Joe's Donut Diner smelled of stale coffee, pastries, and a faint waft of bacon coming from the kitchen. It was located in it's own lot next to a formerly successful bistro that Joe had taken the majority of its customers from. The diner may not have been as fancy in comparison, but the food was too good to pass up. Modern red booths with tall backs that occasionally wafted the scent of synthetic leather and cleaning chemicals, lined the windowed walls with cheap venetian blinds. The light bulbs that hung above each booth and table illuminated the diner in a dull yellow glow against the night. A wet floor sign was placed in front of the restroom doors and hadn’t been moved in weeks. One of the ceramic sinks had a chunk taken out of it after being hit with someone’s head and had busted a pipe. It might have been Onyx’s doing, but Joe didn’t have to know.

Onyx sat in the diner late at night, solemnly sipping his coffee. He didn’t usually drink coffee, never felt the desire for it like some people, but he figured a couple of months with only about an hour of shut eye was enough to say he needed a little boost. He much rather preferred the variety of sweet tastes of energy drinks, but he was a little light on spending money. His body's condition was worsening with every passing day, and if he didn't get the rest he needed to recover he’d be on the fast track to meeting Death.

He sat in a back booth with the blinds drawn closed. It was quiet, the way he liked it. The only other people present were a young couple that sat in a booth in the front near the door, chatting and eating their meals with delight.

Onyx was tired and uncomfortable. The leatherbound booth no longer provided any lumbar support, the seat foam went bad long ago and was never bothered to be replaced. His ass had gone numb from sitting on the seat that did little to cushion his weight. He put his drink down on the black tabletop, releasing a drawn out breath as his eyes peered into the dark contents of his mug, his thoughts contemplating the last few days, a solemn look on his face.

The information he had gotten over the last few days pertaining to the magical anomalies was less than adequate. Nobody was willing to tell him anything. When he would ask somebody if they have seen anything strange going on around the school they would deny it, or straight up walk away. Interrogation would have been more effective, but he was trying to keep a low profile. A couple kids being interrogated and blabbing out, and he could kiss his inside investigation good-bye. He did get a couple pieces of information, though. A kid named Soarin did mention that there were some things he didn’t quite understand that happened recently involving the Fall Formal, The Battle of the Bands, and the Friendship Games(events that the school held). Another student by the name of Flash Sentry, said that the band ‘The Rainbooms’ were the ones to talk to when it came to that stuff. It seemed he had a personal relationship with them.

Onyx was glad he was able to get some information, but it wasn’t enough. He didn’t know who these Rainbooms were, but it was the best lead he had at the moment and he’d follow it, even if it came to a dead end.

Aside from that, he did get a very good feel of the energy that surrounded the school. There was definitely magic there. Strong magic. However, it was a magic he had never had contact with before. It was more pure than any kind he had ever come across. The magic energy seemed to be harmonic in a sense. The way it ebbed and flowed around the school was uncanny, as it resonated a magical field that gave off a calming effect. Onyx knew from experience that magic is extremely dangerous, and in the hands of the wrong person could potentially destroy everything, so to feel this “peaceful” energy was unnerving to him. After spending so much time around magic that’s really only based on the Chaotic energies of the universe, encountering this new magic honestly kind of freaked him out a bit.

Another thing that he didn’t quite understand; why did he feel like he knew Applejack? He just met the girl a few nights ago, yet when he learned her name a strong sense of familiarity pushed itself to the front of his mind. Her name meant something to him, as hearing it sparked a need to ask how she was doing, but he couldn’t recall anyone he knew having that name. His own thoughts weren’t exactly coherent to him at this point either, so that could be a part of it.

The bell above the door rang as someone stepped through. “Heyya, Sunset! Here to pick up your order?” The man behind the counter, Joe, asked. He was a strong faced man in his late thirties with light brown hair and green eyes. He was usually seen in jeans and a white t-shirt with a white apron.

Sunset? The name roused Onyx from his thoughts and he lazily turned his gaze to the register counter. Sunset Shimmer stood there in tight jeans and the same leather jacket he saw her wearing a few days ago, a content smile on her face as she waited for Joe. Soon after he left, Joe came back to the register carrying a styrofoam container and handed it to Sunset. Onyx soon lost interest and stared back into his coffee. His mind wandered about, his focus fading in and out as exhaustion pulled at his mind.

Sunset paid for the order and looked around the nearly empty diner. “Slow night,” she commented.

Joe shrugged. “Eh, not much I can do about it. These are the easiest nights to be here anyway. Only people we got are that couple, and that guy in the back.” Joe gestured to the back where Onyx sat. “Hasn’t ordered anything, but coffee. I thought about kicking him out, but there’s no one else here, so who’s table is he takin’, huh?”

She glanced towards the back booths, and a small smile formed as she was surprised to see who it was. “Don’t worry, Joe. I know that guy,” she claimed. Joe shrugged, going back to whatever he was doing behind the counter.

She slid into the booth, placing her styrofoam box on the table, and making herself comfortable like she was meeting with an old friend. Onyx stopped his coffee moth-like activity, looking across the table at Sunset Shimmer through half-lidded eyes. She stared back with a friendly smile. ‘Why did she have to come over?’

“Long day?” she asked, doing her best to be friendly. Onyx didn’t answer, choosing to instead take a long drink from his empty cup. “Not much for small talk, are you?” Onyx stared back with that same solemn look. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

Sunset opened the styrofoam box, the sweet smell of bacon wafted into the air. A rather delectable looking BLT sandwich cut in triangular halves made itself known to Onyx; the lettuce was fresh and bright green; the whole-wheat bread looked to be baked only an hour ago, still giving off a warm smell; the tomatoes were still red and firm, not like most BLT’s where they’re soggy and gross; and the bacon was the best part, recently cooked and greasy with a certain crispness to it, as it flopped out the sides of the sandwich. His mouth watered at the sight and smell of it. He dropped his empty mug from his mouth and glared at the girl across the table. Was she tempting him?

“What do you want?” he growled.

“I just thought you could use some company. My friends and I have noticed you’ve been really distant with everyone,” she said, her smile and happy features staying present. “We always try to make new students as comfortable with the school as we can. We were just wondering if you were settling in okay.” The ends of her mouth dropped low and her bright eyes laced concern. “Are you alright? What happened to your face?”

Onyx turned his head to the window to see his reflection glaring back. No longer was it the young and untarnished face he wore; his flesh replaced as bruises and scars began to slowly appear. He brought his hand to his face, his fingertips brushing over deep rivets of missing tissue. ‘Shit, the illusion is starting to wear off!’ The illusion spell he recast to hide himself this morning was already losing its effect, it should have stayed active for at least another whole day. If his magic didn’t last for as long as it’s supposed to, his situation was worse than he thought.

“I’m fine,” he said, his tone slathered with disappointment. Pouring more energy into the spell, he managed to halt the illusion, but he wouldn’t be able to hold it for long.

“Are you sure? It looks like you got in a fight...” Onyx tuned the girl out as he watched someone else enter the diner. A slim man dressed sharply in a striped, grey suit and black dress shoes. The man swiftly walked over to the cashier counter, and as Joe was about to speak, the man hopped the counter, shoving what looked like a balled up cloth in Joe’s mouth. He pulled a handgun out from his suit and pointed the barrel at Joe’s face. Joe froze with his hands in the air. Onyx’s muscles tensed, he needed to do something, but he wouldn’t be fast enough. The suited man pulled the hammer on the pistol and pointed to the ground. Joe obeyed, lowering himself on his belly without a sound. This man wasn’t here to rob the place, so what was he here for?

“Oslyx?” Sunset waved a hand in front of his face. Onyx reared his head back in surprise from the sudden gesture. “Are you sure you’re doing okay?” she asked. “You’re spacing out.” Onyx glanced at Sunset, keeping an eye on the man behind the counter from his peripheral vision.

“Yeah…” he slowly answered. “I’m just tired.”

The bell above the door rang once more as four more men, dressed similarly to the man behind the counter, entered the diner. A quick look revealed that they were men packing some heat, and not small arms. The outline of assault rifles and submachine guns and a shotgun poked through the tight suit jackets. Onyx narrowed his eyes. Razor… this isn’t good. I gotta get these people out of here, he thought.

Sunset grabbed one half of her sandwich and took a bite. The crunch of the lettuce and bacon reached Onyx’s ears and made his stomach rumble. It’s been a few days since he’s eaten, and damn him if that sandwich doesn’t look good. But his surroundings weren’t.

“Sunset, right,” he asked. The girl nodded. “If I buy that sandwich off you, will you leave?”

“W-what? Why would you do that? Besides, this is my favorite place for a late meal, I’m not leaving until I’m done.”

Onyx raised his eyebrow in minor suspicion. She got a carryout order, why would she stay here to eat? “Look…” He started, shifting his eyes over to the men again. The couple that sat across the diner and having a good meal were now facedown in their food. Their throats had been slit and blood spilled over the table, dripping onto the floor. An uneasy feeling washed over Onyx at the site. Where was the reason for this needless killing? If they didn’t want any witnesses, then… This was a hit squad!

His instincts flared up, and Onyx grabbed the underside of the table. Tearing the table from its bolted position, he flipped it over as a hail of bullets stormed the booth. Grabbing Sunset, he pulled her behind the table with him, hugging her tight as he used his body as a shield. The table splintered and was torn apart by the storm of bullets. As he covered Sunset, one lucky bullet managed to be shot low enough to lodge itself behind his right shoulder blade. He grunted as the pain ran through him. Fortunately, the firing stopped, and the clink of empty magazines hitting the floor and the racking of fresh shells gave Onyx a moment to think.

With the small window of time, he looked at the girl and saw the terror in her eyes. Her heart was beating so fast, he could feel it reverberate throughout himself. Unwrapping the girl from his hold, he turned her around. A cold look covered his face, giving Sunset a jolt of unease as she looked at the emotionless face of a stone. He slowly let out a deep breath as the lights began to flicker.

“Things are about to get nasty, but I’ll make sure you stay alive,” he said with a serious look in his eyes.

The lights flicked off for a second and the man from the alley took Onyx's place. In the light, Sunset could see him clearly. He wore a long black coat of thick leather that split into two spearpoint tails in the back. A large hood lined with black fur rested behind his head, as a hooded mottled gray jacket took its place. The same veil of shadow covered his face as Sunset saw in the alley, but now she noticed a thin black mist rising off of him like steam. However, something was different about him, or was something different with her. She didn’t feel that unwavering fear that engulfed her, like in the alley upon seeing him.

The lights shut off and Sunset felt herself being lifted and carried through the air. Her body smashed against glass and it shattered. Landing on the sidewalk, she slowly sat up on her knees. Pain shot through her head, but the sounds from inside the diner had her full attention. Gunfire and screams of pain, windows shattering and the ting of bullets impacting metal. The only light seen being the muzzle flash from the guns. Then, as soon as it started, it ended. There was a pregnant pause where the night was completely void of all noise, the sound of Sunset’s heartbeat being the only thing she could hear.

The window next to the one she was thrown out of burst outward, as a black and white mass hit the ground. “Get down!”

Sunset put her head down between her knees and held her arms over herself. A bone rattling explosion came out of the diner windows overhead and a surge of hot flame blasted out, singeing some of her hair. Her ears rang with a high-pitched scree that deafened her hearing for some time. To her left, the diner went up in a blazing inferno with towering flames sprouting from the windows. To say she was a bit shocked would be an understatement. The real threats of the world never particularly crossed her mind as much as the magical threats she had a part of stopping - not to mention that one time she was a magical threat. Magic, monsters, and magical monsters were one thing; guns, bombs, and bullets were another. Rousing her from her absent mindedness, Sunset heard the sounds of a conversation.

“Are you alright, Joe? Can you stand?” asked a gruff voice.

“I’ll live,” the other replied, though there was a strain in his voice.

“Sorry about the diner. I didn’t think they would be desperate enough to use a bomb vest.”

“Don’t worry about it, Onyx. My insurance will cover it… hopefully.”

Turning to her left, Sunset found the man from the alley standing next to Joe. A sense of sudden terror befell her as the thought of Joe becoming another victim of the man’s bloodlust filled her mind, but it was soon eased as Joe was helped to his feet. Staring at the two, Sunset listened, as the man from the alley talked to Joe.

“Did you have to point me out to the girl, Joe?” He sounded disappointed.

Joe nervously rubbed the back of his head. “Er- I mean, I didn’t think she’d be all buddy-buddy with you.”

The man slapped Joe upside the back of the head. “Dumbass. You’re just lucky I got to you in time before your ass was blown sky high. I could have left you in there, you know.”

Joe looked down at the man’s words, but soon brought his head back up with a concerned expression. “Are you alright?” he asked. “You took a pretty nasty hit in there, man. Not to mention you look like shit.”

Looking at his shoulder, he noticed a long glass shard sticking out. Pulling it out and tossing it aside, the man shook his head. “I’m fine,” he growled. Pulling out a stack of folded bills from his back pocket, the man handed it to Joe. “Just take this and go to the nearest safehouse. You remember where it is?”

“Yeah, it’s the old apartment above the laundromat three blocks away.”

The man gave a curt nod. “Good. Go there after you deal with the police. Make sure you are not followed. I don’t have to remind you what would happen if you’re captured by Razor.” Looking back at Sunset, the man continued. “I have some things to take care of. I’ll meet you in a few days to tie things up and help you get back on your feet.”

As he stepped away from Joe, he felt a hand on his shoulder. Looking back, Joe had a sad look in his eye and his head dipped down. “Look man, I know things haven’t exactly been easy these past years since Bright and-”

The man shrugged off Joe’s hand. “That has nothing to do with what's going on right now,” he said, a subtle hint of hostility in his voice. “Remember, you don’t know me, and I was never here.”

Sirens were heard in the distance, signaling it was his time to go. Without another word, he dashed at Sunset and grabbed her by the collar of her jacket. Despite her attempts at resistance, he hoisted her on his shoulder and carried her away.

“Hey! Let me go!” Sunset yelled, as she squirmed against his hold and pounded her fists on his back.

The man ignored her and continued walking. Bringing her into an alley a few blocks away from the diner, the man stopped. Setting Sunset gently on her feet, he did a quick double take looking behind him. The filthy alley was wide with dumpsters on both sides and a dead end. A rusted fire escape hung on the side of one building.

Upon stepping foot into the alley, Sunset’s anxiety levels increased. Being carried off by the man from the alley was bad enough, but into a dead-end alley no less. The two put together weren’t exactly a good combination at the moment. Noticing that her body was nervously fidgeting, Sunset forced herself to stop. The man had his back turned as he peered out of the alley and into the streets. Seeing the opportunity, Sunset reached into her pocket and pulled out her smartphone. Turning it on, she quickly tapped on the contacts icon and tapped on the first name she saw. Applejack’s name and a small picture of her appeared on the screen as Sunset’s phone rang.

“Come on, come on. Pick up, AJ!” Sunset hissed.

The man turned around, and Sunset quickly hid her phone behind her back, looking as inconspicuous as possible. He slowly walked toward her, and his dark visage unnerved her. Stopping a short distance away, the man rolled his neck, and the shadowy mist that rose off him became thicker as his coat began to evaporate, assimilating with the shadows. Sunset was startled to see who was behind the shadow. The man she knew as ‘Oslyx’ stood before her, only it wasn’t the untarnished and young ‘Oslyx’ she knew. While his countenance kept his handsome features, he was much rougher and gnarled. His face littered with dozens of scars carved into his skin; a deep curved scar that ran from under his right eye through his lips to his chin being one of the most prominent ones. The cold, hard gaze of his eyes was more intense than before, piercing through her soul like an icy dagger. That bright hazel right eye she had been hypnotised by was now cold. The dull grey left eye that made her uncomfortable now frightened her, as it became a deep black in its entirety, completely void of any light it may have had, now a dark pit with no soul behind it.

“I don’t believe it,” Sunset muttered under her breath. Fear braced her being, as disbelief clouded her mind. She couldn’t believe she was just sitting down having a conversation with the monster that saved her and her friends a few nights ago.

Onyx took a step towards her with his hands up in a placating manner, and Sunset stepped back in response. Stumbling over a loose garbage sack, she fell and her phone tumbled out of her hold. It slid across the ground with the screen up. Seeing the phone, a hard look crossed Onyx’s eyes. Realizing her mistake, Sunset crawled for her phone as fast as she could, but Onyx was there in an instant. Picking the phone up, he heard a voice on the other side of the line calling out to Sunset.

“Applejack, call the police!” Sunset cried out, but stopped when Onyx pressed the red button on the phone’s screen, ending the call.

Pocketing the phone, he let out a small sigh. 'Why didn't she just dial 911?' Stepping towards the still downed Sunset, he stopped a short distance away and squatted down. “Listen, I’m not going to hurt you,” he calmly said.

Sunset didn’t believe him. She couldn’t after seeing what he did in the alley, and what he just did at the diner. She backed away until her back met the side of a dumpster, staring at him with wide, cautious eyes. There was no way the monster from the alley was really this nice guy. While Sunset felt something was off about the guy when she first met him, she just brushed it off as her anxiety flaring up at meeting such an imposing person. Thinking back, Fluttershy did say that he helped her when she fell in the hall. Maybe he wasn’t as bad as she thought, but that didn’t excuse the fact that this man just killed people.

Letting out a heavy, irritated sigh, Onyx stood up. Pacing in a circle, he ran his hands through his hair as he increasingly grew frustrated. “Fuck!”

Just Kill Her… A small voice crawled from the back of his mind. Shut up!

He had hoped that he would never have any contact with those girls again, but of all the places he would run into one of them, it had to be at Joe’s. That place was one of the few public spots he was able to relax, but that was only because he knew Joe personally. His night was going pretty well. It wasn’t until Sunset showed up that things started to tilt in a bad direction. Hell, she nearly got killed because of him.

He should have made her leave before anything happened. If it was just a regular hit squad of regular bounty hunters, he wouldn’t think too much about it - take everyone out and move on; however, he knew how Razor operated. They never “ran errands” without someone watching them to make sure things went smoothly, and to keep an eye out for any runners. There had to be someone watching the whole thing go down in the diner. That meant Sunset wasn’t safe. Thinking about it only made him grow more frustrated.

Kicking a dumpster out of his frustration, he bent the thing in half. He paced around in a circle, clenching his fists tight enough to turn his knuckles white. Letting out a deep breath, he calmed down. Looking back at Sunset, he noticed blood steadily flowed from a wound on her scalp down the side of her face. It seemed she didn’t notice and that was good for now, she was already freaked out. He had a spare first aid kit he kept for last resorts he could patch her up with back at the safehouse. Focusing his senses on her, he recognized the fast beating of her heart and the bitter smell of fear. This girl was terrified.

Walking over to the girl, he crouched down in front of her once more with a softened glare. “Look, I’m not here to hurt you,” he said, “But with what just happened, the safest place for you to be right now is with me.” It wasn’t the best way to gain her trust, but if she had any brains, she would know he was right. Putting out his hand for her to grab, he raised his eyebrows to further reinforce his point.

Sunset hesitantly reached for his hand. Having just survived a bomb exploding and a hail of gunfire still had her shaken up, but after seeing the sincere glint in Onyx’s eyes, she felt like trusting him, if only a little. Strange for her to say, as their hands clasped together she remembered feeling his touch once before, before meeting him at school. His hands were rough and calloused, yet his strength didn’t hurt her. It was gentle. As he pulled her to her feet, Sunset felt herself being lifted like she was air.

“Um, Oslyx,” she stammered.

“It’s Onyx,” he corrected.

Sunset looked up in confusion. “But you said your name was Oslyx Blackstone when we met.”

“I lied. It’s a fake name, an alias.” He shook his head. “If I want you to come with me, I need your trust. The least I could do is tell you my real name.”

“Oh...” Sunset trailed off, scratching her head.

Feeling a stinging in his gut, he looked down. His canvas jacket was peppered with holes, effectively ruining the whole thing. Lifting the left side of his jacket, he found his shirt to be missing a piece of itself while the entire bottom half was soaked in dark blood. Turning away from Sunset, he lifted his shirt and found a decent sized chunk of flesh had been ripped away from his stomach, some metal pellets still embedded in his flesh. No amount of dental floss could fix that. The air seemed to get lighter, and he fell to his knee holding his stomach. The taste of blood entered his mouth and he could feel it pool at the back of his throat. A savage cough ravaged his throat and blood covered the asphalt.

His previous wounds weren’t fully healed yet and he felt some reopen in the diner. He was losing too much blood standing around. He had to get moving. Get the girl someplace safe. Patch her up. She wouldn’t survive the night if he left her by herself.

“Damn it,” he wheezed.

A high pitched ringing filled his ears, and he put his free hand to one in an attempt to block it out. The ringing persisted, increasing in volume and frequency. His vision began to cloud, and everything around him became unfocused, becoming illuminated by a bright light. Then, there was something disturbing the ringing in his ears. It was a voice. Faint, but it was enough for him to focus on to start ridding himself of these effects.

“...Onyx! You’re hurt!”

Shaking his head, most of the effects went away. Looking at the source of the voice, he found Sunset standing above him with a concerned expression on her face. He pushed the pain down, and down, clenched his teeth and beared it. Standing up, he covered the wound on his stomach with his jacket. Opening his mouth to respond, he heard voices coming from the street. Aggressively pushing Sunset against the wall with his hand over her mouth, he waited. Five men in sharp suits walked by the alley, and Onyx pushed Sunset down so she was on her knees.

The men stopped to look into the alley and spotted Onyx standing to the side of the dumpster. One made a motion with his hand to stop, but called it off as he spotted a set of feminine legs on their knees just in front of Onyx. Turning around, the suited men laughed at the two assumed lovers and continued on their way.

Once they were a fair distance away, Onyx removed his hand from Sunset’s mouth and helped her up. Sucking in some much needed air, Sunset caught her breath. Placing a hand on her chest as she continued to catch her breath, she looked at Onyx with a wary eye.

“What was that for?” she asked angrily, a faint blush on her cheeks from the provocative position she was just in.

Letting out a relieved sigh, Onyx answered in ragged breaths, “Sorry about that. I would prefer to avoid a fight right now, and it was the only thing I could think of that didn’t involve shoving you in a dumpster.” Peeking out into the street once more, Onyx returned to Sunset. “They seem to be gone now. Come on, we don’t have much time.”

Sunset furrowed her brow. That small amount of trust she had for him was now washed away by his rash actions. “Why should I go with you?” she asked, looking Onyx up and down with a distrusting glare.

“You shouldn’t,” he responded coldly, “But if you don’t, you’ll die.”

“What do you mean by that?” Fear gripped her heart at the words.

Rolling his neck, Onyx shrugged his shoulders and the form he took earlier returned. The veil of shadow that covered his face receded to show his mouth. It would be easier to explain some things right now in order to gain some trust. “I’m sure you remember a few nights ago, when you and your friends found yourselves in a rather undesirable situation,” he said. “Once I left the alley, I stayed close to you, followed you to make sure you made it home. The two, Ghost and Swift I believe their names were, they were only unconscious - didn’t have time to finish them. They followed you and your friends as you got to safety, and planned to kill all of you, as revenge for me killing their boss.”

Clutching her arms, Sunset looked down with unsteady eyes. She could have died and never even known it was coming. A knot formed deep in her stomach at the thought. “Th-they followed us, and wanted to kill us? But we didn’t do anything to them. Did you do something to them?” Sunset asked with despair in her voice.

He nodded. “It didn’t sit right with me, letting you girls go knowing you wouldn’t wake up.”

A wave of relief washed over her at Onyx’s words. Suddenly, something flashed through Sunset’s mind as she remembered that awful night. The memory was a bit hazy, but she faintly recalled seeing Onyx once more before blacking out. “So that was you…” She mumbled. Onyx tilted his head in response. “It was you in the kitchen. What did you do to me then?” she asked with an eagerness in her voice.

“It was just a little fatigue spe-” Onyx stopped himself short when something caught his attention outside the alley. He curled his lips into a snarl of frustration. Managing to catch a glimpse of sharp teeth, Sunset gasped. “We need to move, now!” he growled.

Grabbing Sunset by the arm, he hurried out of the alley. She let out a surprised scream as she was practically lifted off her feet. As the two made their way down the sidewalk, Sunset kept asking where they were going. Onyx’s only reply was, “Somewhere safe.” All of her instincts kept telling her it was a bad idea to follow him; however, knowing that he watched over her and her friends while they slept while Ghost and Swift followed them, changed her opinion about the man of shadows that frightened everybody so much. Besides, it wasn’t like she had much of a choice anyway.

The two trekked across town on foot with little trouble, only stopping to hide when Onyx had felt something was off and decided to hide for a bit. Something was following them, he knew it. He could hear its excited heartbeats as it tailed them. Two beats, close together in rhythm, but separated enough for Onyx to determine the number of organs. This thing wasn’t human, it’s aura was too wicked. When it got close, the beat of the hearts sped up, and a ravenous bloodlust enveloped the beats. When it fell back, its hearts slowed, became calmer and almost hid its presence entirely. It was a skilled hunter, but inexperienced and impatient. Dipping into an alley that crossed through a city block, Onyx slowed his own heart to a near stop and covered Sunset’s scent with his magic. He waited for the following heartbeats to draw further away before emerging and continuing. It seemed to have lost them for now, but it’d be back soon.

By now, he had let go of Sunset’s arm and she followed without question, seeking some form of safety in his presence. The two took to the alleyways and lesser roads, never setting foot onto the main roads for fear of being discovered. Eventually, after going under an overpass, they reached an area of town that Sunset had never been to before. A derelict district that didn’t match up on any maps of the city she had memorized. There were no street lights visible, leaving the entire area in an eerie darkness. The buildings were all run-down and abandoned, their windows were shattered and walls were collapsed. They passed old factories and stores that were long destroyed by time. The only remaining markers that served as a reminder of their existence, were the rusted metal supports that hadn’t yet collapsed. A heavy stale scent of rust hung in the air like a toxic cloud that stung the nose, full of iron and dust. Sunset tried her phone to get a signal, but oddly there was no signal despite passing a cell tower near the overpass.

“Where are we?” Sunset asked, keeping alert to the shadows.

Looking back, Onyx saw the concerned expression on Sunset’s face. He gave a gruff grunt of annoyance. “It’s the old industrial district,” he said. “Long ago, this used to be the driving point of the city. There’s an old folktale about an ancient curse being set on the original Canterlot and everyone disappeared overnight without a trace. Truth is, with the advancement of technology and new labor laws being put in place, it was abandoned and left to rot. With everybody put out of a job, every one cleared out in a single night. Still though, for some reason, this place has been practically wiped from the records, so I’m not surprised somebody like you wouldn’t know about the place. Very few do.”

Sunset cast her gaze down as she followed Onyx, wondering why she had never seen anything about this place in any of the history books she has read over the years. She was so busy in her thoughts that she didn’t notice Onyx had stopped. Bumping into him, Sunset was snapped from her thoughts. Glancing up, she noticed he had stopped in front of an old hardware store, the faded blue sign above the door was damaged to the point that the only text that was readable were the words “hardware Store”. Just above that sign rested another. In a stylish yellow print, the words “Sunny Hills Inn” were flamboyantly displayed over a white background with a faded yellow sun behind them.

Sunset followed him inside. The interior resembled that of any hardware store one would find. Metal shelving was lined up neatly into aisles and the same tools and materials the shelves held ages ago were still there, like an ancient ruin that had not been opened in centuries, perfectly preserving the state of the store. The only disturbance the store had seen was a trail of bootprints leading to and from the back of the store. At the back of the store, she saw a set of old carpeted stairs that led up. The same sign for the Sunny Hills Inn was on the wall behind the stairs. The old stairs creaked under their weight, but held as they reached the top. ‘This must be the Sunny Hills Inn. How disappointing,’ Sunset thought.

The Sunny Hills Inn consisted of three rooms in a single, short hallway with floral wallpaper and green carpet. Two rooms were on the left, and one on the right. One of the doors to the left rooms was missing, and upon peering inside, Sunset found the roof had collapsed in. She watched Onyx as he stood in front of the door to the room on the right. Digging in his pocket, he pulled out a key and inserted it into the lock of the door. Pushing the door open, he motioned for Sunset to step inside. As she did, she saw just how poor the conditions Onyx was living in. Spotting the mattress with the red stain, Sunset almost lost her lunch.

“If you think that’s bad, check out the bathtub,” Onyx snorted. He nudged her arm as he stepped past her. Once he was inside, his coat once again evaporated and joined the shadows. He turned on a lamp that resided next to his floor cot, and took off his canvas jacket. “Come in and sit down. Don’t let the smell bother you too much,” he said before walking into the bathroom. It’s a good thing I moved Ghost and Swift out of here a few nights ago. Probably wouldn’t be the best idea to reunite them with one of the girls, he thought to himself.

Sunset stepped inside the room and was blasted by the potent stench of blood and alcohol, making her eyes water and her nose sting. It was like the walls were made of iron and soaked in whiskey; a sterilized hospital that at the same time was washed over in blood. Powering through the sudden attack on her sense of smell, she shook her head as she continued inside over the moldy carpet. She didn’t want to say how bad the smell was, but this was probably the only place Onyx has, so she bit her tongue. Seeing Onyx gesture to the floor cot, Sunset sat down on it, wrapping her arms around her legs.

Onyx looked at himself in the mirror, and his scarred face stared back. The illusion he cast a few days ago was beginning to wear off, but for it to disappear a day sooner than it was supposed to was worrisome. If he wasn’t able to keep a simple illusion up for a couple days, then his condition was worsening. A tired sigh escaped him when he looked down at his stomach. The bottom half of his shirt was now almost completely darkened from his wound. Pulling his shirt collar away from his neck to see his shoulder, he saw that it was drenched in blood and sparkling from the tiny shards of glass still embedded in the wound. A frown came across his face, as he realized he’d run out of dental floss to stitch the wound closed. Maybe he could find a staple gun around here somewhere...

Looking around the room and seeing the condition it was in concerned Sunset about how safe it was just being there. “What is this place?” she asked.

Glancing at Sunset from the bathroom, he slowly blinked before answering. “It’s a safehouse,” he replied. “I have a few around the city - use them to recuperate and hide out when shit like this happens.”

“Does this kind of thing happen often?” Sunset questioned.

Onyx scoffed in response. “Too often.”

Walking back into the main room with his hand holding his side, Onyx stopped by a plastic bag. “Here, catch,” he said as he tossed a plastic bottle of water at the girl. He then knelt down at the head of the cot and pulled out a small first aid kit from under the pillow. Upon seeing his darkened shirt, Sunset let out a small gasp. She had figured he was injured when he almost collapsed earlier, but he didn’t show any signs of it on their way here.

“You’re hurt!” she exclaimed in worry, putting out her hand to touch his shoulder. Onyx snapped his head to Sunset and darkly glared at her. She got the message and retracted her hand.

“This is nothing. You should worry more about that head of yours,” he said. “You only get one.”

Bringing her hand to her forehead, her fingertips came back down moist with blood. Feeling around her head more, her fingers brushed the edge of a cut. She grimaced at the quick pain that passed over the cut and wondered how she didn’t notice it before.

"Come here," Onyx motioned to the floor next to him.

Sunset scooted over to the man and patiently waited for him to patch up her head. The silence was starting to get to her, so she decided to try and ask a few questions. After all, a lot just happened.

“You’re not exactly a normal student, are you? OW!”

She gave an angry glare to her medic, who twisted the lid back on the rubbing alcohol. “No questions,” he said bluntly, "But, no. I'm not."

“So I’m just supposed to shut up and sit here without knowing anything about you or what just happened?” she asked, a little frustrated.

“That would be preferable. There’s nothing you need to know anyway, it’s all way out of your league.”

His words put Sunset to silence as she pouted, until her thoughts took a different angle. “What if I tell the police about what happened tonight?”

Pausing in the middle of opening a gauze pad, he looked at the girl with a doubtful expression. “You think you can bribe your way to information on the promise that you’ll keep your silence on the events of tonight?” Sunset nodded confidently in response.

"You just murdered five people."

"Oh, did I? Or did they blow themselves up?" Onyx placed the gauze over Sunset's wound and wrapped her forehead with a bandage. "If you do go to the police about this, do you honestly think they'll believe your story on how one man killed five armed men then escaped a bomb detonating while saving two people?"

Grabbing a bottle of painkillers out of the first aid kit, he dropped one into his hand and offered it to Sunset. She took the medicine and swallowed it with the help of the water she was given. Onyx popped three in his mouth for himself, and continued talking.

“They only thing the police will be able to come up with is that; five armed men made their way into Joe’s Donut Diner and detonated a bomb vest as an act of domestic terroism that resulted in the death of two bystanders. There are no cameras to confirm my presence there, nor are there any witnesses, besides Joe; who wouldn’t give any information regarding me to any person or entity, as he would give his life before he talks.” Standing up, he walked over to a duffle bag and began rummaging through it. “But it’s your choice, girl.”

After hearing Onyx’s words, Sunset began to feel like a fool bringing up the idea. Sinking her head into her knees, she asked in a hopeless tone, “Then what the hell am I even doing here then? Wouldn't it have been easier for you to leave me on my own for the night instead of bringing me to safety?”

Onyx stopped his rummaging. Why did he decide to help her? Thinking it over, he didn’t have an exact answer. He just did. That tended to happen a lot.

You should have killed her… No loose ends.

“You’re young. It would be a waste if you died after I saved you once before,” he answered. “I’m sure your friends would want to see you alive too.”

That brought a smile to her face as Sunset began to think of her friends and the memories they shared. If the news that Sunset Shimmer had died reached them, they would be devastated. All the questions and worries she had at the moment had subsided for now. A hopeful smile spread across the girl’s face. She would see her friends again, that she was sure of. And it was all thanks to the monster, the man from the alley.

Yawning loudly, Sunset found the floor cot to be awfully comfortable and laid down. She initially thought that she wouldn't get any sleep tonight, however, a feeling that she would be safe anchored itself in her chest.

“Hey, Onyx,” she called.

He tilted his head up from the duffle bag. “That painkiller kicked in yet, I’m guessing?”

“Yeah…” she yawned once more. “I think I’m gonna try to get some sleep if that’s okay.”

Onyx gave a light chuckle. “What I would give to be you right now. You just rest up, I have things I need to take care of.”

Waiting for an answer from her, Onyx found Sunset to be fast asleep. With a shallow sigh, he pulled the cot’s blanket over her. What the fuck am I doing? I’m not a damn babysitter. Shaking his head, he grabbed what he was looking for out of his duffle bag. A 12-inch serrated dagger sat in his hands, the blade a shining silver color and the grip wrapped in black leather. It was one of his favorites.

Loosening his grip on the dagger, he slipped it into its black leather sheath and attached it to the back of his waist. He gave Sunset one last look before walking out the door and locking it behind him. She’ll be fine. The safehouse is protected, he thought. But his concern did not waiver. However, now was not the time to be nitpicky. There was something he needed to take care of, and it just so happened to follow him.

Author's Note

It's a bit of a long one. I couldn't figure out a good way to split it into two chapter and keep a good transition, so I just decided it's good as is. When I was looking at different fonts in Google Docs I saw one called Spicy Rice. I thought it was funny.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy!