Assaulted

        Sunset and Luna sat quietly at a small table in the dining hall, each with a cup of coffee in front of them.

        Taking a deep breath, Sunset decided to break the silence.  “I know what you want to talk to me about.”

        Luna nodded in understanding.  “So you agree that my sister should have no further involvement?”

        “Yes..wait, what?  Why wouldn’t you want her involved?”  Sunset subconsciously moved her head back, while keeping her eyes locked on Luna’s eyes.

        Luna picked up her coffee with her magic, and took a small sip.  “Normally I would not exclude her. However given what she had just gone through, and how little she actually knows about dark magic, her attempting to help could only lead to the situation becoming worse.”  Luna carefully set her coffee down on the table, attempting to avoid Sunset’s glare.

        “I also wish that you have little to no involvement, for the same reason.”  Luna sighed, before hearing a loud crash on the other side of the room.  It didn’t take long to realize that Sunset had  thrown her coffee cup across the room.

“After everything we just went through, you expect me to turn away now!”  Sunset screamed, her face turning as red as her hair.  Taking a deep breath, Luna stood up and walked over to Sunset,  Smiling, she wrapped a hoof around Sunset’s neck and pulled her into a warm hug.

“I understand that this is hard for you, but I refuse to let anypony get hurt, or get hurt worse than they already are, because I didn’t intervene when given the opportunity. If need be, I will ask for help from you two, but that will only be under dire circumstances.”

Sunset pulled away, breaking the hug.  “That might work on Twilight, but not me. I’m not going to sit back on the sidelines and watch, when I could be doing something.  Anything.  I want to help find who did this to Twilight, and show them what happens when they mess with my friend.”

“There is something you can do.”  Luna sighed, watching the fire burn brighter in Sunset’s eyes.  “Make that two things.”

“And that would be?”

“First, stop spending so much time with Rainbow Dash. You are beginning to sound lie her. Second, I want you to watch over my sister, and Twilight.  This has been the hardest on them.  Celestia is practically a mother to Twilight, after about… sixteen years or raising and schooling her?”

“Fifteen, and I’ll keep an eye on them.  Actually, Celestia  and I were talking about going to Ponyville.  I’ve never been there before, and she thought that it could be a great learning opportunity.  It might do her some good to go and get her mind off of things.  Although I doubt Twilight will be able to travel in her condition.

“I can watch over Twilight, until your return.”  Luna walked back over to her seat, and sat down.  Noticing a fresh cup of coffee had appeared on the table.

“When did…”

Looking around, Luna saw the waitress poking her head through the door.  Smiling,  she nodded in approval and the waitress disappeared again.

“The waitress used magic, as to not to eavesdrop or disturb us.”  Luna explained, as Sunset picked up the new cup of coffee.

“Also, are you sure you can watch Twilight by yourself?  What if something happens, and she  becomes under the influence of the dark magic again, or something like that.”

Luna held out her hoof, and Sunset took that as a signal to stop talking.  “I can watch over Twilight.  I can handle her, and I also have help.  Somepony will be with her at all times.”  Luna explained, before finishing her coffee.

“Are you talking about the Alpha Task Force?”

Luna stared at Sunset for a minute, while Sunset watched in slight amusement at the dumbfounded Luna.

“How do you know about the Task Force?  The Royal Guards aren’t even aware of them, except for the Captain.”

“When you spend as much time around Celestia as I had, she tends to be extra careful in case of an attack.  It’s not like I couldn’t have taken on anypony who tried to hurt me though.”  Sunset smirked, while Luna just rolled her eyes.

“Fair enough.  Are you aware of who they are though, in case of an emergency””

“As far as their names, no.  No pony knows their true names, except the Princesses, themselves,  and their families.  It’s a safety measure put in to keep them hidden and out of danger, unless called on.  However, they always stay close by.  If I recall correctly, it should be Celestia’s advisor, the doctor, and the librarian.  Correct?”  Sunset closed her eyes for a minute,  giving them a break from the harsh light.

“Correct. Now finish your coffee, so we can make arrangements for you and my sister to go to Ponyville.  I’m hoping you can catch the train that leaves tomorrow.”

“Sounds good, and thank you.  I’ll do whatever I can to help.”  Sunset quickly finished her coffee before heading out.

        Sunset walked slowly down the hall of the hospital ward, occasionally glancing back at the  saddle bag that Luna had given her.  Inside, it currently was home to the train tickets, along with a couple other things that she would need while on that side of the portal.

        Reaching the room that Celestia was in, Sunset knocked three times and waited.  A second later, Sunset released the breath that she didn’t even know she was holding, after hearing the familiar voice call enter. Taking one more breath,  Sunset pushed the door open, to reveal Celestia sitting in the bed, with a pile of scrolls in front of her.

        “Sunset Shimmer.  I hadn’t expected to see you tonight.”  Celestia smiled, before levitating the scrolls off her bed, to the desk.  “Would you like to sit?”

        “Thank you.”  Sunset walked over, and jumped up on the bed, trying to figure out how to tell her teacher about tomorrow.

        “So, what brings you by?  I would have thought that you would be asleep by now.  It’s been a long day.”

        “Yes, it has.  Luna and I were talking, and we thought it would be best for both of us to get into a different environment.  The other girls got back to Ponyville today, so…”  Sunset reached into her bag, and pulled out the two tickets and handed them to Celestia, “I thought that tomorrow we could go to Ponyville.  You said you wanted to show me around. I’m really interested to see the difference between Canterlot and Ponyville.”

        Celestia smiled looking over the tickets.  “That’s sounds wonderful.  I don’t think now is really the time to go though.  I should stay close to Luna and Twilight, should anything else happen.”

        “Luna and I already have that taken care of.  Luna also told me to tell you that if you were to refuse, she would make Discord drag you there.”  It took all of Sunset’s will power not to laugh while telling Celestia that.

        “You two drive a hard bargain.  I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.”  Celestia smiled before handing the tickets back to Sunset.  “Sunset?”

        “Yes, Princess?”

        “Can you ask Luna to come in here please?  I need to have a word with my little sister about threatening others with Discord.”

        “That’s where this comes in.”  Sunset pulled out a small piece of paper out of her saddle bag, and handed it to Celestia before galloping out of the room.

Tia,

Discord will be there anyways to see Fluttershy.  My apologies, but you don’t have a choice in the matter.  Have a nice time, and bring me back a bottle of cider, please.  Also, don't drink it all this time please.

-Luna.