Hidden secrets, Revealed answers.

Actually practicing skills that mattered to her rather than being force fed classes about subject matter she had already read felt so much better. Progress on one front, hardly meant progress on the other though. She still didn't have a solution to her ongoing lack of communication with Yang, and while the books had given her a few insights into how to be a better friend, Yang was back to avoiding her for some reason. Or maybe avoiding everyone? She had picked up the bad habit of causing things, and in one case people, to spontaneously ignite lately, which seemed to be tied to her aura and how many injuries it had 'soaked up' for her recently... maybe that was just it? She wanted to get that under control? it was hard to tell.

Shaking her head to clear her wandering thoughts, she looked back at the book she'd been reading the synopsis of; it was a play script about a man who had an oddly similar name to one of the Pegasus emperors of Roam in the days before Equestria. Beware the ides indeed... Ironic timing. She had hoped to pick something up today, homesickness for Canterlot hitting her harder than usual since she would normally have spent this weekend at home with her father opening gifts, but the middle of march was just another day for everyone here. fifteen... woo-hoo... she sarcastically commented in her head.

As she started walking back to the school grounds, a fresh layer of snow crunching beneath her boots, her mind drifted back to her studies again. From her classes Sunset knew she had to maintain line of sight with her illusions, and that she could manipulate them to mask anything visual, but no other sense. The question still remained though, how far could she go with those illusions? Sure her classmates were having a hard time touching her right now, but that was probably more to do with her already understanding her 'magic' and just needing to work out the eccentricities of it's new form, while they were starting from scratch. It was an unfair advantage.

Walking through signal's dorms, the hall was... oddly dark. Had someone covered all the windows? Giving her eyes a moment to get used to the dark she began heading to this floor's common room and the nearest light switch. Really glad the mirror didn't make me human right now, who covers the windows and turns off the lights in the middle of the day?

"Surpri-AUGH!" came the confused shout as the sudden jolt of fellow students jumping out at her startled Sunset into setting off a flare. Note to self; Never EVER use that while my eyes are adjusted to the dark. Ow.

As her vision started to clear, Sunset recognized the forms of Lin, Yang, and maybe four or five other students. She couldn't quite identify them yet. What stood out most though was a simple little cake on the table, her cutie- her emblem drawn on it in icing. How did... But... there was no way...

"Sunset? Hello? Crap, I got the day wrong didn't I?" came Yang's voice from the fuzzy predominantly yellow blob occupying the leftmost third of her vision, quickly resolving itself into a familiar human as her vision finally returned to normal.

"No... but, how did you know?" Sunset asked, baffled. her confusion apparently clear on her face if the others expressions were anything to go by. And why did you bother? I thought you didn't trust me...

"I looked it up, duh." She stated as if no other explanation was needed, and were it anyone but Sunset she were talking about, that might have worked, save for the fact that Sunset and Yang both knew full well she shouldn't exist nor should any records to 'look up'.

Even if small, Sunset had to admit the impromptu party was at least a bit fun, though the answers she wanted from yang would have to wait until after. Nearly an hour later, once the others save for Yang had gone, she approached the blonde again.

"How did you know, Really?" She asked, her tone a bit harsher than she intended.

Yang just sighed, pulling a few pieces of paper from her jacket's inside pocket.

"I told you, I looked it up. I know why you don't want to talk about your past, Safron." She answered quietly, but Sunset barely heard her, hardly noticed the incorrect name, her attention instead focused on the papers she had just been handed, particularly the one that looked like a news paper clipping titled Mystral Times and dated ten years ago.

Mountain Town Overrun by Grimm

Previously protected by a Schnee Corporation security force while their dust mines were still in operation, Local huntsmen have recently returned from the town of King's Watch, reporting that it had been overrun, only a single survivor found. Full story - 17

The picture below showing the Town's inhabitants, most if not all of them Faunus. Down in the far right corner, a little girl, no more than five, equine ears, two toned hair and a matching tail. It was black and white, but somthing told sunset that the two colors were red and gold. The same girl the other sheet was details about. Saffron Summer. That's me. But I've only been a faunus for six months. That's impossible.

"Sorry, I can be kinda stubborn about finding answers to things... But, I understand why you came up with that story. I'm sorry for how I acted. I wouldn't want to remember either." Yang explained, her voice uncharacteristically soft, one hand on Sunsets shoulder in a comforting gesture.

I had some kind of local counterpart, that's the only explanation. She still doesn't believe me. She probably never will now. Sunset's frustration must have shown on her face, because Yang's expression changed even before Sunset crumpled and shredded the papers walking out.

"I'm sorry..."

Maybe it's better this way. Sunset lied to herself once she was out of sight.

It was nice being able to talk to Yang again, even if it was based on a lie. That part hurt, but it had only been two days, maybe it would get easier. It was less that the lie bothered her, which it did, but rather part of her upset that she would feel that, another part alarmed that she was upset over having those feelings, and the whole mess just tied in knots. You just had to get soft, didn't you Sunset. This is why we kept ponies at a distance before.

Wandering the courtyard she spotted a few other students practicing with their auras trying to get the hang of the powers offered by their semblance. That's what I need. something to take my mind off this.

Heading off to see what Lin was up to, or if not her one of the few other students she got along with, it didn't take long to find someone. Huh... that was the first thought through Sunset's mind when she found Lin on one of the upper balconies left over from when the school had been a fort centuries earlier. A paintbrush was not something she had ever expected to see in her friend's hand. Deciding not to bother her just yet, Sunset stayed quiet and watched as her friend continued. She moved the brush as fluidly and as precisely as she did her blade.

After a while she finished. Walking over to her Sunset commenting. "Since when can you paint that well?"

Surprised at having an audience, Lin turned to see Sunset behind her. Blushing a bit at the compliment to her skills. "I... er... well mother wanted me to. I liked practising with the sword better, but, I never really forgot."

"I know the feeling, Mom wanted me to join the guard, like her." Sunset admitted, not sure why she felt like talking about such things. Normally she would have kept details of her real past quiet. Normally I don't feel guilty over using my made up identy either. This whole week feels wrong.

"She must be proud, knowing you're studying at a combat academy." Lin added with a smile while putting her supplies away.

Sunset didn't answer at first, annoyed with herself for not turning the conversation to a different topic sooner. "Yeah... maybe, if she were around..." She only managed to mumble, trailing off. That was one thing she and her counterpart shared she supposed. The conversation turning to awkward silence as unwanted memories of a familiar mare began intruding into her thoughts.

The next few minutes were a blur for Sunset. Most of her focus on banishing the thoughts. Somehow she had managed to convey her intentions and the two had made it to a mostly unoccupied park near the edge of the lake that separated the city proper from a large castle like structure atop the clifs.

The first round or two Sunset was distracted, sloppy, but it didn't take long for her to get her mind back on target. Getting smacked in the face with a weapon tended to draw one's attention. Even if your opponent was trying to avoid hitting hard enough to break through your aura, the hits still hurt.

By the fourth, Sunset was focused. Her mind back where it was meant to be. This time as she charged she displaced the image of herself sideways, out of sync with her own movements. Lin didn't fall for it though, she could see the footprints in the snow from where sunset really was. Thrown to the ground again, another attack parried, sunset glanced over only to see those same peints in the snow and cringe. such an obvious detail to miss. Getting up she got ready for another attack.

Lin had her eyes shut this time, knowing better than to trust that sense now that sunset had noticed her error, focusing on letting her other senses guide her instead. Swinging out her blade the air seemed to shatter like broken glass as she parried the incoming thrust from the suddenly rematerialized Sunset. Again her friend was knocked back, landing in the snowdrifts.

"How did you..."

"If you're going to force me to fight blind, try to be a bit quieter." Lin answered simply, cutting her off. Eyes still closed and a soft smile on her face.

Sunset grimaced at that, she could hide her bootprints easily enough, but the crunching sound the snow made? Magically muting her environment was no longer a part of her repertoire. She'd have to try and do that the hard way.

Masking the sound of her attack took much longer to figure out since she couldn't rely on her semblance to do the bulk of the work. The remainder of her charges that day continued to fail until her aura and stamina were too drained to let her continue, the next day's training session following suit, and the next seemed to as well at first...

It was a lucky strike. Sunset had finally gotten inside Lin's guard before she detected her. Her glaive clipping the headband Lin wore as she passed.

"Hah! Got you, finally!"

Lin was frozen stiff, eyes locked on the shred of cloth caught on Sunset's blade. her ears folding back now that they were free of their bindings. No. No this isn't happening. Even my own class can't hit me, there's no way she... Nononono... The thoughts raced through Lin's mind, but her now unrestricted hearing and the feel of the wind ruffling her fur said otherwise.

"Wait a minute, you're..."

The torn headband lazily drifted to the ground between them.

"...you're, part wolf?" Sunset asked, astonished. Lin was a Faunas, she had to be. But why was she cowering, why did she have her hands over her ears like that. Taking a few steps closer. "I didn't cut you did I?"

Lin didn't answer, so Sunset knelt down next to her, pushing her hand away gently to get a better look. There was no sign of any injury. Lin had since given up her attempts at keeping them covered.

"I can't go back looking like this... They'll know..." She stated. Her usual confidence gone. Then it made sense. Of course her ear wasn't hurt, It didn't need to be. It just had to be visible. She's afraid. Afraid of her self... Always the odd one out, always the freak. Sunset had gotten used to it, but Lin? With that headband of hers she could be "normal". Pass for human. She could hide in plain sight.

"Know what?" Sunset asked with a smirk plastered across her face, gesturing to Lin's reflection in the glassy surface of the frozen lake, almost having to force Lin to look. A reflection that looked completely human. Lin could only stare. "I don't see anything."

"How..."

"Haven't you learned by now? You can't trust your eyes around me." She explained deliberately messing with her own appearance for emphasis. The stripes in her hair changing to blue and white momentarily. "Light does what I tell it to."

Her only answer was a hug. After a short time Lin let go, before touching one ear causing the illusion of their absence to break. Only for them to fade away again a moment later. "Sometimes... Sometimes I wished I really looked like this. It would be so much easier. I wouldn't have to deal with the constant ache of having my ears pinned to the sides of my head."

"Why hide at all, why not just be you?" Sunset asked, confused, having come to hate pretending to be someone she wasn't. Logicaly she knew why hiding was practical, but the willingness in Lin's voice didn't sit right with her.

"I tried... It didn't work, I couldn't take it. That's why I'm here. I couldn't stay in Atlas." She explained sighing. "I'm not as strong as you are. How long can it last?"

"As far as I can tell? I have to stay in line of sight, but there doesn't seem to be a time limit. Getting back to the dorms shouldn't be a problem. I'm guessing you have spare headbands?" She followed the explanation with a shrug. Maybe she could find a way to maintain it without seeing her 'target' but she didn't really have a way to test that, and her aura still worked very differently than her horn used to. "Maybe this was supposed to happen. I've always felt fate has ways of telling us where we're meant to be." Hints like having a sun for a mark like Celestia, dreams of flying, the reflection in the magic mirror having wings and a crown. She thought to herself, part of her still clinging to the hope that that was right.

"This from the girl who wears her semblance like a mask?" Lin answered plainly, before the two headed back to the school. "maybe... But I don't think I'm ready yet."

...like, a mask?

"New recruits, keep to the right." a voice from inside called out.

A friend who's afraid to be what she was born to be. A friend worth protecting... Sunset thought, reminding herself why she had agreed to hear Tuckson out, why she was here. Another I have to lie to just to be myself. Who i'm always wearing a mask around. Donning the mask she was given she stepped through the doors. A thief living a life I stole to escape being denied my rightful fate. Taking up a spot among the other newcomers.

"...look out for any fellow faunas at the school..."

"...we faunas need to protect our own kind."

I'm making the right choice.

The banner with the grim head and three claw marks stood out most to Sunset. She could almost see them as the same three scars etched across her back, and the head of the beowolf that made them.

"...fate has ways of telling us where we're meant to be."

"...wears her semblance like a mask."

This is where I'm meant to be. An image of a biped surrounded by flames flickered across the mirror in her memories, replacing the alicorn princess it had just shown her. When she looked back at it now, she didn't see a face on the image, she saw a mask. Perhaps where I was always meant to be.

"Thank you all for coming, I see a few new faces joining us for the first time tonight."