E.q.Gee Rule Sixty-three

"And...uploaded."

Faye had finished posting the video of Dusk's gang dancing on every network she could find via one of the library's computers.  The video included low-quality audio and novice-like dancing (Especially from Dusk.). All that combined with their messed up shirts and pony ears, they all looked as if they were out of their minds...however, they also appeared very happy and cheerful when doing it.  To Faye that was enough to win more support right before The Fall Formal (After all, Sundown make promotional video and significant number of people had listened to it).  She also added a video of herself saying "Thanks for watching CHS. If you like, please rate us and bring something to Fall Formal.  Traditionally it has always on the last Friday of month, but our Principal has to move it to Monday due to a recent vandalism. If you can bring food, drinks, decorations - we'll accept anything within school regulations - On Friday or this afternoon, then Fall Formal will go on Friday. Catch you later, everypony!"

That's when Faye realized she should have said 'everyone' though everypony sounded cuter, unique, and much more appealing in the video. Besides most students couldn't even tell if the school mascot was either pony or a horse from first glance.

Soon, Dusk came in, his wondercolt sweatshirt and face coated in yellow and blue paint.

"Good news! I've helped Ivy and Mystery finish painting a mural in the gym." Dusk cheered. "It looks awesome!"

"Nice to hear. I'm also sending out...messages...for other people to come and help us." Faye stated, turning off the computer "It looks like we're set for Fall Formal."

"Speaking of that...where has Sundown been?"' Dusk asked.

"Don't know, don't care." Faye shrugged, checking the money in her wallet. "I'm gonna grab some sandwiches and celebrate.  You wanna come?"

Dusk's face flushed red, but then sighed "No...no thanks Faye.  I'm kinda tired."

Faye looked disappointed, but then smiled and said "How about I bring the sandwich here? You relax and read in the meantime."

"Sure..." Dusk said, feeling uneasy.

After Faye left, using the keys that she had borrowed from Star Swirl to unlock the library door, Dusk threw himself upon his book-bed.

"You really should go out and enjoy yourself, buddy."  Barbra jumped from a bookshelf and into Dusk's lap.  "Plus, she loves you so much."

"Obviously..." Dusk added. "...but I don't want anything to happen between us. You and I are going back tomorrow...and once I get my wings back I'll be happier than filly on graduation."

"And what about the rest of these guys? And Faye?" Barbra stated. "And then there is Sundown and the key-"

"Barb...one problem at a time..." urged Dusk "You sound like me a few days ago...when I was just becoming a Prince...Hard to believe I have ended up in this weird world...it feels like it was another lifetime."

"You said the same thing when you became Solaris's Price." Barbra noticed.

"Yeah..." frowned Dusk "...when I go back to Equestria, it will once again be me and my pals...the 'mane' six..in colorful and magical word."

"It's not 'me and pals' here?" Barbra wondered.

"Not when they don't know about who I really am..." Dusk sighed "...not when they know what I have really been through..."

"Still...waiting for Fall Formal is boring..." groaned Barbra. "And if you aren't going out with her...then I will."

As Barbra ran after Faye,  Dusk got up and followed not wanting to be ever alone.

The sun was in the middle of setting when the three got outside.

As Faye, Dusk, and Barbra took the bus down to Jessy’s cafe, they caught sight of Sundown's goons walking towards her holding a few tattered pieces of clothing in their hands.

Instead of darting across the street to the Dinner, Faye signaled Dusk start to walking away from Sundown's goons. However one of them shouted  "Hey, Faye! Where is Sundown?"

This promoted Dusk and Faye to turn around and face the goons - Trickster, Teneberia, Sugar, and Spice.  Sugar and Spice carried the foul smelling strips of a leather jacket, Trickster looked blindly confused, and Teneberia hands her pale hand on her hips.

"What makes you think I know anything?" Faye stated.

"You are Sundown's ex-girlfriend right?" Teneberia stated "Well guess what - today he ruined Fall Formal all by himself and then hastily disappeared to junkyard without saying why. We went there...and...well...we found...something rather..."

"Uncomfortable?" Faye asked, reading the expressions on Sugar and Spice's faces.

"Unbelievable." Teneberia hissed. "A torn up jacket, a garbage man claiming he saw the devil comes for his sins, and massive foot prints.  I think it has to do with that key.  I've seem him do all sorts of weird powers and magic, but its not smoke and mirrors."

"Yeah, I've noticed." grunted Dusk.  However, he then realized he spoke too soon, causing Teneberia to lean into his face.

"Really, Dusk? well here's what I have noticed: One, Sundown has been more eager to get a hold of that plastic crown than any of the fame that comes with it. Second, he mumbles from time to time about an 'invasion' and 'getting what he deserved long ago' when no one is looking. And lastly, Faye and Sundown had arrived from 'out of town' when you first enrolled in this school.  Then Faye disappeared without any goodbyes or notice going into a 'technical school', and now Faye has returned with a friend...I assumed that you are 'out of town', too?"

Faye shivered and shook her heard. Dusk's face went pale.  Barbra growled a warning at Teneberia. The other goons seemed just as confused, but Teneberia glared at Faye, silently demanding a response.

"I...I don't know what you are taking about...but to answer your question I have no clue where Sundown is." Faye replied.

Teneberia relaxed her glare and stated "Okay...so where is this 'out of town' located? Is that where that key came from?"

"Why should you care so much?" Dusk questioned.

"Because you are defiantly the strangest people ever to arrived at CHS." Teneberia shot back "I have no idea where you two, Sundown, or that key came from. But you all better go back to whatever hole you crawled outta."

"Duly noted." Faye replied.

"Uh, ladies and gentlemen..." Trickster interrupted, pointing at a dark alleyway to their left."The great powerful trickster questions if.....you have ever seen a bat as big as...that?!."

Everyone turned to see it...and it was defiantly an usual sight. If it was like a bat, it was as big as a human, handing upside down from a balcony. Its webbed wood-brown wings was wrapped around all of its body, except for its hairy feet, talon-tipped toes, bloodshot eyes with sickly-green irises, pointed ears like sharpened caveman spears, and singed red and yellow hair.

"Should we run?" Trickster squeaked as the 'bat' emitted a low growl.

"Run!" Faye shouted.

The 'bat' shrieked, and darted faster than the eye could track.  It skidded onto the concrete, swung its massive wings at Sundown's goons, Dusk, and Barbra across the sidewalk, and grabbed Faye by her shoe and threw her into the alleyway.  To the outside world, it was as if a red-brown blur had just knocked down a few teenagers off the sidewalk and sent one rolling backwards.

Crashing into trash can, Faye stood up in a alarmed state face to face with the beast before her.  Bats wings hovered above her, spouting from from the beast's back. The body was pretty much that of a human, wearing a torn shirt displaying a shimmering sun.  His dark jeans were in similar condition.  On chest was an awfully-familiar green-glowing key.

"Oh no...Sundown?" Faye gasped.

"You're talking to...King Sundown." the beast the said in its demonic voice. "Ready to be crowned proudly and prepared to take back what is rightfully his. But you...I feel so much anger for what you have done....you would give that crown to Dusk and stand by his side!  You would rob me of what I had sought for all these years!"

“I am doing it for your own good, Sundown – in fact, did you even consider I did to show you that I still loved you a bit? I saw you as good a good person once...”

Sundown snarled, in annoyance “That's you’re biggest mistake, my love; thinking that you can do what you think is right for me. At least I still have the key.  And don’t worry…I won’t hurt your friend….I’m just going to take what’s mine. The crown. Dusk's rank. The high school. And then…everywhere!”

“No!" Faye yelled. "That key is out of your control. Its turning you into a dangerous abomination!”

“The key is Dangerous for Dusk, and  Powerful for me. And once I’m done…I’ll let you live and see what I’m capable of…You won't need to be under anyone's authority anymore. I've saved a special spot for all my loyal servants, including you.  Though I was mad at you, I still love you.  You won't be guarding rooms or hallways, or blending in with crowds...you'll be an empress with the satisfaction of having two worlds - maybe more - to use at your will.”

"No I won't." Faye whispered boldly "If all goes as you have planned...you be angry at everyone around you until the only person in the world you can blame is yourself.  That's something I've always wanted see in you, Sundown; humility."

The beast snarled in disgust at the word 'humility' before swiping his claws at Faye, who rolled away as the claw sliced the trash can into two. As she made a dash for the alleyway entrance, a brick struck Sundown in the face.

"Leave her alone, you monster!" Dusk shouted,  as he and the rest took cover behind a dumpster hurling bricks, empty soda cans, whatever they could find.

Faye kept pulling Dusk's sleeve and Barbra tugged him by his pants, urging him to go, yet Dusk was too frightened  look away from the charging 'Sundown devil'.  Sundown clawed atop the dumpster, and seized Faye, Sugar, and Spice by the back of their clothes with both talons.  Teneberia and Trickster darted out of the alleyway, while Dusk cried out Faye's name.

Lucky for Faye, Sundown's Talon only dug into her coat.  Unzipping it and sliding out of it, she grabbed Dusk and picked up Barbra, leading them out of the alleyway.  Sundown roared in frustration, startling but not stopping them.  Yet instead of going after Faye, Sundown remained hidden in the alleyway and grinned at Sugar and Spice, displaying of his fanged teeth.

"Tell me ladies...what exactly are nice girls made out of?"

"Sugar..." "Spice..." both of the trembled.

"..and everything nice...Like MAGIC!" Sundown boomed, channeling the energy of the carnelian key into both of the girls, who screamed in pain.

"DRIVE!" Howled Teneberia, in the passenger seat of Trickster's open convertible, parked in along the street.

"Alright! Alright!" Trickster replied, turning the key in the ignition rapidly, causing the car to roar and creak until it's engine roared to life. It was followed by Sugar and Spice's screams.

A sudden jerk in the back of Tristan's car made him jump and slam his foot on the accelerator (Thankfully he still left his car set to 'parked' instead of drive). Both he and Teneberia turned around to find Faye, Dusk, and a purple-and-green dog shocked out of their minds.

"Geez,Dusk!" shouted Trickster "You almost scared the great and powerful out of his -."

"Just drive, Trickster!" barked Dusk. "NOW!"

Trickster didn't need to be told twice.  He launched his convertible into the overtaking a taxi.  Dusk glanced behind him finding no sign of Sugar, Spice, or that monstrous creature in pursuit - only a taxi honking his honk.

"What about Sugar and Spice?!" Dusk said. "We have to go back for them!"

"Are you kidding me? Sundown probably will kill us this time." Faye gasped. "And Sugar and Spice are probably getting what they deserve after years of bullying."

"Like I said before; get yourselves outta here." Teneberia urged.

"Alright your majesty - as soon as that crown is safe from Sundown." Dusk stated.

"And why is that?!" Barked Teneberia.

Choosing his words carefully, Dusk said "I will take it with me....and I'll take Sundown back to where he came from. But for now just let me win Fall Formal."

"Fine with me; the father away he is the better." Teneberia settled, then glaring at Faye.

"What? I'm just as clueless as you." Faye shrugged. "I haven't caused any trouble, I was just pulled into trouble. And I really am from out of town - not of this world."

"When I came here, Faye was already at CHS." Dusk said "Only my dog was with me." Dusk thought that whatever business Faye had with Sundown and the other students of this world was not his to look into.

Teneberia then turned around and leaned into her seat, as Tristan kept practicing a breathing technique to calm himself down.

"Okay...if that...thing...comes for us....promise me that you'll call for help...please?" He begged.

Dusk shook his head "No way - calling the police is just going...to make things harder for me to get rid of Sundown..."

"Okay then..." Tristan sighed "Let's just find a place to lay low...Sundown probably won't be traveling around town much in daylight now, but at nighttime...he could be after us..."

"The school library.  We hide there for the night." Faye suggested. Barbra glared at Faye.

"What if he's planning on looking for us?" Trickster wondered.

"Then just park the car elsewhere, like at your home..." Teneberia said. "...for now focus on getting to the School."