Those Distant Sisters CH24

Ch24:

Evanescence lay awake under a mountain of blankets in a guest room at the castle. Everypony from Hearth had been allowed to stay there, given that they were technically dignitaries and definitely had no money to rent a room anywhere else. She wasn't feeling particularly lazy – but refused to leave the warmth of her bed until she was sure the sun had risen. Her past nights in Equestria had been cold, but this one was the worst.

"Comon Evanescence, rise and shine." Resonance called from what seemed like some distance away, although she was probably closer given the muffling of the sheets. "I wanna go with Sonority to see his C.O. after they meet with the princesses. You should come, it'll do you some good to see a familiar face." Covenant's face wasn't exactly familiar – Evanescence barely knew Sonority's friends let alone his boss. She got up anyway, remembering that she had to be careful not to earn the suspicion of the strict military colt's moral standards.

Evanescence made a grand sweeping motion, intent on throwing the sheets off the bed and making a grand entrance. Instead the mass of fabrics folded and fell haphazardly over the side of the bed in a big pile, easily large enough to be a bed itself.

"Jeeze, little cold last night?" Resonance asked sarcastically. "Pretty warm with somepony there beside you ya know…" The recently awoken mare cast a wry glare at her sister. She could have been spending the night with somepony if she wanted to. I don't though, do I? Sure she's hot but… I don't really think of her like I do some of those mares back home. I wanna be with her, not get with her. Pushing the thought aside she began towards her sister, waiting at the door. In a haze of gray magic, the door opened.

"You two, come with me." A tall uniformed unicorn colt stood in the doorway, casting a menacing glare.

"Ooh, a private escort. How fan-cy." Resonance's attempt at humor was lost in the guard's icy stare. He sidestepped, leaving enough room in the doorway for the two to step through. His demeanor did not change as he led them through the castle, passing the grand meeting hall where the two had expected to be going.

"Hey, where exactly are you leading us? I thought Covenant was supposed to be meeting the princesses in there." Resonance asked, somewhat irate at the unexpected change.

"Negotiations broke down. You two and all your friends have been ordered to leave Equestria." Evanescence froze, leaving her sister to verbally assault the guard. She wasn't still a moment before another armored stallion came up behind her, nudging her along. Leave Equestria? What in the flames could have happened in that meeting? Sonority soon appeared out of a side hall, escorted by two more royal guard. He gave a curt nod to Evanescence before returning to his previous position – staring stony-eyed ahead and marching in rhythm with the guards. The group walked largely in silence to the castle's gate with the occasional exception of Resonance coming up with some new insult to fling at the guard who now angrily hauled her toward the exit.

Outside the castle a few ponies had gathered around the aircraft and the two waiting Princesses – along with the majority of the royal guard. Most of the faces in the crowd stuck their snouts up at the now shamed dignitaries, although they likely had no idea what was actually going on. One face however was familiar.

"Evanescence!" the name called out by a fiery orange mare as she hopped past the near wall of upper class snobs in front. A guard moved in front of her, but was unable to impede her progress thanks to a very carefully placed hoof. A wave from the princess of the moon prevented any other guards from trying to stop her. "What's going on?" Sunspot demanded, standing defiantly between the procession and the waiting aircraft.

"We've been kicked out. Seems you lot don't like us too much." Sonority said, using the comment more to jab at the nearby princesses than to answer the questions of some mare.

"What? But… you can't go!" Sunspot lost her composure for a moment, exposing the caring pony hidden underneath. She jumped into the crowd, grabbing Evanescence away from the guard next to her. "I can't let you go…" she trailed off, staring at the gray mare before her. Evanescence tried to think of what to do, but couldn't. Sonority was looking at her confused. Resonance was silently begging her to just let Sunspot go and get on the plane. The guards didn't seem to care either way. Sunspot's expression was far more interesting. She looked lost -  as if for the first time since they had met she was completely unsure what to do or what would happen if she did. She looked like she was afraid to lose something, and Evanescence had never seen her scared.

Evanescence, however, knew exactly what to do.

Pushing her way past the guards, the steel gray mare set a determined look at the two princesses standing on the edge of the runway. Celestia stood tall and emotionless, in complete contrast to Luna who watched the events unfold before her with increasing amounts of worry. Guards moved to stop the mare from approaching the alicorns, but again Luna waived a hoof and events proceeded.

"I want to stay." Evanescence declared loud enough for Sunspot to hear her from back in the crowd of guards. Celestia looked down at her without moving, intent on appearing as superior as possible as she began to speak. She was interrupted however by her sister.

"On what grounds, young one?" the lunar goddess asked.

"I… I don't want to have to hide anymore." Evanescence's comment earned curious looks from everypony gathered – except of course Celestia who remained stone-faced. "I've done something here that I cannot do in Hearth. It is forbidden, the fact that I even acknowledge it has happened will likely earn me persecution for the rest of my life if I return home." Evanescence turned to face her sister, brother-in-law, and the bright orange mare that had jumped the guards to see her. "I've fallen in love with a mare."

A moment of silence followed the comment. Sunspot's face lit up, happy that the mare she loved was willing to fight to stay with her. The princesses turned to one another, silently agreeing that Luna was to make the final decision in this case. The crowd of Equestrian ponies around remained confused, unsure why falling in love at all would be forbidden. Resonance looked on in horror as the final member of the group slowly boiled over.

"You did what!?" Sonority barreled through the two guards who had stayed by his side the entire walk in, charging towards Evanescence. "How dare you even say such a thing! All our nation has done for you and you turn on us? You become this twisted, perverted…" His rant was cut short by the squadron of pegasus and unicorn guards that descended upon him. Luna made no motion to stop them. Pulling him back towards the aircraft, Sonority again began yelling, this time towards the orange mare that until now he failed to recognize. "You! You've done this to her! You took my innocent sister and twisted her into this! Your whole nation is full of these perverse little…" again he was cut off by the guards dragging him onboard the plane. A dark murmur echoed through the crowd as Sunspot walked slowly towards Evanescence, leaving Resonance relatively alone on the landing strip.

"I believe a decision has been made." Luna stepped forward, lowering her head to the level of the two mares. "From what I know of your land, the ponies there are cruel and hateful. You however are not. You are free, you are kind, and you would not survive amongst them forever. Or even for a short period, now that your true nature is known. You will be allowed to stay in Equestria, but I cannot allow any others. Your sister, her husband, and the ambassador must go." Evanescence looked back toward her sister, unsure what to do. The thought of leaving her constant companion behind was terrible, but the thought of going with her was worse.

"Go." Resonance finally spoke. "I can take care of Sonority back home. You don't have anything there to go back to but me, and I'm telling you now – you should be here." Resonance turned and started walking toward the plane, not wanting to give her sister time to convince her otherwise, or let her see the tears welling in her eyes. Both could feel the end of an era as the azure mare followed her husband onto the airship and the great beast roared to life.