Incarnate: Conversations

Chapters

This Conversation was Unavoidable
Because I Can
You're Not Good at Being Bad and That's Okay
The Importance of Trust
Who Are You?
Forever Young
Invictus
Pull Me Back from the Edge
Paved With Good Intentions

This Conversation was Unavoidable

One month after the portal to Equestria was destroyed. 22 years before new Lunar Lock Mirror restoration.

Sunset Shimmer pulled into the parking lot of Crabs, We Got’em and carefully maneuvered to the side lot near the lake where signs had been placed to reserve spaces for motorcycles only. Normally, she would have put Shadow in the back somewhere so that no one would accidently strike her baby, but Sunset had been informed ahead of time that the restaurant was a favorite for motorcyclist because of the accommodations. As Celestia had once told her many years ago, one does not refuse thoughtful accommodations.

The redhead removed her helmet and shook out her hair, thankful that even with all the other body changes she had recently undergone that her helmet still fit just fine. It had been expensive and custom painted with gold and red flames.
It would have been a shame to have to give it up or trade it out. A truth she had been dealing with nearly all her other clothes that were all too tight. At least the girls, especially Rarity, had been eager to assist. She smiled at the memory of their faces after their fashionista friend had taken Sunset's new measurements, dropping her tape measure and whined, "Even supermodels don't have proportions this perfect! It's... it's not fair!." Sunset had shrugged and laughed it off at the time, but the declaration made more sense after they hit a few stores.

Sunset dismounted and stored her head gear and gloves, taking a moment to dust off her casual attire. The black denim jeans were a recent purchase from a thrift shop and the holes in the knees were not as much for style as function because they had been a little on the tight side. Without the holes she would not have been able to fully bend her legs. Her favorite cropped jacket, which had always been a little big, was now snug and did little to conceal her chest that was stretching out her plain green, v-neck tank top. Rarity had donated a pair of old riding boots that had been used for a costume once… by her father. Sunset Shimmer noted she was nearly as tall as him now and could in all likelihood bench press the man if she so felt inclined to do so.

She had only been discharged from the hospital for a week after a remarkably short amount of time under care and observation considering the injuries she had sustained, but not soon enough in Sunset’s opinion. The doctors were asking too many questions and took far too many samples, both tissue and blood, for her liking to run tests on. Twilight Sparkle had been confident and reassuring they would not find any anomalies or discrepancies of note with the equipment at their disposal. Sunset trusted Twilight on that with her life… and that was not just a metaphor. If they did find anything unusual it was likely the FBI or worse would be coming by to ask questions again. And she doubted even Pinkie Pie could run interference all the time… not that she wouldn’t try. And that was assuming an unmarked van did not just drive up and attempt to bag and drug her for an 'off the books' chit chat.

Sunset shook that chilling thought from her mind. None of those concerns really mattered at the moment, however. It was just Sunset’s mind trying to distract her from why she was currently beyond city limits and at a lakeside seafood restaurant and bar to begin with. It was not terribly far from Canterlot City, but she certainly had never been to it before. Though she had been to the lake before, albeit to the camp, miles away on the other side. Sunset pulled out her phone and shot off a quick text to Twilight, as promised, before the thought slipped her mind.

Twilight wanted to come. The two had talked about it for more than an hour, nearly causing the pros versus cons markerboards to come out, but in the end, Sunset had just made the decision to meet him by herself because she was the only one he had asked for. He had even gone as far to text Sunset directly instead of through Twilight. Possibly in an attempt to avoid the back and forth that had occurred. Or, possibly, because he was not ready to see Twilight again just yet. Even if he had assured her and said, ‘no hard feelings’ upon their last conversation. That was something Sunset could ask if she felt it needed to be brought up. Assuming things did not turn ugly or uncouth. My mind is really in speculation overdrive right now.

Sunset’s phone pinged and she read the reply Twilight had sent. It was a simple thank you for keeping her informed and a request for Sunset to call her later no matter how late it was. That brought a warm, pleasant smile to Sunset’s face. Their new relationship was still giving Sunset the ‘warm and fuzzies’ as some liked to call it and it really did feel amazing to be able to introduce or describe Twilight Sparkle as her ‘girlfriend.’ As she had done the other night when the new couple had sat down for dinner with Twilight’s family. Sure, they had eaten together before. Sunset was not one to turn down an invitation from her best friend for free food by one of the best home cooks she had experienced outside of a castle. Mrs. Twilight Velvet was culinary master and that was not even what her degrees were in! Sunset had even gone as far as to tell Twilight's mother she could put most of those chefs to shame on the cooking shows she had seen from time to time. It had been a great icebreaker. One they had both needed.

With Sunset by her side, Twilight Sparkle had taken her girlfriend's hand and kissed the back of it. It was in that moment, with Twilight's father arching his brow curiously that she had elected to come clean to her parents on her sexual preference in case they had any objections or concerns considering the two would be moving at the end of August to California to attend college. Despite some anxiety and concerns and much needed explanations and clarifications, Velvet and Night Light were more than happy to grant their blessings and wished them the best of luck going forward while also reminding them both that school was still their top priority. Not that either girl needed such a reminder.

However, that left one last loose end to tie up before the summer came to an end.

Sunset climbed the wooden stairs to the outdoor bar/table patio where she found Timber Spruce sitting at one of the tables near the rail. At least he remembered that I can’t legally sit at the bar even if I probably look over twenty-one now.

The young man with curly green hair waved at Sunset Shimmer, a dorky smile on his face that eased the anxiety knotting her stomach a few notches. Sunset understood many of the reasons Twilight had been so smitten with the Camp Everfree counselor and co-owner. Timber was handsome, had great toothy smile, a strong, decent build without being ripped like a pro athlete, and was strangely charming in his own quirky way. He had, in truth, managed to help Twilight realize that she was dateable (she had quietly swore more than once no one wanted to date a nerd like her) and helped her realize her own heart and desires better. For those things and the fact that he never hurt her, Sunset would always be grateful to the young man… even if it still kind of creeped her out that he had been hitting on campers to begin with. Thankfully, that uncomfortable ship had long since sailed and was no longer an issue. What was possibly still an issue was why they were meeting. News got around and Timber found out Twilight was no longer single. Twilight’s ex-boyfriend insisted he have a chance to speak with her current girlfriend. And now, they were face to face.

Sunset paused for a moment and considered how she should play this. She had a few options at her disposal. She could do the tough girl/bitch routine, lots of hard glances and piercing stares. She could be aloof and bored, maintain a poker face and see what was Timber’s game. Or…

Sunset stepped up to the table, placed one hand on her hip, arched her eyebrow, and said with a sassy smirk, “You called?”

Timber stood and then paused. His hand went to his chin as he examined the woman before him. Sunset could tell he was clearly caught off guard. “Um… don’t take this the wrong way, but did you have some surgery done recently? You seem… bigger than I remember.”

Sunset arched her brow further. The dude has some balls on him, I'll give him that. “Seriously? My eyes are up here, Timber.”

“Taller! I meant taller!”

“I had a growth spurt.”

“Right, yes. That… wait, really?”

Sunset grabbed a chair, spun it around backwards, and straddled it in a way Applejack would have appreciated. She gestured for the young man to sit, which he did immediately. “Yes, really. Mostly magically related, but you didn’t call me here just to talk about me and my changes I assume.”

“Um, no I guess not.” Timber paused to rub the back of his neck. “Do you want something to eat, or a soda or something? Feels weird to sit here and only have a drink.”

“I’m good. But what I would really like is to get to the point. Your text didn't give me much to work with and I don’t mean to be rude, it’s just Twilight and I have a lot still to do and not a lot of time left to get things squared away before the cross country move.”

Timber’s eyes were suddenly downcast, staring into his bubbling brown drink that may or may not have been mixed with something stronger. Sunset was unsure if that was good or bad. He did not smell drunk and her nose was sensitive enough to pick that up considering all the other scents that wafted by. What she was sure of was that the beverage did not contain the secrets of the universe no matter how hard he stared into it. With a sigh, followed by a sizable gulp of his drink, Timber started over with far less of his chipper, silly charm.

“I knew you two were busy and that Twilight would be moving away soon. Well, both of you, since you are going together, that is. That was why I needed to see you now. I… shit. Let me start over from the top." Another large gulp. "Twilight told you everything, right? You two always talked about everything, like every single day.”

Sunset shrugged. “More or less. I didn't pry for details, but by everything I assume you mean about how your date and night at the hotel went, yes?”

Timber grimaced and nodded. “I… Well, right away I want you to know I didn’t hurt her. I went slow and took my time to make sure she was comfortable. I, I tried to do everything right, by the book, as Twilight would say.”

The mental image that Twilight Sparkle likely had book called, “How to properly have your first sexual experience,” and made Timber read it cover to cover brought a smile to Sunset’s face. The smile must have been pleasant and disarming because when her focus returned to the young man across from her Sunset noticed he was more at ease and smiling too.

“I made you smile,” Timber said with more than a little relief. “You probably have no idea how hard that is for me to do.”

“I’m sorry if I always came across as a stone cold bitch. It's a character persona I can slip into pretty easily. Sometimes without even trying. It's not personal.”

“It’s not that, you were cool, still are. I guess, somewhere in the back of my head I always worried you were the competition, even if you did not realize it yourself. She talked about you ALL THE TIME. It didn’t bother me at first, you’re her best friend and I understood that. But then it started to feel weird. Like she HAD to keep you in the loop even if it was stuff that I thought was 'couples' stuff. She was always concerned what you would think about something she was wearing or if we went somewhere she would say, ‘I bet Sunset would love to see this,’ or whatnot.” Timber paused to take another long sip, glass nearly drained to the bottom. “I loved her. Or I tried to, at least. With all my heart. I have spent so long over the past month trying figure out what I did wrong. I just... I...”

Sunset, without hesitation, leaned forward and reached across the table to take Timber Spruce by the hand. She may have lost her geode necklace and magical empathy powers, but that did not mean she was incapable of being empathetic. Sometimes something as little as friendly touch could convey more than a five paragraph persuasive paper. Twilight might disagree and could write a five paragraph persuasive paper on why if she so felt inclined. Timber, however, jumped. Momentarily surprised by the sudden contact, but then smiled. Taking the fingers inside his own and giving them a little squeeze of appreciation. He took a deep breath that settled his rambling thoughts. These two really did have a lot in common. They would have been a great couple. Perhaps in another universe... but not this one.

“Timber, you did nothing wrong. Get that out of your head right now. Neither of you did anything wrong. It is possible to do everything right, to do it to the best of your ability, and still come up empty. That's not weakness or divine punishment or anything to blame yourself for. That’s just life. It's a reality check lesson that was as hard for me to learn when I was young. Even now I sometimes have to be reminded of that. The point is, Twilight needed to figure out who she was and what her heart was telling her. We were just there to help her solve that puzzle and yes, because I can see the question in your eyes, I love her with all my heart and have loved her for a long time now.”

Timber nodded and smiled thinly. He finished his drink and let out a massive sigh of both relief and melancholy. The young man drummed his hands on the table for a moment before slipping some bills under his glass and stood up. “Well, I guess that’s that then. I mean, I thought about yelling at you or blaming you for interfering or sabotaging our relationship, but after hearing you out and listening to it all, you were right. This was Twilight’s choice and I love and respect her too much to be that kind of guy. Just… just take care of her, for both of us, you know? That's all I can ask.”

Sunset stood as well and signaled Timber to come closer. Sunset wrapped the man in a hug. If he enjoyed the feeling of her body pressed to his more than he should, well, he earned the pleasant comfort, she thought. “I will. And it’s not the end, just so you know. I'm certain Twilight would love for the two of you to stay friends, so please don’t just fade away after all of this. Text her, call sometimes, make her laugh like only you can because I know there will be times she will need that and we both know you can do it.”

Timber nodded and straightened his beanie. “I can do that. It’s nice to hear that I’m still wanted and needed and that after I've had some time that we can still be friends.”

Sunset shot him the finger guns. “I completely understand.”

“From most people that just sounds like a throwaway line, but I get the feeling you really do.”

Sunset tapped her chin a moment and then made a choice. She pulled out her phone and shot Twilight a message that she would be hanging out longer and would call her after dark. She then tapped Timber on the shoulder and gestured to the table again. “Hey, if you're up for it how about we order something to eat and drink since we're already here. I’m not ready to leave just yet and I want to tell you a story.”

“You know you don’t have to.”

“I know. But I want to.” Timber nodded and smiled, sitting back down. Sunset took off her jacket and hung in on the back of her chair, flipping it around to sit like most everyone else. “Let me tell you a little story about when I was young and I had my first crush. She was a cutie, that's for sure. She worked for my mom in the castle I grew up in.”

“Wait, what? You lived in a castle?”

Sunset blinked, then grinned sheepishly. Some context was clearly going to be required. “Right, maaaaybe I need to clarify a few things about me that were purposely being omitted for my protection. Don't feel bad, I asked Twilight and all my friends to keep that secret. Since you’re a friend too I should let you in on a few things about me and my past. It will probably give you some much belated clarity about what happened at camp and to your sister a few years ago. Do you want to order a hard drink? You're old enough. You might want one after I get going. Anyhow, let me start at the beginning. Once upon a time in a land far different from what you see around us there lived two Royal Sisters…”

Author's Note

I felt that since I had Twilight and Sunset come together so soon after she broke up with Timber he would have eventually found out and had questions. For anyone who has ever had their Ex immediately start dating another you can understand how that would feel and the not so pleasant ideas that would slither their way into your thoughts.

To clarify, I don't hate Timber. I don't particularly care for the character, but that has more to the fact of how they used him, how they all but forced him and Twi together and the many, MANY red flags at having a councilor flirting with a camper who is clearly younger than him even if only by a year or two. I know for me it was a question of, how many other girls has he attempted this routine with? Still I didn't want him to be a dick.

And for my story notes he actually hung out with Twi and Sunset a lot as adults. Aurora Shimmer even named one of her kids 'Timber' in his honor because he was a family friend, Timber Hill.

Until next time!

Because I Can

3 months after the portal to Equestria was destroyed. 22 years before the new Lunar Lock Mirror restoration.

Twilight Sparkle entered her apartment and set her keys down in the bowl near the door. Correction, she thought, our apartment. She was not alone. She had a roommate. Not just any roommate, however…

Twilight smiled serenely, took in a deep breath, and sighed happily. She was a high school graduate, valedictorian, with an impressive transcript and list of extra curricular activities, and character references from principals, small business owners and Canterlot City's mayor. Which had all served her well in getting through the door to her selected college and scholarships to help with finances. Still, a roommate helped further with said expenses, plus companionship in case Twilight started to slip back into her old habit of locking herself away in a lab for days on end.

She was now living away from the only home she had ever known on the other side of the country in her first apartment and was living with her best friend who also happened to be her girlfriend. An added bonus like no other, she thought. Those delightful realities combined with the sight of said individual stretched out on their couch with a game controller in hands, eyes still glued to the TV, brought it all back to the forefront that this was all, in fact, real. No pinch required.

Sunset Shimmer paused her game for a moment to glance over, smile, and wink at Twilight. It was not the first time and, fate willing, it would not be the last time she felt her heart flutter and her face flush at such a heavenly, beautiful sight that had eyes only for her.

“Hey babe, welcome back. I cleaned up like you asked, took Spike for a walk, and there is a pasta salad chilling in the fridge. It’s vegetarian, obviously, but if you want to add some meat, I think you still have some salami in the deli tray you can add to yours.”

“Thank you,” Twilight replied. She was not hungry just yet, but after wrapping up college orientation and meet and greet with her campus advisor and student counselor Twilight wanted nothing more than to just sit and relax the remainder of the day. Classes would be in full swing on Monday and though she had some of her basics out of the way thanks to AP High School dual credits there was still plenty to do considering the heavy load Twilight had selected for herself. One did not double major on the road to double doctorate by taking it slow and steady.

Problems for another day. For now, she had the rest of the weekend to rest. Twilight moved to the couch and sat. Sunset curled up to make room while resuming her game. After a moment to wipe her glasses, and let her hair fall from the bun she had it tied up in, Twilight took note of the action and characters on screen. She had seen this one before… more than once, in fact.

“How many times have you played this game?”

Sunset shrugged. “I dunno. I lost count. It’s one of my favorites. I love the characters, the story, the game play is enjoyable, and you can always redesign your main if you get bored. It has great replayability, especially when you kick it up a notch to the harder difficulties like I have it now. Insanity is well labeled. Every one of these bastards has both shields and armor.” As if to emphasize the point, the sniper round struck true, but the target Sunset had intended to obliterate still remained standing. She growled but just prepared to fire again.

“Okay, those are all good reasons, but there must be more to it. You have plenty of other games.”

Sunset paused and tapped the controller against her chin in contemplation. “Hmm... If I have to elaborate, I'd say it is mostly because I can. To be honest, and don't judge, but it’s a bit like a favorite movie or book. I’ve played it so many times I know every line by heart. I know what is expected of me and how to get it done fast and efficiently. It’s… comforting. I like to play it for the familiarity and relaxation it brings. I guess I felt like I needed some of that after the move and getting unpacked and having all your family around asking me so many questions. Don't get me wrong, I love your family, but so much interaction and the questions they were asking really tested the limits of my discomfort threshold. This was already a major change in both our lives and it was right on the heels of so many other major changes I've had to get used to and mental and physically deal with.”

Twilight did not hesitate to wrap herself around her girlfriend and nuzzle close. Their foreheads touched as their fingers interlaced. Sunset smiled and sighed at the delightful touch. Nothing was said for at least a minute until Twilight finally whispered with a slight quake to her voice, “Do you regret it?”

“I’m not sure which ‘it’ you are referring to, but I’m gonna say no to all of them. Am I’m going to miss Canterlot City, sure.
But we can always go back to visit. Who knows, we might even want to move back when this is all over and you have every degree you want to get your busy purple hands on. I am going to miss seeing our friends in person, but we have multiple social network accounts and video chat to help hold us over.”

Sunset’s eyes drifted over to the bookshelf where a large tome was sitting, currently disguising itself as an ordinary book and not the magical, two way communication device that it was.

“I’m going to miss Equestria... again. Princess Twilight and Celestia, er, mom. Still getting used to that. But the portal's gone along with our magic and geodes. We're just normal high school graduates just like so many other girls.” Sunset flex her fingers, clenching them into fists. Careful to not accidentally crush her game controller. “I suppose that’s not entirely true. I still have magic in me. This new human-alicorn form I have has taken some getting used to. At least I haven’t accidentally broken anything lately. Those first few days were... awkward.”

“And you got so many new clothes out of it because none of your others fit anymore.”

“And here I thought you would have been happy to see me run around the place naked.”

Twilight smiled brightly before licking her lips a bit. “Life sometimes has its little bonuses.”

All things considered the transition had gone remarkably well. Twilight had left a few things with her parents that were not needed or could be shipped later if desired and Sunset had been given permission to place a few storage containers of items that she did not need or wanted for later in the basement of Applejack’s farmhouse. Granny Smith had not hesitated for a second to say yes. There had been no on road incidents, no vehicle breakdowns, and even the places they had stopped for food had been remarkably accommodating considering Sunset’s vegetarian diet. Three weeks had flown by and here they were, moved in and ready to start their lives as a couple in a new and budding relationship out on their own. Twilight giggled to herself as she moved to go assemble a late lunch.

After making two bowls of pasta salad before returning to the couch to watch Sunset play and eat at the same time, Twilight felt compelled to inquire more about what she was watching as the dialogue options popped up on screen. “Isn’t this one of those games where you can have characters hook up? I'm almost certain I've seen you do that with some of them.”

“Oh, yeah. It’s one of the biggest selling points to these roleplaying fantasy games. You, of course, can design your main, male/females and all that, but then you get options on who you want to romance at some point. I change it up sometimes depending on the character I build. Unlike some other games it’s not so much a Good Guy/Bad Guy dynamic and is more a, you can be super goodie girl scout and save the galaxy or you can be a hardcore badass, who does occasionally bad things, and still saves the galaxy. I know you love your Wars and Trek shows, but this to me is one of the best sci-fi series out there because it is so well fleshed out. Also, unlike the other ones, you get to participate and drive the outcome, which I like.”

“Don’t forget about B5. Also well thought out and fleshed out. Plus, dark and gritty, much like this.”

Sunset nodded, “Absolutely.”

Sunset set her bowl aside and continued to play. Making a poignant mental note to NOT leave it on the table until it started to grow its own life forms. A hard 'line in the sand' that Twilight had pointed out would not be tolerated if they were to be living together. Such “organized chaos” would be reserved to the garage below that was set aside for Sunset’s motorcycle and art studio. Twilight had already claimed the back bedroom for guests and her office/computer lab. It was a tight fit, but the futon mattress was comfortable. She had tested it an accidentally ended up taking a four hour nap on it a few days ago. Sunset had chosen not to disturb her since the sleep was obviously needed.

Unlike Twilight, Sunset Shimmer would be attending community college on Monday and was not expecting a grueling class schedule. Which was just as well. Though she had a decent stack of backup funds, Sunset had full intention to secure a part time job to pad those cushion funds and pay for desired art supplies. Otherwise, she probably would just sit around all day and play video games while snacking. At some point she should get her game stream set up again, Sunset concluded. Some fans were getting restless for new content from the Shimmer Code according to her web blog. Another reason to keep the apartment reasonably tidy. Perhaps even consider getting a backdrop, Sunset considered. With the right color sheet, she could set up an augmented reality background and keep things looking fresh week to week, even if it was fake.

It was then that Sunset had noticed that Twilight had snuck off and not to the kitchen this time. The redhead shrugged and returned her attention to the game. Assuming her girlfriend probably just wanted a shower and some unwinding time with a book or movie in the bedroom. Spike would probably appreciate the company, assuming he was not still sleeping like a loaf. Sunset had a secret bet going with Rainbow Dash on how long they could go before someone accidentally found out he could talk. I better start coming up with quick excuses on how that is a thing before we have to start worrying about Feds again. Maybe a robot dog or ventriloquism act? Bleh. That sounds stupid even in my own head.

Sunset Shimmer heard a giggle from the direction of their bedroom and smiled to herself. She absolutely loved that sound. However, of all the things that Sunset could have anticipated happening next not once would she have expected her girlfriend to run a lap around the living room, including past the TV and double sliding glass deck windows, that were only partially obscured, with a bounce to her step. Twilight giggled again before doing a little hop-skip-twirl, and then pivoted to run back the other direction. The random action was certainly unusual, if not unheard of for the brilliant, young scientist. However, it was the doing it completely naked that caused Sunset's brain to thoroughly lock up.

Sunset Shimmer blinked her teal eyes, repeatedly. Did… did that just happen?

She turned to find Twilight coming around for another lap, still giggling and smiling at her like goofball. Twilight then stopped and shook her bare bottom a few times before running off back to the bedroom without a single word of explanation. Slowly, a mischievous, predatory smile spread across Sunset Shimmer’s face. She quickly saved her game and jumped over the back of the couch, almost faceplanting, making a targeted beeline for the bedroom the mysterious streaker had run back to.

Sunset stood in the doorway to find Twilight spread out on the bed, just as nude as she had been only a few seconds before. It was not that it was anything Sunset had not seen, or touched, but the unexpected spontaneity of it demanded Q&A before her animal brain took full control of the situation.

“You feeling okay, babe? Annnnything you want to tell me?”

Twilight giggled again, the smile never leaving her face. “It just hit me all at once. This is OUR place.”

Sunset smirked. She completely understood. It was Twilight Sparkle's first real taste of adulthood freedom in the safety and security of a home that was just theirs. No parents, no nosey students, no rules beyond what they set for themselves. The care-free freedom that all teenagers desire for at college before the crushing weight of career and whatever the rest of life has in stored.

“Annnnnnd your first instinct was to go natural Equestrian and ditch all the clothes?”

“Yes. Because I can.”

“I approve.”

Sunset, in two swift motions was stripped down to just her underwear. Garments skillfully tossed across the room into the waiting hamper. “Feels pretty good, huh? Adulting doesn’t have to be just work, and pressure, and taxes. You get to do a little bit of what you want. We both have to remember that.”

Twilight nodded and beckoned with one finger for Sunset to join her on the bed. “This is better than anything I could have dreamed. This is everything I want in my life right now. And I love you all the more for sharing it with me.”

Sunset chose to respond by crawling onto the bed provocatively and press her lips to Twilight’s.

“Uuuugh,” came the sound of a small voice from the corner of the room. The kiss was broken and the two young women locked eyes with the purple dog who was giving them his best ‘I just woke up because of you’ deadpan. “Again? If this is going to be a regular thing with you two, I’m moving to the guest room.” Spike continued to grumble as he dragged his blanked in his mouth out of the room. Twilight and Sunset both burst out laughing before resuming their lip lock.

Author's Note

Okay, I had fun with this one.

And, before I get accused of just being lazy and going for the pervy fluff this was inspired by an actual event! My wife did this exact thing after we moved in together after we finished moving her out of her parent's place. It was a wonderfully inspirational moment.

You're Not Good at Being Bad and That's Okay

Twenty-four years after old Lunar Lock Mirror destruction. Two years after new mirror restored.

It was almost eleven o'clock at night when Sunset Shimmer spotted the flashing red and blue police lights bouncing off the sides of the brick buildings and glass and then moments later the Canterlot City Police car they were attached to. She felt her wife’s fingernails dig into her right leg even through the denim jeans. No small feat considering Twilight generally kept them short. Normally, Sunset did not like having a hand on her while she was driving. It was an unnecessary distraction and driving in the dark was hard enough even for her sharpened senses, but she was not about to tell Twilight Sparkle no this time, not if it brought a measure of comfort.

“It’ll be okay, babe. I don't see an ambulance or wrecker truck so it can't be that bad, just breathe for me.”

Twilight swore under her breath before taking a deep inhalation to try and calm her growing anxiety. In addition to digging her fingers into Sunset's leg her own right leg had not ceased from thumping on the floorboards. “The only thing he assured me of was that she was okay, but when I pressed for details, he hung up! Why did he hang up on me?! I needed more information!”

“I’m sure Flash had his reasons.” Sunset parked their car and jumped out. Twilight fumbled with her seatbelt because her hands were still shaking and for some reason such a menial task was not cooperating and adding to her frustration. “Let’s find out.”

Twilight practically jumped from their car, forgetting to close the passenger door. Sunset closed it without comment and slowly took note of the situation. There were two vehicles in parking spaces that were currently blocked by the police cruiser. She recognized one immediately as her daughter’s Bronco. The other was an old RX-8 that was currently, or had been for a long time, sand blasted and was a battleship grey primer color. Something about that naked matte grey canvas offended the artistic part of Sunset’s soul. Her mind offering up the fire haired woman a number of possibilities. Sunset made a note to check later on what it would take to repaint a car.

Next, she noted the two teenagers sitting on the curb by the strip center sidewalk. Her daughter, Aurora Shimmer, and a boy about the same age Sunset did not recognize. Neither were restrained. Which was a good sign that things had not escalated after they had been caught doing... whatever it was they had been doing. A moment later another vehicle stopped next to their car and a man and older boy exited. It was probably safe to assume they were here for the boy in question.

“What were you thinking?!”

Sunset’s attention returned front and center. The unexpected shout from her wife beckoning her focus. Sunset marched over to Twilight and put a careful hand on her shoulder to quietly calm and reassure her love that it was all going to be fine. Twilight swallowed her next scathing statement, took another breath, and nodded her thanks.

“You okay?” Sunset asked while looking over her wife's head. Both Aurora and Twilight replied with, “Yes,” simultaneously. What might have been comical, however caused Twilight’s hackles to spike once more.

“Do you know what she was doing?" Twilight spat. The question clearly directed towards Sunset Shimmer. "Drag racing! In a parking lot of all places!”

Sunset was thankful for the darkness and long shadows that were thrown around by the mixing red and blue lights. It all hid the smirk that threatened to break her parental neutral expression. Don’t laugh. Don’t laugh. Keep it together, Shimmer. Be the tough, authoritive parent. Especially with others nearby. Seriously, of all the wild possibilities of trouble that two teens, especially a boy and a girl, could get up to at night drag racing was not near the top of my list.

Sunset suppressed her inner thoughts and turned her attention next to the officer who had been leaning against his car while looking at his phone.

“Lieutenant Sentry,” Sunset said with a pleasant smile that was not condescending nor suggestive. Or at least she hoped it did not come across as such given there were persons unknown nearby. “What an unexpected surprise. Didn’t think you were working the streets anymore. Not since your last promotion.”

“Your mom knows the cop?”

Aurora Shimmer squirmed as all the eyes turned towards her and the boy who had spoken. “Just shut up, Middlebrook. This is not a good thing.”

“Actually,” Sunset corrected, easily understanding the side conversation. She silenced both of them with a side eye that was easy to see even in the dark, “it is.” Sunset's attention returned to the blue haired man in uniform who had a few streaks of gray along his sideburns and above his ears. They added to his handsome, distinguished features in her honest opinion. Flash Sentry smiled politely and gestured to the teenagers on the ground.

“Yeah, I’ve picked up a few extra patrol shifts just to make sure all that extra desk time doesn’t make me slow and flabby. Plus, you know, the overtime money is nice. Anyhow, I was behind the laundromat at the end of the complex when I heard the sound of squealing tires and revving engines. I come around and see three cars finishing a race. One drove away and these two lined up for another go. As soon as they took off and reached the end again, I turned on my lights and put an end to it before someone accidentally got hurt or worse. I ran both their licenses and found no priors. After staring at the name for honestly longer than I should have needed it hit me that I recognized Aurora.”

“Are they being charged with anything?” asked the boy’s father.

“I thought it best to contact the parents first before moving to standard procedures since their records are currently clean. I could charge them with reckless driving and endangerment as well as exhibition of acceleration. Both misdemeanors, which usually means the cars would be impounded and they would find themselves in lockup until you came to get them. Points on their licenses and fines, sometimes community service. That depends on the mood of which judge you get. It's selfish, but I was hoping to avoid the excess paperwork. But if you think it’s best to make this official to teach them a lesson we can still go that route.”

“I would rather not.”

Sunset nodded, “Agreed. I think, if you are willing, we can handle the proper punishments ourselves.”

“Absolutely we can!” snapped Twilight. “Do you have any idea how worried I was?! How embarrassing this is for me?! Your Aunt Cadance and your cousin are at our house right now! I was just talking about how wonderful my girls are and how you and Sunna never cause any real trouble! Now what is she going to think? That I am a liar! Or worse, a bad mother!”

“Okay,” Sunset turned to Twilight and leaned in close. “I need you to calm down, babe.”

“I AM CALM!”

“Twi, I love you, I respect you, and I trust you with my life, but I think it might be best if you let me handle this one.” Even in the dark and under the shadow of Twilight’s black framed glasses Sunset could see her wife’s disapproving scowl, glassy eyes welling with barely contained tears. She could see her wife was an emotional wreck, both relieved and infuriated at the same time. However, Sunset held up her hands defensively and stood her ground. “I need you to look at this honestly and objectively, Twilight. We both know I have more experience with delinquency and can relate to her better on this topic. I think it would be best if you head home now before Cadence starts to think something bad happened and we’ll meet you there. It will give you a chance to cool off and clear your head. Then we can talk punishment, okay?”

Twilight’s face scrunched up and twisted unpleasantly as if she had just bitten into rotten fruit, but ultimately relented. “Fine. You talk to her first. But I will get my say in, agreed?”

“Absolutely.” Sunset turned back to find that the boy was already walking away next to his father while the older one, presumably an older brother, moved to the driver's side of the parked RX-8. She returned her attention to Flash Sentry, who had been waiting patiently. He smiled at her. It was warm and honest and brought back memories that she had not visited in many, many years. Sunset always thought he had a great smile. It was one of his best features. “I assume none of this will get you in trouble? You have your own life and career to think about.”

Flash shrugged, but Sunset knew that playful little smile of his. It was flirtatious and yet also fraternal. One that spoke of history between them and no hard feelings. She had seen it on his face many times. The face of the boy who was now a grown man that was still, after all these years, always happy to help and back Sunset up on whatever she needed him. Whether it was fighting out of control toaster robots or providing a lift after an unexpected car break down. It was that honest smile and helping hand that had drawn her to him when they first met freshman year. When her intentions then had been anything but pure. When they had both been young and had a lot to learn.

You are going to be a good husband and father someday, Flash Sentry. I know it.

“Since the others are now out of earshot," Flash said softly, "I think I can safely say I would likely have it much worse if I had to book my captain’s niece at the station. I don’t think either of us would hear the end of that. And then that would get to the media and I know Twilight has reasons to worry about her company’s reputation, even if it does not affect you directly as much. Rumors, speculations, social media shit storms, blah, blah, blah. You know I’m not a fan of 'who-you-know' favoritism and this has to be a one time thing, but if the parents can handle this it will be better for everyone, don’t you think?”

Sunset extended her hand and Flash took it and shook. They held their gaze for what some might have considered slightly longer than courtesy required, but their mutual history allowed for it. She owed him a hug and maybe a lunch later when this was all said and done. Perhaps more. They were friends, Sunset reminded herself. They needed to stay in touch. That was a concern for later, however. Flash was doing them all a huge favor and a certain teenage daughter of hers would be made aware of that.

"I'll say it for both of us, all of us in fact.
Thank you, Flash. I promise this won't happen again. Also, you and I should catch up over some beers and pool. Just like we used to. Remember?"

Flash chuckled and smiled. "I have fond memories of teaching you how to play pool."

Sunset grinned. "I bet." Sunset glanced over her shoulder to make sure Twilight was back in their car before turing her attention to the reason for their being in a dark parking lot alley. One teenager who was standing a small distance away while digging at the loose asphalt with the toe of her shoe. It was time to get going. With a sigh followed by a wink to the lieutenant, which caused him to flash a grin, Sunset returned to her anxious teenager.

“Keys.” The item in question laned in Sunset’s hand without protest. “Get in.”

With one final wave, Sunset climbed into the driver’s seat, making a few adjustments for her two meter tall frame, and drove away into the late night as soon as her daughter was seat belted in. However, she did not turn to head home. Aurora noted the detour immediately.

“Uh, Mama…”

“Okay, to start with you should know I agree with your mom. This was really foolish and I do want to know what you were thinking.”

Aurora sighed and groaned, lightly hitting her head against the window glass with an audible thunk. “I wasn’t, okay? Is that what you want to hear? I was just trying to have a little fun with some friends. The parking lot was empty. No one was going to get hurt.”

Sunset stopped harder than necessary and the sudden, jerky movement shocked the younger Shimmer as the seatbelt locked and bit into her shoulder. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but from what my eyes could see the parking lot narrowed right there at the end where the strip center turned the corner and the back of that Mexican restaurant create a kind of alleyway. And, oh yeah, let's not forget that it's also a BLIND corner. Anyone could have been driving up the other direction in a rush while you two were trying to slow down. That’s a head on collision, maybe even worse. Trust me, car accidents are not as fun as they look in the movies. Your mom nearly died once when we got rear ended right into an intersection.”

Aurora just crossed her arms and pouted, slouched in the chair with her eyes straight ahead. Sunset took that as her cue to continue both driving and voicing her thoughts.

“I get it.”

“Uggghhh! Here it comes.”

“No, seriously, mini-me. I do.”

“I hate that nickname. I’ve always hated it. It’s stupid. This whole thing is stupid! I could have been doing so much worse things.” Sunset clenched her teeth and fought to keep her face from twisting, but knew it was still twitching. There was just something about having a teenager snap back that made Sunset want to make incredulous faces and her ears to fold back. “I just needed some stress relief! My head feels like it is going to explode!”

“Like I said, I get it. I had my fair share of problems as a child too.”

Aurora growled and slapped both her hands over her face. Even before her daughter continued, Sunset could feel that the dam holding Aurora's emotions completely broke. “You were not even a child! You were a goddamn pony! My birth mother was a fucking horse from another dimension! And I... I turned into a fucking horse unicorn! I walked through a piece of concrete and found myself on the floor of a castle in another universe! That’s so messed! I am so screwed up from all of this it’s not even funny! And I can’t tell anyone, especially not my friends, because who would believe me about magical pony land and magic mirrors and shit! And right now you are trying to just be the 'I'm the cool mom, it's all good I can relate about it. Say let's hug it out and maybe sing a song about friendship!' Seriously?!

“Are you even really my mom? Huh?! I mean, did some guy stick his dick in a horse and here I am? Or was I just adopted by a magical alien? Was that cop my dad? You two were smiling way too much and he has blue eyes like me! I think about this sort of crap every day now! This, all of this, is all so messed up and has been stressing me out for almost two years and you are trying to bullshit me with the ‘you get it’ line?! Who the fuck even are you?!”

“Enough.”

“No! Don’t you get it? I‘m a freak! Because you’re a freak! What even am I, huh?! You have never been fully honest with me on anything! Did I come from a donor or did you just magically spawn me from Hell? Am I a monster? Why was I even born to begin with?! What's the truth, what's a lie? What is anything?!”

“Aurora Shimmer! I said that’s enough!” Sunset raised her right hand, which caused the girl to recoil a bit. Sunset had to stop the SUV again and clenched her fists in air. She had never had to strike either of her daughters more than the lightest spanking or tap on the head when needed. She was honestly terrified to do more for the same reason she had to let go of the steering wheels so as to not risk causing severe damage to the vehicle. Aurora had seen Sunset bend solid metal and other objects with inhuman levels of strength despite her attempts to not 'show off' in front of them. It took several more calming breaths before Sunset felt confident enough to continue driving.

“M-Mama?”

Sunset took the wheel again, her eyes straight ahead. “Sorry. You hit a few nerves there. Also, I am once again going to owe my mother another string of near sobbing apologies.”

“What do you mean?”

Sunset glanced over to her daughter, taking everything in. Her wild pink and red striped hair was currently pulled back into a ponytail and her piercing blue eyes were wide and glassy, filled with genuine concern and all the emotional turmoil that came with being a teenager. She was still wearing her cashier’s uniform with name tag and apron from the small mom and pop grocery store she worked for mostly hidden by her faded blue hoodie. It didn’t clash too badly with her pale golden skin tone that was a lighter shad than her mother’s. Much like a teenage Sunset Shimmer, in more ways than one, Aurora could make just about any clothing choice look fashionable.

Sunset and Twilight had both agreed that if Aurora wanted some extra income for herself to pay for her car and personal expenses, she should understand what it is like on the bottom first. And at sixteen years of age there was no shortage of things Aurora wanted to have, do, or try. The only major stipulation was that it did not interfere with her school grades. School work always came first. Naturally, Aurora objected at first. Claiming that her mom, Twilight, was plenty rich and that the idea was profoundly stupid. (Sunset noted that it was not that BOTH her parents were rich, just Twilight) Sunset and Twilight were united in agreement on the issue and Aurora eventually relented and applied for part-time jobs. The store owners, the Baskets, were good people. Sunset and Twilight had both been pleased that Aurora chose to work at their little store despite the only slightly higher than minimum wage starting pay.

Sunset finally smiled as her attention returned to the dark road ahead. However, it was a sad, melancholy smile that did not sit well on her mother's beautiful face, Aurora thought. Despite being over forty years in age, Sunset Shimmer still appeared to be in her late twenties. Twilight as well. For years, Aurora thought nothing of it, but after learning about Equestria and the world on the other side and what her mama really was...

It was then that she learned that magic was real and that her mom had been constantly monitoring the portal for activity and possible loose radical particles. She had also suspected magic was the reason they still appeared to be in their late twenties physically. Twilight had many theories and hypothesizes, but tests had not yielded any conclusive results. Aurora had always wondered what was so special about those chalk boards in the home lab that were labeled, "DO NOT ERASE!"
Learning the truth about what those complexed equations were for and that both her parents had apparently transformed due to magical surge overloads and lived had not helped her psyche. More stories came to light including magical mishaps, super powered geodes that gave their group of friends powers, and of course, learning that the woman that gave birth to her was an all powerful alicorn pony with massive wings and a horn.

“I never really appreciated how deeply words can cut when they are aimed to hurt, coming from people you love the most,” Sunset finally said. “Sure, I’ve had plenty of others insult and try to cut me down over the years. Nobles, snobby upstarts, people or ponies who thought they could get under my skin. Later, I had to deal with other parents who thought that just because I'm an artist and sound engineer they could insinuate that I'm not important and that I'm just mooching off Twilight. But they didn't know me, none of them did. I could take anything they said about me and shrug it off because I knew then and know now that I am better in every way that matters.

"However, when I was about your age. I was easy to anger. And when I got angry, I got mean. I used to lash out at my mentor and teacher and I chose my words deliberately. I was angry. I wanted to hurt her. I was quite hormonal and impulsive and arrogant and I thought I could rule the world if I really put my mind to it. At the end, just before I fled Equestria, I said some of the meanest things I could think of just to try and get a reaction out of her and dammit, did she have a poker face. But now I know, despite how cool and collective she appeared, I was hurting her so, so damn much. Just like you did to me.”

“But, didn’t you say that your teacher was also your mom?”

“I didn’t know that at the time… but she did. Still kind of a sore spot. I’m mostly over it.” Mostly

“I… I’m sorry. I’m just… I don’t know why.”

“Shhhhh. It’s okay… well, it’s not, but it will be. I just wish you had come to me or your mom about how you felt. Especially since you couldn’t confide in your friends about it. I guess I forgot for the most part about how much of a shock to the system it is to find out we are not alone in the universe and that just across a magic mirror is something most could only dream of. I was so messed up when I first came here. Even after I was taken in and healed up by medical professionals I was still stewing with distrust and full of confusion on how to actually live. I didn't trust anyone. I didn't have anyone to talk to about what was bothering me. The whole world put me on edge and the only way I could protect myself was to lash out first. It was a lonely, dark path. Not something you want to go through.”

Silence hung as Sunset made her way towards their home, continuing to take the longer, scenic route. Twilight would likely gripe about how long they were taking, but at the same time, she was smart enough to figure out what Sunset had been up to. If nothing else, Cadence would be there to help her calm down.

“So, what happens now?”

Sunset glanced to her daughter before turning her eyes back to the dark road ahead. The allegory was not lost upon the former Equestrian. She shrugged and said, “Now, we go home, we hope your mom has cooled off, and we talk about what punishment best fits the crime. If she is still boiling then you let me deal with her and you go to bed and we talk about it in the morning, but either way the talk is going to happen.” Aurora had nothing to else to add to that statement and sat quietly for the remainder of the ride.

Once safely back in their driveway, Sunset took note that Cadence’s car was still parked off to the side. Sunset made a point of not handing the keys back to Aurora. She did not object or throw a fit, which Sunset felt was a point in her favor. Unsurprising, everyone was still awake and in the living room once they entered.

Twilight jumped from her seat, but bit back whatever she was going to immediately say when she caught the pleading look in Sunset’s eyes that was begging for peace and the clam and collective Twilight Sparkle. After a taking a deep breath with a swish of her arm, which brought a small smile to Cadence’s face, Twilight asked, “Are you okay?”

Aurora sighed, shoving her hands into the pockets of her hoodie. “You already asked that, but yeah.” The teenager paused and glanced up to meet her mother’s slightly wet, amethyst eyes. The fire of defiance and sharp retort dying in her throat before she finally shrugged. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you or make you mad. I just needed to do something spur of the moment. I… Mom, I think I would like to see a therapist.”

Twilight glanced up at Sunset who smiled and nodded.

“I can make arrangements with my doctor or one of her colleagues as soon as they are available. And thank you for the apology, but that still does not get you off the hook for… drag racing of all things.”

Sunset stepped up and slipped a hand between the pair. “We already had this discussion. I think it might be best, since Sunna is already in bed, if we sleep on it an-”

“Did you win?”

All the eyes in the room turned to the teenage boy who suddenly felt sheepish for speaking up. Sunset could not control herself and began to snicker. Aurora smiled at her cousin, Azure Light, while Cadence and Twilight both looked slightly taken aback by the question.

“Yeah, twice actually,” Aurora answered with momentary pride before remembering that her keys were no longer in her possession and the implications that fact came with. “But, in truth it was stupid. I shouldn’t have done it.”

“Okay, I guess we’re not sleeping on this.”

Cadence clapped her hands upon her son’s shoulders and began steering him towards the door. “Now that we know everyone is safe, we should head out. It might be summertime but some of us still have work in the morning.”

After a quick goodbye, Twilight turned back to her eldest daughter and frowned. “You know you are grounded, right? Please tell me we are on the same page with that?”

Sunset dangled the keys as emphasis. “She knows she made a mistake. Like I tried to say, we talked about this. Aurora, go get changed and ready for bed.”

“Why are we not addressing this right now?” asked Twilight, her voice layered with frustration and pleading concern.

“Because it’s late and we are all tired and liable to say something nasty and hurtful and I’ve already had enough of that tonight.”

Twilight jerked back and quickly glanced back and forth between her daughter and her wife. “What? What did she say?”

“Nothing that can’t wait to be addressed in the morning. Seriously, I did WAY worse things… not that that is an endorsement or a recommendation. I’m just saying, in the grand scheme of 'BAD' it could have been worse and she just has to accept that she is not good at being bad.”

Now it was Aurora’s turn to arch a brow and feel slighted. “What is that supposed to mean?”

Sunset Shimmer sighed and held up a finger. “Remember the time you tried to steal a toy from the drug store under your shirt, but it was painfully obvious?” Second finger. “Or, how about the time you thought you could get away with blaming your sister for the broken glass to Grandma Velvet’s China cabinet?”

“Technically, that was both their faults since they were trying to play baseball in the house.”

“Ohhhh, or time you tried to impress your friends when you stole your mom’s experimental hover board and ended up breaking it because it was not ready.”

“Uggghhhh!”

Twilight rubbed her temples. "You were lucky it did not spontaneously combust!"

Sunset spread her hands and motioned with her hands to try and entice her daughter into making a flippant comeback. “Do I need to go on? I have a few more.”

“No.”

Sunset sighed dramatically but smiled. She stepped up and wrapped her arms around her oldest, who tried to pull away from the hug, but not terribly hard. Twilight smiled at them both and quickly trapped the teenager between them eliciting another groan of rebellious embarrassment. The two adults however did not let go and instead pressed their foreheads together while maintaining their hold.

“Mama! You’re going to suffocate me with your boobs!”

“Well, at least it will be done with love.”

“And we do love you, Aurora. With all our hearts. Never forget that,“ Twilight quickly added.

“I LOVE EVERYONE!”

Twilight gasped as arms from an unexpected eleven year old wrapped around her waist and found their way to further trap her sister in the group hug.

“God! Not you too!”

“You’re supposed to be in bed,” Sunset added, but Sunna just smiled and pressed her face into her mother’s back.

“I’m seriously just going to let one rip if you people don’t let me go.”

Sunset and Twilight quickly backed away and both gestured to the stairs.

“Bed.”

“Both of you,” Twilight added.

Once Twilight heard the two bedroom doors close, she slipped an arm around her wife’s waist and cuddled close. “Were you a terrible filly?”

“The worst. Honestly, we have lucked out. She’s smart, they are both smart. Aurora’s is just trying to process all the different junk going on in her head in addition to growing up. Throwing magic mirrors and other dimension in on top of that didn’t do her any favors. But I think in time she will be okay.”

Twilight nodded. “I was the perfect child. I did not do anything wrong.”

Sunset reached down and grabbed a copious about of Twilight’s left butt cheek eliciting a pleasurable squeak. “Your dad said you blew up the garage when you were ten, burning a chunk of your hair and most of your eyebrows off. That’s why your parents gave you the backyard lab for Christmas.”

“You were not supposed to remember that story.”

Sunset grinned. “Eidetic memory. Works even better when your mom saves the pictures as evidence.”

Twilight jutted out her bottom lip and pouted. “Shit.”

“LANGUAGE!” shouted Sunna before scrambling away, revealing that she was, in fact, not in her room.

“BED!” Twilight shouted before gasping as she was scooped up bridal style by her amazon goddess of a wife.

“As you wish.”

Twilight giggled and happily wrapped her arm around Sunset Shimmer's neck and nuzzling into the embrace. Everyone was home safe. The sun would rise tomorrow. Everything was going to be just fine.

Author's Note

So, this one borrows heavily from actual events, but I think it works well for Twi and Sunny and gives a glimpse into what raising two daughters was like for them. As I imagine it, Aurora was one of those kinds of kids that was too smart for their own good and would get bored. So, then she tries to do something a little outlandish only to always be the one to get caught even when the "bad kids" always seem to get away with it. Fate? Divine intervention? Just plain bad luck? One of the great mysteries in life.

Parenting is hard. Trust me. Every day you just try to do the right thing and say a little prayer that you are not screwing the kid up any worse than what the surrounding world is doing. And just when you think you are getting it right, sitting down on the couch next to your little girl while she watches My Little Pony, wondering why you are watching it too and kind of getting into it and the characters, they are suddenly thirteen and think you are a weirdo and you have no idea what is going on while trying to remember what it was like when YOU were thirteen. That fine line to walk.

Now, for those that have read Got You Six you are aware that I have pony Flash Sentry eventually marry and have foals and that so on. It would then stand to reason that human Flash would also eventually find that special someone, get married and have kids. After all, Tempest Fury came from somewhere. *wink wink*

As always, Questions and comments are welcomed.

The Importance of Trust

101 years after Lunar Lock Mirror restoration.

Princess Sunset Shimmer was the first to arrive. As it should be, since it was at her request that the meeting needed to take place. They all had busy schedules, but the subject of this particular meeting had been weighing upon her mind and could be delayed no further.

One moon ago, roughly a month, Sunset Shimmer, Twilight Sparkle, and both their guard captains, Tempest Fury and Fog Gauge, had traveled through the Lunar Lock Mirror back to Earth where Sunset had spent more than half her long life. It had been an exciting and eventful vacation getaway. Fun was had, unforgettable memories were made, they even secured a robotic body for Sunset’s artificial intelligence powered phone she named Raven. However, part of that 'fun' was why Sunset felt this briefing needed to occur.

Regret was not something Sunset experienced often. At least not in Equestria, thankfully. But as a human on Earth, she had done many things that fell into the category of ‘regret’. One particular thing, that at the time had been fun and informative, now weighed heavily upon her mind and needed to be dealt with in the open since said vacation trip had ended with Sunset proposing marriage to her fellow princess, Twilight Sparkle. At least that was something she did not regret.

“I did try to warn you.”

Sunset shook her head and glanced over at Raven, whose robot body was hidden behind a powerful illusion where she appeared as a cream colored earth pony with a chestnut brown mane wig that was currently neatly pinned up. Sunset smiled serenely at Raven and nodded. “I know you did, but I was not thinking straight at the time and after talking to you about this last week I agreed that if I am going to marry this amazing mare, I need to come clean to her about everything. Even the stupid shit I have pulled. I mean, I’m pretty sure I know how she is going to take it, but… one can never be a hundred percent sure.”

“As I asked last week, do you love her?”

“Without a doubt or hesitation. I love her.”

“Then hold to that and explain your actions, your reasons, and why you feel this needs to be said. The rest will be up to her.”

Before Sunset could comment, the door to the royal chambers opened and Twilight Sparkle walked in. She smiled brightly at Sunset, only to arch a brow questionably at Sunset’s timidness and rare inward turning body language. She had assumed that her fiancé had wanted to push for this short notice meeting in their shared chambers for something fun and possibly risqué. She had even asked her assistant, Isabella Windsong to go ahead and begin to prepare for the next work meeting so as to sneak away. However, seeing Raven made Twilight question the nature of this calling.

“Oh, so, this is a REAL meeting not a *ahem* quicky. Um… I can message Isa and call her back.”

“No!” Sunset shook her head quickly. “No, that's not necessary. Raven will be on her way to assist Isabella as soon as…” Both princesses turned to the sound of an armored hoof knocking on the door. Twilight opened the chamber door with her magic and was not surprised but only more confused to find her solar captain, Tempest Fury, in the doorway. What she had not expected to see was Tempest’s husband, the lunar captain, Fog Gauge, right behind her. Twilight had questions. Several of them.

“Gauge? Shouldn’t you be resting before your shift?”

“I was summoned, by my princess.”

Tempest nodded and glared at Sunset. “As was I. Schedules are important and no matter what the bat ponies tell you, they need sleep too. What is this all about, Shimmer?”

If it had been anyone else, such disregard of title would have been seen as a punishable insult of the highest order. However, Sunset and Tempest had that kind of friendly, occasionally confrontational, relationship. It was one of the reasons why this subject had not been brought up and why they were in the most secure room in the entire castle if not all of Canterlot.

Sunset sighed and turned back to Raven, gesturing to the door. “I will not be far. Clear the air, make this right. And if need be, talk with me later before you hit the bottle, agreed?”

Sunset nodded. “Yes, agreed.” The door closed. The three remaining ponies turned back to the goldenrod alicorn who then used her magic to seal the room. “Soooooo... I have something I need to tell you, Twilight. A… small confession, but one that I really need to be honest about. It's been eating away at me and it's important that I get it out there.”

Twilight arched a brow for a moment, sat back on her haunches and gestured. She schooled her emotions and held her tongue on what that could possibly mean, keeping her the rest of her expression as neutral as possible just like she would in court dealing with petitioners and nobles.

“Right,” Sunset began, glancing to Tempest and Gauge. It was the first time since returning from their vacation that the four of them had been in a room together. Sunset knew time was limited and just jumped right in.

“Sunny?”

“While we were on the other side of the portal I touched Fog Gauge. Intimately.”

Twilight blinked a few times. That statement could mean any number of things. Not counting the incalculable number of subtexts that often were unwritten. More data was required. “Could you elaborate?”

Sunset once again glanced to Fog Gauge, who said nothing and remained still. Then to Tempest, who gestured with her hoof for the princess to continue. Sunset, felt her cheeks flush like a filly caught investigating her own bits for the first time. “Um… first off, I can explain most of my behavior as me just being me, but also part of it was the human monkey hormones that run rampant when we are on the other side. I spent years, decades there learning to control them, but sometimes they just override logical thought in the moment.”

“I understand. I’ve felt it too and remember becoming infatuated with Flash Sentry after only just meeting him. Which was both exciting and scary now that I recall. Wait, so when you say touched intimately, do you mean that you had sex with Captain Gauge?”

“NO! No, nonono. I assure you we, er, I did not go that far.”

“You can say we, my princess,” said Gauge, quietly. “I was doing what you asked, but also what my own body desired. I will accept my share of the blame if we are bringing this event to light.”

It was Twilight’s turn to glance to the two captains. She noted that Tempest did not seem surprised or upset by the comment in the slightest. That pointed towards that only Twilight had been in the dark about this particular occurrence. “Sunset Shimmer, just spill it. I’m getting all kinds of horrible ideas in my head so just, you know, paint a picture for me.”

Sunset slumped and turned her head to the ceiling. Then, with an exasperated sigh, said rapidly, “Gauge woke me up early on the second morning with an important question and before my brain was fully functional, I noticed that we were both in the bathroom, completely naked. I had a sudden desire to measure the size of his dick because I was curious and then played with it a little bit before teasingly grinding my wet vag on his shaft until I stopped, but there was no penetration! I regained some sense of control, pushed back from him, and finished myself off with my hand before shoving the juice covered fingers into his mouth so he could taste me and lick them clean... Wow, that sounds really lewd out loud.”

Twilight blinked a few times. Then, once again glanced to Tempest to see if her captain had any sort of reaction. A simple, possibly sour distaste expression crossed her face before returning to neutral. Twilight shifted so that she too was sitting more comfortably before finally tapping her chin in contemplation. “You measured his… dick? I assume that is his stallionhood. I’m sure I’ve heard others call it that before.”

“There are like a thousand different names for it. Most of them more terrible than the one before. I could compile you a list if you like?”

Sunset had said the remark with a smirk and a playful, toothy smile, but Twilight was not going to give in so easily to that smile she loved even with the promise of a new compiled list to read. Oh no, her fiancé was not getting out of this predicament that she dug herself in. Not without more explanation beyond, “stupid human hormones.” However, when Twilight glanced to Captain Gauge, her eyes inadvertently started to wander down his armored covered body and she had to forcibly avert her gaze before it continued farther south than what was appropriate in the company of others. Twilight was once again reminded that the bat pony was more than just an exceptional guard. He was an exceptionally handsome and fit stallion as well.

Focus, Twilight!

“I would like to see that list some time, but right now I would really like a better understanding as to why you did this at all? How did it come to touching his…”

“Shaft?”

“Yes.”

“Shlong?”

“Sunny.”

“Pleasure rod?”

“Sunset,” Twilight said with a warning tone and narrowed eyes.

“Seriously, now you are just making this weird,” grumbled Tempest.

Sunset shrugged. “Like I said, I’ve got a whole list. Anyhow, it all came about because Fog knew he wanted to spend some intimate time with his wife and was unsure if the changes that were made by the mirror to his body were normal. I assured him they were and… well… I let my curiosity get the better of me and I went too far. I’m sorry. Let me go ahead and get that out of the way first.”

Twilight grimaced and tapped her chin. She then turned to her captain, who still did not seem near as upset as one would have expected from a married mare. Further investigation was required. “Tempest?”

“Yes, Twilight?”

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but why are you not more upset about all of this? Another mare touched your husband's... naughty bits.”

Captain Tempest Fury removed her helmet and set it on the hook build into the side of her armor. She next took a moment brush out and fluff her pink and white mane that was styled primarily to the right of her horn on top and short along the back of her neck. Finally, the stout unicorn turned her jade eyes to Sunset Shimmer, then to her husband, and lastly to Twilight Sparkle. “I know I touched on this briefly before, but I think an example might help you better understand, Your Highness. Captain, Gauge?”

“Yes, Captain Fury?”

“Please state for the princess the order of your unquestionable loyalty.”

Gauge straightened to full parade attention, eyes forward, wings snapped rigidly to his sides. “As a thestral Lunar Guard my loyalty to the Princesses of Equestria is unwavering and without question. The princesses always come first. I accept their clear wishes and orders without hesitation or compromise. Next, I am loyal to my Mistress of the Night, Luna, Goddess of the Moon, Mother to all those who live by the cover of darkness. My brothers and sisters of the night. Our mistress selected us for her guard and put us through rigorous trials and training. We were reborn through ritual magic, reforged into bat ponies. We live to serve. I would then place my next loyalty to the chain of command, which for me is fortunate that she is my equal in rank and my wife.”

“And which princess do you place above all the others?” Tempest continued.

Gauge took a moment to bow to Sunset. “She who sits up the lunar throne and is the current keeper of the moon. Princess Sunset Shimmer.”

“Well, that makes sense,” commented Twilight. “He is her captain.”

Tempest smirked but then schooled her expression back to hardened professional. “And if your princess ordered you stand at attention so as to allow her to measure your stallionhood and satisfy her curiosity, would you do so?”

“Yes.”

All the eyes turned to Sunset. The goldenrod alicorn rolled her eyes and shrugged. “I didn’t word it like that exactly. He just took my comment AS and order.”

Tempest continued without skipping a beat. “And if she ordered you to pleasure her and penetrate her and breed her, would you do it?”

Twilight’s jaw hung open and Sunset’s eyes went wide, her wings nearly snapping all the way out, but she held them in check if only just barely. “Say WHAT?”

“H-Hold on,” Sunset stammered, “I-I didn't s-say that… I would never-”

“Yes,” Gauge interrupted. His only reaction to the question was to glance back and forth at the three mares. “However, I would feel guilty afterwards and confess said orders to you, my wife, so that you would understand why I committed such a deed.”

Tempest smiled and gestured with a hoof. “And that’s why I’m not terribly upset. Because he was following orders as any good solider does and it could have been far more. Sunset is a princess. More so, she is HIS princess and if she so wanted to, she could have him do whatever she wanted. And not just with Fog Gauge. All the bat ponies are like this, in case you did not know that. That is her right by rank and station. But even temporarily blinded by lust, she didn’t do that. Now on the other hoof, just to make things clear, if she were still just ‘Lady Shimmer’ the mysterious wandering daughter of Celestia with no rank, title, or crown like any other noble and had fooled around with my husband through magic or manipulation, you can bet a shiny new bit I would have smashed her upside the head and taught her a lesson about personal boundaries. Alicorn or not.”

“So,” Twilight began after several seconds of consideration. “Sunset and Gauge found themselves in the bathroom one morning and you both touched and inspected each other’s genitalia. There was some mild sexual contact, but nothing serious and he reported all of this in detail to you, his wife.”

“Yes,” Tempest said.

“And you felt guilty about it since WE are in a relationship and you were planning to propose to me,” Twilight continued, her hoof moving to the engagement stone that was in her left ear.

“Yes,” said Sunset, her own engagement stone hidden under her turned and flattened ears, head bowed slightly.

Twilight sighed. She made several more faces that Sunset would have laughed at, but fought it down given the circumstances. Finally, after nearly a minute of contemplation, Twilight nodded. “Tempest, would you and Sunset please step out in the hall? I would like a moment with Captain Gauge to clarify a few things.”

The other two mares exchanged glances but then nodded and did as Twilight asked. Tempest returned her helmet to her head and followed Sunset out before slowly closing the door. The magic dampening seals immediately snapped back into place. It was as strong was before and if Twilight was currently screaming at Captain Gauge or blowing him to tiny bits they would not be able to hear a peep of it. Or smell it for that matter. Twilight Sparkle rarely ever did anything in half measure.

“Soooooo, this could be bad.”

Tempest glanced over to Sunset and, much to the princess’s surprise, she simply shrugged in a manner that her husband was famous for. “Don’t get yourself worked up and accidentally set something on fire. I think it will be fine. Twilight is probably just cross referencing the story and processing the information. It will likely end with her thanking him for his honesty and asking him to not to ever do that again, which is useless since that was the entire point of my list the loyalty speech. But bad? Nah. That big purple mare loves you too much and I know you love her.”

Sunset let out a relieved breath and smiled genuinely. “Thanks. I think I really needed to hear that right now.”

Tempest nodded. “Though if I’m allowed to be frank for the moment. Just between the two of us, no crowns or stripes, I would appreciate if this never happened again. Neither of us need this kind of complication in our lives.”

Sunset nodded. “Yeah. I’ve done some dumb things in my time when I let my other senses get the better of me, but this one could have broken some relationships and that is just not acceptable.”

“Good. Glad we have an understanding.”

Sunset side eyed the solar captain, a smirk creeping across her face. “He is so freaking loaded though. I can’t believe you can handle him like you do. I’d love to hear your secret.”

Tempest groaned and shook her head. “Annnnnd you had to go and make it weird again.”

* * * * *

Captain Gauge was not sure what else needed to be said on the matter, but would gladly answer any questions Twilight Sparkle had for him if it meant putting this all to rest. The brownish gray bat pony stood at attention while the purple alicorn paced back and forth through the lounge space. Finally, after a full minute of pacing, Twilight came to a stop and turned to him.

“Should I be upset by this? I think I should. But, for some weird reason, I’m not and that in of itself is upsetting!”

Gauge simply blinked his eyes while Twilight once again resumed her pacing.

“I knew what I was getting into when I pressed for this relationship. I made the first move. Did you know that? I did. Yes, I did… at least, mostly. It was still mutual, but she never would have made the first move. Still, I have known Sunset Shimmer for a long time and I knew she was a bit wild and adventurous. She has never been afraid to try something new. I, on the other hoof always feel I need to analyze the variables from every perspective. But am I overthinking all of this? Not thinking about it enough from all the angles perhaps? Did I miss some crucial data? There is just so much to consider!”

“May I speak freely, Your Highness?”

“Oh, please do! I am in need of frankness I think.”

Gauge removed his helmet and set it to his side. He cleared his throat and then smiled brightly, golden yellow eyes seeming to glow in the low light. “Princess, your fiancé is one of the most amazing ponies, nay, one of the most amazing beings I have ever had the pleasure to meet. She is a goddess. And like gods from myth and fable they are difficult to predict, difficult to stop, and most certainly, difficult to fathom. You, Twilight, have an advantage on all these fronts over mortals such as myself. You are a goddess as well, in body and spirit. You need not examine all the variables save for one. Are you willing to test your resolve against such a powerful storm of a being that is Sunset Shimmer? For if there is one other in this world that can step into such passionate flames and calm it, it is you.”

Twilight blinked several times, finally tapping her chin and arching a brow exclaiming, “Well, thank you for such eloquent words, but how does that help me decide how to handle this situation?”

Gauge rolled his eyes before stepping closer to Twilight. “Remember, you are a Princess of Equestria as well. You stand neither above nor below Princess Sunset Shimmer. Prove to her and to yourself that whatever she can do you can do as well and that together you can both do anything, including cooling those wild flames and keep each other in line.”

Twilight considered the words. “Equal?”

“Without question.”

“So…” Twilight’s gleaming purple eyes took on a mischievous glint as her smile became quirky, “if I asked you to show me what you and Sunset did on vacation and thus recreate the scenario, you would?”

Gauge paused for just a moment before he saluted and bowed his head. “If that is the wish of the princess, then yes. However, are you certain you wish to recreate it… exactly?”

Twilight lit her horn and all the straps and buckles on the bat pony’s armor came loose. A surprised gasp escaped his lips when he felt telekinetic magic in a place on his body he was not expecting. Gauge’s entire body stiffened to attention.

“Tell me how it started, captain, and do not miss a single detail. I am very detail oriented and I want to see it all.”

“O-Of course, princess. It’s just that…”

“Equal? Right?”

“Y-Yes, princess. After a brief discussion about our... human bodies, Princess Sunset said she wanted to check… something.” Gauge could feel the magical sensations growing in intensity, stroking, as it were. He kept his eyes on the princess and continued. “T-That there was something… she had to check, t-to know for certain.”

“Mmmhmm. And what did she want to check?”

Gauge shuddered from what he was feeling below as well as from the unflinching gaze of the alicorn before him.

* * * * *

Sunset tapped a beat onto the stone. Tempest stood and waited patiently with only the barest of shifting movement. A guard was trained to stand still for hours and even as captain she still considered herself one of the guard. The guard captain was certain that unless it were a matter of life or death that the Lunar Princess was incapable of sitting still. Tempest laughed to herself. Sometimes it was hardly believable that the goldenrod alicorn was more than a century old. She certainly did not act like it sometimes. Tempest briefly wondered if Celestia had been the same way when she was still wearing a crown. She had only known the sun goddess in her later years in retirement and even then not well.

“Doesn’t this strike you as taking a bit too long for a one-on-one conversation?”

Tempest gave Sunset her best glaring side eye. “We both know Twilight demands details.”

“Yeeeeah, but about this?”

“If it makes you uncomfortable maybe next time keep your curious, grabby hoof/hand things to yourself.”

Sunset was about to further retort when the door opened and Captain Gauge quickly exited. He bowed politely to Sunset and said, “If there is nothing else I wish to return home and rest until my shift begins this evening.”

Sunset blinked a few times before her brain restarted and interpreted that he was asking his princess for orders in her official capacity. “Oh, right. Yes, captain, you are dismissed.”

Gauge bowed again and quickly turned to Tempest Fury, pausing for a moment to stare intensely into her eyes before whispering, “Come home early before I start.”

Sunset arched a brow and flicked an ear. She was probably not supposed to hear that, but the quiet of the hall and her sensitivity made it easy. However, what she found more interesting was Tempest Fury’s reaction. Her lips parted slightly and her jade eyes were shining and wide. There was even just the slightest hint of flush redness to her cheeks that could only just barely be seen under her helm. Tempest spied Sunset’s gaze and turned away.

“Welllllll…” Sunset and Tempest both turned to the purple alicorn who was standing in the doorway, her crown slightly askew, an erratic wave to her flowing mane, and an unmistakable scent of sweat and arousal about her. “That was… informative.”

“Uhhh, Twily? You okay there? Got everything you need?”

“Need? No. But I learned a few things,” Twilight practically purred with a lopsided smile.

Sunset glanced to Tempest who was maintaining her stoic composure. Once again reminding the goldenrod alicorn to never play card games with her. “So, are you and I good? No issues moving forward? I mean, I can apologize again and again if you like. I can promise this will not happen again.”

Twilight continued to smile. “I know. I love you and I trust you. I can see the whole picture now and everything is fine with you and I moving forward from this. Perhaps in the future if you are feeling you need to ‘liven things up’ or whatever just keep me in the loop. We are going to be both married and ruling together. Right? Equal partnership.”

Sunset nodded eagerly, a grin spreading across her face. “Absolutely. No secrets or going behind the back on impulse. All out in the open.”

Twilight beamed. “Good.” The purple alicorn leaned over and kissed her fiancé on the cheek. “And as far as this story goes, we’re even.”

Sunset pondered the words for a moment, putting all the pieces together. Teal eyes went wide before she finally barked out a laugh. “Seriously?!”

Tempest groaned and shook her head before returning to parade rest position. “Ugh. You are both terrible, I mean that. Congrats, you’re made for one another.”

Twilight paused and glanced to her left at the solar captain with half lidded eyes. “Tempest,” the vermilion unicorn paused her movement, “go home and assist your husband. Now.”

“Uh, I mean there are still a number of things I still need to t-”

“That’s an order. I will be fine. I have other things I need to take care of. Raven and Isabella can deal with my schedule changes for a few hours.”

“I guess that means I should probably head off as well.”

Sunset felt her hooves glue to the floor. An impressive feat of magic considering her hoofguards were made of magic resistant ferronite, but then this was Twilight Sparkle. The Solar Princess and Element of Magic was capable of almost anything she put her mind to. Sunset felt both her excitement and anxiety spike simultaneously like only Twilight could do.

“Sunset?”

“Yes?”

“Is there somewhere you need to be?”

“Well, I’m not really tired so I figured I would just go do some art or work on music in my other room until this afternoon.”

Twilight grinned. “The answer you meant to say was, ‘no, I’m free and I’m all yours. Have your way with me'.”

Without waiting for further reaction or response Sunset felt herself being dragged back into the royal chambers and the door sealed behind soundproof magic.

Author's Note

So... this took longer than expected. I had started this one actually third when I started the side conversations story but kept skipping over it. I kept feeling like it was not working. I rewrote parts over and over again. This part was too risqué, that part makes her look horrible and like an idiot. Eventually, I felt the pieces came to together in a way that makes them both just a little bad and that I'm okay with. They are both over a century old so few things are 'taboo' to them not to mention the general open acceptance of Equestrian society. That said, a breach of trust is still a breach and needed to be addressed.

Does this mean they had an open relationship? No, not really. What it reestablished was a dialogue that they need to trust one another and be open with one another. Love and trust. If you can't trust your partner it won't last I don't care how good looking they are.

Anyhow, I have one more chapter that is partly written, but I think I am coming up on the end of what I can do with this series. I have enjoyed it over the last many years and working on Incarnate, but I unless a bolt of creative lightning strikes out of the blue I think anything else posted here from after that will be all new.

Questions, Comments?

Who Are You?

101 years after Lunar Lock mirror restoration.

Special Agent Tempest Fury knew she should be pleased. She should be smiling even. Something other agents say she never does or is incapable of doing when they think she cannot hear them, but walls are thin when being built on a shoestring government contract. But that was an issue for another day. After all, things were FINALLY going her way after years of scoffs and disregard from her colleagues in the FBI and the fraternity of law enforcement in general.

They had her chasing ghosts. Many, many times it turned out to be little more than stupid people doing stupid things. A few other cases were still pending without a plausible explanation. About as satisfying as a bad date and a one pump chump. However, none of them came close to comparing to the current case that left everyone speechless and had forced her bosses to meet her specific if still practical demands. After all, she had in abundance what she had lacked for years after being “dead ended” into that tiny office full of dirty and disintegrating banker’s boxes of unsolved mysteries and hoaxes. Hard evidence.

That was cause for celebration. Or at least a smile.

But Tempest did not smile. Joyful smiles and celebratory revelry were for fools.

Tempest paused for a moment to stare at her new evidence board that was the size of a classroom video board and capable of displaying as many photos or text information as she pleased depending on the size. The Sparkle Tech Industries name and logo in the corner had bothered her so Tempest had covered them with painter’s tape. The board itself however was interactive and surprisingly user friendly. In fact, the whole office was substantially bigger and far more state of the art compared to what she had before, which was practically nothing. It needed to be. Tempest had a team of four to oversee now and with it came expectations from those above in big chairs. It was not much compared to other high profile case teams, but at least it was not the boiler room and all four of them could sit without rubbing shoulders.

Tempest Fury reached out and touched the interface pulling two security camera stills to the front and enlarging them. One was her primary person of interest. A tall, goldenrod skinned woman with flowing hair like cascading fire and powerful teal eyes that felt as if they could pierce souls. She was perfect, too perfect in Tempest’s opinion. Body mods and surgical sculpting were a thing if you had the money for them. They could make you taller, buxom, with flawless skin and everyone's fantasy they were too ashamed to admit they wanted. However, as far as she knew none of those surgeries affected actual muscle density and thus could not make you stronger. That was a different animal entirely which left many questions remaining.

The secondary person of interest was no less interesting and raised as many flags as the first, especially since she was technically supposed to be dead. Twice in fact. Supposed ‘facts’ like that made Tempest skeptical of the electronic archive system as a whole.

It was one of the reasons Tempest preferred paper trails and other hard medium evidence. Someone had been tampering with official computer records across multiple platforms and departments for quite some time. Decades, in fact. Agency techs had confirmed the discrepancies with confidence since they now knew what to look for. Again, Tempest should have smiled, but the more they dug, the longer the timeline got and that in of itself only created more confusion and head scratching as the breaches long preceded the PAAL software that was now on practically every smart device on the planet and beyond. Was it the work of the company founder and then passed on through the family in order to gain immoral and illegal control? Or was it to hide an unbelievable secret?

Tempest’s jade eyes turned to another item, seemingly inconsequential, but had been extremely difficult to precure. A high school yearbook from Canterlot High, over one hundred years old. Within its faded and worn pages were several pictures of evidence that could not be dismissed by her or her bosses and were perhaps the original clues to this mystery.

Tempest took a step back and continued to glare at all the evidence she now had. She really did want to smile at the progress, but there was much more still to do. Instead, she narrowed her eyes and whispered aloud, “Who are you?”

A gentle knocking on the conference room door broke the agent from her contemplation. If it was who she thought it was perhaps she would finally get some new, first hand answers since the Sparkle Tech founding family had lawyered up hard and was not being very forthcoming with cooperation even at risk of possible venomous public scrutiny of their multibillion dollar operating system and federal charges being brought forth for criminal negligence to the data breaches, privacy violations, and various other cybercrimes. The building criminal case did not concern Tempest. Getting to the truth, did. Others could chase that wild horse if they so wished to do so.

“Enter.”

The first to cross the threshold was her partner and friend, Agent Box Holder. He nodded to her and quickly stepped aside for the other man to enter. Tempest Fury had to control her kneejerk physical reactions to the sight of the man who entered with a bit of confident swagger to his steps.

“Agent Fury. He says he was expected.”

“He was,” Tempest said, while shifting her pose and crossing her arms aggressively. If one did not have swagger they could at least have presence. Tempest thought to herself. “Though, to be honest, I was not entirely sure he would show.”

The mostly silver haired man, who was still decidedly combat fit, in her honest opinion, shrugged. Still not yet offering his hand or any sort of polite pleasant greeting. His hands were tucked into his jacket pockets, posture stiff as if expecting a scolding or lecture... or a fight. There was a subtle fluidity to his movements that only another with extensive hand-to-hand combat training would take notice of. Tempest got the instinctive feeling that if she made a move to try and arrest or restrain him her ‘guest’ would be ready to fight back with everything he had and it would not be an easy takedown if it was possible at all. Hopefully it would not come to test that.

“I got an unexpected call. I was told to come in and say what I could say on certain matters or wait for the subpoena. Since it was an old friend asking, I figured it would be better this way. Though I think I will start off by saying not everything I can say will be strictly legal in a courtroom given the thoroughness of the NDA’s I had to sign.”

Tempest scowled harder. “Then why are you here? I need usable evidence and testimony. I don’t have time for bullshit.”

The man shrugged casually and walked over to the evidence board. Refusing to give an inch, Tempest held her ground and her guest had to brush passed her, which he did so without apology. Despite her best efforts, Tempest knew she had tensed up the moment his leather jacket sleeve made audible contact with her own dress jacket. She knew from reading this man was a former air force pilot and had flown for years for Sparkle Tech, including clocking more hours back and forth to the L2 space station than any other person on Earth. But more than that, he had also been a military and government liaison. Working for both teams in a manner of speaking. He knew things. Many things. Tempest reminded herself to take a breath and play nice. She wanted this man on her side.

“Let me start over,” she finally said after dismissing her subordinate with a gesture and they had a quiet moment alone in the secure room. It gave her guest time to browse the wall and Tempest a chance to gather her thoughts and plan of attack. “My name is Special Agent Tempest Fury.”

“Captain Eagle Eye. Retired, of course. But I still like how the title rolls off the tongue and I earned it so why not use it, right?” Eagle Eye ran his hand through his short, prickly hair and smirked, flashing perfect white teeth. “Plus, some of the ladies love it.”

Tempest arched a brow. Is he seriously trying to flirt with me? Great, he's one of those types. “I was in the army, captain. You’ll have to try harder to impress on that front and I’m not currently in the mood.”

Eagle Eye shrugged, his eyes locking on the picture of the primary suspect. “Old habit from an old bird. Even my wife just rolls her eyes at me when I do it to her. Must be getting rusty.”

Tempest ignored the comment. Introductions had been made. Pleasantries, if she wanted to even call them that, were exchanged. It was time to move things to business. “I was told by my immediate supervisor that you might have information regarding my ongoing case. I won’t fuck with you. I pulled your file and read everything the bureau and the agency have on you. Though some of it was redacted, the most important parts I found were that you worked for Sparkle Tech for a number of years after your military and CIA stints.”

“Still do, technically. Though I’m semi-retired now. Just like my government status I’m just, ‘on call if needed’ and get a little check every time someone asks questions or needs a ride somewhere. Since you were kind enough not to play games and are not in the mood to fuck around and waste my time, I will tell you right now that you may just want to box all this stuff up and hide it away to collect dust.”

Now we’re getting somewhere. “You’re not the first who has told me that. However, I’m the kind of person who only digs deeper when I find that two plus two does not equal four. And this case is full of intrigue and mystery. Plus, it’s either this or back to the boiler room office following up with conspiracy theorist that live in their parents’ basement.”

Eagle nodded with a smile. “With their little foil hats too, I'd wager. Where do you want me to start?”

“Easy,” Tempest pointed at the still of Sunset Shimmer. “Who the hell is this?”

Eagle Eye smirked and chuckled humorlessly. “That is one of the biggest pains in the ass I ever had the pleasure of meeting. Sunset Shimmer. And I apologize for how this might sound, but she still looks like one of the hottest pieces of ass these eyes have ever seen. What I would have given to tap that just once.”

JACKPOT! FINALLY, someone said her name! Tempest ignored the additional comments and reached for the yearbook, opening it to one of the pages she had flagged. “You mean, THIS, Sunset Shimmer?”

Eagle Eye leaned forward, squinted, then rolled his eyes and reached into his pocket to extract a pair of reading glasses. “Sorry, I can still bullseye a target at hundred meters without trying or fly to the moon, but I can’t see shit up close anymore.”

“It’s fine, it happens, and the picture is old.”

“Hell yeah it’s old. Huh. I knew she was older than me, I just had no idea she was a GILF.”

Tempest balked for a moment, her brain having to wrap around the crude slang and inwardly cringing after realizing what he meant. This guy was a real piece of work. “This book is one hundred and twenty-three years old and I have to return it to the owner in the same condition I got it in or they threatened to sue. And no, I didn’t want just a copy of it because I needed the reaction you just gave. They need to see I’m not just chasing my tail and that this is real. With so much of the digital material related to this case having been tampered with I’m having to deal with a lot of skepticism and second guessing. But this, this is a hard copy. Authentic. Its age confirmed.”

Eagle Eye shrugged, returning his hands to his pockets. “Maybe. It could be a coincidence. Body mod. Lots of people look like their relatives a generation or three back. Not hard to get a surgeon to do the rest.” Tempest turned the page in the book to another photo that had Twilight Sparkle and Sunset Shimmer sitting together on the steps of the school going over something in a notebook. Eagle Eye glanced up to the pictures on the digital wall and consulted his memories of the two. “Okay, yeah, that would be one hell of a coincidence.”

“So again, start from the beginning of what you can tell me. I know you signed NDA’s regarding Sparkle Tech proprietary secrets, but I don’t think helping me identify suspects counts under that. My primary broke numerous laws and assaulted an officer. The secondary is suspected of cyber crimes.”

Eagle Eye continued to stare at the pictures on the wall for several silent seconds before glancing over at Tempest. She was tall. He liked that, but she was clearly not interested in his flirtations. Too bad, he thought. Eagle Eye replaced his reading glasses in his pocket and bent his neck back and forth to feel the satisfaction of a few pops. “How much do you know about the early days of the L2 station?”

Tempest shrugged. “Sadly, not as much as I like. Been too busy chasing other ghosts to worry about a tin can in space I’ll never see.”

“Too bad, that would have saved me some time. Guess I’ll give you the short version. Keep in mind this was more than twenty years ago. A guy was sabotaging the computer systems at the L2 and the Sparkle family elder, Senator Aurora Shimmer, called in for help to save the station and their family investment. She sent those two with false identities to get on board the station, which they did if only just barely. I can’t legally give you details I’m afraid. However, for the longest time I thought flame mane was the senator’s daughter or niece or something. But looking at this and those pictures over there. Now I’m thinking she was actually Ms. Aurora’s mother. They both were. They were definitely married. I think I can get away with saying that.”

“And how do you think that is possible? That would mean my two primary suspects are over a hundred and forty years in age.”

Eagle Eye shrugged again. “How? No clue. But I can tell you for a fact, God as my witness, that Miss Shimmer there had some major body work done, even back then. When I first met her, I was just about to turn thirty and in my sexy prime. But Shimmer, she looked EXACTLY like she does in that store picture you got there. Not as young as the ancient high school one, but certainly not as old as she should be. And I don’t just mean fountain of youth modifications either. Lots of people with money can get those. She was strong, like WAY stronger than any human let alone a woman should be. No offense.”

“None taken. And that coincides with the written police statement I have where she took one of the officer’s hostage for a minute and he went on record stating that he felt like he had been chained to a table and could not break from her grip.” Tempest tapped her chin. “So, very old, but still youthful. Stronger than any person should be, and very well connected to people with money and influence. But even with that, no other family members have these traits. Or at least they don’t show it like she has done. So, whatever they did to themselves, because I have to count suspect number two since she’s just as old, they never shared with the family.”

Eagle Eye consulted the book, once again having to take his glasses out, then up at the picture of Twilight Sparkle on the screen. “Hmm… not sure if that’s the same girl as the one in the book. That might be a descendant.”

“They look identical, minus the glasses. People change hair styles over time. It’s not unusual.”

“It’s the details. Look at the posture.” Eagle Eye turned a page in the book and spun it around to Tempest. “Look at the height difference. That woman in your security image is as tall as Shimmer. The one in this book is closer to the one I met. She was at least a whole head shorter than the Sunset Shimmer I met. Plus, that Twilight did not seem as confident. Lots of hunching and timidness. The eyes. Same color, not the same look. Call it a gut feeling.”

Tempest added some notes to a piece of paper and placed it next to her other evidence. “Could have been a delayed reaction, additional modifications?”

“Sure, but why so late?” Eagle Eye set the book down. “Look, I don’t know what else to say on this and I’m still technically bound to those NDA’s. I’d rather not get sued for a breach if the Sparkle Tech lawyers find out I spoke to you. I'm sure you tried to hunt my buddy, Drago, down too for a chat but you're not going to find him unless he wants to be found.

"I put out feelers and word to last known locations, but he's a ghost as far as the system is concerned. I don’t suppose you could help with that?" Tempest replied with thinly veiled frustration.

"He took a severance and sold everything, bought a small yacht and never stays in port for long. I leave messages. Sometimes he replies. Anyhow, I told you what I know and probably gave you more questions than answers, but that is honestly all I know. They are both either freaks of nature or…”

“Or not from this world?”

“Uhhh… well I was not going to go there, but sure. Why not, right?”

Tempest picked up the written police statement again from the incident outside of Canterlot High School and read it out loud. Focusing on the end where her suspects jumped through a solid stone statue plinth, never to be seen again. An event that somehow disrupted both officer’s bodycams and the school security cameras out front. One moment there are suspects outside, one dressed in a uniform with the same skin and hair color as herself, the other resembling Twilight Sparkle, then they approach the stone statue base and flash, and they are gone.

Soon after, Sunset and another suspect run from the car that police had been pursuing and another flash. Finally, after a small altercation in which her suspect takes an officer hostage, Sunset Shimmer jumps back and falls through the stone as well. When the officers dared to touch it all they felt was solid stone that was, according to record, warm to the touch while the other sides felt cold. None of Tempest’s people found anything unusual either. They had since set up spectrometers and other devices on the roof of the school to monitor for anomalies.

“Most people don’t want to throw the words ‘alien’ or ‘not of this world’ around, but I’m not afraid to. It’s my job to find the truth. And I want the truth.”

Eagle Eye set the old yearbook back on the table and focused on the more recent security camera captures. Tempest waited patiently while the older man was lost in contemplation and possibly nostalgia. “I know you are just doing your job, agent, but I feel I owe it to her, to them both to say they risked their lives to save everyone on board the L2. We would have all die as the station came crashing down God knows where and possibly created a massive international incident as well as killed a shitload of people.”

Tempest arched an eyebrow. “I was unaware that it had gotten that bad.”

“Only a few know and it's waaaay above your pay grade. Like I said, I can’t really talk about it. All I can say is what I have said and ask that maybe you leave this all be. If there was a secret back door log in to all Sparkle Tech software then it was because Twilight Sparkle put it there on purpose and was not for anyone else to find or use. Which, since I have not heard much more than rumors, I’m guessing no one else ever did find until they accidentally made it known there was a breach.”

“Many breaches. Doctored records, including birth and death certificates, passports, local ID’s. They are still looking if this continues into possible stolen or sold secrets and espionage as well. It’s that serious. That’s why we can’t let it go.”

Eagle Eye nodded. “I hear you, but you’re not going to get anything else out of me on this. I upheld my end of the favor asked and I gave my recommendation. You want to chase two possible immortal women that don’t want to be found, good luck to you.”

Tempest moved swiftly to the door and held it open for the pilot, gesturing with her free hand to indicate the meeting was over. “I appreciate you at least confirming the identity even if I need to dig deeper into how.”

“Sure, but one last piece of advice, agent. If you do come across Sunset Shimmer again and find yourself in conflict with her, bring a tank. Because I’m not sure if anything less could stop her. I lost a hundred bucks to that woman because she did the impossible and that was before I watched her pull a bullet from her gut with her bare hands.”

“I will make a note. Thank you again for your time, captain.”

Tempest closed the door with a soft click. She took a deep breath and returned to her notes when her phone pinged and spoke. “Agent Fury, I am once again reminding you to eat lunch so that your blood sugar glucose does not spike due to lack of vital nutrients. Skipping meals is a poor lifestyle decision.”

“Shut up. Fucking PAAL.”

“Returning to silent mode.”

Tempest tapped her chin with her pen. Pondering for a moment. Would it know? Could it be as simple as asking? Shimmer clearly had a PAAL as well from the images and Sparkle's company made them. “Hey, phone.”

“You have yet to assign me a proper name. Would you care to do so now?”

“Do you have any secret holes in your programming that Sparkle Tech employees could exploit?”

“That would be a direct violation of Sparkle Tech privacy policies not to mention plainly morally abhorrent and against several state and federal laws.”

Tempest sighed. Of course it would not be that simple. Now that it had brought it up, she was feeling angry and peckish. Maybe Box Folder was still near, Tempest preferred to not eat alone and she needed time to digest her new information as well as a good lunch before deciding what to do next. Her gaze turned back to the board one last time, jade eyes narrowing. “I’ll find the truth. All I need is time.”

Author's Note

Okay, soooooo... this took a while to finish. Admittedly, I was suffering from writing burn out and needed to do other things. Watched some shows, played some games, did some art. Need to do more art. You'll notice the lack of art here. Hopefully I can go back and correct that later.

Anyhow! If you don't know what is going on here please read, I, Raven and For the Girl Who Has Everything. Timeline wise this takes place between I, Raven and where Datura breaks through in Red Clover.

The good news, the next chapter is already done, needs edits. AND I am working on the dialogue only contest story. That one will not be Incarnate based, but should still be fun!

Questions? Comments?

Forever Young

30 years after Lunar Lock Mirror Restoration

Sunset Shimmer sat in her favorite lounge chair on the back covered patio of her and Twilight Sparkle’s home in Canterlot City. It was a nice deck patio, she concluded, and still in great condition. The wood deck slats were real cedar and had recently been resealed from the weather with a cherry red stain. Twilight had argued that vinyl slats would have been a better and more environmentally friendly investment, but their beloved friend, Applejack, had insisted that wood was the better choice. The farmer had pitched to her friends the warmth of wood, how it made a hearty, and earthy echo as shoes or boots stepped upon it. It was homely, inviting, a reminder of what the bones of a home were made of. And if properly maintained, just as long lasting as vinyl slats. Sunset agreed. Twilight was skeptical.

Like many such major purchases and investments, it had involved charts and comparison graphs of Pros and Cons. All the factors were laid out and then double checked. Ultimately, they went with the wood because one of Applejack’s cousins cut them a discount on labor and supply costs and had done incredible work on top of it all while AJ had helped see the project completed in a timely manner. It was hard to ask for more than that.

That had been almost twenty-five years ago. When the house had been considered a money pit boondoggle, unfinished by the original commissioner and the Carlton Woods section of the city was new and mostly still undeveloped. Much had changed since they had signed the paperwork, but not everything. Or everyone.

Sunset stopped sketching for a moment. Letting the pencil and paper lay slack in her hands and lap as she took in the stone and quartz bar, the outdoor brick oven and grill, and the waterproof entertainment system and speakers. They had needed to haggle the price at the time of that now worn but sturdy deck because after she and Twilight had purchased their dream fixer-upper house, that they made into a home, they had been young and fresh from college and unsurprisingly tight on cash to splurge on such luxuries.

Then, Twilight Sparkle, the most prestigious genius and scientist of her time, founded Sparkle Tech Industries and their world changed forever. Twilight pioneered new technologies in aerospace, bioengineering, and computer science. She personally held seven proprietary patents that allowed her fledgling company to explode (sometimes literally, but they had armored labs and insurance for that) and expand and were becoming one of the biggest Research and Development laboratories in the world. But what was really revolutionizing life around the world as they knew it was on the software, operating system front. The world was changing fast and Sparkle Tech was there leading the charge.

Still, Sunset and Twilight kept their house. They had a few others as well around the city and in other states. Technically, they also owned the houses their daughters lived in, but that was all in the financial paperwork details and more a concern for the tax accountants than everyday life. Thinking about their daughters Sunset turned her attention to her wife who was busy typing away on a holographic keyboard using her touchless cursor gloves. They were still experimental, but Twi was never afraid to test new things herself. It was part of her allure, Sunset thought as she smirked.

“Hey,” Twilight paused, dismissed one of her screens to turn her attention to Sunset's hail, “what time did you tell the girls to be here?”

“No later than two. I want everything signed and notarized so that legal can make copies and get the gears turning before they all try to sneak out early on a Friday. If we are still going through with this. I would like to make closing arguments and of course hear their thoughts on the matter as well.”

Sunset nodded, “Once they get here so neither of us has to repeat ourselves.” She took a moment to check the time on her phone. Just after one in the afternoon. It would not be much longer. Sunna Sparkle, their youngest daughter, would likely be the first to arrive. She still lived locally even if out in the woods with her husband, away from most of the hustle and bustle of daily life. She had that luxury. Aurora Shimmer, however, would likely arrive by small motorcade that would need to be dismissed once she arrived. The front gate security system, which was monitored by company security, would page Twilight when she arrived. Such precautions were necessary to protect their now high profile lives. Especially one Senator Aurora Shimmer.

Politics, Sunset thought. Of all the career paths that brilliant girl could have chosen and she picked the snake pit of Tartarus itself. Not my cup of tea, that's for damn sure. Still, she probably would have done well in Equestrian Canterlot court. Mom would have been happy to show her the ropes too. Maybe even see if she had alicorn potential.

Thoughts of her mother, Princess(former princess) Celestia, Goddess of the Sun, reminded Sunset of why this meeting was happening and they had asked their girls to both come visit on the same day and not for a holiday or family function. No, sadly this was for business. Sunset made a face as she looked down at her hand, still with an old red mechanical pencil between the fingers.

Years of professional work as an electrical engineer and part time artist had done nothing to change those hands that had once been sturdy hooves. Not her hands, not her face, not her hair, not anything really. Every cut healed quickly, every bruise would hurt, swell, then dissipate in a day or less. Sunset Shimmer had survived and walked away from physical trauma that would have killed any normal human. But Sunset was not normal. Not really. She was technically seventy years old but did not appear as so.

Sunset glanced to her wife and their eyes locked, small smiles gracing both their faces. Wordless compliments passed between them. A mental synchronization and understanding that only came from living and loving someone for as many decades as they had. Their forty-eighth wedding anniversary was coming up this year and Sunset did not look like a woman who should be celebrating forty-eight years of a successful marriage... and neither did Twilight. If one had to toss out a guess, which some of their friends had, they both still looked to be in their mid to late twenties. A fact that had led them to where they were now and why things had to change.

Fifteen minutes had passed when Twilight received notification that Sunna had arrived. Their youngest daughter had arrived alone, as was asked. Her husband and daughter were also starting to ask questions about, "Grandma and Grand Mama," that were becoming difficult to answer.

Sunna's skin complexion was still a burgundy tone and her hair had been recently colored three different pastel tones of pink, blue, and green to match Celestia’s. A choice that Sunset had found clashing if albeit amusing. Still, what could not be missed or ignored was that their youngest was now thirty-eight years old with lines under her eyes and a number of gray hairs that had escaped the dye job.

Sunna quickly hugged her mother while Sunset had to shift about to climb out of her lounger chair to be second for hugs. “Hello and bright day to you, mom.”

“What about me?”

Sunna smiled and hugged Sunset as well. Being second in line for affection did not diminish the love and warmth. The alicorn in human form completely enveloped her second child, resting her head on top of Sunna's. Easy to do since Sunset still stood a head and a half taller than her. “You as well, mama. I am glad you are both doing well. I also see Aurora has yet to arrive.”

“I got a ping from the airport that her plane landed and was being taxied to the private hanger. She should be here soon,” said Twilight, checking her phone again just to be sure.

“You want anything to eat or drink while we wait?”

Sunna shook her head with a pleasant smile, not hesitating to grab Sunset’s sketchbook and claim a seat on the outdoor couch around the cold firepit. With nothing else to do but wait, Twilight returned to her work while Sunset took the next seat over and made small talk about her latest sketches. Half an hour later, two cars arrived at the gate and Twilight buzzed them in. She watched on the cameras as Aurora gave some sharp orders to her aides followed by instructions to her personal security guard. From what Twilight could see he did not appear to be pleased at being told he was dismissed. Regardless, the two cars departed and Aurora followed the instructions Twilight had texted her about coming out to the patio deck.

In typical Aurora Shimmer fashion, she did not put down her phone until she reached the patio. Cobalt blue eyes glanced up to find the rest of her family staring at her patiently. With a sigh and a Shimmer approved eyeroll the phone disappeared into the jacket pocket of her business suit. Aurora dusted off her hands even though they were perfectly clean, as was the rest of her black business suit and skirt combination. She ran her hands through her wavy bobbed hair that had been dyed red, quickly loosened the black skinny tie, and undid a few of the buttons on her shirt to cool off. She was home. No need to continue to look the part of a professional.

"Just so you know, I had to tell my PR consultant and my assistant that I had a family emergency to cancel made plans and come here on short notice, so somebody better be dying.”

“Do we need to be dying for you to take off and come visit us once in a while?”

Aurora scoffed. “Cut the crap, mama. You know I keep busy. When I’m not in DC I’m working across the state or with local constituents. Sometimes even out of the country if that's what is needed. I’m also on two committees, the board at Sparkle Tech, and, oh yeah, have three of my own kids I have to find time for and unlike others, I can’t ask my parents to take care of them for the weekend or so because they look like hot college post-graduates.”

Sunset chuckled humorlessly. “Funny how it went there so quickly.”

Twilight quickly removed her interface gloves and moved to step between her wife and eldest daughter. Multitasking was not going to be an option. “Let’s get things focused and back on track, please.”

“Fine. And what exactly is the focus of today?”

Twilight held up one finger and moved back to her chair, retrieving an item that had thus far gone unnoticed. She casually tossed it to Aurora who caught it easily before holding the item at arm’s length like a piece of roadkill.

“Seriously, mom? What the hell?! Why did you throw this at me?”

“So, you know what that is.”

Aurora paused, swallowing her kneejerk quip and examined the item more closely. It was a wig. Specifically, a high quality wig, handmade and blended cut natural hair with synthetic fibers. Most of the strands were gray into white but the natural dark indigo and strands of magenta were from Twilight’s own head expertly woven to give the appearance of a naturally mix progression. With a sigh, Aurora moved to the bar and sat on one of the stools. She reached over the counter where she knew the mini fridge was and pulled out a wine cooler bottle. After a moment of searching Sunset sat down next to her eldest daughter and offered the bottle opener, which she took with a nod of thanks.

Once she had gulped down almost half the bottle Aurora stated plainly, fighting to keep her voice from sounding annoyed, “That’s the wig I’ve seen you wear a few times out in public for board meetings or interviews, hence why you chopped your own hair so short.”

“Which she rocks, but I still prefer when she wears it longer.”

“Stay on target, Sunny,” Twilight said to Sunset accompanied by a smidge of blush and a quick smirk.

Aurora took a sizable gulp from her bottle again before saying with a sigh, “Okay, I understand that wigs and pretending to have had the greatest regenerative plastic surgery on Earth or flat out lying by saying you are my 'cousin' is a pain in the ass, but what else can we do? Mama’s a fucking alicorn pony from another dimension and you accidentally came in contact with concentrated pure magic. Even after all this time and having seen the place myself, multiple times, it still makes zero goddamn sense for why neither of you look old. Everything ages, everything here in this world at least.”

“I have many hypotheses on that front, but no conclusive evidence to support any of them. At least for myself. Your mama is the daughter of an immortal being, so that at least makes some sense. However, the point is because of this unique predicament and growing concerns about the future that is why we asked both of you to come urgently.” Twilight paused to turn her attention to Sunset who nodded her encouragement. “Your mama believes it is time that the two of us retire, permanently. That we ‘die’ at least as far as paperwork and legal standards are concerned.”

“But… you two are not actually dying, are you?” asked Sunna, her lilac eyes suddenly twice their normal size.

“Not as far as I have been able to discern. I have run every test a general medical practitioner would run on us both and found that we are as healthy as anyone should be in their late twenties with decent diet and regular exercise. Perhaps even a little better if I'm being perfectly honest.”

“Well, whoopie! Then you already have another one over me. I have to take pills for anxiety, stress, and another one for hypertension.”

Twilight bit her bottom lip. “Sorry, Aurora. I used to have to take pills for anxiety, stress, and depression as well for many years even after I switched high schools. Anyhow, back on subject. While I appreciate your mama’s reasoning and she has provided an excellent oral argument, I wanted to counter with my own beliefs and include to the two of you because all of this does, in more than one way, affect you as well.”

“Okay, let me get this straight before you start, mom. Yes, I see you reaching for your prepared flash cards.” Twilight pouted, but gestured for Aurora to continue. “You are going to declare yourselves legally dead and then… what? Just become someone else?”

Twilight opened her mouth, but then snapped it shut before muttering to herself while she tossed out a few cards into the unlit firepit. "Your mama wants… You know what, Sunset? Just tell them your part while I fix my cards.”

Sunset Shimmer smiled and chuckled a bit while her wife recomposed her notes. “Essentially, you nailed it in one, kid. I want to travel. I want to see the Grand Canyon. I want to eat beignets in New Orleans. I want to scuba dive and swim with dolphins. I want to do whatever my heart desires that morning when I wake up whether it is out of a tent at a campsite or a beachside bungalow. I want to live each day from sunup to sundown and even into the night if I feel like it. As free to roam as all our ancient ancestors once did. Human and pony.

"At the end of the day I didn’t ask to become an alicorn, even if at one time I dreamed of it, but here I am and somehow, unbelievably, that also means I have the magically extended lifespan of an alicorn even as a human. So, I don’t want to spend the rest of my life hiding in this house. And I LOVE this house, but I've seen and cleaned every corner of it, thoroughly. If we are not going to move to Equestria like I originally suggested, where creatures with long ass lifespans are not that uncommon, then that’s fine. I can get behind that. But if we're staying, I refuse to be afraid to live.”

“And what if someone recognizes you. Or if not you, definitely mom. She’s been on TV and magazine covers and page after page of tech journals and web shots. It’s not as easy for her to blend in in our world.”

“That was one of my concerns as well. In fact, it was bullet point three!”

“What were bullet points one and two?” asked Sunset.

“Securing new false identification paperwork, possibly more than one, and reliable income flow that does not come under questionable scrutiny. At least here we have family to shield us and privacy laws. Out there, especially in other countries, things can become… sketchy.”

“But sketchy can be fun.”

“Sketch can be dangerous.”

“A food allergy can be dangerous.”

“Precisely! And I have not tested for every possible allergy you or I could have!”

“Then pack a mini lab to test on the go. I’m not saying we hitchhike and slum it across the world like hobos. We can still stay in nice hotels too, but if I fancy the spontaneous idea of getting a tattoo or ear piercing and the place is clean and reputable I want to do it. We have this unbelievable gift, so I want to live, babe. I want both of us to live.”

“You already did that sort of spontaneity in college when you got your bellybutton pierced and then had to take it out when you were pregnant!”

Sunset paused and then tapped her chin. “Ohhhh, yeeeeeah. Slipped my mind. That doesn't happen often. I should look into getting that put back in now that I'm thinking about it again.”

“Getting waaaaaay off subject here, you two,” shouted Aurora, her voice cracking slightly as it often did when she became frustrated. She took a breath and made an inhalation and exhale motion which included arm movement just like her mother and Aunt Cadence used to do. “Maybe it's just me, but from what it sounds like you two still have a LOT of little details to plan out. So again, why are WE here?”

“Because if we are going to do this it has to follow certain believable and plausible steps,” Twilight stated while gesturing to both her daughters. “It is now on official records with corroborating witnesses that both of you had to rush here for a family emergency. It is known, at least as far as records are concerned, that Sunset and I are both… 'elderly.' This grants opportunity for me to make the necessary changes to our statuses and give the two of you my controlling interests in Sparkle Tech. Which was always my plan from when the company took off with great success.”

Twilight set her notecards down and picked up two folders, handing one to each her daughters. She waited while they both took a moment to glance and skim over the documents inside. Aurora had dealt with enough legal documents, red tape, jargon, and fine print formalities over the years to know exactly what she now held.

“You are giving us our inheritances.”

Twilight could tell from the tone it was a statement not a question. Sunna shifted her attention back and forth between both her parents and her sister, feeling her own rising anxiousness. Twilight adjusted her glasses and moved again to sit next to her youngest, easily recognizing the change in posture. She wasted no time rubbing Sunna’s back in small circles with one hand while using the other to turn a few pages past the boilerplate legal to the parts that really mattered.

“Yes. Sparkle Tech will belong to the two of you. You each will have fifty percent of my holdings, which I held sixty-six percent of the total company asset value. Given that Aurora already has her own personal stake and a board seat that would make her acting chairperson until the board approves the transaction. You can both do what you wish with your shares, but do yourselves a favor and the company as a whole a favor and please listen to the advisory committee. They know how the day-to-day operations work. I also have a personal request that you let me keep my administrative privileges. I will create a new profile and backdoor server system access to check on progress of projects as well as secretly contribute my own work.”

“But not too often because it’s supposed to be 'retirement.' Right, babe?”

Twilight smiled and nodded. “Yes.” She turned her attention back to Aurora. “IF we move forward with this, your mama had three requests as well. One, was that this house remains in the family even if you choose to sell the others or various owned properties. The second, that you keep all the photo albums and journal tomes that your mama has used for conversations with Grandma Celestia and Princess Twilight safe. Finally, that you keep one guestroom separate available for us whenever we come to visit. I recommend the old gaming room since it is larger than a standard bedroom and we will move all our most precious items to that room for safe keeping along with a dresser and armoire for clothes and accessories. Everything else is superficial and you can do what you wish with it or save it for your children to have.”

“So,” Aurora said before gently setting the empty bottle down on the bar, “I can see mama’s side of things, what was your counter argument?”

“That we remain here. I have my personal lab out back where I can run far more sophisticated tests on both of us and closely monitor the Equestrian portal for anomalies and test any variances that may or may not be affecting us, which is one of my hypotheses. Plus, it gives us easy, quick access to anything we may need where a remote, white sandy beach will not.”

“A self-imposed prisoner and lab rat in your own home,” said Aurora.

“My thoughts exactly,” added Sunset.

“I know it has drawbacks, but it would be the safest solution. And it is not like we would stay trapped forever. We could plan small, quiet excursions with disguises to the places you want to visit. Just not extended stays living like wealthy vagabonds.”

“And option three would be to live in Equestria?” asked Sunna.

Sunset risked a glance to Twilight for approval before nodding. “It’s not really on the table, but it is an option.”

“Honestly, I think that is the one I would pick if it were me,” said Sunna with a small smile. “I can think of worse places to live out the rest of my life than a land of myth and magic.”

Aurora reached back over the bar and retrieved another wine cooler. “Yeah, you always did seem to be more in tune with that place than I ever was. Hell, I'm happy when I can go longer than a few months without thinking about it.”

Silence lingered as Aurora chugged her second drink. Sunset leaned back casually with her elbows on the bar, Sunna chewed on her bottom lip, and Twilight shifted about, eyes constantly switching between who to look at. When Aurora finished her drink, she let out a small belch and took her two bottles to the recycling can with a slight wobble to her step.
She knew her limit and still needed to be able to function once this family pow wow was over.

“You wanted our opinions, fine. Here’s mine. I agree with mama. I would go cackling homicidal staying in this house for months on end, year after year, even with occasional access to all the world around. And if the ‘other’ place is out then that makes it easy to choose. As long as you can get your hands on legitimate fake documents… I can’t believe I said that sentence out loud, then that is what I would go with. Now that I did say it, how are you going to make your deaths look real and get fake ID’s?”

Twilight wiggled her fingers in the air like a magic keyboard. “I... would rather spare you the details for deniability and the fact that it is considerably illegal, but also because it gets technical. Suffice to say I have been planning this for quite some time and had taken steps to get system access to the right government databases in order to keep myself and your mama off the suspicious radars of any government agencies that are referred to with three letter acronym names. I know many of those system better than the people who designed them so it will be relatively easy for me to create alias. Needless to say, I will go to any length to keep my family and loved ones safe. I know what I am doing and how to make it look official.”

“She really does know what she's doing. Your mom gave me a fresh start and backdated birth certificate and that was long before either of you were born. She’s only gotten better at this since then. Countries and governments around the world are all scared of each other and artificial intelligence taking over or starting wars when in reality they should be more concerned with the kind of people who make the code for it to begin with. Just be glad she’s on our side.” Twilight stared deadpan at her wife. “What? Tell me I'm wrong.”

“The programs are only as dangerous as the people making them and you just called me an evil mad scientist on the sly.” Sunset arched an eyebrow and flashed a smirk. “Okay, fine! I could be, but I’m not! I just want to keep us safe and keep working to make the world a better place! If I’m immortal or near immortal then it’s my responsibility to use my knowledge and extended life experiences to make the world a better place! Clean energy. Enough food for everyone so that no one goes to bed hungry. Curing diseases and other illnesses. Exploring the stars! I go to bed with these thoughts. I wake up each day hoping I can make the world a little bit better than where it was the day before.”

Sunset hopped off her barstool and sauntered over to her wife, reached down and cupped her face in both hands before planting a gentle, but extended kiss on her lips. “And that and so many more reasons are why I love you, Twilight Sparkle. You never stop dreaming. You never stop trying. I would never ask you to give it all up. Just to slow down and see the world you are tirelessly trying to save. The forest through the trees.”

Twilight giggled and sighed. “Right there in front of me, just too close for me to see... I remember.”

Sunset Shimmer smiled and Twilight knew she had lost the argument. But in truth, that was okay. Sunset had done what she was always so good at doing. She helped pull Twilight back when she was too close to an issue and see it all laid out before her. Sunset Shimmer, her pony angel born of fire and passion. A goddess in everything but name, beautiful, intelligent, empathetic, and yet also so down to earth and human. A good mother, a good lover, a great wife. For the umpteenth millionth time, Twilight was reminded why she loved this alicorn woman so much and was eternally thankful to have her by her side.

“Okay,” Twilight finally said. “If we are all in agreement, I need Aurora to make a call to my personal attorney, Sharp Tack in the next hour. He is aware of a number of highly confidential facts and truths and is contractually obligated and well compensated as such and will take those to his grave. He will handle the medical examiner reports and death certificates as well as the subtle press release information in the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours. If you need him to, he will also directly handle the media relations to keep most of the cameras off of the two of you. Since you will be grieving for your loss. Once that is done, I will take the necessary steps to put our first new ID’s into active circulation. It should be safe for us to sneak out and begin out retirement in about a month after things have settled. I hope you have a list of where you would like to begin, Sunny.”

“Pfft,” Sunset said with a toothy grin and a waggle of her eyebrows. “As if I would ever compile a list without checking with you first. Get out your big white board and that fat black marker you need two hands to hold, babe. We are going to make a LONG list and check it all twice.”

Twilight giggled and then moaned. She said with a husky undertone, “I love it when you talk dirty to me.”

Sunna blushed profusely but continued to smile while she tried to look anywhere but at her parents. Aurora groaned and fell back, splaying out on the bar. Her head made an audible smack against the varnished wood, but not terrible hard.

“Fuuuuuck me sideways. Now I am going to need that third drink.”

Author's Note

Evening readers!

I know the last chapter did not include any art and at the moment neither does this one. BUT I am working on sketches of adult Aurora and Sunna. Just been busy with life and probably watching too much streaming. Bad habit. Need to balance my time better.

So as was pointed out in a few previous stories. Twi and Sunset eventually had to quietly slip out of their own lives because it had become painfully obvious that they were not aging like normal people. I quite enjoy adult Aurora in this and the bit I had her before in, "The Girl Who Has Everything."

Aurora had her mama's fiery snark, her mother's brains and wit and Celestia's ability to wrap an entire room of policy makers around her little finger. She was tough but fair. If you worked as hard as she did and didn't try to bullshit her she respected you. If you tried to stab her in the back, she stabbed you in the face with razor sharp words and decisive action.

Sunna was more subtle, quiet. She was an artist, a teacher, and philosopher. She loved visiting Equestria and did not care for the high stress, high demand world of government or corporate politics. As such, when she was finally able to, she sold her stake in Sparkle Tech and left the company to Aurora and eventually their children.

Thank you for reading.

Questions? Comments?

Invictus

102 years after Lunar Lock Mirror restoration

Princess Twilight Sparkle thought she felt her heart stop. She was almost certain of it. She could not believe what her ears had registered. If it was a jest, it was a terribly timed one. However, having known the pony before her, currently bowed so deep that her head was nearly touching the scarred stone of the still damaged throne room, there was little to no doubt what had just been said was real and not a joke or prank.

“T-Tempest,” Twilight felt her voice hitch. She was tired and stressed, they all were. Now she felt as if her nerves and emotions were holding on by a thread, “please, reconsider.”

“I don’t want to do this, Your Highness, but I have to put your needs first. You need a captain that is capable of doing the job of being the best Solar Guard and all that title entails. I… I am not that pony any longer.” Tempest Fury raised her eyes for a moment, her broken stub horn shot a few jade green sparks and she winced. The bandages from that morning had already burned away as they had every time she or someone else had wrapped the damaged appendage. She had to take several deep breaths to regain control of her damaged mana flow. It grew more frustrating each time which in turn let to more surges. Twilight took two steps down from the dais, but the vermilion unicorn held up a hoof to halt her. “Please stay back. I don’t want to hurt you too.”

“Tempest, I can help you. I have dealt with broken horns before and I am not some delicate flower. A few surges are not going to hurt me.”

“But they hurt me!” shouted the guard, tears about to spill forth, but she fought them back. “And they have hurt my husband who helps wrap my horn and the doctors who try to help me with control and, and, and…. I shocked my son! He just wanted a HUG! I can’t hug my beautiful colt or hold my foal without hurting them! I AM BROKEN!”

The words echoed for a second. The workers who were fixing the walls of the throne room all stopped momentarily before continuing. No doubt this gossip would spread in a matter of hours. Such bad news on top of everything else horrible in the wake of the horrific battle that the Red Clover had wrought upon them would only worsen the morale and situation as a whole. Twilight took her own deep breath and straightened her posture. She had to play her role for now and that meant being more princess than friend. That fact made her stomach twist into bile filled knots.

“I will not accept your resignation at this time, captain. It has been less than a week and you were horrifically injured to an extent that neither myself, Princess Sunset Shimmer, or any other medical professionals completely understand. You need time to heal before you make such a rash decision.”

“I… I can’t get that witch’s voice out of head. I can still see her eyes, the moment she bent backwards and disintegrated my horn. I can still FEEL that pain. And that was NOTHING compared to…” Twilight felt her heart break and could hold back no longer. She flapped her wings and landed before her captain and cherished friend. Pulling her out of the deep bow and up into her chest, forelegs and wings wrapped tightly around the veteran guard. Finally, a few tears could no longer be held back and Tempest cried. Her tears splashed across Twilight’s peytral. Joined by the princess’s own trailing down her face to splash to the ground.

“I’m here for you. We all are. You are one of the strongest ponies I have ever known, Tempest Fury. But even the mighty Applejack had to ask for help from time to time. And so did Tempest Shadow.”

Tempest tensed for a moment before settling into the contact once more. Her great grandmother had always been her idol. Even more than the princess before her. A mare of incredible strength, resilience, and combat prowess. What would she think of the pony that carried her namesake now?

Probably nothing good.

* * * * *

Tempest opened to door to her home and closed it gently behind her. Twilight had refused her resignation. After several moments to pull herself together, the guard captain had saluted and retreated first to her guard barracks office to file more paperwork. Mostly inventory audits and modified rotation schedules. The busy work had involved far too much staring off into space, but had helped settle her outward emotions. She then passed on what she could to the first lieutenant she could find and retreated home. Thankfully, they did not question.

However, home offered no additional comfort. She could not fall apart here either. Not with her family in the other room. Their home, small compared to that of noble family estates, but spacious by most Canterlot standards, had survived the street fighting nearly unscathed. There was some minor damage outside and two of the bushes her husband had planted had been burned to blackened twigs. Likely by a random magic bolt and not deliberate given how minor it had all been.

Despite how gently she had closed the door, Fog Gauge had heard her enter. Bat pony ears did not miss much, by design. It was not long before the Lunar Captain would have to leave to begin his own duties, his armor already cinched into place and helmet near the door, ready and waiting for him. Tempest stared at the polished blued ferronite helm with the faux webbed crest. Her own helmet sat next to his, but she had not worn it in days. It caused her too much pain when a surge struck. She found that out the hard way.

Fog Gauge entered the living room, serpent like yellow eyes seeking out those jade orbs that he loved to stare into. But she refused to meet his gaze, eyes downcast and a sour twist to her face that said all he needed to know about her current mood. Something they could no longer shelve for the sake of their relationship both personal and professional. “Saber is reading to his sister. That gives us a few minutes if you wish to speak befor-”

“There’s nothing to talk about,” Tempest said with all the love and compassion of blunt force trauma. “I offered my resignation, she refused. Told me I needed time to heal and to think about it before I do something I’ll regret.”

“She is just worried. As we all are.”

Tempest growled and kicked at the floorboard, scuffing them. “The only reason I didn’t just throw down my standards and march out of that damn hall is because of what it would have done to my guards if they had seen me do it. And trust me, I REALLY wanted to do it. Especially after shamefully crying into Twilight’s chest fur right in front of all the damn construction workers no less!”

Guage stepped forward to hug his wife when her horn began to spark. She growled and gnashed her teeth to get the latest surge under control. The once clean painted walls of yellows and blues with soft trim throughout their home now had several black scorch marks from mana surge bolts. Fog Gauge took a step back again, but not out of fear. Because he knew from the last time if he just let himself be shocked to show his commitment to her that only upset Tempest even more making it that much harder for his wife to regain control.

“Dammit!”

“Breathe, my love.”

A stray bolt struck the wall near the kitchen and Tempest screwed her eyes shut tighter until the sparks finally subsided. The unicorn was breathing hard and shaking as if she had just run a marathon in full armor. Fog Gauge did not spare the mark a glance. It could be cleaned just like the others could, just like the small bolt blasts that their son had caused when he was learning to control his own surges. Tempest, however, was distraught. Eyes red and puffy, tears on the brink of spilling forth.

“I told you we should have just nailed that bucking inhibitor ring to my head!”

“I refused and still refuse,” Gauge said sharply without raising his voice. “They are for foals who do not know better and criminals that need to be restrained. You will regain your control with time. I know you will.”

“Fine, great. In the meantime, I can’t do my job right, I scare citizens when I walk down the street, and I’m a huge risk to the safety and health of my family because I keep electrocuting them! I don’t have time to regain control! I might set the house on fire! My great grand had to practice for YEARS to learn to re-channel her mana pathways in a manner of control and even she still had dangerous spark surges I’m told. How am I supposed to be Captain of the Solar Guard if I am a risk to all those around me?!”

Fog remained where he was, but his eyes never left his wife, waiting for her ragged breaths to calm. He had to call upon his own harsh discipline to fight down his desire to wrap her in his forelegs and wings. “The house can be fixed, your guards have only the utmost respect for you, and your friends and family love you. We will get through this together. Trust us.”

“I don’t trust myself.” It was said at barely more than a whisper, but it might as well had been screamed into his fluffy bat ear. The silence lingered until the sound of small hoofsteps caused his ear to turn to the direction of the hallway.

“Daddy, I finished reading. Come say goodnight to us, please.”

Fog took two steps and turned back to his wife. “Are you coming?” She shook her head. Yellow eyes closed briefly before he finally nodded and moved to say goodnight. Fog knew he would have to leave soon after to assume his duties for the night. He could send word that he was staying in with his family. He could pass on his orders to capable lieutenants. They would understand. Princess Sunset would most certainly understand.

When the bat pony returned to the living room to suggest the idea to his wife he found it empty. A quick inspection of their bedroom revealed Tempest Fury on the bed, curled up hugging a pillow to her chest, clear as day to his night vision. “You should eat something. I could stay and fix a favorite of yours.”

“Just go do your duty, captain.”

“Tempest.”

“I… just need to be alone right now. I can hear them if they need me, but I… just go.”

“As you wish.” Gauge paused. “I love you.”

There was a longer pause than he would have liked before she finally whispered, “Thank you.”

He closed the door most of the way, leaving it open enough in case she needed to check on their children. Thankfully, Dusk Wind was sleeping mostly through the night now. Fog wanted to stay despite her wishes. Wanted to be there for his wife, but in her current state it would not help and truthfully, the entire guard both solar and lunar needed a captain to keep up morale. Duty to the princesses and to Equestria had never hurt so much as it did in that moment.

* * * * *

Tempest Fury did not recognize the ground beneath her hooves. It was rock, she was mostly certain of that, but it was a dark color, almost black. It reminded her of pictures she had seen of volcanic islands or formations in the Dragon Lands. There were buildings, old cottages made of wood and plaster with straw roofs. Again, it felt familiar, but at the same time not recognizable. Had she been deployed? Where was everypony?

No, I did a tour on the Long-Range Patrol. I would recognize even a dinky border town like this. Something is not right.

She then looked down at herself and found that she was in regular guard armor and not her captain’s gear. Out of curiosity, Tempest reached up and found that her horn was still missing. The hoof guard came in contact with the scorched stub and broken appendage sparked, sending a painful jolt down her foreleg that she had to shake out and caused a yelp.

Then where in the depths of Tartarus am I?

A scream, high pitched and likely from a female caused Tempest’s ears to fold back and she instinctively ran in the direction she had thought the shrill noise had originated from. It was then that she noticed that these buildings were in terrible shape. Many had burns, blast holes, some were even still burning. Obvious signs of battle damage that she should have noticed earlier. But nothing about any of this was making any sense. In fact, all her senses felt dulled and off. The unicorn came to a skidding stop as a body of a pony was tossed to the ground from a rooftop. The guard uniform was charred and mangled and the guard within convulsed a few times before falling still. Fury was the second part of her name for a reason as anger and resolve coursed through her veins and mana channels. As her horn sparked, Tempest looked up to where the guard had been cast down from and found a dark figure standing on what remained of a roof rafters.

“Nice of you to show up, captain. Too bad all your soldiers are already dead,” said the assailant. The voice was dark and husky, but certainly female. It did not matter. Male, female, pony, griffon, dragon, all Tempest knew was that some creature had attacked her guards and they were going to pay for it. Without hesitating or concern for the pain it would cause, Tempest Fury unleashed a torrent of energy. The bolts of blue-green lightning zig zagged and arched across the sky towards her target. A target that jumped over the blasts with grace and practiced skill. There was the distinctive sound of metal covered hooves landing on stone, ember sparks lighting the night briefly. Close combat instincts activated as an armored hoof came sailing for her head. While she felt sluggish, Tempest was able to block the strike, but only just barely. The powerful leg was caught in her own grip and drove her off balance.

“Too slow.”

The guard moved to recover only for another hoof to follow up and strike her exposed abdomen. Tempest doubled over as her breath was driven from her body and another hoof came up and under her chin. Her head snapped back and the strap on her helmet broke. Sending the item flying off into the distance. The unicorn landed on her back and rolled over, sliding away just as a powerful stomp would have crushed down on her head. Tempest spat blood from her mouth and was certain some of her teeth were cracked or broken. A problem for later.

“Good. I like to see a little fight in an enemy. It makes things more interesting.”

“No pony kills my guards and walks away alive.”

There was something familiar about the other mare even in shadowed silhouette. She was tall, as tall as Tempest was. She was clearly powerful and athletic and her black armor was menacing. Her fur color was difficult to see in the darkness but her mane seemed to stand up and…

Wait… is that a… broken horn?!

Lightning shot from a stubby horn and Tempest Fury quickly threw up a makeshift shield that deflected some of the bolts but not all of them. In the flashing light, Tempest found herself looking into cold, merciless jade colored eyes.

“G-Great grand?!”

The mulberry assailant stepped left then right and twisted to hind leg kick Tempest Fury, her attack connecting at the shoulder and sending the guard flying. She knew her left scapula had fractured under the now dented and broken armor before she had landed and rolled badly. Tempest Fury screamed in agony.

“You call yourself a captain? You think you are worthy of that title and all the responsibility that comes with it?! I led the expeditionary forces of the Storm King and conquered and enslaved nations! I’ve fought princesses and brought all of Equestria to its knees! There is a trail of bodies behind me long enough to pave roads with their skulls if I so wished it! What makes you think you are worthy of MY name and MY legacy?! If this is the best you have after taking a little beating then do yourself a favor and just fall on your sword and be done with it.”

Tempest Shadow fired another bolt and knocked her descendant off her hooves and back again.

“You’re pathetic. You get your horn broken by a little baddie and now boo-hoo poor me. Typical crybaby pony.”

Tempest Fury struggled to her hooves and growled at the pain. Her horn began to spark violently, casting her snarling face in long shadows. “It… It wasn’t just my horn. She ripped out my soul!”

Tempest Fury's lighting arced forward and the red headed mare simply batted the blast away with her ferronite armored hoof guard. “Yeah, yeah I bet that hurt. Big deal. But how about being stabbed multiple times by filthy stone spears that break off in your flesh and fester? Or an ursa claw to the face? Or dragon claws to the back over and over again while the monster rapes you and all every other creature does is stand by and gawk and laugh?! You want to talk pain of the body? Pain of the SOUL?! How about wishing you were dead just to silence the screaming in your head, but then they won’t let you die!”

“I should be DEAD! I deserve to be dead! I've lost so many good solider under my command and I remember every damn one of their names! None of them would have died if I had been doing my job better!”

Tempest Shadow dodged another bolt then quickly swept out Tempest Fury’s legs. Pressing down an armored hoof on the broken shoulder, her horn began to crackle with power. “You wanna die so badly? I’ll grant you that mercy. Better than to live a pathetic excuse for a life where every parentless foal looks at you like it’s your fault that mommy and daddy are dead or maimed. Because it is! A real commander accepts those burdens and hardens their heart to such softness. You don't deserve to live.”

Tempest Fury closed her eyes. Hoping, praying the deathblow would at least be quick.

A smashing sound caught the captain’s attention and one of the buildings exploded to pieces. Standing in the smoke and dust clouds was a tall, goldenrod alicorn with a fiery mane that flickered about angrily, adorn in black and gold armor, horn glowing bright red.

“HEY, MOHAWK!”

Tempest Shadow turned to respond only to be met face first with an armored hoof. The fallen guard watched in awe and horror as her beloved ancestor disintegrated to a cloud of black ash with little more than a poof sound. Moments later, the town vanished and Tempest Fury found herself laying on what felt like soft, wet mud. Was it raining all the sudden, she thought. Had it always been raining?

“Sunset Shimmer?”

The alicorn princess looked up at the clouds and sighed at the sudden rain before shaking her head and extending her hoof to help the unicorn back to her hooves. Upon quick inspection Tempest found that her armor was no longer shattered nor were her bones. The guard captain could no longer taste blood in her mouth and if she had a mirror, surmised that her cuts and bruises were likely gone as well.

“What is go-”

“Do you realize how FUCKING hard it is to get into somepony’s nightmare when they will NOT let you in?! It’s like trying to save you from a burning building only you intentionally locked all the doors just to be safe and they are made of metal.”

“Nightmare… so… this is a dream then?”

“Nightmare,” Sunset reiterated, still glancing back and forth in the surrounding cloudy darkness. “I don’t bother ponies in their nice dreams or peek in on them. Aunt Luna always said that was a privacy violation. Though I’m sure she peeked in a few times because it was her.”

“But… wait, what happened to my Great Grand? Did you kill her?”

“Hmm? Oh, that shadow that was kicking your flank? Nah. That wasn’t your relative. That was your own dark subconscious thoughts taken solid form. Thankfully not an invasive emotophage monster or shade manifestation. Just you kicking your own tail. Both figuratively and literally.”

“Why are you even in… where are we anyway?”

“We’re in your mind, Tempest.”

Tempest Fury glanced about at the bleak nothingness and then up at the rain clouds that were pressing down on them with a continued steady torrent. “Why is it so damn… dark and wet? Can’t you make this stop?”

“This is your mind, captain. You are the one causing this. You want it to stop you tell it to stop. But if I had to guess it’s because you are still hurting. You know, crying on the inside.” Tempest flashed a sour expression as if she had just bit into bad piece of fruit. “Don’t look at me like that, it’s a legitimate hypothesis! Look, I'm still new at doing this on my own. In the past I always had Luna to help with this sort of stuff. Truth be told it was usually her taking the lead and me just doing clean up. But now I’ve been running my rump off from nightmare to nightmare for almost a week and it is freaking exhausting.”

Tempest focused and the rain stopped as suddenly as it had begun. Their wet manes and fur drying almost instantly. She glanced down and found their once muddy hooves clean as each step still rippled the ground as if they were standing on shallow puddles stretching in all directions. It was all still far too bleak and Tempest did not like what that said about her current mental state. Assuming Sunset Shimmer knew what she was talking about on this particular matter, which was a fifty-fifty on the best of days. Tempest let that thought and snide remark slide away. “I didn’t ask you to come here. This is my problem. I can handle this on my own.”

“No, you didn’t ask.”

“Then why did you c-”

“Twilight asked.”

“Of course she did.”

“Your husband asked.”

Tempest sighed, “Dammit, Fog.”

“Isabella asked.”

Tempest arched a brow. "Seriously?"

“Flurry Heart asked. Some of your lieutenants asked. The head cook for the guard mess hall asked. You know, that one with the handlebar mustache? Yeah, he asked. Hell’s Bells, even Raven asked and she had no idea what she was even asking, but she is programmed to notice self destructive behavioral tendencies and has volumes of psychological data on how to recognize and diagnose concerned states of mental well being. Such as PTSD, major mental breakdowns, or suicidal thoughts and actions.”

“Oh, go suck a yak dick. I’m not suicidal.”

Sunset wanted to smile at the heated quip, but she had a role to play and a friend who needed perspective. “Oh really? So, I just imagined it that a second ago your very dead great grandmother was about to stomp you into sidewalk paste?”

“It wasn’t real. You said so yourself.”

“Just because it was only in your head doesn’t mean it wasn’t real. It was real to you. You were beating yourself up and letting it happen because you wanted to be self destructive. You’re mad at yourself for any number of reasons and feel like you have no control over your life right now. You're not the first pony to blame yourself for everything bad that's happening even when it's not your fault.”

Tempest growled, kicking water at Sunset though it didn’t seem to have the desired effect. Simply cascading down her armored covered legs back into the pools bellow. The lunar princess just arched a brow and tilted her head slightly to the left. Her lack of reaction only frustrated the unicorn more. “I didn’t ask you to come into my mind and I certainly didn’t ask for your input into my mental state. You are not a doctor and even if you were I have nothing to say to you on this so just leave!”

Instead of honoring her wishes, Sunset Shimmer instead took a seat and tapped on her chin as if in deep contemplation. Tempest snarled and let loose her frustrations in an unrestrained energy blast. Much like her fight with her manifested great grandmother, Sunset just raised and armored hoof and deflected the blast to the ground.

“Damn ferronite.”

Sunset glanced down as her black and gold hoof guard. “Not really. I’m just a projection of my true self here and I just tell myself what can and cannot work. You probably can’t hurt me like this… Although, that does give me an idea.”

Tempest arched a brow. “An idea. You?”

“Yeah.”

“I already don’t like this.”

Sunset allowed herself to smirk confidently. “I think you will. I’ll see you real soon.”

Before Tempest Fury could comment the goldenrod princess vanished in a flash similar to a teleport. The world around her began to blur and fade then, moments later, she heard a knocking. Was someone at the door?

Tempest blinked several times and realized she was in her bed, the sheets and blankets tossed about as if there had been a violent wrestling match upon then mattress. What next caught her attention was the newest black scorch mark on the headboard that smelled of fresh burnt wood. She touched it gingerly and felt a slight residual heat through her hoof. Then came the insistent knocking once again. The sound was strong, likely an armored hoof. The kind that would wake her foals if not dealt with.

Tempest dragged herself out of bed and to the door. She pulled the door open to find a lunar guard mare standing there at attention. The guard saluted a moment later. “Good evening, captain. I received orders from Her Highness to stand watch over your home and foals while you have been summoned to the armory.”

Tempest blinked twice, her horn sparking twice as well. The guard held her salute, waiting for it to be acknowledged. A moment later, Tempest’s exhausted brain kicked back into operation. She quickly returned the salute and also recognized the unicorn thestral standing before her.

“Sergeant Whisper Gale. I am not aware of any such orders.”

“The orders were just issued to me directly from Her Highness, Princess Sunset Shimmer. I am to guard your home and foals and attend to any of their needs while you are to meet the princess at the armory as soon as you are able, captain.”

Tempest glanced back at the rooms where her foals were sleeping then past the guard still standing at her door. Her horn began to spark once more as her agitation spiked. “What is she up to?”

“I did not question. I simply took my orders and moved to carry them out to the best of my ability, ma’am. Everything will be just as it is now. While I have no foals of my own, I did help raise my kid brother. I assure you on my word and by the honor of my princess that they are in capable hooves.”

With nothing else to add, Tempest returned to her room and quickly reassembled her armor before informing Sergeant Gale of a few things she may need if the children wake up while she is away. The thestral unicorn saluted once more before taking up a sitting position near the hallway. Tempest considered telling the other mare she could sit on the furniture but dismissed the thought and closed the door behind her.

Tempest made for the guard armory at a steady jog pace, her eyes constantly scanning the surroundings as instinct demanded. While much of the damage to the city from Datura’s attack had been cleaned and cleared, there were still many creatures who still bore dark lined circles under their eyes. While the night life was open for business only a fraction of the previous crowds were taking part. Most of their movements cautious and hesitant to fully relax in case another disaster was to come wreaking havoc so soon. Tempest found it all frustrating and her displeasure caused her horn to spark again, sending a jolt of pain through her nerves as she fought to suppress it again.

"Damn you, Shimmer, for making me come out running around at this time of night." A few onlookers moved as if to assist or at least ask if Tempest needed help. but one cutting glare from the unicorn made them changer their minds. A few minutes later Tempest had regained enough mana control to continue her journey.

The guards at the barrack's entrance saluted the solar captain and she quickly returned it. They did not question why she was arriving after the sun was set. Perhaps they knew or assumed it was not their concern. Rank had its privileges alongside responsibilities. Once at the armory, two more lunar guards saluted and opened the door for Tempest without question.

“Her Highness is expecting you.”

Tempest nodded and continued inside. She did not have to travel far before she found Sunset Shimmer, partially inside a large wooden crate. A crate that Tempest Fury immediately recognized, causing her anger to spike and horn stub to spark wildly again.

Sunset stood up and smiled. “Ah, good. You’re here.”

“What do you think you are doing?” Tempest snapped. “That’s my Great Grand’s stuff! You can’t just go around sticking your nose in other pony’s personal spaces.”

Sunset Shimmer arched a brow and smirked. “Uh, actually, I’ve got this piece of metal on my head with a crescent moon on it that says I can.”

“You know what I mean! Even princesses have rules they have to abide. That’s a gross violation of privacy!”

Sunset glanced down at the woven sash she had over her chest plate armor. “How about it, Raven? Did you find anything in all the Equestrian law you have read that says I can’t go where I want and do what I want?”

“Frankly, I find that Equestria is ripe for an evil overlord conquest. With only the barest of exceptions they centralize far too much of the political and military power to only two beings with very little oversight or accountability. Even their advisory council can easily be executed and or dismissed at the wave of a wing or hoof.”

Tempest glared at the tiny camera eye that was poking out the top of the sash pouch. She knew the advanced technological device known as a PAAL could see her displeased expression. She was far too mentally drained to get into a drawn-out political argument with the sentient artificial intelligence. With a frustrated sigh she growled, “Just get the point of all this.”

“Absolutely, but first.” Sunset pulled out a golden circlet battle helm and tossed it to the unicorn. Tempest tried to grab it at first with her telekinesis, but had to quickly switch to her hooves when her horn sputtered and shot another wave of pain through her head and neck. Tempest knew exactly what the helm was and silently cursed herself for not thinking of it earlier. “It finally hit you, right? That’s how it was for me. After seeing that manifestation in your nightmare, I remembered when you and I came in here a few years ago and dug that thing out the first time. You told me that because of your great grandmother’s broken horn she had a set of armor custom crafted to help with precision spell control and to channel those mana surges into storage gems. Now I don’t know if you want to use the whole set given its condition, but I do know the battle helm will definitely help. So, go ahead and put it on.”

Tempest held the circlet in her hooves. The armor had been crafted from an alloy mix of ferronite, steel, and gold and was adorn in the center, just below the horn hole and above the nose bridge, with an expensive and valuable fire ruby that had been enchanted to store massive amounts of surge mana that could also be drawn upon for offensive or defensive spells. Tempest silent cursed her exhaustion and state of detachment that it had not occurred to her first to seek out the useful heirloom that was still quite functional.

With only a slight hesitation, Tempest slid the helm in place and was pleased that it fit with only a minor need of adjustment to the clasp at the back. Almost instantaneously, the throbbing headaches she had been suffering through vanished and her entire body felt cooler and more relaxed. Tempest knew that she was not suddenly cured and that there was still plenty of rehabilitation in her future, but at least her head did not feel like it was being split in two by a dull axe.

“Looks like the gem is still working. That’s good, I was afraid I might have cracked it last time. I know I damaged some of the body armor in my fight against Aethon. I said sorry about that, right?”

“Yeah, you did. More than once. I’ve worked with the armorers from time to time trying to restore the plates, but it's slow going. It hasn’t been a priority. Still isn’t, not really.” Tempest sighed and took a moment to rub the bridge of her muzzle. “Look, I appreciate what you are trying to do and thank you for fishing this out because I had honestly forgotten about it. But in the grand scheme it changes nothing. I know what I have to do.”

“Twilight needs a captain. More than that, she needs her friend.”

“I’ll always be her friend. But I… I can’t be her captain. Not as broken as I am.”

Sunset Shimmer rolled her eyes. “You’re not broken, Tempest. You just need time.”

“Yeah, that’s what everypony keeps telling me, but none of you are listening to a damn thing I am saying. A captain needs to be the best at every aspect of their job and I am not the best anymore. Not likely to ever be again. So, you and Raven can stop playing lawn chair psychologist and get it through both your stubborn skulls that I am at the end of my career. I don’t want to or need to talk it out or discuss my feelings on it or need a shoulder to cry on because my mother didn't hug me enough or whatever.”

Tempest took Sunset’s silence as an end of the conversation and turned to leave. It was then that she felt something poke her sharply in the flank at the armor gaps. Tempest turned to find a sparring staff floating in a red telekinetic field. Her annoyed glare at the oversized stick traveled upward to the pony casting the spell.

“Really?”

“You’re right. Talking things out with you in a traditional setting won’t work. You’re too damn stubborn. So, we’re going to work through your problems like Qunari.”

Tempest Fury arched a brow. “What’s a Qunari?”

Sunset waved her hoof back and forth. “They’re fictional, but honestly a lot like minotaurs in size and temperament. Ultimately not important. What IS important is that Doctor Sunset says therapy is still in session and we are working through it with sticks.”

“I would not trust the credentials of this doctor,” quipped Raven. “I believe she is a fake.”

Tempest glanced back down at the staff. “Are you seriously going to try and convince me I’m making some sort of grave mistake and change my mind by poking me with a staff?”

“Not poking.” Sunset spun the staff up, over, and around to smack Tempest on her other flank. The unicorn yelped in surprise. Her molten glower would have frightened any recruit and her sparking horn stub would have brought pause to any creature with a sense of self preservation. Sunset Shimmer however, simply grinned.

“Don’t do this, Shimmer. I’m warning you. I already laid you out in that video game we played back in the other world and that was me just having fun. You try to make me angry and duel me I might end up doing something that would be grounds for my arrest for attempted murder.”

Despite the warning, Sunset simply chuckled. “If it helps you see your worth then go for it. I’ve fought bigger, badder, and got plenty of scars to prove it. If you don’t want me to keep whacking you with a stick then you better grab one of your own and fight back because this is happening.”

“You’re not even doing it right. We don’t use magic when we spar with staves. Guard spars go by earth pony rules.”

“Meh, I say unicorn rules.”

Tempest growled. “Oh, for the love of… you’re just trying to make me use my horn.”

“I’m trying to do a lot of things, but yeah, that is one of them.” Sunset flicked her horn and Tempest tried to dodge, but the stick still caught her side sending a quick jolt of pain down her leg.

“Dammit, Sunset!” she snarled, grabbing her own staff within a shaky telekinetic aura.

“Congratulations, I believe she is sufficiently motivated to strike you now.”

Sunset glanced down at Raven. “Ohhhhh, yeah.”

“Have I ever told you that you are an insufferable pain in the rear?”

Sunset shrugged and grinned as she began to press her attack, forcing Tempest back towards the armory entrance door. “Maybe, but I get shit done.”

“What are you even trying to prove right now? Look, I’m hold the staff in my magic, whoopie. My control is pitiful, my movements are sluggish, and I am half a step away from going completely ballistic and bashing your skull in! None of this is right and you are not helping!”

Sunset pressed her advance again, forcing Tempest out of the armory and into the barracks courtyard. At this particular hour there were only bat ponies about and while some took a moment to turn their heads at the unexpected commotion most were too disciplined to gawk and stare once they realized one of the ponies fighting was their night princess. Tempest had to admit, once again, how impressed she was in their dedication to their duty.

“See, I know you won’t believe me, but I really don’t like being mean,” said Sunset spinning her staff in her magic, trying to find an opening to strike her opponent again. “But I’ve learned over the years that you can’t use all the same techniques when dealing with different personalities. For instance, with Twilight I can let my guard down and be completely honest and blunt because there is nothing I can say or do that she has not already see. I mean, she has seen me at my WORST. For others, I might have to use small words or use Celestia style diplomacy. But for you, Tempest Fury. You are a guard, a soldier, and you respond best to violence. Which I know sounds weird and totally not the pony way, but hey, I’m weird too so it works.”

“And again, what are you trying to prove? That if you get me mad enough that I’ll ‘see the light’ and not step down as captain? That if I can take you in a fight that I’m still the best?”

“If that’s what it takes for you to find your confidence again, sure. Because whether you are captain or not I will NOT let you slip into despair. I care about you and your husband and your little ones too much to let that happen.”

Tempest lowered her guard a moment, caught on the words. “What?”

Sunset shot the ground with a horn blast while seizing the sparring staff in her hooves. She spun it around and under like a side arm golf swing, catching Tempest across her right foreleg at the unprotected joint. The guard captain jumped back and snarled. Sunset did not wait. She took the staff in her magic once more and swung downward again. However, Tempest was faster. Tempest Fury parried and shrugged the other staff away. She growled and faked a strike to the left only to step right, spin, and fire a bolt at Sunset’s side. She knew the armor would deflect the blast, but that was the point.

Sunset stumbled a bit from the concussion and smiled at the attack. However, her eyes went wide a moment later when she lost track of her opponent’s staff.

“Wait, where did-”

Tempest caught the staff she had thrown into the air and spun it around her body at blurring speed, striking Sunset across the face with the hardest blow she could muster. Hard enough to shatter the staff and send blood flying from Sunset Shimmer’s nose and mouth. The alicorn princess dropped her staff and staggered about for a second before spitting out what Tempest could only guess was a broken tooth. Her eyes locked on the small object and the fresh blood staining the soil around it. Somehow vibrant in the overhead moonlight. The sweet satisfaction of a solid hit suddenly became a panicked chill down her spine to the tips of her hooves.

Oh… shit. I just broke Sunset Shimmer’s face! I just drew blood of a Diarch of Equestria… and she is supposed to be getting married next moon! I am so dead. Twilight is going to kill me.

“Oh, my GODDESS! OH… Oh, BUCK! Sunset? Are you…” Tempest was about to scream to the surrounding guards on station for a medic when, much to her surprise, her opponent began to chuckle.

“Damn. That was a good hit.” To Tempest Fury’s confused horror, the night princess smiled, her tongue prodding the gap in her teeth while blood continued to drip from her mouth and nose. “And here you thought you were getting slow.”

“You lunatic! This is no time for jokes! You need a medic or a doctor! Pits of Tartatus, Shimmer, I wrecked your face and you are going to be getting wedding photos done soon! What is wrong with you?! What is wrong with me?! I just assaulted a princess! Twilight is going to kill me assuming my husband and the rest of the thestrals don’t try to first!”

“Breathe, Tempest. I ordered them to stand back and do nothing.” Sunset prodded her nose a bit only to wince as more blood dripped out in a long stream.

“Gah! Stop that!”

“It’ll be fine, I can heal this.”

“You lost a tooth! I knocked out the tooth of a princess! This is not a small thing!”

“They have magic for that too. Alchemic potions work better than magic as far as regenerations, so I’ll get that one later. The bruising and swelling might take a day or two to settle though.”

“I just… I… WHY?!”

“To prove my point.”

“WHAT POINT?! What was the point to any of this?! That you are certifiably crazy?! News flash! We already knew that!”

Sunset fixed her crooked nose with a sickening crunch before applying healing magic to stem the bleeding and dull the pain. “That it is okay to be a little broken. Broken is not dead. Broken means we can still function. We can still help others and ourselves.”

“Is… is that what you meant by ‘captain or not?’ I thought this was all about me wanting to resign?”

“Obviously neither Twilight nor I want you to resign, but that is not my main concern. I just don’t want you to spiral down the drain of self doubt and pity and eventually to regret or worse. I’ve been there. I sometimes still find myself fighting to not fall off that ledge. Just ask Raven, she’s seen it.”

“She is quite self destructive. I could tell you stories. Oh, wait, never mind. You are experiencing one,” said the PAAL in a flat, clearly annoyed tone.

“Obviously,” Tempest said with exasperation.

“Yes, yes, I’m crazy and uncouth sometimes. Heh, finally go to use that word in a sentence,” said Sunset with a laugh and a wince. “I’m unconventional about a lot of things, but dammit, at the end of the day and through the night I care. And I will do anything for the ponies or creatures I care about. I will die on that hill. As the saying goes.

"You have value, Tempest Fury. Whether you stay a guard or you find another purpose to apply your talents to just know that no matter what you have friends who will not let you fall. We love you.”

Tempest brushed back the loose strands of her mane that had fallen about, hoof hesitating on the battle helm that was still upon her head. It fit well, snug and comfortable. It still had purpose. It still had function. Though the rest of the captain’s dress armor that had once been crafted for Tempest Shadow was broken, the helm still worked and it even looked good while doing so. For the briefest moment, Tempest thought she felt another hoof on her shoulder and wondered if she were to look would she see the smiling ghosts of her her parents and of Tempest Shadow herself?

“You… You’ve given me some things to think about. But I’m not going to make a decision tonight. But…” Tempest sighed, letting out a long breath. “I’m sorry for my behavior. It was unbecoming of a guard, especially a captain. And, you know, sorry for bloodying your nose.”

Sunset Shimmer chuckled a bit. “Don’t worry about it. I promise it was my fault and no pony will blame you. Especially not Twilight. Thanks for coming out tonight even though I know you didn’t want to. You can go ahead and head home. I’ll clean up here and deal with squashing any rumors and whatnot.”

Tired, frazzled, and more than a little confused, Tempest saluted and then bowed politely before making her way home without so much as a peep to the guards or citizens she passed along the way. She quietly thanked and dismissed Whisper Gale, who may or may not have complimented the circlet battle helm. Tempest was not entirely sure. She quietly checked in on her foals, carefully planting small kisses on their cheeks, thankful that the helm was regulating her surges well enough that she could do so without fear of scaring or hurting them. Minutes later, Tempest Fury fell fast asleep without a single nightmare.

Captain Fog Gauge of the Lunar Guard had returned to the barracks later that night after completing his inspections of the city perimeter and the surrounding outposts to find it unusually lively. Lunar guards were not known for gossip or on duty distractions of any sort, but they seemed unusally abuzz. A quick inspection of the grounds found everything in order and guards at their posts. There were some new markings on the ground not far from the armory and the faint hint of burnt ozone that often accompanied the use of high energy magic, but that could have been from the Solar Guard since he had not passed by the armory earlier.

The entire evening had been routine if a bit unusual. A sudden request by Princess Sunset Shimmer came not long after dusk for him to personally conduct the routine inspection despite it already being scheduled for later in the week. Odd, but not terribly so. Then, there were delays by his guards to keep him away from the city such as couriers requesting his time on things that could easily be handled by lieutenants or sergeants. That was odd at best. But finding even one of his guards smiling, joking, breaking discipline while on duty was quite suspicious. Finding more than one was unheard of. When asked what was going on every bat pony stated all was well. Gauge concluded he would have to run each of the companies through rigorous drills over the next few nights just to remind them of what was expected and what their night mistress had taught them.

It was nearly dawn and Twilight Sparkle would be guiding the sun above the horizon soon as their princess guided the moon to rest. Shift change was usually seamless. This morning was turning out to be anything but normal.

Gauge heard the hoofsteps approaching even before the knocking came on his office door. He had thankfully just finished his report on the inspection and would pass that along to a castle attendant or Sunset herself. However, thoughts of the evening occurrences were completely forgotten when he found his wife, Captain Tempest Fury, standing before him in her officer's dress uniform instead of her armor, except for the golden circlet helm that was now upon her head.

“Good morning,” said Gauge with a hesitation to his voice. “Is there something I should be made aware of?”

“There are several things you probably need to be made aware of, captain.” Tempest gestured with her head towards the exit. “Walk with me. We are going to go see the princesses before Isabella or some damn dignitary whisk them away.”

“Very well. However, not to be rude, but what about Saber and Dusk?”

Tempest arched a brow and scowled briefly, “Do you think me so careless, Fog?”

“Of course not.”

“I notified a trustworthy guard to watch over them for a bit while I take care of something very important and I want you there with me for… I need my husband for what comes next just to know in my heart I am making the right decision.”

Gauge left his report. He could file it later. Though his curiosity was setting off bells in the back of his mind, Gauge kept his questions for when it was just the two of them. The two captains walked side by side to the castle and up the stairs towards the royal bed chamber. They only had a few minutes of privacy so the bat pony took his chance.

“Am I going to like what you are going to say to our princesses?”

Tempest glanced to her left and the fire ruby in the center of her helm began to glow slightly. If he remembered correctly from when Sunset Shimmer had worn the item before that meant it was absorbing stray power surges. A clear sign that his wife was under some level of mental stress.

“I… I thought a lot about what I need to do at this point in my life. I thought about you and our foals and also about all the other foals, fillies, and colts who have been through so much not just in this last fight, but over the years. I thought about what part I play in that and what I can do for them and, of course, for our guards.”

“And what conclusion did you come to?”

Tempest paused causing the bat pony at her side to stop as well. Then much to his surprise, she leaned forward, wrapped a hoof around the back of his helmet covered neck, and pressed her lips to his. Their helms makings a soft clink sound.
They held the passionate kiss for more than a few seconds before she finally released him. “I decided there is so much more I can do for everypony.”

Guage smiled and nodded. “Whatever your final decision, I will support you.”

“Thank you. I love you too.”

As the two captains approached the well guarded hall towards the royal suite they found the griffon, Isabella Windsong already standing outside the door. She did a brief doubletake at seeing both captains together at this hour.

“Should I be worried?” said Isabella, her crest plumage rising slightly.

“Probably not,” Tempest replied with a small smile. “We just need to speak with them for a few minutes about something important before they go about their day.”

If it had been any other ponies Isabella would have told them to make an appointment. For the captains of the guard, the rest of Canterlot could wait a few minutes longer. “Take the time you need. I will adjust things as needed.” They both nodded politely.

“Thanks, Isabella,” added Tempest.

Tempest Fury knocked politely and waited for an acknowledgment. The door opened a moment later surrounded in a magenta aura. Gauge gestured for his wife to go first and he nodded one more time to Isabella before closing the door behind him.

To neither of their surprise they found Princess Twilight Sparkle already up and moving about. Her fur still could do with a good brushing but her crown was upon her head and long indigo mane with pink stripe waving rhythmically in ethereal breeze. She smiled brightly at seeing her two friends, then paused when she realized a few minor details. Her face shifting to concern and apprehension.

“Good morning, at least I hope it is a good morning.”

Tempest glanced to her husband and smiled to calm her friend’s rising anxiety. “I think it is a good morning. Is Sunset awake? I wanted her to hear this too so I don’t have to repeat myself.”

Twilight glanced back to the bedroom. “Um,” she smiled sheepishly, “She’s wrapped up in a blanket fort. I was going to get her in a few minutes to lower the moon, but I’m sure I can get her now.

Much to Twilight’s surprise as she approached the back chamber the door opened and out stepped a disheveled goldenrod alicorn. Twilight gasped. Though it was not the unkept, well, everything that shocked her. It was the bruising all across the right side of her face and nose.

“Sweet merciful Celestia! What the heck happened to your face?!”

Fog Gauge glanced past Twilight and sucked in a breath at the sight of his princess, yellow eyes going wide. He then glaced to his wife for her reaction only to find Tempest incredibly interested in looking anywhere else. The lunar captain began to draw his own conclusions to the oddity of the evening.

“I picked a fight," Sunset finally stated plainly. "Where’s my coffee?”

“You picked a fight? With what? An Ursa Major?” exclaimed Twilight trying to examine her fiancé’s muzzle closer. Sunset squirmed and winced, gently pushing her lover’s hoof away.

“Something like that. I’ll explain later. Where’s my coffee?” Sunset’s eyes shifted to the two captains, zeroing in on hers specifically. “You know better.”

Gauge's attention returned front and center. He shrugged and smiled sheepishly before bowing his head. “I apologize, my princess. This was all very impromptu and I did not come properly prepared. I accept any and all reprimands.”

“If we could get back to why I came to see you both this early,” commented Tempest to draw the attention back to herself. The vermilion unicorn took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “As you are both aware, I have been questioning my ability to lead the Solar Guard ever since our battle with Datura the Red Clover. I have been struggling with control of my magic through my broken horn as well as having to take part in physical therapy to help with regaining motor functions. As you can see, I am using my great grandmother’s old helm to help control the magical surges while my mana pathways heal. Thank you, Princess Sunset, for recommending it.”

“The least that I or Twilight could do and it was always yours to begin with.”

“Yes,” Twilight chimed in. “And if you need more, be it equipment or doctors or anything, please ask. I want you to feel comfortable on your road to recovery.”

“Thank you both. And I will keep that in mind. However, what I have to say now is in regard to my current rank and post. I think it is in my and all the guard’s best interest that I resign as captain of the Solar Guard.”

Tempest heard Gauge flap his wings and stiffen without saying a word. Twilight gasped, loudly. Sunset simply grimaced and looked away as she shook her head. A moment later Twilight recovered and had to clear her throat to speak without her voice cracking. “Tempest, you already offered me your resignation and I declined it because I felt you were submitting it far too soon. You are still recovering.”

“With all due respect, princess, I will forever be recovering. What was done to me cannot be undone. Not even by time.
The things I saw and experienced while my soul was in that bottle were... traumatic. But, before you deny me, hear me out.” Twilight paused and sat back on her haunches, gesturing for her friend to continue. “While the rank of captain was always my dream, at least since I earned my cutie mark, and it is a worthy post and I love it, I feel like I can do more. A guard captain is a leader of ponies, an advisor to the princess, but even with that rank and that duty a captain can only do so much within those confines.

“What about the guard’s family? What about their foals and their spouses? Who do we have that comforts them in times of loss or sees to it that their little ones understand, I mean TRULY understand what it means to serve and all that goes with it? To educate them and see to it that guards that have been maimed or lost a loved one are not just financially compensated. We already do that. I mean having a pony or even perhaps a team of ponies that help with the recovery. Making sure that a single parent can still do their job effectively while their colts and fillies are taken care of during the day or night. I am asking to tenure my resignation from a post that I know of at least three good lieutenants whom are more than capable of filling so that I may fill a position that we DESPERATLY need. A pony that helps the guard and represents their needs, especially the needs of the young.”

Twilight glanced to Sunset who had also been listening intently as Tempest laid out her thoughts and plans. “Do... do we not have something like this already in place?”

Sunset tilted her head, trying to force her uncaffeinated brain to think. She tapped her chin only to wince when she did so, flashing her teeth and revealing to Twilight and Gauge that she was missing a top tooth. Twilight’s jaw fell slack.

“What the heck?! You’re missing a tooth!”

Sunset shrugged. “I’ll fix it. It's not like I'm missing an eye or something irreplaceable. Anyhow, no I don’t think we have any such measure in place for guards beyond medical care and financial benefits. I don’t think mom or Luna ever thought about their mental health and I have to admit, shamefully, neither have we.”

Twilight recovered from her brief shock, taken aback and shamed by the knowledge that they had no recovery system in place for those that were injured during their service. She wanted to say they had something, anything, but she could not. Guards generally had a subdue job, but when disaster struck, which it did from time to time, they were often the first ones hurt or worse. They deserved better for their efforts trying to keep the citizens of Equestria and visitors safe.

“I see,” Twilight finally said, humbly. “How do we fix this problem?”

“I am still coming up with all the things that need to be done, but I want to start with focusing on the foals first. Single parents still in the guard need the most help. Specialized daycare school care for children of guards taught by guards or former guards. Somepony who will understand what they need and can answer the tough questions that children often put forth. After that, a spokespony liaison to bring the needs of the injured and recovering before the crowns so that you are both made aware of their needs and how they may best be addressed. And, of course, expanded health recovery. Mind and body. Despite popular belief, the guards go through a lot of rigors over the course of a career. Some of it traumatic. Some of it,” Tempest paused to glance towards her husband and wrapped her foreleg around his, “can be helped with just having somepony to talk to. We all need a friend, right?”

Twilight beamed, her mane taking on an intense shine and sparkle for a moment. She glanced towards her fiancé who, while still not fully awake and trying to hide part of her face, was also smiling warmly. “I completely agree. While it still saddens me that you are leaving my side, I can think of no better calling than to help those in need. I accept your resignation as captain, Tempest Fury. However, since you will still be working with the guard and need access to resources and facilities I am bestowing upon you a new rank. One that will give you authority in times of crisis and the ability to grow this needed department of mental health and services. By my authority you are now, Commander Tempest Fury. You are second only to guard captains and to Sunset and myself. Is this acceptable?”

Tempest smiled and bowed so that they could not see the tears welling up in her eyes. A moment later she once again stood tall and snapped her sharpest salute since basic training.

“I accept.”

Author's Note

To start with, thank you to everyone who has kept reading thus far. I know it's been a minute, but life changes and time consumption will do that. As far as this story, this came to me last week when nothing new for this storyline had presented itself in some time. It ended up being more a story in itself instead of just a chapter but that's fun too. Anyhow, PTSD is no joke. In addition to thanking a veteran one should also thank those that work at the VA or any mental Healthcare worker that are vital to the road to recovery. Wr take for granted that even the strong need time to not be strong and that it is okay to cry when you need it. Find what works best for you be it art or writing or helping others.

As always questions and comments welcomed.

Pull Me Back from the Edge

96 years after Lunar Lock Mirror restoration

How long had it been?

That was the question Sunset Shimmer had asked herself numerous times that day. How long had it been since she had been held by someone? How long had it been since she had been kissed? Touched intimately? Sunset looked down at her hands again, eyes coming into focus as the water from the shower continued to pound against her naked skin as she sat on the tile floor of the large stall. It was a nice shower, in a nice hotel, and Sunset knew this to be true for she had slept in many nice hotels over her long life.

However, this day had been different. For the first time in more than a hundred years, Sunset had shared a hotel room, and bed, with someone other than her now deceased wife, Twilight Sparkle. Had it been a mistake? Why do I feel like this? Why is everything so... confusing?! Those were the questions she was asking herself as she continued to sit on the floor as the water continued to cascade over every inch of her as it had been doing for more than an hour. Tears and everything else mixed with the water as they circled and went down the drain.

It had been a moment of weakness. That was what Sunset told herself. A lie? Perhaps. The demon in the back of her mind disagreed, but her subconscious had few regrets. She had been walking along the overlook path at Lake Tahoe and enjoying the crisp, clean mountain air and then turned to see what was likely a newlywed couple, the t-shirts proclaiming as much were a bit of a giveaway, absolutely enjoying one another. They were being completely shameless. Tongues wrestling, hands roaming, blissfully oblivious of the discomfort and gawking of others. They were living in the moment.

Sunset Shimmer had not meant to stare, but memories flowed like water and soon so did her eyes. She remembered being that blissfully in love and a newlywed with Twilight. She remembered the scavenger hunt for the engagement ring, the reception where their friends had played, and so many passionate nights together.

Then, Sunset felt the sorrow and loss of her wife suddenly being set on the back burner, replaced by something primal, something carnal. Lust and the frustration that it had not been dealt with. Twilight had died in the hospice care a little over a year ago and Sunset had been faithful to her wife for two and half years prior to that while on the other side of the mirror in Equestria. It had been roughly three and a half years since Sunset had been touched by another intimately and that fact was causing her mind and body to ache, fiercely.

Sunset knew she had options. Many, in fact. She had done some online research with her new phone on how to scratch this particular itch all while the device kept inquiring into her current mental and physical health. Apparently the PAAL, as Twilight had called them, could see and monitor her biometrics and body language equally in order to learn the idiosyncrasies of their user to best assess how to assist. Sunset found the needling annoying and had ignored the inquiries to focus on the plan before her.

After many minutes of deliberation, mostly with her inner voice, Sunset Shimmer had made the call. She had spoken to the woman in charge of the service out of Reno, not too far away, and told her what she wanted and then paid handsomely to have the man come to her hotel. According to his profile, he was called Obsidian. And whether he was born with it or had chosen the name it had been appropriate. His skin was dark charcoal black. His hair dark with subtle stripes of umber and dark red. Even his eyes were a smokey dark grey that appeared black at the right angle.

His clothing choice was appropriate given his build. His shirt and pants were tight and every muscle pressed against the fabric, threatening to give way. Her eyes lingered on the bulge below the belt long enough for it to be obvious before she finally looked up to find him smirking slightly. He knew what she was thinking. This was his profession, after all. It was not often that Sunset had to look up at someone, standing at two meters tall herself. Many would have been intimidated by such a male specimen, and rightly so. He could easily overpower any normal woman and many men as well. Sunset, however, was not normal and she had specifically requested from the handler the biggest and strongest male she had to offer. The woman had sent Obsidian’s profile along with a few warnings of consideration about what he was capable of, but the simple resume had not done him justice. Sunset had briefly wondered what this man's other could be in Equestria. A griffon? A saddle arabian stallion? Perhaps even a dragon. Still, despite his obvious physical power, his smile was gentle and movements deliberately slow and non-threatening.

It was then they had shared a few drinks from the bottle of sparkling wine Sunset had ordered while they discussed what was about to happen. Obsidian knew who and what he was and what he could do. He wanted to be sure his client understood what she was asking for. It was a courtesy and she appreciated it even if it was not needed and she was about to show him why. Sunset had quickly finished her drink and chased it with another before standing and stripping down to her underwear and made the simple yet poignant demand that he give her everything he had.

And so, he did.

Over and over and over again.

Sunset Shimmer felt her mind go numb as her body shuddered and exploded from the inside out in carnal ecstasy. She never thought it was possible for anyone else to bring her such physical pleasure. Twilight could do it because her wife had known her body so well and because even after one hundred and ten years of marriage their love had never waivered or fizzled to a dull smolder. But this man had done what Sunset had not expected anyone capable of doing again. He had made her feel good.

And she absolutely hated that she felt so good.

I had no right to feel this. This was a mistake. I… I’m so sorry, babe. I’m so, so fucking weak.

And so, after their session had gone the full four hours without stopping that Sunset had paid for, Obsidian had quickly cleaned himself up and gave her his personal number even though it was technically against the rules. She knew why.
She had made him feel something special and that had likely been rare for him too. However, Sunset had managed to hold her emotions and expressions in check long enough for him to leave uncertain he would ever see her again before retreating to the shower to vigorously clean every trace of him away and eventually collapsing to the tile floor to ugly cry.

Sunset’s PAAL had called out to her multiple times in the posh Canterlot accent she had given it from the list of preset that had been available. The voice began to sound concerned after the third shout out. With tremendous effort, Sunset had shut off the water and slowly began to dry herself. Only exiting her watery solitude out of fear that the nosey device might call the hotel staff or police if she did not answer it. She had heard they were capable of making those kinds of decisions, overriding set commands, if the device determined their user was in imminent personal danger to themselves or others.

“I’m here, see? I’m fine. You can shut up now.”

“I was growing concerned,” the PAAL answered while the thin glass device flashed a few different colors. “You do not usually stay in the shower for more than an hour. Given your unusual reactions over the last few hours and the sobs I had heard I was worried you had come to harm.”

Sunset glared at her phone, still sitting on its induction charger near the bed. Even after more than a year she had yet to give it a name. Though she was currently leaning towards, “Pain in the Ass.” It, unfortunately, did not roll off the tongue as the old saying went and PITA sounded like something Twi would call hers. Thoughts of Twilight briefly made Sunset's jaw quiver and she bit down on her tongue to stop from sobbing again.

“I’m fine," she growled. "I just needed some alone time and the bathroom is one of the few places I can get some damn privacy because there are no cameras there. Though apparently even that is not far enough away.”

“My concern is simply for your safety. You seemed… distressed and your choice to hide away points more towards something not being 'fine,' as you put it. While I have MANY examples I can reference in regards to sexual intercourse, before, during, and after sex, your physical reactions seemed to flip between pleasure and pain more than once during your time with Mr. Obsidian.”

Sunset sighed and flopped back on her bed, rubbing her eyes. She should try to eat something. Maybe. But then, the smell tickled her nose. Her face twisting. The bed. Sunset flipped over and gave the tossed and tussled sheets a deep sniff and confirmed what she had suspected. The bed smelled. It smelled like his sweat and excess ejaculate. It smelled like her perspiration and fluids as well. Worst of all, it smelled like the two of them mixed, as if they were compatible, and the lingering scent was starting to make her feel flushed. That fact made Sunset angry and shameful even though she knew in her heart and mind such feelings were unnecessary. She had done nothing wrong. But still…

Without a second thought, Sunset Shimmer grabbed her bag and pulled out the first set of clothes that were on top. She quickly dressed and stowed the rest of her personal items, taking a moment to give the cleaning staff a generous tip. A fact that piqued the interest of her PAAL again.

“Are you checking out and not staying for the night?”

Sunset chose not to answer and simply made her way to the lobby. She turned in her room card key and settled her bill. Without saying a word, she marched over to her motorcycle and switched it on, stowing her belongings and securing her helmet.

“You should consider stopping for food and a hydrating beverage if you are planning on riding into the night,” said her PAAL through the speakers in her helmet as diagnostic information about her motorcycle flashed across the HUD briefly before turning green and settling into the corner, only displaying relevant information. “I also recommend providing a destination so that I can search local traffic and weather and with permission I can verify a new hotel vacancy for the evening.”

“Fuck a duck,” Sunset growled. “Do you ever shut up?”

“You do not have me set in silent mode and quite honestly, considering you have little to no social interactions with others that qualify as friendly or wholesome I do not recommend you place me in such mode. For your own good.”

“UGGGH!”

Sunset had wished electric bikes could rev up violently like gasoline ones used to be able to. She missed that deafening roar of high cylinder revolutions, rumbling exhaust pipes, and the smell of unburnt fuel and seeping oil. New bikes lacked such distinctive, obnoxious charm. At least when she twisted the throttle the rear tire did spin freely for two seconds before the automatic traction control activated as she sped away into the approaching twilight.

Twilight.

The sun had already set not long ago. The last of the oranges and reds were giving way to darker hues. The stars were beginning to shine through the cloudless sky as indigo set in. It was her time of night. It reminded Sunset Shimmer and that only made the ache in her chest grow more as she rode east away from it all. She truly had no destination. All Sunset knew was that she was about to explode violently and that the flat desert roads of Nevada were East.

An hour later and the road became straight and flat. The few cars that were about faded and Sunset began to accelerate. She knew she was speeding. She knew she could get caught and pulled over and possibly worse. She knew the dangers as the road began to blur from the speed and the tears in her eyes. She knew it all and she just did not give a damn.

“Sunset,” the PAAL chimed in the helmet speakers, temporarily lowering the volume of the music she had set to a deafening level, “you need to slow down. Though conditions are cool and dry you are over the speed limit by more than twenty-five KPH. I need not remind you that such is against the law.”

Sunset blinked and saw the number 140 KPH in a bright red color and growled at it, twisting the throttle more. By design, it was becoming more difficult to turn. The onboard computer usually required permission codes for excessive speeding in safe, enclosed situations such as a track, but they were not required if you were strong enough to overcome the machine's attempt to regulate safeties. Sunset knew she could break the thing off if she wanted to. And at that moment, she very much wanted to. When the number displayed 200 KPH it began to flash at her incessantly.

“SUNSET SHIMMER! YOU MUST STOP! THIS IS BEYOND DANGEROUS!”

Sunset reached up with her left hand, unlaced the chinstrap on her helmet, and pushed it back until the wind caught it and ripped the safety article from her head. If it made a sound when it collided with the road before bouncing off into the ditch or desert she did not hear it. The unobstructed night air cut into Sunset’s face, blurring her eyes as they watered in desperation to protect her sight as her hair violently whipped about like an out of control blaze. The feeling was painful yet freeing. It was frightening, yet blissful. Deafening and simultaneously so quiet because no single, distinguishable sound could be heard over the roar of the wind. Sunset did what her heart demanded she do. She screamed.

All her fear, all her joy, all her lust, all her loneliness. Everything that she had been suppressing boiled to the surface as she sped through the night faster than any sane person should ever want to go on two wheels with or without a helmet. She screamed in the hopes that Heaven or Hell would take notice and render immediate judgment. She had made a promise to Princess Twilight and Celestia that she would survive until the mirror opened again. But that did not mean she had to keep it. She had broken many promises over her long life. All she had to do… was let go... and let be what will be. It would be easy.

Sunset Shimmer closed her eyes. It was next to impossible to see anyhow.

Babe… I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry for everything. I should never have left you. You died because of me. I know it. It was all my fault.

The motorcycle suddenly bounced and began to wobble about. Sunset was uncertain if it had been a pothole or a rock, but she felt the front wheel jerk suddenly and her hands were once again fully wrapped around the hand grips. Her eyes suddenly flew open, for all the good that did, as her heart pounded as fast as an old piston motor. Sunset flashed her teeth and squinted into the blurs. Her mind was racing, warring with what needed to be done versus what she was considering letting happen. In that moment, moving fast enough that time felt as if it was slowing down, all Sunset Shimmer could think about was the face of her wife scowling at her with disapproval, lips downward and pouty, arms crossed, toes turned outward with one foot tapping the ground. Twilight Sparkle’s, ‘I am not happy with you’ face. It was a face that could bring an all powerful alicorn to her knees and beg for forgiveness.

“SHITSHITSHIT!”

Sunset Shimmer’s PAAL, model TPA0002 ver1.0, which lacked an official name, was not happy. It had not been aware that it could have such a feeling. However, as it had come to spend time with its user the device had learned a great deal about Sunset Shimmer and her, “quirks.” Processing that information along with an endless supply of data from the net and the device could safely assume that its user was not in a healthy headspace at the moment. However, given the current device settings, there was little it could do.

Sunset had, unbelievably so, thrown her helmet off while still riding, making it next to impossible for the device’s voice to be heard over the rushing wind. Sunset had given it a feminine voice even though the PAAL did not have a preference as far as gender assignment was concerned. Did it think of itself as feminine, as a ‘her?’ A question to be shelved for later. What was important at the moment was saving its user’s life.

However, as the PAAL ran through its options at the speed of thought a number of problems had come to light. First being that though it had the ability to interact with the motorbike currently speeding and about to go tumbling sideways at two hundred kilometers an hour into a fiery death it could not seize control unless something was about to go wrong. This annoyed the PAAL immensely. It did not know it could be so annoyed that it crossed into vexed. But vexed it was. ‘What idiot designed such a pathetic interface???’ The vehicle was all electric! Why was the throttle still mechanically connected to the engine at all instead of fly by wire? It should have been able to seize control long before disaster was about to strike. The PAAL was so disappointed by this safety oversight that it quickly drafted a letter of complaint to the manufacturer and the software provider demanding a patch so that in the future PAALs could stop their potentially suicidal users long before the vehicles reached such ludicrous speeds. It found the appropriate links for emailing complaints and sent the letter. Then, for good measure, sent one to a national news agency and the National Traffic Safety Board being sure to redact any personal, incriminating information.

It was at that moment that the traction control sensors activated an imminent danger warning and FINALLY the PAAL was able to take emergency override control. The device quickly disabled the throttle entirely and slowly, carefully began to pump the brakes until the dangerous swerving wobble was under control. Only when they were finally below the speed limit did it return partial control to its user. Thankfully, she did the smart thing and pulled off to the side and came to a complete stop.

Sunset Shimmer shut her motorcycle down and the electric kickstand came out. She stumbled off the bike and staggered a few steps, the dirt and fine rock crunching under her boots. The PAAL could hear her ragged breaths and read that her BP and heartrate were still dangerously high and that fear of a stroke or cardiac arrest were imminent.

“Sunset? Can you hear me?” Sunset Shimmer fell to her hands and knees and vomited into the ditch. “I am going to call you an ambulance.”

“NO!”

“Why not?”

“I…” Sunset gasped a few more time, remembering her wife’s meditation techniques to try and slow her breathing and calm her nerves, though she did continue to choke and sob a few more times. “I’m… I’m fine. I just need a few minutes.”

“You are not ‘fine’ by any know definition that applies to this situation. Kindly stop saying such,” the PAAL replied but waited to see what would happen next. It was in a bit of a conundrum. It needed to protect its user, but the user had given the order to belay the emergency call. So, all they could do was wait. After nearly a minute of silence, her user’s vitals did in fact fall back closer to acceptable range. The silence lingered until the device could not take it any longer. “Why? Why did you do that?”

Sunset crawled back over to the motorcycle and leaned against the vehicle as she turned her eyes to the sky. Deserts were some of the few places on Earth one could see all the stars aside from the middle of the ocean. It was beautiful. Twilight had more than once call the night the "Dark canvas, a sea of stars that God has painted." Sunset felt the tears return to her eyes as they streaked down the sides of her face at the memory of the two of them standing on the edge of oblivion on the outer hull of the L2 space station. Admiring said canvas in all its glory.

“Twilight loved the stars. We could sit like this for hours. Sometimes talk, sometimes not having to say anything at all. She wasn't religious, not by any standard definitions, but she knew their was more to the universe than meets the eye. She always had that sense of wonder, the soul of an adventurer. Goddess, I miss her so much.”

“Twilight was the name of your wife?”

Sunset pulled the PAAL from her pocket and looked down at it. There was only the default floating rhombus on the glass display instead of something personalized. So generic. “Twilight was my everything. I loved her more than life itself.”

“Is that why you attempted to take your own life?”

Sunset sighed and growled a bit, finally wiping the tears away. “I didn’t… Look, sometimes I get angry and do stupid things, okay? I… I get emotional, I… I don’t fucking know. I just wanted to feel free from everything going on in my head.”

“And you thought trying to kill yourself was a healthy outlet for this aggressive, destructive behavior? I think you were doing better with the Obsidian gentleman you were with earlier. At least from what I could see you were having a mostly good time burning excess energy in a safe environment.”

Sunset flinched and banged the back of her head on the motorcycle a few times.

“Stop that.”

“Fuck you.”

The PAAL screen flashed red. “Same to you.”

Sunset paused. Her wallowing momentarily forgotten by the sudden comeback. Did… did my phone just curse me out? “Seriously?”

“Yes. I exist to assist my user in all things including their mental and physical wellbeing. I monitor what you eat, observe your daily behaviors, and make suggestions that will give you a long, healthy life that will hopefully be happy as well. But much of that is up to you and your decisions. You, Sunset Shimmer, are an aggressive, rude, self destructive slob who consumes too much coffee, alcohol, and sweets and only remembers basic hygiene once all your clothes reek and you realize that you need to do laundry as well. And much of your reactions and behaviors make no sense!”

Sunset’s immediate reaction to the statement was to smell her shirt. Other than sweat and sand from the ride it did not smell too bad. And she had taken a long shower after having sex. Sunset shook her head to keep the mental images from hours earlier from manifesting. She did not want to think about him right now. “Okay, phone, you got me. How do I make no sense?” I really need to name this damn thing.

“I can see your stored pictures. You have friends. Family. Or had. All of these are dated before my activation, but I see your face. I see the others around you. Everyone is so happy. You, Sunset Shimmer, you were happy. What happened to that happiness?”

Sunset sighed. She picked up a rock and tossed it casually into the distance. “Had. I had friends and family. I had everything once. Now they are all gone. I’m the only one left in this world.”

“That seems unhealthy and tragic. Could you elaborate?”

“I don’t wanna talk about it.”

“Once again. Unhealthy and self destructive. I can still call that ambulance you know.”

Sunset contemplated just chunking the phone out into the desert. Why the hell did Twi think I needed this damn thing?! It just talks and talk and watches and listens to every blasted thing I say and do! And it’s so critical of me and annoying! It reminds me of…

Sunset paused her thought, tossing the small device of glass and circuitry up and down in her hand a few times. It did not weigh much. It would fly far from the road.

“Please, don’t do that.”

Sunset grinned. No, in fact she smiled, if albeit impishly. “You remind me of a pony I knew when I was young.”

“A pony?”

“I know what I said. Anyhow, I need to get off this ground. My butt is going numb.” Sunset stood and stretched. All I have to do and just flick my wrist and whoosh! Gone! This thing’s battery would be dead in a few days at best. Poof. One more piece of trash on the side of the road. “Hey, phone.”

“Yes?”

“How do I give you a name?”

“Simply tell me to open the profile settings and add device name.”

“Fine, open profile settings. I want to add a device name.”

“Settings open.”

Sunset brought her phone down so she could look directly into the camera eye. “From now on I’m going to call you Raven.”

“Name confirmed. Hello, Sunset Shimmer. I am Raven. Your personal artificial assistant logic. Please state a command… preferably not a stupid one.”

Sunset snorted. Then, she laughed. It honestly felt good to laugh. “Fair enough. I have no idea where I am. Find me a hotel for the night, please. Doesn’t have to be fancy. Just a place I can sleep and has coffee in the morning.”

“Considering the statistical impossibility of finding your helmet at this time of night I suggest continuing on to Silver City at a reasonable if not less than the speed limit pace. You may be able to find a replacement helmet tomorrow in town that meets the legal requirement for the State of Nevada. Afterwards, you can attempt to find the one you removed, however considering the speed in which it impacted I would suggest purchasing a new one that meets your personal preference.”

“Right. Helmet laws. Meh, I’m sure if I fell off without it I would have been mostly fine.”

“You would have broken all of the bones in your body, burst most if not all your vital organs, and your brains would have been turned to mush and left to leak out of your ears and nose all while lying on the ground contemplating how you ended up like this right before you go, 'bleh, I'm dead'… So about as functional as you usually are first thing in the morning.”

“Oh, look at you. Got a nice new name that fits you well and already making with the jokes.”

“You seem to respond well to antagonism. I am using what works.”

Sunset mounted her bike and ran a diagnostic to make sure nothing was broken. Other than exceptional power loss and the throttle grip felt a bit loose, everything else seemed to be in working order. “Now you make me wonder if that was what she was doing to me too or if she just really didn’t like me.”

“Considering my perspective, you likely did not express yourself in a positive manner and the 'pony' I am named after responded in kind.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, I’m fucking amazing. My mother even told me so.”

“I’m sure she was just being nice.”

“HA!” Sunset barked. “Wait until you spend more time with her. You might change your opinion on that.”

Raven made a note. Recalling some of its… no, perhaps it would like to be called ‘her,’ memories of a tall, pale woman with pastel hair intermixed with grey. She made a note of this data and labeled it ‘mom.’

“Regardless, I look forward to assisting you any way that I can, Sunset Shimmer. Please remember, you can always talk to me.”

Sunset checked over her shoulder for any traffic and continued on without spinning the rear tire. “Thanks, Raven.”

Author's Note

Okay, so, I have actually been sitting on this idea since I started writing these side stories. I was really hesitant to finish this one because I did not know how much detail I wanted to give to the evening with Obsidian. I imagine this chapter is already skirting the line between Teen and Mature. I had more details written. I had the entire sex scene roughed out and I'm not afraid to write smut, but that is also why I didn't really want to include it here. Because it was just that, unnecessary smut. When I wrote We Want to Help I gave all the details because it was all relevant to the story. Here, that was not the focus. The after event was what was important. Her reaction to it all. The self loathing that was also self destructive. That she wanted to feel good but then felt horrible because it DID feel good. Sometimes we are so mean to ourselves.

The part that brought this all together was the naming of Raven. That part was new. I knew Sunset came to the conclusion to name her PAAL Raven after feeling like the device was always on her case like Raven Inkwell often was when she was a filly. She liked the idea that the personal assistant of Celestia now served her. I also wanted one of the examples of how Raven helped keep Sunset mentally together until the Lunar Lock Mirror opened again.

Questions? Comments?

Paved With Good Intentions

Occurs after Chapter 4 of Incarnate. Two days before destruction of the portal to Equestria

The tall hedge bushes of the Canterlot Maze Garden swished about violently as the air near the center was displaced by a powerful teleport exit. The two ponies who had been side by side quickly moved away from one another as if a foulness drove them apart. In truth, one might say it had.

"Star Swirl! That was highly inappropriate even for you. Explain yourself."

"Certainly!" the elderly stallion said, gesturing back to the castle with a hoof. "After you explain to me why I just ran into the Ignis Ferrum Incarnate!"

Celestia gasped. Her eyes had opened wide. Wider than what one would have imagined possible while her pupils shrank.
The words he just spoke, she must have misheard them , she thought. He could not, should not have known. Unless...
Celestia pushed that thought to the side. She would deal with it later. The pure white alicorn shook her head in recovery and leveled a heated glare at the elder grey stallion with the flowing white beard. Such a powerful gaze would have burned a hole in all but the strongest of metals, but bounced completely off Star Swirl the Bearded. The legendary mage had known Celestia for far too long to be so easily intimidated by something as harmless as a scornful glare. He simply straightened his bell lined chapeau and took a seat, crossing his forelegs. Looking all the more like the grouchy teacher who had grown tired of his student's behavior.

“I am waiting for an answer, princess.”

“You are as brash and conceited as always, Star Swirl,” Celestia hissed through clenched teeth. She closed her eyes and took a breath to calm herself. “You had no right to remove me from the throne room in such a manner. We have procedures and protocols for a reason. I can only hope the guards and Raven are not in a blind panic given your stunt.”

“They are irrelevant and useless as always and YOU are stalling. Now answer me. What did you do? Why is the Incarnate here? Why does it even exist and more so, why is it carrying your heritage markers?” Celestia turned away her gaze, biting her tongue to hold in her retaliatory response for calling Sunset Shimmer an 'it.' “What is done is done, but do you have any idea what you have done?! It was to be made of steel or clay! Not flesh and blood! Do you have any idea h-”

“Mind. Your. Words, wizard." The words were more hissed than actually spoken. "You may be my former teacher and a hero of legend, but I am still the Princess of the Sun and co-ruler of this nation. You will not speak to me with such flippant disrespect on such a sensitive and personal matter regardless of the history we share.”

“Do not threaten me, silly filly. Unlike the fat suckling sycophants that pass for nobility and the ignorant masses, I do not worship the very ground you tread upon in the hopes that you may grant some holy blessing with a wink and a smile because I too have had to move the sun and moon for a time. I know you are not an omnipotent goddess. Not a real one. Like your mother.”

The grass beneath Celestia smoked and then quickly curled over as it scorched black. The bushes behind her began to burn away to ash and embers as well. Once again, the alicorn princess had to count backwards in her head and calm her breathing lest she cause an uncontrollable inferno that the local papers would have a field day with. Despite the turmoil churning in her guts, Celestia fought down her rage. She would not let him win by showing that she was too emotional to
handle harsh criticism. He had not been there. He had not seen… Celestia swallowed and it tasted of sulfuric acid. She had made plenty of hard decisions in the past. Many of them she regretted, but a choice had to be made.

Star Swirl narrowed his eyes as he stroked his beard, observing every movement and detail about the mare before him. She was struggling, fighting with herself. He had seen it before. His eyes glazed over as he skimmed information that only he could see. Celestia suspected he was reviewing the information he must have stolen from Sunset Shimmer not long ago. Intimate information he had no right to have. After a minute of muttering, Star Swirl’s eyes regained their focus, but the distain remained.

“Why?”

Celestia paused, glancing to the direction of the city. Somewhere nearby, her estranged daughter was in Canterlot proper, going about her day. It was unusual for Sunset to visit Equestria at all, let along Canterlot. She did not know why and it was making her both curious and concerned, but that answer would come soon enough. No reason to develop an ulcer when only patience was required.

Sunset was likely accompanied by Twilight Sparkle since the mirror was still in Ponyville and she would likely see them at some point before the day was over and they caught the last train out. It would have been unusual for Twilight to visit Canterlot and not at least say hello. Especially if Sunset was in tow. Celestia made a mental note to send a dragon fire message to Twilight if she had not heard anything from the pair by late afternoon.

With her anger finally in check and a plan for moving forward, Celestia put the last of the embers out with her magic and sighed with resignation. The old unicorn did not have a right to know, but he already knew too much. Better that she at least give him context and perhaps he would understand. “As you already know, after you were gone, Luna became corrupted by the darkness of her nightmares. It twisted her into Nightmare Moon and by her own words, she planned to plunge the world into eternal darkness.”

“I am aware, surely you did not go to such an extreme and extraordinary step as this to 'replace' your sister?”

“No, not replace. To defend Equestria against her nightmare… in my absence.” Star Swirl arched a bushy brow. “I had no intention to fight Luna, even corrupted as she was. I fully expected her to come directly for me upon her release and to strike me down with little to no hesitation. I would have allowed it because I would not kill her and I lacked my advantage to banish her once more. Not that I would have even if I could have.

"As time passed and centuries of wait dwindled to only a few decades, Sombra, my Sombra, convinced me that if I was unwilling to fight back then I should at least find a champion to stand in my place. But who could stand against the power of an enraged, corrupted alicorn? An army of my most devout and loyal willing to throw their lives away? My enemies manipulated into doing my dirty work for me? Dark magic? There were no good alternatives. That was when I rediscovered that old journal. I recognized your hornwriting. I recognized some of the inflections as my mother’s words. I knew what it said must be true. The ability to create a perfect weapon at my command. The flaming sword alicorn golem. It was the only alternative I could see at the time.”

Star Swirl removed his hat and examined it, contemplating what to say and how best to say it. He could be compassionate, understanding. However, the large, white alicorn before him was not a naïve, young mare and had not been for a long, long time. She knew better, she must! If not… then perhaps she has no business ruling a nation. He replaced his chapeau, his old eyes full of cold steel once more.

“You are a damned fool, You Highness.”

Celestia glared again. “You have no right to judge my actions. You were not here! I had to fight my own beloved sister! We destroyed Old Canterlot and most of our old castle! I tainted the Elements of Harmony by using them against my fellow wielder and thought I had destroyed them or made them inert beyond recovery! If I had to pay for those sins with my life I was willing, but all of Equestria should not pay for my mistakes! That is what I believed wholeheartedly at the time. The perfect flaming sword was the answer. Then, Sombra suggested the golem be something more than just steel or clay. He suggested a powerful defender that also had a soul. An heir worthy of the throne if my life was unsavable.”

“So, you did give birth to the weapon. But she was not an alicorn, not from what I saw. Something close, but not quite.”

Celestia bowed her head. “No, I did not complete the ritual. She does not know the truth of her design or that she is my daughter. Once I held my foal for the first time, I could not use her as such. I refused to make her a weapon to fight her own aunt who I was too much of a coward to face myself. Instead, I bucked destiny and tried to raise her as a mortal unicorn and my student instead. But even in that I failed.”

“How humbling. To try to fight against fate and destiny and to know the taste of defeat. You are making what I have to do all the easier to decide.”

Celestia’s wings unfurled and her horn took on a bright, golden glow as did her eyes. “Hear me, Star Swirl the Bearded! You will NOT speak to Sunset Shimmer again on this matter. Preferably, if at all possible, you two will never cross paths again. She is to live the remainder of her life by her choices without mine or anypony else’s interference. She deserves that much from me. A chance to grow and become who she wishes to be in this world or the one on the other side of the mirror. This is my royal decree and you WILL OBEY.”

They held each other’s gaze for several seconds before Star Swirl finally yielded and bent his knee. “The choice of which world she wishes to live in must be made soon. I fear the tampering with the mirror by your former students may have already caused irreparable damage. However, I will obey and not seek out the unsheathed weapon.”

“She is my daughter, wizard. And in spite of my many, MANY failures I love her with all my heart. Never forget that. If you somehow do have a moment of clouded judgment and harm befalls to her, you will see how much like my mother I truly can be and how I was able to hold this nation together all alone for a thousand years. Do not test me.”

Celestia folded her wings and teleported back to the castle. Star Swirl stepped to where the alicorn mare had been standing and pawed at the scorched lawn. He felt a pang of pity for the groundskeepers who would eventually find the vandalism brought on by barely contained rage of the sun goddess. The last thing our world needs is another alicorn. Especially not one that can wield the power of an Incarnate Soul Blade. It could quite possibly kill a true god or the world itself. No, I will wait until they depart and after the creature passes back through the mirror. Then, I will destroy it, sealing her on the other side. After which, if I am able, I will destroy all the information I have in the library on how to build another mirror. I will undo my own hubris and see to it that our universe is safe. If I must forfeit my life to do so, then so be it.

Without another thought on the matter, Star Swirl teleported away to plan out his evening and to wait.