Sunrise

Sunrise Chapter 8

Have you ever had the displeasure of riding a motorcycle with a bum hand? It’s not a pleasant experience. It’s not that I have low tolerance to pain, seeing as I’ve been withstanding the excruciating pain of a demon torturing my insides. Sharp, sudden pain I can deal with. It’s the dull, lingering pain I feel coupled with the jolt from every bump in the road that makes me grimace with every mile. After half an hour of torment, I finally arrive at the underground garage for my condo building downtown.

After storing the bike, I grab my gear and head to the door, fishing out my keycard as I go. I swipe my card and jump in the elevator, hitting the button for the 10th floor. I lean against the back wall of the elevator as it slowly ascends the floors and think back on the events of today.

To say it was a roller coaster of emotions, was an understatement. I went from basking in my reclaimed popularity and gaining one smoking hot girlfriend, to nearly getting into an Alpha-bitch smackdown with Rarity and having a visit from my “friendly” cohabitant in my head and punching that runt Twilight Sparkle in her smug prick face. Okay, it wasn’t a smug prick face. Celestia that was satisfying...Celestia...fuck why did I have to remember that name at a time like this.

“That bitch.” I mutter to myself. I was stronger than any unicorn in my class. I was doing advanced magic when I was a filly! Celestia hand picked me to be her student, her right hoof mare, so to speak. And then out of the blue she says I’m not worthy, that I’m too dangerous? Too much of a threat?! To whom?! The country I was born in?! The people I would give my life for?!

If I was such a threat, then why did she let me find the portal, why did she allow me to become curious?! And why, oh why did she strip my title just because I wanted to visit a new fucking world?! DAMMIT WHY?! I scream and punch the wall, hard, with my good hand this time, and press my forehead against the glass near my fist. I sob quietly to myself. That damn Celestia…Why did I have to meet her?

The elevator doors stop on the tenth floor and pops open. I stop at the third door on the left: Room 5-B. I slide the key in the door lock and walk in. Home sweet home.

My place is a two bed, one bath condo with 3000 sqft. of space. From the entrance hall, to the left is my kitchen, with brand new appliances and stained wood cabinets, marble countertops etc. From there you have the main living room in front, and a decked out dining room to the right.

Restless, I toss my things on the floor and strip off my riding jacket before flopping on the couch with a dejected sigh. I reach down with my left hand and flick on the TV. The screen flickers on to “High School Premiere Tonight”, a television show dedicated to the High School Premiere League, the football league Canterlot High affiliates itself with. I’ve arrived home just in time for their annual season premier special, where they discuss all the teams participating in the upcoming season. No surprise, they’re talking about The Canterlot Lady Wondercolts, known in the league as Wondercolt FC.

“The biggest news of the upcoming season has to be Center Forward Sunset Shimmer, returning to Wondercolt FC for her Senior Season. Holy Shit, I wasn’t expecting this. I sit up on the couch and turn up the volume.

In her freshman year, Sunset announced her presence with a league record 45 assists to go with 15 goals as she anchored a line with speedsters Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust. What made her debut season so remarkable, is that Sunset had no documented experience with football before attending Wondercolt FC.

Heh, I remember that circus when they were trying to figure up my past. Wonder what they would say if they knew I spent most of my life as a magical pony serving under a bitch of a so called ruler. I stretch out the couch as the female voice drones on.

“The return of Sunset Shimmer may be just what the doctor ordered for a struggling Wondercolt FC club that has staved off demotion in each of the past two years. They start their campaign with a grudge match against Baltimare Blaze, and hope to avenge a stifling 7-0 defeat, in which Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and goalkeeper Ditzy Doo, were all booked with Red Cards after a controversial incident in the box involving the keeper and Baltimare Blaze striker, Whirlwind.”

Oh boy, here we go. The video pops on the screen as Whirlwind, the green skinned blond haired crybaby, tripping over her shoelaces after Derpy slides and steals the ball from her feet. But the damn referee, who was a good ten feet off the play, called a penalty and red carded Derpy on the spot. The angle then switches as an infuriated Rainbow Dash and Applejack run up to the ref and let her have it, so to speak. Although the clip has no sound from the field, just by reading lips I can tell Aj and Rainbow Dash are dropping obscenities every few words before they themselves are booked. Rainbow Dash throws her hands in the air as the ref walks away, but Applejack is incensed. I’ve never seen her so angry in my life. It’s kind of funny seeing her all worked up. Not even me insulting her backwoods family got her this riled. She tosses her hat to the ground and storms behind the ref, still yelling and cursing, before Dash and a player I don’t recognize hold her back.

I can’t help but feel agitated watching Whirlwind smirking as AJ walks off. From the games I watched last season, Whirlwind was always trying to use her short stature to get favorable calls from the refs. Several times she tripped a player to get the ball, causing a collision where the opposing player got whistled for a foul because they both went down. Even I got carded once for retaliating against the little shit by pushing her to the turf. I know she’s small, but I can’t stand people who fake being clobbered to get a call. Applejack and Rainbow Dash’s reaction to the send-offs is pretty par for the course when no one catches that little brat.

As the program goes to commercial break, I flick off the tv and head to the kitchen to change my bandages. I toss the old ones, then open the sink cabinet and fetch my first aid kit. I tend to the wounds on my left hand.

“You know, you make this too easy for me.”

Shit, her again.

“What, no debilitating pain? No making me fall to my knees in agony? You’re slipping you damn witch.”

The demon scoffs. “I was just here to gloat about how your attempts to keep yourself sane are pitiful at best. But if you want me to hurt you, then let me show you something.”

One of these days I’m going to learn to not taunt this damn thing. Suddenly I’m floored. My entire body racked with a stabbing pain. I curl into a ball and shut my eyes tight as I try to fight off this new advance with every ounce of mental fortitude I have. Before I can fight off the mental attack, a terrifying vision invades my mind:

Canterlot High is in ruins. Fire and debris litter the courtyard. The bodies of my former classmates scattered about like children’s toys. Equestrian Military vehicles burned out and overturned. Then it goes dark. Then I hear struggling. I hear whimpers and pained gasps. Then my blood runs cold as I hear it...I hear the angel soft voice of my love.

“Sun...set...s…*cough* stop!”

Suddenly my vision clears. We’re in the gymnasium. Before me lays Fluttershy, the girl who I just made my partner, laying on the ground, her face scratched and clawed, her nose and lip bloody and bruised. Her clothes are bloody and tattered, torn to shreds by a blade. I gasp when I see her assailant.

It’s me...

My right hand is pinning Fluttershy’s arms above her head.. My left hand is obstructed from view. I can only hear something tearing through fabric and flesh.. With every movement she writhes and screams hoarsely. Her eyes are filled with fear and pain as blood begins to dribble from her mouth.

“Pl...ease…*cough* *cough* sun..set…” She sobs. I scream at myself to let her go, to spare her this pain, but the me I’m watching doesn’t listen. I can only watch as my left hand rises, and there I see it in her left hand . The knife, coated with Fluttershy’s essence. I watch in horror as my hand rises, and plunges down into her chest.

“Gaaaah!” She cries and spits up blood. The crimson spray from her lips coats the face of my doppelganger.

“Stop…” her last plea fades into the wind as her body goes limp, her face frozen with shock.

“Stop it!” I scream. “Don’t do this to her! You love her! She’s the only one that believed in you and you’re killing her! She doesn’t deserve any of this! STOP IT!” I try to move towards them, to possibly save Fluttershy’s life or at the very least console her as she slips from this world. But I cannot. I can only watch as she’s butchered. I drop to my knees and cover my ears. It does little to drown out the sound of the knife plunging into Fluttershy’s lifeless body. I begin to cry, as I hear my lover die.

And then I hear a buzzing - dull at first, then slowly getting louder. It doesn’t seem to be coming from the vision . Wait...I know that sound…

The sound of the door buzzer jolts me back to reality. I’m curled up in a ball on the floor. My new bandages are hanging loosely from my hand. The first aid kit is toppled over on the floor next to me. I gather up the first aid supplies, throw them back in my kit, and then run to answer the buzzer.

“Who is it?!” I yell into the intercom.

“umm...it’s me...sunset...can you let me in please?” It’s Fluttershy. At a time like this I need to see her.

“I’ll buzz you in.” I sigh and press another button on the panel to unlock the door for her. Shortly there after, a soft tapping sound raps at my door. I open the door slowly and see Fluttershy, overnight bag slung over her shoulder. We embrace, sharing a short but sweet kiss, before I walk her inside.

“Hello...Fluttershy…” I don’t let my eyes meet hers as she enters.

“Sunset...are you okay?” She cups my cheek, but I push her hand away and turn away from her, shaking my head.

“I had a visit from...it. Before you got here.” I mumble. Slumping into the couch, I curl against the armrest. Fluttershy puts her things away neatly against wall before joining me.

“V...visit?” She was confused. I should have remembered I didn’t fully explain how I hurt my hand earlier. I turn and look at her for the first time, and then the haunting vision comes flooding back. I grimace in agony and rip my gaze away from her.

“Sunset?”

“The demon threw me into a vision.” I grip the arm rest tighter, grimacing as pain shoots up my left arm from my injured knuckles.

“What did you see?” Fluttershy touches my shoulder. I recoil from her. “Sunset!” She actually raises her voice to a normal octave.

I whipped my head around, eyes full of tears “It showed me killing you! Again!”

Fluttershy’s eyes widened in shock. She covered her mouth with her hand. I could see her trembling.

“It visited me in the bathroom earlier, said it was going to create a new body and...and…” I collapse into her and begin to sob for the third time today.

She holds me tight and presses her lips against my forehead. “There there….we’ll stop it before it even lays a finger on any of us.” She reassures me. I look up at her, sniffling. Fluttershy wipes my cheeks with her hand, then cups my cheek. I relax into her touch and hold her hand against my cheek.

“Promise?”

She nods. “I have faith in our friends. They all want to help you beat it. I know if we work together we’ll find a way to destroy it once and for all. And I have faith in you Sunset, because I’ve seen who you really are inside.” Her optimism is stunning. I just told her that my demonic form is going to gain it’s own form and viciously murder her, yet she’s standing firm with me. I couldn’t ask for a better partner.

“Thank you.” I lean up slowly and capture her lips with my own. She closes her eyes and I do the same. Our lips part and our tongues become intertwined as I relaxed into her. Fluttershy’s weight shifts and I stretch out, allowing her to climb on top of me. Her hands begin to wander my body in search for my sensitive spots. A stroke against my side makes me gasp.She rubs that spot again and I moan against her lips. I slide my hands under her shirt and massage the smooth skin of her back, making her coo. She counters by placing her right hand on my breast. Her fingers gently squeeze my tender flesh and her thumb presses against my nipple.

“Flutters…” I moan quietly against her lips. I can feel the heat building between my legs under Fluttershy’s ministrations. I run my hand down her side to her thigh and give a gentle squeeze, making her gasp and press her body against mine.

“F...funny how we’ve ended up like this twice today.” I giggle and caress her cheek. She smiles back at me.

“I d..don’t mind if we’re a little fast…. “ she grins mischievously.

“Oh?” My tone turns sultry as I lean my head forward and nibble on her earlobe. She goes rigid and the air catches in her throat as I actually coax a moan out of my shy lover. “Then why don’t we continue where we left off?”

I see that fire in her eyes again. The same predatory look she gave me in the gym. That look in her eyes that parlayed her intention to make me scream her name as she played my body like a harp. This hidden side of Fluttershy, this dominant, lustful girl had never seen the light of day before now. The anticipation of what she’s going to do to me makes me tingle all over.

But before I could finally see, the Celestia-damned DOOR BUZZER.

“Goddamn it.” I sigh. Fluttershy just giggles. “Later, okay?” she nods and I kiss her forehead before we part. The buzzer sounds three more times before I finally reach it.

“Yes?”

“Land Sakes you take a long time to answer the door!” Oh Applejack if you only knew. I smile over my shoulder at Fluttershy, who blushes hard as I answer. “Sorry I was…in the bathroom.”

“Well, me an’ Rarity are here now, so let us in already.”

“Come on up.” I buzz them in then sigh, lightly banging my fist against the door. “Damn interruptions.” I mutter. Not long after I buzz them in, I hear a knock on the door, and open it for Applejack and Rarity, both of them carrying bags slung over their shoulders

“And what in the heck were YOU doin’?” Applejack asks as she enters.

“Lay off me, I was in the bathroom” I shut the door after they enter.

“Umm...hi…” Fluttershy’s calm voice catches them off guard.

“Fluttershy, when’d you get here?” Applejack cocks her head to the side. Fluttershy just blushes.

“Umm...my house isn’t far from here, so I just walked over after we left Sugarcube Corner.” She says. Applejack nods. Rarity, however, is not convinced.

“So, Sunset was in the bathroom this whole time?”

“umm...yes…”

Rarity doesn’t buy it, but she let’s it go. My spacious abode distracts her. She walks around like a kid in a candy store.

“Oh my goodness! That furniture, with that carpet! And those furnishings! Sunset, Darling, this place is magnificent!” She gushes. “I LOVE IT!” She screams, making us all jump.

Applejack just shakes her head and drops her stuff haphazardly on the ground. She takes a step towards my carpet with her boots on, but I stop her dead in her tracks.

“And WHAT, do you think you’re doing?”

“I’m goin’ to sit down!”

“Not with THOSE on.” I point down at her boots. “Off, now. “

She stares at me blankly “Seriously?” She sighs and takes off her boots and tosses them to the side, then flops on the right hand couch. Rarity just wanders around my place, gushing at everything she sees. “Oh, this bathroom is just amazing! And this tub, I could just lie in here for hours...and the shower right next to it?! Ohhhhhhhh!”

“Heh heh, I think Rarity likes your place.” Applejack chuckles as Rarity rushes back in, staring out one of the large windows.

“Ohh and it has a perfect view of Canterlot Gardens...ohh, how I dreamed of staring out at this view. It is just tres magnifique!” She leans against the glass, staring out lovingly.

Applejack, always the economical thinker, has a different opinion. “I’ll tell you what it is, expensive. How much did this cost you exactly?

“2.3 Million.”

“2.3 What?!” Applejack grips her chest. Sticker shock doesn’t even begin to explain her reaction. She fans herself with her hat. Rarity spins around, shocked.

“Darling...HOW did you afford this?”

“Gem dealing, remember?” I flop down and wrap my arm around Fluttershy.

“Hooey. There ain’t no way you earned all this from just selling some gems.”

“Well, it wasn’t just gems. I also banked in on some stock investments.”

“Umm...Sunset...if...if you have all of this, why do you come to school?” Fluttershy asks.

“Curiosity, really. Everyone at Canterlot High looks like someone in Equestria, so I got curious. When I left home Princess Luna had become Nightmare Moon…”

“Nightmare...moon?” Fluttershy asks.

“It’s a long story. But she turned evil for awhile.”

“And How does Vice Principal Luna compare?” Rarity questions curiously.

“She’s...odd.” I say. “She’s a lot nicer than Nightmare Moon, but she’s no less mysterious. It’s almost creepy, really.”

“Principal Luna is not creepy. She’s just...complicated, is all.” Rarity says as she joins us in the sitting room. She sits down with with Applejack and covers her mouth to muffle a yawn. As the conversation wanes, I grab the remote and click it on. To my surprise, HSP Tonight is still on.

“Ugh, do we have to watch this?” Rarity complains.

“Oh come on Rar,” Applejack argues, “she just turned the TV on, we’re not-”

“And in our marquee matchup of match day one, a grudge match between Baltimare Blaze, and Wondercolt FC in the Ladies division of the HSPL.”

“Leave it here, Sunset.” Applejack says. Oh my, her dander’s up isn’t it?

“Sunset Shimmer makes her return to the pitch, but Wondercolt FC has been struggling as of late. They’ve only scored 30 points in the last two years, and in both years they had to play through the tie breaker game to stave off demotion. Guys can they avenge last year’s crushing defeat?”

Silver Streak, a former star midfielder in the EPL, speaks first.

“Well the return of Sunset Shimmer is a welcome addition but...I can’t see them getting over the hump this year. There are still so many questions with chemistry, and Sunset brings another combustible element to a team full of hot heads…”

“Hotheads?!” Applejack jumps up, face growing red.

“AJ, darling, you’re proving his point.” Rarity says as the second announcer, a blue haired woman by the name of Cobalt, speaks next.

“I think Wonderbolt FC is going to come out on fire. They had a scrimmage on Wednesday and from all reports it was one of the best practices they’ve had in AWHILE…”

I glance over at Applejack. “AJ...how do they know about the scrimmage?”

“Who do you think?” She huffs. “Rainbow Dash called the TV station.”

“Sunset Shimmer has the pace to play with Lightning Dust and Rainbow Dash on the wings, something they lacked. She also excels on reading the opposing offense and communicating to the rest of her team; I think Wondercolt FC is going to be back in a big way…”

We applaud; however Silver Streak doesn’t agree.

“Yes, yes, Sunset is a very nice player but she’s just one player. Baltimare is a complete TEAM.”

Cobalt counters her point, “Sunset makes the rest of that team better. They will come out on fire, and they’ll get a great win.

Before they can continue, the time runs out for the show. “We could go on forever but we’re out of time. We’ll find out if Wondercolt FC can defeat Baltimare Blaze, tomorrow from Canterlot Stadium at 1pm, live on Equestrian Sports 1.”

I’m stunned as I watch the graphic flash on the screen: It has an image of Whirlwind sprinting with the ball at her feet on the left side, and Rainbow Dash on the right, jumping in the air and pumping her fist. I knew High School football was a big deal, but I had forgotten just how much this game mattered.

“Oooooo-wee!” Applejack shouts. “We’re gonna get to show that good fer nothing Whirlwind what for on National TV!”

“I didn’t even know we were going to be on TV. We MUST display our school pride, show a unified front to the world and cheer on Wondercolt FC!” Rarity declares.

“so many...people…” Fluttershy shivers against me.

“I know, won’t it be exciting?!” Rarity says. Fluttershy just shakes her head. She never liked crowds.

“But you will be at the game, won’t you Fluttershy?” I look over at her. she pauses for a moment, then nods her head. A few moments later, the buzzer on the wall draws my attention.

“That must be the others.” I hop to my feet and answer the call. Sure enough, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Spar...Twilight Sparkle, have arrived. I buzz them in and before long, they’re at my door, gym bags and overnight gear in tow. I give everyone a hug (yes even Twilight) and welcome them in. Twilight and Rainbow Dash put their things with the growing pile of stuff in my living room. Pinkie’s bag however seems especially heavy as she drops it with a sigh.

“Uhh, Pinkie Pie...what’s in there?” I ask.

Instead of telling me, she just shows me. She unzips her bag and confetti and streamers and balloons fly everywhere, yet somehow they align themselves perfectly around my place. She rummages around and pulls out a rolled up banner and tosses it towards my windows. I hold my breath as it flies, and then stare in disbelief as it unfurls itself along the top, “WELCOME BACK TWILIGHT” written in huge letters.

“Pinkie Pie...how did you do that?” I ask stunned.

I get my answer when a small blue cannon with pink flowery wheels appears from the bag.

“What...am I...looking at?”

“My SUPERSPECIALPINKYPARTYPACKAGE! Complete with PARTY CANNON!” Her enthusiastic scream echoes around the room as she shows it off to us.

“Pinkie Pie...WHERE did that come from?” Rarity asks.

“Well, back when I first met Twilight I suddenly had the idea to build a cannony thing so that I could take my party supplies everywhere!” With a big toothy grin, she pats the top of the barrel.

“Does YOUR Pinkie Pie do this back in Equestria?” Rarity asks.

“She does.” Twilight sighs. I just shake my head.

“Now that everyone’s here, let’s paaaar-tay!” Pinkie shouts and pulls a boombox out of nowhere. She presses the power button, and the peppy tunes blare through my condo. The others cover their ears to drown out the sound. Pinkie just bounces along with the beat, enjoying herself. However my lease is on the line. And loud noise is DEFINITELY going to get me thrown out. I walk over and turn the volume knob down to a more tolerable level before turning to her.

“Let’s try to keep the noise to a minimum...please? We can have a party and still keep our hearing.”

“Sorry.” She giggles.

With the sound ordinance issues taken care off, we all settle in for a night of merriment.