Sunset Shimmer: War Mage

Part I

Sparky's cabal lived in an old Victorian-style house located in what had once been a run-down neighbourhood of their city.  When the city council started gentrifying the area, the house had been marked for demolition.  A last-minute purchase followed by a few months of renovation turned it from an eyesore into a classy piece of conversational history for the people making it their home amongst the hipsters and the well-to-do that comprised the residents of their street.  That it had five bedrooms - six after they converted another room - had everything to do with the cabal's decision to locate themselves within it.  A bit of Prime during the renovation cleared a ley line that ran through the property of the old filth the former ghetto had dumped into it, enhancing the atmosphere of the area and ensuring the Mages always had access to Mana.

If any of their neighbours were ever bothered by the fact that none of them remembered exactly what the young women's startup was, they never showed it.  All that really mattered was having good neighbours, and the nice people living in the old Victorian house were some the best people to have in a modern community.  The business partners comprised a diverse bunch:  A lesbian couple, former teen parents, a musician, and a woman working in the world of programming.  Such diversity on their street gave the other residents a point of pride when they discussed their lives over expensive martinis at the local wine club.

As they parked and exited their car, Dusk Shine and Star Dust made sure to join hands for their stroll up the walk to the sanctum.  Though their supposed relationship was a misunderstanding born from how the two acted around each other, it suited the cabal well.  They maintained the ruse for the benefit of them all, though one of them would sometimes use it to prank the other in alternating attempts to cause embarrassment.  They were sufficiently mature to know where to draw a line, so Sparky allowed their antics, appreciating the jokes it spawned.

When they approached the door, they all heard the patter of small feet.  As one, the others stood back to allow Orchid to enter first.  A blur threw itself at her, small arms latching about her stomach with the force to knock the breath from a lesser person.  As it was, Orchid had braced herself and responded to the assault by gripping her daughter in a hug.

"Welcome home," Pixie exclaimed.  The child sounded much as her mother had in her youth, her voice breaking on the second word.

"I'm happy to be back, Pixie.  How was everything?"

If not for years of experience, the adults would have confused Pixel Bit's excitement for her being high on sugar.  Her voice was not at a glass-shattering pitch and her words were distinct, which meant she was her normal, bubbly self.

"Me and daddy and Violet were good.  We cleaned the whole house, and we didn't have more than one scoop of ice cream everyday."

"That's my girl."

She scooted Pixie from the foyer to allow their roommates a path into the living room.  When free of her mother's arms, the girl bounced on her feet while speaking.  Pixie greeted each of them in turn with a hug as all but one of the returnees dropped their luggage by a seat and then deposited their cares and weights onto the cushions.  Sparky's knee was stiff from the long ride, and she needed a recliner to let it stretch.  She also wanted Aspirin but would settle for the footrest.

Pixie followed the exception to the general lethargy up the stairs.  "Aunty Twilight, aren't you gonna hang out and tell us all about your adventure?"

"Of course I will.  I just need to put my things away first."

"You wanna hear about my adventures while you do that?"

"Sure."

The bums in the living room looked to one another.

"Should we rescue her?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Twilight made a noble sacrifice for the good of us all.  We will always remember her," Sunset replied.

The kitchen door opened, admitting Button Mash, who wore the 'Chef Daddy' apron Pixie had made him for Father's Day and held the youngest member of the cabal.  At his feet were Karen and Spike, the two 'pets' competing for the toddler's attention.  She was not the least interested in the animals, her attention focused on the people gathered in the living room.

Button lifted the mass of flailing limbs over the seat.  "Someone wants to see her Mum."

Sweetie Belle gasped, holding out her arms to take the toddler.  "How's my little Violet?"

The baby laughed as she touched her mother's face, happily accepting the cuddles.  While Spike waited at the stairs for Twilight, Karen hopped onto Trixie's lap and immediately made herself comfortable.

Button took a seat next to Sweetie Belle, pulling the case for her rings from his pocket.  "I had them polished while you were gone."  He slipped them onto her finger.  "How do they look?"

"They're beautiful."  She kissed his cheek.  "Thanks, Button.  Was everything okay while we were gone?"

"Yeah, no problem at all.  I kept all the sugar out of Pixie's reach, and Violet wasn't fussy.  Of course, I had two excellent assistants."  Karen purred, while Spike just gave them a nod.  "Also," he lowered his voice so the adults could hear him without it carrying upstairs, "I got everything arranged for Pixie's birthday party.  Most of the RSVP's are in.  I think pretty much her whole class will be there."

"You do realise Twilight is going to have a fit that she didn't get to finish organising everything?"  Trixie was stroking Karen's back.  If the Fae cat had not for all intents and purposes become Sweetie Belle's familiar, she would have been perfectly suited to the Witch.

Button waved a hand at the concerns.  "She'll have plenty to do, Trixie.  Some of the arrangements had a time limit, so it's not like I had a choice."

Talk of the upcoming party ceased as they heard childish chatter accompanying two pairs of feet down the stairs.  Spike stood, his tail wagging.

"-and then he ate it.  A whole thing of dried out crackers.  Can you believe that?"

"Yes, I can.  Children tend to produce more enzymes to break down food, making it easier to masticate even dry foodstuffs that adults would find difficult without some liquid to accompany them."

There was a brief pause.  "He made a lot of spit?"

"Something like that."  Twilight paused at the bottom of the steps to lift Spike into a hug.  "Thanks for helping out while I was gone."

"No problem."

Button turned to Sweetie Belle.  "By the way, we have a parent-teacher conference next week.  Pixie is getting bored in class.  Again."

"It's not my fault I already know all the stuff in class."  Pixie climbed onto the couch between her parents.  "I'm trying to be good, but I get really bored and wanna do something else.  I don't like being bored.  Can't I please get into a different class?"

"We'll talk about it with your teacher, okay?"

"What if Aunty Sunset and Aunty Twilight just teach me?  But then I'd miss all my friends at school."

Button patted her shoulder.  "We'll sort it out, promise.  I bet Mum and your Aunties would like a nice home cooked meal after their trip.  Why don't you help me make dinner?"

"Yay!"

Over a light dinner, each adult had to recount their adventure individually, most of them emphasising their role in taking back the treasure from the bad guys.  They censored a few of the details and downplayed any references to danger, none of them wanting to face Sweetie Belle's ire.  It was never a good idea to anger a mother, but it was especially suicidal to do so when the mother in question was a Disciple of the Death Arcanum.

They allowed Sweetie Belle to start.  With her natural affinities for Death and Matter, she had been able to find the weak points on the building, allowing them to use a minimal quantity of explosives to destroy the front wall.  Naturally, Pixie wanted to see an explosion once her mother finished describing her role.  The surprise was that Sweetie Belle and Button agreed to show her when their schedules permitted it.

While Trixie and Sunset played their roles as loyal servants of The Father, Lemon Zest performed superbly as an obnoxious Sleeper.  The vibrations the thieves felt may have been techno beats cranked to the max, rather than explosives.  The noise ensured the Seers would be more focused on the cacophony than Twilight placing a shield to protect both Pentacle and Seer Awakened from the blast and the shrapnel.

"Was anyone hurt by the bombs?"

"We didn't see any.  They had some pretty good wards in place."

Trixie nodded.  "A purely magickal attack would have been a failure, but they never considered the possibility that Mages would attack without it."

"Well, they probably won't make that mistake again," Lemon Zest said.  "Hey, maybe we could use that to take back Manhatten Island before they get word."

"Just play your beats for a few hours; they'll surrender and throw themselves on our mercy," Sunset replied.

Before they could launch into a good-natured banter over the definition of music, Pixie asked, "Did you have to take out a whole army?"

Trixie and Lemon Zest began adding their own flourishes to the encounter, all of them watching the little girl's eyes widen.  Sunset put a stop to it when her cabal-mates began arguing over which of them had single-handedly fought back the greater number of Seers.

"Come on, guys, don't tell Pixie fibs.  We had plenty of excitement without that."

She fell asleep while leaning against her mother, her youthful energy failing her around nine.  Though Button was going to carry her to bed, Sweetie Belle insisted upon taking her; she had missed the contact over the past week.  While she was changing the girl into pyjamas and tucking her into a small bed whose sheets were covered by images of video game systems and controllers, each of her beloved Aunties wished her a good night's slumber.  Sunset cast a spell to protect Pixie from anything that might try to prowl the Dreamscape, though she left an opening for Pinkie Pie.

With the promise of quiet and privacy from young eyes, the adults and their two companions gathered again in the kitchen.  Trixie produced the velvet bag of cards.  Even Button Mash, the only non-magickal human, seemed to be able to feel the power radiating from within the pouch.  Her self-effacing devotion to the Exarch called The Father may have been a show, but the reverence she displayed as she handled the cards was not.

"The Supernal Tarot," Trixie breathed as she spread the cards across a cloth newly purchased just for that moment.  "I never imagined I would get to touch these cards."

"I'm surprised the Seers didn't have more security on them," Button said, his eyes on the cards.  "Do you really think it's safe to keep them here?  What if they track us down?"

"We have Supernal help to protect ourselves," Sunset replied.  "Believe me, I wouldn't have agreed to this if I thought there was any risk to the girls and you guys.  There's so much misdirection on these cards, we'd be more likely to be targeted by hiding them down the street."

Twilight sat up in her chair, a quizzical expression taking her face.  "Why would The Father send you to steal them from his own followers?  It still doesn't make any sense."

"Trust me, nothing about the Exarchs' motives makes any sense.  Besides, I don't know if that Ascended Being is The Father ... or even a 'he.'  The task is done, and that's all that matters.  Thank you all for your help."

"Hey, cabals stick together."

"Friends help each other."

Lemon Zest gave Sweetie Belle a quiet high-five.

Sunset smiled in gratitude as she collected the cards.  "I'll hold these for now."

Karen perked her head.  "You humans always confuse me.  You hate these 'Seers' in general, yet you loyally follow one into battle to steal a valuable Artefact."

"Sunset's not a Seer," Spike protested.  "Remember?  She said she's not even sure that person is an Exarch."

She appreciated Spike's faith in her, but decided it was time to clarify.  "I never asked.  To be completely honest, I probably am dealing with an Exarch.  It's just ... if I'm going to be trapped in this debt, I'd at least like to pretend I'm not forced to serve someone bent on controlling reality."

"You haven't actually told us how you got into this.  Not that I'm doubting you, promise.  Even if you are a Seer of the Throne, you're my friend."

"If I'd had a choice, I wouldn't have anything to do with an Ascended Being.  It's ... complicated.  If any of you want to know, I will explain it."

Sweetie Belle shook her head.  "You taught me that friends don't have to share everything.  I don't feel like Scootaloo and Apple Bloom are any less my friends because I can't tell them about Orchid and my other friends, and I won't think you're any less my friend if you don't want to tell me everything."

Twilight nodded.  "As long as you don't get in over your head.  Keeping certain secrets from friends is fine, but we'd be disappointed if you kept something that was hurting you from us, no matter what the reason."

Spike and Karen glanced at each other and shrugged.  It seemed that if their friends trusted Sunset, they would be willing to do the same.

Sunset gave them a thankful smile.  "I'll tell you about it, but I'm waiting for the last task."  She stood, stretching limbs that were still tight from the long ride.  "I'm going to bed.  Remember, we have the Forum tomorrow."

Though each resident of the house kept different schedules, Sweetie Belle and Lemon Zest - with their ears for music and sound - had reviewed the renovation plans with Twilight - who had brought Physics into the discussion - to ensure minimum noise escaped to disturb other rooms.  By converting the basement into a rec room and placing a heavy door and soundproofing insulation around the space, even the loudest of the roommates could enjoy any schedule.  It was not uncommon for Lemon Zest to be going to bed when Sweetie Belle and Button Mash were rising.  Trixie and Twilight were night owls, and Sunset kept whatever schedule the others needed their leader to have.  In five years of sharing the house, they had very few noise complaints against one another and none from their neighbours.

Sunset's room was the old servant's quarters.  When she was settled, she hid the cards in a cubby she had designed herself.  Even with nothing but mundane protection, it was nearly impossible to detect.  Only a gifted Witch or a curious child would stumble upon it.  She would have to supervise Pixie whenever the girl was in her room, but Sunset trusted Pixie was sufficiently well-behaved to leave them alone - because the little imp would find them eventually.  When Sunset was satisfied her new acquisition would not be easily discovered, she collapsed into bed and drifted into sleep.

Though she did not find herself in the haunted forest of nightmares, she did find herself speaking with the being that had given her the mission.  They were in a darkened space, akin to a void.  As usual, only the figure's throne and hands were visible.  Sunset became aware of her new surroundings already kneeling before the throne.  She stood, despite not having been given permission.

"You surpassed my expectations," the enthroned monarch of reality said.  "Though my expectations did not include you requesting assistance from your cabal.  When I saw you tell them of our contract, I expected you would be fleeing for your life."

"Like I was going to be able to take on three Seer pylons by myself.  Still, despite what you said, I think you at least guessed I would ask for help and that they would support me."

"Yes, the 'magic of friendship' you once studied.  Perhaps it will even see you through the days to come."  The mighty Exarch's voice contained just a hint of merriment.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Words have the meanings we grant to them.  Was that not one of your first lessons in magick?"

"It was, but I've been around enough courts to know that smart leaders cherry-pick the words a listener needs to hear to invoke the reaction desired.  Even a moron with your position would have the tools to screw with my head, and I'd not be able to tell up from down."

Sunset's master patted her head like Button or Sweetie Belle would to their daughters.  While their performance of the act was always meant to encourage and showed affection, Sunset could not help the feeling she was receiving condescension.  She tolerated it, though, preferring to select her battles.

"Be cautious that you do not grow stagnant, Sunset Shimmer.  Complacency does not suit the fire of your soul."

"So I'm not allowed to take a break?  No stopping to smell the roses?"

"Of course not.  The child that calls you a beloved member of her family is preparing to celebrate the anniversary of her birth, is she not?  Take the time you need to appreciate it, but do not dawdle.  If you wish to remain a valuable servant, you must continue to strive for knowledge."

Sunset nodded.  "I know, and I will.  I can't wait to see what the Supernal Tarot will reveal."

"The Supernal Tarot is merely one of the many keys I have granted you.  It will guide you, but it will not give you the answers to the Mysteries."

"On that note:  Thank you for keeping us hidden."

"Merely a small boon for my most valuable servant."  Perhaps the figure was mocking her.  Perhaps the words were true.

"Is my third task ready?"

"It is not.  I will summon you again when it is time.  Rest assured that you will remain in my protection until that day."

"Of course."  Once upon a time, Sunset Shimmer would have argued, resisted, or at least grumbled at a situation like the one in which she found herself.  The years of waiting for orders and the constant cycle of thoughts about her deal with an Exarch had inured her to any real feelings about it.  She smirked as she offered a small curtsy.  "Thank you again."

She wanted to ask so many questions, to say so many things.  Just because she no longer felt anything when meeting the figure did not mean she had nothing within her.  She was still curious.

"Why me?"

"By the time you complete your third task, you will understand."

"I'll look forward to it."

The Exarch faded, allowing her to slip into a dreamless sleep.