then moved to try and get out of bed, only to stop and hold the bed as she felt herself sway dangerously, vertigo briefly making the room spin and her legs weak from disuse. A few deep breaths and some pausing later she found herself slowly making her way to a chair at the foot of the bed.

With a triumphant sigh she fell into it, enjoying the plush feel and rubbing her bandaged arm with her free hand. 'Sheesh, that dragon got me good...but I feel way better than I should right now...'

She was legitimately certain she received enough injuries from that fight to land her in a hospital for a week or so, yet from the tone of Luka's letter she couldn't have been unconscious for more than two or three days at the time of writing. And what did he mean by a 'tonic'?

'Either way, I can't let that dragon get the drop on me next time,' she thought uneasily as she remembered how the fight went. She was certain that the Heavenly Knight had been holding back a large amount of her power, even near the very end. She shuddered as she remembered the sight of that flaming sword cleaving through her final attack and shield before hitting her, slicing into her chest...

'If even one other slash had made it through I would have been dead...'

She shook her head and turned her attention to the room with renewed interest, trying to spot where her staff was before she remembered its fate during the fight. She sighed in annoyance. The staff had been a useful tool during her early days in this world, when she hadn't quite adapted to the fact she no longer needed a horn to focus magic but rather simple force of will. It had been her crutch, a focus through which manipulating her power was made simpler. Even after she mastered her new control she had further enhanced the staff with wards and spells to make it a useful bludgeoning weapon in a pinch.

Plus, it had just been pretty cool to have.

Noticing her clothes, cleaned and folded next to her bed, she moved to put them on while evaluating the battle itself (along with enjoying the rest of the cookies) and what she'd have to do differently next time, and she knew there would be a next time, as a Heavenly Knight was certain to appear to defend her lord when the final battle came. Fire was out of the question, and kinetic blasts had worked to an extent but against that hide they would likely be ineffective in a latter encounter. Ice and lightning were options...and she wanted to test another spell she had been working on recently.

"As for dark magic..." she mused aloud as she finally finished putting her shirt on and looking at her hands, remembering the feeling of power and freedom that came with unleashing it on the knight, the strange pleasure she had felt upon casting it. That had been the first time she ever seriously used that type of magic since she read up on it in those books, and she quite liked the results.

"...Definitely an option to take under advisement."

After a few minutes of struggling to get her pants on, she poured and took another sip of her water, once again noting the strange but not unpleasant metallic/plant-like(?) tinge. Something in the water here? She didn't have time to wonder about it though, as suddenly the door to her room opened up. Sunset's head jerked towards the noise, and she quickly found herself sizing up the visitor.

It was a young woman, probably in her twenties or so, wearing a maid's outfit and holding a broom and dustpan. She had long striking scarlet hair tied in a ponytail and matching eyes, framed by a pair of rectangular glasses. Said maid was just as surprised at Sunset's awakened form as she herself was, as she stood there unblinking for a few seconds before shaking her head and immediately stammering excuses.

"F-Forgive me, Ms. Shimmer! I-I-I didn't realize that you were, well, awake and I-"

Sunset raised a hand for silence and the maid complied. The mage then fixed the young woman with what she hoped was a reassuring smile (lack of human interaction save when necessary hadn't done much for her interpersonal skills) and spoke in a calming voice.

"It's fine, Miss...?"

"D-Dora, Ms. Shimmer. Dora Shelly."

"Well Dora, you've done nothing wrong," Sunset assured the maid as quickly (or as fast as she could with her everything still aching) put on some socks and her shoes before she slowly stood up from her chair. "I probably should have informed someone I was awake a while ago." With halting steps she moved to put her glass back, only to stop as the maid, seemingly remembering why she was here, quickly moved to take the cup from her, as well as the pitcher and plate. "Thank you."

"I-It's no problem, Ms. Shimmer," the maid answered, much of her nervousness seemingly abated. "It's the least I can do after what you and your companions did for Iliasburg." She smiled as she continued to speak. "I-I must admit, that was very brave of you, fighting for our little town."

"If there's anyone you want to thank, thank my little brother Luka," Sunset replied, looking around for her cloak before remembering she gave it to Alice. "He's the one who convinced me to fight in the first place."

"But you were the one who truly fought the Heavenly Knight!" Dora insisted, her eyes reflecting her inner feelings of amazement and gratitude. "You actually injured her, pushed her when no one else managed to! Even if that silver-haired woman called Alice drove her off, you clearly were the hero there!"

'Alice actually came through, huh? Well, good to know,' Sunset thought privately, though she felt her mood rise at the praise given to her. "Well, thank you. I take it my companions are still gone?"

Dora nodded. "Yes. The journey to Happiness Village takes about a day or so, so they should be back either tonight or sometime tomorrow depending on how swiftly they completed their task."

'So it's been a day since they left, and it was about a day's worth of time to deal with those bandits...' "How long have I been out, really?"

"Umm...four days. Your friends stayed in Iliasburg for a day before journeying to deal with some bandits, then left the next day to the Happiness Village. They've been gone for a day since."

Sunset glanced down at her bandaged arm and chest, then rubbed her head as she took her cup again from the maid to drink some more water. 'Only four days, huh?' she wondered to herself, then shrugged. "Thank you for your time, Ms. Shelly," she told the maid as she put the cup down again and started for the door.

"W-Where are you going?"

"Out. I've slept in here long enough," Sunset told her as she made for the door, taking careful steps each time. "I'll be back."

"Umm...well, it's been nice meeting you! Maybe we could talk again later?"

Sunset stopped at the door, holding the frame as she thought for a moment, then turned around and gave the maid a thumbs-up and a smile. Leaving the now-happy Dora to her work, Sunset shut the door to the room behind her as she looked down the hall of the inn, wondering which way to the entrance.

Before she could build up the will to not look sheepish when she opened the door again to ask Dora for directions, a small gasp caused her to look behind her. Blinking, Sunset stared straight into the reptilian eyes of a small purple-haired lamia, who was currently holding a broom nearly twice her size in her hands, having seemingly come around the corner to her right.

They stood stock-still for a moment or two before the mage finally found her tongue again. "Umm...hello?"

The lamia's broom fell to the ground with a clatter as the monster lunged forward. Instinctively, Sunset assumed a ready stance, prepared for anything-

"Oh my gods, you're awake!"

-except for the girl to wrap around her legs and give her the biggest, most amazed look Sunset could ever recall seeing. If stars could be found on earth, then this monster's eyes had a monopoly on them.

"Wha-?"

"I heard the rumors about a mage fighting the Heavenly Knight Granberia to a draw in the town square a few days ago, but I didn't think you were her!" she shouted, her mouth going a mile a minute. "I mean, the innkeeper said don't disturb whoever was in this room, but I didn't think that-"

"H-Hey, back up a second," Sunset tried to get control of the conversation. "You're Puchi, right?"

"Yup, that's me!" she said with pride. "That means you have to be Mr. Hero's big sis! There's no way you could have known otherwise! It's an honor to meet you, ma'am!"

Sunset managed to register that 'Mr. Hero' no doubt meant Luka. Despite being completely blindsided, she still managed to get a smile out. "Th-Thank you, Puchi. Could you please guide me to the entrance? I'd like to get outside for a little bit..."

The lamia nodded, uncoiling from around Sunset's legs. "Oh, okay!" Then her face turned slightly devious. "But could you do me a favor if I do?"

The sudden change sent alarm bells ringing in Sunset's mind. She recalled that this monster had been a thief not too long ago, and this memory was enough to get her mostly back in control. "And what kind of favor is that?"

Puchi's face beamed again. "Because I want you to tell me and my friends all about the battle! We've heard tales all over town, but never from an eyewitness! Papi really wants to hear the details, because Granberia's her idol!" Her voice lowered to a conspirator's whisper. "Personally though, I think she thinks you're a rival to her eventually beating Granberia and becoming a new Heavenly Knight. Crazy, huh?"

Despite herself, Sunset couldn't help but let a chuckle escape her. For everything that had just happened to her, from being bed-ridden by a dragon to receiving a message from a Goddess, this monster had managed to raise her spirits like almost nothing else had. Shaking her head, she grinned at the lamia.

"Yeah, it sure does. Alright, I'll take you up on that offer."

Puchi looked like she was about to burst with glee as she quickly picked up her dropped broom and gestured for Sunset to follow her. Sunset followed slowly, still with a smile on her face.

'Wonder how Luka's doing right now?' she wondered off-handily. 'What kind of shenanigans has he gotten up to in the past few days?'

Luka and Alice stood before the combined population of men, women and harpies of Happiness Village, which in actuality was two settlements (one for the humans, the other for the harpies), ready for their official send-off. Hard to believe that before they came here the two villages had been essentially dying, the harpies stealing away the men for mating purposes to prevent their own extinction, the women left behind trying in vain to fight back, unable to tend the fields and cultivate the precious honey that was their lifeblood.

It was amazing, Luka reflected, what a few battles to prove one's worth, some choice words, and a few hours of negotiation could do.

"Young Hero," the human elder began, a smile on her face. "Once again, on behalf of all the humans of this place, I thank you for helping us find peace with our neighbors and get our men back. If not for your efforts, it's likely we would have continued with our pointless squabbling until our village dried up."

Everyone ignored the immature snickering from several men and harpies about 'drying up in more ways than one', save those who disciplined their fellows with light slaps of hand or wing.

"I too must thank you," Queen Harpy Sofie, leader of the Happiness Village harpies, added. "Thanks to you, we need not fear extinction anymore and now I believe that this is truly the beginning of a new age of peaceful coexistence in this little haven."

Luka bowed to both of them. "Thank you, my ladies. Your words are too kind."

"Nonsense," the elder replied. "I believe you told me that your dream was to bring coexistence to both monsters and humans. Once, I might have laughed at the foolishness of such a claim. Now though, perhaps your dream isn't so unachievable after all. Either way, I wish you luck."

"As do I," Queen Harpy added, then turned to the assembled villagers. "And so do all of us."

A loud cheer erupted from the throats of dozens, human and monster alike, all in support of the boy before them.

With that, the elder moved forward and embraced the youth in a firm but warm hug. "Take good care of yourself, you hear me, young man?"

"Yes, ma'am."

The elder released him and the Harpy Queen too embraced him, her wings rising up to hide their faces from prying eyes.

"Please be safe," she whispered.

"I will," he replied with conviction.

Queen Harpy Sofie smiled...and then leaned forward and kissed him full on the lips. For a few seconds they held this position before she leaned back, smiling at the blush on his dazed face.

"How I wish you could have stayed for the full three days to see the laying" she mused. "Oh well, at least say hello to your sister for me, will you? She seems like an interesting character."

"S-Sure..." he breathed, shaking his head and getting his emotions back under control as her unwrapped her arms from around him. Everyone seemed oblivious to what had occurred save Alice, who watched him with barely restrained amusement as she snacked on a jar of Happiness Honey she had obtained during their stay here.

With that, the two set off back for Iliasburg, the cheers of the village behind them following...along with the gaze of a certain harpy.

"Well, boy?" Alice asked him once they were out of sight of the village. "Since I never got to ask earlier, how was the pussy of a Queen?"

Luka blushed deeply as he recalled what happened last night, the feeling of the Harpy Queen's lips on his own as they had grinded their bodies together, their tongues dancing as they had removed their clothes and-

"It was...an experience," he finally admitted, lightly touching the newly-acquired small bone bracelet around his wrist as they walked, noting the softness of the feathers of Queen Harpy Sofie. When he had woken that morning, she had been there waiting with it as her parting gift.

"Take the time to remember me every now and then, alright?" she had asked him with a smile as she rubbed her belly. "I'll always be waiting for when you return...and so will our children."

It hadn't exactly been in the plan to do so, but the Queen would accept nothing less in her conditions for allowing the men of the village to go back. Her exact stipulation had been she could have "any man she choose to be her consort". Nothing had been said about it being "any man from the village". As she had stated to him that night when she invited him to her room to 'congratulate' him for his efforts, dressed in a beautiful blue nightgown, it was the duty of the Queen to breed with only the strongest of men so that the line could continue long and proudly into the future.

And of all the men she had encountered and faced in combat, even if only half-seriously, she had deemed Luka the only one worthy of her affections.

Luka had struggled with that realization after the Queen told him that. It was true that he wasn't exactly devout to Ilias ever since what happened to his mother and Sunset making her feelings on the subject clear, but to not only...well, have sex with a monster, but also be the father of her children?

It went against everything that Ilias preached...yet, at the same time, wasn't he trying to get monsters and humans to coexist? And logically if they were to do so, they would have to...well, be allowed to copulate. Would he named himself a hypocrite if he refused?

'And it's not like she's forcing me now,' he had thought to himself. 'I-I mean, she totally could mount me and I wouldn't be able to fight her...and it's not like I'm gonna just start dropping my pants for every monster that wants it!'

"It is, of course, your right to refuse," she had told him. "I am aware of your status as a hero of Ilias, and the fact you have listened this long without raising your blade speaks of your conviction. Though I would prefer otherwise, given what you have done, if word of this came out, you would be shunned by the humans and-"

"N-No," he had said to her, surprising himself as much as her. "It's just...well, if I'm really going to see my dream of coexistence come true, I guess I should start practicing what I preach, huh? And if that means going all the way..."

'Damn it, Luka!' he had then imagined Sunset shouting at him in his mind. 'Stop being so wishy-washy and do it already!'

With that, he gathered up his courage, closed the distance to the still surprised Harpy Queen, stood on his tiptoes, and kissed her on the lips. Everything after that was a blur of thoughts and sensations that brought a massive blush to his face even now.

Alice looked amused. "So...how are you gonna break the news you're the soon-to-be father to a new, royal clutch of harpy babies to your sister?"

Luka gulped. He didn't regret what he had done, but that was cold comfort in the face of the storm he knew was brewing. "...Still working on that," he admitted, scratching his head. "I've got a whole day to plan though."

"I'll be waiting then," Alice said with a smile. "I'm gonna look forward to the fireworks."

'Eh, probably nothing big,' Sunset decided as she continued onward after the lamia Puchi. 'Well, might as well take in the sights of the city.'

So engrossed in her thoughts she was that she didn't notice the door to her room slightly ajar, the eyes of Dora Shelly watching her as she rounded the corner. Once she was out of sight, the maid turned to look back at the empty pitcher and glass sitting on the table so innocently.

"Well, it looks like she drank the entire thing," she noted with a thin smile, her eyes cold with scientific curiosity as she adjusted her glasses. "Let's see whether this experiment pans out the way I hope it will..."

Author's Note

A cookie for whoever can guess who "Dora Shelly" really is. Why is she so active so early in the game, you might ask? Well, Sunset is an anomaly of this world that's making itself known in a big way. It's the duty of a true scientist to observe anomalies, find out what makes them tick, and (if possible) use them for their own purposes.

Also, Luka's having more than one monster crush on him aside from Alice, if this wasn't plain enough. Who else? Well, that's a secret.

...Sunset may or may not find herself in a similar position as well. Make of that what you will.