Chapters Sunset loved the smell of the ocean, and its breeze which flowed through her mane. Heh, mane, it felt weird to call her hair after living in the human world for so long. Sunset leaned against the railing of the ship, staring at the dot on the horizon that was growing closer and closer. Celestia's sun was slowly starting to descend, ready to kiss the horizon where it would disappear. Sunset formed a small smile, she'd never been to Puerto Caballo before, or anywhere outside of Equestria. Blueblood had always made fun of her for that.
The fiery mare rested her head on the railing just as a small wave battered itself against the ship's hull, spraying her muzzle with seawater. It tasted as salty as usual, not that Sunset made it a habit out drinking seawater. Someone walked up to her side, their hooves clacking
"We should be arriving early in the morning." A unicorn stallion with a thick Baltimare accent said. Sunset angled her head to look at the Captain of the ship. With seagreen fur and a thick white beard, he looked every bit of a sailor, even without his captain hat.
"Really?" Sunset was sure it was going to take longer than that. Granted she wasn't a maritime expert, her unfinished degree from the Canterlot University was in Magic Application and Engineering, but Puerto Caballo did look pretty far away, and the ship was slow.
She got seasick the first few days onboard and nearly died. That was an exaggeration, but Sunset did feel like she was dying until the ship's doctor taught her a spell to ward off the effects.
"Aye." Captain Anchor said with a wink. "We have favorable winds."
"I'll take your word for it." Sunset smiled. Equestria had changed while she'd been gone. There were four princesses now, the Crystal Empire had returned somehow, and Severnaya was now its own country filled with communist. Sunset should've returned years earlier, instead of wasting her time in the human world. Getting betrayed by her 'friends' who didn't believe in her hurt a lot.
Captain Anchor nodded and looked out towards the waters beside her. "Most Canterlot ponies never leave the heartland. It isn't everyday that we get a noble like yourself onboard."
Noble? What had given him that impression? Sunset was just a normal pony-
It was the clothes, wasn't it. Most Equestrians didn't wear clothes unless it was a special occasion or a formal event. Sunset was used to wearing clothes since humans didn't walk around in the nude, so she bought some for her trip with some money Princess Twilight lended her. She wore a beige coat, it's matching hat with the rest of her belongings.
Twilight claimed it was a gift, but that did little to ease the stomach ache Sunset developed later that night.
"Just pay me back with stories if you're going to be that way ! Take your journal and tell me everything!" Princess Twilight had said, which did help Sunset's conscience a little bit.
"Don't be surprised, it's just your accent." Captain Anchor chuckled. He closed his eyes and lifted his head in the air, feeling the wind on his beard. "Most nobles hire, how do I say, fancier ships than my own."
The Golden Sun, as the ship was named judging by the faded white letters near the front of the hull, was an extremely old cruise ship that was more rust than metal. Sunset had chosen it since it was the cheapest transport she could find on short notice.
Sunset laughed and shook her head slowly. "I'm not a noble, just a simple mare that's exploring the world."
Captain Anchor opened his eyes and raised a white eyebrow. "I see, well then, I wish you the best of luck. Enjoy the rest of your voyage with the Golden Sun." He left soon after, leaving Sunset alone with her thoughts as she stared at the sunset.
S-She missed her friends…
Her stomach growled, causing Sunset to shake those thoughts out of her head. They didn't care about her, they never did, and it was time to move on.
"Onward." Sunset whispered under her breath, finally moving from her spot. She was starting to get hungry, and she was going to need her sleep. Tomorrow was going to be a long day. "Onward to Zebrica." Tomorrow was going to be a better day.
Puerto Caballo was just one small stop before she started her real journey.
As it turned out, Captain Anchor was right in the end. Sunset had just finished her light breakfast when the Golden Sun sailed into port. She was already on deck with her belongings in her saddlebags, not wanting to cast the anti-seasickness spell again once her dose for the day wore off. Captain Anchor gave her a stiff nod as she disembarked, along with a small smile that reminded Sunset of Mr. Cranky, her old history teacher back in the human world.
Sunset almost cried the moment her hooves first touched the solid ground. She had been on that old ship for too long, and hated every moment of it. She was a unicorn, not a hippogriff.
"Now I just need to find a place to stay." Sunset mumbled to herself, ignoring the ponies, griffons and other creatures that crowded the docks, mostly tourists. She needed to go through customs first before she could reach the city streets properly. The unicorn took a deep breath, one that she immediately regretted. She coughed violently and covered her nose with a hoof.
"Buck, why does it smell like rotten fish?"
Hopefully the line to go through customs would move fast enough for Sunset to find a place before lunch.
After an hour of standing in line, it was finally Sunset's turn at the kiosk. A bored official in a white shirt gave her a blank stare as she placed her Equestrian passport on the kiosk's table. She tried not to look at the two Equestrian Guards dressed in light green uniforms that stood on both sides of the desk, their caps hiding their eyes.
It felt weird, seeing them in their cloth uniforms instead of their golden armor, unless that was reserved for Celestia's own Royal Guard. Everything was different now, her own home world had changed enough to make everything foreign in Sunset's eyes. She was a stranger in her own world.
"Name?" The pale blue custom's officer said. He was another unicorn, with his horn parting his short black mane.
"Sunset Shimmer." Sunset answered easily. Twilight had taught her all there was to know about traveling, though most of her information was outdated.
She was an alicorn, she didn't need to bucking stand in line to pass immigration.
"Business or pleasure? What's the nature of your visit?" The Officer scanned her passport with his eyes and used a spell to envelope it in his magical aura, floating it beside her head.
"Pleasure." Sunset forced a smile onto her muzzle. "I'm just passing through, I don't plan to stay more than a few days."
"Hm." The Officer nodded and floated the passport back to his desk. He flipped a few pages and stamped it. "Enjoy your stay Miss Shimmer."
That was easier than she expected.
Puerto Caballo was just like the stories Blueblood used to brag about, with architecture that had to at least to be two centuries old, built by the first colonizers, still composing most of the port city. This time Sunset was able to take a deep breath without gagging.
It smelled old, but the food stands along the sides of the crowded streets helped to negate that. It made Sunset's mouth water, but she only had so many hits to spare. If she spent beyond her means, she would have to get a job to make more money. Mmm, the food here looked better than what was served on the Golden Sun. She reached what looked to be the tourist square.
"Watch it!" A large, red earth pony wearing a green Equestrian guard uniform growled. Sunset had almost bumped into him when she got distracted by a stand that was making fresh haysadillas. There were guards on every corner, with a few more patrolling the square.
They didn't look friendly.
"Sorry!" Sunset flinched and quickly trotted away, turning into an alleyway that was filled with more tourists. She would have to go deeper into the city to find a cheaper place to stay for the night.
That made sense right? Most tourists would stay where the attractions were, and in order to make a profit, the locals would raise the price of food and hotel rooms in those same areas. It was basic supply and demand. Once she found a room she could work on finding something to eat, and getting a ride to Colthage. Sunset ignored the various vendors that tried shouting each other, whether they did it in Ponglish or Sponish, continuing her trot through the crowds that grew smaller the farther away she walked.
After what felt like forever, the crowds finally thinned out, leaving only the local ponies that loitered outside of their homes. Sunset gave them a small smile whenever they waved. The ponies here were pretty nice, but that didn't mean she was going to let her guard down.
She approached an elderly pegasus that was sitting on a rocking chair on his front porch, if you could even call it that. All of the houses were closely pressed together, most of them taller than they were wide. It made the streets feel cramped.
"Excuse me, Sir!" Sunset said. She stood far enough to not intrude on his property. "Do you know if there's anyone, I mean, anypony who has a room for rent around here?"
The old pegasus stared at her for a few seconds, before pointing his muzzle down the street.
"Dona Yuca has a few rooms to rent." He spoke with a light Sponish accent. "You can try your luck there, it's the house with a red ribbon tied to the front door. Her home is just a few blocks down, very close."
"Thank you so much!" Sunset's smile grew, and she continued her walk.
A house with a red ribbon should be easy enough to find.
Sunset really needed to stop jinxing herself. Her short walk had turned into an extremely long one, so long that she had started to think that the old pegasus was trying to pull a prank on her. Her hooves were starting to hurt, and she was starving. She had skipped lunch to find an affordable room as fast a possible, and was just about to give up when she finally found the house with a red ribbon!
"Finally!" Sunset gasped, trotting up to the front door of the rather old and rundown building. It was three stories high, and she could see a few lights on through the windows that didn't have their curtains closed. She knocked on the door as politely as possible, and waited.
And waited.
And waited some more.
Really? Sunset was about to knock once more, when the door finally opened, revealing a middle aged earth pony mare with light brown fur and a red mane tied into a bun.
"Yes?" She gave Sunset a mean stare through her round glasses.
"Hi!" Sunset ignored the glare and waved. "I was told that you have a few rooms available, so I was wondering if I could rent one for a couple days?"
Dona Yuca's glare didn't lesson, her eyes scanning Sunset's body up and down.
"Equestrian or River pony?" Dona Yuca asked, her voice curt. Sunset frowned for just a second. That wasn't a question that most ponies asked. Was this supposed to be a trick question? Puerto Caballo, while an independent country on paper, was under the dominion of Equestria.
"Equestrian." Sunset answered, returning her smile to her muzzle.
"I have no rooms for Equestrians." Dona Yuca snarled and slammed the door in Sunset's face, causing her teal eyes to widen. That was the last thing she expected to happen.
Damn it.
Author's Note
My computer broke so I'll be winging the Equestria At War lore from what I find online and on the discord.
There were many things Sunset had expected when she first decided to embark on her journey throughout the world. A weird glance here and there, struggling to understand the language of whatever country she happened to be in, even an attempted mugging! She had a small pistol and knife in her saddlebag for that, and her magic of course. Sunset never expected another pony to slam their door in her face just because she asked to rent a room for a few days.
Sunset narrowed her eyes. What was that mare's problem? Puerto Caballo was an Equestrian territory for as long as she could remember even though they were technically their own country. Did something change while she'd been gone? There had been more soldiers than she expected in the tourist square. How much changed? Time did pass faster here when compared to the human world. Still, that didn't excuse Dona Yuca's rudeness!
"Hey! What do you mean you 'don't have any rooms for Equestrians?'" Sunset knocked again, this time with more force. It wasn't like she was a beggar or anything! She had bits!
Dona Yuca opened the door, with an annoyed glare focused on Sunset. "Because all you ponies do is ruin my country with your fancy vacations and new hotels. You're all cheapskates!"
Sunset groaned internally. She really wasn't in the mood to deal with this right now. She was hungry, tired, and dusk was coming soon. Part of her initial plan was to be off the streets before Princess Luna's beautiful night fell.
"I'll pay double your usual rate." Sunset said with a sheepish smile. She would have to cut her stay here by half to stay within her budget. "See, not all Equestrians are the same."
Dona Yuca placed a hoof on her chin, and closed her eyes in thought. "Hmmm, fine, I'll take your money." She opened her eyes, they were still full of malice. "That will be twelve bits a night."
It took all of Sunset's willpower to stop her mouth from dropping to the floor. That was more than affordable, it was downright robbery on Sunset's end! A normal hotel in Canterlot usually costed hundreds of bits for a single night, granted this wasn't the capital, but that was still extremely cheap! And that was supposed to be twice her usual rate?
"Deal." Sunset a bit too quickly. It looked like she was going to be back on schedule, which should allow her to do some sightseeing before she left. "I'll be staying for a week."
Dona Yuca's glare looked liked it was permanant. "Very well, I hope that you enjoy your stay. Mi casa es tu casa." She said that last part in Sponish.
Sunset only smiled in returned and spoke in her own accented Sponish. "Muchas gracias."
Princess Celestia had a better accent than she did.
The interior of Dona Yuca's home looked as old as the exterior, with black and white photos decorating the walls along with ceramics of different colorful birds. There was a large poster of Princess Celestia hanging on the far wall by the staircase that felt like it was staring at Sunset in disapproval. S-She still hadn't paid the Princess a visit yet, to apologize for everything. Sunset didn't deserve her forgiveness, not yet, she could grovel before Celestia once she was done traveling the world, once she found out who Sunset really was.
"I'd get rid of that if I could." Dona Yuca followed her gaze to the poster. She sounded bitter. "Follow me."
Sunset followed Dona Yuca up the stairs, which were a bit too tight for her with her saddlebags. "Why don't you?"
As much as the orange unicorn loved and admired Princess Celestia, having a giant poster of her in the living room seemed like overkill, or something that Twilight would do.
"Buckio Buckista." Dona Yuca growled as they passed the second floors entrance. "They don't talk about him on the mainland?"
Sunset shook her head. "I wouldn't know, I just returned to Equestria a few months ago." A half truth, which meant that Sunset wasn't lying. She was just leaving out information her hostess didn't need to know.
"Tsk, he's the Captain of the Guard here." Dona Yuca opened the door that led to the top floor. "He's been paranoid since Coltstro attacked one of his barracks a few months ago. To prove everypony's loyalty he's been forcing us to hang Equestrian flags and potraits of his love. President Cocktail's just his puppet." She said that last part sarcastically.
That explained why there were soldiers everywhere, but all those names sounded foreign to Sunset's ears. She would have to play it safe until it was time to leave.
"I see." Sunset muttered to herself. Dona Yuca paused in front of a door.
"This is your room." She turned around and narrowed her eyes. "Please try to not disturb my other guest, otherwise I will kicked you out without a refund. Breakfast will be at dawn, don't be late if you want to eat." She handed Sunset two keys.
"Got it." Sunset finally allowed her shoulders to relax. She used her magic to open the door slowly. "Thank you." Another spell levitated a small bag of bits into Dona Yuca's waiting hooves. She rolled her eyes and trotted away without another word, leaving Sunset alone in the hallway.
Now all she needed to do was find something to eat, her stomach was killing her.
After putting her bags up, and making sure that her room was secure, Sunset found herself back on the streets of Puerto Caballo. She kept her beige coat on since the pockets helped keep her bits safe. The island was poor, with the streets growing dirtier as Sunset walked farther away from Dona Yuca's hostel, and the buildings turning older. Red and black grafiti with some weird symbol decorated most of them.
Ponies of all three tribes roamed the streets, young and old going about their business. Sunset flashed the colts and fillies playing soccer a smile when they ran past her. They stuck their tongues out while shooting daggers with their eyes.
Sunset approached a nearby foodstand, their fried hay making her mouth water. After a few years of human food, it felt good to taste her childhood again.
"Hi." Sunset kept her focus on the bag of fried hayfries.
"H-Hello." The Seller, a unicorn with mustard colored fur and a blue mane, stuttered. He gave her a suspicious glance.
"I'll take three bags of hayfries, please." Sunset stopped her frown from forming. Everypony was acting weird. Was it because she was Equestrian?
"O-One bit please." The Unicorn used his aura to gather three bags that were freshly fried. Sunset pulled two from her pocket and floated it to the stand.
"Keep the change." Sunset enveloped her hayfries with her own aura, and walked away without another word. Once she was back at the hostel, Sunset was going to have the best sleep of her life. Princess Luna was great at fighting nightmares.
The streets got crowded as the darkness approached, forcing Sunset to squeeze in between ponies who wore some type of armband, or would it be a hoofhand here? Most of them gave her nasty stares, but no one said anything. It took longer than expected to get back to the hostel, but Sunset made it. She had finished her hayfries on her way back, stuffing her muzzle as much as possible in case somepony tripped her.
"You're still alive." Dona Yuca was sitting in the living room with a newspaper when Sunset walked in. "Lock the door behind you, you're the only guest unaccounted for. The rest are upstairs."
"Of course, I just went out to get some food." Sunset locked the door like she was told. "Why?"
"Only a suicidal mare would go out onto the streets without a hoofband from the PSP in the middle of a protest." Dona Yuca shrugged.
Sunset's eyes widened. "Protest?" PSP? What was going on here?
Dona Yuca shook her head. "You came to Puerto Caballo without doing any research?" She muttered darkly.
"Child." Dona Yuca didn't seem that much older than Sunset, yet she acted like she was. She flipped her newspaper, revealing the photograph of a pony with a thick mustache with metal cuffs around his hooves. "I think you just made a grave mistake coming here."
Roca Roja the leader of the Partido Socialista Popular party demand the release of Bagasse Coltstro and his compatriots.
Ponse Cocktail refuses Communist party demands.
Sunset felt her heartbeat slow as Dona Yuca returned to her newspaper unfazed by the chaos that would be reigning just outside her front door.
"You've arrived on the eve of blood."
"Has anyone tried writing to the Princesses?" The words escaped Sunset's muzzle before she could stop herself. That made Dona Yuca laugh.
"Ha! Which one? The fat one on the mountain that watches me go to sleep? The villain who watches me in my sleep?" Dona Yuca sneered. "Or the one that wants to rule the ice and snow? Why would they help us? Look at Stalliongrad!" She didn't mention Twilight, which was good.
Sunset remained silent even though hearing her hostess talk about Princess Celestia that way angered her.
"Stay indoors until morning." Dona Yuca muttered, getting up from her seat. She spat on the poster of Princess Celestia when she reached the stairs.
Sunset's stomach started to hurt, and it wasn't because she was hungry.
Author's Note
I had fun writing this. Let me know how I'm doing so far! I always appreciate constructive criticism.
Sunset didn't get much sleep that night. Even within the walls of Dona Yuca's home, the concrete did little to stop the sounds of chanting, fighting, and occasional gunfire that made Sunset flinch every time. She slept with her pistol underneath her pillow, just in case. A part of her wanted to write to Princess Twilight, explaining the situation, but what would come of it? This wasn't a job for the Elements of Harmony, and what could Twilight do? Ask Princess Celestia to send in the Royal Guard to enforce the peace?
If that happened, Puerto Caballo would end up just like Severyana, now known as Stalliongrad. Sunset had studied what happened there during her stay in Twilight's castle, and it wasn't pretty. Too many innocent ponies suffered and died for nothing. Groaning softly, Sunset stretched her back as she finished fixing her bed using her aura. Today she decided to just wear her beige hat that would've matched with her coat from the day before. She didn't want anyone to confuse her for a noble again.
Adjusting the strap of the small saddlebag, Sunset was ready to face anything! Well, almost anything. She quickly grabbed her pistol and slid it into the holster that was built inside the bag. Was Sunset insane, wanting to see more of the city despite the protest? A little, but she wanted to see what was going on with her own eyes, not hearsay and gossip.
"Why is everything Caramel Marks' fault?" Sunset mumbled under her breath, finally leaving her room to get breakfast. As brilliant as Sunset was, she always dreaded the old scholar section of her studies with Princess Celestia. Marksism, Communism, Socialism, everything branched off and was annoying to keep track of.
Retracing her steps from the previous day down the stairs, her ears caught whispers and the sound of sizzling haycakes. Avoiding the gaze from the poster of Princess Celestia, Sunset walked into the rather large dining room, which was just as decorated as the living room.
"The reds were so loud last night I couldn't sleep." A pegasus stallion with a thick Severyanian accent said. Three other ponies were already eating, their muzzles stained from the syrup. He had purple fur with a blue mane that was cut short. "I wish you'd let me take a shot at them, Boss! Just one!"
"We don't need you drawing any attention, and it'd be a waste of money." The blue-green earth pony mare with a dark blue at the head of the table shook her head. She looked a decade older than Sunset's real age, and two decades older than her physical body. She also sounded Severyanian, and paused when she caught sight of Sunset at the mouth of the passageway. "Take your hat off when you're inside, it's rude."
The gray mare, a unicorn with a pink mane sat on her other side, snorted, but remained silent, eating the fruit that was on the plate in front of her.
"Oh-uh, sorry!" Sunset's horn lit up, and floated her hat into the confines of her saddlebag. She took a seat next to the stallion who didn't even spare her a glance.
"I'm just saying." The Stallion shrugged and stuffed his mouth with his haycakes before chugging a glass of orange juice. "Red's don't like to pay up, so what are we doing here?"
"Zarca doesn't either." His Boss eyed Sunset suspiciously as she ended that conversation. Her eyebags looked heavy, like she also didn't have a good night's sleep with all the protesting going on all night. "And who are you?"
That caused her two companions to look up, both staring at the now nervous Sunset. Shooting Reds? Zarca? This felt like a conversation that wasn't meant for her ears.
"I'm Sunset Shimmer." Sunset introduced herself with a forced smile. They must've been armed if they were thinking about shooting the protestors, dangerous too. "It's a pleasure to meet y'all."
That made her sound like Applejack, it almost made her flinch.
"Boris Fioletovyy." Boris, the stallion, spoke up first. The two mares remained focused on their meals. His muzzle had a scar that went from his forehead, past his nose, down to his chin. "Equestrian huh?"
"Yup." Sunset nodded. She could hear Dona Yuca singing to herself in the kitchen from here. "You're all Severyanian right?"
The earth pony at the head of the table stopped eating, her hard eyes softening just a little.
"It's been a while since someone called us that, and not Stalliongradian." She said Stalliongradian with more venom than any snake from the Everfree Forest. "A pleasure to meet you, Sunset Shimmer."
Sunset's smile wasn't as forced as before, it was nice to see some nice ponies outside of Equestria. "You as well, uh, what's your name? If you don't mind me asking?"
The mare lifted her mug of steaming hot coffee to her lips for a long sip. She placed the mug back in its spot and cleaned her muzzle with a napkin. "My name is Alesia Snezhnaya."
That name sounded really familiar.
Alesia narrowed her eyes. "Have we met before? You look familiar"
That didn't sound good. Sunset swallowed the saliva that had built up in the back of her throat. In pony years, a decade must've passed since she first left to the human world. The Sunset of the past was an asshole to say the least. There must've been plenty of creatures that she had wronged.
"I have more food!" Dona Yuca interrupted before Sunset could get a word out. She balanced several plates on her back and gave Sunset a brief glance. "You finally decided to wake up, I see."
"Let me help! Your food is so good, it'd be a sin to let it fall on the ground." Boris jumped from his seat to help the older pony. He grabbed a few of the platters. Alesia relaxed and went back to drinking her coffee, her question hopefully forgotten.
"Such polite ponies." Dona Yuca smiled, which Sunset didn't think was possible. She placed a large plate in front of Sunset. "Eat up, hay's getting more expensive by the day."
It was hard to eat with three Severyanians staring at her the whole time.
"So, what are you doing here, Sunset Shimmer?" The Unicorn, Vera Morkov as she introduced herself, asked. With her stomach full from the heavy foods Dona Yuca had cooked, Sunset could do little to hide her anxiety.
"I'm just passing through, seeing the sights before going to Zebrica. I hear that the Zumidian coast is nice this time of year." Sunset answered. Zumidia wasn't her true destination, but she wasn't about to tell these strangers the whole truth. That was just begging to get robbed.
"You chose a bad time for that." Boris grumbled in between bites of his mango, its juices dripping down his mangled muzzle.
"I know that now." Sunset sighed, taking a long sip from her orange juice. "What about you three?"
Vera and Boris shared a strange look when Alesia answered.
"We're here on business." The blue-green earth pony finished the last of her coffee. She spoke like a noble, each word carefully chosen.
"Really? What kind of business?" Sunset was too nosy for her own good. She should've stayed quiet and allowed the conversation to die.
A pink aura surrounded the pitcher of coffee as Vera refilled Alesia's mug silently.
"International shipping and staffing, we're relatively small and new, so you wouldn't have heard of us." Alesia formed a cold smile, it didn't reach her eyes. "But I fear we may be stuck in Puerto Caballo in the foreseeable future, President Cocktail has just declared martial law. They just announced it over the radio."
Sunset's eyes turned into pinpricks. This wasn't good at all.
Maybe she should've written Princess Twilight.
Author's Note
Alesia has finally arrived! If you've read Sunset in Zebrica, then you definitely knew that she was going to show up eventually.
Breakfast was still delicious, even with Sunset's brain being prodded by her three Severyanian companions. Thankfully, Boris offered to help Dona Yuca clean the dishes which would finally allow Sunset to have a chance to digest. Dealing with two other ponies was much easier than dealing with three. Any more than that would just be a headache, and talking to more than five at once would just bring back bad memories. Sunset didn't need friends anyways, despite whatever protest Twilight threw her way. The unicorn's back was already bloodied from the five knives her 'friends' in the human world stabbed her with.
Not literally of course.
"So, what are your plans for today?" Alesia rested a hoof on the table. Sunset stopped counting how many mugs of coffee the older pony drank after the fifth time her mug was refilled. "You won't be able to explore as freely with the Guard and protestors clashing in the streets."
Sunset's grimace was hard to hide. She'd hate to have to cut her stay here short, but she also didn't want to get stuck in the middle of a war. Writing to Princess Twilight would most likely just be a waste of time, as much as Sunset wanted to.
"I'll probably see if they're letting ships leave the docks." Sunset shrugged, wiping her muzzle with a floating napkin. Sunset didn't pay Dona Yuca much anyways, so she wasn't going to try and get a refund if she managed to leave early.
Alesia nodded slowly, tapping her hoof against the table lightly. "I shall go with you." It was a demand, not a request.
"Huh?" The sound escaped before Sunset could even think. She really didn't trust these Severyanians, with their talks of shooting the protests last night, Reds and the Zarca guy. This wasn't going to end with Sunset dead in some dark, forgotten alleyway right?
"What? Why?" Vera had an easier time putting her thoughts into words. She gave her Boss a weird look. "I'll go with you!"
"To ensure that the docks remain open of course." Alesia answered easily. "And no, you're to stay here with Boris and ensure that our other venture proceeds smoothly."
Vera looked like she wanted to protest, but a harsh glare quickly killed any chance she had at disagreeing. "Very well."
Alesia's cold smile returned. "And besides, we don't want to draw too much attention. Isn't that right, Sunset Shimmer?"
Sunset really didn't like the way she pronounced her name.
The former human forced a smile onto her muzzle. "Of course."
It was quiet outside, unlike yesterday when the streets around Dona Yuca's house were crowded and full of life. Today everything looked deserted, with nopony in sight. Even the old stallion who sat on his porch was missing. It made Sunset feel on edge, she felt like somepony, or someone was watching her. Alesia looked undisturbed, with her head held high as they trotted down the old street. The older mare had worn a light green jacket that blended well with the color of her coat.
They were five minutes into their walk, when Alesia finally broke the silence.
"You're from Canterlot." Alesia said slowly, casually even. She said it like she already knew the answer.
Sunset sighed internally. She was starting to get tired of people guessing where she was from. "It's the accent isn't it?"
Why was everypony focused on accents here?! Equestria, granted Puerto Caballo was its own country, wasn't like this when Sunset left all those years ago! She did remember Blueblood mentioning something about Sunset talking like a poor person back at the Royal Military Academy. Afterwards, the young prince mysteriously tripped, fell into a muddy puddle in public which ruined his pristine white coat and reputation for a while. He never brought up such a thing again. The mental image made Sunset want to laugh, but she managed to just barely keep her composure.
"That's just part of it." Alesia answered cooly. "Your hat is from an expensive boutique in the upper levels. Nopony outside of nobles are able to afford it. Your accent just confirms it."
Sunset suddenly felt very self conscious. She'd have to double check the rest of her clothing and hats, some of which were gifts from Twilight and her friends.
"It's a gift from a friend." Was Sunset's only defense. It was the truth too. She eyed a glint of metal from beneath Alesia's collar out of the corner of her eye.
"There's no shame in admitting you come from a noble family, as long as you remember to care for those beneath you." Alesia continued, ignoring Sunset.
"I'm not a noble." Sunset sighed loudly. "I'm an orphan." Everyone assuming that she was a noble was getting on her nerves.
Alesia raises an eyebrow as they turn the corner. This street was as empty as the last. "Celestia's Home for Lost Foals?"
"Yup." That was the only orphanage worth mentioning in Canterlot, and had been Sunset's home for the first couple years of her life, until Princess Celestia found her.
Alesia seemed to relax just a tad. "I see. I heard that a few foals from there managed to gain entrance into Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. That's quite a feat, considering how difficult the entrance exam is."
"It's much easier than you would think." Sunset's ears twitched. The closer they got to the docks, the more noise started to flow through the air. She shared a glance with Alesia, who had also picked up the noise. They continued walking, speeding up their pace ever so slightly.
"What do you mean, 'easier than you would think'?" Alesia said, causing Sunset to pause midstep.
Buck.
"I applied to the School for Gifted Unicorns and the Royal Military Academy." Sunset shrugged, avoiding Alesia's eyes. Nopony needed to know that she used to be Princess Celestia's student. "I attended both with a scholarship, it beat being stuck in the orphanage hoping that my cutie mark could land me a job in the future, so I spent all my time studying."
Alesia narrowed her eyes, but nodded approvingly. "I used to serve in the Royal Guard."
Sunset's breath got caught in her throat. Alesia was old enough to have served in the castle when she was still Celestia's student. Was that where dhe recognized Sunset from? Did she know everything? Or was she playing dumb to find out more information?
"Why did you leave?" Sunset asked. The noise was getting louder, and her nose was starting to catch a faint whiff of the sea.
"The Stalliongrad Revolution." Alesia's neutral voice hardened. The streets started to show more signs of life, with a pony here and there. They stared at the duo cautiously. The noise intensified.
"Y-You fought in it?" Sunset winced. The noise sounded like a symphony of shouting, even this far from the docks.
Alesia scoffed, glaring at a little colt that drew a bit too close with a soccer ball. He quickly backed off. "I fought the Reds, not with them."
They finally reached the main road that sat on top of a small hill and stopped in their tracks. The road that was within eyesight of the docks was filled to the brim with ponies, griffons and other creatures. Sunset even spotted a minotaur or two carrying expensive looking bags.
Everyone was trying to flood the docks, where a large barricade was placed right at the front entrance. Ponies and other creatures tried pushing their way to the ships, only to be repulsed by the dozens, if not a hundred soldiers in dark green uniforms that guarded the docks, their weapons at the ready.
Yet, that wasn't what caught Sunset's attention, nor was it the agitation and fear that was clearly felt in the air.
It was the cruiser that sat in the bay of Puerto Caballo.
"Well, Sunset Shimmer, it looks like none of us are going to be able to leave soon." Alesia formed a grin, which Sunset didn't think was even possible. It nearly made her spine shiver. "Let's head back before a riot starts, I've already learned everything I need to know."
Sunset tore her eyes away from the heavy cruiser and nodded.
"Let's go."
Author's Note
If you have any OCs that you think would fit the story, send me personal message on here or discord.
The alleyways leading back to Dona Yuca's house were still as empty as before, though there were more signs of life. Only a hoof full of ponies were out and about, and they all looked as guarded as Sunset was. It was understandable, with the city ready to erupt into full out war at any given moment. Sunset could literally feel the stares the ponies hiding in their homes sent her way.
"You must be a smart little unicorn." Alesia said, breaking the silence. She looked unusually relaxed, as if they were walking through the most guarded street in Canterlot, under the view of Princess Celestia. "What course were you assigned in the RMA?"
Of course Alesia would be more interested in Sunset's time at the Royal Military Academy, classes there were smaller since it was expensive, and she was a former guardsmare. It wouldn't hurt to tell her right?
"Engineering and Command." Sunset answered easily. They were about ten to fifteen minutes away from Dona Yuca's house by this point. With the port being full of creatures trying to escape, and a city on the verge of civil war, there wasn't much she could do in her spare time.
"Impressive, that must've been some scholarship." Alesia's eyes drifted towards the opening alleyway a few feet ahead. She narrowed her eyes. "The command course is the hardest ome to get accepted into, unless you're a noble."
Sunset winced. That was true, most of the ponies that attended command came from noble families. Most of the RMA classes she shared with Blueblood came from that course. She liked to think that they had a working, professional relationship by the time Sunset rebelled against the Princess and escaped into the human world. The spoiled Prince was one of the few ponies she could have actually called a friend.
"It was a very generous scholarship." Sunset defended herself. Balancing her schoolwork between the RMA and the School for Gifted Unicorns took a lot out of her, physically, emotionally, and mentally, but it would've been worth it if she had been able to make Princess Celestia proud.
She rarely did.
"So you say." They passed the alleyway without any issues. Alesia looked bored now. "With all your talents, what are you doing here? I'm sure there's more to it than Zumidian beaches."
Sunset eyed Alesia out of the corner of her eyes. The earth pony was unusually curious, it didn't match what little the unicorn had seen of her personality. Was she trying to figure out who Sunset truly was? Or was she just trying to make a new friend?
"I'm just trying to find out who I really am." Sunset said neutrally. That was a good enough answer that wouldn't reveal too much. She barely knew the older mare after all.
Alesia raised a lone eyebrow just as they turned the corner where Dona Yuca's street was. "You already have your cutie mark-"
She was interrupted by the sound of several loud cracks, causing Sunset's eyes to widen. She knew that sound, Sunset heard them almost every night back in the warehouse she called jlme in the human world.
"Gunfire." Alesia's thick accent made her voice sound even more grim. Yet, when Sunset twisted her head to look at the mare, all she found was a cold, hard smile on Alesia's muzzle. "Let us hurry, I need to hear what's on the radio."
Alesia trotted just a tad bit faster while Sunset stumbled behind her, nearly tripping on thin air.
"Nononononono." Sunset mumbled under her breath. This wasn't good!
She was going to be caught in the middle of a war zone!
Easy Move groaned softly as he buried himself deeper into his bed for the night, well day technically. He had to cover his muzzle with his blankets to prevent Princess Celestia's sun from glaring into his eyes. It wasn't everyday he got to sleep into a bed that wasn't shifting every couple seconds, or rocking like it did on the ERNS Radiance, his Blueblood-class battlecruiser. Admiral Cynosura was still pissed off that the idiot Prince managed to convince his aunt's to name what had been their latest design after himself. The lucky bastard hadn't even stepped onboard one.
The dark blue stallion giggled as he buried his muzzle in his pillow, slightly drooling. The Spa Island's were always nice this time of year, and Easy Move always enjoyed his time ashore in the new naval base in Southpoint. Somepony knocked on his door loudly, causing the earth pony to groan, covering his ears with his slobbered pillow.
They knocked again, pounding on the door even louder. Easy Move squeezed his head as hard as he could without hurting himself. They knocked again, causing him to groan even louder.
"Who is it!?" Easy Move shouted, rubbing his eyes. He blinked a few times to get rid of the blurriness. His red eyes glared at the door.
"It's Captain Ivy Twirl, sir." A muffled mare's voice came from the gap where the floor met the door. Oh, it was the captain of his flagship, the Radiance.
"What is it?" Easy Move shouted again, getting up from his bed. There was no way he was going to be able to keep sleeping if she was the one that was annoying him. He made his way to his closet, pulling his uniform.
"Orders from Naval Command, sir." Captain Twirl said. Her voice was quieter this time, but Easy Move's ears were still able to catch it.
"More pirates to catch." Easy Move grumbled under his breath, dressing himself with the utmost precision. He slicked his dark hair back, finishing the knot on his tie. "It's just a waste of taxpayer money."
Easy Move's black jacket slid on easily, leaving the final piece of his uniform, and his favorite. His officer's hat was carefully placed on his head at just the right angle to ensure that it always looked straight. He made his way to the door, unlocking it, revealing the green pegasus that decided to interrupt his sleep.
"Rear Admiral Easy Move, Sir!" Captain Ivy Twirl saluted. She was already in uniform, and had a serious look on her muzzle.
"At ease Captain." Easy Move scooted past her, taking a right down the hall. He was going to need breakfast and coffee before dealing with whatever Naval Command wanted from him. To the mess hall! Ivy Twirl fell in, walking beside him. "What does Cynosura want now?"
"Puerto Caballo's fallen into civil unrest." Captain Twirl started, interrupting Easy Move's yawn. Civil unrest in Puerto Caballo? It wasn't unheard of, it was an open secret amongst the south islands that Buckio Buckista replaced the president whenever he felt like it. "Princess Celestia has commanded the Navy to help evacuate the ponies fleeing."
Which means Cynosura wanted him to handle it.
"Just to evacuate?" Easy Move kept his head aimed straight forward. "Or does she want the ERN to restore order?"
Even if Puerto Caballo was still an independent nation, Equestria still had the final say in most matters. And it wasn't like they had a ship that could threaten his fleet, the Radiance alone should be enough to cow them into submission.
"Just to evacuate, sir." Ivy Twirl's left eye twitched. Hm, it looked like she was hoping for more action. Did she want to move up the ranks?
"I see, so the Princess doesn't wish for another Stalliongrad." Easy Move said out loud, nodding slowly. That made sense, with how much of a disaster that was for the Royal Guard. It would take a week to get there, maybe less if they pushed their ships engines to the max. "Prepare the fleet, I want all ships ready to sail within two hours, except the Sunny, it's still being repaired, correct?" That should give him enough time to grab a real breakfast.
"Yes sir." Captain Twirl nodded curtly.
"Have the shipyard focus on the repairs." Easy Move sped up to a trot. Ivy Twirl matched his speed. "And have the base on red alert until we return, or until I send a transmission."
"Very well, sir!" Ivy Twirl saluted him and broke off at the next intersection. Easy Move's shoulders sagged the moment she was out of view. Celestia and Luna, he really hated the sea.
Hopefully this operation would be completed soon.
Author's Note
Easy Move is an OC from JahJah. Thank you for letting me use him!
I commissioned this picture of Sunset in her future uniform
"My beloved ponies of Puerto Caballo." The sound from Dona Yuca's old radio sounded like it was gargling, but the words were clear enough for Sunset's ears. "Marksism is a hateful thing, and a menace to peace and our organized government. Roca Roja and his band of red rebels have threatened the safety and sovereignty of our nation." The President's voice was hard and cold. "They demanded the release of Bagasse Coltstro and his fellow murderers, and undermined our harmonic values by assaulting El Sol prison to free their captured comrades."
Sunset stared at the radio intently as if there was a screen, her jaw clenched. Each word that came from the radio made her breakfast sit in her stomach like a rock.
"And now they wish to overthrow our country? I will not allow this to happen! I, Ponse Cocktail, call upon all able-bodied ponies and creatures to rise up and defeat this Red menace by any means necessary. As of yesterday, the Partido Socialista Popular has been officially disbanded by order of the Puerto Caballian government. Party members will be taken into custody until further notice."
Sunset gave Alesia a side glance, who was listening silently with a cold, thin smile on her muzzle. She seemed pleased, as if she had expected all of this to happen.
"I have authorized the deployment of the Royal Guard to deal with these rebels with extreme prejudice." President Cocktail said darkly. "I have full confidence that Royal Captain Buckista will be able to bring these ponies to justice!"
The President stopped speaking, pausing as what must've been the ponies in the room clapped and cheered, stomping their hooves on the ground. Sunset pressed her lips into a thin line. The applause stopped after a few seconds.
"Martial law has been extended until the communist threat has ended." This time a different pony spoke, another stallion judging by his deep voice. It must've been this Buckista pony. "If you are caught out on the streets after six o'clock in the evening, you will be taken into questioning and dealt with. Rest assured, the Puerto Caballian Guard will keep the peace. Tourists that wish to leave Puerto Caballo, may do so upon the three ships that shall leave port every day, after a thorough inspection."
"The only good communist, is a dead one." Alesia muttered under her breath as she turned off the radio since the speech ended. Sunset nearly winced, but managed to keep her composure. It was understandable that Alesia would feel that way, she had to fight her fellow ponies in the Stalliongradian Revolution. How many friends and family members did she have to see die or turn against Equestria?
Dona Yuca nodded from her rocking chair a few feet away. "I'd rather deal with the Princesses than the PSP. They'll just make a mess of things."
Alesia turned her head towards the even older mare. "Rest assured, Dona Yuca, I will remember your hospitality." She gave the other earth pony a cold smile, it didn't reach her eyes like usual. Alesia turned to the still silent Sunset. "What do you think, Sunset Shimmer?"
"I studied Marksism back in Canterlot, as part of my curriculum." Sunset answered slowly. "While it does make some points, I don't think it would work on a large scale, ever. Most ponies would let the power go to their head, and that would just lead to more violence."
Like she had during her brief 'reign' of Canterlot High. There always had to be somepony at the top, whether good or bad. "Marksism will never succeed, at least, not in the long term."
"I see." Alesia seemed satisfied with Sunset's answer, for now at least. The Unicorn really didn't want to be here any longer than she had to, and with the port being full of ponies and other creatures she had to escape, Sunset's options were limited.
"It's almost six, do you think your friends are going to be able to make it back?" Sunset's eyes drifted towards the old grandfather clock at the far end of the living room.
Alesia's muzzle remained indifferent. "It does not matter to me, they both know how to handle themselves-"
"Six!" Dona Yuca interrupted. She practically jumped off of her rocking chair and trotted away quickly, leaving the two mares alone. "I need to start cooking dinner."
An awkward silence filled the void that was left by the radio.
"I'll uh, be in my room until dinner's ready." Sunset quickly said. She finally made up her mind after hearing President Cocktail's speech, and there was no point in not telling Twilight, even if she wasn't able to do anything. Alesia remained silent and nodded, making her way towards one of the bookshelves.
Sunset left without another word.
Dear Princess Twilight. Sunset bit her bottom lip as she held her pencil with her magical aura. It was hard, trying to form her thoughts into actual words. She kept writing. How have you been? I managed to arrive in Puerto Caballo safely a day ago.
Yeah, that was a good start.
I haven't gotten a chance to look around the tourist spots yet due to the political unrest that's enveloping the island. Puerto Caballo's on the verge of civil war, and ponies and other creatures are trying to escape.
Sunset's writing got easier the more she 'talked'. She wasn't going to ask Twilight to help her escape, Sunset's pride wouldn't let her. She got herself into this mess, and she would get herself out of it.
I'm not sure if the news has reached Ponyville yet, but President Cocktail has declared martial law until all of the rebels have been defeated. I'm sure you're worried, but I can handle myself. I'll keep you updated if things change.
Your friend, Sunset Shimmer.
That would be good enough for now, they were in different time zones after all. Sunset flinched when the loud sound of a crack filled the air, another gunshot. The slums of Puerto Caballo seemed to be where most of the communist supporters were at. Dona Yuca's hostel was right on the edge of it too. Sunset quickly closed her journal and hid it in one of her bags.
Just in case.
Sunset was pretty sure she wasn't going to be able to sleep tonight, depending if the Guard ended up fighting any rebels that may be hiding in the slums, if they were even here. Puerto Caballo was a pretty large island, and there were several cities.
"I really should've taken that direct ship to Zumidia." Sunset mumbled under her breath. She could smell the food coming from Dona Yuca's kitchen now. Well, it was time for dinner then. Dona Yuca was a great cook.
Sunset sighed as she left her room. Hopefully Twilight would respond soon.
Author's Note
Time to slowly escalate
Sunset Shimmer was an interesting unicorn, in Alesia’s opinion at the very least. A former student from Princess Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns and a former student from the Equestrian Royal Military Academy in Puerto Caballo at the onset of its revolution? And ended up staying in the same hostel as herself? Now that was too much of a coincidence to be taken seriously. Alesia sat in the living room of Dona Yuca’s hostel, a fresh cup of coffee in her hooves. It was a Puerto Caballian specialty, and one of the few luxuries that she allowed herself to partake in. In small quantities of course, caffeine was still a drug like smokeleaf that could grow addicting. She wasn’t a simpleton that would turn into an addict.
Alesia took a small sip of the hot black liquid. She’d have to contact a few of her former subordinates that still served in the Guard in Canterlot to find out if Sunset Shimmer wasn’t lying, but that would honestly take too long. Alesia would be long gone from Dona Yuca’s hostel by the time an answer arrived. That would be a waste of paper.
“Would you like more coffee, Dona Alesia?” Dona Yuca asked, her tone respectful. She eyed Alesia’s half empty mug indiscreetly. The mare had been a good host during their stay here. She always knew to remain silent during Alesia’s more clandestine conversations with her subordinates, or at the very least, knew that she had to act like she was deaf to not do something unfortunate.
“No, thank you.” Alesia finished the last of her coffee with a few small sips. “This should be enough for me.”
Dona Yuca nodded. “I left dinner out for your two friends, it’ll be cold when they come back, but they’ll have something to eat.” The slightly older mare always went to sleep early, to wake up early the next day to start breakfast.
“I am sure they will appreciate it.” Alesia said dryly. She didn’t particularly care if Boris or Vera ate, as long as they were able to fight when needed. The two were out running ‘errands’ that would be essential for the rest of their stay in Puerto Caballo. They wouldn’t return until the dead of the night if everything went well.
Dona Yuca offered a practiced smile. “I’ll be turning in for the night. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to ask.”
A moot offer, Alesia wasn’t a glutton that would need a full meal during the nighttime.
“Unneeded, but you have my thanks.” Alesia tilted her head forward, dismissing the hostel host. Dona Yuca left without another word, disappearing up the stairs, leaving Alesia alone in the living room.
Sunset Shimmer was also in her room, disappearing as soon as dinner was finished. If everything that she claimed about herself was true, then she would be a fine addition to Alesia’s company. She was always in need of competent creatures, and engineers.
Alesia was going to need one if she was to complete her newest contract. Ponse Cocktail and his Partido Armónico de los Caballos may have held most of the power in Puerto Caballo, but they were far from the only political party that had support. Roca Roja and his Reds had been one of their political opponents, and with the spread of Marksism, they had quickly gained support from the poorer ponies who had been left behind by the government. They were nothing more than an infestation that needed to be purged.
Alesia placed her mug on the nearby coffee table with ease. President Cocktail and Royal Captain Bucktista’s ousting of the Partido Socialista Popular had scared the other parties, who were trying to gather their own support for protection. Desperate ponies lead to looser wallets. Everypony was trying to outbid the other to gain control of Alesia’s mercenaries. She’d support any of them, for the right price of course. Even the Reds if they had the money, though she’d make sure their revolutionaries would take the brunt of the casualties.
Alesia’s muzzle formed a small, thin, and cold smile that was barely visible. Conflict was a way to climb the ladder of society, and was an excuse to cleanse the world of communist. Puerto Caballo was nothing more than a playground. Her ears twitched, catching the sound of steps coming down the stairs. She caught a flash of orange out of the corner of her eye.
“Sunset Shimmer.” Alesia said simply. The unicorn hesitated for a second, before taking the seat at the far side of the room. They were still close enough to talk without raising their voices. “I assumed you were asleep.”
“I’m too nervous to be tired.” Sunset admitted. She refused to meet Alesia’s eyes. “What about you? Worried about your friends?”
The curfew had been in effect for several hours now.
“No.” Her subordinates were not her friend, but Alesia did trust them more than the average pony. Vera and Boris had served under her during the war in Severyana. “They know how to take care of themselves.”
Sunset pursed her lips together, and nodded slowly, remaining silent.
“Are you looking for employment?” Alesia asked. She had a pistol hidden in her room, along with a few Lila rifles that Vera and Boris used. If Sunset refused Alesia’s offer, then her silence must be ensured.
“You’re offering me a job?” Sunset blinked several times.
“Yes.” Alesia leaned back against her seat, to appear more casual. “With the unrest in Puerto Caballo, I’m sure you’ll run low on funds by the time we’ll be allowed to leave, even with bits being worth more here.”
“Why?” Sunset Shimmer looked confused. She asked too many questions, which was a good and a bad trait to have.
“My company could use someone with your expertise.” If Sunset was lying about her education, Alesia would ensure she wouldn’t live to see the next day.
Sunset’s forehead tensed up as she narrowed her eyes in thought. She remained silent for a few seconds before she finally answered. “You’re a weapons dealer, aren’t you?”
A close enough answer, Alesia did sell some weapons on the side after all.
“From a certain point of view.” Alesia shrugged. “I ensure that ponies and creatures are able to protect themselves.” It wasn’t a total lie.
Sunset licked her lips nervously. Did she realize that there would be certain consequences if she answered incorrectly?
“I’ll have to think about it.” Sunset said carefully.
“In three days we’ll be departing for the countryside, that should be enough time.” Alesia said. Now that was a lie, but a necessary one. She wasn’t going to give a potential security threat, her real plans. The Severyanian was also taking a risk here.
“G-Got it.”
It was just business.
Author's Note
Sorry this took so long! Writing Alesia’s POV was a bit harder than I expected and I was on vacation in South Korea.
