The Mark of Duty

I was snapped out of my reclamation by Sunset opening a large door beside us. She walked in and paused inside the door, looking as casual as possible while allowing me to walk in after her. The familiar warp reading was still active on my HUD, letting me know my suspicions were correct. Inside the room was dark, and my vision went into a green-tinted view for the low-light mode. I scanned it quickly. The room was bear, with the exception of a mirror in the corner. I didn't care that it was covered in cloth, I knew exactly what it looked like. I had searched for it before I got involved with the war. A way to somewhere close to home. I stayed silent as Sunset calmly removed the curtain. I checked the warp reading again and tried to nonchalantly keep my bolter on it.

Sunset ran her hoof around the edge of the edge of the mirror, pulling off the cloth covering in a smooth motion. Her horn glowed in a soft amber light. She pulled out the book from her saddlebags. She began flipping through the giant tome with a look of concentration while muttering under her breath. I watched as she channeled the warp, forcing it to bend to her will and arc into the mirror. The light from her spells lighting the nearly empty room in a ghastly light. I remained still, watching as the reflective surface of the mirror slowly shifted to a rippling pool. I watched in awe as Sunset slowly ceased her spell. She let out a huff of air and a vicious grin adorned her face. She turned to me with self-assured confidence. "So? Ready to go?"

I shook my head. "Not yet, I require a short time alone." I glanced at the mirror again. "I am not quite mentally prepared to go through that portal yet."

Sunset faltered, looking at me with caution. "Really? Duty itself is putting off his job?"

I shook my head. "No." I stood up keeping my bolter on the warp reading. "I know what lays on the other side of that mirror, and it is something that will be... difficult for me." I stroked the grip of my bolter. "I need to meditate on that. I shall be through shortly."I tilted my head towards Sunset. "Besides, getting used to your form across the portal will be embarrassing. Go now and I shall follow once you have regained your bearings."

She nodded once and moved to the portal. She paused before walking through the portal, casting a lone eye on my direction. "Hey, big guy. I'll give you ten, or else I'll have to come to check on you."

I nodded at her, a smile under my helmet. "Do not worry, I shall only be a moment." Sunset nodded and floated a small note from her saddlebags and tossed it on the floor. I watched as she moved through the portal directly afterward. I watched for a moment before raising my bolter at the anomaly. "Drop the spell witch." The was a quiet gasp from the corner, and I fought to keep a smirk off my face. "That's right, I can remember your foul stench witch. Just know the only reason your still breathing is that I know you'll come right back."

The spell dissolved before my eyes, and in front of me stood Princess Celestia, The Ever-Burning Sun. I managed to hold off on squeezing the trigger. I stared at her, rage burning cold inside my heart. I took a step towards the mirror. "You know you cannot stop me. So stay there, and I'll leave without making you disappear until high noon tomorrow."

She appeared to think before opening her mouth. A refreshing change from how she was when we fought side by side. She slowly sat down. "I understand your anger, but please. Speak with me for a while."

My rage turned hot for a moment. How dare she! After trapping me in stone, she has the unmitigated gall to ask me to speak to her. I paused, forcing my anger back into a cold smolder. Something I could control. Her death right now would be little more than an annoyance for her and would hurt the general populace of Equestria. While I had a massive font of rage, I could hold it until a few suitable replacements were here. I stayed my hand. "Speak witch. I have little time and places to be."

She gave a slow nod, retaining her regal air. "Of course. I know you have no reason to listen-" I had to restrain my trigger finger again. "But I wish to mend fences."

I looked at her with an open mouth. Mending fences? How do you mend a fence after imprisoning an innocent man for three thousand years? I wanted to explode at her, but it wouldn't solve anything. Plus it might bring guards down. Hopefully, I could jump through the mirror without a guard compliment. That would make my inevitable escape easier. Celestia seemed to pick up on my anger despite the heavy-duty mask between us. "But you deserve to at least hear my reasoning."

I postured towards her, barely pulling myself back from blasting her head into a fine mist. I let my rage guide my words. "You Dare?!" I took a step towards her, barely keeping my finger from tightening around the ceramite that stood between the solar ruler and death. "I called you sister! I would have died beside you with no regrets!" I threw my free hand to the side. My gauntlet cutting through the air like a knife. "And when we had succeeded you turned on me like an angry grot! I was trapped in stone, knowing my family was dying from the ravages of time while I sat in silence!"

My rage was nearly unbridled as I pulled off my helmet and locked it onto my waist. "Look at me! I have faced hordes of Daemons for you! Stood beside you as the legions of Tartarus charged your home! And what did I get for my service?" I narrowed my eyes. "A knife in the back, one that did more than trap me in stone." I took a few steps towards the mirror. "So speak quickly traitor, before I decide to cause an administrative issue come the morning."

She paused, before sighing. "It was a deal." I paused, allowing her to speak. "Before you arrived to help us banish him, Trazyn spoke to me. In exchange for him promising to never attack again, we had to imprison you." I stared at her and felt my rage lessen by an inch. "I never agreed, but before the final battle Luna and I spoke. We decided it was better to secure the future of the kingdom, even at the cost of a friend."

My rage, honed and sharpened by centuries in stone shrank, and then flared up again. My bolter was raised to my shoulder before I managed to stop it, but I couldn't contain the snarl that erupted from my throat. "You should have told me! I would have given my life for that price. But instead, you smacked me with your little rainbow cannon, and never considered my thoughts on the matter." I bit down my rage and lowered my bolter. "I'm leaving, to Starswirls little prison. Don't bother following me."

"WAIT!" She extended a hoof, and her horn glowed in that golden light.

My body reacted on auto-pilot. I moved my hand to a pouch on my chest, pulling out a small cog icon. I raised it above my head and let my voice ring out with pure faith. "DENY THE WITCH!" The glow of her horn was swallowed by a brighter, and more pronounced golden glow, swallowing her spell with my faith. I stared at her with unrestrained anger. "If you wish to stay on Equess for the night, you will not do that again."

She swallowed once, before biting her lip. "I know I have no room to ask for favors from you." I scoffed. That was the truth. She seemed to flinch from that. "But I have a request." I glared at her but didn't leave. Despite my hatred of Celestia, I would allow her to finish before denying her request. "Sunset Shimmer is..." She looked around the room, as if unsure of what to say. I was getting a clear picture of Celestia's relationship with Sunset from her reluctance and Sunset's own slips.

Celestia composed herself. "She is a very special filly. I know you wish to refuse me, but please, protect her."

I stared at the damnable sun-whorse in front of me. Before spitting at her feet. "Fine." I lowered my bolter and hooked it to my back. I was about to turn away, before I paused, and held up a lone finger. "But remember this. I am doing it because she has helped me. From this moment on, you are dead to me. I shall listen to only two princesses from this day forth. And only them. If you ever ask anything of me again, no force from Terra to the Warp will stay my hand from your throat."

I turned to leave, and as I stepped through the portal I heard her final whispered word. "Two?" And with that I left, leaving Equess to its fate.