View source for Who was loyal to me? (Hinoiri Kirara)

{{Cutscene Header
|Date of Scene=2023/10/21
|Location=Dusk zone
|Synopsis=Sunbreaker goes for a walk in the dusk zone and ruminates over one of her first lessons... just what did loyalty mean when nobody was ever loyal to her?
|Cast of Characters=131
}}
Sunbreaker slowly walked through the dusk zone, idly kicking over rocks and punting the creatures that came too close hoping she’d be simple prey.

The more time she spent here, the more she felt like who she was was melting away. She was getting better at writing (still not good, but at least human bad now). She could drive. She had even tried a piece of sushi before she realized what it was and it hadn’t made her feel sick.

She was feeling, more and more, like she wasn’t… herself. Like she was just another human.

Sunbreaker stopped by a small, black pond. She picked up a stone and tossed it, the rock skipping along the surface and sending slow, inky ripples across its surface.

 == Another world, long ago ==

“Okay, Hinoiri. Today we’re going to talk about loyalty,” Sora said.

“Loyalty to you?” Hinoiri asked.

“Mmmm… somewhat,” Sora said. “But more loyalty to your friends. Those you care about and who care about you. Your family--”

“But you and I don’t have family,” Hinoiri said.

The sovereign twitched, but didn’t say anything. “Be that as it may… loyalty is a key part of any relationship and takes many forms. That is what I’d like you to focus on this week.”

“Focus on?” Hinoiri asked.

“Yes. Loyalty is a willingness to put others first, to even give up things you want for their sake. Showing them your support. It…”

 ====== 

Hinoiri lightly walked through the halls of the school. Loyalty. Loyalty. Well, if Sora wanted her to show loyalty to a ‘friend’, she’d just have to get a friend. How hard could it be?

Not as hard as she thought it’d be. All it took was a few words, the mention that she was allowed into the castle’s more restricted sections and she made her first friend. A dragon, even. He was pretty cool. Not as amazing as Sora, though. Now… loyalty. She just had to be loyal. How hard could it be? Put them first. Help them. Protect them.

 ====== 

“I just can’t imagine WHAT has gotten into you, Hinoiri!” Sora snapped, the alicorn pacing back and forth through their study.

“I… I was just doing what you said,” Hinoiri said. “Loyalty is--”

“Defacing the castle tapestries, stealing gems from the treasury, not to mention itching powder in the general’s helmet? What does ANY of that have to do with loyalty?”

“It… I…” Hinoiri started, then stopped. Slowly, she lowered her eyes. “I… don’t know. I guess… I just… don’t… understand loyalty…” she mumbled softly.

“Go to your room, we’ll discuss this later,” Sora said, the anger clear in her voice. “I’m very disappointed in you. This isn’t the kind of pony I expect you to be.”

Hinoiri hung her head and nodded, slowly walking away.

 == Now, the dusk zone == 

Hinoiri tossed another stone. It hadn’t been loyalty. She’d been a patsy. She’d been excited to try and master one of the first new lessons her mentor had given her and instead ended up being loyal to the wrong creature. Now she understood that. Being loyal to someone else was… a waste. The only people worth being loyal to were people who already served you. If you were loyal to others, they never showed you the same.

The ripples allowed her to almost see the reflections of those hurt by loyalty.

Catra and Adora. Adora showed loyalty, but did Catra? No. Adora came running after her, to try and bring her back… but Catra would never see it. Would never enjoy it. Would never accept it. But then, if she did, would Adora ever care? Obviously not. In the end, it was what Adora wanted. To be special. Catra leaving was what made Adora show her loyalty.

Yet when Hinoiri left, Sora never came after her.

Coco and Sara. Coco showed Sara loyalty, and Sara used that loyalty to stuff her into a fish bowl. Because Sara hurt and Coco couldn’t help her pain. But it was just what she knew. Betrayal. All loyalty ever led to. Coco gave and Sara took.

But no matter how much Hinoiri gave to Sora, she’d never escape from under her wing, would she?

Naru. Just… Naru. Hinoiri had tried to help her, but none of them saw it. None of them understood it. Instead, they’d all come for her. Attacked her. Broken through her barrier. They’d tracked her down and saved her.

She’d been saved, but not because any of them cared about her. Because it was all a game to them. She was the audience. So long as she cheered for them, she could be anyone. As long as she sat in the sidelines, she’d be just another one of their pathetic sycophants!

“I swear, though I’m flawed, I’ll no more be ignored,” Sunbreaker said, the flames around her body rising further. She’d lost her path, begun to think, maybe, there was another way. She’d been scared of the pain that dark energy gave her.

Believed, just for a moment, that she could be like them. But that world wasn’t for her. It would never be for her. This wasn’t her world. Her world…

Her world was there. And she would return.

She disappeared in a flurry of flames, appearing back in her room and reverting to Hinoiri. Her eyes were drawn to her desk. Her necklace was there. Waiting for her. A single hairline crack across its surface. Her eye twitched. It hadn’t had that earlier. Had Double Trouble been going through her stuff? Oh, what did she care. She didn’t need it anymore.

The only thing that was truly loyal to her was power and she was done hiding from it.