Sunset Shimmer: Student of Magick

Sunset had just passed into sleep when she found herself lying on a bed of leaves. She stood, looking at the forest that surrounded her. The branches of the dark trees scraped one another as soft breezes whispered through the sharp-edged leaves. Faerie lights bobbed and wove amongst the undergrowth, occasionally lighting what may have been the barbed tails associated with demons. She could not be certain, as whatever creatures made that forest their home would rustle deeper into cover whenever the grim lights approached them.

The dark forest of the Supernal Realm of Pandemonium was becoming familiar to her. On her first visit, naked and bleeding from a knife wound that had punctured one of her lungs, Sunset had traversed the forest while being accosted by nightmares. When she returned, she had been clothed but still bleeding from a new knife wound near the original. She had seen both ends of the safe, narrow path through foliage that seemed to move of its own accord.

Her 'patron' was not there to meet her but was unlikely to be far. She had two opposing directions to travel. It was unlikely she would need to return to the cliff face, so she began the trek toward the field.

She reached the plain in what felt like minutes. The Supernal Realms were more like dreams, though, so there was no telling how much time may have passed. The Watchtower was no longer present, but she knew where she was. The grey and black grass waved in a breeze that was not cold but still chilled Sunset to her bones. The ink-coloured sky was clear, though no celestial bodies occupied it. Even without them, there was some light to illuminate the path. She walked in a silence unbroken by any of the sounds she would have expected. The breeze did not make a whisper, nor did the grass rustle. Unlike the forest, the plain may as well have been a tomb. One moment, she had been alone; with a blink of the eyes a massive throne of shadow and black stone occupied the path before her, the Ascended monarch resting upon it.

Nothing about the being had changed. Pale hands with long fingers still grasped their rests. The figure's robes might have been blue in better lighting, but they were instead a sickly grey like everything else in that place. Even Sunset's own vibrant colours were faded.

For someone on par with the ancient gods, she did not feel power radiating like a beacon. Except that the Ascended lord of reality was practically a void, she would have stated the figure was quite mundane. Even the tiny fairie lights resonated with greater magick than the null she faced.

Sunset approached the throne. Her years spent in a court gave her a good feel for the appropriate distance to stop, though she did not feel especial fealty to the monarch before her. She did not bother with a bow or a curtsy, merely stopping with her arms at her sides.

"I take it you called me."

"Why do you believe that?"

"Considering most Awakened only come here once and that you explicitly stated that you had called me on my second visit, it's a reasonable guess."

The enshrouded figure chuckled.

"You know why I summoned you, then."

"Because I made a deal with the Devil."

That received a full bout of laughter that did not cheer Sunset at all.

"You were in tears and accepted my assistance with nary a thought for the cost. Am I a devil to expect that you keep your word?"

"Let's just say that people who want to control all of reality aren't exactly saints."

"You would do well to understand that there are no saints. Those pretending to be so are merely contemptuous deceivers. Kneel."

The voice did not carry a compulsion; Sunset was reasonably certain she could have remained standing without consequence, but obeyed regardless. There was no need to antagonise the pale-handed person in front of her more than she may have.

"What task do you have for me?"

The right hand turned, palm open, to display three drops of blood floating above it that were black in the dim light. One of them fizzled before vanishing. As it did, Sunset felt powerful magick more suited to what she expected encompassing her. The power around her could have done anything to her without any possibility that she could stop it.

As she shivered at the overwhelming might surrounding her, the other hand raised. An image of Sweetie Belle, smiling and chipper, appeared.

"You will guide this girl to an Awakening."

The magick soaked into her body. It did not hurt, but Sunset still gasped as she felt it suffuse every part of her and bind her to her task. Though it faded quickly, the feeling remained like remembered pain.

Memories of the mental and physical torture inflicted upon her before she had even reached Pandemonium flooded Sunset's mind. She did not want Sweetie Belle to endure anything like it, especially after all the emotional pain she had already endured. The association of someone who was effectively her master to the Devil had been something of a tongue-in-cheek quip, but the idea of putting her best friend through an Awakening stirred the coals of anger that she normally suppressed. She wanted only to shout her refusal or to throw herself at the figure until the memory of the power that had surrounded her proved she could not. She cared little what happened to herself, but she feared what would happen to Sweetie Belle.

"How do I do that without traumatising her? Actually, how do I do it in the first place? No one knows what causes an Awakening."

"You speak as though you believe I would give you an impossible task."

"It definitely feels Sisyphean."

A quick snapping of fingers caused the image and the blood to vanish.

"You will do as I have instructed."

"How long do I have?"

"An Awakening takes as long as is required. I will know if you are not working toward your goal. I care little how it is accomplished, so long as it is. It is your responsibility to determine how to complete your task."

The damnable voice had taken all the wind from Sunset's sails. She slumped a bit as she replied, "Yes ... My Lord."

The figure actually snorted. Sunset did not know what to make of such a human reaction.

"Where is that fiery spirit that bantered so casually with me moments ago? Did you finally recognise the magnificence of my presence? The power that I wield over you?"

"I know you can see what I'm thinking so I'll be completely honest: I'm terrified you're going to take advantage of Sweetie Belle and try to control her if I send her here."

"There are five Supernal Realms; she need not come to Pandemonium." The figure stood, approaching Sunset's kneeling form. Everything except the hands remained covered in shadows. One of them brushed Sunset's cheek in a light caress, who refused to flinch even as the fingers grasped her chin. "That aside, I do not need to control her. I already own you."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"What I have given you can be taken at my whim. Defy me if you wish to learn how far my reach extends. Service brings its rewards, Sunset Shimmer, not the least of which is ensuring I need not punish your beloved friends."

She withdrew from the hand. "Why bother threatening my friends? You know I won't go back on my word, no matter how much I don't want to do this. Is promising not to hurt them your twisted idea of making me more willing or happy about this?"

"I care little for your happiness beyond whether it furthers my ends. I would arrange your death if it suited me. When you are again dust, I will remain. You are useful at the moment, nothing more."

A sigh of despair was the only response Sunset could offer.

"We have come to an understanding. Return now and carry out my will."

Sunset woke, morning light just starting to creep into the room. The sensation of those fingers on her face remained. Her task was fixed in her mind. Either she damned Sweetie Belle to the rigours of Awakening or to the wrath of a scorned Exarch.

'I'll have to ask Midnight and the others when they come back about how to guide Sweetie Belle. Gods, please let her want to Awaken.' Sunset felt a few tears on her cheeks. 'Please, Sweetie Belle, don't make me have to force this on you.'

'Haven't you seen the way she looks at you when you're going to study with Pearl? She's jealous. That girl has a follower complex and an abandonment complex, so even the chance of being able to join your little private club would send her over the moon. Stop worrying.'

Sunset knew it was true. Sweetie Belle would leap through fire at even the hint she might be able to Awaken, though Sunset wanted her friend to desire it of her own free will and not because she had a desire to be like someone else.

'What if Awakening hurts her? I'm lucky I'm not more unstable than I already was after that. Then again, I hear from you a lot more and have worse nightmares since then, so maybe I am losing it.'

'None of the Awakened are completely stable, Shimmy. We all just hide our psychoses beneath of veneer of sanity. Do you really think Ace or Pearl or Midnight is completely sound? Hell, that's probably our first clue: You have to be completely bonkers just to have your CV reviewed. That girl is way ahead of you. She'd probably Awaken if you just cast a few ... "questionable" spells on her.'

'That plan is going on hold. The Silver Ladder does a lot with Awakening, but I'm not close with any Théarchs. I doubt the Trois Fleurs would be willing to have a casual chat about this over coffee, after all. Midnight is a Guardian, so she might know something about it or be able to point me to someone.'

'Are you sure you want to ask for Midnight's assistance? Why not make it a general inquiry to someone that won't connect the dots? Not that we have many options there, but you could ask any new friends you make when you join an Order.'

'Why wouldn't I ask Midnight?'

'Just in case. There's no telling what the little firecracker will do if you mention it before you're ready.'

'That's actually a good idea. What's your angle?'

'Same as yours, Sunshine. I am you, and we have a task to do. I don't give a damn if that being wants to bump off your friends, but I don't really feel like pissing off the closest thing to a god we've ever met when that being can make our life miserable.'

Sunset began thinking of various ways to obtain the information she wanted on guiding Sleepers or Sleepwalkers to an Awakening. The less traumatic the better, though she expected that would have to be a low priority. With Ace gone, she had no other direct contacts in the Mysterium. The Guardians studied the topic, but the one she knew would immediately know why she was asking. Pearl had opened her private library to Sunset, so it would have to serve as a starting place.

Once she was on the floor, she paused to check on the girls. Pixel Bit was still suckling her pacifier. Midnight had curled into Sweetie Belle's embrace. While Midnight always kept a barrier in place, Sweetie Belle was easy to read even without magick: Content. The scars remained as deeply rooted anger and pain visible as blemishes on a soul that was otherwise vibrant with cheer.

"I'm sorry," Sunset whispered to her friend before leaving the bedroom.

PART III END